Lately the government is trumpeting about the "JOBS" created, with starting
pay of about $1200 (CPF not deducted yet). Are our million-dollar-paid ministers
BLIND OR DEAF or got a screw loose in their heads????? Is $1200 ENOUGH to substain
a family in Singapore???


Let's calculate -

Minimum expenditure for a family of 4 (2 parents, 2 children):

*Assuming the father is the sole breadwinner,
and both children are schooling in the morning.

Monthly utilities bills = $150 to $200
Monthly conservancy charges = $50
Monthly resident phone bill = $20
Monthly mobile phone bill (father) = $30 (cheapest sub. plan)
School allowance for 2 children = ($1 x 2) x 24 = $48

Public Transport for 3 -
For father per trip = feeder bus + mrt train = $2.50
Per child per trip = feeder bus = $0.60

per month for 3 (24 days)= ($2.50 x 2) + ($0.60 x 2 x 2) x 24 = $177.60


Meals:

Breakfast for 4 - a loaf of bread + kaya = $1.10 + $1.50 = $2.60
Lunch for Father - $2.50 (meal without drink)
Lunch for the rest - $5 (a simple home-cooked meal like tofu, beansprouts)
Dinner for 4 - $10 (a simple home-cooked meal with fish OR meat)
Per day = $2.60 + 2.50 + 5 + 10 = $21.10
Per month = $21.10 x 30 = $633


Groceries (salt, sugar, oil, rice, etc.) = $40 (est.)

Necessities (soap, shampoo, detergent, etc.) = $50 (est.)

Total = $150 + $50 + $20 + $30 + $48 + $177.60 + $633 + $40 + $50 = $1198.60


THAT is the minimum expenses for a family of 4, with
1. no entertainment
2. no family outing,
3. no sicknesses,
4. no insurance plans
5. low nutritional value or variety meals
6. no savings
7. no tidbits or snacks or tea-breaks

School-going children are assumed to be studying in Primary schools (which are
usually nearer to home if you are lucky) and no extra expenses like assessment
books, private tuition, COMPULSORY (as dictated by school) magazine-subscriptions,
art material etc.




======
Quarterly Expenditure:
School Fees = $34 (Primary school)


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Yearly expenditure:
Property Tax
TV Licence ($110)
Children's school books and uniforms, shoes, etc. ($200/kid)



Are we peasants supposed to live a life of a pauper, yet paying our ministers and
state agencies billion$$ per year? Is this what Wooden meant by attaining the
"Swiss Standard of Living" and "More Good Years" ?? Every election, we heard
very fancy slogans, but none had materialise so far. In fact, the poor are only
getting poorer. Need we be grateful to our gahmen for creating, or rather,
re-designing jobs that have starting pay of $1200/month??

Despite all these bullshit, Singaporeans are generally very generous people, often
donating millionsss per year to charity organisations. Be it the Tsunami disaster,
or earthquakes in other regions, or local charity organisations, when the call comes
for donation, every Singaporean (at least those I know) usually gives every bit they
can.

BUT, of course, we have recently realised how stupid it is to be taken for a ride
with the NKF Scam. Billions have been donated over the decades, and yet, the money
was used to finance the business-class air tickets, La Vegas trips, millions/year
worth of salary and bonuses etc. for the CEO of NKF and its staff. YET, there seem
to be no sign of the gahmen prosecuting those who abuse the donation funds.
What are they waiting for, really??