Post-Election Day

I'm relieved that Peace & Prosperity has prevailed but it's easy to see the huge swing of votes towards the opposition. I'm saddened that GY and his team had to be the sacrificial lambs as a result of this- people wanting a 'loud-speaker' for people's complains.

Isn't there other ways for people to reflect their views more promptly and effectively to our leaders. Why do  we tend to complain behind their backs and then choose to voice out all these frustrations using our votes? I hope that the PAP will really change its way of doing things and learn from their loss. I hope the leaders will take this opportunity given by the people to show that they can indeed fulfil their promises and make Singapore a truly better home for everyone. The opposition will definitely come back stronger come the next election. If the PAP wants to stay in government, it must really show the heart for the people.

And please be more selective about the candidates. Try to recruit some of the capable and popular ones from the opposition parties. They just want to serve the people and many just joined their parties months before the election. So offer them a better opportunity to better serve the people. I see this as a win-win solution.

People kept talking about change. At the same time, people should really look at themselves and seek to change themselves first. Stop asking about what the country can do and has to do for you, what can you do for it? Be the change you want to see.  If you want Singapore to be gracious, just look at all the rubbish left behind in the stadiums after the rallies and the gathering... How do you want the country to become gracious when you're not even gracious yourself.

While people are quick to voice their unhappiness and complains, we should be mindful about our influences on the children. I would hate to see children growing up to take things for granted, who only see the faults of others, who are quick to blame and complain and being generally negative. I hope that the children will grow up to be a grateful lot who don't take things all for granted.

It is now time for us to look hard at ourselves and ask how we want our lives to be better. Start the change from within...

P/S Now I feel silly for worrying about PAP losing majority of the seats. But the fear was real then...

GE 2011

Just my two cents worth regarding the GE 2011...

Can't believe that there are so many unhappy people out there who can't wait to vote out the ruling party. Someone even wrote that he will even vote for monkeys with the opposition. People blaming the gahmen for everything. There seem to be more negative voices than positive ones. 

Pls don't oppose just for the sake of opposing! Be thankful for what Sg has achieved so far. Just look at other countries and it's not difficult to realize that things could be much worse. What Singapore has achieved today is nothing short of a miracle with no land, water, people, resources to start with. All these accomplishments are really not possible without our Sg government. Others recognized Sg gahmen to be one of the best in the world, but her own citizens 'curse and swear' at them. What about recognition of all these accomplishments? 身在福中,不知福?

Honesty, life's not that bad in Sg! The problems we are facing are the same in many other countries. The Sg gahment didn't cause all these problems. Yes, life can be better. I can only say it's easier to 'complain'? Be contented, happy, thankful and grateful with what you have, things could be worse, much worse. Don't take everything for granted.

Vote wisely! Vote for capable candidates and party that can make positive differences. Please don't vote for monkeys unless you want to go bananas! 

Check out PAP's Manifesto Video on http://www.pap.org.sg/. 

I want to 風雨同舟, 共创未来! 

Which Maid to Choose?

A friend shared this on her FB. I thought this is most interesting...

Which maid to choose?

by Ming Lee Lim on Monday, April 25, 2011 at 6:16pm

I need your urgent advice about employing a maid. As a busy mother, I need someone reliable to help out at home.

My maid is from Profits Agency Pte (PAP) and she has worked for me for a long time. Her mother worked for my parents and did an excellent job, so I had faith in her. For several years her performance has been very good, but recently she has become arrogant and insensitive, and is making lots of mistakes.

For example:

1)     She flooded my kitchen –  she told me that the drain pipe has blocked (she was supposed to clear it once a month but didn’t). Then she assured me that it is very rare and won’t happen again in the near future. Guess what? It flooded again within a year!

2)     She didn’t close a window and my terrier dog escaped. I was so worried cos he is dangerous and could bite lots of people. After the incident, she didn’t apologise and just shrugged her shoulders saying “What to do, it has happened.” Fortunately my neighbor found the dog and we locked it up again. 

3)     Without consulting me, she has been bringing in strangers for my house's maintenance work. She says they charge low wages and keep costs down, but they eat my food, make a lot of noise and rest on my bed. I think they even tried to seduce my husband. It stopped feeling like my home, more like a cheap hotel, and I don’t always want to come back at the end of the day.

4)     When she first came to work for me, I instructed her to clean the different parts of the house at least once a week. But for some time she has stopped taking care of the bedrooms of PP and H; they are now dirty and messy. I asked why and she told me that the kids had been disobedient, so she was neglecting their bedrooms as a punishment (she has forgotten that she is paid to clean all the rooms). 

Even though my maid has worked for me for many years and I value what she has done in the past, I think she is now getting complacent.  Her attitude is imperious and dismissive. She ignores my comments and basically treats my feedback as "noise".  I wrote to the agency about her behavior; they assured me that they are the best agency around and all their maids are “Commited to Serve” – but I think it is just rhetoric and I don’t see that in her actions. Her salary is much higher than maids in other countries, but the agency say this is to keep her honest and stop her moving to another employer. They say there is a limited supply of maids, and Singapore isn’t big enough for more than one good maid agency, so I should not trust their competitors.

I have to decide whether to renew my maid’s 5-year employment contract. When we discussed this she said that she is now part of a team, and if I want her I must also accept her friends doing part-time work for me. One friend is very inexperienced, can't do basic tasks or explain what she intends to do. I suspect that she is actually underage. When interviewed, she only seemed interested in her days-off and visiting Universal Studios. When she couldn't answer my questions she stomped her foot and exclaimed, "I don't know what to say!" But I am still expected to pay her a high salary.

Now there happen to be a few other maid agencies - Workhard Pte (WP), New Solutions Pte (NSP), Super Personnel Pte (SPP) and Star Domestica Pte (SDP) - that offered me some helpers who seem sincere, genuine and intelligent. They are keen to work, willing to assist me and have a good attitude. I know that they may take a bit of time to learn how everything works, but frankly I am inclined to give them a chance.

People say that the devil you know is better than one you don’t. But I feel that I can’t tahan my current maid anymore. Do you think I should sack my current maid and try out a new one? Appreciate your advice. 

Teen Hacked to Death at Downtown East

On Halloween night, a 19 yr old teen was attacked by a group of young men from 18-20 yrs. It started with a misunderstanding. He was caught staring at the group and the group took that up as a challenge and in turn got choppers and hacked him. Passer-bys were confused and thought it was a Halloween prank. The 19 year old died in hospital 5 hrs later.

This is madness! I feel sad for the family to lose a member through a sudden and violent death. And it just started with a stare? According to the teen's friend, he was a shy boy and he's probably looking stoned. And now what? Another 4 young men to die as a punishment for their crime? An eye for an eye. A life for a life?

Next time when you find someone staring at you, just smile back.

Farewell Mrs Lee KY

Mrs Lee Kuan Yew (Madam Kwa Geok Choo) considered the mother of Singapore, passed away last Saturday, 2nd October. She was 89.  She was the amazing woman behind our minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew, the father of Singapore. Considered by some to be a man who was stern and 'ruled with an iron hand',  she was according to him, his pillar of strength. The extraordinary woman who was intelligent (she topped the 1936 Senior Cambrige Examination for the whole  of Malaya and Singapore), graceful, meticulous, an ideal wife and partner and a wonderful mother... She has truly lived a life that's extraordinary. A role model that I can look up to.

She had been bedridden after suffering from a series of strokes 2 years back. Yet, he remained faithful and talked to her daily, reading to her her favourite poems. Theirs is a great love story that touches me. Its really a marriage through sickness and health till death does part them...

My heartfelt condolences to our Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and family to the loss of their beloved wife and mother. I wish the Lee family strength and the best of health.

Without her and the Lee family, Singapore wouldn't be what it is today.


For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity - William Penn. 

CNA special news report here.

A tribute to Mrs Lee KY-A tower of Strength.

We're living at the Border...

I thought that it was interesting when Jerome's eldest brother made a remark that went something like that...

"Something must be wrong. A sister and her American husband are now in the States (sister's been there for close to 20 yrs). A brother and his family are in Australia, been there for 2 yrs and counting. And another one living at the border..."

Well, Jerome & I are living at the borders of Singapore. We can practically walk to Malaysia via the causeway. And everyday we see more of Malaysia from our windows.

I am a Malaysian but currently a Singapore PR. I have been staying in Singapore with my parents for as long as I could remember. But honestly, I have no desire to return to Malaysia. I think the "One Malaysia" dream will still take a long long time before it will come true.

Singapore has given me a lot of opportunities that I wouldn't have back in Malaysia. I'm glad that my parents moved out of Malaysia and into Singapore in the pursue of a better life. If we were to stay in Malaysia, I would most likely end up as a factory worker or something... Unless my parents are rich, I wouldn't have the opportunity to pursue a tertiary education.

Think Singapore is truly an amazing country and what it has accomplished is nothing short of a miracle. For an almost invisible red dot on the world map (think you'll need a magnifying glass to locate Singapore on the map) with limited land, no natural resources and uneducated people, it has definitely come a long long way to where we are today in just over 40 yrs. As compared to our neighbours who have lots of natural resources, we have developed much faster than all of them despite our limitations. The credit definitely goes to exceptional good governance.

Yes, the cost of living is high. Life can get stressful in Singapore. There are still lots of areas for improvement. But hey, nothing is truly perfect but you must admit that life's still good in Singapore and actually better than in many other countries! Be thankful for all the things that come easily to us. Sometimes I think Singaporeans are too pampered, me included. I do think of myself more of a Singaporean than a Malaysian, having spent most of my life here. Even if you are currently living overseas, enjoying a better quality of life, be thankful about what Singapore has given you so far so that you have more options now. 饮水要思源

So for Singaporeans and residents who like to complain about the 'garmen', don't take everything for granted... This is also a reminder for myself...