ST March 10, 2007
Vivian to opposition MPs: Why no queries?
THE opposition came under fire yesterday from the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, on the last day of the Committee of Supply debate on his ministry, lamented that none of the three opposition members in the House had filed questions for him.
Dr Balakrishnan said he had been looking forward to their queries.
Instead, he was grilled by his own party members, who had asked very 'probing questions'.
In response, Non-Constituency MP and Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim said: 'I'm just going to repeat what I told the minister in the lift earlier. There are still four more years.'
One may get the impression that three AP MPs are not "doing their job" of keeping the PAP government in check. But the truth is, PAP controlled parliament has implemented the rule that each MPs will only have a total of 20 minutes of time for the whole Supply Committee Debate (debate on each of the ministries). 20 minutes for 10 ministries!
If Vivian wants a better comparison, then please tell us have all the PAP MPs use up their 20 minutes quota? I believe the WP MPs have used up all their total of 40 minutes quota! In every budget debate I know, WP MP has not enough time to cover all topics and ministries basically due to this quota. Thus, the only way is to prioritize their questioning. If PAP sincerely want AP MPs to ask more questions, then please do away with the time quota! Else the only way is to urge Singaporeans to vote in more AP MPs!
Goh Meng Seng
Posts
25 comments:
One conspiracy theory put up by political scientists hv it tht Goh has long been unhappy with Low, he find him too "conservative" in his approach indealing with PAP. He dared not defame unlike JBJ. Hence he long wanted to part ways with Low but see how his GE results were. Not suprisinly not long after GE he left 2006, citing the online verbal abuses he traded with a fellow forummer as a reason. Could such a minor reason really fired off his departure from WP. Even Prof Ho find it laugable. But he doesnt wana join NSP immd for fear of criticisms. Hence he waited for the right moment (real opportunist). The rite time came when NSP announced its departure from SDA, it couldnt hv come nicer (in GMS words). Dont u all find it suprising shortly after nSP departure from SDA GMS announced his entry into NSP, hahahaha too much of an coincidence. When reporters asked him whether sebastian Teo has approached, he became evasive asking the reporter to ask Teo directly. Even to a simple question like this he cant answer upfront how do u expect him to lead S'pore shld ever NSP be in power.
Since GMS has left WP esp so on an unhappy note why is he still so concerned abt WP matters? One can only logically assumed he still has some "unsettled" business with WP. Or is he still enjoying an illicit relationship with Slyvia lim thts why he couldn't bear her coming under fire. The moment his old flame in trouble he rushed to her resuce hahahahah
How to vote for AP when all its MPs are so wayang? Even the NMP Olsen ask more probing questions about Temasek than LTK who dare not even make a noise in front of his master. As for GMS, he is just a political opportunist with no future in Singapore.
Was told tht Slyvia bore GMS a son out of the wedlock, wonder how true is it? Is tht the reason why he coming to her rescue?
To the above: please retract this untrue and scandalous statement, don't you know you can be sued for libel? Don't mess around with WP, okay? We are not to be trifled!
Conspiracy Theory?
WAHAHAHA. The probability of you being Lee Kuan Yew is even higher than your meek theories!
But then again, judging from your rueful and abhorrent grasp of the English language, I guess otherwise.
Pitiful.
Stop pretending to defend WP, you hypocrite!!! All of us from WP Youth know you are a rotton egg inside out!
Two words: Goh Meng Seng SUCKS !!!!!
Good point. Didn't know abt the 20 mins. Keep up the good work here. Ignore the rest. (Must have hit the right button. Criticisms getting intense).
cheers
Since you are now a NSP member, you should put your new party's logo on your blog instead of WP. Stop disgracing us, you hypocrite, WP members have nothing to do with u!
WP cadre
Whilst there is no doubt, Vivian Balakrishna, is simply playing politics with his statement, your explanation of the time limit on Parlimentary debates is somewhat lame.
In this day of blogs and podcasting, a lot could be done to overcome the limitation. A glance at WP and SDA website clearly shows that they are not exploiting alternative media.
Also why have they not make available media releases on mainstream media. Ok, whilst one cannot expects the mainstream media to take notice but at least if they make known that they have attempted to get their views (or questions that they would like to have asked) and seemed to be hindered, they can at least seen to be making an effort and cannot be faulted.
Look at the SDP. Although considered totally unelectable and possibly even more limited funding than WP or SDA, they still make an effort to update their views on website and through other less conventional means. Whether the means they deployed are successful or not, is a matter for another debate. But at least they are trying.
I would have expected the "more credible" WP and SDA to do better. But alas, they seemed paralysed with fear. Hopefully, the now more liberated NSP, to which you have now join, can score better on this front.
Even on NSP website there's no news announcing Goh entry into the party whereas it has to rely on the local media to report it.
This really show how "big" a catch is GMS. How "important" is he to NSP.
Maybe he joined hoping to be the next naked MP hahahahah.
naked MP - GMS? LOL!
Goh can continue to dream to be a MP, that is in his dreams!
Hahaha
To the 'SDP supporter':
You missed out many points.
1 - WP has the most no. of bloggers followed by SDA and NSP
2 - Chee Siok Chin refused to set up a blog
3 - SDP website contains news from OTHER SOURCES
But I respect all opposition parties. If you are from PAP be honest about it.
soul_rage
Member
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 145
Send Message 26 February 2007 · 02:03 PM
quote:
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Originally posted by laurence82:
True?
This is from the internet and it's really interesting. Even if you change the figures, the fact still remains as the Rich get Richer and the Poor gets Poorer.
Example 1
In 2006, if after rebates etc and your net taxable income is $60,000 , the income tax you need to pay is $2,700 (8.75%). If you spend $800 a month on needed goods and services, the GST paid for 5% will be $480 Total=$3,180 in Tax paid.
In 2007, if after rebates etc and your net taxable income is $60,000, the income tax you need to pay is $2,600 (8.50%). If you spend $800 a month on needed goods and services, the GST paid for 7% will be $672 Total=$3,272 in Tax paid.
From $3,180 to $3,272, the effective increase is 2.89%.
Example 2
In 2006, if after rebates etc and your net taxable income is $400,000 , the income tax you need to pay is $61,650 (21%). If you spend $4,000 a month on needed goods and services, the GST paid for 5% will be $2,400 Total=$64,050 in Tax paid.
In 2007, if after rebates etc and your net taxable income is $400,000, the income tax you need to pay is $58,700 (20%). If you spend $4,000 a month on needed goods and services, the GST paid for 7% will be $3,360 Total=$62,060 in Tax paid.
From $64,050 to $62,060, the effective decrease is -3.11% .
Example 3
In 2006, if after rebates etc and your net taxable income is $25,000 , the income tax you need to pay is $187.50 (3.75%). If you spend $800 a month on needed goods and services, the GST paid for 5% will be $480 Total=$667.50 in Tax paid.
In 2007, if after rebates etc and your net taxable income is $25,000, the income tax you need to pay is $175 (3.5%). If you spend $800 a month on needed goods and services, the GST paid for 7% will be $672 Total=$847 in Tax paid.
From $667.50 to $847, the effective increase is 26.89% .
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If I don't remember wrongly, I believe there is no decrease in income tax, but that corporate tax is reduced by 2%. So correct me if I am wrong, but example 2 is not correct. Assuming income tax wasn't reduced, then the person in example 2 would be paying 61,650 + 3,360 = 65,010, which is an effective increase of 1.5% (over 64,050.00 when GST was 5%). Still, becoz the rich earns so much, the increase in cost of living is negligible to them, though in real money terms, they have to pay more.
Anyway, percentages are all but a numbers game. Present the appropriate numbers to prove your point ("only 2% GST increase, so don't worry", and you see a few pro-PAP people whom can tell you its only 2%, nothing much, when they are also being eaten alive by the policies)
In my research work in the past, I realized that there are SO MANY ways of looking at the same set of numbers, that you need only pick the ones that are most beneficial to you, and present them to your examiner.
Similarly, our govt practises the same tactics. Select the facts, and only show those that are most beneficial to them. So they never lied to you. Just that they never show you the negative aspects of their decisions.
And at the end of the day, who suffers most? The poor and the middle class. But most of us are ignorant to such high-level tactics anyway, or are too blinded by those small little carrots to see thru the tactics, that we just take it and still happily laugh while being eaten alive (read: 66% of the population who voted). So who is at fault? Not the govt, but US, the silly population.
I have many friends from other nationalities, and I always hear the same thing. "You singaporeans complain and complain and complain, but at the end, when the difference can be made during the elections, you guys chicken out and vote in the people you don't like. So who to blame? Yourselves. Can only blame yourselves for being stupid and cowardly".
To all the pro PAP supporters here, i got something to tell you all!!! stop hiding there and make mocking remarks on mr Goh.Gots guts dont hide!Just read what i wanted to say and shut your big mouth up!!!The government said, increase in gst is good for the poor and the people of Singapore.Hahaha, what a joke and bullshit the PAP is throwing at us.IF INCREASE IN GST IS SO GOOD, WHY ONLY INCREASE TO 7%?WHY NOT JUST INCREASE TO 10% OR 20% OR EVEN HIGHER SINCE IT IS SO GOOD FOR THE SINGAPORE POOR!!!HAHA, maybe the PAP will use this excuse like too much tonic is no good for the health...!!!
HAHAH i copied that GST increase thing from mrbrown.com and pasted it in my friendster bulletin 2 days ago. the response from my friends are great. i have 10 people copy-paste-ing the post to show the smoke screen of the package offered by the PAP.
the anti-insurgents are trying hard. but dun worry. the new generations will know the truth and support the WP.
keep it up Mr Goh!!
Latest news cirulting on internet forums tht GMS was kicked out by NSP, looks like GMS is a "political grasshopper" who hop from party to party.
You just can't please everyone.
Goh, you can doing great, keep it up.
Our ministers are getting 100% pay increment to $2.2 million per annum. Isn't it a wonderful job?
Just sit in the office and the solution to anything and everything is to increase the cost. Increase GST, increase medishield premium, increase ERP, increase transportation costs ... I can tell that decision-making justify the $2.2 million per year salary.
Where is the money to pay the Ministers coming from, if income tax remain the same and corporate tax reduced?
The government should allow the peasants to vote to see whether such increments can go ahead.
I rather pay our ministers well than to pay that dog GMS a single cent from taxpayers' pocket!
Of course you would want to see your PAP masters being paid well! That's how you can be paid to be an anonymous pro-PAP blogger on the internet!
Secondly, when your PAP masters get a handsome raise in salary. You will want look forward to get a raise too! You bloody asslicking PAP dog!
Why aren't WP making any comment on this? Cos the MP allowance will be raised too?
Aahhh. So u agree pro-PAP paid anonymous bloggers will get a raise too! That's intersting using public's money to promote a political party.
Anon 7:57
U brain dead moron! That's what GMS is posting this article that that the PAP restricted MPs have only 20 ministries. 20 mins to comment about 10 different ministries!
Tell your fucking PAP masters to amend that to 2 hrs and u will have a livelier debate! Get it slave dog!
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