Ladies and Gentlemen,
Singapore state controlled newspaper the Straits Times online edition of July 17, 2010 has the story "Hit by dawn downpour". Once again heavy rain causes massive flooding throughout Singapore. This is the third time this month this has happened. And what is alarming is the fact that each time it floods, the flood waters not only get deeper but the flooded land areas consistently becomes larger and larger.
What this means is simply this. You are going to get massive flooding almost every other day and with time passing the flooding becomes more intense and worse with more and more areas of the already small overcrowded island ending up with even less living space.
As it is, Singaporeans for lack of space are having to live in high rise apartments, as if they were cabinets and the Singaporeans ensconced in their respective drawers. As it is, the entire plush shopping district of Orchard Road is already becoming not only unsuitable for business but also habitation. I would expect droves of businesses selling out and leaving the island just as the foreign residents there.
As I see it, the only alternative for the government is simply to cordon off Orchard Road as off limits to people and save them from their misery, by moving them to the few other remaining areas of higher ground. Although this is only a stop gap measure since almost the entire island is only a few inches above sea level; even more areas being underwater during the torrential rains cannot be avoided.
The state controlled newspaper reported that previously many hitherto flood free areas in the eastern part of the tiny island, Katong, Changi and elsewhere also came under water.
The massive property damage once again ran into the millions and people, both Singaporeans and foreigners have been very badly hit.
Now with Lee Kuan Yew determined to flood Singapore, pardon the pun, not this time with water but with Chinese nationals to increase the population to several more millions in the already overcrowded tiny island, the living space is going to become smaller and smaller and eventually to breaking point.
Since Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's dictator, like dictators everywhere else is unlikely to listen to you or I, I guess with the coming of several more millions of Chinese nationals human imports into Singapore according to the dictators plan, coupled with the progressively diminishing land space there, it will take nothing short of another miracle, like Moses to divide the Singaporean Sea to save them.
But since Singapore press is state controlled and saying anything unflattering of him will cause you to end up in jail, I guess there is nothing more to say.
Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
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Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
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13 comments:
Dear Gopalan,
Is this a sign of things to come?
I wonder what is the Singapore govt this time.
AFTER being hit by the worst flooding in 26 years last month, Delfi Orchard was again flooded on Saturday morning.
A tenant of the building, Ms Shanta Sundarason, said she arrived to work to find the basement three carpark flooded with 'waist-deep' waters.
Ms Sundarason also told straitstimes.com that tenants at Orchard Towers and Palais Renaissance were 'also mopping up after the waters gushed in'.
'So much for the 'once in 50 years Freak Flood' along Orchard Road,' said Ms Sundarason.
'It would be nice for the problem to be addressed and dealt with, rather than a sweeping statement from the ministry,' she added.
This was one of the major reasons why I left Singapore and moved to Canada. I knew with Global Warming, its a matter of time before Singapore experiences more frequent flooding.
I didn't want to be in a situation where I'm competing with other millions of people wanting to emigrate from their own countries because of the rising seas. Bangkok and Bangladesh are below sea level.
When that happens, accepting western countries like the US, Canada, Australia, Europe will put up greater barriers when accepting immigrants because of the massive applications.
So at that time, Singaporeans can migrate to countries in Africa.
And Lee Hsien Loong last week announced to take in 100,000 new foreign because of "sizzling economic conditions". This will make native Singaporeans' quality of life even more eroded, along with the already eroded sendiments of frequent flood waters! Sizzling eonomic conditions??? I bet its more for low-cost wages, which will in turn increase GDP, ultimately put a fatter pay on the already overpaid ministers' salaries.
Is 100,000 the number to replace Singaporeans who have left the country?
Also, lightning strikes & rats problems.
http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4226121
The recent heavy rainfalls are suspected to have forced rats out of their homes.
Is this some kind of omen?
Last year, the Merlion was struck by lightning.
Last Sunday, the Singapore Flyer was shut down on Sunday after being struck by lightning.
The Flyer has a lightning conductor, but it is not known why it did not function correctly on Sunday.
Lky is paying for his sins. He should be charged for human rigth abuse of heroes like Dr. Lim Hock Siew, Said Zahari, Chia Thye Poh and many others.
Singaporean, please read about the declassified documents on singapore. Shame on you lee kuan yew. History will judge you as a wicked and crafty coward.
100,000 foreign workers are needed this year alone, as the native SGreans cannot cope with the high volume of work available. The truth is, I know of lots of native SGreans who still cannot find work after up to 2 years of job-search. Read in an article that in Singapore, 1 in 4 person is a foreigner. More litters will be thrown on the ground, construction debris, etc, which will get swept into the monsoon drains, clogging the waterways, which ultimately result in floods. In any case, putting more FT and migrants without improving waterways, will only result in worsening flood situations.
Schadenfreude (delight in another person's misfortune) is not considered polite but it's certain many people hugged themselves with glee as Mother Nature once again showed the PAP who really was boss. Did you notice that PM Lee Hsien Loong once more displayed his innate talent for leadership by being conspicuous by his absence? In fact all the cabinet ministers hastily disappeared into the woodwork having had all their lame excuses such as dead leaves and condoms choking the drains, litterbug Singaporeans, the $25,000 gratings, the Marina Barrage saving the day ('would have been far worse without it y'know', said a prominent female minister without portfolio and without any civil engineering expertise whatsoever) comprehensively crapped upon by a wee bit of rain.
Something has truly gone awry with Singapore's flood defences. In all my born days I have never known flooding to affect such a huge area with even the likes of Katong and Tampines (where the water was waist-deep at the Upper Serangoon entry/exit to the TP Expressway) brought to a shuddering halt. Even Orchard Towers was flooded - that's simply unheard of! The only good thing was that the Bukit Timah and Tanglin areas where the elite live were not spared the Orchard River effect either.
Such has been the terrible loss of face that the government in its desperation not to get any more egg on its face has resorted to arresting a veteran newspaper photographer for taking pictures of the flood! He was cuffed and detained 'for his own safety', would you believe. That's like jailing someone without charge or trial for 32 years to 'protect them from harm', don't you know. This government has truly lost its way. It can't even lie plausibly any more.
Most likely explanation for the cause of the flooding is LKY's brainchild, the Marina Bay Barrage. The damming of the Bay which drains the Kallang River and Bukit Timah/Rochore Canals has forced the island's water table to rise to such an extent that not much precipitation is needed to rapidly fill the remaining sponge, with flooding the inevitable consequence. Nothing to do with blockage of the drainage system at all. The Barrage pumps would have to be activated well in advance of a potential rainstorm to lower the water table and we all know that Singapore's sotong soothsayer (Harry) is hopeless at predicting the future, unlike the German psychic octopus (Paul). If it doesn't rain after all, they've just emptied one of Singapore's much-vaunted reservoirs for nothing! They're stuffed, and deservedly so. Will any of his minions dare tell the octogenarian that his cherished freshwater reservoir-cum-luxury watersports playground is er, a pig in a poke?
Singapore - not so much the Switzerland of SE Asia, more like the Venice without the romance and the gondoliers. COE for boats next and GPS-monitored Electronic Canal Pricing. Way to go, Lees!
FOR SALE
LUXURIOUS MANSION IN BUKIT TIMAH exclusive residential area
Facilities include
8 car parking garage
INDOOR & OUTDOOR swimming pool
---------------------------------
"It's sinking . . . .!!"
Renaldi
Dear Gopalan,
I know I am being Schadenfreude. But arresting journalist taking photos of the flood really makes my blood boil.
With Singapore advertising for more people, pest controllers having a busy time, the lightning striking the wrong place and a missing PM.
I wonder if the local egg production problem is related to the floods, such that Singapore need to import the only source of food it can produce in sufficient numbers to feed the people.
Excuses excuses excuses.
Who can we believe now?
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_556298.html
Jul 21, 2010
Floods unavoidable: MM
By Jeremy Au Yong
'There's a limited amount of space that you can dig underground, limited amount of space that you can have run-offs for canals,' he told reporters after visiting a development project along the Kolam Ayer section of the Kallang River. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
THE government's best efforts are no match for Mother Nature.
That was Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's on Wednesday, as he said that there was little that could be done to circumvent flooding after the recent bouts of 'extraordinary rainfall'.
Asked if he thought the Government's response to the flooding had been sufficient, MM Lee said: 'How can you say the response is sufficient?'
'But at the same time, whatever we do, when we get extraordinary rainfall like we had recently, no amount of engineering can prevent flooding. There's a limited amount of space that you can dig underground, limited amount of space that you can have run-offs for canals,' he told reporters after visiting a development project along the Kolam Ayer section of the Kallang River.
The remarks, his first since three floods hit Singapore in the past month, come just two days after a 90-minute discussion about the flood in Parliament.
In that discussion, it emerged that flood-prone areas in Singapore had been reduced from 3,178ha in the 1970s to 66ha today. Despite that, MM Lee said that Singaporeans would always expect more.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of the Straits Times.
Can anybody ( Land surveyors ) out there confirm if Spore is in fact sinking.
"SINGAPOREANS WILL ALWAYS EXPECT MORE"!!! Wat is he talking about?? As first world nation paying top dollars to our politicians, isnt it the right course of nature that we expect the best from these elite group? Is it asking too much for the relevant leaders to fix devasting flooding problem? I certainly dont think so. Come on, MM Lee, by being thick skinned enough to demand and command million dollar salary and perks, we expect your cabinet to come up with superb ideas to combat mother nature!
To the Anonymous Wed Jul21,06:02PM
You wrote:
"Come on, MM Lee, by being thick skinned enough to demand and command million dollar salary and perks, we expect your cabinet to come up with superb ideas to combat mother nature!"
You failed to understand that only the masses (you included) need to take actions to claim back your rights to ask the Singapore govt to do work!
If the people just sit around waiting for things to happen, nothing will, other than the Lee "cabinet" taking advantage of you by paying themselves more.
Remember this. Just because you pay them more does not mean that they will do the job.
Similarly, just because you have lots of money to spend does not mean that you will expect good service in return.
As for myself. I am walking the talk. The fight for my rights is an on-going process, even if it means sitting with my affected colleagues in my adopted country Parliament's public gallery in the evening sessions, and missing my favourite TV programmes.
http://www.cpsucsa.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=639:success-in-the-lower-house&catid=143&Itemid=173
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