Earn US$10 million

No, I'm not offering you the opportunity. Nor am I going to take this offer up. It is against my principles. I must be insane not to take it? Yes. I'm out of my mind.

What is this about? A cleverly thought out business proposal .... actually it is a scam. One that would be a failure eventually and harm his country's economy. But being a greedy and unscrupulous businessman, would he care? This money, after distributing some to grease the palms of some high-ranking government officials and politicians, would be safely in his pocket and he would deposit it here in Singapore and the US. After all, he's been doing it for the past 20 years and is very successful. Having amassed a great fortune and is now a billionaire with properties in Philippines, Canada and Singapore.

He is a Filipino Chinese businessman with connections to some powerful politicians and top government officials in the Philippines. Money makes the world go round. If you have lived in the Philippines or know about the situation there.... well, you would know what it is like.

I shall not describe in detail how he gets his ill-gotten gains lest more people try it. You may not succeed in Singapore but I know some wealthy people in countries like Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia have gotten rich through this method.

I would never be able to live with the guilt, much less indulge myself and my family members with the money, wrestled from the less fortunate in the country and deprived the faithful tax payers of their rights to better facilities and living conditions. And he has the cheek to declare that he doesn't pay a single cent of income tax all throughout his life. He owns 15 companies. The amount of money that flows through these bogus companies is tremendous.

He has obtained Canadian citizenships for himself and his own family plus his mother and 7 siblings and their familes. As do most wealthy Filipinos, they emigrate for fear of losing the millions they get. Their money is parked in some safe countries and they send their families out of the Philippines to avoid trouble.

Here he is in Singapore to gain the most from the generosity of our Government and the people of Singapore. Scholarship and subsidised education for his children. Getting his children into our top schools through his connections here too. And be called a foreign talent. This is where I want to puke.

I have been offered such money-making opportunities as early as 1993. Had I succumbed to the greed, I would have been a billionaire now too. Some of the wealthiest people are not what you would want to become. And I am amazed they can sleep well at night.

Nothing beats hard work and being able to live with a clear conscience. Of course working smart is important too. I see many young people being attracted by the ease of earning passive money through internet marketing. I know some of you do make very good money through it. I don't want to be judgemental. I wouldn't want my son to become one.

I'm a woman. By age 40, I was able to retire and live comfortably but the entreprenuer streak in me just can't go to rest and I'm starting two new business ventures. This time, I'm going to fight it out with the locals in another dynamic country. Very challenging, isn't it? What would you like to achieve when you are 40 or 50 or 60?

Would you accept the US$10 million deal even though you know it is illegal?