Type of government and society needed in Singapore

05/10/2026

Have many of us realized that as we go towards renewable energies such as solar energy and wind energy, we need a lot more pieces of land to house those equipment and machineries. This add pressure to the current land prices.
The PAP government has a duty to ensure that land prices and subsequently house prices do not rise excessively.

26/09/2026

Regard the message I sent yesterday, please see how I use the learning points to convince others of the right things to do. Please also remember that in the message, there are more than one learning point.

Steven Lee
11:01 AM (6 hours ago)
to wongyang, shannon.ang, soctanes, REACH, Made_For_Families, STNewsdesk

Dear Wong Yang
I refer to your article, 'Singapore is now a super-aged society'.
We should stop saying that the younger people need to support the older people. Why do we want the younger people to shoulder unnecessary burden?
We should be telling the younger people to work hard and smart, have the right work attitude and improving the processes in their jobs. This will ensure that they can build up the retirement nest while supporting some of the seniors. (Please note that not all seniors need support from the younger people.) We also need to tell all the seniors to be more independent.
We should also encourage those seniors who already have a good retirement nest to stop working as they are taking up jobs that the younger people need.
Please be more observant and analytical so that you can write better articles and help the nation.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Steven Lee
Date: Sat, Sep 26, 2026 at 10:39 AM
Subject: Please learn to be more observant and analytical
To: Ng Wei Kai
Cc: , , , MTI Kim Yong GAN (MTI) , , REACH (REACH) , STNewsdesk -

Dear Ng Wei Kai
I refer to your article,'Singapore population rises 1.6% to 6.21 million'.
You said that the increase was due to 'more construction workers for key infrastructure projects such as Changi Airport Terminal 5 and the ramp-up of housing supply' and the Marina Bay Sands expansion.
Please see the number of foreign cleaners and coffee shop assistants we are having now. Is it not significant?
If the PAP government had planned well and not focused on money or profit only, we could have built more HDB flats much earlier and prevented the huge increase in foreign workers and huge increase in the HDB flat prices and the cost of living beyond what is necessary.
We need to stop saying that those are jobs that no Singaporeans want to have. We should tell every worker that every job is a good job and there are many things one can learn from the job. With the willingness to work hard and smart, the right attitude and improving the processes in the job, the workers can advance in their career, moving to higher paying jobs. It also helps the companies and government to reduce business and government costs.
Could the use of improper English in Singapore also partly due to the huge influx of lowly educated workers?
If you really want to do your job well, please be more observant and analytical and speak up wisely.

---------- Forwarded message ---------

Dear all
My wife and I went to Korea for an 8-day trip.

I learned the following points.
1. There are very few waste bins and recycling bins in the public areas. I learned from the guide in Seoul that the Koreans need to buy special plastic bags to hold their waste. They also need to separate the recycled materials and place them in separate recycling bins. This would mean that they have to hold onto their wastes and recycled containers and materials until they reach home or to a nearby waste bin and recycled bin. (The people in Singapore need to learn from this. We also have more waste bins and the ubiquitous blue recycling bins and we don’t need to separate the recycled materials. If we have to go the same way as the Koreans, we will end up with higher cost of living, government and business costs than necessary and more crowdedness in the country, buses and trains because we need more foreign workers to do what we could simply do but refuse to do.)
2. We, the buyers and sellers, should keep our wet markets drier and cleaner than we have now. This makes going to the wet market a better and pleasant experience for everyone including the future generations.
3. Instead of putting the food that we don’t want and other wastes on the tables in food centres and coffee shops, we should place them in a bowl or on a plate or tray. This reduces the amount of cleaning jobs needed and the number of foreign cleaners. It would also be a better experience eating in those places.
4. If we can prevent the cost of living, government and business costs going higher than necessary, the restaurants may provide free drinking water.
5. The government needs to have real leaders in their ministers, mayors and MPs, including opposition MPs, to convince the people and foreign workers to have social responsibilities so that there will be less crowdedness in the country, buses and trains. It should not just focus on the economy and money. We should not and cannot solve social issues through the use of money only. (We are at the stage where we have the resources to allow us to make drastic changes that will benefit everyone, including the future generations.)
To add to the above, let me state again that there are many good lessons to learn when we are doing something and these lessons may not be related to the purpose of the things we are doing. We just need to be more observant, more analytical, have the right attitude and to stop thinking of using money to solve everything.This should be the same when you are working and looking at your job.
Let me also state that if we don't want to change for the better, it is of little consequence to me. I am already 71 years old and I have built a very comfortable retirement nest for my wife and me. I am doing this as a payback to society. If you still think that we don't need to change, I ask that you think of the adverse impact on your family, children, extended family, friends and the future generations.

Regards
Steven Lee

25/09/2026

Dear all
I sent the email to the government this morning.
As the government needs the people to do their part, I am sending the email to you as well.

Dear all
My wife and I went to Korea for an 8-day trip.

I learned the following points.
1. There are very few waste bins and recycling bins in the public areas. I learned from the guide in Seoul that the Koreans need to buy special plastic bags to hold their waste. They also need to separate the recycled materials and place them in separate recycling bins. This would mean that they have to hold onto their wastes and recycled containers and materials until they reach home or to a nearby waste bin and recycled bin. (The people in Singapore need to learn from this. We also have more waste bins and the ubiquitous blue recycling bins and we don’t need to separate the recycled materials. If we have to go the same way as the Koreans, we will end up with higher cost of living, government and business costs than necessary and more crowdedness in the country, buses and trains because we need more foreign workers to do what we could simply do but refuse to do.)
2. We, the buyers and sellers, should keep our wet markets drier and cleaner than we have now. This makes going to the wet market a better and pleasant experience for everyone including the future generations.
3. Instead of putting the food that we don’t want and other wastes on the tables in food centres and coffee shops, we should place them in a bowl or on a plate or tray. This reduces the amount of cleaning jobs needed and the number of foreign cleaners. It would also be a better experience eating in those places.
4. If we can prevent the cost of living, government and business costs going higher than necessary, the restaurants may provide free drinking water.
5. The government needs to have real leaders in their ministers, mayors and MPs, including opposition MPs, to convince the people and foreign workers to have social responsibilities so that there will be less crowdedness in the country, buses and trains. It should not just focus on the economy and money. We should not and cannot solve social issues through the use of money only. (We are at the stage where we have the resources to allow us to make drastic changes that will benefit everyone, including the future generations.)
To add to the above, let me state again that there are many good lessons to learn when we are doing something and these lessons may not be related to the purpose of the things we are doing. We just need to be more observant, more analytical, have the right attitude and to stop thinking of using money to solve everything.This should be the same when you are working and looking at your job.
Let me also state that if we don't want to change for the better, it is of little consequence to me. I am already 71 years old and I have built a very comfortable retirement nest for my wife and me. I am doing this as a payback to society. If you still think that we don't need to change, I ask that you think of the adverse impact on your family, children, extended family, friends and the future generations.

Regards
Steven Lee

30/08/2026

I sent out the following email today, 30 Aug 2026.

The PAP government can do better

Steven Lee
2:50 PM (0 minutes ago)
to Ng, siewying.wong, eugenelim, PMO, REACH, Parl, sylvia.lim, muhaimin.malik, Gerald, andre.low, dennis.tan, khengwee.chua, Fadli.fawzi, eileen.chong, tingru.he, kenneth.tiong, jamus.lim, contact, info, peoplepowerpartysg, sdp, [email protected], hamim.hi, Darryl, chee_hong_tat, indranee_rajah, sun_xueling, syed_harun, loh_ngaiseng, ngiamsy, mnd_hq, CEO, Johnny_LH_Wong, Thomas_SEOW, Randy_LIM, STNewsdesk, BTNews, Tell, Mediacorp, SingaporeDesk, news, news, theonlinecitizen

Dear Ng Keng Gene
I refer to your article, 'Flats with shorter waiting times being built in Sin Ming, Toa Payoh', in the ST today, 30 Aug 2026.

You mentioned that the two sites would have shorter wait times.

Again, this is just another way the PAP government is trying to brainwash the people that it is doing a good job. By giving out preliminary information and building the flats and yet not launching the sites obviously will give a false impression of a short wait time.

If the PAP government has
1. better foresight and leadership
2. given equal focus on the people's social well-being as well as the economy and making money
3. better planning to prevent the sudden influx of foreign workers (don't use the pandemic as an excuse)
we won't be
1. having the cost of living, government and business costs going beyond moderate levels
2. won't be having the crowdedness in the country, buses and trains
3. experiencing excessively high prices in the HDB BTO and resale prices and high rental prices
4. giving handouts, subsidies, etc.to too many people unnecessarily

If the PAP government has done the right things years back and has true leaders, the people would be carrying out their social responsibilities in keeping the tables, floors and toilets of food centres and coffee shops clean, dry and litter-free, not having highrise litters of small items like used tissue papers, putting recyclable items in the ubiquitous blue bins and not contaminating them, not thinking of themselves only, etc. The no. of foreign workers won't be as high as we are having now. In addition, the people do not have to tie up their hard-earned money in just one illiquid asset and encash it only at their retirement age. If the cost of living, government and business and HDB flat prices are not excessively high, most of the people would be able to invest their money on more liquid assets or turn their creativity and innovativeness into business ideas. In this way, the nation and the people can still progres and earn or make money without the negative side effects. We would only need to help those who really need help.

This is also a lesson for the opposition parties.

Regards
Steven Lee

14/08/2026

I just sent the following email today, 4 Aug 2026.

We need wisdom before we decide when to use an approach and when to stop using it

Steven Lee
6:33 PM (0 minutes ago)
to yapwq, info, phom, hrchqmc, PMO, REACH, Parl, sylvia.lim, muhaimin.malik, Gerald, andre.low, dennis.tan, khengwee.chua, Fadli.fawzi, eileen.chong, tingru.he, kenneth.tiong, jamus.lim, contact, info, peoplepowerpartysg, sdp, [email protected], hamim.hi, Darryl, Chan_Chun_Sing

Dear Yap Wei Qiang
I refer to your article, 'S’pore adopts a ‘just in case’ approach to strategic vulnerabilities: Minister' in the ST today, 14 Aug 2026.
While there is some truth in what Minister Chan Chun Sing had said, he should have also mentioned that using the ‘just in case’ approach still needs to be considered and carried out wisely. Otherwise, there would be unnecessary costs incurred which would increase the cost of living, government and business costs beyond what is necessary.
Nowadays, it seems like the people only take what they are told at face value, without thinking of the bad consequences if some good things are overdone. This is especially true when those words come from people with financial power, authority and who have high job positions.

I would like to remind everyone of the 'just in time' approach started by Dell a few decades back. It was so successful that every company tried to use that approach. Years later, Dell suffered when the economy improved quickly and it did not have finished products readily available to all its customers. It lost big deals to other PC companies like HP, Legend (now known as Lenovo), Acer, Apple, etc. So, let's have more wisdom in thinking and teach the people to do the same.

Regards
Steven Lee

14/08/2026

Dear all
I wrote the following email today, 14 Aug 2026.

One classic example of the many mistakes made by the PAP government, people and businesses

Steven Lee
3:32 PM (0 minutes ago)
to PMO, REACH, Parl, sylvia.lim, muhaimin.malik, Gerald, andre.low, dennis.tan, khengwee.chua, Fadli.fawzi, eileen.chong, tingru.he, kenneth.tiong, jamus.lim, contact, info, peoplepowerpartysg, sdp, [email protected], hamim.hi, Darryl, Chan_Chun_Sing, desmond_lee, david_neo, janil_puthucheary, syed_harun, lim_wan_yong, Kenneth_ER, liew_wei_li, MOE_QSM, darren_chong, koh_siew_boon, grace_fu, goh_hanyan, benjamin_koh, Melvin, TPTC

Dear all
Someone wrote a Facebook post saying that the BCRS is unnecessary as most people are recycling the beverage containers by placing them in the ubiquitous blue recycle bins.
Although I agree that the BCRS is a bad scheme, I dislike it for other reasons. (See the reasons at the end.) So, I have to correct his view by giving the following comment.

1. Do you seriously think that the people are recycling the beverage containers by putting them in the ubiquitous blue recycling bin?
Before the BCRS , I observed that many people simply threw those containers into the waste bin.
2. For me, I washed and dried all my recyclable containers at home in full view of my children and domestic maids. Yet they just threw their empty containers into the waste bin. Whenever I saw that, I took them out, washed them with a bit of washing detergent and dried them before I put them in a recycling bag to bring them down to the blue bin later.
3. Did you not see the many containers left by the students and adults on the staircase, bench, etc. after they had consumed the beverage?
4. Once I told TKL to keep his waste until he reaches home or a waste bin. His reaction was that he won't do it. Can you imagine someone doing that for the empty beverage containers if he does not get back the 10-ct deposit?
5. In addition, many recyclable items in the ubiquitous blue recycling bins are contaminated. Do you think those recycled containers are washed and dried separately and recycled at the collection centres?
6. I just came back from the Yakult tour. A group of students from Bukit Merah Sec. School was eating and drinking on the floor. The whole place was messy as they left the containers (and other wastes) on the floor, right in front of the RC. It makes me wonder if their parents and school have taught them well or they simply did not care. Such is our society nowadays.
7. One of the reasons is that the PAP Ministers and MPs are too focused on the economy and money. They do not focus on social responsibilities. They simply leave it to some low-level civil servants to remind the people. What has happened to the 'walk the talk' concept?

I dislike the BRCS (and other bad decisions made and policies implemented) for the following reasons.
1. It shows the lack of leadership in the PAP government to convince the people of their social responsibilities.
2. The government and the people are too focused on the economy and making money that they do not focus on social responsibilities.
3. The government and the people do not work together to identify the social issues (and other national issues) and discuss to find workable solutions that will not increase the cost of living, government and business costs.
4. Most of them have this thinking that as long as the problem can be solved through the use of money, it is not a problem, not realising that even good solutions can lose its effectiveness if it is overused.

The BCRS is just one classic example of mistakes made by the people, government and businesses. For other examples, you can go to my personal page to read about them.

Regards
Steven Lee

11/08/2026

Jeremy See mentioned about the high cost, including unforseen cost like huge medical cost, and stress faced by the young adults face when they have children. I gave my coment as shown below.

That is why I have been saying that the people, the government and businesses need to work together to keep the rate of increase in the cost of living, government and business costs at moderate levels. There are a few low hanging fruits.
1. Everyone carries out his social responsibilities so that we can keep the no. of cleaners and foreign workers as low as possible and to do household chores instead of employing domestic helpers or paying for others to do it. Gettting the kids to help out is a form of developing their character, independence, self-reliance, etc.
2. Take public transport instead of owning a car or taking taxi or PHV rides even when you are a senior with slight physical issues, a parent who has to travel with kids, etc.
3. Stop working if you are 65 years old and have already built your retirement nest for yourself and your spouse.
4. Don't earn or make money to leave it and other assets like your house to the children when you pass on. They need to work hard and smart too. If we keep the costs low, it will help them to have the time and energy to face new challenges.
5. Don't get the children to have too much tuition and don't enroll them on too many activities such as music, dancing, acting, etc. You are over stressing them as well as yourself.
6. Take responsibility in developing your children instead of expecting the government, school, teachers, etc, to do it.
7. Don't just think of enjoyment for yourself by going for expensive trips, meals, clothes, etc. You can do that when you are able to do the things mentioned in the email below. 8.Think of the long term adverse impact to the nation if you decide not to start a family or have sufficient children to repla e those who will pass on. Think of the enjoyment and fun you get from having children instead of just thinking of the negative aspects of it.
The above points are just a fraction of the things one can do to have a tough but meaningful life and to ensure continuity of the nation.

11/08/2026

I sent the following mail today, 11 Aug 2026.

Let's encourage more people to do their part in keeping the cost of living, government and business costs as low as possible

Steven Lee
4:02 PM (5 minutes ago)
to Gerald, PMO, jeffrey_siow, murali_pillai, sun_xueling, baey_yam_keng, REACH, Parl, sylvia.lim, muhaimin.malik, andre.low, dennis.tan, khengwee.chua, Fadli.fawzi, eileen.chong, tingru.he, kenneth.tiong, jamus.lim, contact, info, peoplepowerpartysg, sdp, [email protected], hamim.hi, Darryl, Chan_Chun_Sing

Dear MP Gerald Giam
I refer to your webpage,'https://geraldgiam.sg/2026/08/overpaying-public-transport/' and your Facebook post regarding adults and seniors not buying the monthly pass. To say that they are over-charged may be an overstatement.

While it is certainly good that we help those who really need the help, we should also encourage those who can afford the transport fares not to buy the monthly pass. I am quite certain that we do have quite a number of adults and seniors who are at least 65 years old and already have a comfortable retirement nest for themself and their spouse. Let's encourage them not to buy the monthly pass so that the transport deficit can be reduced. The total amount may not be significant but it will be a good sign that we have some lay people who are willing to do their part in keeping the cost of living, government and business costs low for the benefit of all.

This amount, together with other cost savings such as not having nice-to-have features like USB chargers on the buses and the expensive bus stop and arrival time display on the buses and bus stops (we already have many apps which provide the same details in a cheaper way), can help reduce the annual transport deficit or keep the annual fare increases low.

Similarly, we should also encourage those who can afford it not to purposely get the $6 return voucher offered by the major supermarkets when the customers use $61 worth of CDC voucher. This will allow the supermarkets to offer more discounts for those who really need the help.

The above are just two examples of what the lay people can do to reduce costs and to encourage those who can do even more, e.g. ministers and top civil servants aged 65 and beyond and have already built their retirement nest, to do their part by volunteering on a full-time basis in their current jobs.

Regards
Steven Lee

08/08/2026

I sent the following email today, 8 Aug 2026.

Steven Lee
6:43 PM (0 minutes ago)
to natasha.ganesan, PMO, REACH, Parl, sylvia.lim, muhaimin.malik, andre.low, dennis.tan, khengwee.chua, Fadli.fawzi, eileen.chong, Gerald, tingru.he, kenneth.tiong, jamus.lim, contact, info, peoplepowerpartysg, sdp, [email protected], hamim.hi, Darryl, waltertheseira, samuel_chng, chan_chun_sing, STNewsdesk, BTNews, Tell, Mediacorp, SingaporeDesk, news, news, theonlinecitizen, dinesh_vasu_dash, jeffrey_siow, TAN_See_Leng, patricktaytg

Dear Natasha Ganesan
I refer to your article, 'WP asks for 'updated growth model' that benefits workers; govt says approach 'always built around Singaporeans'', in CNA on 5 Aug 2026.

I would like to ask the PAP ministers and MPs and the WP MPs whether they are really helping the people. First and foremost, shouldn't they try to convince the people to do what are stated in some Facebook comments instead of suggesting systems and processes like an updated growth model, retrenchment benefits, redundancy insurance scheme and financial support, vouchers and rebates. Getting the people to be more independent, self-reliant and have the ability to have a job , keep a job or move to another job easily (not job-hopping just for a few dollars more or some additional small benefits) by having the right work attitude and mindset is the best help you can give to the people for them to have a good, rewarding and meaningful life through using their own abilities and capabilities.

1. Someone in the Secondary and Post-Secondary parents Facebook support group wrote about the change in the requirements of jobs nowadays. He said that besides a university degree, many other skills and knowledge are needed. I gave my comment as follows.

In my mind, nothing has changed over the years.
While a university degree is important (I do not have one) the other skills and knowledge are required all the time.
That had been the way I was able to have a relatively good career, progressing to better jobs as I grew older and it even allowed me to take a calculated risk in giving up a good paying stable job to try running my own business for a year. In that year, I had to live on my savings. After that unsuccessful year, I managed to go back to a corporate job (my previous skills, knowledge and experience certainly helped) which had a pay lower than that of the job I had before I ran my own business. From then, it was a constant progress in my career.
In every job, I tried to learn as much as I could, including skills and knowledge that did not seem relevant at that time. I applied what I had learned or adapted what I had learned to suit the requirements in the next jobs.
Throughout my career, I never worry about my salary, increment or retrenchment. I always believe that as long as the company gains more from me than what it pays me, there is no reason for it to hold back my salary or increment and no reason to retrench me.
I also made it a point to help colleagues in the same department as well as others i.e. to have a competitive but friendly working environment.

2. I would like to give everyone an idea of my working hours during the 70s to 2010s.
Officially the working hours are 8-5 or thereabout. However, most of the time, I would still be working during the off hours. I would say that I had easily put in at least 11 hours a day on the average. Yet, I had time for relaxation and for the family. Many colleagues worked the same no. of hours too. In the major part of my career, I was working in American MNCs.
I did not over-stress myself and I learned how to pace myself and learned how to be more effective and productive. I tried to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge in all jobs and use them or adapt them to be used in the subsequent jobs.
This is how I have managed to progress in my career, supported the family, brought them on overseas trips regularly, owned a car, provided university education for my three children (I did not have one myself) and still have a good retirement nest for my wife and me. I did not even hold a very high job position e.g. department head or CEO, etc.

3. That is why I have been telling many people not to just look at their own area of responsibility. Look beyond. Let's take the Customer Service hotline as an example.
A call agent can just do his job answering questions and providing solutions to the customers and keeping the conversation short and sharp. No one can fault him if he does a good job in that. However, a more enthusiastic and forward-thinking worker will go beyond that.
1. He can ask why most calls are related to the same cause. He can research more or take that question to his superior or the product developer with the hope to find a permanent solution that can be implemented at the factory, thereby reducing future calls and improving customer satisfaction and company's sales.
2. If many issues are caused by poor communication between the sales people and the customers, he can give feedback to the Sales department for them to find a fix.
3. He can look at the workflows within the Customer Service department (not just the call centre's), and suggest ways to improve them. This will improve their productivity and effectiveness.
The above are just some examples of how a person can improve himself, his department and his company and morale in the whole company. He also need not fear being fired or replaced by AI or other technologies. In fact, he is likely to get bigger increments and promotions.

4. This is my advice to all new graduates.
1. Don't always think of applying only for jobs that are related to what you have studied.
2. Don't always think of getting a high starting pay as given in any statistics or surveys.
3. You can take up an unrelated job and still learn many other useful skills and acquire new knowledge. Those new skills and knowledge can be useful in the future.
4. Always be eager to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge. Don't waste your time grumbling about not working in a related field and not getting a high starting pay.

Regards
Steven Lee

02/08/2026

Fresh data revealed the scale of the challenge confronting the he Australian government's ban on social media for children under 16.
Read https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/australia-defends-teen-social-media-ban-after-study-shows-most-still-online?ref=search-results

1. This ban has simply passed on the parents' responsibility to the government.
2. Not many parents agree to the total ban for the children below the age of 16 as it means that their children are unable to have a headstart in the use of technologies and to be able to learn good things from the internet. This will put them at a disadvantage to children from other countries.
3. This shows that to implement a policy, the government needs to consult the people and get their agreement and cooperation first.

The findings underscored the difficulty of policing a digital world woven into daily life. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.