Singapore National Education Part 1
This has been a very educational few months because now I know:
1. That in order for me to drive to work in a heavier jam than I used to, I should pay $2 or more for the privilege.
2. That money solves most traffic problems.
3. That it is desirable to create jams in all other smaller roads to create a _slower_ flow on the major highways.
4. That threats to car owners about the possible raising of the price of RPS and separating the RPS and ALS is the right way to convince motorists to change their driving patterns.
5. That our public transport system and price controls are overseen by people who take an aircon chartered bus only occasionally to experience the common man's woes.
6. That the Nation's most listened to Radio Station (with easily the best morning show) that has really great Traffic news, CANNOT be heard in CTE tunnels (but the rest of the stations can).
7. That the way to increase customer satisfaction and higher usage of Public Transport is to charge more, make them go to work before 7:30am to save ten cents, and create more standing room in the MRT and TIBS buses.
8. That Bum rests are better than seats.
9. That Potong Pasir does not have enough people for an MRT station but Marina South does.
10. That the significant price increase in new flats is _not_ a thinly disguised way of offsetting the cost of paying for new Public MRT lines.
11. That it is now _not_ okay to apply for an HDB flat after the first date unless I have $5000 to spare.
12. That the Property and Taxi Driving Industries are profoundly related. The number of Taxis on the roads is inversely proportionate to the movement of the property counters.
13. That dynamism is a trait of the HDB. i.e. don't blame the HDB counter staff for not giving the same answers to the same question. It depends what time of the day you ask the same question because the rules change faster than most people change underwear.
14. That HDB Counter staff need to be Degree holders in the future to be able to study the rule changes. "I have a Bachelor of Science in Housing Rules from the University of HDB, it's okay to ask me questions".
15. That Executive Condominiums of above 2000 sq ft are a necessity but a five-room HDB flat may be a luxury for most newly-wed graduate couples.
16. That "It Only Takes an Introduction, the $5000 deposit is up to You"
17. That the couple in the Ad for having babies was not putting off their baby-rearing just for their careers but were actually waiting for their 5-rm in Simpang 21.
18. That we will know how precious water is when we have to pay for it. Just like increasing the RPS will teach us all wayward children how precious land is.
19. That Jacuzzis in private homes have the same economic returns as a Silicon Wafer Plant.
20. That mineral water costs so much not because of plastic packaging and advertising costs but because the water truly costs $1000 per cubic metre.
21. Ministers are paid so much to teach us how precious human resources are, especially brilliant ones.
22. That History and National Education are based only on facts, and opinions and selective amnesia will never be part of the equation.
23. That it is okay to deny vehemently that you did not jam your competitor's cellular signals despite being fined by a strict (almost anal retentive) Telecommunications Authority for doing just that.
24. That incompetence in keeping important fixed telephone lines working does not necesarily mean that one's cellular network is just as bad.
25. That to this day, we still don't know how many of the 400 stations ST has are GSM ones.
26. That pricing PCN phones and subscriptions really low is the way to attract customers, not improving PCN coverage thoroughly and swiftly as promised.
27. That it is not a coverage problem of the Company but the brands of handphones bought at sleazy shops and cheapo third party antennae that cause dropped cell phone calls.
Copyright 2004 by Lee Kin Mun
