I do not take to Singapore's latest minister of law, K. Shanmugam, on some very instinctive levels, and that is a fact. Maybe it's cos he is the guy at the helm of the legal infrastructure of our sans-freedom-of-speech "democracy", or it could be his preposterous self-assumed national right to declare to the New York State Bar Association that "Singapore is a city, not a country" that did it for me.
In the current run up to the coming elections, our national media has been churning out an increasing amount of politically-correct announcements, policy changes and proposals to pander to the bruised egos of Singaporeans which might yet end up as decisive in the election result.
I have noticed, however, that the solution PAP came up with to solve the run-away housing inflation is a method I used when I was a 5 year old and adults were asking if I had eaten the cake on the table. It's called "complete denial at all costs".
I wonder in my little thick skull if there was ever a conversation between these millionaire-ministers over their whiskies one fine day where they all decided that the housing problem is going to be too tough to own up to, "so let's keep saying 'it's still affordable' for the next few decades until they buy it, figuratively and literally."
A recent Straits Times issue devoted a lot of writing space to Shanmugam, parts of the contents are as follows;
MIDWAY through a 11/2-hour dialogue with Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Sunday, 58-year-old Wee Kai Fatt stood up and gave voice to the claims of many coffee shop pundits here.
The senior engineer complained about the foreigner-fuelled population boom, saying he was shocked when he heard there were five million people living in Singapore.
This influx of foreigners, he added, had caused HDB home prices to rocket.
Taking it all in, Mr Shanmugam took pains to clarify what he said were several misconceptions in Mr Wee's statement.
The Law Minister's key message: Do not cast foreigners as the villains driving up the prices of HDB flats.
Speaking at the end of his three-hour visit to Yew Tee constituency in Hong Kah GRC, he said: 'The first misconception is that somehow there are five million people and that is putting pressure on all of us. It doesn't.'
"It doesn't" ?? That's it? I scorn at the pathetic mandate or stance that PAP has decided to stick to - a complete denial of any wrong-doings.
The fact is that Shanmugam has in this instance admitted the partial truth that housing inflation is becoming an issue.
Then PM Lee Hsien Loong appears this morning on Straits Times (read here) to imply that while resale prices are running rather high but yet that is not PAP's fault because they are not responsible for resale prices, being only able to control new flats' prices.
All these statements are appearing at the same time when Mah Bow Tan, the minister in charge of national development, is stating that PAP should be credited for ensuring that our property prices have gained in value and hence serving the citizens as a worthy form of investment.
Are they all speaking the truth or is it just a string of poorly collaborated denials? I let you, the thinking reader, decide for yourselves.
(quote)Are they all speaking the truth or is it just a string of poorly collaborated denials?(/unquote)
It's the LHL cabinet orchestra's 'HDB IS STILL AFFORDABLE'violin concerto in 'F9' major!
Baton: LHL
violinist: MBT