Immigration forms

When I enter most countries, I have to fill up an detailed immigration form. It contains a lot of information that are taken from my passport.

At the immigration counter, I have to submit my passport to be scanned. All the information are now collected through electronic means.

Why is it necessary for me to spend a lot of time to fill up the information into the immigration form?

I also have to fill up a custom declaration form. I suspect that the form is not being used.

These immigration requirements were created over 20 years ago, in the days before the the electronic scanning of passports. After new technology was introduced, they could be discontinued or modified, but this was not done. Why? Nobody cares. After all, the burden is on the public.

There are a few countries that have taken the simple but bold step to stop the use of the immigration form - Dubai and the European unions. Some other countries have simplified the form considerably, e.g. Australia.

Perhaps, it is time for Singapore to take up this issue with the Asean countries? A good step is to simplify the form, by removing the non-essential information.

Supply and demand for property

Many people in Singapore believed that property prices will never fall in Singapore, due to our limited land and strong economy. They should take into account another important factor - demand for the land. Right now, we are enjoying strong demand from foreigners working in Singapore. But this demand can fall, when there is a global recession. At that time, there will be an over-supply of property and prices will fall. When prices fall, it can take a long time to recover. http://www.cnbc.com//id/45477559

Ultrabook

I like the Ultrabook - as it is light and have a full keyboard. It could be better than the iPad. http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/28/technology/ultrabooks/index.htm?section=money_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fmoney_topstories+%28Top+Stories%29

Flexible and separate currency

Should a country have a separate currency that can be made flexible? My personal view is "yes". Here is an article that argue in favour of the same outcome.
http://newasiarepublic.com/?p=34890

Student concession fares on public transport

I watched the episode on the student concession fares with much interest. The poly students have asked to be given concession fares, similar to what was granted for junior college students. The disabled have also asked to be given the concessions. Even the Young PAP, which is the activist part of the party that forms the Government, has to speak at Speakers' Corner.

This episode highlights the fallacy of the Government in avoiding responsibility to govern. They prefer to let such matters be decided by the market. After privatizing the public transport, they decided that matters of fares and concessions should be decided by the public transport operators - or maybe the Public Transport Council has some say (I am not sure)!

The transport operators know the answer - maximize the profits, so they avoid having to give concessions, unless they have to. Their argument is that any concessions have to be borne by the full fare paying public, but this is not really true, as it can also be borne by reducing the shareholder's profits. This is really a political question - which cannot be dealt with by the free market. So, it is back to the Government to do the duty that they are elected to do.

I wish to extend this reasoning to many other sectors of our public life. We cannot let matters be left to the market. The Government has to step in and take the political decisions for our society, including setting laws and rules of proper behavior. If they fail in their duty, our society must surely decline.

Tan Kin Lian


  

Loss of title deeds

Dear Mr. Tan,
I agree with you that advertising lost title deed is unnecessary and a waste of time and money, as I have a similiar experience sometime ago. After all how many people bother to read the classified advertisements in the papers.

The reply they have you in the Straits Times forum page today shows that this government is inflexible in their policy. The public needs someone like you to change their thinking.  Keep it up!

 

REPLY 

I have sent a follow up reply to the Straits Times and to the Land Office. Please write to the Straits Times and give your views as well.

Mobile app - to find your car

I have developed an app to help me locate my car. It is a simple app that allows me to take photo of the pillar to identify my car and also the lift lobby. I used it at Camden Medical Center. Although it has a small car park on 2 basement floors, it seemed unnecessary for me to use this app - but I tested it anyway.

After my dental appointment, I went to basement 1 to look for my car. Somehow, the car park looked different from what I expected. I could not locate the car after walking around the car park. I thought that I might have parked my car in B2.

I looked at the photos in my app. It confirmed that my car was on B1. I also saw the photo of a large sign where my car was parked (which I had forgotten). I found my car quite easily.

The app works like a photographic memory. I did not realize that it could be quite useful, even in a small car park. It is also easy to use.  It is also possible to use the camera app that comes with your mobile phone, but a special app to find the car is easier to use and more targeted. This app will be realized in Apple App Store in December.