Mr. Lee Kuan Yew said China could become pushy.

"I don't want to sound apocalyptic but I don't see Taiwan as being able to resist the pull of the mainland. There will come a time when the 7th fleet cannot intervene." Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.

A long time ago in ancient China, there was a big village that sat on both banks of a river. One day, there was a big fight in the village and villagers living on the left bank said they wanted to have nothing to do with the villagers on the right bank. 

The village chief who was living on the right bank rejected this and called the newly appointed village chief on the left bank a traitor.

Then, there was a small village farther inland on the right bank that was friendly with the big village. Although the big village was broken into two and continued to quarrel, it had nothing to do with the small village. 

A case of domestic conflict, chief of the small village thought.

The small village was quite good at doing certain things and designing war chariots was one of them. Being small, the village didn't have room to test them and would send them to the left bank of the big village for testing. The chariots had to pass through the right bank of the big village to do so and for years that went on without incident.

Then, one day, the quarrel in the big village escalated. On that fateful day, the chariots being tested on the left bank were on their way back to the small village. 

It didn't matter that the late chief of the small village helped them before, the right bank which sought to isolate the left bank took hold of the chariots. The small village which needed the big village in more ways than one was helpless.

The small village then understood the saying:

穷不与富斗，富不与官斗。

In ancient China, the rich would pay money just to get a position in government. Being rich was good but being rich and powerful was better.

Got power, can be pushy. 

Got power, can be assertive.

Of course, it was not the first time our country's first Prime Minister, the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, got it right.

Related post:
Mr Lee Kuan Yew on the Eurozone crisis.

“As the case is still under investigation, no further information is available. The suspected controlled items are still kept at a customs storage place in Tuen Mun. They have been stored indoors since December 6,” a spokesman said.

At a daily press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang would only say that the Hong Kong government is handling the incident in accordance with relevant laws.

Beijing has always known about the arrangements between Taiwan and Singapore and remained silent on the issue until now, seizure of the armoured vehicles provides it with an excellent opportunity. Whether this occasion is orchestrated or opportunistic is of secondary importance. The affair gives China floor to push back against the undesirable activity, drive a wedge between Singapore and Taiwan and give a lesson to Singapore for recent statements on the South China Sea and China’s role in the dispute.

AK showing off his CPF-OA and MA (2017).

I thought that only my CPF-SA numbers garnered a following but it seems that my CPF-OA numbers have a following too. 

So, I agreed to share more of my CPF numbers here. 





Latest CPF numbers, OA, SA and MA:

If we add all the three accounts together, the total amount of savings I have in the CPF is:

S$723,088.16

At the ripe old age of 45 too.





I know this is impressive to many people and although it is achievable, please don't think that this should be a benchmark for you to latch on to. 

Remember, we have to be realistic. 

Not many of us who want to buy our first property can leave our CPF-OA money untouched. 






Indeed, regular readers know my story. 

My CPF-OA savings was not always untouched.

See: 
How did AK amass so much money in his CPF-OA?





For most of us, what is more achievable and more rewarding is to top up our CPF-SA and CPF-MA. 

These accounts pay higher interest and they will help with our retirement and hospitalisation funding. 

Be pragmatic. 

These accounts should have priority.

See: 
1. How to upsize $100K to $225K?
2. How to get free medical insurance with CPF-MA?





Interest earned in the CPF-MA will flow to the CPF-OA if both the CPF-SA and CPF-MA have hit their ceilings. 

That interest will help the CPF-OA grow. 

I know because this is what happens to me.





Later on in life, to grow our CPF-OA savings faster, if we have spare cash, we can always think about doing voluntary refunds to our CPF-OA. 

Of course, when we are older, we could also sell our property and downsize.

See: 
How to stop accrued interest we owe from growing in CPF-OA?


The CPF can go a long way to providing us with a financially more secure future.





We have to help the CPF to help ourselves and the earlier we do it, the better.

Now, I wonder how much my lump sum withdrawal from CPF at age 55 could be? 

What? 

The government allow a withdrawal of $5,000 only? 

Not for me.

Related posts:
1. AK showing off SA numbers again?
2. AK showing off CPF-OA and MA (2016).







"They all say CPF is XXX... How like that?"