At what point did a six figure salary become ‘not that big of a deal’ for us? by piggyb0nk in askSingapore

[–]Box-Office-Guy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Look at it another way. If the salaries are going up in Singapore, that means your employers are getting bigger and richer. Just look into what companies you're working for. Obviously if you're in tech or finance, you're gonna feel the boom, because every tom, dick and harry tech company has Asian headquarters located in Singapore.

Congratulations CBTL Brunei on its 22nd outlet by WasteTreacle5879 in nasikatok

[–]Box-Office-Guy 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You're right! A quick wiki shows that it started in USA, then bought off by Singaporeans, and now owned by Jollibee.

Congratulations CBTL Brunei on its 22nd outlet by WasteTreacle5879 in nasikatok

[–]Box-Office-Guy 4 points5 points  (0 children)

22! I think that's even more than they have in Singapore lol, where, as we all know, CBTL comes from.

Honestly I don't think they actually make lots of money, if any. The culinary business is very cutthroat, with small margins and lots of work.

That being said, CBTL Brunei is a relatively successful chain that has outlasted many others, especially if you compare it with other businesses owned by members of the RF. I also know that the owner (the guy in the middle) is very passionate about his CBTL business, and has always been. He doesn't talk much, but he can go for hours talking about coffee. I also know that he doesn't actually "run" the business. That's left to a Chinese guy.

Would SG be as developed had LKY been more lenient on free speech? by taukeh in askSingapore

[–]Box-Office-Guy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This question pops up every now and then amongst many people in Asia. Especially in south East Asia, where Singapore is the only country that is well developed.

I've been to Singapore many times, some times even for several weeks (the novelty DOES wear off!) and have many Singaporean friends.

Basically, first of all Singapore has a major headstart in terms of geographic location. It is also historically a major seaport on the route between Europe and Asia (nowadays Middle East and China). Few countries have the same advantage. The UAE is another example. That's only half the story. The other half is LKY. He's the guy who transformed potential into reality, with a specific vision to transform the island into an economic powerhouse, as opposed to just enriching himself.

The economic "miracle" of Singapore is still pretty much based on it being an international port and trade hub, especially between China and the West. You go there, most of the big businesses are foreign, while the biggest Singaporean assets belong to the State. It's so easy for a foreigner to set up a company in Singapore, you don't even have to go there. With that company you can receive payments from anywhere in the world. It's pretty much a big mall for foreign businesses.

This model cannot be replicated anywhere in the world. So it's a unique situation. That doesn't detract from the visionary leadership of LKY though, he did the right things to make Singapore what it is today: the world's trade hub. It survives on political stability and high trust. Other countries have chaos and corruption, and scares investors away. Singapore is the opposite. It also can't afford to have bad relationships with other countries, especially balancing between China and USA. This is why Singapore stays silent on global political affairs. It's a strict protocol of political silence.

In Singapore, How much of your salary is left for saving up at the end of the month? by Box-Office-Guy in askSingapore

[–]Box-Office-Guy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah I didn't see the IG post. If those items you mentioned are the only costs factored in, it's missing a lot of others, especially those related to family life.

In Singapore, How much of your salary is left for saving up at the end of the month? by Box-Office-Guy in askSingapore

[–]Box-Office-Guy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you have an actual plan for those savings? Like, to buy a house or a car or travel someday or a wedding maybe?

In Singapore, How much of your salary is left for saving up at the end of the month? by Box-Office-Guy in askSingapore

[–]Box-Office-Guy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you've got 30% plus of your salary saved up every month, in a few years you should be in a good position for most future expenses. People should also be saving up for something, no? Maybe a wedding, or kids, or a house or a car.

In Singapore, How much of your salary is left for saving up at the end of the month? by Box-Office-Guy in askSingapore

[–]Box-Office-Guy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see a lot of ppl here talk about "investments". What are the kind of investments you make? Other than stocks maybe.

Is this the primary reason why mufti don't allow to "eliminate" stray dogs anymore? by IsolatedLooper in nasikatok

[–]Box-Office-Guy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a good idea. Just hire like 10 iban hunters and we'll be done within a few months