Lower COE premiums drive many people to car showrooms

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/260440/1/.html

There are both good and bad things about the COE premium dropping to such a low level in Singapore. Of course it will be good the general public or the consumers. Having a lower COE also means a lower car pricing. This will allow more people to have their own cars and help them in their day-to-day transport. Cars will then no longer be luxury available to the rich but having a car will also now be available to the middle class citizens. Having a car can help these people by a lot. For example, a car will help one to get from one place to another much faster than taking the public transport system. Thus, people will be able to use time for more productive purposes. Furthermore, having a lower car price will also mean that one can spend more on the servicing of the car, thus maintaining it in better condition. Those who buy the cars now will also have to pay less insurance fees in the long run, generating huge savings. Of course, the public will also have to deal with a new menace. Since there will be more cars on the road, the roads around Singapore will definitely get more congested and more traffic jams will happen especially during peak hours. This is the price to pay for having more cars on the road. Pedestrians also have to pay more attention for oncoming traffic when they are crossing the roads.

For the government, there are also good and bad points. Having more people that have cars reduces the burden of the public transport system. Public transport can be made faster as there will be less passengers getting on and off at lesser stops. Thus, transport time can also be reduced. The roads in Singapore can also be more fully utilized as the number of vehicles increase on the road. However, there are also quite a few bad points. As there will be more vehicles, the government has to look into enlarging or adding more roads. This will then solve the congestion. Secondly, there will be more pollution as taking private transport is not the most environmentally friendly way to commute. The public transport industry will also take a toll as there will be less commuters and leading to less business. The URA also has to do more planning in ensuring that the extra number of cars have places to park especially in the Central Business District area where parking as it is now is already a huge problem. It is also harder to have maintenance works on the public roads, as there is a heavier traffic flow.

In conclusion, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to allowing more cars onto the roads of Singapore. I believe that the government has to look into the long term effects before deciding on the most appropriate action to take for this case.

Surge in dengue cases in Jakarta as flood-hit residents return home

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/258152/1/.html

The article's main issue is to highlight that the number of people that are suffering from dengue fever is on the rise. The Indonesian capital of Jakarta has been hit by the worst floods in the last 5 years. Thus, it brought the whole city to a standstill. Although the flood waters have receded, the people of Jakarta are still picking up the pieces slowly and painfully. Many have lost their houses and personal belongings from the flood. As the hygine standards are not up to par, many are suffering from various water-related diseases such as dengue fever and cholera. Medical help is also not properly equipped yet to handle the large number of patients seeking medical attention. The people who have been worst hit by the flood are those suffering from poverty. They have no choice but to live in substandard housing by the riverside. As they do not have proper waste disposal systems, they just dump their rubbish into the rivers, blocking the flow of water. This issue is the main cause of the flood as excess water is not able to drain away fast enough. To build a better water system by the means of enlarging the river, these people have no choice but to move elsewhere. This is a huge problem to them as they have no proper permanent shelter to live in.

After reading the article, I feel lucky to not have gone through such a traumatic experience. Those victims affected will have a changed life forever. Although we are not directly affected, we should symapthize the victims and try to help in whatever means possible. Singapore may be prone to natural disasters but that is not something that we should take for granted. Instead, we should take the chance of not dealing with such situations to better prepare ourselves for a national emergency, be it from terrorism etc. A disaster does not choose its victims, so everyone anywhere must always be prepared.

This disaster also highlights the importance of a proper planning for the people. The government should also do more to help those people, especially the poor and the needy. THis is an essential guide to make any country prosper as a whole. This is especially important to advance.