No money politics in Singapore? We have our very own “Uniquely Singapore” version of money politics, cleverly hidden under the veiled excuse of paying to keep talented people in government.
No political flux in Singapore? Obviously not when they constantly use the institutions of the government to keep any dissent in check.
I lost all respect for Lee Kuan Yew many years ago. He’s nothing more than a bullying despot, revelling in his so called successes and failing to realise that he’s shredding what could have been a great legacy.

Oh no, not again. . . .

“Work permit foreign workers will take the brunt of the retrenchments, saving many Singaporeans their jobs.”

I’m not intelligent but could someone enlighten me on how this is actually true?

“… We have a construction boom. When the buildings are complete, there will be demand for workers from the integrated resorts, new plants producing solar panels, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. These new demands for labour will soften the impact of retrenchments…”

Due to someone’s bright idea of “growing as fast as possible”, when these mega-projects are complete, there will be a massive influx of cheap foreign workers. Many elder / low-skilled Singaporean workers who know nothing about using computers, let alone making solar panels, petrolchems or wonderdrugs, will end up washing toilets and making coffee in the IR.

In the meanwhile the red dot becomes more congested, everything will get more expensive from food, transport to housing. So instead of protection for our own people, there will instead be more poverty – Low skilled workers with already sub-subsistence pay levels, will end up with less. Oh, imagine the joyful faces at NTUC, who in spite of their name, told workers not to expect higher pay in the interest of the country’s fight against high inflation. This must be a dream come true for them.

All thanks to our government, globalization, which is already inevitable in the workplace, comes all the way into our HDB neighbourhood and is driven right onto our doorstep – actually, right next door. Yup, globalization stares us in the face everyday in the form of the newly minted PR who strolled through the immigration department (like the other half-million or so before him) and bought the flat next door.

hello u think we are fool , 3 years old or u just dun care . telling lies and more lies and the scare method dun works at all . u r just so old old school . WE ARE WILLING TO GO BACK TO OUR LIVE SIMPLE AND POOR THAN TO RULE BY U !!@!!!!

My understanding of what Mr Lee said, if slow-down or recession comes, foreigners are first to go and Singaporeans stayed employed.
By interpolation (if it means intgerpretation), then it must be that ALL Singaporeans must then hope to have a PERMANENT recession/slowdown in Singapore so that no more foreigners will compete with Singaporeans for local jobs.
Can someone help me to understand please.

His speech make no sense.

Be prepared, when garmen say they are going to help the poor, do this and do that, then something will go up.

But then again, I thought that the increase in GST the last time was to help the poor????

“Money politics is at the heart of the problems in many countries in Asia. “Money politics” is a code-word for buying of votes to gain power and after gaining power to recover your expenses plus some profit for the next round of vote buying.

There is no money politics in Singapore. The integrity of ministers and public officials is fundamental for political stability.” (LKY)

Erm.. didn’t Goh Chok Tong in the last election dangled upgrading carrot to opposition wards to vote PAP? if they didn’t, weren’t they implicitly threatened they would NOT get upgrading?? Pardon my ignorance.. isn’t this vote buying using tax payers money?

I have no doubt about the honesty of minsters & public officials in Singapore in general… but what about accountability of such officials, who are paid huge salaries. The Home Team comes to mind. Whats the point of having highly paid leaders of integrity, but who do not take accountability for their actions/omissions? I still feel short changed!!!

Well, so long as there is one party domination, every action, which in other countries might be considered as vote buying or ‘money politics’, can be made legal .. so long as one party dominates the legislature with very little checks and balances, nor transparent accountability.

Has the TOC descended into a platform for attacks on the PAP? I am dismal to read the comments so far.
To put things into perspective, Singapore has came a long way from the politics as played by our neighbours. MM Lee is a remarkable statesman and has laid a firm, stable foundation which allow Singaporeans the opportunity to move onward to the next century. There are bound to be rough edges and trade-offs in any public policy. The negativity expressed in the above comments do not justify the enormous efforts put in to ‘make it happen’
The PAP has laid down the challenge – to challenge them on their platform. If there is indeed an issue that tugs at the heartstrings of Singaporeans, stand up and stand for election. Make your case and let the people decide.

I wonder why Mr Lee Kuan Yew quotes the examples of Taiwan, Philippines and Thailand instead of established first world countries in Europe such as Germany, France, UK and Japan, all of which are thriving multi-party democratic countries. Surely that should be the standard that Singapore should aspire to?

Andrew,

Mr Lee very likely believes that the majority of Singaporeans are imbeciles and will believe anything he says. So he picks the “soft targets” and believes that he’s making an easy sell of how great his son and his team of half baked cabinet are.

I think he just doesn’t understand how much resentment he’s building in the average Singaporean towards himself and the PAP. In any case, I hope that resentment continues to build and climaxes at the next election.

Lee Kuan Yew still think Singaporean are living in his make-believe world. It’s time someone ask LKY who so paranoid about countries and people who he believe is trying to do him to come to the ground and see for himself. That all along he is the one “doing” himself and blame it on others, and make the whole Singapore and citizens take the rap. This oldman has never continue to freak Singapore with his nonsense. The fact that he doesn’t even know he is the great clown of Singapore show how disconnected he is in the real world. Ask him to have some life, and star in Jack Neo’s Money Not Enough saga, and that is where LKY’s real talent lies in, as a EXPENSIVE comedian.

“There are some who yearn for multi-party politics and rotating party governments. They should study Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines. Rotating party governments have led to more corruption and misgovernment. And a “free wheeling press” has not cleaned up corruption, although according to American “Democracy” theories it is designed to do so. Furthermore frequent chop and change in governments and policies have hampered Taiwan’s and Thailand’s economic growth and increased unemployment and caused political instability.”

Indeed, rotating party governments are weak. These are weak countries. A strong country cannot have multi-party governments – it should have One Party One Dream.

MM Lee is foretelling the future of Singapore. He has emphasized the fact that the PAP will never accommodate.

It will be replaced.

Could it be that the ‘increase’ in corruption in Thailand, Philippines and Taiwan comes from the fact that corruption cases are actually being reported rather than hushed up by ‘responsible’ journalist?

@ Eaststopper,

TOC has “ascended” to a platform for netizens to articulate their true feelings about the state of affairs. On the other hand,The Straits Times has descended into a PAP propaganda tool and The S.T. ranking is no secret.
You feel dismal, no worries mate, because the PAP is also feeling the same way. Just remember the truth hurts ! It gets worse for people with low integrity, they are the ones who cannot handle the truth and also do not own up to mistakes.
The rough edges and trade-offs are not little wrong doings. These have a great impact when running a country. You should try to read all the articles posted in TOC and maybe you will have a different impression. What I have read tells me there is much talent out there and we are only skimming the surface.
LKY was a remarkable statesman in the very early years but don’t forget he had much help from his peers and a wonderful workforce. You must be from another planet to think LKY is still remarkable. Everything about him and his system is the stumbling block to Singapore’s progress. Most of us see ourselves working in a corporation instead of living in a country. This is what you mean by the enormous efforts put in to ‘make it happen’ ?
Those from another planet will think the elections are free and fair in Singapore.
The smart ones on line have debated til the cows come home and more cows will come home and the end conclusion is cheating lah !
But with better umpiring, the underrated team may still have a chance.
Surely you watch the Olympics, and do you think most teams will participate if all the umpires were from the host country ? Now ask yourself why the elections dept. is under the PM’s office ? Why do the incumbents need to redraw boundaries, give little notice of the elections date and change the GRC rules at short notice ? Imagine the host country of the Olympics doing just that and also have the cheek to say to the other countires , if you are that good you participate and win. Some will call it conflict of interest, but cheating is cheating lah !

“To put things into perspective, Singapore has came a long way from the politics as played by our neighbours. MM Lee is a remarkable statesman and has laid a firm, stable foundation which allow Singaporeans the opportunity to move onward to the next century. ”

Even Bill Gates know how to step down and move on.
One thing for sure. No one denies that LKY is good statesman but absolute power corrupts over 4 decades. What we have now is LKY’s corporation. Do you think Lee corporation is good for nation ? No GLC competition, Telecom from own Singa that more like price fixing etc. How can that be really be good ?

Stop dwelling in the past. Live in the present and the future. Has LKY step down, no one will even scrutinize his past . Not only he fail to step down but his past actions and deceitful act have been digged out, do you think he will be rever as a statesmen. He living a emperor life. You know it. I know it. Who deny that ?

To Daniel and Landlord,

You have both made allegations which will need to be substantiated with facts and the truth. Why don’t you both stand up for the next election and expose the lies and see if Singaporeans stand by your arguments.

Best,
Eaststopper

There will always be 2 sides to a coin. Has the govt done a good job? Can it be better? Surely, all of us know that Singapore can do better to ensure that it is a better place for all its citizens to live happily, with abundance of everything it needs. But is it possible? The fact remains that we are just a small economy with limited resources, except our human capital which can be best deployed in places they can contribute. In internet age, much more info. is available to all, and we are never satisfied. It is good for us to strive to be better. But can there be such a place where everything and everyone is happy doing what they want to do? Maybe, there is a such a place. One thing, I am sure is no govt is perfect, and so far, it will do the govt good if it deploys more people on the ground to know, hear, and act on the concerns of its people. Much help is given to those lowest income earners, but is it enough? How abt the sandwiched generation? Help must also be rendered to those who really wants to work, and I am referring to the many managerial staff who upgraded over the yrs and still making ends meet. There must be schemes to help all levels of Singaporeans without making them depending on handouts.

> “Work permit foreign workers will take the brunt of the retrenchments, saving many Singaporeans their jobs.”
>
> I’m not intelligent but could someone enlighten me on how this is actually true?

According to what I observed, this is true at least for the low-wage workers.

A large proportion of foreign workers are low-skilled low-wage workers on short-term work permit (like at most 2 years). They are also prohibited from applying a PR. In other words, they are low-cost transient workers.

Businesses can be forced to employ local manpower instead of these low-cost foreign workers, but their costs will increase, making the companies less competitive. (Rising business costs eventually needs to be passed to consumers like us too.)

The trick is to employ low-wage foreign workers to help business compete and do well. When business are doing well, locals fill up the higher-paying jobs. Because the ratio of high-wage to low-wage workers are lower, less of the former are retrenched in bad times.

This is also why there are retraining programs to help workers upgrade. It’s the only way to survive.

LKY was once upon a time a statesman. Now he is a fake.

“You have both made allegations which will need to be substantiated with facts and the truth. Why don’t you both stand up for the next election and expose the lies and see if Singaporeans stand by your arguments.”

You expose yourself. Look like only you in here denies that. You use the same argument as the gahmen. To talk politics, you have to be politicans ? So what you ever bother to come here knowing that you been much refuted ? Facts and truth ? What is fact and what is truth when oldman dictate and distort that as well ? Where is the fact where the oldman tell you citizen does not need to know the reserve ? So what is the truth and what is the fact when oldman decide what to tell you and what not to tell you ?

To comment #14

it is true that LKY laid a good foundation and we reap the benefits of it. however, one must take a longer term view of things and weigh not just the past but the present and future, the good and the bad. imho, i believe LKY gave us short term success but has also sown the seeds for S’pore’s long term failure as a nation and govt. his policies gave us economic success, which is being slowly eroded with changes that unless his son can solve, would erode whatever he had done. the verdict is not out yet on this one because economics is dynamic. however, political development is more predictable because recorded history shows the direction pple take when they are in power too long. this is a known and acknowledged fact.

LKY is sowing the same seeds that dynastic emperors had sown before so the outcome should not be any different. put in place a system that does not allow criticism, self-elevation to mythical levels to deflect criticism and legitimise actions against detractors, put in place a system that keeps power within, put in place a system where only certain groups benefit, all criticism must be from foreigners because they are stupid and evil (think late Qing dynasty/boxer rebellion mentality) etc etc. all these are seeds sown to stunt political growth. all this can be justified now because he can claim that it was the success formula because so far it had worked. it is one side of the coin and extremely short-sighted because people do change over time and u cannot expect people to be good people forever. in short, LKY is nurturing a system where good people cannot check the bad should the bad ever come into power.

i cannot understand how, with all his insight and wisdom, LKY cannot see where all this is going. my only conclusion is that he knows but he is trying to straddle bewteen balancing between party/family interest and the country’s. in the process, he has convinced himself that party/family interest IS national interest. he has missed the forest for the trees. this only proves that for all his intellect, he is still a man governed by self-interest.

this only proves that no matter how great one was, checks and balances are still needed. in short, LKY had brought short-term economic success, he will also bring long term politico-social failure unless some policies and philosophies of his are reversed.

“17) Eaststopper on August 15th, 2008 4.35 am
You have both made allegations which will need to be substantiated with facts and the truth.”

There are tonnes of things that citizens are not aware and it is only human to speculate based on fleeting information. It is even more so for the uninitiated citizens who are not so familiar in certain areas but yet they have to contribute their parts in nation building in the form of good citizenry and paying taxes. That is why transparency is very important orelse there will always be wild or equally seemingly logical speculation to fill in the gaps, if any.

In fact, it is the duty of the parties privy to facts and the truth to disclose and debunk speculation and not the other way round in which contributing citizens are being told off and rebuked with threats by the very people whose may feel uncomfortable of a very questioning & discerning public and whose very tenure exists because of the blessings of the former.

> 18) vincesgp on August 15th, 2008 5.26 am
>
> Much help is given to those lowest income earners, but is it enough? How abt the sandwiched generation? Help must also be rendered to those who really wants to work, and I am referring to the many managerial staff who upgraded over the yrs and still making ends meet. There must be schemes to help all levels of Singaporeans without making them depending on handouts.

Right on the nail. Life is tough for everyone, not just the lowest income group. The predicament is this:

1 – Our economy is not based on mining and agriculture, and so is hit hardest by the changing global economy. (We depend on the rest of the world to feed us.)

2 – New economy requires a new set of skills for people at all levels, not just the lowest income group.

3 – But it is exactly the lowest income group which has people who are most difficult to pick up new skills (because of age, education, etc.).

4 – I feel that all citizens have the responsibility to shoulder the burden, like a family. If you think paying taxes is harsh on you, life is harsher on people who aren\’t even eligible to pay taxes. So I still support the government\’s policy of giving payouts to helpless people.

5 – The dilemma comes when we naturally also want a sustainable economic and social welfare system. (Distinguishing between the needy helpless people and people who want to beat the welfare system is another headache.)

6 – The mobile people are always able to leave for a wide variety of reasons. Losing them means losing their tax contribution, and jobs created for others. (If the top management and/or their investment leave, businesses have to scale down.)

7 – Like you have said, the middle class are squeezed. Expectations are higher, so life is stressful too although pay is higher. (But you have to appreciate that people here are more fortunate than the lower income group.)

8 – And the whole system needs to handle this very complicated stressful balancing act of taxing people to sustain social welfare, retaining the mobile class, devising revenue generating economic policies, maintaining a military force (we don\’t want to be swollowed like Kuwait), and making everyone happy.

The future for everyone surely isn\’t like a breeze, but isn\’t bleak either. We actually made a lot of progress despite the difficulties in the past.

a – Everyone needs to take stress easy. (Enjoy your weekends!)

b – All levels of the society just have to continue to work hard and improve (like our forefathers).

c – This applies to the government too. The PAP, even though they have done a tremendous job, can\’t simply portrait that they are perfect.

d – We need a system which sieve out useless opposition (don\’t waste our time) to let competent competitors to continue raising the standard of governance.

> 18) vincesgp on August 15th, 2008 5.26 am
>
> Much help is given to those lowest income earners, but is it enough? How abt the sandwiched generation? Help must also be rendered to those who really wants to work, and I am referring to the many managerial staff who upgraded over the yrs and still making ends meet. There must be schemes to help all levels of Singaporeans without making them depending on handouts.

Right on the nail. Life is tough for everyone, not just the lowest income group. The predicament is this:

1 – Our economy is not based on mining and agriculture, and so is hit hardest by the changing global economy. (We depend on the rest of the world to feed us.)

2 – New economy requires a new set of skills for people at all levels, not just the lowest income group.

3 – But it is exactly the lowest income group which has people who are most difficult to pick up new skills (because of age, education, etc.).

4 – I feel that all citizens have the responsibility to shoulder the burden, like a family. If you think paying taxes is harsh on you, life is harsher on people who aren’t even eligible to pay taxes. So I still support the government’s policy of giving payouts to helpless people.

5 – The dilemma comes when we naturally also want a sustainable economic and social welfare system. (Distinguishing between the needy helpless people and people who want to beat the welfare system is another headache.)

6 – The mobile people are always able to leave for a wide variety of reasons. Losing them means losing their tax contribution, and jobs created for others. (If the top management and/or their investment leave, businesses have to scale down.)

7 – Like you have said, the middle class are squeezed. Expectations are higher, so life is stressful too although pay is higher. (But you have to appreciate that people here are more fortunate than the lower income group.)

8 – And the whole system needs to handle this very complicated stressful balancing act of taxing people to sustain social welfare, retaining the mobile class, devising revenue generating economic policies, maintaining a military force (we don’t want to be swollowed like Kuwait), and making everyone happy.

The future for everyone surely isn’t like a breeze, but isn’t bleak either. We actually made a lot of progress despite the difficulties in the past.

a – Everyone needs to take stress easy. (Enjoy your weekends!)

b – All levels of the society just have to continue to work hard and improve (like our forefathers).

c – This applies to the government too. The PAP, even though they have done a tremendous job, can’t simply portrait that they are perfect.

d – We need a system which sieve out useless opposition (don’t waste our time, don’t ruin our hardwork) to let competent competitors to continue raising the standard of governance.

[...] technique – Singapore Patriot: Of eggs and baskets – Hear Ye! Hear Ye!: Politics and sports – TOC: The unintended consequences of a globalised world – HWZ: MM Lee says Singapore has no money [...]

“To Daniel and Landlord,

You have both made allegations which will need to be substantiated with facts and the truth. Why don’t you both stand up for the next election and expose the lies and see if Singaporeans stand by your arguments.

Best,
Eaststopper”

Eaststopper, you too are making allegations asserting the opposite. Do you have proof to substantiate your allegations about Daniel and Landlord? The argument that “standing in an unfair election is the only way to display credibility” has long ago been debunked as nothing more just PAP double-speak and illogic. Your attempts to bring discussions down to a level bordering on off-topic is also disingenuous.

/// 9) Eaststopper on August 14th, 2008 6.17 pm
Has the TOC descended into a platform for attacks on the PAP? I am dismal to read the comments so far. ///

Yes, Eaststopper – you are DISMAL.
And I am DISMAYED that you keeps harping back to old glories…

“Has the TOC descended into a platform for attacks on the PAP? I am dismal to read the comments so far.”
” So what you ever bother to come here knowing that you been much refuted?”

Go on – read the ST and stop reading TOC just like many who read TOC and stop reading ST.

To:Eaststopper
Personally, I would warmly welcome this honourable person to comment freely here (so he should be appreciative and gracious enough). So lets not stop him, we are all honourable and gentleman enough to welcome his views and comments (but that which must be sensical enough-types, but not those which criticise fellow writers to prove this to prove that, justify this justifyy that, as glaringly he/she could not. Much said, our controlled papers’ reporting can’t always justify this or justify that too).

This gesture would certainly allow him to see the difference we in TOC are so vastly different from the controlled papers.

And I would humbly asked him or her, to show us where in local papers that is as accomodating as the TOC to him than the papers is as accomodating to us this bunch of TOC writers.

This article has proven all the more that LKY should step down coz he doesn’t belong to this generation.

I f you read the ST next to MM Lee’s speech, the 3.15 billion is already budgeted and distributed or he is referring to a new handout ?
According to this year budget announcement, there was some kind of help to be given to undergraduates, so I asked my son to ask the uni about it and he was told that the university has no idea of it and have to wait until they received forms or instructions from the MOF. Until now no news at all.
I think the problem with our govt is that they have lost touch of the people’s life.
If they continue to play deaf to the cries and complaints of the masses they will also lose their mandate in time to come.

whatever he claims to be, who is there to do the check??!!

So how come a 2.7 million people country can consistently win Olympic medals without resorting to overseas gladiators?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7564612.stm

#30,
Whitley-gate, fully agree,should welcome him here,
Eaststopper, please feel free to comment,let the reader decide……

[...] technique – Singapore Patriot: Of eggs and baskets – Hear Ye! Hear Ye!: Politics and sports – TOC: The unintended consequences of a globalised world – HWZ: MM Lee says Singapore has no money [...]

10) Andrew on August 14th, 2008 8.37 pm

“I wonder why Mr Lee Kuan Yew quotes the examples of Taiwan, Philippines and Thailand (We should be a benchmark FOR them and not AGAINST them) instead of established first world countries in Europe such as Germany, France, UK and Japan (We should benchmark AGAINST them), all of which are thriving multi-party democratic countries. Surely that should be the standard that Singapore should aspire to?”.

Now that LKY admits that the US is heading for a prolonged recession, it is also time for him to take responsibility for the very poor investments that he authorised in those US banks by stepping down from the GIC board.

Of course, we are realistic that the chances of this occuring is zero since nobody is in a position to enforce it. Therefore, the decision must lie with the voters in the next election.

LKY has conveniently forgotten what he said in the past.

“There is no money politics in Singapore. The integrity of ministers and public officials is fundamental for political stability. Politics in Singapore is all above board and so has not been troubled by such politicking.”

Only those who practise the same as him will concur with him on this.

Well, in a similar speech, around the same time last year, Lee Kuan Yew claimed that the recent August 2007 sub prime burst in the US would have little effect and, I paraphrase him, “would sort itself out by the end of the year”.

Well, it turns out that the sub-prime crisis would last until 2009 in the US, and would have a huge impact on almost every country, even China and India. So if LKY can get his predictions wrong last year, what makes him think he’d be right this year?

Let’s face it: LKY has lost his grip on reality, and is increasingly becoming less and less secure. And so he lashes out more as he gets older.

To Harrison

Please do not forget that LKY added another caveat that “since nobody has benefited personally from the error, so no punishment is necessary.” Not exact quote but something to the effect. This is a blanket coverage so executives can make any decisions without thinking of taking any responsibilities.

I guess brainwashing can and do extend beyond the national boudary.

Below should be the ‘unintended consequences of a globalised world’ :

Because of globalisation, foreigners are needed in Singapore to drive our economy, to enlarge the pie.

Million-$$$-salaried Ministers managed Singapore’s economy.

So foreigners are welcome (needed) to contribute to our Ministers’ $$$-millions’ salaries.