Been wanting to blog since last week but mainly too tired to do so and too busy. So I want to touch on a couple of points mentioned by our Prime Minister in the National Day Rally sometime last week.
First, of course, is the $9,000/$10,500 kitty for all serving NSmen and NSFs. Many people and even newspaper writers have said that this amount will never be enough to compensate all NSmen for the time spent in committing to this ideology of a citizen army and contributing to the sovereignty of the country. I couldn't agree less. It is, instead, a powerful symbol and one of the latest in a string of measures to recognise us for our contribution, I guess.
Personally, I am eligible only for 66% of the sum since I ORDed before August 29. I think I'll probably forget about the money by the time it's cashed in. No matter, though, I'd like to say 'thank you' to the government for being so kind. :) However, mrbrown's recent song (sung to Justin Bieber's famous track) and his subs of the Hitler "Downfall" video made me wonder, about the older, ex-NSmen who have all completed their National Service obligations. They won't get anything. Why is that so (apart from probably the hassle of tracking down all of those old records, and further increasing the already massive spending - if we have a force of, say, 300,000 NSmen and we gave them all $9,000 each, it would cost the government $2.7 billion!)? Food for thought.
Next is the revamps to the education system. According to our PM, there would be more routes opening up after PSLE and scoring badly doesn't mean it's the end of the road for you, for you can seek redemption as early as your secondary education! What with all the new institutions, direct diploma route for Normal (Technical) students, new schools offering Integrated Programme, the education landscape can only get better I guess. I wish I was born later, haha.
And the hot issue these days of foreign immigrants in our beloved homeland. The need to see them as a boon and not a threat to us. Well, the issue is really two-sided, since they do contribute in their own ways, and at the same time, they provide competition. Census statistics report 541,000 permanent residents here, and this number will definitely increase, perhaps one day even outstrip the 3 million-strong local population since our birth rates are so low! What would the future demographic of Singapore be like?
He mentioned about the success of the YOG too. Hell yeah! I'm hooked to be honest (did I mention it before already?) I feel like I want to do F1 next year, and maybe go volunteer at the other Olympic/Youth Olympic sporting events in the future... We shall see.
Next up is the fact that school has bloody started. The deluge of assignments coming up, all of it in areas I am not familar with, is scaring me. STRESS OMG. How will I do?
Thus ends this quick post about scrying for the future.
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