Nov 21, 2009

Crackdown on loan sharks

Moneylenders Act to get to root of 

problem; MPs will discuss flat prices too

By Rachel Chang

STIFF measures to combat loan sharks and their assistants are set to be introduced when Parliament sits on Monday.
These are to be spelt out in amendments to the Moneylenders Act, with an eye on penetrating loan shark syndicates to stop their unrelenting and ruthless methods in getting borrowers to pay up.
This loan shark problem was raised in Parliament in August, when MPs like Madam Cynthia Phua (Aljunied GRC) noted a rise in their terrorising ways.
She said harassment incidents in her ward had risen from one every four months to one every fortnight.
Nationally, too, the figures have gone up. In the first half of this year, the number of loan sharking and harassment reports went up to 9,395, from 4,759 in the same period last year.
Senior Minister of State (Law and Home Affairs) Ho Peng Kee told Parliament then that advances in communications technology and money-transfer methods had led to loan shark syndicates becoming larger and more sophisticated.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_457356.html

I wonder what measures they can come come up with. I see this kind of problem with only one solution and one prevention-Pay back the money and dun borrow from them.

Installing CCTV is not a solution at all. They will still "visit" you and not get caught. They will send those runners that are hard to be seen or distinguished on the camera, i.e those with a darker skin colour (you should know who I mean). Even if the runners are caught, they can send plenty more. Furthermore, it deprived your neighbour's privacy. Yes, your corridor becomes safer, but with the expense of your privacy?

"...unrelenting and ruthless methods..."

Up till now, I only saw the "level one" method-vandalising the walls with paint. But what can be next? Hmm...many many methods are running in my mind now. Actually vandalising your neighbour's wall can be considered "level two" method. However, if you don't have the money, that means you can't pay them back. Even if they repaint the whole HDB building or bomb the whole building down, you still can't pay them back. What is the point of doing all those acts?

By the way, my family and I are the "neighbour" in the context, not the "you".

Finally down with three...

Physics was as usual...disastrous. I only know how to do the quantum question. The rest...haiz. Just make me passed and I will feel very happy. I really dun wan to see it again for the next semester.

Noting much to say about econs. I just hope that it doesn't disappoint me again.

And math. I can only say I'd never been so unprepared for a math exam before that I even have to wake up at 4am today to study.

The past two days were very tough.

Next will be computing 10 days later and chem 12 days later. And done.

For now, let me take a short and little break...

让我喘口气。。。

完了。。。

每次都这样。。。

不管了。。。

I just realised that Mr Leow will be leaving JJ to go to Fuhua to be the VP there.

Just some random comment: The most powerful math teachers in my life being in the same school. haha.

Hmm...I wonder what changes will he bring to Fuhua... But actually now it's none of my business...haha.

End of story?

From 10 to 11 to 12.
A good sign? Dunno

Sometimes I think I'm insane...

And I wonder why...

I'm very nervous about tomorrow's speech (actually it's today). So much preparation and still so nervous...haiz...

I'm doing without the script...
No...correction.
I will try to do without the script...
Tomorrow see how...
I just hope that many of my classmates will pon the lesson, since it's the last day.
And there will be lesser audience.
And I will have lesser butterfly in my stomach.

butterfly...please fly away...

And I'm nervous about another thing...

Today physics quiz was a far cry from the first one. I really cannot do physics.
I want to S/U physics!!!
But it can only occur in my dream.
I want to drop physics!!!
You wish...there are more to come.

Accept your destiny!


*yawn

惨了惨了。。。

18 days to exam.
5 modules to study for.
Countless topics.
Limited time.

And not to forget my "speech day" that will end my semester.
And the upcoming quizzes for the next two weeks.

It's none better than JC.

But I have to make the outcome better.

One of the advantages of going out alone is that you do not have to accomodate others. You do not have to smile, you do not have to make small talk, you do not have to spare a thought for others. And that was what I experienced when I went to the movies myself, went to the night market myself, went to the pub to listen to the live band myself, went to eat chicken rice balls myself. All the time for yourself. All focus on yourself. Finding yourself. Almost an indulgence. It was a good feeling. Did it once. Did it again. Will continue to do so from time to time.

Why? Because sometimes you are so tired of smiling and trying to be nice to others when others do not try to smile or be nice to you. Not a saint but you know you have tried to be good to others but others do not seem to try to be good to you; in fact, they begin to think you are a pushover. When every good seems to be forgotten and each bad remembered. When a sheet of white paper with a black dot is noticed only for its black dot. When whatever credit you thought you might have built up counts for nothing really.

I really don’t want to be calculative. But I really don’t want to be too accomodating either. How many can you accomodate in your life? How many would you like to accomodate in your life? Seriously, people who matter. I don’t want to be too accomodating. I’ll keep this at the back of my head. And continue to be the same, the way I deem right.

I saw this at Elvin Ng's blog and I find it very interesting, and true.

This is super duper funny!

失而复得的感觉。。。原来是这样的。。。

Yesterday nearly ended with a nightmare. I realised my wallet wasn't with me during lunchtime. I'd lost it unknowingly. I thought I may have drop in the lab (before lunch was lab), and went back to search for it. I even traced back the route I took previously. However, it was a futile search. It was also not at the lost and found office.I was so depressed at that time. The monetary value of the wallet(and it's less than 3 months old), with the cash, ezlink card, cashcard, amount to more than $50. And if including the replacement of the i/c...omg...my heart almost jumped out when I think of the 3 figures sum...

I brought my almost-jumped-out heart to computing tutorial in the afternoon. I already gave up the thought of finding my wallet. Halfway through the lesson, I randomly went to check my NTU webmail.

Happy belated Children Day!

Sometimes I wish I was kid forever...我不想长大...haha...

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Sometimes I wish to fly to the moon and live alone there. Ok...maybe with a little rabbit accompany me...and my laptop...and tv... ~Fly me to the moon~

I'm feeling very insecure of the effective communication group project. PW is much better. It's not bcos of the grade, but the whole kind of feeling I get from it. PW was tough, but at least we had a common target and we were to a certain extent, quite committed to it. For this....hmm...

The computing quiz today sucks. I dun like the feeling of getting it done in that way. However, the reality left me with no choice.

haiz...

On the other hand, one more day to my recess week!!!

Sing ktv plus yuki yaki. Go go go...
and then will be back to school again.

haiz...

I'd gone through 3 weeks of university life. and due to all sort of reasons, I'm not enjoying it. In fact, I suddenly missed the time in JC (I couldn't believe I say this...haha) and of course in TM Asia.

Never mind...

船到桥头自然直，只要不沉就好了。。。

haha...

And oh ya...the modules are not as scary as they seem.

With the exception of one.

Computing is the new physics.... I'm now lost in it...=(
Physics is still physics.

First week of school was ok. I was with ange and fm. It was just lectures bcos tutorials and lab will only start next week. Other than fm, I haven really know anyone from my course. There are two tutorials tomorrow, wonder how will it be...

And what ECA shall I join? There are just so many options out there and I dunno which one is my interest... or which one is good... Shall see in the ECA fair tomorrow.

I think I can grow fitter by studying in NTU... There are just so many stairs to climb!! Why must it be built on a hill?!?!

Now, I'm like sitting in a time machine, traveling back to the past. Everything just seems so familiar, yet so far.

This is my 200th post. Coincidentally, this is my last post before moving to a new chapter of my life.

The past had been rather unpleasant. The future is filled with uncertainty. There is a mixture of emotions in me now. Fear, excitement, anticipation. I really dunno what lies ahead of me. I only know I have to be a really good friend with something called Physics for the next 4 years. I know I'm not been a good friend to it for the past 2 years and the consequences are tragical. Now, I truly understand that it is better to have a friend than an enemy. Actually the things I'll be studying (year 1) seem like a sequel to (or same as) A leve l. Almost every subject seems to be inside. Looks pretty scary. I hope "looks can be deceiving" is true.

I learn a phrase after watching BF III.

(side-tracked a bit...why must they amputated the leg of Wong Hei's character. I waited 10 episodes for him to wake up and a short while later, his leg had to be amputated due to an accident. Such a poor fellow...)

"Out of difficulties, makes miracle" which means 只要排除万难，奇迹就会出现.

Let me end this with

未来不是梦！

hahahahaha

Sound optimistic or pessimistic?

I dunno.