Xtra-insights is a new TOC column by Rachel Chung which will feature fortnightly on Thursday. In this debut article, Rachel writes about her recent participation in a dialogue session with the NTUC Chief, Minister Lim Swee Say.
Rachel Chung / Columnist
I found it hauntingly apt that JB Jeyaretnam said this in July earlier this year -
Cast off the slumber into which you have been led into for the last 10 years. Wake up to your rights as a human being, to your proper role as citizens of this country.
It was right about this time when I became politically and socially vocal again. I would like to say that Mr Jeyaretnam played a part in my citizenship exploration. As such, I would like to dedicate my first article in my TOC column, Xtra-insights, to Mr Jeyaretnam and his family.
Recently, I had an opportunity to meet and speak with Minister Lim Swee Say in a dialogue session. As I am neither pro or anti PAP, I can honestly say that there is nothing to dislike about him as he seems affable and modest enough – save for the million-dollar salary and the usual partisan pokes. As a minister, he comes across as being more approachable and genuine than his peers. The feedback from my conversations with my fellow dialogue participants is that he seems more sincere and honest than the likes of Wong Kan Seng or Mah Bow Tan.
I have tried to reproduce his words (in bold font) at the dialogue session as closely as possible in this article – to echo his ability to talk to people from all walks of life. He seldom uses big words and in fact, speaks simply to get his points across.
Background about Minister Lim Swee Say
Mr Lim Swee Say entered politics and joined the labour movement in 1996 to help the rank and file workers upgrade and remain employable. He served as Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) from 1997 to 1999 before he was appointed Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Minister of State for Trade and Industry in June 1999. He became Acting Minister for the Environment in October 2000 and Minister for the Environment in November 2001. In August 2004, Mr Lim was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for National Development and served concurrently as Deputy Secretary-General of the NTUC. He relinquished the appointment of Second Minister for National Development on 1 October 2005 to serve full time in the labour movement. From January 2007, MrLim serves as the Secretary-General of the NTUC.
On Country
Mr Lim said :
China has Deng Xiao Ping, Singapore has Lee Kuan Yew and that’s why we have been growing as a nation.
I felt slightly perturbed by the analogy. Here’s why.
- While Deng had never held office as the head of state, Premier or a head position in government (he was the General Secretary of the Communist Party), he was the de facto leader of China from 1978 to 1992. However, even after his retirement in 1992, he was widely regarded as having had “backroom control” of the government.
- Deng kept an iron fist ready to crush any threats to the nation’s Communist dictatorship. Deng orchestrated 北京之春 (Beijing Spring) – a short-lived political liberalization in the People’s Republic of China which occurred in 1977 and 1978. (The name is derived from “Prague Spring”, an political liberalization which occurred in Czechoslovakia in 5 Jan – 21 Aug 1968.)
- Deng is known for his political stronghold tactics – one example being the brutal suppression of unarmed demonstrators in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in June 1989.
In comparing the Minister Mentor of Singapore to a communistic de facto leader of China who ruled with an iron fist, what was Mr Lim’s underlying message?
On Life
Life is a total package – you cannot have the best of both worlds. There are always trade offs. Everything in life is neutral – anything can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it.
Mr Lim then went on to illustrate the issues of foreign talent and the integrated resorts” as examples of how they can be viewed as “good” or “bad” depending on “the angle you look at things”.
I am generally wary of the play on semantics, especially when it comes from someone who seems extremely affable and likable. The likelihood of being lured into a false sense of security and agreement is sadly and frequently real.
A grassroots helper in her 40s once said to me, “Mr Lim is a 好好先生. He won’t lie to us. If he says that CPF cut will help us, it must be true.”
Policies
The Government, in drafting policies, have to consider if it will have good or bad results in the future. Will it be sustainable? Any government can do right today. How about 5 – 10 years down the road? We have to look at the long term perspective.
With that, we will have to question the “Stop at 2″ initiative to curb birth rates in the 70s, which has led to the bleeding population rate today.
We also have to query the long term implication of a short term stop-gap solution of importing foreign talent. While we are suffering from a frail replacement ratio here, with the sudden influx of adults presently, will it not lead to the problem of a predominantly ageing population in 20 – 30 years’ time?
The introduction of integrated resorts might signal economic gains but what of the social impact? We cannot be compared with the likes of Macau simply because Macau does not have the reputation of being a nanny state and babying its people. Are we as a people sophisticated enough to handle the problems the gambling industry will bring?
Gambling addiction, loansharking and family degeneration aside, what about the sex trade? How is the government going to handle the problem of increasing sex escorts and workers drawn to our shores because of big money? Do the CDCs have subsidies in place to help the family members of a gambling addict or a debt-ridden family?
I have many questions but no answers.
The connection between the Labour movement and the government
The companies and businesses have to trust the government. There can be no trust without consistency. Imagine if the government says one thing today and another the next? How can investors trust in such a government?There has to be a Tripartite relationship between the government, the union and the businesses.
My question to Mr Lim is: So where does the People stand in such a tripartite relationship? How is it that a so-called tripartite relationship is missing the most important component – the people?
Questions put forth to Minister Lim Swee Say
In an interview with CNA’s S Ramesh, Mr Lim said,
The worse thing that any country does at a time of high inflation would be for the unions and workers to push for wage inflation. Wage inflation is different from wage increment. Wage inflation means you are pushing up wages to fully offset the inflation.
Using the above as a reference, I asked Mr Lim:
While we, as citizens, help the lower income group by volunteering and social enterprise, how does the government plan to reach out to the lower income group?
Also, I brought up the issue of socio-political bloggers and asked:
What is the official stand of the government towards bloggers?
He reply to me was:
You ask me, I ask who?
He went on to say:
Find your own answers.
How I am to find the answers to my questions, which basically required the information from the horse’s mouth, I do not know. It is almost like a vicious cycle, a Catch-22 to which we can find no concrete tangible answers.
Once again, I have many questions but I get no answers.
He ended the session with the sharing of a quote that had impacted his life -
People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.
Perhaps the real question I should have asked Mr Lim was:
“How much do you care? How much does the government care?”
——–
About the author:
Rachel is a freelance writer who also owns a fashion business. A mother of two daughters, she is passionate about issues pertaining to parenting, children’s rights, feminism, health and lifestyle. Her hobbies include baking, reading, writing, playing the piano and watching crime shows. Rachel writes about social and political issues at her blog, covers fashion and lifestyle articles at another site and of course, writes a fortnightly column for TOC. She has a strong academic background in English and English Literature and is currently reading a double majors program at honors level.
Power Corrupts! Absolute power absolutely corrupts!
Previously, i was naive to believe that PAP govt were incorruptible and had ppl best interests at heart. But, after observing their actions and listening to their speeches from asian financial crisis onwards, it seems that they are more interested in protecting their interests and acting hypocritically. These days, i hear of ministers using analogy of F1 and golf makes me wonder whether they have lost touch with the average singaporean.
is it golf and f1 nowadays?
used to be groundnuts and marbles.
after that, football and tennis.
wah! now golf and f1 . . . shit . . . where have i been to all these while?
“All these years, the govt has been telling us the country’s most valuable asset are its people.”
That is true just like a farmer consider its chicken its most valuable asset. He will sell the chicken as profit as business.
Taking it to the real world, how can people not be its country’s asset when the gov can milk and squeeze the citizen’s lifeblood (money) as they please and as they like. Is citizen as digit suppose to generate profit for the elite’s greater good ?
ASSET GENERATES VALUES, that’s why it is called ASSET otherwise it is called liability. Now is our MP, ministers and gov a liability or does they deserve their salary.
What ? Meet the Fart session ? Why Meet the Fart session ? If these MPs and ministers can connect to the real world and raise questions boldly in parliament, and implement good policy for citizen nationwide instead of caring for their own bottleneck, face and $$$$$$$$$, and not afraid of entering into some old fart’s black book, why do they even need to have MeetTheFart Session on citizen’s case-to-case basis in the first place ? What a wayang.
“Previously, i was naive to believe that PAP govt were incorruptible and had ppl best interests at heart.”
I’m curious. What make you believe in the party so much previously ? ShittyTimes ? Carrots ? Potatoes ? Until you start to get burn in Lehman ? Or for your own good ?
“If the gahmen wants to show care, bring down the electricity charges, public transport fare and other public service charges.”
How can ? Last time they says GST is increased to help the poor, ERP is increased in fees and number to help business, Gahmen’s salary increase to make country prosper and prevent corruption, now they have to continue the tradition to hike price to help the public, if not how can they validate their previous decisions.
This time ought to be increasing Electricity Charge, transport fare and other public service charges to help the poor.
wahahaha…
hlp poor…don lame lah…
hlp poor does not benefit them…
if really really need to hlp…
when the election come..tat time then hlp,,,got benefit ma…now hlp the poor,,,STUPID ar…
hahas…
real sad…
believe them is equal as lie yrself…
think about it..singaporeans.
54)
Daniel, give charlie a chance lah. he did admit he was naive.
there has to be an event that strikes at the heart (or pockets for this case) before one sees the real picture.
we are already a nation of zombies following the hypnotic command of the pap. we need a hard knock before we realise we have been hypnotised.
very sad but any new converts are welcomed.
we are gaining ground – bit by bit.
“when the election come..”
Same thing will happen with ministers citing
“Vote PAP to help the poor”
all along we know the poor refer to POOR MINISTERS.
What is one person’s loss is another person’s gain.
We are know now the Town Council has so much sinking fund, HDB upgrade plot cannot be used over again and again. Come next GE I really wonder what topics will be used to lure the common HDB dwellers to believe in them that they “CARE” about common Singaporeans.
All the shareholders of the 2 public transport company and related workshop companies and listed stat boards must be laughing all the way to the bank since most of them are high yield counters. The dividends pay-out is usually more than 5% compare to other private listed companies yield. Who are the main shareholders? You know who and I know who……..
Thank you everyone for your comments and insights. I am glad that you had a lively discourse and discussion on the basis of my article.
Thanks to smallvoice585 , Yi Long and “kenna rapped over and over by Pray and Paid” for your kind words. I will continue to work hard in my writing efforts.
Gemami and Vicker made me chuckle quite a bit with their humour.
isa: thanks for continuing to write, even when you thought you were being moderated for the alternative view. As I had mentioned, I am not pro or anti PAP – and had no reason or prejudice to deliberately discredit Mr Lim.
I have presented his words as they are. The debate and dialogue that followed is only to be expected – after all it is a dialogue session after all.
“Have rachael [Actually, my name is spelt as Rachel :) ]considered that would singapore reached a developed nation status without having more RIGHT policies than WRONG policies.”
Yes, believe me I have. However I have come to the conclusion that it is the right policy for the nation run as a profit centric corporation, but the wrong policies for its people.
Do Lim Swee Say and his PAP colleagues care for the country ?
I surmise they do but after caring for themselves first !
It is no different from what many of us do in real life, caring for self and family first before we care for the poor and needy. So does that mean such a mindset is good for the country when we are talking about political leaders who have absolute power ?
I am not optimistic the likes of Lim Swee Say, Wong KS, Mah Bow Tan and the rest of his colleagues will ever understand that truly caring for the country means putting the country before party politics. Anything else is shere hypocrisy !
I agree with you Donaldson about finally seeing something agreeable , But I won’t hold my breath. The real change can only come from the apex,
however not even a sniff when you have a “post turtle” at the helm.
Rachel and those who read her blog will know what I am talking about. LOL
“How much does the Government care?”
You ask me, I ask who? Find your own answers.
“How much did our GIC and Temasek Holdings lost in their most recent investments?”
You ask me, I ask who? Find your own answers.
“Why was Ho Ching the best man for the job running Temasek Holdings?”
You ask me, I ask who? Find your own answers.
Couldn’t resist it. Another classic for our records…
Of course Mr. Lim SS cares……it’s just that he cares much more about his multi-million-dollar salary than the people he is supposed to serve.
Do you know why our govt makes various social benefits schemes so complex and difficult to claim? So that the poor can go begging to PAP MPs…..and the MPs can gain political points by dishing out benefits, funded by taxpayers!!! Brilliant, right?
You know something? I learned it’s better for people not to be “freeloaders”. (I am a restrained freebie queen myself!)
Do we really need covered shelter from block to block (HDB)? All that isn’t free!! Now, who’s payin the price? Sometimes we have to see the big picture. An umbrella is not expensive to most.
Ronin mentioned about complex social benefits. The government need to go back to one of the principles of…surpise surprise…..MARKETING!
KISS
Keep
It
Simple
Silly
If the government starts giving a mundate that ‘forces’ employers to upgrade employees’ salaries, that may be the day I say YES GOVERNMENT GENUINELY CARES. For now, I just DON’T see it. (May be employers should start giving commissions atop of salaries. It is chaotic when everything from utility transport costs…fees…goes up but not our salaries. Otherwise this is a good reason to be your own boss.)
thanks rachel for the article….. be good though if we can know the context of the comments that was being articulated….
The Govt cares about how much money they can squeeze out of the common people in the name of helping the poor.
The Govt cares about how much CPF they can keep for themselves so that they have an ample and constant source of cheap funds.
The Govt cares so much about housing the people by ensuring the prices of public housing takes at least 20 years or more to pay for it so that it leaves you with nothing for retirement.
The Govt cares so much about ensuring the people have jobs that they make the males do national service and also have to compete for job opportunities with PRs and foreign workers.
The Govt cares about making sure they have a budget surplus every year so that they can have fun with it thinking they will make money on their investments.
The Govt cares about paying themselves as high a salary as shamelessly possible because they know the people they govern can’t do a thing about it.
The Govt cares about the elderly so much that they hope they will work themselves to death without flinching an eye about it.
Let us all be so grateful on how fortunate we are to have such a caring world class Govt.
The whole thing about reserve seems like a scam to me. Why gov talk about saving for future reserves when the investment of reserves end up depleting so much within 5 years due to poor investment ? What takes decades to save up for reserves endup losing so much value within such short years ? Damn it…. Which country lost so much like Singapore and yet gahmen so happy as though nothing has happened and even more so with forthcoming salary increment ? Reward for incompetence and status quo.
The Government is always trying to care – this is evidenced. However they need help – to be really in touch with its citizens. Past episodes and the Mas Selamat incident have confirmed that this Government is continuing to learn and the steeper the curve the better – learning to care for its citizens is just as important.
Look @ the turnaround over the minibonds statements when other countries extended more
Look at the way the Government try to protect the status quo at all cost – no by elections, and the last Elected President election – ask a third independent party watching the proceedings. Perception that the Government care needs improvement too.
Forgiveness is divine – but where is the heart needed to really care without forgiveness ; need there be so many legal suits? So much so that even ex-NKF CEO picked up the cue.
The Government must be helped to feel confident too otherwise it will be one pre-emptions after another.
Today’s paper has a statement by one younger minister that he entered politics vis a vis 9/11. Well said.
But Is not salary jump and increment also a big motivator in all honesty ?
Leaders must be exemplary – how about donating to charity ?
How about taking a paycut in this time of economic crisis to empathise ? Sharing is not seen enough – real sharing can close the divide.
There is always the credibilty gap – words are cheap ; action is needed to really care and the Government can really do more at such difficult times. Thank you.
I wonder how much months of bonus the ministers are taking home this year?
I mean, the economy is not good, the people are suffering and the ministers congratulate themselves for a good job done (with the Mas Selemat, the Serangoon Gardens, the MAS’s initial refusal to deal with the Lehmann Brothers case until 1000 people turn up to protest, the electricity hike despite rapidly falling oil prices).
This is a government that only cares for itself, not for the people.
So is this gonna be the new goverment slogan towards problem solving in the country: “You ask me, I ask who!” Then if the government feels it has no answer then surely the time has come for real change in Singapore. Change is happening everywhere in the world. In Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia, Japan etc. The biggest change will come in America when Barack Obama is elected President and that will signal to the world that the time has come for a change in the whole world.
I look forward to a total change in the world. For so long has the PAP government ruled thru fear and by telling the people that they and only they can run the country. Stand up people of Singapore and prove to the government that one does not need to be a pap member to run the country.
Serangoon dorm issue . . . too much reasoning.
- based on the report by Lee Siew Hua, Senior Political Correspondent, Insight, Straits Times on October 17, 2008.
Lee described MP Lim Hwee Hua as “an island of calm authority in the swirl surrounding salubrious Serangoon Gardens,
which will house foreign workers in the coming year”.
It started with “a recent leak of the news (that) alarmed some residents, who equated foreign labour with construction males
who would disrupt the serene life there”. She went on to opine that there are two spectrums of opinions among the residents.
She said: “On one end are people who feel foreign workers build the economy and therefore should be accorded respect and
hospitality. In other words, we should try and have them intergrated into our way of life. At the other end are those wo do not
want too many foreigners . . . We like Singapore as it is, which is really our own familiar people”
She then offered a variation of this thinking: “Singapore should review the kind of growth we want, since growth aspirations have
consequences such as the arrival of foreigners.
Poser 1:
Why is there a sudden need to respect and provide hospitality to the foreign worker? What about those who have worked here
and ‘contributed to the economy’? What happened to the samsui women? What happened to the Thai workers who were
repartriated during the construction slump during the eighties. Up to 50,000 of them were rounded up and sent home.
Poser 2:
What use is it for Singaporeans to “review the kind of growth we want” when we do not have a share of this growth? Look at our
pay increases relative to the rate of inflation. Does the new focus on growth excludes Singaporeans now that the focus is on
building infrastructures that attract businesses and the tourist dollar?
Let’s see her reply to the above.
She said: “I believe growth is not so easily calibrated where you say I just want a bit less growth so that I don’t have to deal
with so many foreigners.We work very hard to get investments in. We can’t tell investors that we can deal with only half of your
investments or say, can you come next year?” She further added: “Singapore finds itself in an ironically happy situation where
investments are flooding in and require a whole lot of support. The dorms are one element”.
Poser 3:
The dorms, an investment? What about the ‘calibration’ to make sure these foreigners have places to stay before they are recruited
and not after they have arrived and lodging becomes an issue.
About the dorms as an element of investment, this is what was reported in the same article.
“Also vital was Mr Mah’s commitment that the dorm, set in an old school, will operate for no more than five years”.
Poser 4:
Investment indeed! More like making money out of the poor foreign worker. Under the guise of ‘respect and hospitality’, the government
has devised a plan that sounds so good so sincere as well as very easy on the ears when read out loud. But as with all PAP policies, the
goodness of it is just in the binding.
Let us be respectful and hospitable to our foreign brothers and sisters. Let us house them in an old school. Let us charge them rent that
is equivalent to twenty-thirty percent of their monthly salary. Five years later, we will find another old building to re-house them and charge
more.
She then uses the ERP as an analogy to explain the level of awareness for those living around and those living further away from the dorm.
She said: “A person who treasures his time may not mind the principle of more gantries if he gets to work fast with smoother traffic.
But if he has a gantry outside his home, the same person might feel a little differently”.
Nothing mentioned about the extra monies that goes into the national kitty.
The best part of the Insight interview comes next.
She said: “in the recent uproar, the dearth of information was a painful factor”.
Did she really said this? : . . . “the DEARTH OF INFORMATION was a painful factor”.
Now comes the blaming, Wong Kan Seng style.
She said: “Part of the trouble was that a police officer – who ironically worked well with the neighbourhood committee – spoke prematurely
about the dorm before the Ministry of National Development had made a full technical assessment. The officer also conveyed the sense that
it was a done deal”.
She again attributed the lack of information as one of the underlying reasons why the residents imagine the worst-case-scenario.
Now for the bombshell:
“As she tells it, when her neighbourhood committee alerted her to the stories, she e-mailed Mr Mah straightaway to ask if there were plans
to put in a dorm and, if so, why she, the MP, was not told. She then asked him to quicken the assessment so nobody would be left in suspense.
Poser 5:
a. police officer knows about it.
b. 1400 residents signed petition over it
c. Serangoon’s 7000+ residents knows about it
d. Mah Bow Tan knows about it
e. Lim Hwee Hua, MP, does not know about it.
Are we dumb?
On the assessment to build the dorm.
As reported, her main points to MND boiled down to traffic and disamenities.
She said: “I basically gave my views as the local MP that you can’t run it through the estate, period”.
Poser 6:
As an elected MP, this is how she argues for you? Just her views, period?
She said this about the intergration of locals and foreigners.
“Each Singaporean can conciously make an effort to engage (the foreigners) more. Even among Singaporeans, we should all try to interact
with our neighbours because we are all such busy people. This may make it more natural to engage with outsiders”.
Poser 7:
Is this the new National Service? Since when is it Singaporeans problem to help foreigners intergrate – and “because we are so busy”?
She ended her interview and this was the concluding comment from the ST correspondent.
ST: “Last Saturday, she had a garden party for residents who lived a little farther from the dorm. She and her team, which she credits often,
had fun.
Poser 8:
Why weren’t the foreigners invited to the party? So much for intergration.
Poser 9:
Why was the party held for only those who “lived farther from the dorm?”.
Is it because those living nearer the dorm are still cursing her? – all 1400 of them?
Moral of the story:
Band together if you want results and want it fast.
“Why is there a sudden hospitality towards foreign workers?”
That’s a good question you know! Not that it isn’t an entirely good thing – many employers have FAILED to give basic housing with WORKING toilet facilities. But the government is also saying NEVER MIND WE WILL TAKE OVER THE DUTY OF MAKING SURE YOUR FOREIGN WORKERS HAVE A NICE DORM.
Can you see the longterm outcome?
SPOILT BRATS —-> employers in construction businesses!
Not saying that the workers do not deserve an appropriate place to live in. But why is the government CLEANING SHIT which should be the responsibilities of the employers’???? Beats me!
GEMAMI: “Band together if you want results and want it fast.”
I wouldn’t dare to say if we will have results – at least WE GET HEARD!! So yeah…band together!
IF I TELL govt “HEY LOOK! Some old folks’ home charity may be receiving subsidies from MCYS illegally – want to know which charities may be fleecing taxpayers’ money?” may be they will care! OPEN YOUR EYES BIG BIG GOVERNORS – YOU’RE NOT TIGHT IN REGULATING CHARITIES!!!! That quarterly submission from charities is crap. Youth Challenge won’t be the last.
Gemami,
Well said. Well done! It gives me a view of MP Lim H H as incompetent as most of the other MIW. What she basically done is nothing! She did not strongly oppose, and as an MP failure to have first hand information. What has she be doing? She need a lowly paid poor policeman to do her job of informing the residents. I am amazed at how much PAP MPs have fallen in their duties. I am utterly disgusted.
Li Jia Wei is quitting, so is the China coach and all this points to a failure to managed the STTC properly. So much so for the integration that should have help players like LI Jia Wei to feel as singaporeans. Another MP Lee Bee Wah should be chopped. What experience she has to run STTC? Do PAP think that all PAP MPs are highly talented creatures? You throw them in any organisation they can run it well? Remember the Dragon Boat incidents where our singaporeans rowers drown? Who is the chair? And so many more blunders this year for PAP and i hope they keep their mouth shut, especially woody GOH!
FG
Singaporeans are helping those who are in need. But always there is a minister who will be there taking credit! Why is this so? They dont do anything at all . Just come around with thier smiling deceving faces and trying to take credit. We should ban all these people from coming around to claim credit for what true honest hard working singaporeans are doing for their fellow countryman.
Only in sin PAP ministers hold multiple posts. They called this multi tasking. They work for both government and attched to boards of directors of major corporations payed by both and say they are fightning for the welfare and benefit of the poor. Only in singapore.
76) DARTH VADER
on the flip side; there is cause for conern for our lowly police officers.
seems like there is a new trend to blame them for everything when things go wrong.
“the police officer did it!” .
. . well, probably because there are not very many butlers in Singapore and most of them could only be found in the homes of millionaires..
Not to worry. All the increases that all singaporeans are facing now will be lowered come the next election or not they will have nothing to offer.
So stand by for more increases. The old issue of upgrading will no more be relevant. Stand up for Singapore. Stand by for more increases should be our new national song for the future.
I read today the government has allowed us to draw on our medisave for medical overseas. And guess who benefits . Guess who is in charge of that establishment. Your guess is as good as mine. So coincidential. You ask me. I ask who,. But i know you know who la.
there are underlying reasons why they are allowing us to draw on our medisave for medical oveseas.
Singaporeans seeking treatment locally are placed under subsidised category and with the bed cruch issue facing the major hospitals here, this is bad news in terms of generating money.
Walk into any of our restructured hospitals and you will see subsidised clinics being converted to privatised ones. the wards are also being converted to accommodate privatised patients.
we are attracting patients from all over and now it seems that it is so successful that our hospitals have no time to treat subsidised Singaporeans.
Drawing on medisave overseas isn’t such a bad idea. At least the money in there not sitting there doing nuts, not earning interests, etc!
Darth Vader: “Only in sin PAP ministers hold multiple posts. They called this multi tasking. They work for both government and attched to boards of directors of major corporations payed by both and say they are fightning for the welfare and benefit of the poor. Only in singapore.”
I agree with DARTH VADER! Only in Singapore!
Rachel,
While I am, like you, neither pro nor anti-PAP, I must say that your perspective of Lim Swee Say’s comparison of Deng to Lee is lacking in scope:
I share your view of both leaders’ heavy-handedness and oft-irrational fear of dissent. However, it is only fair to credit both with policies that encouraged the incredible growth that might otherwise have remained elusive for both China and Singapore. When the minister made the comparison, I would be inclined to think that he was speaking in terms of their contributions to their respective countries’ economic growth.
Also, in Deng’s case, please remember that he needed to legitimize his power because of the larger-than-life status of his deceased predecessor. He did this by 1) creating wealth/spurring growth and 2) keeping a tight rein on opposition. Fortunately, Lee did not need to be as ruthless, because he did not face similar crises during his time as PM.
Last, Lee has stated publicly Deng is his most admired politician, hence he might be perfectly happy with the comparison.
-Isabelle
In other words, LSS trying to polish the master’s shoes …. does not have any significance in reality lah.
Hi Isabelle
Upon hindsight of publishing the article here on TOC, I had published the piece on my blog on the 17th Oct – and have added the edifier of economic success and modernization.
While I agree with you that MM Lee might be perfectly happy with the comparison, I am not so much for the sake of the country.
Thanks for your sharing!
Good point about MM and Deng from Isabelle, however I believe the MM’s style of governance will not take Singapore forward.
MM may feel flattered to be compared to Deng but I don’t think the feeling will be mutual if Deng was still around.
The present Chinese govt have their hands full trying to deal with cronyism and greed. I am sure it has not escaped China’s attention regarding our unique Lee family arrangement of father, son and daughter-in-law. There is no way China’s leadership can condone such a serious conflict of interest whilst combating corruption. Simply no legs to stand on when facing 1.3 billion people.
The Chinese leadership must be dumbfounded that such an arrangement still exists which strictly belongs to the era of emperors.
So can a person who behaves like an emperor or a eunuch in the case of Lim, care for the people ? LOL