REACH 130 - Transport policy - car lite (SK)

28 Aug 2020 (12pm - 8pm)

REACH

[12:30 pm, 28/08/2020] +: Dear contributors,

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REACH

[12:41 pm, 28/08/2020] +: What are your views on the initiatives (improvements to public transport to move towards a car-lite nation, converting underused road lanes into cycling or bus lanes) towards a cleaner and more sustainable transport network for Singapore? 

With the COVID-19 pandemic reducing traffic on the roads and changing commuting patterns, certain underused road lanes can be converted to cycling and bus lanes, said Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung.

There may also be scope to pedestrianise certain roads, said Mr Ong on Thursday (Aug 27) as he set out his ministry's plans following the President's Address.

"The lower traffic and new travel patterns brought about by Covid-19 have opened a window of opportunity to re-imagine our road infrastructure," he said as he sketched…

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[1:20 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. Look like work from home interperse with rotation to office may be a permanent norm even if covid is over.

2. If this happens, the office landscape could change.

3. Less car will travel to CBD areas - then may need to relook at ERP and road pricing.

4. Shopping areas and eating places at CBD will be severely impacted - business there need to transform.

5. Office spaces may shrink, rental price may fall, land values drop - then city planner need to rethink how to better utilise office spaces.

6. Transport landscape may change as less car travel to CBD areas - car lite options become possible.

7. URA and Industrial parks and LTAneed to masterplan the entire work, home, travel plan - not just transport in isolation - because how people work, school, play - will determine the transport plan.

[1:27 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. Also need to relook how transport master plan - correspond to the new travel norm with less people going to CBD and industrial park to work - but travel in neighborhood - as more people work at home using IT.

2. Is the current road infrastructure now become over built and need to replan and modify?

3. City planners need to work hand in hand with transport ministry.

[1:31 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Another opportunity comes, as current office spaces shrink - rental fall and more spaces become available.

That means, IE, EDB and MTI can attract more foreign investors to come and lease our empty office spaces at affordable prices - and create more jobs!

[1:36 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Viability in MRT, bus, taxi, private hire, hire bus - will also need to re-look.

Are the passenger load and volume sufficient our vast investment in mrt, bus - when lesser people travel to work?

How do we better utilise our land travel infrastructure?

[1:43 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Last time, I go to CBD see gentlemen in long sleeve shirt and some with ties.

Ladies dress in smart dresses with make up.

Now I go to CBD, see many people in t-shirts and some wear Bermudas.

Now even the dress codes very different.

Can see covid disrupt how we work and even how we dress.

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[1:22 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

COVID-19 has emphasised need to secure flow of essential economic resources: Teo Chee Hean

By Zhaki Abdullah

27 Aug 2020 05:30PM (Updated: 27 Aug 2020 06:27PM)

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-essential-economic-resources-teo-chee-hean-nscs-13059144

" Geopolitical tensions in areas like international trade could also affect our ability to secure critical supplies and impact our position as an international transport and trading hub.”

The NSCS will work with agencies to strengthen the resilience of such "critical flows" to ensure Singapore's strategic interests are not compromised, said Mr Teo.

Mr Teo said the NSCS would also work with others in identifying and dealing with inter-dependencies between different sectors, to guide Singapore's long-term planning in a more coordinated fashion.

"For example, we will continue to analyse how disruptions to power or Internet connectivity could have a cascading impact across multiple sectors, and how agencies need to work together to address these vulnerabilities."

The secretariat would also continue to conduct and coordinate research on social resilience and share its findings to guide policies and initiatives to strengthen social resilience here, he added.

"NSCS will also step up education and awareness building for public officers through regular internal outreach, courses, seminars, and milestone programmes, and facilitate information sharing within the Public Service on social resilience issues," said Mr Teo.

"NSCS will continue to work across Government to build up our defences against both traditional and emerging national security threats and help Singaporeans better understand how they can continue to play their part in safeguarding Singapore’s future," he said.

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Very relief and grateful that the Government heed the advice to take into account the impact cause by " geopolitical tension" - in lieu of impact cause by "virus pandemic".

[5:54 pm, 25/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心:

(1) The President has accurately pointed out that the virus pandemic has greatly skew and impact the external market, the travel and relationship among overseas Countries - which many are our vital stakeholders --- that fuel our External Economy (which make up of 3 times the size of our GDP for growth).

(2) The virus pandemic has caused a sesimic halt to our External Economy - causing a negative 5 to 7% GDP growth - as overseas Countries are unable to travel, tours, fly and do business --- with many lockdown due to pandemic.

(3) However, I feel that the pandemic will soon come to an end in 1 to 2 years time - when vaccines will finally emerged and stop the rampant virus damage to the World Economy.

(4) What is a more worrying trend -- that greatly disrupt our External Economy - is the sesimic SuperPower geopolitical tussle --- that are tearing World collaboration and cooperation apart that may cause more damaging impacts to our External market, global supply chain, tech development, trade relationship and global finance.

(5) This development is already hitting our external economy - before the covid strike.

(6) While we regroup and reboot our policies to tackle the impact cause by the virus pandemic --- which i feel the virus effect will be short term - maybe another a year or 2 - the virus effect will subside and dies off when vaccines and treatment emerge ---- the Superpower geopolitical tussle - that tear the Global economy, trade, investment, technology, breaking up internet, social media into 2, finance, travel wtc- will be more damaging to Singapore and the World.

(7) Having say so, we need to understand the root cause of the Superpower geopolitical tussle - is it :-

a. Personal indiscretion - where a person is more interested to be elected than to govern - and picking up an adversary to be the "whipping boy" - to win election?

b. Or is it something more structural and more deep seated --- that is the widespread consistent views of the lawmakers.

(8) Understanding the underlying reasons and root cause of the Superpower geopolitical tussle - will determine how we reboot, regroup our policies to transform our Economy and propel our growth into positive territory - and navigate the rough seas amidst the geopolitical rough sea.

(9) A narrative emerge after observing the many US sanctions taken against China - trade war, tech company sanctions etc.

- "The real reason why US want to economically strangle China - not because of communism.

But because China do too well economically in finance, as manufacturing hub, in silk road, in technology development, in trade, in global supply chain, in social media etc."

- "China has beaten US in its game of capitalism - and outclass US in many aspects that US previously reign supreme.

Communism is just a label use by US to unify US calling of the West to stand by its side to sanction China in a bid to blunt China's advancement and development."

(10) If the above narrative hold true --- Singapore will need to fine tune our foreign policies, trade policies, external economy etc --- to take into account the sesimic geopolitical tussle ---- "not just confine to the impact cause by virus pandemic only".

(11) Because whoever the new Leader elected - the above narratives - will translate into more hostile external environment to operate cause by geopolitical tension and not by virus pandemic (which is short term).

(12) The President speech did not cover this -- but understandably, diplomatically is not appropriate to do so.

But behind the public, the civil service and the Government - must take into account this development - which is more damaging to our External Economy than the short term virus pandemic.

--

[1:53 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Wow one posting on "geopolitical tussle" 出动到 SM Teo Chee Hean to do a all Ministries and civil service approach to tackle this problem.

吓到我。。。。。

=====

en

[4:46 pm, 28/08/2020] +: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ceca-does-not-require-singapore-authorities-to-grant-indian-nationals-pr-status-or

[4:53 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

The gist of NTUC chief is that:-

1. Don't bring in foreign workers that Singaporean can do and compete with Singaporeans for jobs.

2. Bring in only foreigners who bring in millions or billions of investment, or bring in ideas, r&d and skillsets that Singaporean do not have - but bring many new jobs for Singaporeans.

3. Bring in foreigners for those jobs that Singaporeans don't want to do - but needed for our economy.

[4:54 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

This is a good NTUC chief - but unfortunately we lost him in the election as Minister.

Rama

[4:54 pm, 28/08/2020] +: Yes

[5:09 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

For macro manpower policy - the 3 manpower thrusts are sound and Singaporeans should support it - because ultimately, the 3 thrusts will create more jobs for Singaporeans and boost our Economy - if  we examine each thrust carefully and objectively devoid of emotions.

[5:55 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. NTUC Chief best statement is "Singapore has reached a tipping point where some degree of "market failure" have occured - causing middle aged local PMETs" to become more vulnerable.

2. Every Singaporean will reach the age of 40 to 60 years old - and face the prospect of disruption. No one is immune.

3. NTUC Chief focus in getting State to step in to "managed" the mid-career local PMETs career to mitigate the "market failure" --- deserves Singaporean's support.

[6:38 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

https://sg.yahoo.com/finance/news/singapore-expat-jobs-under-threat-in-recession-local-hire-push-020939747.html                                                                                                           

Singapore expat jobs under threat in recession local hire push

[7:01 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Check out how the global supply chain moved - as the geopolitical tussle deepen and widen - and see how China and SE Asia countries emerge winners at the expense of American firms.

Singapore must understand this changing dynamic - and seize the changing dynamic to insert ourselves into the changed global supply chain and maintain our relevancy as well as secure or improve our trade - amidst the sesimic geopolitical tussle.

[7:01 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

US-China trade war: who is really bleeding more from Donald Trump’s tariffs?

https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3098746/us-china-trade-war-who-really-bleeding-more-donald-trumps-tariffs

[7:04 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

China has beaten Trump in his game.

[7:06 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

So the below narrative hold true :-

[5:54 pm, 25/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心:

(9) A narrative emerge after observing the many US sanctions taken against China - trade war, tech company sanctions etc.

- "The real reason why US want to economically strangle China - not because of communism.

But because China do too well economically in finance, as manufacturing hub, in silk road, in technology development, in trade, in global supply chain, in social media etc."

- "China has beaten US in its game of capitalism - and outclass US in many aspects that US previously reign supreme.

Communism is just a label use by US to unify US calling of the West to stand by its side to sanction China in a bid to blunt China's advancement and development."

(10) If the above narrative hold true --- Singapore will need to fine tune our foreign policies, trade policies, external economy etc --- to take into account the sesimic geopolitical tussle ---- "not just confine to the impact cause by virus pandemic only".

Dong Liang

[7:07 pm, 28/08/2020] +: There is no winner, both are bleeding. And the ants suffer the most when two elephants fight.

[7:12 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

China got cut but stitch itself back.

Trump hemorrhage - but still boasting.

[7:30 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

China is a master strategist.    

Trump is just a chest beating hulk.

Rama

[7:57 pm, 28/08/2020] +: Yes

[7:57 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

We need to insert into China plus 1 supply chain.

Rama

[7:59 pm, 28/08/2020] +: Agree with caution

REACH

[7:45 pm, 28/08/2020] : Dear Contributors!

⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes* ⏰

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight! 😴

Megan

[7:47 pm, 28/08/2020] ☸️  Danny 心: 

(1) U.S. Economy Shrinks at Record 32.9% Pace in Second Quarter

By Reade Pickert  Bloomberg

July 30, 2020, 8:30 PM GMT+8

(2) China’s GDP grew at 3.2% in Q2 2020

July 16, 2020 By CIW Team

(3) Statistics shows that China has trounced Trump dramatically.