Andrew Loh
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday that the current downturn Singapore is facing is nothing quite like what the country has experienced before.
Speaking to the Singapore media at the end of his visit to Latin America, Mr Lee said that while there is still bitter medicine to be taken, the Singapore government has put a bit more sugar coating on the pill. (Channel NewsAsia).
The above report was on the 28 November 2008, less than two months ago. The Prime Minister was seeking to assuage Singaporeans’ concerns about the worsening economy and particularly about job losses. In the last few weeks, several companies have already started to lay off staff, including DBS and Panasonic.
The PM, as reported in CNA’s report above, even spoke about Singaporeans having to accept “ bitter medicine” in these bad times.
Thus, it was with much regret, to say the least, when two reports came out in the Straits Times on Tuesday. The first was about the former CEO of Seksun Corporation, Mr Felix Ong, who spent $50,000 of his own money in having calendars made for himself. The calendars had pictures of him assuming various personas. He had also employed models for the calendars. (See picture below).
The second article in the Straits Times, perhaps, is the more controversial one. It was a piece written by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR), Mr Tan Yong Soon. In it, he described his attendance of a cooking class in Paris, at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu, as part of a 5-week holiday. The basic course, which he signed up for, costs 7,750 euros (S$15,500).
Perhaps a little too self-engrossed, he said:
Taking five weeks’ leave from work is not as difficult as one thinks. Most times, when you are at the top, you think you are indispensable. But if you are a good leader who has built up a good team, it is possible to go away for five weeks or even longer.
While not many Singaporeans can afford to take 5 weeks off work to go on a holiday, or afford the price tag for such a holiday (especially to a place such as Paris), one would not normally chide the rich for doing so either. After all, they do work hard for their success and rewards and are entitled to enjoy them. However, Mr Tan is no ordinary, rich Singaporean. He is a senior civil servant. And he is one of those who just had his pay cut in the recent announcement by the Public Service Division.
In short, he is seen as part of the governing elite – and one who would be able to empathise with ordinary Singaporeans who are going through tough times. Indeed, the PM is preparing Singaporeans for some belt-tightening and ‘bitter medicine’.
Mr Tan’s revelation, in a national newspaper, at a time of anxiety for most, is insensitive, to say the least.
And this coming on the back of the People’s Action Party town councils’ nonchalant attitude towards the loss of millions of dollars in investments in discredited financial products.
Perhaps it is true – in fact, I feel it is – that the rich in government has lost touch with Singaporeans and lost it totally. For anyone who has any sense of empathy for the average working person struggling to survive would not be splashing his story of luxurious holidays in full spread in a national newspaper. Least of all a senior civil servant.
While I applaud the government for the pay cut, I cannot but be entirely disappointed that, as Mr Tan has shown, it is only cosmetic.
How else can it be if one is willing to spend thousands on a cooking course on a 5-week holiday and then boast about it in a national newspaper?
Where is the empathy and sensitivity among our elite for the average Singaporean?
Finance Minister Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, when asked about whether civil servants would lead by example and take a pay cut, said, “We are not here to grandstand.” (Straits Times)
One can only hope that someone will tell Mr Tan that while it may be true that “if you are a good leader who has built up a good team, it is possible to go away for five weeks or even longer,” Mr Tan should realize that sometimes a little empathy and sensitivity goes a longer way.
Ditto Mr Ong.
———
Picture from Straits Times report.
——–
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[i]theonlinecitizen on January 8th, 2009 12.41 pm moshedyan
Please don’t write in this manner if you are going to post long comments. It takes up unnecessary space.
Thanks.
[/i]
ok
no more long stories to share..
on short cold 1s……..
If Tan can take 5 week holidays and his office still can function regardless he there or not. That means what? Is it we no need to have Tan around and the office still can function as usual, why still have him in the post? I think his subordinate can take over his job and let him have more holidays forever, and we can save his salary to help the poor that will be more meanful then boosting his wealth as a senile civil servant.
Dear moshedyan,
I am beginning to feel very turned off reading TOC comments due to
strange posts by u-kno-who?
if not, let me know by email : teo_ho_hip@gmail.com . thanks.
I remember there was a forum which was quite popular last time.
then some forummers start to attack it by posting weird things that turn readers off. and then that forum literally got destroyed by these people.
Everybody seems to have missed the point. This isn’t about the insensitivity of civil servants. Almost all civil servants here are self-absorbed and insensitive anyway. It’s the underlying belief that all this money he made was taxpayers’ money, and he DOES NOT deserve it. It almost like a leech boasting to its victim about how much blood it has sucked and how fat it’s grown.
are we witnessing a global reality taking place in SG?
According to david ruthkopf, the world now is more or less run by the superclass. An elite of the elite of 6000 individuals among the 6 millions of us…
i’m just guessing our LKY is certainly in this group, maybe HC (becos of temasek holdings) but no more from SG. Yes, not even LHL… his S$3million/year salary actually is nothing compared to this superclass (if you want to talk about money), and his influence has not reach his dad’s level…yet.
The global superclass are dominated by the private sector individuals (notably USA), with the rest make up of very influential politicians (gov man), military man, academics, religious clergy, etc…
generally the above ppl are not as wealthy as the private sector individuals in the superclass (again if u wan to talk about money).
But SG is unique, our political elite also happen to be our wealthy elite. There is an overlap here. (btw, bill clinton US$100million wealth is nothing in this superclass). Of cos, our SG elite cannot be compared with this superclass in terms of wealth. Being a small country, we need a core group of elite (this is debatable if you want) to engage this “upside down world” of the global super elite.
in this world, ppl who tends to flaunt their wealth mostly are from the private sector, (the likes of richard branson) and generally we dun really care…again SG is unique, this time it happens to be an x general and a current civil servant. So that is the crux of the matter.
The current world system is really run by the super rich. Gov has lost its traditional power and authority. “Market economy” only serves the rich and gov is more or less powerless to help the people (workers)…
this little red dot is really quite irrelevant in this greater scheme of things.
My only hope is that our current political elite, and therefore by extension part of our wealthy elite really do care for the people. Becasue only they have the political power to do good for the rest of us (workers). We gave them the mandate, they gave themselves a raise, they go out there to engage these superclass, to make sense of where the world (and therefore money/wealth) is heading and hopefully bring some back to Singapore.
If i am wrong. SG will not go down (they can always replenish w/ chinese/indians, who are more than willing to slave for them), but we true-blue SIngaporeans are finish…
good day.
Hi correction.
world population of 6 billion.
so many and yet so powerless…
Folks, he’s a civil servant, not some politician. He’s entitled to spend his money anyway he wants it.
BUT
The fact that he chose to spend his money, the taxpayers money, on some cotton pickin’ activity which has no obvious benefit to society but himself makes me wanna throttle him
AND
The fact that he chose to spend his frigging money, our money, the taxpayers money, at some faraway foreign country instead of doing it here makes me wanna kick his butt all the way to China.
Like I said, he ain’t no politician, and I don’t think he ever intends to be one.
Didn’t the PM said something about not adopting strategies to boost consumption because they money’s gonna flow out anyway? Well, he’s right! With pricks like this around, of course our money is leaving the country.
Least I know one thing, a first class scholar is a first class a-hole.
Sadly, the country can no longer take the financial burden of our over-paid civil service. Let’s see how long they can last after digging into 2007′s reserves for 2008′s deficit. With 2009 likely to be another deficit year, we dig deeper into our reserves or we trim costs? With the attempt by the government to create jobs by hiring teachers and more civil servants, looks like trimming costs is not their plan.
[i]comprain on January 8th, 2009 1.05 pm Dear moshedyan,
I am beginning to feel very turned off reading TOC comments due to
strange posts by u-kno-who?
if not, let me know by email : teo_ho_hip@gmail.com . thanks.[/i]
thank you
as i said before
if moderator
do not appreciate
the way i write
my styles
i contribute lesser loh….
i got nothin to lose @ all
appreciated and grateful
that some readers here
do enjoyed my wierd comments…………
This site seems to have only anti-government or opposition supporters. There is absolutely no fairness here. Besides, all of you simply view everything from a single perspective.
If I were to govern or if anyone were to govern this bunch of people, we would have quit long ago and let the whole boat sink into the depths. Then perhaps these people who once called for the PAP to relinquish it’s position will make punitive attempts to recall the party which brought them splendor and prosperity.
All of you show nothing but blatant disrrespect and ungratefulness. You have been brain washed by everything you’ve read overseas and such. The internet has coated your eyes in such a way that you will never be able to see the actual world unless you really want to accept the truth. No wonder so many foreigners called Singaporeans complain kings. No wonder Li Ao caricatured Singaporeans Stupid.
You people do nothing but prove them right.
Just because of this small issue, you make a big fuss out of everything. Creating a moutain out of a molehill, that’s what they say and YOU do. Why can’t you people just reject what foreigners have been saying about this country outright? None of you are thinkers or producers, but just receivers and part of a herd mindless. Of course, a few of you do expect something constructive out of the government and actually throw up useful suggestions, but the majority are like..
You guys think it’s so easy to govern? So simple to correct? Do you people even realise that a foundation once destroyed will never be built upon again? From your comments above, it doesn’t really seem like.
Even that moshedyan or noelofarc or whoever he is outclasses most of you.
I am neither a PAP adherent nor an opposition supporter, but the remarks all of you make only serves to make me realise that all of you, like Chee SJ and others are fighting without a cause. Only a few opposition members ever realise what they want and outline their objectves clearly for the electorate to read.
So what if Tan takes a five week leave? Is there anything wrong with that? Do you people even know her in the first place? Or did you get all your information from here. Mr Tan isn’t a person who takes the spotlight often. A wrong remark or controversial statement isn’t something that is a big issue. It isn’t as though he made a racist remark, a discriminatory statement or what. And yet, this is the response. You guys pounce on everything possible and oppose for it’s sole purpose.
Singaporeans..
As for tea sessions and such, not every minister know how to express his sentiments in public. I am sure Mr Tan has his good intentions. Just because he went for intensive tea sessions, so what? There was this person once during the warring era. He didn’t know how to speak properly, but he writes extrememly well. It isn’t a matter of expression of anything.
From what Mr Tan writes, it’s possible he’s refering to people taking the managerial or directive roles. He just didn’t express it well to avoid any controversies. Besides, this fellow isn’t a spokesperson. Neither did he come from major ministries such as Trade and Industry or Finance. And he isn’t a cabinet minister by the way, which some of you seem to imply.
~sigh~
“You have been brain washed by everything you’ve read overseas and such.”
The reason why we still need foreign talent right. Same goes to the love that your masters have shown for overseas talents right.
“You people do nothing but prove them right.”
Sure, that is what we call self-fulfilling prophesy. Anway, have you done to arrest this trend.
My personal opinion on the Perm Sec’s enjoyable holiday is
he deserves a long rest afterall he has sacrificed himself so much for the country and the people. that means you! yes you.
I not only think he deserved the expensive holiday, I hope he gets to enjoy a pension scheme as well.
regrads
pawnzee bong bong
“Even that moshedyan or noelofarc or whoever he is outclasses most of you.”
That is what I like about internet, you can sound so objective somtimes.
60) panter on January 8th, 2009 3.31 pm
you have ignored #59.
TOC is very neutral. It allows both types of views.
and its FREE. What else is free in singapore? can you enlighting me? i mean maybe some other free things i no no.
correcto: I meant #63 sounds good comment.
maybe the article was to encourage people to spend and spend and pay and pay to help the ailing economy that is in Recession and in so bad shape?
but of he had spent all that money in singapore, would have been more benefitial to singapore ?
i wonder.
“So what if Tan takes a five week leave? Is there anything wrong with that? Do you people even know her in the first place?”
Nothing wrong. Just that there is a place and time for everything and I guess that you know the word “discretion”. As a high ranking officer of high intelligence, why couldn’t it be done quitely especially in this trying time where a lot of private sector jobs may be gone for a long long time.
Important things that we urge for openess and transparency, they are not so forthcoming. Personal things like annual leave which should be kept personal, they are so open transparent and open. Aiyoh, why ask for unnecessary trouble.
Do it with sensitivity and empathy, yes the correct word is empathy.
Hi panther #60),
You are trying to steal the limelight, aren’t you? You do know what is heading your way with such an outburst, don’t you?
OK, I shall spare you my immediate reaction, turn the other cheek, and try to see your outburst constructively. I shall dwell on your words tonight and see where they bring me tomorrow. Fair enough?
if you are of good class, good breed, good education – join the PAP as ministers and you too can get 5 weeks leave and holidays of $45000!
Great advert.
hi gemami, always appreciate your presence…
Hi radlife66,
thanks for the show of appreciation. I’m touched. Have to excuse me though, still pondering over the words of panter above.
cheers :)
ah panter! welcome back! I thought you wouldn’t come back to this site already after you commented on your blog the people on this website can’t think and suffer from a herd mentality. Oh well, I guess we can always change our minds. So don’t feel embarrassed or anything. We all get to learn a lot if we overcome our fear of appearing less than good. But to be honest, I’m just a bit saddened that you haven’t heeded the kind advice of patriot and co. to remain just a bit more humble. :(
You must always keep in mind. Intelligence is a gift that has to be used wisely. If you want to convince people to think like you, have to be more persuasive. Belittling them will never win them over, ok? You have a point, but they also have a point. If not next time you become boss or minister, then people dun agree with you, then you scold scold scold them for being stupid, how to lead like dat? Ok? God give you intelligence is to educate the lesser intelligent one. So must use the gift wisely
Ok? Can? Hugs. :)
@#75: Hey, that boy is already thinking of governing the world and you still add fuel to his irrationalism… Hahahahahahahahaha…
The boy is… not suitable for politics and governance lah~ Too stubborn and too ‘layman’. By the time he is 25+, this world is already in a pretty mess, and with his kinda calibre… he probably still dreams of a simple tea session and ‘helps’ the PM… unless the PM at that time wanna throw his regime into toilet bowl, how can?
“I am neither a PAP adherent nor an opposition supporter, but the remarks all of you make only serves to make me realise that all of you, like Chee SJ and others are fighting without a cause. Only a few opposition members ever realise what they want and outline their objectves clearly for the electorate to read.”
Could you name those few opposition members ever realise what they want and outline their objectves clearly for the electorate to read. Can or not ?? Why so difficult ?? Or just say say only ??
#58 Hi 235SA,
again, this is the “unique” feature of SG polity. In a dominant one party system, the civil service is part of the ruling political party. Therefore by extension, they are also the ruling elite.
Not to mention the military, your career ascendency to the coveted administrative service depends not only on your capability but also your unquestioning allegiance to the ruling party and therefore by extension also part of the ruling elite.
Control of the media and information. Key appointment holders are planted former intel ppl. and therefore by extension are part of the ruling elite.
Religion. You want to tender for land to buid your church/temple/mosque (maybe they give more face to muslim due to our geopolity…i dun noe….on dangerous round here. period) Your leaders/congregation are compliant ppl? it would be easier if in your congregation got some establishment figures. so by extension they have control of religion and therefore these religious leaders become representatives and incorporated into the elite structure…
Judiciary…
Sociology 101 don’t cover all these hor…
My personal feeling is that the structure is wrong. At present (i pray and hope i am right), the ppl in positions are still not so bad, or else we are really finish…
i think these ppl do right 95% of the time, and that is quite good already…the rest of the 5%…they HAVE to listen to the dominant political party.
The believe is that in order for SG to survive… these extended elites must “hold the fort”…and do what it takes to protect the status quo…
sorry to have highjack your post about civil servant learning cooking in paris…
but you see, i think the point they are trying to project is that they are all one and the same… uniquely singapore.
My take is that PAP is only part of the problem, the way we are heading really is dictated by the global forces at play cos’ we are so plugged in.
6,000 telling 6,000,000,000 how to make a living. I think this stinks!!! but at present this is the reality (we are going back to the guilded age)… when push comes to shove, you sure hope your country/gov is part of the 6,000 and not part of the 6 billion and pray hard that they are not self serving ppl or else finish also… so you see…the present situation stinks!!!!!
SG cannot solve this problem, we can only follow…. i don’t like this as much as you do…
thanks online citizen for giving us this space to express our views.
“Do you people even know her in the first place?”
“As for tea sessions and such, not every minister know how to express his sentiments in public. I am sure Mr Tan has his good intentions. Just because he went for intensive tea sessions, so what?”
And how do you know. Do you even know her in the first place.
Moshedyab showed off his Spanish. Even the PS Gen cannot write in this language but most likely he knows his French and can parle vu shinwa.
Anyway I can write, speak and swear in Swedish.
Alla flickor i Swerige ar gratis and I say this to the Swedish man I see when he tries to find clients to go to his ecovillage retreat in Vientiane
Ask this PS Gen to cook his French dishes and bring it to the war front if Singapore has to fight for its survival one day. And to lead by example and to foster a spirit of comraderie he should share it it even with the humble riflemen and with the brass, the brigade staff. Lead from the front and even Alexander the Great did it all the time and it was not for show or morale. Not like General Patton or Blood and Guts, who would drive to the Front and showed off and then fly back by the Storch plane or a light plane. Not like General Macarthur of I shall return remark who got the journalists and cameramen to assemble and he would walk ashore to the captured beach.
This PS Gen should be like the Israeli officers, generals and platoon commanders and they have been leading from the front since the 1940s. And even today —now. We all know them but why is it our officers and including this PS chappie
are so distant from the humble nobody footsloggers in the army and I believe our officers are really rotten. An army is led and when the leaders are rotten and that is the end or the beginning od the end.
“This site seems to have only anti-government or opposition supporters. There is absolutely no fairness here. Besides, all of you simply view everything from a single perspective. ”
so what fairness are you shouting about? aren’t you using your own tinted glasses to judge these people here?
‘If I were to govern or if anyone were to govern this bunch of people, we would have quit long ago and let the whole boat sink into the depths. Then perhaps these people who once called for the PAP to relinquish it’s position will make punitive attempts to recall the party which brought them splendor and prosperity.”
you are extremely naive. please, read more than your SS textbooks. read more than your history textbooks. read more than your ST. and study more and learn more about Singapore before you even start commenting and implying that only PAP can do it and no one else can. and don’t even dream about governing.
“All of you show nothing but blatant disrespect and ungratefulness. You have been brain washed by everything you’ve read overseas and such. The internet has coated your eyes in such a way that you will never be able to see the actual world unless you really want to accept the truth. No wonder so many foreigners called Singaporeans complain kings. No wonder Li Ao caricatured Singaporeans Stupid.
You people do nothing but prove them right.”
you lack the subtlety to distinguish between outright complaints and opinions. people are saying here that he lacks empathy. its fair comment, its people’s judgement of other people’s character. the mainstream media has sugarcoated you in such a way that you close the entire world around yourself, view it through your own tinted glasses and think that everyone is out to get you. And I am sorry. I do not see the need to be grateful to Singapore, because I did not have a choice to choose where I was born. The government is doing what it is expected to do, and paid highly to do. Those ministers aren’t doing that out of their goodwill. Why be grateful?
“Just because of this small issue, you make a big fuss out of everything. Creating a moutain out of a molehill, that’s what they say and YOU do. Why can’t you people just reject what foreigners have been saying about this country outright? None of you are thinkers or producers, but just receivers and part of a herd mindless. Of course, a few of you do expect something constructive out of the government and actually throw up useful suggestions, but the majority are like..”
not everyone is as close minded as you to reject outright things that are critical of singapore because everyone else knows singapore isn’t as perfect as you think.
“You guys think it’s so easy to govern? So simple to correct? Do you people even realise that a foundation once destroyed will never be built upon again? From your comments above, it doesn’t really seem like.”
governing isn’t simple. however, i don’t see how those comments above are related to your comment about “destroying a foundation”.
“I am neither a PAP adherent nor an opposition supporter, but the remarks all of you make only serves to make me realise that all of you, like Chee SJ and others are fighting without a cause. Only a few opposition members ever realise what they want and outline their objectves clearly for the electorate to read.”
the typical PAP supporter that has to identify himself as NOT a die-hard PAP supporter or NOT a PAP supporter so as to “lend strength to his pro-government arguments”. nobody asked or cared about who you support. its already obvious. saying its not is just plain stupid. even attempting to deny it would only confirm the fact further.
“So what if Tan takes a five week leave? Is there anything wrong with that? Do you people even know her in the first place? Or did you get all your information from here. Mr Tan isn’t a person who takes the spotlight often. A wrong remark or controversial statement isn’t something that is a big issue. It isn’t as though he made a racist remark, a discriminatory statement or what. And yet, this is the response. You guys pounce on everything possible and oppose for it’s sole purpose.”
i think you do not catch the main bulk of the comments here. firstly, he is in the public sector. he is expected to behave with decorum and humility is a must. what he has done is to boast about it(clearly) which sparked off netizens’ anger given the bad economic climate. people are struggling to put food on the table, and retrenchments are coming thick and fast, yet the newspapers allowed such a top civil servant to write and publish such an article that lacks humility and class. do you get it? if he has kept his mouth shut, nobody would have known about his holiday and nobody would have CARED.
“Singaporeans..”
you are one yourself. close-minded, ignorant and think he knows it all.
“As for tea sessions and such, not every minister know how to express his sentiments in public. I am sure Mr Tan has his good intentions. Just because he went for intensive tea sessions, so what? There was this person once during the warring era. He didn’t know how to speak properly, but he writes extrememly well. It isn’t a matter of expression of anything.”
i think you didn’t even read the article before you started commenting. Mr Tan WROTE THAT DAMN ARTICLE HIMSELF.no mis-quotes here. so what are you saying now? writing is a form of expression isn’t it? the fact you are writing here means you are expressing your disgust at what you perceive as ungrateful and disrespectful netizens, no?
“From what Mr Tan writes, it’s possible he’s refering to people taking the managerial or directive roles. He just didn’t express it well to avoid any controversies. Besides, this fellow isn’t a spokesperson. Neither did he come from major ministries such as Trade and Industry or Finance. And he isn’t a cabinet minister by the way, which some of you seem to imply.”
please. our cabinet ministers make even worse gaffes. this guy is an ex-SAF general. he is the head of URA in the past too. and there is no doubt he is one helluva smart guy. however, his sheer arrogance over-ruled his intelligence here. that is one article uncalled for in such bad times.
good luck for your O levels. you will need them.
I’m uncomfortable with some commentators saying the abovementioned civil servant is ‘spending taxpayers’ money’. Everyone works hard for their pay, including him.
I think this TOC article is blown out of proportion. The original PermSec article was published on Life, to give readers interesting stuff on what’s out there in Paris etc. Furthermore it’s only the work of one person and cannot fully represent the entire governing elite; it’s not a trend. I agree the ‘governing elite’ can and should show sensitivity and empathy for people who may lose their jobs by leading the way. But it seems the author is trying to sensationalise this piece of news, instead of reporting anything concrete.
Singapore’s Future?
We are lucky for too many times, most crisis is over by 18 to 24 months.
As far as I known……….
1985, recession- cause by Government increase in salary -to move out the cheap manufacturing.- Freeze pay and cut CPF, at the peak it was 25% employee 25% employer
Cut to 20% and 10% empolyer
Economy recover after 1987, CPF take 5 years to restore to only 20% to 20%
Good times from 1990 to 1997- but the real money is buying property and trading HDB flats- COE reached 100K
1998- currency crisis—- property crash 40%, HDB follow through
2001-Nasdaq bubble burst and 9/11- early election and cut CPF
old method- and reduce the CPF from 6000 dollars to 4500 dollars
effective cutting pay again and also tax you more
2003 SARS- and 2004 finally recover.
CPF took 4 years to reach only 20% and 16.5%
Property bubble started with the private sectors shooting 100% in 3 years at 2007
HDB at prime location hit the peak.
2008- US financial crisis- government, this time the big different is that the whole world is involved and it will take longer than 2 years to solve it.
The population is getting old, CPF cut is no go anymore.
Early election is hard as Youth Olympic is in 2010.
So what they doing is just praying that the crisis will be over in 2010!
come Jan the Nation wage committee will recommend cut in salary using the Variable Wage component. Then by end o f 2009, no recover in sight, CPF will be used!
So you see, they have no ideals, cutting CPF is just cutting your pension system.
They have done it two times, that is why 50% of Singaporean can never hit the Minimum SUM in the SA.
The SAD thing is they are making the poor Singaporean Poorer and moving in Chinese and Indian to squeeze the lower end even harder to leave.
But the funny things is that the poor people don;t known how to vote!
Every election there is 35% to 40% of opposition vote, the bulk of it come from the
richer and educated lot! The policy is killing the poor and yet they vote for them.
When the world recover, they will say how well they have done! they will increase their salary and hit even higher, but our poor singaporean will still stuck with 1200 to 1500 pay again.
I am just very sad for the low wage worker. Saw a lot of Chinese worker in coffee shop, where are our Ah Soh and Uncle,…… Are these foreign talent!
They are stealing the job of our own people!, who allow them to come!
Things you will not hear coming out of their mouths.
“Come on, Singaporeans, we are in the same boat. You are rowing, we are using our brains to plan. It’s not an easy job to do.
And when bad times come, we can afford helicopters or even private jets to save us, you will just die in that sinking sampan.”
“Hey dear, now it’s the financial crisis, stop wearing your branded stuff out, people will start talking. We have to put on a show before the election.”
“It’s the survival of the fittest. Do you think it’s easy to be a minister? I’m willing to change place with you, Mr Bus-Driver.”
JTYS
Hi 83) me,
that’s a nice one. but nowadays, i wouldn’t bother retorting them, simply because they will create stories or their own ideal world and impose upon everyone else. so let’s maintain the peace. people who can see will know whether there is any depth to his comment or it is just plain old “you owe everything to pap” crap.
i owe my life to PAP. PAP made me who am I. PAP made my country. PAP founded Singapore. Hence for PAP, I will die for it.
To Panter and eternalhap:
Its called cynicism. I feel many commentators cannot bring themselves to see the positive or even neutral perspective. To them, there is none but negative. I don’t blame them now, after having read the comments. It is called conditioning.
They need a paradigm shift, but they are stuck. They just can’t.
Like you said, Panter, they don’t even know him.
Like you said, eternalhap, they dont even understand the difference between spending taxpayers money and spending their savings. Just because they pay taxes does not give them the right to tell civil servants how they should spend their money.
They only see the high salary they think the PS is earning. Maybe they are jealous, maybe they feel its unjustified.
It is a FACT that PS’ Cordon Bleu is SEEN as insenstive. Can’t change this perception.
Maybe all civil servants esp the high ranking ones should just shun all publicity.
Maybe all high ranking ones might try doing the reverse, embark on a charity drive say, donating NEWLY bought digital cameras etc and sell them to raise funds for the needy. I bet my dollar – that too will also drive negative comments. Not insensitivity this time, but PR exercise, or some shade of arrogance.
Its called Cynicism.
And no. I don’t know the man either. I was first just interested in the fact that he took a course with Cordon Bleu…
Let’s just say, if you knew the man, and he gives vigorously to the needy, and is a superb leader. And he hadn’t gone on holidays for 2 years. He brought forward his leave from last year. (Do you know 24 day a year leave exists?)
He just happens to be a civil servant, the ruling elite. Would you have negative comments? Would you still say he is insenstive?
But then again, you wouldn’t know, would you? I don’t either. So at best I remain neutral. That is called a paradigm shift.
I can accept that a newpaper article like this creates bad PR for him. But the extrapolation of logic in the comments was just preposterous.
aiyoyo
only hope all commoners can tide over this financial tsunami safely,
still not sure what the ELITEs actions effective or not,
still life very pressure in this country leh…
blur liao
aiyoyo
Hi 62) panter ,
Good morning to you. I had had a good night’s sleep after pondering over your words and this is what I have come to.
panter: Besides, all of you simply view everything from a single perspective.
This sentence has so much truth in it, I agree. But then again, I asked myself, whose fault is it? And, you know what? I attribute the fault to our PAP govt and the state controlled media. They have, over the years, colluded to make Singaporeans think with a one-track mind. And, the comments expressed here are nothing but an extension of this mindset. The difference is, the one-track I am speaking of, is very much in the opposite direction from that of the MSM.
The conclusion here is this; if those of you who think there is nothing wrong with the manner by which our MSM has been ‘controlling’ our minds, then there ought to be nothing wrong with the manner by which comments are posted here in TOC expressing one’s view.
We must not be biased. If we think it is ok for our MSM to speak up for the PAP they way they do, then we must give the same consideration and allowance to others who may choose to speak up against it they way they do.
This imho, is being fair. Hope this answers the question on fairness.
panter: If I were to govern or if anyone were to govern this bunch of people, we would have quit long ago and let the whole boat sink into the depths.
Good that one so young is already harbouring thoughts of governing. You have my full support and encouragement.
My immediate thought was; “Maybe they did quit. Maybe they had already given up on us, that’s why we feel so left out”.
While reflecting further on this comment, I somehow turned my attention to those in the civil service, responsible for drawing up policies for the government to consider; and; those who provide feedback to the government on how these policies, whether they are working or not, and how they affect the general populace.
I too came to one conclusion, that, perhaps you are right, that the fault does not lie with the leaders but with these people, these civil servants responsible for providing accurate feedback. Perhaps, in their anxiety not to offend their bosses, they have resorted to distorting their reports to paint a falsified picture of swaying palm trees and gentle breezes amid the glorious sunshine.
By these distorted reports and feedback, our leaders, perhaps began to think they are doing a great job and that all Singaporeans in every segment of society are well and good and jollily happy? Perhaps, it is the same reason why our people-loving MM believes that there are no poor and destitute people in his beloved country.
panter:All of you show nothing but blatant disrespect and ungratefulness. You have been brain washed by everything you’ve read overseas and such. The internet has coated your eyes in such a way that you will never be able to see the actual world unless you really want to accept the truth..
Ah, ‘respect’; how shall I begin. Shall I say, it is the same with the level of respect accorded to us as citizens of the land?
Let me explain. Over the years, since my grandfather’s time, and possibly since your great grand parent’s time, we have accorded the PAP the respect they deserved and for generations, we have worked alongside them to build Singapore into what it is today. I am sure you won’t be arguing with me here when I say the success of Singapore is to be attributed to both leaders and the citizens – equally.
Now, when Singapore began to taste the fruit of success after all our hard work, we suddenly have the same group of leaders telling us that they have become super-intelligent, overnight, and needed to be paid according to their intelligence. Meanwhile, over at the other corner, the same people who have helped build the country, have suddenly grown old, stupid and useless and need lots of retraining, re-skilling and up-skilling.
Do you see, panter; who is not according who, the respect one deserves?
panter: Do you people even realise that a foundation once destroyed will never be built upon again?
We realise and we want to protect it. Better still, we want to help shape it.
With the above explanation, can you tell me now, who is it that is trying to destroy the foundation you are speaking of? The PAP govt is making a mockery of our contributions, they are lapping up the high life and boasting about it in public (include LSS), while the rest of us are losing our jobs, our meals and very soon our children’s education (mark my words).
As for your comment on the opposition and particularly CSJ, I suggest you go visit their websites; or; better still, if you are serious enough in wanting to know more about them; go talk to them to understand what they stand for. Don’t depend on what you read and hear from the MSM. Like you suggested yourself, don’t be guilty of having cloistered views. Take up your own challenge, my boy.
panter: As for tea sessions and such, not every minister know how to express his sentiments in public.
Oh come on. We all know about these tea sessions. We’ve heard the boast over and over again and the criteria by which the PAP sieve the weeds from the wheat. We’ve even heard, not too long ago, that tea sessions assessment includes the ability to speak well in public. You argument cuts no ice with me.
Now that I have taken the night to ponder your words, I do hope you take at least half the time to digest and reflect on mine.
I appreciate the discourse and hope you do too.
Gemami
“I too came to one conclusion, that, perhaps you are right, that the fault does not lie with the leaders but with these people, these civil servants responsible for providing accurate feedback. Perhaps, in their anxiety not to offend their bosses, they have resorted to distorting their reports to paint a falsified picture of swaying palm trees and gentle breezes amid the glorious sunshine.”
Your hypothesis is probably right. I had a good occasion to meet up with a minister once (it was a panel discussion), and i guess it was eye opening in the sense the minister was astonished at the ‘resentment’ felt towards some of the words spoken by prominent ministers. (eg, LHL’s condolences to JBJ’s passing on) And, I would have to admit too, when you are talking with someone in position, you tend to mince your words, and so did I. And I was considered among the more outspoken ones in the group already. The thing is, other that the truly aggrieved, we all exercise a certain level of reverence and sugar-coating of words when talking to influential people. I feel, for example, the recent speech made by Tharman and CJ is symbolic of a DESPOTIC rule, but would I dare say it out to their faces? Hmmm…
(But, digressing a bit, we sometimes also have to take a step back to see if people disatisfied with the PAP are the majority or minority. It might seem like the majority here because disatisfied people are mostly more vocal, and we keep hounding away, perhaps unintentionally, the ‘loyal’ pap supporters. We don’t exactly get a very good picture also.. if you consider there are 2671 views at this moment, and 90 comments (by perhaps only 20-30 people) that’s a lot of people whose views we don’t know. )
I have mentioned before about a friend telling us how LHL’s cycling trip in loyang was met with much ‘refurnishing’ of the planned route. If LKY were to visit, say, the lavender area, no doubt all he would see are clean estates and smiling people, cheering, waving flags. I remembered the 2006 post-elections, where grassroots people practiced for almost a hour just to wave flags and cheer as LKY’s entourage drove past. I often wonder why most ministers and decision-makers just can’t make impromptu visits to the ground; perhaps for security reasons? Perhaps they had been ‘discouraged’ by their subordinates? I dunno.
I often wonder too, that most of the ones in charge are good people when you start to know them personally. It often baffles me why when a bunch of good people come together, the net result isn’t always positive. I guess we can sometimes turn to smaller organisations, like the companies we worked for to see. Most employers would like to think they are fair and good. But no employer is above the ‘sins’ of ego, pride and preferential treatment. Maybe that can explain why people below are frequently upset with people at the top.
Lastly, I appreciate you take the time to ponder panter’s words. It shows a huge level of respect that he has yet to accord to anyone here. I hope he can learn that you don’t have to insult the intelligence of those whom you disagree with. That when people whack him, they are mostly whacking the messenger and not the message.
i can believe that “most of the ones in charge are good people when you start to know them personally”. but hey, their actions don’t seem to bring about a lot of good effects for the common people.
to rub salt further, these “good” people literally help themselves to a “good” chunk of $$$.
so how to reconcile? will it be “oh, it’s an honest mistake inherent in the system. We have the best brains and intentions for singaporeans, and you should be grateful that we are giving up the private sector blah blah blah”.
or should we simply ship out the non-performers, case closed.
Hi Joshua,
You are a very kind chap for sharing your encounter with the minister and for your words of appreciation – hugs to you?
I am always reminded of these words spoken by Lee Wei Ling, MM’s daughter, and director of the Neuroscience Institute, on the main obstacle in the reporting structure of an organisation. She called it ‘Intellectual Arrogance’.
She said: “ I am director because the organisation needs a reporting structure. But my staff are encouraged to speak out when they disagree with me. This tends to be a rarity in several institutions in Singapore. The fear that one’s career path may be negatively affected is what prevents many people from speaking out.
This reflects poorly on leadership. In many organisations, superiors do not like to be contradicted by those who work under them. Intellectual arrogance is a deplorable attitude. ”
I am sure most of those at the top do realise that ‘intellectual arrogance’ exists but the problem is, how many of them are willing to address the problem? Surely, MM must know about it. Surely his daughter would have shared her thoughts with him? Surely, he must have read the same words I picked out from her writings?
So you see, if, being the MM of the country, and you know that ‘intellectual arrogance’ is a reality and you do nothing about it and just go along happily believeing everyting that are painted out for you, then you are just as guilty of the crime.
So then, we now know the guilty ones who have turned Singaporean against its leaders. What do we do then?
Like those who have gone before us, who have the foresight to see before us, the same call we are making today; that is; to free the voice of the people. This is the only way to get to the truth. The true picture of Singapore and the social, economical and political thermometers of living in Singapore will be the true measure that help to formulate policies that are holistic; and serve the general and greater good of all.
and i want to add:. if they have given up on us, why are they still there collecting money when they have given up on us?isn’t that fraud? why can’t we give up on them?
You can say the whole damn system is already a fraud if you want.
Oh, i forgot. Gemami, hugs back. :P
Pigscanfly
“i can believe that “most of the ones in charge are good people when you start to know them personally”. but hey, their actions don’t seem to bring about a lot of good effects for the common people.”
yeah, that’s why it’s so baffling. Like it or not, all of us, ‘elites’ included suffer from myopia. The difference is just the degree. Ok, for eg we all remember the whole NKF incident. My mother who is active in social work, knows Mrs Goh to be a nice charitable woman who often lends her presence to many charity events and no doubt also donates generously. But at the same time this is the same woman who spouted the ‘peanuts’ controversy. So, rather that simply blind greed, what i believe why our elites are the way they are is more of an inability to see beyond the whole ‘big picture’. Sometimes you need small pictures too.
Just to quote you an example, from TEAHOUSE, a book by Lao Tze set from the end of the Qing Dynasty to the Cultural Revolution. The protagonist (who is the innkeeper of the teahouse) was mocked at by this entrepreneur for giving money to a poor orphan girl. (The entrepreneur previously shooed the girl away) The Entrepreneur asks him how many people he can save like that. He must think big! That’s why the enterpreneur is building a factory, so he can provide jobs to lift everyone up. Skipping to the end of the novel, it is the end of WW2. The entrepreneur returns a broken man. His factory is destroyed. His dreams of helping people never materialized. The orphan girl, now an adult woman, came back also. She remembered the act of kindness of the innkeeper. And he was somewhat rewarded for it.
Moral of the story? Brains and heart need to go together. Problem with our system is that it favors the intellect at the expense of wisdom and compassion. You have a lot of the Young Pappies talking about stuff on a very macro scale that often I find very difficult to understand. They read alot about Descartes, and Ayn Rand and Nietzsche… but not many have the time to simply listen to the Ah Gao and Ahmad and Arasu.
And like Gemami said – Intellectual arrogance. Many people forget Intelligence is there to help you understand and procure knowledge. But you need wisdom to know how to apply all these knowledge the right way to benefit the most number of people. (But we, at the same time must be conscious of our own intellectual arrogance – the virtual ivory tower. Sometimes we are not very much different from the ones we criticize)
So, people can be good. Leaders can be decent people. But even good people have flaws. Sometimes all it takes is for everyone to say ‘this is not my problem to solve’ to have it manifested as bad for the electorate. That is why a civil service staffed by people who see it as a duty to serve rather than merely an iron rice bowl job is so important. But not many people like to rock the boat. That’s why you can have a system that is not so good, despite people being generally good.
sorry, Lao She, not Lao Tze. lol. One is a writer, the other is the founder of Taoism.
To Panter,
TskTskTsk…..If I am running this county, I would not let the boat sink….yet….I will take all it’s treasures (million dollar pay and 5 week leaves) before letting it sink…
Willy #89
Your comments are insightful. I do hope that the coming budget is going to be helpful and aggressive to save companies (SMEs) and not some half-hearted one hoping that the economy will recover soon.
That’s creative advertising for SEKSUN! But also mindless spending. A little bit like Bill Gates donating to pharmaceutical companies that create drugs that do not cure!
That money is better spent ELSEWHERE! How about giving the money to people who can give poor Cambodians or Vitenamese a good education? How about giving money to the poor students in your own country? How about helping the poor so THEY can also help their nations and other unfortunate in need?
Who’s that CEO (sorry – shitbrain here) who fires incompetent staff during recession but keep the good ones still?? THAT guy is much wiser than laying off staff or spending money mindlessly.
As for CNN Asia’s article – that’s a good one! Has our PM LSL thought of using solar-powered panels (to reduce electricity costs) for our country already?? They are made by a Singapore professor but the govt has yet to give him his business. The entrepreneur sells the solar-powered panels to Europe!!
One way to support the nation is to support Singaporean businesses who can help the country, even if it means lesser profit for entrepreneurs. That’s not rocket-science.