Just a thoughts...

Bought a new car recently – A Ford Mustang!!! For those who doesn’t know, it consider one of the America legend cars. Sporty look, v6 engine, 3.8 & damm fast!!. And it merely cost me 8.5k USD for a 2002 model. Have to say, I’ve set my eyes on her eversince I came to State.

Being driving around for the past week & I love every inch of it. Somehow I started to wonder how much would it cost if it is availablity in Singapore? I bet it going to be around 100k to 200k range plus COE. So why the Fxxk are we paying so much in Singapore while it only cost around 20-30k USD in State? Well as usual, Tax & etc imposed by Singapore GOV add up all the sums to it.

No wonder so many of my countrymen always view State is one of the best place to live @ in this world. In a way, it’s quite true. There are some plus points that some people would do anything to come over here. I was one of them. But I purely came due to career enhancement point of view. State Defense department is the one who create Internet. Here, most of the latest technologies are invented & first one to use before anyone else would have chance to get a feel of it. Beside, it pays more & surely should benefit me a lot both work & personally when one day I decided to move back to Singapore. Moreover everyone knows that State GOV would support you if you are out of job.. Yes, giving you hard cold cash every month!!

However personally I find Singapore has a lot of plus points that I will never trade my red password for anything. (I going to get lots of hate mail very soon!!). Why? Let me try to bring you all to the same page.. BTW, I only here for less than 2 years & may not totally know all the pros & cons. Also different state has different laws & governing. So please do not use this as a guideline as what I going to say are based on my personal view.

Firstly, Based on the State I’m located (Texas) & pay scale, about 30-40% of my pay is taken away to Federal GOV & Social Security. If you are in certain state, there will be State tax on top of it as well. In Singapore, the most you gonno be tax is around 10-20%. Frankly speaking, I not even sure because I yet to pay any tax in Singapore due to National Services & etc.

So since you are paying so much tax, shouldn’t you be enjoying a lot of benefits? Well as far as I know, Medical fees over here is really a joke. Seeing a doctor for say a flu might cost you at least 100 buck per visit. Singapore – 20 to 30 SGD. I heard story that doctor might turn you away if you don’t have a medical insurance. Not sure if it true. Going out for dinner would cost about 20 USD per person & you gotto topup another 10-20% of tips. Singapore – There food court & would cost around 5 SGD.

Or there are some of the plus point here like - In Texas, education is free till high school. In Singapore – it does cost abit but not that much. Petrol here is damm cheap compare to Singapore. Cars of course is way lot cheaper or compare with as well. Just wonder how much would it cost if your car headlight is damaged? Well I had a crash once & sent it for repair. Total bill just for the headlight – 600USD.

Here a lot of the American couldn’t afford a house. In Singapore, most of us can afford a house. Thanks to our CPF, a lot of us are forced to make a saving when it most needed. In State, it opt & it does not promise a return cost all the $$ are put into stocks. My point here is – I pay so much tax every month, where all the fxxking $$ gone to? Road quality & planning is suck big time. Almost no public transport existence here on most of the Cities around. No medical benefit from GOV. Strange… In Singapore, tax is so low, still enjoy low medical rate, cheap good public transport, & most of all – A very very safe city.

One thing I only start to love Singapore that you can’t find anywhere is – safe. Over here everyone can have a gun & who knows, you might have your head pointed by a gun one day. Scam in Singapore is pretty rare as most of them would not last long as our police work efficiency is damm good.

Yes Singapore is a nanny State & we have lots of restriction here. There’s a old saying by a great ancient chinese – Men by nature are evil, who needs a system to be in control. Still whatever how bad Singapore is, nowhere is good as home.