By Andrew Loh
It has been a week since the flood at Orchard Road and several areas around Singapore. It was the worst flood we have seen in 26 years. It has been two weeks since the Town Council Management Report was released. More than a month since the security lapse at Changi Depot and two months since two National Servicemen were shot in Thailand.
Yet, despite all these, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has kept a total silence.
One can only wonder why the Prime Minister feels that his leadership is not needed at this time and why he prefers to, as it were, bury his head in the sand. Hear no evil, speak no evil? It is totally unacceptable that as leader of this country he would remove himself from these occurrences.
Not a word of reassurance from him when the flood happened. No word of consolation for those affected or admonitions for those who were caught sleeping on the job. Not a whimper about where Singapore goes from here from our Prime Minister.
Not a word from him about the security lapse at Changi Depot either. As with his Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Transport, PM Lee has gone missing, perhaps hoping not to involve himself in another security fiasco barely 3 years after the last one.
Not a word from him about the finger-pointing fiasco which followed the release of the TCMR report as well. No leading from the front for his party’s MPs who have been roundly criticized for not taking responsibility for the low scores some of them have received. No answers from him or his ministers to Mr Low Thia Khiang’s question which asked how much were PAP town councils given in terms of additional funds for upgrading.
And finally, after First-Sergeant Woo Teng Hai, 25, suffered head injuries after being shot by Thai villagers, together with 19-year-old Private J Pritheery Raj, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has nothing to say about it – even though MINDEF had initially said only one soldier was shot. No explanation for this omission.
It is ironic that in November 2007, it was PM Lee himself who accused the opposition Workers’ Party (WP) members of going “awol” – absence without official leave. “[The] opposition’s five have scattered like monkeys when the tree fell,” he said, referring to the five WP candidates of Aljunied GRC which the party fielded in the last elections. “One of them has ran (sic) to Sweden,” he continued, “the other has left the WP. They call it their A Team, I say it is A for Awol.”
Cheap shots by the PM, of course, as Alex Au explained here.
The question Singaporeans now have is: Has the Prime Minister himself gone awol, as far as recent events are concerned?
The PM did make an appearance on Sunday – to be the guest-of-honour for Bukit Timah’s 55th anniversary celebration. [Straits Times]
He however chose to keep his total silence on recent events. One can only wonder why – especially when Bukit Timah was one of those areas which were badly flooded, not once but twice in the last eight months!
In 2009, the PM was reported by the Today newspaper – with regards to Permanent Residents serving National Service (NS). He was against the idea of “first generation” PRs doing NS. The PM said:
“If we make it (NS and Reservist for PR) a requirement, we would not get the people we wanted. Secondly, if they did serve NS at 30, 40 and 50 years old. I would not like to be their platoon commander.”
[Blogger “Feed Me To The Fish” was aghast at the PM’s remarks. See here: “Ungrateful platoon commander, insensitive leader”.]
Would the Prime Minister like to be the commander of a troop of chimpazees which allows a terrorist suspect to escape, for a train depot to be breached, for officials who did not reveal how many soldiers were shot or for his MPs who are shirking responsibility for the state of their own towns?
Indeed, the Prime Minister by his absence, could very well be saying, “I would not like to be your commander”!
In 2008, when Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre, it took the Prime Minister a full 11 days before he made his remarks about the incident. [See here]
If you go missing not once but twice, three times and more, whenever a major incident happens, we too would rather have someone else leading us.
Perhaps our mainstream media, praised by the PM himself, should be probing why our PM keeps going missing – the same way the Straits Times so enthusiastically regurgitated, with a full spread, the PM’s accusation of the opposition going “awol”.
At the moment, it seems that we are not only paying millions of dollars for monkeys who keep screwing up and who are not willing to take responsibility for these screw-ups, but we’re also paying for monkeys who scatter and go awol when the trees fall.
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Further Reading: “A learning experience for weak leaders” by Gerald Giam
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PM Lee very busy in KL…
you know or not ??
We don’t pay them. They take our money and pay themselves.
Being paid handsomely like US$$2.1 million, I am sure he can take time off for more important matters like to watch yacht races (aka BP CEO Tony Hayward style). These people just have the misfortune to pick the wrong times to “get their life back.”
Hammering out a win-win package for Singapore for the railway land in KL talks is more important than some domestic issues.
This is his ace card to show us that he is a capable PM, able to lead PAP in the next GE.
I’m sure the World Cup has nothing to do with it.
@popcorn, 22 June 2010
He can always issue a statement on home issues even in KL. Or 2IC PM can earn his pay, what. If that also not available, still got 3IC, what. Cannot be on silent mode forever what, even if something are less ‘important’?
That LHL has finally mastered the art to be Authorized WithOut Leaders (AWOL)in ruling and governing in his team.
A fine art of delegation.
In his absence (or even presence), his team members are authorized to point fingers, play monkeys and be complacent.
Why aren’t the local papers hammering up the SMRT incident as one of homeland security? The possibilities are there, and it’s irresponsible to just let whichever minister say that corporations are sorely responsible for any lapses on their grounds. What they should SAY AND DO is work together with the relevant corporations to ensure more secure systems, and that they would ensure that regulations are tightened to prevent future lapses.
But NO. All we got are corporation bull**** (it really is; the high salaries pay for management mindset, not people willing to serve). One incident happens, react and keep quiet like a mouse. The government is not proactive enough, simply reactive. That’s not sufficient. That’s not right. That’s what should be corrected.
Ok this rant has finally taken its own shape and I need to speak about this here: It DOESN’T matter when TOC or other alternate voices pick up on little incidences BECAUSE without really bringing every lapse back into a singular issue (the lack of responses and followup proactive actions by government), it will all just be a jumble of annoyances and grievances for locals to grumble about. The opinion that wants change in such confusion is unclear; there is no… united statement we can all believe and stand behind.
We need a voice (by TOC maybe) that can say, for example, “PM Lee keeps mum on homeland security breach, what should they have done better and how this has been a breach of trust in such-and-such incidents as well” instead of TOC just going on and on about “PM Lee keeps mum on this-and-this, what the hack are we paying him so much for”, because in this case, it’s just propaganda in the other spectrum.
It is really good that we have alternate voices, but some of the articles and comments are plain childish in the overview of specific incidents, and we cannot stoop to that level just to pander to the masses without bringing everything back to what the freak is wrong.
Basically it’s like MSM justifying mistakes by the government boards (climate change = floods in Orchard, anyone?), each incident is unspoken propaganda for the government that they are actually doing well. On the internet, alternate voices are ALSO pinpointing specific incidents one at a time and mocking MSM, and this can be construed as being rebellious for the sake of being rebellious because there is no belief we can draw our attention to.
It’s the same sort of “cheap shots” you’re accusing the PM of firing.
Nobody can say anything important until a certain Multi Million forecaster licks his finger, put it to the wind, and open his mouth to set the tone of serious pronouncements to come.
What LHL will say at post-election press conference:”We were caught off-guard, it was a learning experience, a freak event, what to do,it happened, let’s move on”
hopefully, the monkeys will not scatter after hearing this
What people want is to see these highly paid leaders at these disaster situations and not hear from them from the radio or their “kah kiah”, foot soldiers. If he and Yacob had put on the boots and raincoats, the whole senario and inpression would be very different. One thing for sure I’m voting out these bumps.Enough is enough through the years.Have our lives got better? I don’t think so.
oke i am going shopping this week in Orchard Road like the very good Singaporean that I am. Helping the economy. Is everything ok or will I have to look for emergency exits? Will an umbrella do or do I have to put a rubber dinghy in my back pack. Hope MRT people dont think I am a terrorist with a strange backpack : )
That Yaacob fler is a civil engineer I thot. Got PhD also. But working experience–teaching only and then got MP job. No on the job training. Why more law on this? Because gives them job to do–lah like passing the law–all that reading and speeches.
how come we Singaporeans are paying so much but we still getting Monkey Ministers (MM) running our country?!?!?
VOTE FOR CHANGE, VOTE PAP OUT, VOTE OPPOSITION
Remember Silence Is Golden!
All the pappies minister where got time for all these small issue!!!! they are all busy counting money (Millions$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$)! also thinking how to bring it along when they mati!
I think the problem must be everytime he opens his mouth, he makes a blunder out of it. Simply said, he is just not cut to be a politician if not for his father.
So sometimes one feel that it’s much safer & better to remain silent rather than lose face in showing that you actually do not know what you are talking about.
Worst still is when nobody around him dares to tell him his blunders and he just keep on saying the wrong things at the wrong moment.
The Prime Minister has the support of MM LKY, SM GCT, SM Jayakumar who also hold the appointment as Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, the Ministers without Portfolio Lim Boon Heng and Lim Swee Say, and Minister in PM’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport Mrs Lim Hwee Hua.
There is a total of SIX Ministers in the PM’s Office to support his work – and NOT a sinlge one has made any statement regarding the storm of embarrassing issues that have broken out.
Why are the millions paid out for these Talents, when the public statements made todate are so amateurish by any standards ?
Read history, like father like son
The Straits Times always reports of gaffes made by other countries’ ministers, especially the Japanese ones, but never by LHL.
Dun’ya know I’m not known as Sissy for nothin ? I’m afraid of all responsibilities, makes me more wrinkles lah. Let my papa settle everythin lor.
“Mee Siam mai Hum”
“Singaporeans must be pounding chilly and onions and hoping that it will not rain”
That’s the kinda of RUBBISH spouting out of a princeling !
The more I hear of my own country I feel sick. REALLY SICK!
They have no time FLOOD issues because this are small issues their kakia who will arrow small rank singaporean and the big rank will get higher ranks n bonuses every years
Pay peanut, you’ll get monkeys.
Pay coconut, you’ll get chimpanzees.
When the tree falls, whether monkeys or chimpanzees, they’ll still scatter timidly!!!
The recent incidents are proof that we should never have paid our ministers world record salaries.
Big money will only attract the wrong people to serve the country.
Mistakes after mistakes, they’ve shown their incompetency and complacency.
It should be one’s morality that’s important in preventing corruption and bribery.
To pay sky-high salary to prevent corruption is simply an excuse for the greedy!!!
To anwswer the question many of you have raised…
They only recruit those who were tested good in passing their school and University examinations on paper.
This isn’t so bad, but 20-30 years down the line they continue to promote these scholars purely on the single criteria of their past exam results and paper qualifications. If they were ever judged on their work results it is on that they are “loyal and did not make any big mistakes.”
This is the fault of a bureaucracy… those who got recruited in, after being in …. will look after their same kind only, for by so doing they entrenched themselves and force everyone to agree with themselves that they scholars themselves are the most able.
That is why they overpay themselves, and why most of them are incompetent… subscribing to the tenet of “do less less mistakes. Do nothing, no mistake.. just receive performance bonuses and get promoted.
After Mas Selamat escaped, Govt says: “We’ll do a REVIEW.”
After Changi depot break-in, Govt says: “We’ll do a FULL REVIEW.”
After Bukit Timah flood last year, Govt says: “We’ll do a REVIEW.”
After Orchard Road flood, Govt says: “We’ll do a FULL REVIEW.”
I think S’poreans better do a FULL FULL REVIEW and vote these morons out!!!
(Sorry!!! One of my lines went missing in my above posting.)
Pay peanuts, you’ll get monkeys.
Pay coconut, you’ll get chimpanzees.
When the tree falls, whether monkeys or chimpanzees, they’ll still scatter timidly!!!
SO, IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT WHAT YOU PAY ACTUALLY.
The recent incidents are proof that we should never have paid our ministers world record salaries.
Big money will only attract the wrong people to serve the country.
Mistakes after mistakes, they’ve shown their incompetency and complacency.
It should be one’s morality that’s important in preventing corruption and bribery.
To pay sky-high salary to prevent corruption is simply an excuse for the greedy!!!
LHL.Since becoming PM Singapore has gone downhill with the policies enacted by him.
MM can only sit by the sideline and lament and add more insults to injury with his silly comments to uplift his son.
GCT is laughing to the Bank as SM though he warm the seat long enough to hand the reins over to PM.
Is LHS and his present cabinet competent?
Citizens of Singapore, you be the JUDGE this coming GE.
> MONKEY POLITICS in Singapore:
PAP say: Pay Peanuts and you will get Corrupt Monkeys!
S’poreans say: Pay Big Bananas but still get Incompetent Chimpanzees!!!
> MONKEY ANTICS of S’pore Political Elite:
I scratch your back, you scratch mine.
I cover your butt, you cover mine.
He cannot take stress. Period!
HOW COME FLOOD? WELL, HERE I AM, YOUR PRIME MINISTER, BLAMING U SILLYPOREANS ON BEING COMPLACENT. HOW SO? YOU ALL DIDN’T PUT UP CHILLI AND ONIONS TO STOP THE RAIN.
Old Guy 22 June 2010 PM Lee very busy in KL…
you know or not ??
……………………..
not onLEE him.. he brin with him shutMUDguard of home affairs while his deputy wongcantsink also of home affairs is in china…if this 2 SENOIR home affairs overpaid ministers can leaved singapoor @ any times..why on earth do we needs this expensive ministers?
in the event of mas sala goin on vacation again and travel on the rooftop of the smrt…who in charged? leekuanyew or gohchoktongue?..opps leekuanyew also on overeas to overseer some dontknowwhat
yes yes gohchoktongue is in southafrica bettin the numbers of goals we missed kickin in the 1st place…
Hi all,
These are all the irresponsible and not credible acts by some of our leaders in the lky PAP.
Do not allow or halal all those shortcomings by their unbecoming characters.
MIA and AWOL are two unbecoming characters as a leader.
It’s a great sin by them, as I see it as a Muslim myself.Look at Dr Yaacob Ibrahim. He halal his own irresponsibility on the issue of Orchard Road flood recently.
Islam does not halal all irresponsible acts by anyone especially if we are Servant to our Constituents, our Masters Tax Payers.
In politics, a minute is a very LONG time. In that minute, an effective leadership is either demonstrated or a failure is proven. The nation cannot wait for indecision when crisis hits.
Andrew Loh,
you should stop blaming our prince of incompetency because he once admit that his appointed job is to fix opposition and buy supporter’s vote. Obviously, Orchard Flooding, mrt security breach, billions dollar loss by TH and Grandpa’s GIC etc is too small, too irrelevant and too insignificant compare to fixing opp party !!!
Yes, Anderson, lhl can fix Opposition but he finally faces God.
to PAP’s leadership:
from the K-pop song: “there’s nobody, nobody but you… nobody nobody but you…”
when it comes to all the farce, failures, & the headline hitting goof-ups.
haa… :p
There are times when leaders should remain silent and avoid making comments until sufficient information has been gathered or courses of action have been decided.
leadership with unsurpassed salaries should have surpassed leadership qualities to match. remaining silent in the age of the internet will only reveal the flaws (caught off-guard again har?) that cannot stay hidden forever.
the only course of action after major blunters is damage control, pointing fingers, paying lip service & playing dumb.
Say for what? Still get a nice salary a day. Why bother to work? Useless bugger.
The bottom-line is this – Singapore needs a two-party political system. Singaporeans has to see it happen and cannot leave it to someone else. Singapore must have her Constitution restored and respected and observed by every Singaporean!This is the minimum all Singaporeans must expect!
Know what? Keeping mum has worked in the past but it doesnt work now!! Please, PM Lee, dont be a daddy’s boy & step up. I am not your supporter, but since we couldnt kick you out, I really hope you could work for us & not just sit there act blur whenever shit happens.
Hmmmmm…..remind me of the current oil spill incident in the Gulf Of Mexico….the BP CEO is quite similar to PM lee
Premier Wen Jia Bao runs a country that is 1000 times larger than ours. Yet he is always seen and heard whenever and wherever something wrong happened around China and he is in his late 60s..
Our PM doesn’t even want to get his feet wet….
He is not missing but hibernating.
Saving all his energy so come the Youth
Olympics, he will be there to bask in
all the Glory!
If it is monkeys we’re getting, they sure are expensive.. and we’re likely paying in Pistachios…
@ mad93
At least the CEO of BP have the guts to come out and “kicked the can down the street”
Whereas ours is nowhere to be seen.
Or has all the cans in the streets been collected by the old aunties, so much so there is NO cans to ‘kick’??
OMG, what a job, and to be collecting $millions………WOW!!!
@Karate Kid
“the recent incidents are proof that we should never have paid our ministers world record salaries’
Since you are a Kid,maybe you do not know
how the world record salaries come about!!
They claimed they are the ‘cream of the crop’ and they demanded to be paid similar to those top six people in the private sector. They bulldozed the bill thru’Parliament and pesto! they get their $millions salaries!!
We have never agreed to pay the world recrd salaries in the first instance!!
There you have it!!!
red_dot 23 June 2010
The bottom-line is this – Singapore needs a two-party political system.
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There is no need to look far; just look at Thailand! What happened? Buildings on fire, death, economy came to a halt! Have we not learnt?