Sunday, July 31, 2011

Candidates moving towards my platform

I read the speech from Dr. Tony Tan (reported in Today) and the letter by Mr. Tan Cheng Bock (in St Times Forum). They are moving towards my platform to be the voice of the people and to raise these issues with the Government. It took them some time to come around to articulate these views in strong and clear terms. It is good for the future of Singapore.  I hope that they will now also pledge to donate at least half of the President;s salary to charity. I wish them all the best in the contest. 

Tan Kin Lian speaks at Supporter's Gathering


1. How to fulfill your campaign promise to be the voice of the people

2. Are you trying to change the constitution?

3. President, voice of the people?

4. President as alternative voice to help the government

5. Why is being independant of the government so important?

Enjoyable trip to Batam

I had an enjoyable trip to Batam. I met the Singapore manager of the Planet Holiday hotel. I had breakfast at the hotel and met two groups of Singaporeans there. Later, I had 1 hour interview over a Batam radio station and another 1 hour interview with journalists from several Batam newspapers. The interviews were in Bahasa and I had the assistance of an interpreter, but managed to give some answers and greetings in Bahasa.

My group had lunch at the Nagoya Hills Shopping Mall. The owner of a staff, who is a Singapore PR recognised me and asked his assistant to give me a box of layered cakes. I also met several Singaporean families at the mall. They went to Batam for the weekend for shopping and relaxation. I also had a chat with several Singaporeans on the ferry to Batam and back.

I sent greetings to the Muslims in Batam for Ramadan and also for the coming Indonesian Independence Day. I was impressed with the economic development in Batam and the warmth and friendliness of the people towards Singaporeans.


Saturday, July 30, 2011

Visit to Batam

Mr Tan Kin Lian will be visiting the Indonesian Island of Batam to meet Singaporeans and to conduct interviews with the local media there.


The island is popular with many heartlanders and PMETs as it is nearby and it is also relatively inexpensive to take a break there. He will also take the opportunity to view the progress of developments there as there are many Singapore investments in Singapore.


Many residents of Batam also have ties to Singapore and follow developments in Singapore with interest. He hopes the interviews will give him an opportunity to extend greetings, on behalf of Singaporeans, to the people of Batam as Indonesia will be celebrating its Independence Day soon.


Said Mr Tan: "I have visited Batam many times over the years. I am impressed by the developments and progress taking place. Each time I go there, I see more projects taking off. This is good as it means there are more jobs. I also find the people here very friendly and helpful. I wish the people of Batam a peaceful and prosperous future. I also hope that the good relations between our two countries will continue so that we can visit each other more often."


The following media will be interviewing Mr Tan:


· Radio SingFM Batam 105.5Mhz –

· Batam Pos Newspaper
· Haluan Kepri Newspaper
· Tribun Batam Newspaper


Live radio Interview at SingFM studio at Planet Holiday Hotel. The 45 minutes interview will be at 10.00 am Indonesian Time. He will be interviewed by Bpk Bambang Pamungkas Manager/Chief Editor of Radio SingFM.This broadcasting station is a business radio.


The press interview will be held at the business centre meeting room in Planet Holiday Hotel at 11.am Indonesian Time.


Anthony Chia

Poor yield from ILP

Friday, July 29, 2011

How much to pay for your property

In my talk on financial planning, I suggested that a person should buy a property representing not more than five years of the income and pay the monthly installments of up to 25% of the income (all to come out of CPF contributions) and the loan should be repaid within 25 years. This article explains how these benchmarks are calculated. 

Manage your own life annuity

I gave a talk on financial planning to several employees of a company. These employees will be approaching retirement. I advised them about the importance of getting an adequate income during their retirement and offered them a suggestion on how they can manage their own annuity. This suggestion is set out in this paper.

I suggested that they can use the results of this calculation as a benchmark to compare the payout from a life annuity bought from an insurance company. If the payout is quite close, they can buy the life annuity and save the hassle of managing their finances. However, a self-managed financial plan provides greater flexibility compared to a life annuity, and is an advantage to a financially aware person.

  

Photos of Tan Kin Lian

Mobile Games developed by TKL Associates

Here is my reply to queries from Today and Wanbao.



I run a software development company call Tan Kin Lian & Associates. During the past year, I have developed more than 10 apps (mobile games) and deployed them over the Apple, Windows and Nokia platforms. I am now developing them on the Android platform.


If you search for my name "Tan Kin Lian" on app store or marketplace of these platforms, you will find these apps. The more popular apps are Tangram, Shape Quiz, Sudoku, Logic Quiz and Logic Box. These games are available in various versions. I also develop some simple games such as One In A Million (generate 4D numbers), Toto Luck (generate Toto numbers) and Amazing Numbers (guess a secret number).


When the Windows Phone platform was first launched, I asked my developer to try some simple apps. I chose Toto and 4D as they are popular games and are well known by many people. These apps are quite simple and easy to develop. They take the date of birth to produce a fixed series of random numbers and identify the most common numbers that are unique to that person. Whether these numbers will come out in practice will still depend on luck, but they are numbers that are tied to the date of birth.


One person has expressed the concern that the 4D and Toto game will encourage gambling. This concern is exaggerated. Not many people download the apps. Even if they do, they are not going to gamble a lot of money buying their numbers. I am not aware of any person who has found it to be so interesting that they wish to increase their betting.


I look at Toto and 4D as an entertainment for many ordinary people. Most of them bet with small sums of money that they set aside to try their luck. Some people may be problem gamblers, but this is a separate matter. For the majority, this is a way of having some distraction from the busy and hectic life. If some people like to try my app to get their unique numbers, I will be delighted. But I do not think that it will be addictive, and I certainly do not encourage them to be addicted to any form of gambling. But as a pastime and fun, it is all right.


The download of these apps are quite small, as few people know about them. The apps involving Tangram, Shape Quiz and Sudoku are more popular, with more downloads.


I have also developed business apps on the mobile platform for taxi booking and for other business applications. They will be launched at a later date. They use the know-how that has been gained from developing the mobile games.


If I get elected as President, I have to pass this business to another person, as the President is not allowed to be involved in any business. 

But if I do not get elected, I intend to use the know-how in developing mobile games to be used for many business applications involving   mobile and web platforms. This is an exciting field with a lot of opportunities.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Cheap Flights to Ireland | Luxury Hotels Ireland

Thanks to the internet, finding and comparing prices has become faster than ever. If you want to compare the prices offered by Aer Lingus, the national airline of Ireland, to those that are being offered by Ryanair, you can do so in a matter of minutes. There are a number of sites, which allow you to access a number of different airlines and search for the best prices quickly. Alternatively, you can go directly to the separate airline websites as well.

cheap-flights-to-ireland

The most common advice about finding deals on airline flight from the USA to the UK is to book early. This is true, but there is still more that you can do get an even better deal on your ticket.(See also cheap Europe flights and luxury hotels Ireland)

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Interview on CNA and Razor TV

I gave interviews to CNA and Razor TV last night on the talk - Leadership, guided by values and on the questions asked about the Presidential election. You can watch them from the campaign website, www.tkl2011.com. See Statement tab.

Speak for the people

Singaporeans will have to choose carefully when they vote for the President. If they want a quiet President, there are at least two possible candidates to choose from. If they want a President who can speak for the people, they can choose me. You can read my statements in www.tkl2011.com. The speaking can be done constructively and not in a quarrelsome way.

Have the courage to make a change. Do not worry that this approach will cause problems .... it will not. If the President brings important issues to the attention of the government, the government will have to pay attention to these views. The President does not need to be another center of power, but he can be the light of brightness to focus attention on these issues.

When problems are denied, they cannot be solved.

When problems are identified and agreed, it is more likely that better solutions can be found. We need to apply the values of honesty, fairness, positive attitude, courage and public service ... to find better solutions.



Politicize

Somebody made this observation, "If you give views that support the government's views, you are not politicizing, but if you give views that are different, you are politicizing".

I want to encourage Singaporeans to be broad minded, and to accept alternative views, without applying labels such as "politicizing", "anti-PAP" or "pro-PAP". There is no need to label each view. Treat each view on its own merits ... and ask, " is it good a better solution, is it better for the people?"

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tips on Critical Illness Insurance

This article contains some tips on how consumers can approach critical illness insurance. Consumers should pay a small premium to cover the small risk of critical illness at the young ages and invest the savings in a low cost fund. The accumulated savings after 20 or 30 years will be more than sufficient to pay for the cost of treatment or loss of income, if a critical illness occurs at an older age.

Case Studies | Web Design Dublin

Web design Dublin has created many successful websites for clients worldwide and it may be instructive and helpful to take a look at some of the small businesses who have benefited from our services.

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It is important to note that our websites are focused on a handful of key factors for our clients. These factors are NOT fancy design or an attractive looking site to which we can send our family and friends.

Insight into Tan Kin Lian

This article writes about the history and values of Tan Kin Lian.

http://alexbinich.blogspot.com/2007/03/lord-of-dance.html


Cartoons about Singapore

How to choose your best President

An interesting story by the author of "Wisdom on How to Live Life"

Monday, July 25, 2011

Statement by Tan Kin Lian – Ensure CPF savings are secure and adequate for retirement needs

A primary role of the President is to safeguard the past reserves of the country. A large part of the reserves represent the savings of Singaporeans in the Central Provident Fund.

Many Singaporeans have expressed concern about the security of their CPF savings when, from time to time, they hear about the large losses incurred by Temasek Holdings, Government of Singapore Investment Company (GIC) or the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in their investments. Just a few days ago, MAS reported a loss of $10.9 billion during the past year.

There is a need to inform and educate Singaporeans about the long term nature of the investments and to give them the assurance that the investments are made prudently. This is especially relevant, given the occasional newspaper reports of money from the reserves being invested in foreign companies which report larges losses and go to the brink of bankruptcy. Some of these foreign companies are not well known and have a risk profile that appears to be very high.

A President, who has the financial knowledge and expertise, and backed by a panel of investment experts, can play a useful role in keeping an oversight over the investment policy. As a trusted, independent person, the President can give the assurance that Singaporeans are looking for about the security of their CPF savings.

The CPF savings represent the hard work of Singaporeans made over several decades. They depend on their CPF savings to take care of their financial needs during retirement, to pay for the cost of living and their medical expenses in old age.

Many Singaporeans have found that, in spite of the frugality and savings habit, they still do not have sufficient savings when they reach the retirement age. They have expressed the view that the CPF scheme is not working to their benefit.

I wish to echo their views and call on the Government to review the operations of the Central Provident Fund and implement changes to achieve the following goals:
  • Ensure that the CPF is able to provide an investment yield that is higher than the rate of inflation
  • Ensure that CPF members have adequate savings for their retirement needs (after paying off the cost of a modest HDB flat)
  • Review the contribution rate of older workers to allow our workers to build up adequate savings for retirement.
  • Improve transparency and communication, to assure the people that that their CPF savings are being invested prudently.
  • Allow partial withdrawals of CPF savings to meet financial needs of people who have lost their jobs due to factors beyond their control.
  • Review the use of CPF savings for tertiary education, to see if the scope can be widened
Many people have read news reports that the funds managed by the Government had been able to earn an attractive investment return over the long term, that are well in excess of the interest rate of 2.5% paid on the ordinary account in the CPF. They have expressed the concern that they are not getting a fair share of the investment return. If inflation is higher than the interest rate, the purchasing power of CPF savings is effectively being eroded if the return on CPF savings is kept at a low level.

I call on the Government to from a panel with representation from all segments of the people to carry out this review and that the review should be carried out in a transparent manner, so as to gain the trust of Singaporeans.

Tan Kin Lian

Long term yield on GIC portfolio


GIC reported a 10 year and 20 year yield on their portfolio of 7.4% and 7.2% respectively in USD. I wonder what the yield would have been, if converted to SGD. We know that the USD has depreciated significantly during this period.

I am encouraged by this statement: "GIC's real rate of return in excess of global inflation over the past 20 years -- its main benchmark -- was 3.9 percent as at end-March 2011, up from 3.8 percent at end-March 2010."

However, it might be better if the yield is converted to SGD and the real return is computed net of inflation in Singapore.


Divorce in Virginia

Came across a useful site called divorce in Virginia which deals with many of the issues surrounding getting a divorce in Virginia.
It deals with WV child support, Virginia divorce laws, child custody laws in Virginia and Virginia divorce lawyers.
If you are considering getting a divorce in Virginia or are embroiled in such a battle then you should consider checking out http://DivorceInVirginiaHq.com

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Sunday, July 24, 2011

Elected president can be the voice of the people

This letter was published in the Straits Times Forum page on 25 July 2011 (with minor editing).

 I refer to the article "Don't Politicize the Role of the President" by Wan Wai Yee, Asst Professor in Singapore Management University.  Prof Wan argued that the President should stay within the powers of the constitution and avoid “politicizing” its role.   However, Prof Wan did not explain what he meant by "politicizing".

If someone offers a view that is different from the stand taken by the Government, will it be considered as "politicizing"? To find solutions that are best for the people, it is better to discuss issues openly and consider various points of views, before coming to a decision.  

The Government and the President are elected by the people to perform their duties stated in the constitution – but the ultimate aim is to improve the lives of the people. The President is required to carry out certain specific duties that are intended to act as a check and balance on the Government, primarily to prevent abuse of powers and corrupt practices.

To exercise this power effectively, the President needs to be in touch with ordinary people that are affected directly by these issues. In doing so, the President may hear views that fall outside of his constitutional duties but are still important to the people. 

I agree with Prof Wan that it is the primary duty of Parliament to discuss these issues and pass the necessary laws to implement the solutions. We should, however, be aware of the structural weaknesses in our current governance where, for a variety of reasons, many of the hot issues affecting the livelihood of the people were not actively debated in Parliament. It was only days prior to the last general election that the Prime Minister realized the extent of the unhappiness of the people and had to apologize twice for the shortcomings of his government.

It is likely that the newly elected Parliament will continue to face the structural issues and obstacles.

The elected President can play a useful role in being an additional channel for the people to bring legitimate issues to the attention of the Government. To rebuild the trust of the people and re-install pride in our country, the Government has to show that it is willing to hear the voice of the people and consider their views.  The elected President can help in these tasks.

Tan Kin Lian

Saturday, July 23, 2011

For the sake of Singapore's future

Dear Mr Tan
We know we can count on you to do the Right Thing for the sake of Singaporeans' future.
-----------------------
Sharing the article below of what has been so convincingly argued.
Too much of a good thing is bad... very bad, indeed.
No one is indispensable; and Lee Kuan Yew and his team must make way for the new and much more relevant. Change is inevitable. If he sees sense he will do the right thing.
Voters need to realize that they do get the government that they deserve.
Of all the virtues, I would rate courage as the most useful.
------------------------------
Subject: One young angry lady lecturing LKY
The best article I have come across on Singapore politics. Some of her views could equally apply elsewhere. Now you have a better understanding why staying too long in government changes human behavior. Just look closer at the current Middle East situations .... the rulers stayed too long and failed to see why they were there in the first place.
-----------------------------
The world is a dangerous place not because of people who do evil,
but because of good people who look on and do nothing about it.
-- Albert Einstein

Supporter's Gathering 23 July 2011 - Videos


Dear TKL supporters

Here are the videos of the given by Tan Kin Lian to the hot topics of the day. Please watch the videos and forward the links to your friends, neighbors, colleauges and other contacts. Ask them to spread the videos to their friends as well.


There is more media coverage for Dr. Tony Tan, how do you address this disadvantage?

What are your views on the transporation fare increase?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoSV1BVqvl4

What are your chances of obtaining a COE? Do you expect a 2,3 or 4-corner fight?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klEROQSpIBo

Does the President have freedom of speech under the constitution?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQNIfDSteLA

The MAS lost $10.9 billion last year. What sort of impact do you think this has on our reserves and what are your views?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjmsp2mp3NA

Do you agree that the elected President should be non-partisan?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OGiOKqTYvE

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Friday, July 22, 2011

MAS records net loss of $10.9 billion

This report said that MAS recorded a net loss of $10.9 billion due to the strong Singapore dollar. We need to study if this is only part of the truth or the whole truth. How much of the loss is attributable to the strong Singapore dollar? How much of the loss is caused by excessive speculation or trading (if any)?  .

It is important for the President to ask these questions, get the answers from MAS and be able to interpret these answers. This will improve accountability and engender trust in our institutions. In an earlier statement, I said that our reserves should be invested prudently, to achieve a reasonable return over the long term and avoid speculation.




Thursday, July 21, 2011

TKL Media Statement - Dr Tan Cheng Bock apply for Certificate of Eligibility


I am glad that Dr Tan Cheng Bock is submitting his application for the Certificate of Eligibility and wish him all the best in getting approval from the Presidential Election Committee. I have high regard for Dr. Tan Cheng Bock and look forward to a dignified contest with him and other candidate(s) in the election.

With more candidates standing for election, the voters of Singapore will have a wider choice of selecting the next President of Singapore. The contest will make more citizens aware of the importance of this position and educate more people on the need to make a wise choice.

I will be standing for election to offer to the people the following choice of electing me to:

  • Be a VOICE of the PEOPLE to carry their views, concerns and aspirations to the Government.
  • Be INDEPENDENT of the PAP government but to work with it to find solutions that are best for the people
  • Apply my knowledge and expertise to SAFEGUARD their CPF savings and the RESERVES of Singapore.
I also reiterate my pledge to donate at least half of the President's salary towards charity and other causes. I am encouraged by the feedback I have received to date (see http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=161923467213647

I invite the people of Singapore to read more about my campaign statements and activities in www.tkl2011.com.

With restrictions on the campaign activities as advised by the Prime Minister's Office, I call on the mainstream media to give equal coverage to all the candidates, so that the people can have the relevant information to make a wise choice in voting for their President.

Ivy Singh endorses the values of Tan Kin Lian



Do we need a President?
When you are in absolute despair, you need someone to give you hope!
The people form the constitution.
Singapore should be the paradise that it should be.

Statement from Tan Kin Lian - Public Transport Fares

Many Singaporeans have expressed their unhappiness in the Internet and other channels over the requests by the public transport operators, namely the SMRT and SBS Transit,  to increase their train and bus fares.

The public argued that the public transport operators are already making big profits for their shareholders, paying high salaries for their chief executives (as reported in their annual reports) and are operating in an near monopolistic situation with little competition in their respective market segments.

They also complained about the crowded buses and trains, unreliable service, poor level of customer service (due to insufficient or poorly trained workers) and over-charging of fares (due to system fault).

I echo the views of the public and wish to ask the Public Transport Council to delay any fare increase until the public transport operators can provide more capacity and improve the standard of service, namely to provide a more comfortable ride with shorter waiting and travelling time.

I also ask the public transport operators to consider their responsibility to the public and keep the fares at a reasonable level. The operators should try to reduce their operating costs, especially in the high salaries paid to top managers, and reduce other expenses, for example in the adoption of expensive systems, that do not directly improve the quality of service provided to commuters.

I recognise the duty of the public transport operators to provide a return on investment to shareholders, but wish to point out that the return should be fair and not excessive, and should not be at the expense of the commuting public, especially those at the low income levels who have no choice but to take public transport.

If the Public Transport Council agrees to increase the fares, to offset the uncontrollable increase in  operating costs, I ask the Council to request that more concessions be given to senior citizens, low income families and students to offset the increases.

I also ask the Minister of Transport and the Land Transport Authority to take urgent steps to revamp the public transport system in Singapore by increasing the capacity and encouraging more effective competition among the public transport operators. 

This can be achieved by allowing more private bus operators to run express bus services between the towns to increase competition and provide more choice to commuters. The express bus services should be supplemented by efficient feeder services. We can study the popular and successful system adopted in Hong Kong, where small light buses are used to ferry commuters between the homes and the bus and train stations. We should be open to change our system and adapt the successful models from overseas to suit our own circumstances

I have published my proposals on the improvement of the public transport system over the past two years. I have also written to the Transport Minister on these proposals. I urge the Minister for Transport and the Land Transport Authority to give urgent consideration to these proposals.

http://www.tankinlian.com/Frame.aspx?PK=6ca065d2cf23102eac2f34540c3f19be

Public transport is an issue that is of high concern to the people of Singapore. I wish to voice their concerns and urge the Public Transport Council, the Land Transport Authority and the Minister for Transport to find solutions that are best for the people.

Tan Kin Lian


3 Website Design Mistakes That Make You and Your Business Look Stupid

I came across this article at http://WebDesignDublin.org about website design mistakes that reflect poorly on you and your business.
Web Design Dublin is an Irish based company which creates cost effective websites for small business owners with an emphasis on cost effective and good results as opposed to fancy, expensive sites.

Much of the content is hype free and the author seems to know what he is talking about when it comes to search engine optimization and structuring sites more maximum traffic attraction.

It is well worth taking a look at in my humble opinion..

I came across a good article "3 Website Design Mistakes That Make You and Your Business Look Stupid" at http://WebDesignDublin.org

Razor TV - TKL Media Conference

Talk by TKL - Leadership, guided by values

I am giving this talk to the members of the Marketing Institute of Singapore. It is also open to the public. You can register directly with the organiser. Brochure of talk.

There will be an active Question & Answer session. It will be extended to issues of interest to the audience, including the Presidential Election. The media has been invited, so it will be an exciting session.

Tan Kin Lian meets the people of Singapore

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Legal Office Supplies Can Skyrocket Your Law Office Overhead

One way to ensure a profitable law office is to control the things you can control and legal office supplies are one area you can exert some influence over.

If you take a little time to do an inventory of what you actually need and appoint a responsible person in your office to manage all of your office requirements it is amazing how much money you can save in a calendar year.

And this goes straight to the bottom line of your financial health check in running a smart law office in 2011..

Grow 600 times in 30 years

I joined NTUC Income in 1977 as the general manager (later re-designated as  chief executive officer).  During a period of 30 years, the total assets increased by 600 times from $28 million to $17 billion. 

Growing up as a criminal

Here is a letter from a Singaporean who migrated and became a Canadian citizen. But he is treated as a criminal for not doing national service.  A few years ago, I met the parent of a boy in a similar situation. The parents migrated to Australia, but the father had to accompany the son back to Singapore to serve national service - otherwise the son would be treated as a criminal.

Auto Insurance Quotes Online – Things First Time Buyers Need To Know

Getting automobile insurance is not an option, but is an obligation that keeps you safe from doling out a fortune on the repairs if your automobile happens to get involved in an accident. However, many people tend to keep on postponing the task not only because they find the expense unnecessary but also due to their ignorance of the process. Even though it is quite easy to find numerous auto insurance quotes online, choosing the right one can be extremely confusing and difficult especially if you have no previous experience.


The first step towards buying auto insurance online is to have knowledge about the insurance providers who offer insurances quotes online. You can start by doing an online search for companies that offer these services. The search results will produce a list of the companies that have an online presence. Alternatively, one can choose to visit the website of an insurance agent that provides insurance quotes of different companies.


Having found a site that offers auto insurance quotes online , it is vital to check out their background and authenticity. In addition to checking out the testimonials given on the website, it is advisable to search the net for any negative publicity, frauds or scams. If possible, you should also look for references of people who have dealt with the specific insurance company as they can provide you invaluable information about how helpful or cooperative the representatives of the company are at the time of the claim settlement. It is also a good idea to check out more than one websites to double check the reliability of the insurance quotes available online.


The process of seeking auto insurance quotes online may require you to provide some basic information about yourself and what kind of policy you are looking for. You might be required to fill up a form or answer a questionnaire. In either case it is vital that you provide the complete information with total honesty so that you may find policies that are most beneficial to them.


Apart from learning about the insurance provide, you also need to learn all about the benefits offered under different auto insurance policies. In case you feel that the benefits are not enough or the premium charged or the deductibles are too high, then it is better to look out for another policy from a different provider. However, make sure that your expectations are realistic and you are clear about the features you need in the auto insurance policy.


Campbell Solberg Associates is one of the foremost and reputable auto insurance quotes online agents renowned for their economical, honest and genuine insurance quotes. For more information on their services you can logon to their website http://www.campbellsolberg.com.

International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation

I was the chairman of ICMIF from 1992 to 1997. According to its website (www.icmif.org), ICMIF now has 210 members from 70 countries These members employ a total of 260,000 people and manage assets of USD 1.5 trillion. The official foreign reserves of Singapore today is USD 225 billion, according to the MAS website. These figures are not strictly comparable, but gives an idea of the size of ICMIF.  I was the first and only Asian to be elected into the position of chairman of ICMIF.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Pay and Pay

Read this good article written by Dr. Wong Wee Nam.

Videos - Tan Kin Lian answers questions from supporters


Opening address to supporters (16 July)





Question 1: What prompted you to stand as a candidate for the Elected President (EP)?





Question 3: If you are elected, how do you envisage your working relationship is going to be with the government of the day?




Question 4: If I were to compare you to the past presidents and the current nominees you have starkly no international relation experience. Don't you feel that such background is important in carrying out the primary duties of the president?




Question 5: You have a lot of talk on charity work and helping others. What kind of charity work have you actually undertaken in your personal capacity to date?


Affordability of housing

I have made some changes to the paper. The revised paper can be found here.

It is important to keep to the benchmark of 5 years of family income for the property that you buy. If you pay too much, it will eat into your retirement savings - and should be avoided. If property prices are too high, wait for it to fall, or buy a smaller property!

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The more recent versions of the Olympus DSS Player Pro 5000 Transcription software will also allow 2 channel transcription, noise cancellation and speed control for WMA stereo files.(Check out home based medical transcription and transcription software)

It works fine on most PCs and Apple Mac computers.

Olympus AS 4000 Transcription Kit

This kit works with the Olympus AS 4000 and DS 4000 and basically is a digital voice recorder and headset, foot switch with the transcription software integrated.
It can be used with practically all Olympus professional voice recorders and integrates smoothly with voice recognition software.

It allows great file management and you can manage DSS, WMA, WAV and AIFF audio files and will allow the receiving of dictation files and sending the transcribed files by email.

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Videos - TKL answers journalists and supporters

http://www.youtube.com/tankinlian

CNA - Railway Track

TKL, TCB and TJS walk the railway track.
http://www.thegreencorridor.org/2011/07/18/three-presidential-hopefuls-join-railway-buzz/

TKL Campaign Strategy - with entry of 4th contestant

Tan Kin Lian speaks to supporters about the campaign strategy, with the entry of a 4th contestant. Watch this video. More videos can be found at www.tkl2011.com

Monday, July 18, 2011

Electronic Medical Records Software | EMR Software | Transcription Software

The marketplace of electronic medical record providers is a packed one and it can be difficult to decide what is best for your medical practice. Throw in decisions to be made in relation to medical practice management software and medical billing software and you are facing a lot of confusion.

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There is no doubt but that the computerization of medical records over paper records and charts does provide great opportunities in greater patient care. See medical transcription school and transcription software also.

Affordabily of housing

A home buyer should not pay more than 5 years of the family income for a property. This article explains the key issues in your financial planning.

A bad investment linked policy

This policy introduces high charges after 18 months. If the policyholder terminates the policy, there is a big penalty. After 18 months, the policy has sunk in a lot of savings and was stuck with a bad investment. Be careful when you buy an investment linked policy (from any company). Read the charges and penalties. Look at the cash value after 3, 5 and 10 years and make sure that you get a decent return for your savings. More details in this article.

Transcription Software – Its Uses and Benefits | Transcription Software

Many medical practices will use transcription software for tasks such as Medicare billing, practice management, patient record keeping, keeping electronic medical records, medical scheduling, dental and other digital dictation task. See transcription software too.

Legal offices also find great use for transcription software because of the efficiency and increased productivity which results from the ability to dictate by microphone various records, notes and so on.

Some of the leading suppliers of transcription software include Olympus, Altapoint, DME software, Lytec, HER software, EMR among others.

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The benefit of transcription software is based on the fact that one can speak up to three times faster than one can type. For this reason the busy lawyer doctor or ordinary citizen can increase their productivity greatly by the ability to speak into a microphone and have their words transcribed into text.

To do this you will simply need the transcription software package, microphone and a PC.

Starting A Business In Ireland-Starting Your Own Business In Ireland | Terry Gorry & Co. Solicitors

Key decisions in setting up your business

Some of the key areas you will need to consider at the outset include

  • the legal structure of your business
  • financing
  • whether you buy an existing business or start up from scratch
  • statutory obligations in relation to registering as an employer and for taxes such as vat, paye/prsi and so forth.

See also

Legal structure of your business

The choices for structuring your business will be a choice of sole trader, partnership or limited company. There are pros and cons of each of these business arrangements which you can check out elsewhere on this site.

Financing your Irish business

Financing your business in the current climate will be difficult and your options will include one or all of the following:

Medical Transcription School | Transcription Software

You can check out the validity of their qualifications with the administering bodies, the Association For Healthcare Documentation Integrity for the CMT or the American Health Information Management Association for the RHIT qualification.

Medical Transcription School

Medical transcripion school opens up many possibilities

Accredited Medical Transcription Schools Teaching Materials

You need to ensure that the schools you look at are genuinely accredited medical transcription schools and that the training and teaching materials are adequate for the course and meet with your skills objectives. It is important that dictation materials that you will be training with are genuine dictation materials from a healthcare professional and not a recording by an actor or someone else.(See also home based medical transcription and medical transcription software)

A suggestion - affordable HDB flats

Hi Mr Tan,
I wish to offer my view to make the HDB flat more affordable to Singaporean.

1) Mass building of new HDB

2) Lower the selling price of new HDB price without affecting the price of the resale market. I humbly suggest using the following ways:

i) Giving more grants to SingaporeFor example: Current market price for 4-room flat: $350,000
Selling to resident: $250,000
Loan: 50%
Cash: 5%
HDB Grant: 45%
Note: HDB to collect back the 45% or lower (if the amount is lower than the purchase price) upon owner selling the flat.
ii) Increase the minimum period of stay to 10 years or 15 years. If the owner sells the flat within the minimum occupation period, it can only sell back to HDB at the purchase price with inflation.


FOLLOW UP POINTS
Hi Mr Tan,
If based on the suggestion that I had given earlier, the grant question will not be raised as HDB will take back the grant upon people selling the HDB flat if they sell it before the minimum occupation time.


If they persist and they object, the answer will be as follows:
1) The grant is too high --- The grant is ultimate be taken back by HDB if they sell the flat. It is as good as not grant at all. But the main cost is the interest rate which is taken up nearly 90% for a 30 years loan (That means Singaporean are paying 1.9 times of the loan amount). Thus is help Singaporean owner a flat less pressurise. All let scrap the grant all together, and HDB can have a cavent over the house and the money to be return to HDB upon selling the flat.
2) If the price is too low --- Let open the books. All cost (including Land Cost) + another percentage for margin (let say 20%). That way it will show government is more transparent and it will definitely keep the price low. Some may argue based on what for that the land price, let it had a panel of independent valuer under the president control to access that.


William Lim

Manage your own life annuity

Instead of buying a life annuity, it may be more advantageous for a retiree to manage his own savings to provide a better payout. Read this article.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Adequate savings for retirement

Here are some tips for all Singaporeans on how to get adequate savings for retirement. It is especially suitable for young people - as they should start their financial planning of a proper footing. Parents should tell their children about these tips. It is also suitable for older people, although many of them may already be stuck with their existing investments that offer a low yield. Read this article.

Public transport - public corporation or competitive model?

Should public transport be operated through a nationalized public corporation, as proposed by the Workers Party, or through a competitive model? The current model, involving two large publicly listed corporations operating the trains and the buses, does not seem to fit into either model.

What are your views? Discuss them with your friends and come with ideas that are endorsed by them. Send them to kinlian@gmail.com.

Affordable HDB flats

The Minister for National Development faced the challenge of bringing down the price of new HDB flats to an affordable level, without causing a crash of the property market that can bring dire consequence to the economy. Here are some issues to be considered:

  • How to determine the affordability and size of the flat?
  • How to allocate the new flats and avoid a mad rush?
  • Does the BTO scheme meet these objectives?
  • How to prevent a crash of the property market?
I hope to get the views of knowledgeable people who have studied this matter in the past. Please send your suggestions to kinlian@gmail.com.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Ferries to Dublin | Ferry To Ireland

P&O Irish Sea is one of the best ferry liners operating out of the UK. This British owned and operated company is actually an offshoot of the parent company P&O Ferry. This ferry line has a number of different routes and has some of the best ferries that operate out of England.

ferries-to-dublin

One of the things that this company takes great pride in is its service between the port of Larne in Northern Ireland and Troon or Cairnyan in Scotland. The ferry that makes the crossing here is one of the fastest on the Irish Sea. The P&O Express fast craft can make the crossing in about an hour. This fast port service can take a lot of the hassle out of traveling.See also ferry to Ireland.

Walk along Railway Track

  • My supporters will be meeting me at Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre (near the intersection of Upper Bukit Timah Road and Jalan Jurong Kechil) at about 8 AM on Sunday to have breakfast together.
  • After breakfast, we will then proceed to walk along the railway line (parts near Hindhede Walk, and Upper Bukit Timah Road). 
  • Our final destination will be at the Rail Mall, estimated to reach at about 10 AM. The route is estimated to be about 2.4km long.
  • Look forward to have more people to join us.
Reminder: please wear comfortable walking shoes and clothing; bring a cap/hat/umbrella along too!


Increase in property tax

Dear Mr. Tan
Many of you have received a notice from IRAS regarding the change in the Annual Value (AV) of your property and it's safe to say that majority of you would be paying more for your property tax.
 
In my case, my AV has increased by 17% in less than 1 year  and I am puzzled as to how IRAS derived the number.  I did a check at the rental data for my condominium at the URA website (http://www.ura.gov.sg/realEstateWeb/realEstate/pageflow/rental/RentalController.jpf) and the data showed a drop of 0.7% from 3Q10 to 1Q11.
 
I have written to IRAS to seek an explanation as to why there was a huge difference between their assessment and that of URA.
 
I urge all of you to do a quick check at the abovementioned website to verify if the increase stipulated by  IRAS is in line with the actual transactions published by URA.  If URA data cannot be trusted, perhaps IRAS may want to explain to us how they derive their numbers and also their source of data.
 
Thian TC
 
 

Friday, July 15, 2011

Letter to the Straits Times Forum - not published

Dear Mr Tan,
I highly admire and commend your courage, friendliness, wisdom and spirit in public service to serve the people of Singapore in your best ability to contribute.

Recently, I did write a letter to the Straits Times Forum to support your decision to contest in the upcoming presidential election, unfortunately, it was not published.


I like to read whatever articles you contribute to the press, especially on social and political issues. The following are what I wrote to the ST Forum:


Dear Editor,
I REFER to the report, “Tony Tan, Tan Kin file eligibility forms” that Tan Kin Lian had submitted his application for a certificate of eligibility to run for president. (mypaper, Jul 8)

I admire and applaud Mr Tan’s courage, public service spirit and his commitment to stand for the presidential election even though he has not known the outcome of his eligibility from the Presidential Election Committee for running the presidency.


In his blog and during his 40 minute press conference yesterday, Mr Tan reiterated that he knows the aspirations and difficulties of the people, and he can be the voice of the people. He further stressed that the people of Singapore wish to see the incoming president who can be the voice of the people, to be independent of the PAP Government and to safeguard their CPF savings and the national reserves.


His five outlined personal values: honesty, fairness, positive attitude, courage and public service are his moral motto and drive towards his work commitment in his 30 NTUC Income cooperative services and his public services as the brand secretary of the PAP’s Marine Parade Branch from 1976 to 1979.


Indeed, these are the vital personal qualities and commitments for running the presidency.


Critically, all Singaporeans expect their elected president is the president of the people who knows, concerns and cares for the people.


Mr Tan had been the popular public figure to champion the voice of the victims during the Lehman Brother’s mini bond saga, and he is also the regular letter writer who contributed his alternative views, opinions and suggestion to the press pertaining to the government policies. These had clearly shown that Mr Tan is a person who walks his thought and beliefs.


Teo Kueh Liang (Mr)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Tan Jee Say's participation in the Presidential Election

Here is my statement.


I like to wish Tan Jee Say all the best in getting the Certificate of Eligibility and in contesting the Presidential Election. With more candidates entering the contest, the voters of Singapore will have a wider choice of selecting the next President of Singapore. A larger pool of candidates should help to make more citizens aware of the importance of this position and educate more people on the need to make a wise 
choice.


I will not change my campaign, as set out in my campaign website: www.tkl2011.com.


I offer to the voters to serve the country in the following areas:
 Be a voice of the people to carry their views, concerns and aspirations to the Government. 
 Be independent of the PAP government but to work with the government to find solutions that are best for the people 
 Apply my knowledge and expertise to safeguard their CPF savings and the reserves of Singapore.


I also pledge to donate at least half of the President's salary towards charity and 
other causes. See http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=161923467213647
for more details.


I will also bring my values of honesty, fairness, positive attitude, courage and public service to the decisions that I have to make in the future, in whatever capacity that I may be in.


Tan Kin Lian

Fl Child Support | Child Joint Custody

fl-child-support

The amount of child support provided by each parents is based on guidelines defined by Florida law.  The guidelines are designed to make sure the payment amounts are fair for all members of the family.  The guidelines are used at three specific times in any child support case: when the support payment amounts are first established, every time the amount of support is changed and if there is ever a need to review the amounts to see if a change is needed. See also Il child support and child support interactive.

Florida child support guidelines

The guidelines consider three basic things to determine the dollar amounts.  First, they consider the income of both parents.

Developments in Tunisia

Tunisia was the first country in North Africa to have massive demonstration of the people against the ruling government. This was followed by Egypt, which also saw a change in regime.

I asked my friend in Tunisa about the recent developments. He said that new laws are now being discussed and passed that will lead to free election and better governance. The corruption of the previous regime is being reduced considerably. The developments are encouraging.

Bersih movement in Malaysia

My KL friend wore a yellow tie. He said that it is the symbol of the Bersih movement. This movement is a NGO and is led by professionals, and not by the political parties. The members of the movement want to see fair elections and are quite tied of the manipulation by the ruling party. The recent demonstration was for the people to voice their unhappiness and to send a memorandum to the Agong (King) to convey the message to the government on the need to change some of the rules to give all political parties a more level playing field to contest in the coming general election.

Public transport fares

I have read the proposal by the Worker's Party for a Public Transportation Corporation. I believe that it is a good idea which should be considered. I urge Minister Lui Teck Yew to have a positive attitude and consider it more carefully, rather than dismiss it casually in a Facebook posting.

The increase of the fares may seem small to well off but has an impact on many financially strapped Singaporeans who have to take public transport. If the Public Transport Council decides to approve the increase, I would like to urge the government to help the vulnerable Singaporeans to cope with the increase in the cost of living.

Tan Kin Lian

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Leadership - guided by values

I am giving this talk to the Marketing Institute of Singapore. It is open to members and the public. More details can be found here.


European Travel Insurance | Travel Insurance Ireland

Every country in Europe has its own medical plans and hospitals. If you, or a member of your family, have need of medical attention, you may discover that your country’s health coverage does not include treatment while you are out of the country. This could mean huge medical bills that would have to be paid out of pocket.

european-travel-insurance

A medical problem could also mean that you and the members of your family would be forced to prolong your stay within that country until the sick person can leave. Would you be able to afford to stay an additional week, or even a month, if you had to? (Check out travel insurance over 70 and travel insurance Ireland also)

When you are planning your holiday you should investigate all the possible policy options. Are you looking to insure a single trip? Will you and your family be travelling more than once this year? There are policies that will permit you to go on multiple trips within a certain time frame. Annual polices cover multiple short trips in any given year.

european-travel-insurance1

President Lula of Brazil

I spoke to my friend from Tunisia that I will be contesting the Presidential election in Singapore and that I come from an ordinary background. He told me that President Lula of Brazil also come from a humble background and was a trade union leader. He served two terms successfully and passed the position to his successor. I researched about President Lula and found this interesting commentary in Wikipedia.


  • Lula served 2 terms as president and left office on January 1, 2011. During his farewell speech he said he felt an additional burden to prove that he could handle the presidency despite his humble beginnings. "If I failed, it would be the workers' class which would be failing; it would be this country's poor who would be proving they did not have what it takes to rule."


WV Child Support | West Virginia Child Support | Divorce in Virginia

Bureau for child support enforcement

The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement provides many services for parents. It will help establish paternity, establish initial support payments, secure payments from out of state parents, review and modify support orders when necessary, and help enforce timely payment of child support.(See Virginia child support and divorce in Virginia too)

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If a parent falls behind in payments, this government division will first notify the obligated parent that they are behind. If the parent does not make a payment in a reasonable amount of time the Bureau may then take more drastic steps to secure the money due to the minor child. It may contact the delinquent parent’s employer and have the employer withhold a portion of the parent’s salary specifically for child support.

It may also take IRS tax refunds and divert those payments for child support or it may hold the delinquent parent in civil or criminal contempt of court. All of these services are provided in order to help provide a strong financial base for all children involved in a divorce settlement.

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