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By August, about 1.5 million Singaporeans will receive GST vouchers of up to $850 to help cover living costs.
No one would have an issue with more money, however, this annual handout is not conducive to the progress of the people and the country because it increases the suffocating influence and power of the government over the people.
In fact, the government has its hands in every sector of the economy, including food courts, supermarkets, transport, healthcare, banking and insurance, real estate, construction, seaports, airports and airlines. It controls the unions and employers’ federations. More than 80% of the people depend on it for housing. Town councils are directly controlled by it (except in a few constituencies that the PAP did not win). Our CPF board is controlled by it. The mainstream media, funded by the people, is its propaganda arm.
The legitimate responsibilities of government include external defense, internal security, infrastructure development, and those functions that are not naturally profitable as businesses but tend to benefit society in the long run, including basic services for the poor such as education, health care, and public housing. The rest should be left to the private sector, while ensuring free and fair competition.
Excessive government control over every aspect of our lives only serves to turn the meek among us into dependents and the motivated into sycophants (“cowards”).
A better approach would be for the government to abolish vouchers, drastically reduce the army of foreign workers who depress wages, and ensure that people, especially those in lower economic status, can earn a living wage.
In addition, the government should revisit policies that have contributed to the high cost of living, including the recent increase in GST, excessive economic activity on a small island (which has undoubtedly led to unbalanced economies of scale), and the conundrum of a public housing policy that relies on ever-increasing prices because people’s retirement funds are tied to them.
GST vouchers issued annually with taxpayers’ money only increase the government’s control over the people, which is evil. In such a country, the people are like slaves, never fully developing themselves and being their best, instead they shrink into little people and never achieve anything great. The government is sacrificing huge human potential for wanton control, even as you read this.
Finally, we can bet our last GST voucher that the government will call a general election soon after the people receive their vouchers in August, capitalizing on their gratitude, which may well give them an advantage over their opponents, thereby extending their iron rule over the people for another five years.
Feng Ruifang
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