關於 singapore government structure ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

【我和師父的對話：談談新加坡】
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SINGAPORE (English writing below)

「新加坡的國運，會越來越多問題。」

大約三年多前，師父跟我說了這句話，也正是李光耀先生過世了之後。

我問師父爲何如此說。

師父答：「從玄學的角度來說，一個國家能夠興旺，必定是因爲領導人或某個很重要人物的八字與這國家的八字匹配，互補彼此的運。有時候，也是因為有某個重要人物，他的存在能夠鎮住這個國家，讓一切不好的事情不會發生，一些想欺負新加坡的人會知難而退。

所以新加坡這個彈丸之地，什麼都沒有，才能做得起來，還做得比鄰國還出色。而當這人物不在了，又沒有另一個旗鼓相當的人取代，那邪氣就能入侵，這個國家便開始走歹運。」

「其二，我們新加坡為了繁榮，到處都在挖洞，嚴重影響了地氣，龍氣受傷了，而且屋子越建越差。妳跟我去看風水的公寓，它們的風水還比政府組屋的更糟糕。

現代人追求表面的美，在自己的家裡東敲西打，破壞了整個格局，所以妳自己從妳的客人那裡也知道，很多新加坡人外表很風光，在臉書上總是說去哪裡吃，哪裡玩，今天買了什麼，和家人一起做什麼。我告訴妳，很多是騙人的，沒有錢的，根本談不上home sweet home。

很多家庭欠債的，要離婚的，孩子不聽話不會讀書，父母得看小孩的臉色做人，家庭吵架、婚外情，家人重病、心理病的、精神病的、小孩子憂鬱症的，脾氣不好、生意失敗的，事業不振， 很多問題， 就是因為家裡外在內在的風水都不好。」

「第三，我們新加坡不應該有賭場的。這是造了很大的業，會毀了很多人和家庭。妳看，有一個女的打給我，以前是做警察的，結果一直去賭場，被警隊開除了。有賭的地方，就有鬼，必有邪氣。沾到這個邪氣的人，思維就會被這些鬼眾操控，他要你去賭場，你就會一直去，明明知道不好，不可以，卻還是去。這是為什麼滨海湾金沙開幕後，妳問我要不要去那裡用餐看看，我跟妳說那不是修行人去的地方。妳也不要去。」

我趕緊搖搖頭，擺擺手。

「沒有沒有，師父，我沒有要去。我曾經為了買一件衣服，去過一次，都沒進到賭場，我就跟騰慶說，我以後不要再去了。那裡的氣真的很不好，我一踏進去，頭就暈了，那外表很氣派，但裡頭就是很陰的感覺，祇是普通人看不出而已。」

「可是，師父，您曾經說過，我們新加坡的風水也主，暗地裡撈偏門幹犯法的勾當的其實很多，不輸給馬國。那有沒有賭場，為什麼會影響那麽大？」

「所以我說妳沒有把我教妳的東西好好學。撈偏門，畢竟是暗的，是偷偷摸摸進行的，是不見得光的。可是你把它合法化，白熱化了，這些邪氣的破壞力量就會壯大了。我們人，不能為了繁榮，要賺更多的錢，就不顧道德，這是會短率而失敗的。」

記得，大約五六年前，我先生載著師父經過福康寧。師父看著窗外的工地，好奇的問：「他們在挖什麼？」

「師父，政府要建地鐵，所以在挖地道。」

當時，師父嘆息：「挖太深了。這條龍這樣挖下去，我們新加坡會種族失和，國人反政府，國運衰落等等的問題。」

後來得知福康寧地鐵站因高難度的隧道挖掘，而得到年度國際隧道工程奖。可見，裡頭挖的多複雜，那受傷的龍氣，是否有高人指點去補全呢？要不然，依然是得不償失的。

那天走過盛港醫院，想到過去一年進出不同的醫院探病，心中有些許唏噓。

醫院越多，代表我們國人的病業越重。根本上師，聖尊蓮生活佛，曾講過醫院就是人間的地獄：

「在醫院裡，醫生開你的腦，挖你的眼，開腦、挖眼、開心，心、肝、脾、肺、腎，統統都要開刀。其實醫院就是地獄道。你說生病的人，哪一個不苦？生病的人都是在受苦，這些苦，雖然差地獄很遠，但是離地獄也不近。生病是很痛苦的，當你生病的時候，躺在醫院任人宰割。其實多開一家醫院，就像多開一個地獄。像開刀的醫生，手上拿著刀的，都是地獄裡面的獄卒。真的！醫院裡面就像地獄一樣，甚麼都可以動，像是將你的腳鋸掉，將你的手鋸掉，將你的眼睛挖出來的，將你的腦打開的，將你的腸子整個拖出來的，剪掉腸子的，甚至將你的胃割掉，我們稱這些為「邊地」，屬於不是正式的地獄，是邊上的地獄。

所以不要講沒有報應。人生病，因為業障重，所以進到醫院任人宰割，像呼吸困難，醫生就將你氣切，就是將你的喉嚨打開，接一個管子，吃東西就從管子進去，呼吸也用管子，全身都是插管，那都是屬於地獄道。」

(20141130聖尊蓮生活佛盧勝彥於甘露精舍瑜伽焰口法會後開示)

大醫院是大地獄，小醫院是小地獄。去過醫院的都知道，那裡沒什麼好磁場可言。我看很多新的醫院，裡面的風水也一樣讓人頭痛。因此無論是醫生醫錯人，醫死人，護士疏忽，沒有及時照顧病人，藥房開錯藥等等，這些問題都只會層出不窮。家裡有病人住院的朋友們，請打起十二分精神，要明白醫生開的藥方，要了解護士在做什麼。

環境風水不好，人的心會不正，運也會不順，身體和心靈健康的問題也會越來越多。

無奈有些國人受西方文化的薰陶久了，就盲目的覺得學華文不重要，也「順便」覺得風水是迷信。問他們研究了什麼，他們又咦咦啊啊的答不出。不要那麽急促，不要迷著不信。很多東西要深入研究，你就會明白，風水是比科學還科學，根本就不是迷信。

2019己亥年，對新加坡而言，是個很多內外衝突的一年，新加坡的國運會生病。

有的人會選擇把所有責任推給政府去擔當。我固然明白一切有其因，就必有其果。但國家有難，匹夫有責。

政府做不做得到也好，我們身為這國家的孩子，都應該去互相幫忙。批評，如果不能有實在的結果出來改善問題，那這種批評也不祇過是宣洩自心的不平不滿。大家都想多賺些錢，所以別忘了這句話「和氣生財」。

報答國恩，會有種恩德，能夠讓我們的纏身靈離開，可以化災化難。而引導自己的孩子報國恩，

有妥當的起因，就不會有悲哀的後果，而是有喜慶的結局。

因此大家都要製造良因，自然就會有良果。切勿造五惡：殺生、偷盜、犯淫、妄語、飲酒吸毒。你正當的行為，是有能力帶動你身邊的人，也當然能改善自己的家運。累積功德，就是為了需要時，能夠用這「儲備金」過關斬將。

今年拜太歲時，請為新加坡也點盞光明燈。祈禱時，也請為新加坡祈福，等等。

玳瑚師父 Master Dai Hu 正月初八晚上，會舉辦一年一度的拜天公活動。他過去兩年都帶領著一些國人一起為自己的家庭和國家祈福。屆時，如果您有心想學習，請關注師父的臉書專頁。

在竹腳婦幼醫院時，聽到有位三十來歲的婦女說，她是來動手術，拿掉子宮的。我的心裡，頓時為她難過。

願大家都能有好德行、好風水、好運氣。

希望進醫院的人，都能夠平平安安的出院。

也希望去受軍訓的兒子們，都能平平安安回家。南無阿彌陀佛。

.......................

"There will be more and more problems, in Singapore's fortune outlook."

About three years ago, Shifu told me this. It was not long after Mr Lee Kuan Yew's death.

I asked Shifu why he said so.

Shifu replied, "From a Chinese Metaphysics point of view, when a country is prosperous, it is linked to the Bazi compatibility of the leader, and/or other important people. The Bazi can complement the Bazi of the country. Sometimes, because there is this important figure, whose presence can hold a country together and subjugate disasters from happening and people who wish to bully Singapore will back off."

"So it was possible for Singapore, such a small country of no natural resources, to build something up, and outperform its neighbouring countries. And when this person is no longer around, with no suitable replacement, then vile forces will pervade and the country will start to enter a cycle of poor luck."

"Secondly, in the name of more prosperity, Singapore is digging holes everywhere. This will severely damage the vitality force in the land, injuring the dragon qi. Moreover, the housing nowadays are poorly built, from a Feng Shui viewpoint. When you followed me on my Feng Shui audits at condos, you saw that their internal Feng Shui were even worse than HDB."

"People nowadays are only going for beauty. So they do not think twice when they hack the walls in their homes, destroying the whole structure. You see it in your clients too. Many Singaporeans only look good on the outside, posting about where they dine, where they go to have fun, what they bought, what they did with their families. Let me tell you this, many are lying. Many are having money problems. There is no home sweet home to speak of."

"Many families are in debt, facing divorce, have children who are disobedient and unwilling to study. Parents have to behave accordingly to the moods of their children. There are domestic quarrels and extramarital affairs. There are family members who are gravely ill, have psychological problems, mental issues and even kids have depression. Tempers are short, businesses do not perform well, careers are stagnant and many other problems, are caused by the poor external and internal Feng Shui."

"Thirdly, Singapore should not have casinos. This planted a seed of grave karma and will destroy many people and families. You see, there was a lady who called me. She used to work in the police, but she ended up visiting the casino too often and was fired by the police force. When there is gambling, there will be ghosts around, and vile energies will definitely be present. Anyone who gets stained by these energies will be mentally controlled by the ghosts. When the ghost wants you to visit the casino, you will surely go, despite knowing that it is not a good thing to do, nor is it advisable. This is why when you asked if I wished to dine at Marina Bay Sands during its opening, I told you that wasn't a place for spiritual cultivators to go. You shouldn't go."

I hastily shook my head and waved my hands.

"No, never, Shifu, I've no intention of going. I once went there to buy a piece of clothing. I didn't even stepped into the casino and I told Teng Qing, I wouldn't want to go there again. The energies there aren't great. My head spun as I stepped into the building. It looked impressive on the outside, but inside, the energies are very yin. Just that ordinary people aren't able to tell."

"But Shifu, you once said, the Feng Shui of Singapore also indicates that there are many illegal doings and businesses going on, comparable to that of Malaysia. So whether there are casinos or not, why will there be such an impact?"

"That's why I say, you never learnt properly what I taught you. Illegal activities are done secretly, in the dark and it can't be seen. But once you legalised it, as it surfaces to the top, the devastating effects of the vile energies will be even stronger. We humans cannot sacrifice morals for the sake of more prosperity and money. This will lead to failure due to shortsightedness."

I recalled, 5 to 6 years ago, the husband was ferrying Shifu in his car and drove past Fort Canning Hill. Shifu looked outside the window and curiously asked, "What are they digging?"

The husband replied, "Shifu, the government is building a MRT station, so they are digging the tunnel."

At that time, Shifu sighed, "They are digging too deep. When they keep digging into this dragon, we Singapore are going to have racial disharmony, anti-government problems and decline in the country's fortunes and many other problems."

Later on, I learnt that Fort Canning MRT Station won the Top Tunnelling Project of the Year at an international ceremony, because of the high difficulty level in the tunnelling feat. The excavation and tunnelling must be really deep and complicated. I wonder if there is any master that gave them pointers to repair the damaged dragon qi? Otherwise, the loss will outweigh the gain.

That day, when I walked past Sengkang General Hospital, I was reminded of my various hospital trips to visit family and friends, and couldn't helped but sighed.

The more hospitals there are, it means the sickness karma of our countrymen are getting more serious. My Root Guru, His Holiness Living Buddha Lian Sheng, once expounded that hospitals are hell in this mortal world:

"In hospitals, the doctors will open up your brain and dig your eyes. They open up your heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys. All these parts need to be operated. Actually, the hospital is the realm of Hell. Look at the people who are ill, who isn't suffering? A sick person is suffering. These sufferings, while very far away from that in the Hell, but aren't that far either. It is painful to be sick. When you are sick, you lie in the hospital and are at the whim of the doctor to be operated on. Actually when a hospital opens, it is like opening another Hell. The surgeon who holds the surgery knife in his hand is like the hell guard. Really!

The inside of the hospital is just like Hell. Everything can be operated on, like amputating your leg, amputate your hand, digging out your eyes, opening up your brain, dragging out the whole of your intestines, cutting away your intestines, and even cutting away your stomach. We called this borderland. Not the real Hell, but the borderland of Hell.

So don't say there isn't retribution. A person falls sick, because his karmic obstacles are severe. So he gets hospitalised and is up to the doctor to slaughter. For example, for breathing difficulties, the doctor will perform tracheotomy. He open up your throat and connect a tube. You will consume your food through the tube and also breathe through it. Your whole body is connected with tubes. That is the realm of Hell."

(20141130 His Holiness Living Buddha Lian Sheng Sheng-yen Lu Dharma discourse after Preta-dana at 甘露精舍)

A big hospital is a big Hell. A small hospital is a small Hell. Anyone who has been to hospitals knows that there isn't any great energies to speak about. I have visited several new hospitals and the Feng Shui inside is a headache. Hence cases of doctor misdiagnosis, mistreatment that cause death, negligence by nurses, lack of timely patient care, wrong medicine prescribed by pharmacies etc, will only continue to happen and at an increasing rate. So to friends who have hospitalised family, please be conscious and ask the right questions. Understand what the doctor prescribed and what the nurses are doing.

When the environmental Feng Shui is bad, man's heart will also go wayward and his luck will roll downhill. Problems in the physical body and heart will get more and more fanciful.

Unfortunately, some of us are over-influenced by the Western culture. They think that learning Chinese isn't important and conveniently dismissed Feng Shui as superstition. When I asked what research they had done to come to this conclusion, they usually stammer and can't answer me logically.

My advice: don't be impatient. Don't be eager to disbelieve. When your thinking is not supported by genuine in-depth research, you are superstitious. Many things in life are worth studying. When you learn this in-depth, you will realise that Feng Shui is more scientific than science, far away from what you think old wives' tale are made up of.

2019 the year of the Earth Pig is not a good year for Singapore. There will be many internal and external conflicts. Our country will fall sick, with its luck declining.

Some people chose to point their fingers at the government. I understand for every cause, there will be an effect. However, the rise and fall of our nation concerns all of us.

Whether the government does a good job or not, as the children of our country, we should all lend a helping hand to fellow countrymen. If criticism does not lead to a viable result to improve the problem, then it is just an expression of the displeasure inside the person.

To repay the debt of gratitude to our country generates merits for ourselves. These merits can drive away our karmic creditors and resolve the disasters and obstacles we face. We are also leading by example to our children what it means to repay the debt of gratitude to our country.

When the seed of causation is proper, there will be no fruits of sorrow, but instead, fruits of joy and celebrations.

So all of us should strive to create positive seeds of causation, and that will naturally reap us positive fruits. Don't commit the five evils of killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and consumption of intoxicants like alcohol and drugs. Your proper conduct has the ability to help the people around you and of course, improve your family fortunes. Accumulating merits is critical, as these reserves will always come in handy to help us during our emergency times.

When you pray to the Tai Sui this year, please light a Lamp of Illumination for Singapore too. When you pray, please also pray for the good fortune of Singapore etc.

Every year on the night of the 8th day of the 1st Lunar Month, 玳瑚師父 Master Dai Hu will conduct a prayer ceremony to pay homage to the Supreme Jade Emperor. In the past two years, he had led other like-minded participants to pray for blessings for themselves and our nation. If you are keen to learn, do follow Shifu's FB page for notifications.

When I was at the KK hospital, I overheard a lady, probably in her 30s, that she was here for an operation to remove her entire womb. Momentarily, I felt sad for her.

I hope for everyone to have good moral conduct, great Feng Shui and good fortune.

May everyone who is hospitalised get to go home safely and healthily.

May all the sons of Singapore who go for army training, also return home safely and in one piece. Namo Amitabha.

#Cities #Skyscrapers

10. #Chongqing, China
Chongqing is one of five national central cities in China and the only such municipality in inland China. The highest building in the city is Chongqing World Financial Center at 339 meter (1,112 ft).

9. #Dubai, United Arab Emirates
For the past 20 years, UAE government have transformed a small town for fishermen into Middle-east most important hub for tourism, business, and high standard living. Burj Khalifa is a pinnacle of Dubai's property industry that beautify its skyline.

8. #Shenzhen, China
China's most important emporium for electronics goods—Shenzhen is growing rapidly with 442 skyscrapers currently standing and KK 100 Development tower lead the height in the city at 442 meter (1,450 ft).

7. #Guangzhou, China
Another vital finance city of China, Guangzhou have as much as 456 buildings with heights more than 90 meter. Topped-out building—The CTF Guangzhou measures 530 meter (1,739 ft) high.

6. #Singapore
One of the Asian tigers, this relatively young city-state always chasing for better rank; including this one which now sit in sixth place. Too bad restricted height makes city's tallest building only measures 280 meter (918 ft).

5. #Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok taking a lead among South-east Asian cities for this ranking. An 85-storey Baiyoke Tower II is city's tallest structure which also tallest hotel in the region at 304 meter (997 ft).

4. #Tokyo, Japan
Lack of supertalls due to earthquake does not hinder Japanese in making lower skyscrapers as many as 753 in their capital. Not to mention, Tokyo Skytree now is the second highest structure on the planet.

3. #Shanghai, China
China's economic reform begun in late 1970s changes China's landscape in every aspects. And Shanghai is a leader of that reformation with 855 skyscrapers registered in the city. A twisted building Shanghai Tower just topped out at 632 meter (2,073 ft).

2. #NewYorkCity, United States of America
The only megalopolis from American continent, New York City shows that legendary city still able to challenge for number one spot. A newly erected One World Trade Center stands at 541 meter (1,775 ft) with skyscrapers as much as 938.

1. #HongKong
Being under United Kingdom makes its citizens run ahead leaving their relatives on the other side for 99 years. No wonder Hong Kongers could construct as much as 3266 skyscrapers.

DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam presented Budget 2013 this afternoon. His theme was “A better Singapore: Quality growth, An Inclusive Society”.

Our immediate priority is to solve the housing and transport issues. At the same time, we must upgrade our economy through productivity and innovation. Budget 2013 will help our businesses cope with much lower foreign worker growth over the next few years. It also contains schemes to enable every Singaporean to benefit from growth. For example, the Wage Credit Scheme will incentivise employers to raise salaries of their lower-income workers, as the Govt will pay 40% of these salary increases for three years. We will also focus on promoting social mobility, especially through education, so that children from less privileged backgrounds are not disadvantaged in our society.

The Parliament will discuss Budget 2013 in the upcoming weeks. You can visit www.singaporebudget.gov.sg for more details about the Budget. - LHL

We had the Budget today. We are transforming our economy so that we can have quality growth – growth that all Singaporeans will benefit from, and which will allow a better quality of life. And we are taking further steps towards a more inclusive society – starting with the kids, helping lower-income workers, and providing greater economic security for our retirees, including those in the middle-income group.

Here's an extract from the Budget Speech that sets out the main directions our policies are taking. The specifics are in the full speech linked below.

http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/budget…/budget_speech.html

BETTER SINGAPORE: QUALITY GROWTH, AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY

Many Singaporeans, through Our Singapore Conversation platforms, have been sharing their hopes for Singapore – the kind of home we want to build for our families and our children. There has been a rich diversity of views. But a common set of aspirations is emerging, a common vision of the future that Singaporeans want:
• A home with a strong Singaporean identity and sense of belonging
• A Singapore with a robust and vibrant economy, and with good jobs that enable a more fulfilling pace of life
• A home with strong families, and where our seniors can age with dignity
• A society that takes care of the disadvantaged
• A Singapore with affordable living
• A society with greater sense of togetherness, and where the Government and the people have a more collaborative relationship

This is the Singapore that we want to build together.

The Government is making major moves to support this endeavour. Since 2010, we have embarked on major steps to transform our economy so as to create better jobs and allow for a better pace and quality of life. We are also making important shifts in social policies, as announced in last year’s Budget, to foster a fair and more inclusive society.

We will need to make further moves. So that by the end of the decade, we will have a better Singapore, a better future for all Singaporeans.

Immediate Challenges: Housing and Transport

First, we have pressing challenges in housing and transport. The Government will spare no effort in resolving these problems.
We want to reduce the cost of housing relative to the income of young Singaporeans. Prices in the HDB resale market and private market have risen too rapidly in the cycle that began as we recovered from the 2009 economic crisis. We have taken major steps to cool the housing market. We have also ramped up the supply of HDB flats which will help first-time buyers book their flats faster as well as ease prices in the resale market. And we have increased supply of private housing through Government Land Sales. The Minister for National Development will speak more in COS about these immediate challenges as well as how we can ensure affordable, quality housing for Singaporeans over the longer term.

We have to make many improvements in public transport. Congestion and waiting times are a daily problem for Singaporeans. We are ramping up bus capacity, especially feeder services, to improve frequency and add new routes. We are accelerating the rollout of the additional 800 buses that we made provisions for last year. In addition, the Land Transport Authority will be tendering out routes to private operators.

Our rail network will expand by more than 50% by 2021. That is still eight years away. But in the meantime, we will see improvements that will help relieve congestion. Parts of the Downtown Line will start operating from the end of this year, and new trains will be added to existing lines from next year. We will also introduce other measures to reduce crowding, including significantly enhanced incentives for commuters who travel during the “shoulder” periods before and after the morning peak hour. The Minister for Transport will talk about these measures in the COS.

An Economy and Society in Transition

While we fix these immediate problems in housing and transport, we have to press on with our priorities to help Singaporeans have a better quality of life over the medium to long term.

We have to shift gears for an economy and society that is in transition.

We are no longer a developing economy, but we have not achieved the level of productivity and income of an advanced economy. At the same time, our own workforce is growing more slowly, and is gradually getting older.

We must make every effort to achieve quality growth: growth that is achieved mainly through innovation and higher productivity, and growth that will benefit all Singaporeans – our children, working families, our elderly and disabled.

Our strategies for achieving quality growth and an inclusive society are in fact tied inextricably together. Raising productivity is not just our most important economic priority, but enables us to build a better society. Higher productivity is the only sustainable way to raise incomes for ordinary Singaporeans, and provide jobs that give people a sense of responsibility and empowerment. Higher productivity is also necessary for us to shorten working hours over time and allow Singaporeans to enjoy a better work-life balance.

Our society is also facing the pressures of widening income disparities. This is happening in cities globally and in Asia, but it matters more to us because Singapore is not just a city but also a nation. We must take further steps to temper inequality. We also want to do more to enable our seniors to have a sense of economic security and fulfilment in their retirement years.

On both economy and society, therefore, we need to shift our thinking.
In government: where we are reshaping policies and driving new initiatives, especially to sustain social mobility and strengthen support for older Singaporeans.
In the business community: which has to innovate and adjust to the permanent reality of a tight labour market.
In our society at large: where we have to accord ordinary workers not just better pay but greater respect.
In the community: with non-profits and other voluntary groups pursuing the causes we all believe in, and working with an active partner in the government.
And for all of us individuals, to do our best to improve and to contribute to our country in our own ways.

Transforming Our Economy for Better Jobs
We are restructuring our economy. We began this in earnest in 2010, by:
• Tightening foreign worker inflows;
• Supporting enterprises in their efforts to upgrade operations and improve productivity; and
• Investing in our workers by heavily subsidising their training, in every skill.

We need to intensify this economic restructuring and skills upgrading so as to achieve quality growth. Although wages are going up in a tight labour market, productivity has lagged. If we do not do better in raising productivity, we will be caught in a situation where businesses lose competitiveness, and wages eventually stagnate. Both workers and businesses will be worse off.

We must help our SME sector revitalise itself. There are however wide divergences in efficiency amongst SMEs even in the same industries. Restructuring will unfortunately lead to some businesses being winnowed out, but the end result must be a vibrant and sustainable local SME sector. Every support must be provided to help the businesses which bring in more efficient techniques and service models, so they can grow in a tight labour market, and where possible make their mark internationally.

There are already many examples of SMEs transforming themselves, in every sector. For example in furniture manufacturing, local firms are training multi-skilled employees, relocating manpower-intensive activities, developing unique brands and carving a niche for themselves in overseas markets.

To make this economic transition, we must also harness the value of older Singaporeans and design jobs suited for them, as well as for other potential employees who are unable to work regular, full-time schedules. Flexible work practices must become more common, enabling employees to structure their work so that they have time for their families or for personal development like part-time courses. We should also make it possible for more employees to have the option of telecommuting from home or working from “smart work centres” near their homes, like what they have in Amsterdam and Seoul. The Government will work closely with businesses in these efforts.

Building a Fair and Inclusive Society

We are also taking major steps to ensure a fair and more inclusive society.

• First, to sustain social mobility. Meritocracy alone will not assure us of this. We therefore want to do more, starting from early in our children’s lives, to give the best leg up to those who start with a disadvantage. We cannot change the fact that children have different family backgrounds that bring very different advantages and disadvantages. But we want to find every way, at the pre-school and primary school levels, to help our children from poorer or less stable families to develop confidence and the self-belief that gives them aspirations of their own, and to help them catch up when they fall behind. And we will provide pathways to develop every skill and ability, so that every child can discover his strengths as he grows up, and can do well.

• Second, we must do more to mitigate inequality. We are making our fiscal system more progressive, by tilting our taxes and benefits in favour of the lower- and middle-income groups.

Currently:

i. A lower-income older worker receives a significant top-up of his income through Workfare each year.

ii. A middle-income family with a child in child care gets subsidies of $4,800 per year. If the child is in university, he can receive more than $8,500 in bursaries over the course of his studies, and get a subsidised government loan to pay off the remaining fees and cover study expenses. Children from lower-income families receive far more.

iii. Singaporeans with disabilities now receive substantially greater support. Both when young through early intervention under EIPIC, and as adults, where we provide a substantial incentive through the Special Employment Credit (SEC) for firms to employ them so that they can contribute and lead more independent lives.

iv. An older Singaporean in need of long term care can receive subsidies of $870 per month for home-based care or $1,200 per month if he is in a nursing home, following the changes we introduced last year. Those who need more help will get it through Medifund.

We will take further, significant steps in this Budget towards strengthening social mobility and increasing the progressivity and fairness of our system. In particular, with enhancements to Workfare, a low-wage worker who is 60 years old would receive a top-up of his pay of about 30%. This is in addition to what his employer can receive through the SEC, and the new Wage Credit Scheme, to be introduced in this year’s Budget, which will encourage his employer to up his pay.

While raising incomes is the best way to help lower- and middle- income Singaporeans cope with rising costs, this Budget will also include measures to help them more immediately. The most significant support will go to older Singaporeans, to help them with medical costs.

Taking all our measures together, including those which will be announced in this Budget, we are providing substantial benefits to lower- and middle-income Singaporeans. The full picture can be seen if we look at benefits over a lifetime, starting from a couple’s needs when they first have children, to the time they get old and need other types of help, especially with healthcare costs.

In total, over a lifetime, a young low-income couple with two children can expect to receive more than $600,000 in benefits in real terms (2013 dollars). (This comes from subsidies and other means-tested benefits for their children’s education, housing, healthcare, Workfare, the GST Voucher, and other schemes.)

This is much more than we used to provide in the past. In the last decade alone, we have more than doubled the lifetime benefits in real terms for such families.

When we take into account all the taxes that such low-income families will pay (mainly GST), they will get back far more in benefits. In fact, they will get more than five dollars in benefits for every dollar in taxes paid.

However, today’s generation of older Singaporeans will not benefit as much as younger Singaporeans from the enhancements in Workfare and CPF and other schemes. We want to do more for this senior generation of Singaporeans, who worked over the years, often with low pay, to build a better future for their children. They made today’s Singapore possible. We will do more for them. The Government is reviewing the system of healthcare financing and some other schemes to help them in their retirement years.

Finally, the Budget will make significant investments to nurture the sports and arts, which play a growing role in enriching life in Singapore. Over the next five years, we will invest 30% more in sports programmes, and more than double our investments to develop regional- and community-level sports facilities. The Government will also create a new Cultural Donation Matching Fund, to provide dollar-for-dollar matching for donations to the arts and culture.

In short, we are building a better Singapore: a more inclusive and caring society, with an innovative and dynamic economy, so that Singaporeans can have better opportunities and more fulfilling lives.

http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/budget…/budget_speech.html

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Video Title: Why Japan's Great Pyramid of Giza Can't be Built Until 2110

"London. October, 1992. A Japanese man entered a government building near Chancery Lane, and made his way up to an office on the first floor. This was the London branch of the UK’s Patent Office. You see, this man was there on behalf of Japan’s renowned Shimizu Corporation - a leading architectural and engineering firm that was (and is) among the top in the world, and he was there to apply for a patent. To secure their ideas globally it was necessary to apply not just in Japan. Now this particular patent was for no ordinary idea. It was for something grand, something spectacular. The idea was to build giant pyramids in the middle of some of the largest and busiest urban centers in the world - starting with Tokyo. These infrastructures would be so large, they could house entire cities. But why? What was this for? And who exactly is the Shimizu Corporation? To understand this, we need to go back in time, back over 200 years ago to the company’s inception..."

Talking Points:
- Shimizu Megacity Pyramid TRY-2004
- Megastructures
- Pyramidal structures
- Japanese architectural & engineering companies
- Kisuke Shimizu
- Edo period
- Japan's population decline
- Tokyo's overpopulation & overcrowding
- Large scale construction projects
- Floating cities, underwater cities, space hotels
- Blade Runner (Tyrell Corporation headquarters pyramid)
- Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza
- Burj Khalifa & Jeddah Tower
- 2 kilometer high building
- Tokyo Bay
- Megatrusses & suspended skyscrapers
- Renewable energy of solar, wind, algae & waves
- Japanese earthquakes & tsunamis
- Pacific Ring of Fire
- X-Seed 4000 (Taisei Corporation)
- Mega-City Pyramids in Singapore, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Delhi & Dhaka
- Largest man-made structure in history
- Hong Kong's Kowloon Walled City