My bet is that their installation is more of convenience than representation. Surely an MP (and one affliated to party that can do no wrong), would lend clearance to the activities of these organizations

I think majority believes there is no such thing as conflict of interest in hats they wearing. I think only har. no flame me har.

For me, I keep this answer a top secret.

And that is the way….into the digital age.
1st world citizens ah! future bright bright ah!
Pragmatic ah!
Self Peeservated ah!
1st world pay leh?

regardz
ho pian

Well, its like the PAP and PCF thing. As we all know we need to pay our politicians well to prevent them from being corrupt. While other politicians elsewhere are prone to taking bribes, we put them on boards of companies so that they can get paid officially and thus will not be corrupted. According to one MP , said to hold ten directorships , they are paid only a token sum of about $10,000 per year. That’s a additional $100,000 per year just for attending a few meeting and keeping quite, because conflict of interest is always present.

The answer is here:
Did we see improvement in company’s profit or in citizen’s service ? She ought to ashame of herself not standing up for citizen. Remind me of Mrs Peanut of NKF who doesn’t do anything and claim not to know anything. Conflict of interest is rampage in Singapore government. Utterly disgraceful.

What to do, Singapore is small, population is small, our talent pool is limited, and besides the top talent they’ve so carefully cultivated and selected are the best and there character and integrity ensures that conflicts of interest will never arise.

Besides, it’s the fault of the peasants for not producing enough babies to enlarge the talent pool what. So stop complaining.

Not the first time this is happening anyway, after all Lim Boon Heng managed to negotiate a pay deal with the SIA pilots as NTUC Sec-Gen while a serving member of SIA’s board, with a little help from the Emperor banging heads. And in the process weeded out a traitor to Singapore to boot. And all were reportedly happy according to the local press, so no problems there.

I recall in 2006 and 2007 the NTWU of SBS Transit Union Leader who’s supposed to speak up for the rights of the members is also a close aide to the SBS Transit management.

Well… I never believed in these sort of union stuffs in Singapore. They are the right and left hands of the management; all belonging to the same person.

On the contrary, I would not want the public transport to end up like the ones in the west. Being too powerful to the extend that the leaders are inclined towards perversed interests. And it will ultimately create unrests all for the wrong reasons.

Therefore, having the same person in the managament and the union is a strict NO, NO, NO. But having someone who abuses the rights as a union head is also a NO, NO, NO.

Dead Poet on September 11th, 2008 8.39 am
Well, its like the PAP and PCF thing. As we all know we need to pay our politicians well to prevent them from being corrupt. While other politicians elsewhere are prone to taking bribes, we put them on boards of companies so that they can get paid officially and thus will not be corrupted. According to one MP , said to hold ten directorships , they are paid only a token sum of about $10,000 per year. That’s a additional $100,000 per year just for attending a few meeting and keeping quite, because conflict of interest is always present.

Yes, you are damn right about most of them. There are only 2 types of MPs in our system. 1 takes money, keeping quiet (play safe) sort, and the other no brain type, still takes money, talk too much and when thing goes wrong, all they can say is whatever happen, happened. Let’s move on . . .

It is reported today that 2 churches – Trinity and New Creation have conflict of interest in independent Board and Executive representation.

Good disclosure in the TOC too today of Madam’s many conflicting roles.

Around the world, many trade unions have representatives on the board of corporations which employ union members.

A simple Google search with “union representative board” will bring up several links showing that it is not uncommon for union representatives to sit on company boards

So did TOC neglect to do their research on this topic?

MIW has honed legally paying themselves a lot of money into a very fine art !!

One can imagine how much extra remuneration MIW get from passive board seats!!!

Would you rather be in a position of power or sniping from the sides? The proof is in the eating of the pudding. If it stinks, change it. If not, maybe it might be better to have a unionist near the levers of power.

Does she gets paid for all these positions she is holding. Wow! If yes, a lot of $.

Seeker

Many trade unions have representatives on the board of corporations. Yes, but they are there in their capacity to represent the workers and to ensure that their rights are not compromised. Its not about conflict of interest but taking care of the interest of the people whom you are representing. This certainly does not seem to be the case in our situation. Are you on the board representing the shareholders or the workers interest or the constitutuens interest, the political party’s interest or the commuters interest. Now as I see it , that would be conflict of interest in the natural sense, unless there is a higher meaning which we are not aware of.

[...] ERPains, Trains & Automobiles – TOC: PTW: Union leader and MP and also board member of transport company? [...]

apparently they can. If a Temasek chief who is related can report to the then FM, anything is possible. Nothing can be whiter than white

The goverment is union. The union is goverment. What else is new! So now the transport company is also goverment and everything else in singapore. We got to get use to it.

It is really painful to read this article. I hadn’t realized the extent of influence a mere MP has over the rest of the country.

Pls, PAP, wake up! As the citizens become more educated, you’re not going to gain much respect among the youngsters. No amount of hip-hopping will reverse this trend.

Someone has just pointed out to me that I am wrong. There is definitely no conflict of interest, no matter which board they sit on or what appointment they hold. They only have one interest, to protect the interest of the government aka party. Be it a charity, grassroot organisation, corporation or even a association, they are there to protect the interest of their master for they know which side their bread is buttered. It is this single fact which has served to keep the party in power for their tentacles have reaches beyond the layman’s comprehension. I stand corrected and educatated.

Given that a stable person of reputable integrity will be able to wear different hats and hold true to their beliefs is possible. However, sad to say, we have often seen passion and beliefs caving in to other demands, from party or company, and that is the weakness when they wear different hats. It will take a superhuman to be able to balance that.

I think the MPs are being spread too thin. Even though I dont doubt their ability to be true and fair in conducting their duties, too much work is too much work.

To post #5, we often see posts filled up by the usual suspects. This also happens in Media corp. I dont subscribe to the fact that we have a small pool of talent, its all in our indoctrinated minds. If only they were to cast the net further from where they stand, maybe we might get fresh ideas into many of our problems. I do admit that its almost too convenient to deal with familiar faces and routines. We are all guilty of this

I always presumed that union leaders were for the people elected by the people. Looks like in this instance it is rather : For the government by the goverment and now for the transport company and forget the people! Gone were the days of old when union leaders fought for the people standing up to the goverment or in this case the transport company. Now they cant cos they are on the payroll of the transport company.
Once in awhile the transport compnay will give in for show! Welcome to Singapore!!!

There isn’t a separation of powers here between the executive and the civil service, (police esp) and some may arguably say , the judiciary since day one. So , why are we so surprised by these revelations? The people were given a choice every 4-5 years to check on them but they don’t and fully deserve the govt they voted in.

Firstly, I LOVE TOC! I do.. I really really do.. You guys have produced some of the best alternative views supported by well researched facts anywhere else.

BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, articles like these are pointless. Why?

Quite OBVIOUSLY, the individual mentioned therein has shown that she owes loyalties to opposing camps and so therefore CANNOT possibly provide an unbiased/untainted vote when it comes to matters.

It’s like the parliamentary debates- “Do you guys wanna hike your own pay?”
“Wow… err… let me think about that…. OF COURSE! I vote aye!”

Jesus Christ. You’d think we swopped places with Australia. We have more kangaroos in court than the land down under.

“9) Seeker on September 11th, 2008 10.15 am Around the world, many trade unions have representatives on the board of corporations which employ union members.”

Good one. Now what about MP (let me spell out lest you be mistaken, it is MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT) sitting on the boards of coporations with commercial interest.

How would certain decision go : -

1) in favour of your own constituency’s people who may utilise the very services of the corporations that you are sitting on the board.

2) or the corporations themselves where you are also representing their interest.

Mr. Seeker, seek and you shall get. But still very difficult hoh. Yes, Google is really convenient nowsadays and it really opens the world.

It has always been this case long before I was born
and I guess the only explaination everyone get from the Govt is that we do not sufficient talent, thats why one person would have to hold many hats.

They will change everytime when situation arises.

I duno whether the person is pay for every single hat she/he holds
but I seriously doubt how efficient one can be when she/he has so much work to do? Everyone only have 1 life and we do not have clone yet.

As for conflict of interest, yes in a way, but as long the person is a rep from govt, they “assume” there will be not and everyone’s “interest” will be well protected.

Reminds me of this famous quote from JF Kennedy; ” Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country,” In this case it is ask not what your union rep can do for you but what the transport company can do for for your union rep.
Accept what you cannot change but have the courage to accept also what the government says is good for you. We call ourselves First world country. What do me the first in everything. Hey its okay not to be the frist la in everything. Life is short. Enjoy we only have one life,That’s why SMM enjoy every day of his life cos he knows one day it has to be over. Time ends for all of us!

The Singapore pap government handling of the conflict of issue matter is appalling. In Australia public office holders are held to a very stringent standard of conflict of interest. Office holder is expected to step aside or take corrective action whenever there is the slightest hint of conflict of interest. It is a shame that the Singapore pap government talk so much about their high standing but tolerate such breaches of Internationally accepted standards of behaviour of public officers especially their own politicians.

Seeker, in addition to the question posed by comment #22, please also comment on the fact that chances are, the company which the MP/union rep is a director/sitting on the board of, is also likely to be partly owned (via Temasek) by the government that the MP is part of?

Is this the usual practice in other countries too?

Keep providing this kind of good stuff.

Multiple posts = multiple salaries per month? Wow….

KANGAROOS ARE RAMPANT IN SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT, CORPORATION.
Military, legal, police, judges, gahmen, etc Did we have more kangaroos than Australia ? and we thought kangaroo is the pride of Australia ! Very soon, we become a Kangaroo Country.

3) Dead Poet on September 11th, 2008 8.39 am

—-

I am disappointed to find that TW despite the problems the ex-president had and his alleged corruptions, TW during his reign did not collapsed nor showed any sign of collapse. Its like TW economy is determined by :

1. Economists – no one knows for sure….
2. Blue collar workers
3. White collar workers
4. Financial and Investment Consultants
5. Stock brokers and investors.
6. SMEs
7. MNCs
8. Hawkers
9. Entertainment Industry, including media
A. Agriculture
B. Research & Development
C. Military
D. Police

With the above, list not exhaustive, I am sad to realise that leader’s presence seems like diminished.

I am sad to learn that maybe the country will not just collapse with or without a leader as ‘great’ as Ah Bian. He is still great as long as he is not yet sentenced to jail.

I wonder if his pay raised to 3.9 million a year, becoming the new world champion, world record holder, will he be satisfied?

Incidentally, he is alleged to have corrupted , ermm…. how much? at least 10 million? Maybe much more, I not sure. I think there may not be such allegations when he is paid high high. What for? But then again….

The most important lesson I learned from this story of Bian is a president in TW has so much super power in his hands. Its also very difficult to check and balance on a super power record holder.

I think given the chance, he would never want to let go of power because, I cannot say….u make guess ….

And this is humanity. Fools will always believe and be led.

No one can represent more than 1 party at the same time as there is bound to be a conflict of interest. It’s akin to saying that you are trying to run for the US presidential elections as a Republican, Democrat and independant candidate at the same time.

Everyone seems to forget this is SINGAPORE! In Singapore all things are possible because the government makes it possible!!

So no matter what we say it matters not cos the government has the final say. If they say there is no conflict of interest ,then it is so.

It’s no point giving examples of what transpires in other countries. As far as Singapore government is concerned. Don’t meddle into our affairs. It may not be feasible in other countries , in Singapore it is acceptable and it will stay that way till we say otherwise.

Change is taking place in america, in Malaysia etc. There can only be change in Sinngapore when the next election comes along. So we all got to wait till the next election but before then there will be a lot of goodies given out resulting ultimately in no change yet again!

Well the argument that we do not have enough talent is debatable. But as one exile pointed out long ago, it is not God’s miracle that all the talent is from one family and its relatives both by blood and marriage. God is great.

dun forget PAP MPs are de cram de la cram….with super duper ability to multi task….where got conflict la

The Minister Without Portfolio is The Secretary General of NTUC.
There is no conflict of interest and is “Uniquely Singapore”.
No other country in the world can copy this system.
Each country has to find its own system that works for them.
PAP is the government The government is Singapore
So PAP is Singapore, So Singapore is PAP.
So PAP is NTUC. So Singapore is NTUC.
So government is NTUC. So NTUC is government
So NTUC is Singapore. Ah………..

you mean one family is running the whole of singapore. i did not know that! Can I be part of the family. Job asssured for life. nO need to woory about retirement! And cPF savings and medisave.

Andrew,

I think this is a silly poser. If we go by your reasoning, are you saying a commuter should not buy shares in SBST or SMRT as there is “coflict of interest”? Can you enlighten me?

Actually, the more fundamental question to pose is whether the board, or any board for that matter, is captured by a paricular member who has self-interest? Unlike charitable org or coperatives, what he or she represents/advocates is irrelevant in a lsited company. It is his or her value input in corporate governance to perform check and balance role on the management decisions that matters. I’m sure you know the separation between shareholders/ownership and management roles required by SGX, right?

Thanks

SG is the best place in the world TO DO BUSINESS 3RD YEAR IN THE ROW. CAPITIALISM RULEZ!!!!

Congrats for another world-class perfomance by our world class salary ministers n various Affiliation MPs.

SERIOUSLY SPEAKING, WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE N AIMS OF NTUC? i didnt know what NTUC is ever since i was born, except i notice that they have insurance agents selling policies on the streets and elected MPs in the office.

Halimah’s official involvement in numerous organizations is mindboggling.
I counted something like 17 including her post as MP.
Is it humanly possible for a person to play an effective role in so many organizations ? And also find the time to play the role of a parent ?
There must be many other PAP MPs moonlighting in various roles as well.
Incredible multi tasking Halimah must surely be more talented than Ho Ching !
Whichever media/organization that has rated Ho Ching as the most powerful woman in Asia needs to do a rethink and reassessment. lol

There is conflict of interest when you wear 2 hats and you have certain influence on decisions that affect the public.
Commuters buying shares cannot be viewed as conflict of interest simply because they are in no position to influence decisions like Halimah.
The conflict of interest starts with the top.
LHL is PM, father is MM / GIC Chairman, wife, HC is CEO Temasek.
Who is checking who ? or who reports to who ?
Are we suppose to give them the benefit of the doubt ?
Then we should also extend that to every PAP MP moonlighting like Halimah.
Can Singapore continue with such arrangements ?
It just does not make sense to have people making decisions on our public transport system when such people are either wearing 2 hats or not commuters themselves.

“. If we go by your reasoning, are you saying a commuter should not buy shares in SBST or SMRT as there is “coflict of interest”? ”

Who stopping the commutter from buying share ? It is not that commuter have confidential info on the company’d decision and action. That is a hollow example. Now, when a chairman or executive post buying share in a company when he has confidential information, that is insider news and conflict of interest. Let’s not try to distract the main issue.

The main issue Andrew is asking whether there is a conflict of interest when a clown hold positions that in conflict with each other’s interest, one that link with government, GLC and citizen’s interest, and given a clown will likely to resort to interest that suit her and her master’s interest.

Hasnt’t we heard of Mrs Peanut who act blur and ignorance when NKF case blown out ? So how can a clown hold so many positions and still know what happen ?

When we join a new company, the employer always make us sign a document that title “Business Conduct and Conflict of Interests”.

This kind of business conduct in representing all the 3 sides in a round table discussion (Example, fare hike for SBS/SMRT bus service) where 1/3 of the face represents the residents, 1/3 represent the company and 1/3 represents the bus company worker will not allow the MP to think objectively. This is such a “SHOW FACE” setup for a MP to represent so many different organization. There is simply too much CONFLICT within the MP herself when a decision has to be made.

Is there no other MPs to represent the different organization? Or having one person to represent all of these conflicting organization is much easier to “manage”?

BTW, with all these titles it reminds me of a posting I saw on http://www.stomp.com.sg which shows a security guard who has all the “decoration”, “colors” and “medals” on his uniform.

The bottomline – are all those titles just for show or they really mean something with actual work been contributed?

That’s a big question mark!

With so many of these THINGS being dug out and made known to the public, I think sooner many more of such MPs would be in the limelight soon. But then again, what can you guys here possibly do about it?

I don’t think TOC can do much if all the readers here only reads online forum and not participate themselves.

I will try to make an effort to go down Hong Lim park this Sat afternoon to support the speech.

So to all tired Singaporean, show your support! Go down to Hong Lim park this Sat 13 Sept to listen to what TOC wants to speak about our public transport system and its part in contributing to Singaporeans.

45) MMSMPMMC on September 12th, 2008 9.31 am

There will certainly be at least 1 who will attend. But he may be covert.
he may be collecting information.

change soup does not mean change medicine.

If PM Lee cannot juggle 20 opposition MPs in Parliament and is thinking of fixing them, maybe he can ask Halimah Yacob for help. She obviously is very good at juggling MANY things.

38) korek2korek on September 11th, 2008 11.41 pm

“I think this is a silly poser. If we go by your reasoning, are you saying a commuter should not buy shares in SBST or SMRT as there is “coflict of interest”? Can you enlighten me?”

This is precisely the problem. National assets being privatised ? For what reason ? So that it can a free hand to increase rates / prices as and when they like it in the good & convenient name of a private company ?

To really compete, you need a free environment and not one skewed to benefit a few corporations and the people in it giving you the impression that they are ‘real’ private corporations having to really compete in the real private sector.

So that if people do not like, they can easily shift to the next best alternative (of course not the next expensive option of taxis / cabs).

You may have all the right dressing couched in the label of privatisation. But who is running the show and who is creating this creature in the first place with conflicting features – very good for discussion which can extract equally valid reasonings from both sides.

Does it help ? Well, you will know it is not if it hits your own pocket. I think you need to korek harder next time.

Privatisation? Nah. . . . like the chinese saying goes, diplaying a goat’s head but behind selling dog’s meat, get it?

Privatisation? Nah. . . . kangaroo wearing white shirt and white pant feeding themselves millions and mee siam mai hum.

Hop, hop all the way to the bank !!!

better to pay MP $25,000 per month (up from their current $$?) so that they can be full-time MP and focus 100% on their constituents’ needs than profitability of some companies. let’s be serious here. we don’t need 80+ part-time MPs to run a small dot, we just need at most 40 full-time “committed” ones to look after us.

Nothing seems to be easier than seeing someone whom you can help but not helping.
I suggest we start giving it a try. Give love to the ones that need it.
God will appreciate it.