Leong Sze Hian /
I refer to the articles “GE: “I didn’t propose closing factories “, says Tan Jee Say” (Channel News Asia, Apr 28) and ”SM: Ex- aide’s proposals easier said than done” (ST, Apr 25).
Looking at the onslaught that is being thrown at my Rafflesian schoolmate Tan Jee Say, from no less than more than half a dozen or so Ministers – Goh Chok Tong, Lim Boon Heng, Lim Hng Kiang, Grace Fu, Lee Yi Shyan, etc, I think it may be an understatement to say that to my living memory, I don’t think any opposition candidate has ever garnered such a rare honour of attention by the ruling Government.
Why?
Because I think Jee Say is arguably the most qualified and experienced candidate ever fielded by the opposition in the history of Singapore.
In particular, his experience as Principal Private Secretary to former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, heading economic strategy at the Economic Development Board and Secretary to Dr Albert Winsemius, the Dutch economist who has been credited with being the architect of Singapore’s economic development in our early years following independance, in my view, throws to the wind what the ruling
Government has always been saying – that the opposition do not have the experience to form the Government.
The ruling Government has also always said that the opposition is abundant in rhetoric, but lacking in concrete policy solutions and detailed plans.
Well, Jee Say has published a 45-page plan for the future of Singapore, with a focus on the urgent need to change our economic strategies and policies.
Has any ruling Government candidate ever come out with even a 20-page paper?
The fact of the matter is that the ruling Government’s new batch of candidates pales in comparison to the likes of Tan Jee Say and Chen Show Mao.
Jee Say is also perhaps uniquely qualified in diversity, as he has been in Government as well as the private sector, something which few of the ruling Government’s new candidates can boast of.
More significantly, Jee Say is one of their own – a ‘member of the club’, so to speak.
One does not need to be the ruling Government to see the danger of the precedence – that Jee Say may be the catalyst that we have all been waiting for all these years – one who would encourage other scholars, civil servants, Members of Parliament, etc, to stand on the side of the opposition.
This is in my view, a crucial moment in Singapore’s history, as we may be on the verge of taking the first steps towards being a real democracy.
After all, as Singaporeans, aren’t we all on the same side, whichever party we belong to or support?
In my view, all this talk of a ‘freak election’ is utter nonsense, as no democracy can function without allowing the fundamental free vote of the people.
Statistical analysis
At this juncture, some of you who are reading this may be thinking – this is quite unlike my writing style – no ‘statistical’ analysis?
So, her goes …
The attacks on Jee Say’s proposal to gradually shift the focus more to services from manufacturing, may best be described as a “cheap shot in the dark”, as Jee Say does not advocate in his paper, the abandonment of the manufacturing sector or for that matter manufacturing jobs.
In fact, the statistics show that in recent years, the rate of growth of change in contribution to the economy, has come from the services sector, relative to the manufacturing sector.
For example, according to the report “Services sector expected to drive Singapore’s GDP in 2011″ (Channel News Asia, Dec 22):
“Economists have said that next year, the services sector is expected to drive growth in Singapore’s gross domestic product (GDP). Economists said the growth baton is expected to pass from manufacturing to services next year”.
The rate of change of growth for jobs growth has also made the services sector the top performer.
According to the MOM’s Labour Market report 2010′ “For the whole of 2010, services contributed the bulk of employment gains (111,000), almost double that in 2009 (55,600). Manufacturing employment declined
by 1,100, but this was much lower than the losses of 43,700 in 2009.
Hence, with reference to Goh Chok Tong’s remarks that “implementation would not be such a breeze” – isn’t Singapore already now implementing the gradual shift to services – thus, confirming Jee Say’s thesis?
Mr Goh says: “There are 420,000 blue collar workers. Change the collar colour to white and put them in education, health, IT, financial sectors? Move to IRs (integrated resorts) perhaps?” Perhaps Mr Goh does not know, but aren’t the bulk of training and re-training under SPUR and CET programmes already now more so in such services sectors, relative to manufacturing?
How many of these 420,000 blue collar workers are amongst the 500,000 workers earning not more than $1,500, according to the 2010 Census?
I am not an expert in economics like Jee Say, but I believe one of the issues he raised in his paper, was that manufacturing’s reliance on low-wage low- skilled foreign labour may have contributed to the low
wage of Singaporeans.
The above should address Minister Lim Boon Heng’s remarks, “Likewise, Mr Lim slammed Mr Tan’s suggestion to drastically reduce foreign workers, noting that their presence in manufacturing has allowed
Singaporeans to get better-paid jobs”.
How does the Minister then explain the declining real wages of the approximately bottom 25 per cent of workers in the last 11 years or so?
Read Tan Jee Say’s economic paper here.
For more TOC news about the general election, please visit our GE website as well. Click here.
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@Tokcok 7:
“would love it for the housing prices to crash for my selfish benefit and ignore the rest of the SIngaporeans who have to live with the consequence of a depreciating asset.”
Can you elaborate what do you mean by house price crashing? Why would it crash? What would cause it to crash?
- by voting Opposition?
- by demand and supply ie property cycle?
- by it approaching the 99 lease?
Doomsday speak? Hard truth?
Perhaps house price crashes only in opposition wards? because no upgrading? or becasue kena “marked” by PAP?
Will landed property price crash if SDP take Holland-Bukit Timah?
The election is being fought by Singaporeans for justice, equity, transparency and accountability.
They are asking leaders to give up their past self-praise and self-glory system of governing to one of caring for people, telling the truth, leading by virtues and good personal examples.
If people believe in leadership by exmaples, by honesty and integrity, by equality, rights and respects of others, people should vote for oppositions.
It is a vote of conscience.
@tokcok7,
Suddenly felt a little bit like a deer caught in the headlights. I didn’t know which side I was playing for. No… I wasn’t answering for TJS nor arguing against him.
In the 2008 US elections, more than US$5billion was spent in the elections. In the 2010 midterm US elections, almost US$4 billion was spent. Some people may argue it is a waste of money, but one cannot deny that it also represents a lot of economic activity, and the benefit stays within the US.
Now, of course, Singapore is a lot smaller, but if we can generate some millions of economic activity, that’s actually pretty good, and it can lead to lots of new and innovative enterprises.
I gave my suggestion somewhat light-heartedly, but I really hope Singapore’s political scene can liven up with lots of debates, discourses and deliberations, rather than ending with libel suits. One thing I did enjoy and admire is how US politicians take lots of negative things thrown at them in stride, and can even joke about themselves.
I’m going to get arrested for this. Chee Soon Juan and Tan Jay See works for PAP. They are out to make opposition look bad. Who is funding Chee, and why would JS Tan come out?
ethan 3 May 2011
I’m going to get arrested for this. Chee Soon Juan and Tan Jay See works for PAP
……….
why do you cared who fundin dr chee and his party?
when YOU cannot even QUESTION leekingyou/cancerlee on the temasek inc losses of billion$
small thinggie YOU picked
billion$ of MY cpfs’ savin is UNACCOUNTED for…
talkin bout arrest…
cardiac arrest for leekingyou perhaps?
Looser talk…blame the other party…typical…
Grow up PAP…stop with your abuses…
Even if you win the elections (fingers crossed that you won’t) our respect for you is all gone…
I am really glad TSJ detailed his S$60 bn proposal. This S$60bn is to be spent across 5 years and into 6 different areas targeted at helping Singaporeans, both existing and younger generation achieve a better competitive edge and to ignite our own engines of growth and consumption.
Now I understand why he said that it is “pocket change” as it is really a S$12bn a year spent on our own people and if you divide it further into the 6 regeneration areas, its a S$2bn spent.
At such a level, where the voters need to understand what is in store for them quickly, you cannot expect TSJ to give a dessertation for his budget where everyone gets to benefit; creating jobs for existing service, harnessing skilled mothers, encouraging entreprenuership, helping manufacturing relocate, focus on the family and investing in our future generation.
If you do the maths of how much tax revenue we collect every year from Casino tax, COE and ERP and GST, it is not a one way outflow but a good inflow is still going to come back in the longer run.
Since the economy has rebounded and we expect the tax revenue to remain positive, is it not a right time for us to ploughback some of our savings to ensure a better future?
Why suddenly so many qualified people come out to contest in GE2011? It is really strange if you think of it. Is there a conspiracy going on? PAP is not as aggressive as in past election. Is it possible that these sudden oppositions are to pacify the unhappy voters? Can we rule out this possibility?
Foreigners in Singapore are taking the top jobs and the lowest jobs. My question is what happens to blue collar workers that are underqualified for white collar jobs? They lose their jobs and have to go for so called retraining. On the other end of the spectrum, certain Singaporeans that have the potential to take higher positions face a roadblock at the top as well. So we will always be stuck in limbo. There is definitely no easy solution to this problem and letting hoardes of foreigners into our sunny island is definitely not the only solution. This is why we need an alternative voice in parliament so that opposition members can engage existing PAP lawmakers in a meaningful debate to find a solution that will not only benefit Singaporeans but also improve our country’s competitiveness. We have to acknowledge that if we put all our eggs in the “PAP” basket, one day its not going to hold. So why not spread out the burden to the “Opposition” baskets? Isn’t 2 heads better than 1?
The dumbass cannot tear down Tan Jee Say’s solid arguments so he attacked his character.
Shame on you! Not a gentleman at all.
typical PAP smear tactics
Could MOM look into their foreign passes entry qualifications requirement again? For Work Permit holders, once their salary reaches the S Pass’ salary entry requirement, the foreign worker should go for a test and if he/she fails the test he/she should not be allowed to renew his WP. Same goes for S Pass holder once his/her salary exceeds employment pass entry requirement.
Beware!
GE: PAP team for Aljunied GRC files police reports
By May Wong | Posted: 03 May 2011 2143 hrs
SINGAPORE: The PAP team in Aljunied GRC has filed two police reports for acts of vandalism on its election property, saying its banners were defaced, and posters and perambulating vehicle vandalised.
Over 60 items were either spray-painted or missing.
The election agent for the PAP Aljunied GRC team also highlighted how the Workers’ Party had displayed unauthorised posters.
Ms Tan Bee Lan said some of the posters did not have the approved Election Department stickers.
Speaking to reporters, Ms Tan said the Workers’ Party has also resorted to misleading campaigning tactics.
These include planting Workers’ Party supporters at strategic locations during their walkabouts to generate excitement among residents.
- CNA/cc
GCT mentioned that if he is voted out, Singapore will be in big trouble! I don’t understand why? GCT, please explain, don’t just give motherhood statement and vague statement without any meaning!
There has been a lot of hype on Mr. Tan’s 45 pages economy report. PAP is saying it is outdated and SDP is saying it is a professional report, endorsed by a well known economist. I decided to spend some time today, to read it, to make my personal judgement. It is a comprehensive report that touches many subjects, but just on manufacturing; in my humble opinion, the proposal is impractical, an upset to Singapore’s manufacturing model, a squander of $10 billion from the country’s reserve (not counting the opportunity losses), but also a release of the Singapore’s competitive edge of a port city to our neighbors. This time spent, is wasted.
Sporean wake up with a NECLEAR PLANT
In the TODAY paper dated 5 April page 12
” A FUTURE IN NUCLEAR-POWER OFFSHORE PARKS?By: Dr Kua Harn Wei
PM LEE long term plan for your GRAVE yard beside us a neclear Power.
We want parties power to VETO our interest.
PM Lee said in Jan 2010:
“We have to extract maximum value from the resources that we have; every piece of land must be put to optimum use, activities which are no longer competitive or productive have to be gradually phased out.”
That sounds very much like what Mr Tan Jee Say is saying too about non-competitive manufacturing.
SM Goh also said in Jan 2010:
“If we can achieve 2 per cent growth in productivity, then with the slowdown in growth of the foreign workforce, we think we can grow by 3 per cent to 4 per cent a year. So we’ve got to be prepared for slower growth. This is a trade-off…
…If you want to grow fast, it means a larger foreign workforce, which I don’t think is advisable because already, we have too huge a presence (of such workers) and we’re not emphasising productivity.”
Again, Mr Tan Jee Say is saying very much the same thing.
Mr Tan Jee Say should therefore be applauded for putting forward proposals for our economic progress. The very spirit behind his effort deserves praise rather than mockery. What’s more, he does have good ideas and at the very least, these ideas merit closer consideration (and given they echo what PM Lee and SM Goh themselves have said).
If we say the economy is fundamental, then all parties should redouble their effort in charting our economic future.
Of foremost importance is the PAP’s economic plan – because it is the incumbent and likely to still lead the nation in the coming years.
Dear Jee Say, please know we are all very proud of you and your proposal. Your work speaks of your heart for your fellowmen. THIS deserves support from everyone. We know you will also forgive GCT for his remarks.
Dear ALL WISE, BRAVE AND BELOVED Citizens,
The Voice of Righteousness(for OUR NATION LONG TERM BENEFITS)
Reason why I am posting in the internet at this early hour of final day before cooling day(I am not a good writer) :
I just love my country Singapore which I was born. I want to contribute to our people. And I really want our country to grow healthily and with morals and ethics and compassion, as much as our citizens want.
The following state of mind of mine many of us may not want to see through this article.
But Please let me do an analysis why most GRCs and SMCs contests ARE ALL LOST to Ruling Party INCLUDING ALJUNIED except maybe Hougang. Real Democracy is LOST. AND SEE THE LONG TERMS PROS AND CONS BELOW……
See Below Notes
1) ONE MAIN REASON of Failure of this election is because Traditional Media, for example Newspaper Like Straits Times, New Paper, Today. TV like channel 8, Indian channel and Malaysia channels Suria, Channel News Asia and also radio channels. And who listens to these channels?
It is the less internet savvy common people who outnumbers internet users by 20-30% at least(that is lots of votes, we need 5 to 10 years before we can catch up with to at least match the traditional media population, although now our internet take up rate is 70-75%
BUT how many common folks even internet savvy or abled are politically that upright and concerned? Which is much lesser even when they are internet savvy), which is especially more senior, elderly folks, people who are handicap and cant walk and cant walk well due to old age and also those too busily working fighting for these survival…
Thats why the ruling party is controlling us with very smart IRON FISTSSS for 50 over years, THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL MEDIA.
They are also using traditional medias to drive traffic to their various websites like facebooks and also http://WWW.GE.SG which is quite biased favourably towards ruling party. How SMART.
THEY ENSLAVE the people to work hard and fast till we cant work still cant receive our CPF and retire well, how sad and disappointing and they are brilliant money makers WITHOUT EVEN USING WHIPS, and occasional giving us very very small carrots year after year.
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WE should promote to people to listen to all media to all sides of stories or at least 2 sides of the story. We need to let them know Media is biased and untrue about some stories, at least let the public take traditional media with a pinch of salt.
Other important but not as major REASONS as above :
2) Ruling party apologized, toned down to mellow to gain sympathy, empathy and swing votes and more neutral votes or rather their usual old supporters who fear changes and also fear of anarchy which will not happen as during 1959 our ruling party were having issues and with the resilent of our people and not just government we pulled through, also during 1965 our national building thanks to the old guards of Goh Keng Swee and many old MPs and ministers, and they are now focused on policies, which they would win back 5-10% of the votes, enough to break the opposition by GREAT numbers!!
3) Cooling day magic may see lots of surprise reports / accusation about opposition parties or their members. AlsoThey are actually depriving all voters of chances to last minute evaluate the situation by talking to opposition parties also.
4) PAP average speakers are better speakers and given more airtime and radio time from traditional medias(maybe selected from ruling party tea parties, not using our public money?)
5) Digging out opposition parties and opposition candidates old issues which might not be valid like privatization of hougang HUDC when the hougang accounts are intact and ruling parties are not giving full details, both parties need to clarify but not at this point of time.
6) From what I understand, the ruling party got a team of advisers to teach the ruling party candidates about how to write, speak, dress, public speak, address issues, make newsletters and magazine, and put them into newspaper.
7) GRC created and also democracy dead from that day, and also our feedback system of election is distort until few years later till next election it is too late.
8) electorate is biased towards the ruling party and the rally rules bias including cooling day.
9) Using Anchor ministers like George Yeo, Wong Keng Seng to be a shield to gain political compassion, how smart.
10) Using HDB upgrading and MRT and estate and facilities upgrading to lure voters.
11) The ruling trying to control using websites like http://www.GE.SG
12) Also Take for instance after seeing yesterday night tampines rally by NSP(my hometown), I think MBT can still win Tampines by a HUGE margin(at least 10 more percent).
page 2 of 6
So Sorry to say that… (MBT is good businessman really and I really don’t like him as he is draining our money.)
a)Because the NSP team new members are mostly not public speakers(although they might speak from their hearts glad to say that).
b) Also some of them did not capture the hearts of people from the beginning to the end.
c) The opposition parties did not cover enough the blocks of HDB and condos when elderly people, senior folks and people who wants alternative voice or rather representative voice of opposite MPs from Tampines will be heard. I suggest those not so good in public speaking(example speaking too emotionally, some are too soft, some are too monotonous tone, some dont catch rhythm well, eye contact if media is catch no enough) will go to visit in buddies system to reach out to as many residents as possible as tomorrow is the final day.
d) Luckily guest speaker Tan Kin Lian-ex nutc income CEO(spoke many good points like our hdb cost and transport cost too high, but abit too soft but can be better voice projection) lift up some spirits to gather swing and rational votes, followed by Goh Meng Seng(can be better) and also Nicole Seah(rational yet to the point and simple).
e) Speak of pros and cons and give example for end of chapter of speech and also try to back it up with substantial information and quotes.
f) Talk more about plans, dont be too radical do it progressively as it may scare voters.
g) I agree with Mr Goh Meng Seng on high housing price and also compassion of gov is lost which renting house to foreigner for more profit than to rent to Singaporean and left alone to sleep openly in void decks, streets and also parks like east coast. Luckily he mentioned they are not anti-foreigners but must take care of citizen housing and other rights first which saved abit of vote, if not some good number of votes. Also opposition parties please please say about good to have PR and new citizen but seriously the balance of managing these foreign people were lost and they need to
i) Also Miss Nicole Seah cost of livings points which she spoke sincerely and close to our hearts. She present well with very well tone(not emotional but sincere and not pushy)
j) Good points of candidate to say give discount to hdb flats, but seriously for example I would rather want to let ruling party every year give us back 20k of rebate since we got that much reserves for the next 5 years(but ruling party will say it is saved for rainy days, if it is unaccounted for and unaudited but we cant even use to pay our internal debts of housing and cost of livings to save fire what is the
page 3 of 6
use of having some much reserves and CPF when there is minimum sum policy which is more than 110k-120k for each person), instead of the petty handouts(or sweets) or rebate(which sends shivers to my spine and mind.
Sorry, Even Hougang may not be safe to opposition, the rest of opposition party are in very jeopardy state. I dont put the ruling party up to bring down opposition morale at this point. But I have to wake loved fellow Singaporeans up.
Hopefully Singaporean have done enough positive deeds and generous mindsets previously to be appreciative of opposition parties so that they can really win, but I doubt Singaporeans have such a good fortune as most of us are self centred about short terms gains about upgrade of hdb, environments, cpf and monetary handouts before election.
And after that struggling to pay for housing debts and bills and payments to counter cost of living for next 5 years, which the people have been doing actually since again I mentioned GRC, because GRC was first CREATED 25 years ago(if we forgot when the GRC Matrix(the movie) was created to kill democracy from day 1).
Many non-ruling parties candidates may be sued for defamation, one of them is Nicole Seah maybe, hope by writing this I am protecting them through public eyes……
Hopefully, opposition becomes stronger, but I doubt so as ruling parties will try ways and means to tear them down and most people like the past elections with capabilities will not want to come into election again, maybe until the day when the cancer of democracy got too serious like we become HK or Japan asset bubbles and higher cost of living. but it would be too late to help.
I vote THE VOTE of no confidence for ruling party on the high housing prices(my children will not be able to afford hdb due to higher price definitely due to inflation, pegging to market prices, overprinting of money, greed of authorities, high cost of building which by right is not so high), ERP(200 over ERP Gantries standby with some 3-5 Singapore dollars, transport cost including CRAZY TAXI prices which the authorities should allow car pool and waive ERP for Central Business District Area, which would drive up cost of living and even housing prices, mark my words here also),
no accountability(no independent groups of auditors with members of the public to witness, tally and sign off) and transparency of Reserves, GICs and temasek reserves, Ministers and Super Scale Civil Servant Pays, bonuses and increment and promotion and increase of headcounts each year(plus retrenchments/retirements of older and more senior staffs). Their cost structure have far become too much higher than what they can give Singaporean back year after year. that’s why they tax more and more in various form year after year and this is a form of price inflation of cost of living. Town councils accounts should be audited also.
page 4 of 6
The ruling parties have been good for first national building, but they have already lost the balance between national building of well being for people and money making.
And I intend to leave Singapore as much i don’t want to.
AGAIN MARK MY WORDS HERE, Singapore WILL soon become Hong Kong and also even Japan, China and India where housing price and cost of living are too high!! It WILL GET OUT OF HAND.
It is getting harder each day. Pay and pay without knowing why we need to pay more and more, and we piss and piss. Work and work and work for long hours and when we retire still cant take our CPF(maybe cant even fork out any CPF to pay for housing) and think when my retirement age is 80 to 100 years old by then. And I have to pay 30 years for our house.
I guess Singapore Pte Ltd(not Ltd) has just really becoming a Very Very Very Big MNC(s), even bigger after THIS election….
Singaporeans will continue to be unwilling boiling frogs, and will continue in a way that they wont even know how, where and when to voice out publicly although deep inside their heart they are very tired working and paying debts and bills.
I personally guess and believe all these are due to the reserves and loss of GICs and temasek holding that they want to cover up the losses(including in CHINA Suzhou and India and Thailand) that lead to the recent years mania increase of the prices of everything including housing and ERP, non-withdrawal of CPF, retirement age increase.
No ones want to be left, no ones want to be left at home, no ones want to be forced to leave their homes, but I guess we will.
The education system is THE SOURCE of why our policies of meritocracy and elite, but all along it is emphasizing in second place morals, ethics and compassion. That’s why now our ruling parties leaders or rather followers are yes men and also more close to the party than the nation. The quality and non monetary motivation of candidates for this election from non-ruling parties are far better than ruling parties despite all odds and doubts of people fear change for the better of democracy and monopolies, but ruling parties are dividing them and conquering them one by one… The balance of conscience is lost.
Also, the healthcare is too high and also not enough time to take care of health due to cost of living, for example the lower income like contract workers and more than 30000 taxi drivers and many other private bus drivers…
Upgrading of HDB estate comes with a price, which we have to address the false glory behind it as we are driven so hard so fast to work harder and harder, longer and longer each day. Not sure when we can retire is a scary thing.
The government only spend 1.6% of GDP to healthcare, that’s why we have to work hard for our hefty and long medical bills. Plus lack of hospitals and healthcare scheme where we are reminded that we are not welfare state, but remember the word we can die, but we cant be sick or ill.
The lists goes on and on.. I am neither a statistic guy nor a pro-hdb upgrading man(as it is promoting false glory while we work and struggle for livelihood) but I sense as a concerned resident of Singapore and resident of Tampines,
I urge that Mah Bow Tan(MBT) be removed from election so that he can move on to the private sectors to help ruling parties make more money. George Yeo can retire since they are millionaire, we definitely have talents from non ruling parties.
If we vote ruling party WITH LANDSLIDE VICTORY USING GRC SYSTEM and they don’t control the situation well, Singaporean might be swarmed with 1000000 to 1500000(1million to 1.5 million) more Foreigners soon that our next generations are squeezed out of Singaporean even they work very very very hard and fast, till the day they die. Filial Piety may be lost from children to their parents and before that parents can afford to have any child and don’t even want to get married like many of my friends above mid 35s, due to cost of living to even support themselves…
Remember the cooling day tricks… It is not about voting opposition, it is voting for votes of no confidence of ruling party and voting for ourselves and our children not be enslaved by ruling party, be brave and be farsighted..
To the well-off, powerful and richer people, you might want to rock the boat by allowing GRCs to be biased favourably towards ruling parties, but once the cancer of democracy due to GRC formations are uncurable, the vicious cycle might impact you in vicious cycle manner and even your children in future.
The MAIN, MAIN reason why ruling party don’t want opposition parties is so that they wont check their billions of dollars lost and cannot account for, since the early day Suzhou Industrial Park losses…
Be cautioned in advance my beloved Fellow Countrymen.
Have a GOOD VOTE(there is no best vote, don’t waste your vote to void as opposition need your vote to voice out your real long TERM concerns and NEEDS) using LONG TERM VIEW of balanced multi-parties yet ensure that parties and their candidates are morally, ethically and compassionately and passionately about the people, not just meritocracy and elite system!!
page 5 of 6
Bless ourselves and Bless Singaporeans :)..
Guardians and Forefathers of Singapore help US!!
Hope the positive and pure balanced energies finally flows in Singapore
Let there be no over greed, morally, ethically and compassionate government and people through education from young to nurture with patience!!!
page 6 of 6(final page)
read http://www.goldclubasia.com/forum to see why ruling party are crappy also
Once a Minister takes a salary that is so large that it looks like a heist in comparison with similar jobs in government across the Globe, he breaks the compact with the citizenry. His job becomes a commercial contract and should be gauged in a strictly commercial manner. There are standard methodologies for valuing jobs and the job of being Ministers is no exception. I suggest that if a substantial opposition gets elected in Parliament, it moves the motion to revalue the jobs done by the various Ministers. The parameters involved in such a valuation exercise includes estimating that portion of the GNP attributable to the Minister whose job is under appraisal. It also includes estimating a discount rate which consists of a risk free rate and a risk premium. Intuitively without doing the calculations now, you can see that the portion of attributable GNP is very different from the GNP itself. It has been touted by the PAP that they created the whole GNP, which is not correct because patently commercial, industrial and financial enterprises are the engines which brought the process of creating the GNP to completion. For instance the ministers do not operate, the finance houses, factories and every enterprise in the country. The share of the GNP created by each Minister is a sliver of the country’s GNP.
This sliver of GNP is then operated on by the discount rate to arrive at a figure of value of the job of each Minister..The risk premium ( which as mentioned above is a component of the discount rate) would be entirely absent in Ministerial jobs so that what remains is the risk free rate which name itself reveals the nature of Ministerial jobs- essentially risk free! You should find that the resulting figure of value of the job should bear comparison with figures of actual remunerations of the Parliamentarians in the first world countries, as Singapore prides itself to be first world. You will then see the utter absurdity of claiming that a Ministerial salary in Singapore is to be 6 to 10 times more than its comparable in the first world governments. Thus the present salaries of our Ministers would be found to be grossly wrong in fact. Whether they are also wrong in Law has to be investigated, given the fact that these Ministers in this one party Government of Singapore in effect drew up their own salaries scales and paid themselves from that self- serving blueprint..They are judges in their own cause. Moreover they went to war with the oppositions for 50 years using the legal apparatus of the State, destroying them and in the process remain the Ruling Party for all of 50 years and eradicating the concepts of Human Rights by unprincipled use of defamation Laws, ISD arrests etc.That’s how they got to pass the Bill for their own salaries without any opposing views in Parliament.
The next question is whether they should be asked to return the excess payment to the State, as many bankers and CEOs were asked to do so when it was found that they did not deserve such remunerations or such remunerations were extracted by false representations..
As citizens we should break up the nonsense of Million dollar salaries to Ministers on spurious claims of uniqueness.Singapore is on the same planet as New York, London, Beijing, Tokyo, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Amman. None of the office holders in these countries demand such grotesque salaries. Not only do we support a big heist but we also engender a colossal greed in these supposedly exceptionally noble people. One of the most ludicrous deeds instigated by such salaries is the pump priming of the economy by overwhelming the country with foreign labour. We will be sitting ducks for the next get rich quick scheme for PAP enrichment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZZcyU5eG5g&NR=1
Promises After Promise(PAP)-Liers
Wolves in Sheep White skin
Be our voice for us from Tanjong Pagar
well said!! since our ministers think they can command the same @2m- $3m pay package
else where, let them go…
be brave, we are making history for our nation..you would be very proud of yourself
that you help to make this historical
watershed GE2011.. your grandchildren will remember your courage!!
New MPs, New BILLS 4U
a) Energy Sector-Sale of Spore Power etc.Why the new MP from this sector?
b) Finance – New MP is from MAS,Why is he being voted into as MP?
c) Defence Sector–New MP why is our defence spent increasing?
We need a LOUDER opposition to STOP them to pass more unknow bills to SPOREAN
@ juagen1
i quote u: “I was under the impression that this forum is open for all to share their views openly. If my views do not support the opposition, does it make me a minion?”
1. did i say those with opposing views = minions? no.
2. were u prevented from making a comment which contain opposing view? no.
3. does my disagreement with a particular view results in that comment being removed? no.
4. do u think u r a minion?
5. was your response to my comment a reflex reaction from your sub-conscious?
only u know whether u r a minion or not.
@dopplerganger,
Once a Minister takes a salary that is so large that it looks like a heist in comparison with similar jobs in government across the Globe, he breaks the compact with the citizenry. His job becomes a commercial contract and should be gauged in a strictly commercial manner. There are standard methodologies for valuing jobs and the job of being Ministers is no exception. I suggest that if a substantial opposition gets elected in Parliament, it moves the motion to revalue the jobs done by the various Ministers
……….
I agree that as part of the change promised by PM Lee, he should settle the issue on ministerial pay hyped up to S$3 mil pa to attract talent.
Our best candidates in this election said to be of ministerial calibre did not get anywhere close to S$2 mil pa in their previous jobs.
This is solid evidence that the assumption made that talents will be attracted with private sector top-level salaries is not proven right.
Furthermore it is bad blood getting into a job with a blank cheque to be filled as found being practised in our system.
Is it legal or moral right and proper to take a job and fix one’s own salaries benchmarked to the highest salaries of a few lucky ones in the private sector?
There is a general company law that directors cannot vote on any motion in which he has an interest.
Who are the people appointed to study the benchmarking?
If we want to attract talent there are other reasonable ways to do so e.g. benchmarked to median ministerial pays of countries of equivalent size like New Zealand or Finland.
At least by adopting a apple-to-apple benchmarking people would be assured of fairness and support their leaders. It is fishy to use their position of power to fix their own pays at the expense of citizens many of whom are not being paid 1/500 of minister’s salaries not to mention 8 months’ bonus and life-long annuities.
A more acceptable formula to decide on minister’s pay could be presented to new parliament thus to settle this issue once and for all:-
For ministers who are already paid up to S$2-3 millions pa in their preceding appointments, pay them this amount plus 20% more and let them enjoy bonuses and life-long annuities.
For those who are getting 1/2 to 2/3 of S$2-3 mil pa, pay them this amount S$2-3 mil pa and let them have bonuses and life-long annuities upon two terms of service.
For those who are previously getting only less than 1/2 of S$2-3 mil pa, common sense tell us, they will be more than over-joyed to receive a double over their preceding pay.
By making proper legal and moral decision in a more acceptable manner, PM will be able to get the fullest support of citizens who will otherwise continue to cry foul play or immorality.
It is wrong for someone to get into the jobs with a blank cheque to fill for their salaries. It will not eradicate corruption. In fact it will create cronyism, hypocrisy and self-claims of world’s best and denial of problems to justify their big pays.
In any country there will always be come lucky few in the private sector, like brokers and bankers who will receive millions of salaries. If any ones is envious of such pays, it is no loss to government for such persons to remain in their private sector. In fact after recent financial crises, it has been revealed that the millions paid to such people were found to be irregular and consequently big pay cuts were taken to address problems.
No big deal, to miss money-minded talents in brokerage and banking unless he is Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. For exceptional talent like Clinton and Obama it is clear that they will accept 1/2 to be our minister even though they have good strategic economic master plan which can turn us to be a truly world-class country.
If we should get such a talent we can approve higher salaries even exceeding the current S$2-3 mil pa. But we known for a fact that at half of our minister’s pay we stand a chance to attract true talent (not those connected by ties or connection) and we will get a big boose in our economic performance than those sucking monies from people.
As it is our ministerial salaries are not attracting the right talent because of close system of selecting potential candidates. The worse is based on connection such candidates paid millions tend to justify their poor performance with self-claimed success despite the big mistakes for which PM has to apologize like escape of Mas Selamat or over-charging the citizens with market values for public housing or immoral importing of foreigner to cause so much social problems.
Hope that the new parliament will look into settling this issue once and for all.