I did NOT know that Lehman MiniBonds can be bought with CPF funds

[Hishercar]

I always thought the if you can buy funds with CPF funds, then the MAS or CPF board would have vetted the investment vehicle

 

HOW come now MAS has nothing to say now and play such low key

 

 

 

the more i read about the minibond saga, the more are more dissappointed by the hands off approach by the government

 

I am wrong to think this way

 

 

 

 

 

http://tankinlian.blogspot.com/

 

Dear Mr. Tan,

 

I refer to the plight of a small group of investors who uses their CPF funds, namely the SRS retirement fund, to purchase Lehman Brothers minibonds.

 

I am sure many of these investors were literate in stocks but not sophisticated

enough to understand the instruments used in a complex structure like minibonds especially back in early 2006. In those days when subprime and CDO problems have not surfaced, only Lehman Brothers and maybe the distributors knew how good a product Minibonds are.

 

And i know several of these investors keeping the sadness and hatred to themselves. Maybe they were literate and they believed in the brochure and had not read further. Some i heard are government servants and they dont want to voice their feelings. I wonder why citizens in First World countries should hide their feelings.

 

Back in the early launch of the minibonds I and II, retirement funds were allowed to be invested. Shortly thereafter all later series of minibonds were not

allowed to be invested with retirement funds.

 

Most of these investors receive mailers (like that attached) from the distributors in their letter box. Some of them receive it month after month . Looking at the brochure itself you can tell the strong powerful entities are in bold. The small prints if there is, will refer you to refer somewhere else (you got to get) from the distributors where they will elaborate on the "junk" CDO. The brochure also shows the investor sitting safely on the shoulder of a strong gaint. Isnt all these misleading.

 

One investor told me, after looking at the quality of the reference entities of the brochure and since he has not invested in bonds before(when most of his investments are in risker stocks), he decided to use his long term old age retirement funds (SRS) to buy some safe bonds. Yes altho he did this all on his own accord but knowing SRS is allowed for minibonds , he was more confident of the product and immediately sign up to purchase the bonds. His intention and objective of using retirement funds are definitely safe and security and long term.

 

This is definetely not appropriate to allow retirement SRS funds to be invested in something unsafe that can have $0 value. Something totally not right to call quality bonds when they are not bonds at all . A brochure that shows you sitting on the shoulder of a safe strong gaint. That is all totally misleading.

 

I think a caring government ought to debate on whether this group of investors who are educated but prefered something safe with retirement funds but was misled by the brochure and have kept quiet because they are afraid the government is not happy if they were to voice their opinion. I think we should ask why retirement funds was allowed for bonds I and II and why they were removed for subsequent minibonds and who should bear this responsibility.

 

Miss W

Posted by Tan Kin Lian at 8:04 PM 0 comments Links to this post

[Nolicense]

i'm of the opinion that many people choose to remain blind to what is going on and election after election still vote blindly. obvious that some people are overpaid, asleep at the wheel and serve their own purpose.

[Hub_n_mona]

who is in charge?

[Header]

I am v surprised that CPF funds can be used for the mini bonds. This was not mentioned any where in the media, I believe. Can anyone confirm that is really the case?

 

CPF Board has been always v strict and conservative in using of CPF funds for investment. There is even sub-limit(eg 35% for stocks) for each type of investment category. Here the investment can potentially go to zero and CPF should place a limit on it even if they allow CPF funds to invest. Maybe only 10% like gold investment. Now problems arise and CPF & MAS shd take some responsibility and not just leave it to the bank.

 

In my view CPF restiction on investment is rather useless . Just like the CPF trustee stocks status.

[Gearoil]

Doesn't matter where the funds come from...who says when an individual wants to invest for more gains and when things don't turn out well... can cow peh, cow bu for 'gov protection'?

 

Do the cows comprain when their milk get tainted by the humnas?

 

Might as well, invest with Ah Longs and they provide you with '24 hr protection' when you walk the streets but then again they offer you 'no protection' against loss of your invested money!