Justice, democracy and nepotism

Hi,

Dear Mr. Tan

Some quotes you can use to complement your values of honesty, fairness, positive attitude, courage and public service.  The first two are famous quotes and I coined the next 3.

1) Not only must Justice be done; it must also be seen to be done. Justice delayed is justice denied.

2) Not only must democracy be done; it must also be seen to be done. Democracy perverted is democracy denied

3) Not only must nepotism/cronyism not be done; it must also be seen not to be done."

Ho Kah Fong

 

Importance of Health Insurance

Health insurance is the most important insurance needs before you have an insurance program and other investments. Because your health is authorized to perform various activities of this life. The high pollution and lifestyle capital of an increasingly irregular with exercise and rest requirements are not sufficient, including a diet that is now increasingly an instant, all of that increase risk to health. Thus, one's chances for the sick is very high. While the cost of healthcare or treatment is increasingly expensive, especially hospital fees and medicines.
  
In general, the product consists of Health: Health Insurance and Health Benefits. Both products have a very fundamental difference.

Health Insurance will provide reimbursement based on the invoice receipt and Maximum Medical Expense Benefit Table for the health insurance policy. Health Insurance Claims can be done with Cross Benefit, which is doing Difference Claims against the benefits already paid insurance to other insurance companies using copy files that have been legalized by the previous insurer. There is a very comprehensive benefits: Inpatient, Outpatient, Outpatient Maternity, Dental Rawat and Rawat Glass Eye.

Health Benefit will provide appropriate reimbursement amount per contract is planned for each day of hospitalization inapnya. Health Benefits of this can be done Double Benefit, which is a double claim to more than one insurance company to the benefit of each intact. It can also be defined as compensation to the replacement of lost income per day due to Risk of Hospitalization for Illness or Accident. This program is a RIDER (Insurance extra) in the Program Unit Linked Life Insurance.

Local transport - urgent step for an integrated transport system

I have written to the Minister for Transport, Lui Tuck Yew, to consider developing local transport (to bring people from their home to MRT stations, bus interchanges and town centers) in an efficient and inexpensive manner. Details are set out in this paper.

These measures will encourage more car owners to use public transport and reduce the congestion on the roads. It will also provide employment opportunities for Singaporeans to operate local taxis and mini-buses.

The paper is reproduced below:

TKL Website, 15 May 2011

Local Transport
Local transport is an important component of an efficient transport system. It provides transport for short distances within a town and brings the residents from their homes to the town center, train station or bus interchange and back.

It should be inexpensive and convenient, with short waiting and travelling time. It will encourage car owners to opt for public transport, rather than use a car to commute to work.

Modes of transport
Local transport should use small vehicles, such as small buses or cars and should travel short distances of up to 3 km.

There can be many routes local bus services travelling to different parts of the town on fixed schedules. Most of the travels are likely to be to the town center for shopping or for transfers to long distance travel using buses or trains or back to the homes.

Local taxis can operate on flexible routes according to the needs of the commuters. They can be operated as a shared taxi to reduce the cost.

Regulatory requirements
The cost of local transport can be reduced through regulatory measures. The vehicle taxes can be reduced or
removed. Licenses can be issued liberally, so that market competition can reduce the cost and improve the quality of service provided of local transport. Insurance can be provided through central purchasing arranged by the local transport regulator. The regulator can also provide the central service of coordinating the services provided by the individual operators, matching supply and demand and communicating these services to the commuters.

The requirements to obtain a license as a local transport operator can be simplified compared to providing the
service over a entire city. The local operator needs only to know the road conditions and landmarks within the town.

Employment opportunities
Local transport can provide employment opportunities for older people who lose their jobs due to global competition. They can find alternative occupation and earn an income by providing service as a local transport operator.

Experience of other countries
Many large countries with towns in remote locations have developed practical systems of local transport. They provide a low cost service that meets the needs of the residents of the town.

Experience of Singapore
Singapore started as one town for the whole island. The concept of smaller towns in each part of Singapore was developed only during the past 20 years. To serve the expanding population, the strategy was to have a network of buses and trains that can bring people from any part of Singapore to another part. This strategy did not seem to work well, as many commuters find the transport system to be quite complicated. It is time to review the strategy and to develop the concept of local transport to serve each town and to have fast transport between the different towns.


Conclusion
An efficient feeder service to provide efficient and inexpensive transport within a town is an important
component of an efficient transport system that can serve all the towns in Singapore.
Tan Kin Lian

Conversion of Facebook account to a Page

I have now converted my Facebook account into a Facebook Page. My friends have now been transferred as fans in this page. This allows future fans to be registered automatically, without the need for my approval. With this change, my friends cannot send messages to me through Facebook. You can send messages (by e-mails) directly to me at kinlian(at)gmail.com.

Correction of Property Prices

Minister Khaw Boon Wan is taking bold steps to increase the supply of HDB flats (for sale and rental). I believe that the measures have the endorsement of PM Lee. I support this strategy.

Many people have expressed the view that these measures will result in a correction of property prices and that existing property owners (especially those who have bought the properties at the high prices) will be unhappy.

I wish to give the following views on why a correction in property prices will be for the long term benefit of Singaporeans.

a) Existing property owners can upgrade their homes at a lower cost
b) First time buyers (especially the young) will pay lower prices for their HDB flats
c) The correction does not affect existing property owners who have bought a single property for long term occupation
d) The property prices will eventually increase due to inflation and demand, but at a moderate rate (excluding the speculative factor)

The only negative factor is that a property owner may be unable to meet the mortgage payment (e.g. on loss of employment), resulting in a force sale of the property. In that situation, the property owner can switch to a new mortgage where the bank takes higher priority over the CPF savings. This will allow the bank to allow a temporary suspension of the mortgage payments, instead of making a false sale.

I have seen the price of my property fell by more than 30% during economic recessions or financial crisis. It did not last long. After a few years, the property prices recovered.

I believe that a correction of the property prices will be in the interest of Singaporeans in the long run. I want to encourage property owners to look at the prospect in a positive way. I also want to advise young Singaporeans not to pay high prices for your HDB flats or private properties now, as the prices are likely to  be lower in a few years time.

Tan Kin Lian

Report Abuses

Some blogs or websites have a feature to "Report Abuse". If you find any defamatory or insulting remarks against any candidate, you can use the "Report Abuse" to alert the blog owner. If more people take this action, it will make the blogs a cleaner place and a more respectable alternative media.

Promotion of TKL books - last 3 days

Enjoy attractive discounts and waiver of handling charge. Only 3 days left.
http://easyapps.sg/iShop2/Quantity.aspx?ID=4

Track record of Dr. Tony Tan

http://singstatistician.blogspot.com/2011/06/dr-tony-tan-participant-in-defamation.html

Now that Dr Tony Tan has formally announced his intention to contest in the Presidential Elections, it is timely to have a look at his track record when he was a political office holder. As he has had a long career as a PAP politician, it is not possible to fit all of the issues into a single blog posting. I will therefore be splitting up the discussion into several blog postings.