Terminal 5 is an exemplar of PAP’s unruly authoritarianism: We don’t care how much, you just pay. Exactly like a sales director talking down to his salesmen: “When I said jump, you ask “how high?”.” Using MLM-sales technique, the purpose of Terminal 5 has been glossed over, and all the government wants to know is the payment method.
Hold your horses, why are we talking about instalments, loans or upfront payment when two important questions are not answered:
1) Why must we build Terminal 5?
2) How much is Terminal 5?
As opposed to the propaganda fake news floating the mainstream state media, States Times Review believe in furnishing readers with full details and come out with their own judgement. Here are a few QnAs about Terminal 5 that have most people asking:
a) Does Singapore need Terminal 5?
No. Singapore currently have 60 million visitors as of 2017, and the current capacity by this year end is 89 million. There is a good 50% extra capacity that could last us until 2030, on the context that visitor growth is infinite. Based off the government’s linear infinite-growth calculation, Singapore can handle 1 billion visitors by 2100. Yes, this is lopsided and absurd, but this is what the government is exactly saying. Any realist will know growth will plateau and reach a steady state some day if not already.
b) How much is Terminal 5?
According to Changi Airport Group’s Chairman, it is “tens of billions”. The Transport Ministry have no figures either, the price is confidential. Confidential? This reeks of corruption all over. How did the Transport Ministry know S$9 billion of taxes is enough? Why not S$19 billion, S$29 billion or S$90 billion? Without a project budget, which “responsible and prudent” government would approve the commencement of the project? Without a budget breakdown, how would we know if the government is not paying S$1,000 for a tile of brick? Or how would we know if funds have been not diverted to Temasek Holdings and GIC to cover up their losses?
I’m sorry to break the news to Singaporeans, but Terminal 5 is exactly what we call a “corruption”. Taxes have been raised, and construction have started. There is no consultation and explanation, and it is as good as the government saying “why would I need your approval? your job as a citizen is to pay, not ask questions”. Terminal 5 is a bottomless pit, and the government is disclosing the price because it is guilty. The PAP government know that the price tag is indefensible, and they also know that there is no justification. Talking to the people about Terminal 5 is dangerous, so this is why the government is just proceeding ahead. In short, state-level corruption.
Alex Tan
STR Editor