Read as many books as they like they will probably still at best be managing in concepts with lots of problems.

Try process management (Singapore’s own local product by an unknown non-scholars but highly practical citizen)

By next year the civil servants should not have to face all the embarrassing malpractices and negligence like NKF or same old problems always reported by the Auditor General without any real solutions.

The real issue now is whether our leaders are prepared to use our own local products.

*Edited by moderator to remove advertisement.

Ok basically this is how:

If gov now say: ok, stop hospital now & sell hospital land.

You all know how many many many moneys gov can earn or not? Joe, sg land price not cheap ok! You got see sgh hospital how big or not? If sell sgh hospital land you know how many money gov can take or not?

Like my mp say before, if gov stop do hospital business, gov can earn 2 side money:

1. sell the land got money
2. stop hospital meaning no need waste money!

so since gov never stop hospital for you all, of course you all must compensate gov back abit lah! Fair what like this! If no compensate, then gov better sell whole hospital & land give people build shopping center & earn more money! Simple as that!

ok after you compensate gov land price, if you poor people, then gov can give you discount depend you class c, b or A. If class A meaning you rich, so little discount. If class c meaning you poor so give you 80% discount. Must take care poor people mah! Simple as that! [/quote]

[quote]Quote:
Reply: Roberttehkh:
Like you always like to say, it is as simple as that – government has never subsidized medical cares for senior citizens or the sick or public housing since Minister Mah Boh Tan change the housing pricing formula from construction costs to market values in the 1970s.

Because by making monies he could get a better career advancement but he forgets that he did not make monies for the whole country from outside but only from the people.

How good can a government be if that government only knows how to make monies from its people and not create bigger cakes for the economy like selling more Toyota cars to the world?

So my answer to your so-called 80% subsidy is as simple as that – there is no government subsidy.

If you insist that the government will lose monies by developing hospitals instead of some other commercial complexes or there is a government subsidy of 80%, answer the following questions first :

(1) What is a government – is it a developer like Far East or Li Ka Shing definitely must buy and sell lands to make profits?

(2) What are the taxes like GST collected for – is it to keep as surpluses or reserves?

(3) Why when it comes to port Pelepas or SIA, MM Lee has to change policies and really lower land costs in order to retain PSA’s position so as not to be overtaken by mass migration of major shippers.

(4) Why did the parliament pass the Housing and Development Act and Land Acquisition Act – was it not to provide low cost housing to the people?

(5) Were the lands acquired at cheap prices under the LAA by HDB and all the government departments and hospitals not for the purpose of public use including essential medical services people pay taxes for ?

(6) Why did the HDB not tell the truths about the so-called housing subsidy?

(7) If government already made windfall land profits why not plough back part of such profits to lower the rising costs of living and increase our business competitiveness for the whole country instead of squeezing people’s CPF or increasing more GST.

(8) In presenting GST increases this year, why didn’t PM tell the parliament how much windfall profits government has been making ( is he aware NKF problem is exactly of the same nature) and is still making on the land acquisitions and HDB flat sales (at market prices forgetting to mention land profits already made when flats in the first place are supposed to be built in these acquired lands without profiteering)

If minister Lui or Mah insists to counter cyber postings or engagint people in robust debates as challenged then he should give people here substantive and factual replies to the above-stated 8 questions at least to clear the air. (remember they are the talents worth millions of salaries)

With such issues put away we can then begin the build the nation. If they can satisfy people with good answers then I am sure people will accept their talents and wisdom and will not trouble them with these issues about HDB or hospitals profiteering again. [/quote]

[quote]Quote:
Metaphorical: You har, 1970 time Mah bow tan where got become mp? You seow har?

If must sell outside sg then call good, so sg kentucky, coffeeshops & mee sellers all no good lah because they sell only inside sg? Seow!

If gov dont make money, how give you all sg shares & nss? How give your kid educare & subsidy your hdb & hospital cost? Simple as that!

You got go see pte hospital & clinic or not? If no money earn, who want come open hospital & clinic? Think they too free har? Since pte also want earn money, gov of course sure must earn lah! Joe, gov money is our money you know or not? If gov take our money make loss, then we all better use our money build pte clinic & pte hospital since can earn money. Simple as that! You har, free time better go listen mp teach & give talk! I think what your mp surname you also dont know! [/quote]

Robertehkh
Of course if ministers want to avoid solving problems and keep talking about their policies for look-good presentations and justifications they can do so.

Precisely because they keep denying problems with so many excuses there are so many problems affecting the people.

This is the kind of governing system our so-called world’s best ministers are following since Goh Keng Swee and Lim Kim San left service.

No wonder they are so shocked to see all the past hounding them like NKF, ministers’ self-rewarding with benchmarking of their salaries to a few lucky ones in the private sector even though they have been talking non-stop and promoting themselves for years.

Learn one lesson joe. Do not give wrong feedbacks to ministers. What are wrong policies which cause citizens’ struggling for a living are wrong and will always be wrong and no matter how government use the media to pretend they are right will not help them.

They have to globalize and accept change by the people and not keep pretending problems do not exist.

Go back to tell the ministers to look into the wrongs in causing medical and housing costs to go up as most citizens are not happy and this will remain the major problem and may one day explode in their faces if they still are too arrogant to change.

He interpreted Sylvia’s query as allegation against the executive with for independence of the judiciary.

He has threatened to convene a commission of inquiry to investigate Sylvia’s presumed allegation.

He forgot that Sylvia was protected by the Parliamentary Privilege of the MP which specifically enacted that MPs in speaking up in parliament was free from any prosecution, investigation by any commission of inquiry or tribunal.

Citizens are concerned with such frequent threats by ministers against MPs to convene commissions of inquiry just because such issues brought up by MPs are too embarrassing or sensitive to the executive.

It is suggested that if government ministers should be more objective and accountable to the people. They should not be too sensitive to criticism rightly or wrongly held and instead perform their duties to the world’s best standards since they are paid the world’s best salaries plus lifelong pensions plus exceptional bonuses unheard of any part of the world which the highest paid CEOs in the private sector are not usually getting. So ministers need to change their confrontational style and instead try to answer to issues raised by Sylvia instead of using political power to block her from such questions to avoid accountability to the concern raised.

If Prof Jayakumar cannot take such criticism in the proper perspective preferring to interpret what Sylvia raised as aspersions against him or his government then he should step down from office and let other potential ministers who could be more patient or objective handle such issue.

Ministers should concentrate on running their respective portfolio without any legalistic wrangling with any laws or regulations or the civil libel to fix the MPs over difficult questions asked in parliament. They have the higher duty to answer to any queries or issues raised by MPs or citizens and they should be more broadminded instead of seeking legalistically to obstruct MPs’ performance of their duties.

If Prof Jayakumar insists on convening a commission of inquiry he should first convene such commissions to investigate whether ministers and senior civil servants are negligent in causing the many losses or irregularities of public funds as reported here by the Auditor General.

“The secret of getting ahead is to get started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex and overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain

INTUITIVE MANAGEMENT APPROACH

Objective-Steps Processing Management System (OSP) OFFERS A 4-step COLLECTIVE GOVERNANCE as follows:-

Any government may set up its tasks from Policies, decisions, to detailed implementation etc in 4 key steps, viz:-

(a) Study of Ideas,
(b) Enquiry,
(c) Contracts and
(d) Contract Administration.

STEP 1 – STUDY OF IDEAS

The first step – “Study of Ideas” – consists of decision makings, policies and all the macro-tasks like conceptualization of governing philosophy.

It strikes at the core of creativity while empowering all involved to make good governing decisions.

STEP 2 – MAKE ENQUIRIES

After policy and decisions, the next step is to “Make Enquiry” which is pivotal to creating a dynamic action-oriented organization or culture.

The practical aspect of “Enquiry” step is to obtain “Quotations/Tenders” from the market place to maximize resource application.

STEP 3 – CONTRACTS

The 3rd step – securing contract – empowers staff to study all resources, secure opportunities and close deal in the form of contract enabling an enterprise to be run competitively.

STEP 4 – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

To govern effectively in a result-oriented manner, it is critical to develop robust implementation processes to allow all contracts or contractual tasks to be executed professionally to fulfill all policies, objectives, governing philosophy, terms and conditions and overcome constraints of all sorts. This is the only way to avoid talk-only conceptual, ad hoc and fire-fighting management.

Divide contracts into distinct 10 functional departments. Set up each departmental tasks in 3-4 core activities for consistent and focused project-like management thus:

1.(General) 2.(Human Resource) 3.(Revenue) 4.(Accounts) 5.(Marketing) 6.(Services, normally open-ended outsourced works) 7.(Facility) 8.(Enforcement) 9. (Production) 10.(Compliance).

Hence all tasks are laid out clearly in steps with detailed works implemented in well-established component work processes contained in forms (admin) and work forms (operational tasks in each department) viz:-

1. Administration Forms (existing forms adapted easily from each ministry/dept)
2. Work Forms (10 departments)

Processing of each form produces quantified Feedbacks of “1″ (not attained) “2″ (attained) and “3″ (excellence)

Close all input task-lines via the call centre weekly with self-corrective actions taken by staff at each level.

Such process management produces closing status information.

PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION

In addition, such process management delegates all tasks effectively resulting in coordination and mass participation in knowledge application.

A clearance Form is used to close daily operational tasks to avoid double-handling, inefficiencies, mishaps, security and fire risks etc.

Set up a call centre to process all forms and work forms.

LIST OF PROCESSING FORMS
Examples of Forms:-

Standard letters (FGL) work orders (FGW), production orders (FNO), tender/quotations, (FQL), purchase orders (FCP), salary/remuneration orders, (FHS), contracts, (FCP) invoices, (FAI) vouchers, (FAV) etc.

EXAMPLES OF WORK FORMS

Work Forms include Budget Control Work Form (WAB), Security Check Work Form (WSS), Stock Control Work Form (WNS) etc.

To avoid ad hoc or self-centred governance, or concentration of power in a few individuals, it is critical to use processes to delegate tasks i.e. policy, decision, projects, for collective good corporate governance without self-centredness to reach excellence and results.

Such process management could help to avoid NKF-type of wrongdoings and malpractices.

It has helped me to attain super-efficiency in my own multi-tasking work environment beyond proportions.

I would like to share such process management with all today. Results guaranteed to the faithful and diligent.

Note: User- or trainer- Licences will be readily issued by author Robert Teh Kok Hua of Book “Objective-Steps Processing Management System” (book available at National Library)

Not trying to sound righteous here for the ruling party, good god – no, for that would be most distasteful under the circumstances, but really, they did not fail to account for as much as a peanut of what Indonesia have perhaps to account for you know, at least the Accountant General is prepared to keep a frank and open report of matters, at least again theres some hope !

(a) Simplification – reduction of unnecessary variey (Brisch)
(b) Standardization – control of necessary variety
(c) Specialization – concentration of efforts in undertaking where special knowledge is available.

SECOND STEP IN QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Lockyer recommended that after simplification, standardization and specialisation the next (2nd) step to be taken is to set up policies, forecast and budgets.

According to Lockyer, objectives, policies, forecasts and budgets are interactive as follows:-

Objectives =>

I notice that you did not quite disagree with my general observations that the audit professionals were too concerned with fault-findings rather than solving problems such as by establishing tasks in attainable component work processes which will empower staff to work efficiently to realize goals and objectives.

This is a negative approach in management which is too prevalent and needs to be corrected.

It is easier said than done because the traditional accounts and management audit are too steeped in fault-finding rather than to help organization overcome problems and be more efficient or productive.

There is no excuse that the CEOs are not too concerned with appointing auditors to do more than accounts or mere superficial audit to look good.

If our audit professionals are to make their impact no doubt the biggest challenge will be for them to aim high irrespective of the resistances by CEOs who normally will just do enough as is expected by the laws or shareholders.

So the ball should be on the court of the audit professionals to do a better job as expected of them as a profession with the highest standards and integrity and not fall prey to self-interests of CEOs or ministers who may as human beings be tempted to engage in cover-ups of malpractices as seen in NKF and lately within government’s ministries and departments as highlighted in the AG’s belated revelations of irregularies.

No government is perfect. Processes can be perfect, but people who operate them are not. Mistakes, errors of ommission, sheer negligence and can’t-be-botheredisms, all contribute to any control system’s weaknesses and limitations.

The only thing that the AG report shows is that we cannot believe that the government is entirely infallible. We may not collapse due to corruption, but systemic negligence will also cause us to fail.

as for the 4th estate known as the media, most in the democratic world crossed the fine line between investigative journalism and sensationalism long ago.

Nation building – hmm… does the ruling party recognize that we’re leaving ‘puberty’ as a nation, and stop treating its citizens like children who should be seen but not heard?

;-)

E.o.M.
[Glad being the devil's advocate worked!]

yes. we got to allow for people to make mistakes – noone’s perfect, even among scholars, elites and technocrats in the govt. (please note the sarcasm ;-) )

ALL I ASK – is the transparency and the taking up of responsibility. Someone out there needs to say “I’m sorry this happened on my watch, but here are the things i will do to rectify the problem and collect back on the amounts lost. If you still not happy, then i’ll step down and let someone better take office”.

Now – thats leadership and deserving of a large salary. how many of our govt officials speak like this?

When you try to “taichi” it, or complete silence (as in the UNSW), thats where we say you’re hiding something. and where rumours and theories start to appear.

Like Dr Huang’s blogpost says – our govt needs to know how to do PR better. Maybe they should watch West Wing more and learn a thing or two.

And yes – a freer mainstream media will indeed help keep things in check – as the fourth seat of govt. we’re no longer in the 60s-70s nationbuilding period. we’re a new generation of citizens.

I agree with you. The point here is not to “point fingers” but like you said, to see what is being done to rectify these problems. And perhaps highlighting these irregularities wil go some way in this respect? At the end of the day, it’ll be good for Singapore.

And that, I feel, is the point.

Regards,
Andrew

what we would like to hear is what is being done to rectify the situation.

If we complain and point fingers, rather than focus on solving the problem, then the “cover backside” mentality will become even worse. no one would want to make any decision any more.

that (i.e. the cover backside mentality and not wanting to make a decision) to me, is a bigger problem.