Oh MP Where Are You? My First MPS

I went to my first Meet-The-People session yesterday. First since moving to Sengkang. I wanted to tell my MP how I felt about a few recent events and perhaps an old one.

So I went at about 9pm after I had to do some scouting around. You see, one of things I had to bring up, was the new roofing that was about to come up on my neighbourhood multi-storey carparks. I couldn't understand why good money was being spent on creating roofing to protect cars when we're trying to reduce our vehicle population, and also when the car park space wasn't even maxxed out yet. The latter I had to verify with my own eyes. So I went to 3 carparks, climbed flights of stairs to the penultimate deck, took a picture at each one and climbed down. A convinced man makes a better case. That's one. Two, there was a survey to build a Multi-Purpose Hall near my block. They would tear up grass and pretty trees for this monstrosity that would attract noisy vermin in the middle of the night. No, I wouldn't agree to it. Three, as many of you may know already, there are no coffeeshops in my neck of the woods. Nil, nada, zero, kosong. I was thinking - why build the coffeeshops on the damn car park roofs? These are already built to support the weight of many cars, why not people who are sitting down to eat?

Last but not least, I wanted to tell my MP that I disagree that the PM should have unfettered discretion at deciding when a by-election should be held. At least a timeframe should be stipulated in our constitution. It's a democracy, so there should not be a time when the people, regardless of how many, are unrepresented by government. I figure a maximum of 4 months. That's debatable so there should be a debate. And the decision shouldn't rest with one person. One person government is a monarchy or dictatorship. This we ain't. It's in our pledge, the one I recited since I was 7.

Guess what? My MP was not there.

He was busy handling cases over at Michael Palmer's constituency. The middle-aged persons at the counter looked blankly when I told them my issues and looked more confused when it seemed I couldn't understand why my MP wasn't at my scheduled neighbourhood Meet-The-People Session. I told them that there should have at least be a sign or something indicating the MP's absence. So I was somewhat miffed. Then I had to fill in this form stating my issues. I wrote and wrote. They were a little surprised that I could, it seems. They fluttered around me speaking in Mandarin, saying that this fella wanted to see the MP. I guess the people who came to Meet-The-People Sessions weren't that intelligent and followed all instructions from these MPS volunteers or attendees just weren't that bothered by the misnomer in context. I was the thrithieth person not to see the MP yesterday.

Turns out that these MPS volunteers don't even reside in my neighbourhood. They couldn't relate to my neighbourhood issues.

I left after passing over the form, and I apologised if they felt I came on too strong about the lack of MPness. They assured me Mr Teo Ser Luck would contact me via email.

Mike Palmer Quits! But Why?

So yesterday Mike Palmer quit. And it's time to play conspiracy theorist:

1. Mike wants to get out of politics. So a plan is hatched to 'having had an affair' and 'admit the truth' to his bosses who methodically expunge him from the system albeit with loss of face.
2. Mike wants to join the opposition. See point 1. Then proceeds to initiate the Alternative Party.
3. Mike wants to migrate. See point 1. Leaves it all behind for the good life in Oz or Peru, wife and kid in tow.
4. Mike gets flak for the still under-development extension and renovation to Rivervale Plaza. Bloody thing has been going on for 2 years I think. He's embarrassed and decides to give up. See point 1.
5. Mike's suit guy quits. So Mike follows suit. See point 1.
6. Mike is really in lurve with this second woman. Because no politician in power is allowed to get divorced while in office, he has to quit to pursue his new true love.
7. Mike is too handsome for gahmen. Gross handsomeness to parliament plot ratio was exceeded. So another plot is hatched to allow him to exit in the most amorous of ways, caught off guard.
8. Mike really just can't understand why his SMC is called Punggol East when all of it is in Sengkang. His confusion leads to disillusion, and in this cloud of uncertainty, he finds solace in the arms of another woman. See point 6.
9. Mike can't stand the Sengkang riff-raff who "see him no up" because he's Eurasian. He decides to throw in the towel but a mid-term departure would be tricky without a scandal-ish exit. See point 1.

That's it so far. Joking ah, joking. Please share your imaginings.

Food Luck This Season

I have no idea what's in a toffee nut latte. Every year Starbucks unleashes these festive drinks upon the addicted masses which slurp each drop of sweet, caffeinated deliciousness without question. The UK website says its a flavour of buttery toffee and the scent of roasted nuts, or something like that. I am wondering if it's just a a dollop of caramel and hazelnut syrup premixed into a cloyingly sweet compound design to enslave our sugar-addicted brain cells to wanting more and live through the season of merrymaking.

I had my first on Friday and it didn't taste as good as I previously remember it. I didn't have the whipped cream on the beverage and when I mentioned this fact to a TNL fan, I was chided for my wrongdoing. I had broken the code of abject gluttony and rampant overeating that is characteristic of the season. I should have let the calories in, not hold back on hedonism. Sorry, I will do better next time and loosen a notch on my belt beforehand to relieve the emotional burden and possible tummy discomfort.

Maybe I shouldn't worry about the TNL and simply enjoy myself. You know the season doesn't simply end at New Year's right? It ends at the end of Chinese New Year, a good two months plus of indulgence. I wish everyone food, sorry, good luck.

Not Quite The Whole Picture - SMRT Bus Strike

So the troublemaking Chinamen have been sent packing. After their audacious strike, they were duly bundled into a detention centre, questioned and the true deviants were sieved out. The public was alarmed at their bold move. It was exciting but we all knew, also stupid. The gahmen never deals with those who don't toe the line - the locals know this well. Maybe their crime was ignorance. The media certainly portrayed them as unruly and ultimately undeserving of pity. Quickly the matter was tidied up and justice (for the hearts and minds of politicians and unnerved public) was meted out. Bye bye bus drivers.

But wait, here's the kicker. Here's what most people observing the drama weren't told. The striking workers didn't simply decide over the weekend to go on strike and disrupt lives. They didn't suddenly band together in disdain of their employers. It wasn't a rash act. Their action came after a few months' negotiation, talks and requests made to the SMRT, or so it seems. I was pointed Vincent Wijeysingha's Facebook post on the issue and he explained the situation quite differently from what we heard or read in the press. It extols of various efforts the bus drivers made to explain their situation and seek redress; how various gahmen bodies seemed to ignore these and other foreign worker gripes; how the public is presented with the incomplete picture by official who seems to only in the side of Big Brother. The drivers were once told “You can resign and go to SBS" by their employer.

The NTUC couldn't do squat and the Transport Workers Union professed their uselessness. These guys who came thousands of miles to drive all day, for 6 days or more in a row, to live in a dorm, to earn less than $1300 a month sending Singaporeans to and fro, were now helpless. And in trouble.

I was at odds after reading the post. Trust and fairness has always been the cornerstone of out gahmen. Now I am a little shaken. If a large government-linked corporation can wield an iron fist to those who seek to be heard, then it has failed as a progressive employer. Everyone in SMRT should be ashamed. Their HR dept should quit. It was later mentioned that "SMRT has deep seated issues" by some official. You bet.

I googled "SMRT employer HR awards" and it turns out the 2010 Aviva Best HR team award went to our infamous transport operator. Guess it the team doesn't handle lowly paid bus drivers with the same talent.