NDR

Just watched the NDR and I have a few thoughts about it.

First, oh yeah, my flat is going to be HIP. Whatever that means. Since my estate is not going to be the first few to be HIP, we shall see. I just hope there is not too much hacking and noise, like what they did to the prefectly fine carpark, and now to the carpark at the coffee shop, effectively making parking such a hassle. I hope that I would have my own place by then.

Next, yes, its good that the goverment has all those policies to combat old age, hiring old people, changes to the cpf policy, yadar yadar. Its all very good and seriously I think they would benefit most Singaporeans. Its evident in the fact that we do not have homeless roaming the streets as you can see in other developed countries.

However, what the PM has impressed on me is rather not how good the goverment is, how well the govertment can provide, but rather, he reaffirms the fact that I must be self-reliant. I cannot depend on the goverment, If you had depended on the goverment, suddenly you will see your minimum age for CPF redrawal increase 10 years and in the PM words - cannot go on a holiday. I don't want to be like that.

I want to be able to have enough money to not depend on the goverment to provide me compulsary annunity, earn another %pt in increase. Like public transport, I do not want to depend on them to build trains/buses so that I can travel to town easily. I want to have my own mode of transport. Like jobs, I do not want to have to go through their job renewal problem, I want to be able to do it myself. Cos, if you depend on the goverment, somehow you are at their mercy. I distinively remembered the PM saying "No Choice" a couple of times. If you depend on the goverment, you would somewhat be the sandwich class. Remember, like most goverment policies, the benefits are the greatest for the neediest. I do not want to be the neediest.

This has somewhat made me more determined to do what I had set my mind to do in the past couple of weeks, except that I have totally no idea how to do it. But I will work on it. I have to.

And of course, there was the PM widly waving his arm at the end of his speech. It was so stift. I even caught some students laughing in the audience.

On another note, the critisim on the Jimmy Ye song. I love that song. I have read on the papers that people are complaining that there is no 'Singapore' in that song, and that the locations are too far away/exotic.

I have to admit that I was a little biased because I had just returned from London when I first heard the song and so I could relate to it. But but, the lyrics, there is no place I rather be. I mean to me, that only means one place - Singapore,home.
In fact, I did not even realised Singapore was not mentioned. I mean, when I heard that song, Kit Chan's voice, that one place was automically Singapore. I love coming home to Singapore when I am on the plane. I mean, its where my friends and my family are. My peers complain a lot about Singapore and work/study abroad. Maybe their families are more globalised, but for me, I just know deep down inside, I will never leave.

I do enjoy big open skies, plenty of space, quiet cities. In those few weeks when I was in places like that, I did think, ya I could get used to this. I mean after all the weather's way too humid in Sg, but at the end of the day, when the plane lands in Changi, no where else beats home.

About the cities being too exotic and not heartlander enough like phuket etc n what not, I am divided on this. I believe my opinion will be biased because I have been to most of the cities mentioned in the song, so obviously I could relate to it. I guess it would be a little hard if you don't even know where River Kwai is. I thought the inclusion of River Kwai was weird. But, if its all like phuket, bangkok, kl in the song, it will be weird and somewhat lose its sense of class. Do I sound atas here? Afterall, people usually holiday at these locations, not work and live.

Abrupt ending. Still can't seem to sequence my thoughts properly. Cannot be bothered with typos, grammar and spelling. Recently, my hands don't seem to type what my mind wants. I can think cat but type dog. Its been happening increasingly too often that its becoming distrubing. Taz.