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From the Political Desk
Remembering Dr Toh Chin Chye
Feb. 6 | ~by: Dr Wong Wee Nam~ I cannot forget his kind gesture. It was the morning after the 1997 General Election. I had come back at 2 am after the results had been announced that my team had lost. I went straight to bed. At 8 am, the phone rang and woke me...
Toh Chin Chye and Lee Kuan Yew were cut from the same cloth
Feb. 6 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ With the passing away of Dr Toh Chin Chye, many have come forward to express gratitude for his immense contribution to the country. Some from the opposition and the civil society also have expressed their admiration for him. Mr Chiam...
The PAP – A victim of its own success
Feb. 4 | ~by: Ghui~ In the 60s and 70s, we believed wholeheartedly in the PAP. They fought for our best interests and we supported them with unstinting devotion. The PAP led us through our separation from Malaysia and saw us through our turbulent years of nation...
Dr Toh Chin Chye – one of the architects of modern Singapore passes away
Feb. 3 | The following message is from the Prime Minister's Office: 1. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues are sad to learn of the passing of Dr Toh Chin Chye and wish to convey their condolences to...
Conversations on mandatory death penalty must be based on facts
Feb. 2 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ On 1 February 2012, I wrote an article for TOC titled, 'Death penalty has contributed to low rates of drug use? Where's the proof?'. In that article I had said: I refer to the Law Ministry's media release refuting...
Chiam See Tong: We have no ill intentions towards the ex-CEC members
Feb. 2 | the following is a public statement by Mr Chiam See Tong: Some of the claims made in public against members in the SPP and myself have become so warped that I am now compelled to give a personal explanation. The six members of the CEC submitted their...
We wish SPP and Mrs Chiam all the best
Feb. 2 | the following is a media release by the 6 who recently resigned from Singapore People's Party: We are glad to hear that the recent SPP OPC elections was held constitutionally. Such public clarification and accountability bodes well for the SPP's...
Death penalty has contributed to low rates of drug use? Where’s the proof?
Feb. 1 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ I refer to the Law Ministry's media release refuting Human Rights Watch's (HRW) country report for Singapore. In its media release the Law Ministry said, " HRW also made false assertions. For example, contrary...
The barren political landscape
Jan. 29 | ~by: Dr Wong Wee Nam~ The ominous forecast is if we don’t continue to attract a stream of good people into political leadership, we are doomed to become a little black dot. This statement is essentially true except that salary, however high, would...
The duo’s alleged misconduct and the sad state of Singapore’s mainstream media
Jan. 26 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ “The New Paper had become aware of the investigation after Mr Ng was picked up in late December.” – The New Paper dated 25 January 2012 This comment from The New Paper seems to suggest that the mainstream media...
PAP supporters are the ‘silent majority’?
Jan. 25 | ~by: Ghui~ In the article entitled “Silent Majority is truly disturbing” (Yahoo! News, 19 Jan 2012), the differences between the supporters of opposition parties and PAP supporters were pointed out. While the supporters of opposition parties were...
Pay for Performance
Jan. 25 | ~by: Tan Kin Lian~ I wish to add my views to the big debate about the revised salary package for government ministers and other senior political offices. I find the basic salaries to be adequate for the office bearers and acceptable to me, and perhaps...
40% Discounted Ministers anyone? I’d say, ‘No thanks!’
Jan. 20 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ “If the annual salary of the Minister of Information, Communications and the Arts is only $500,000, it may pose some problems when he discusses policies with media CEOs who earn millions of dollars because they need not listen...
The ministerial pay debate that will never be
Jan. 20 | ~by: Howard Lee~ With the long and extensive debate on ministerial pay – in traditional media, online media, and most recently in Parliament – the last thing I want to do is discuss whether the cuts that will most likely be implemented...
Ministerial Salary – It’s not (just) about the Money
Jan. 19 | ~by: Tan Yin Hoe~ The Ministerial salary issue, says PM Lee, should not be just about the amount of money. That is precisely the point – For as citizens of this nation, how many of us would be concerned about exactly how much our politicians are taking...
Salaries that are beyond reach, must still be logical
Jan. 19 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ Many Singaporeans, I believe, will agree that Ministers should be free from undue financial distractions and so, in general would not begrudge the fact that Ministers need to maintain a reasonable lifestyle, as Siew Kum Hong puts it,...
Democracy works! (Part II)
Jan. 18 | ~by: Gordon Lee~ Populism Lee Kuan Yew (The Straits Times, 20 April 1987): “We decide what is right. Never mind what the people think.” Supporters of the authoritarian regime would point to how democracy reduces the ability of politicians to take...
How fair is our criminal justice system?
Jan. 18 | ~by: Teo Soh Lung~ The recent decision in the motion filed by M Ravi, lawyer for Ramalingam Ravinthran complaining that in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion, his client was unfairly charged with the crime that carries the mandatory death penalty...
放于利而行, 多怨──从部长薪金调整谈起
Jan. 17 | ~by: 陳胤豪 ~ 「政治职位薪金检讨委员会」最近公布的检讨报告，其中仍以企业界顶薪为计算基准的做法，引发争议。反对意见一方面认为新薪资的绝对数字还是过高，另一方面则认为标准不够合理，有违从政者的奉献精神。 委员会的主要考虑则是：薪金必须具有「竞争力」，以免「适当人才」对从政望之却步。（Salaries...
Jolovan Wham: We do this for social justice
Jan. 15 | ~by: Ellery Aruldoss~ ~picture: AH~ Social work has always taken a backseat in an economically competitive nation like Singapore. But there are certain individuals who make the effort to right social wrongs and seek justice for the marginalized in society....
Catherine Lim: My best hope lies in the young Singaporeans
Jan. 15 | the following is the full transcript of Dr Catherine Lim’s acceptance speech on being awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Online Citizen on the occasion of its 5th Anniversary, on 13 January 2012. – Following the shock results...
TOC may not last another 5 years
Jan. 15 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ the following is the transcript of my welcome speech at TOC’s Awards Night: – Thank you Mr Chiam See Tong and Mrs Lina Chiam for gracing our event as Guests of Honour. Thank you to our friends, well-wishers, volunteers...
Lina Chiam: TOC’s now the mainstream, because Singaporeans say so
Jan. 14 | TOC thanks Mr Chiam See Tong and his wife Mrs Lina Chiam for gracing our event as Guests of Honor. The following is Mrs Lina Chiam’s speech at our Awards Night: – First of all, and on behalf of my husband Mr Chiam See Tong, I would like to...
Ng E-Jay – TOC’s Blogger of the Year
Jan. 14 | ~by: Dr Wong Wee Nam~ I first met E-Jay in 2007. Chia Ti Lik had invited Bentley Tan and me to a coffeeshop in Tanjong Pagar to discuss his intention to be part of the protem committee to form the Reform Party. At this meeting he had brought along E-Jay...
TOC Awards Night – The award recipients
Jan. 14 | At the turn of its fifth birthday, TOC felt that it would be good to show our appreciation to our friends, readers, supporters and volunteers who have helped us along the way, some who have played central roles to our stories. They have made the last...
What are Mr Lui’s view on SIA’s A380s?
Jan. 12 | ~by: Ghui~ On Friday, 6 January 2012, Singapore Airlines and Qantas Airways announced that they discovered cracks on the wing ribs of their Airbus A380s. Both carriers went on to say that the cracks posed no threat to safety and that repairs have been...
Democracy works!
Jan. 12 | ~by: Gordon Lee~ Again and again, I hear the accusation that democratic governments are short-termist. Over and over, I see the charge that democratic governments are populist. What truly annoys me is that these allegations come from states which are...
Ministerial salary – What kind of people are we trying to attract?
Jan. 9 | “There is one good point about paying our ministers obscene salaries. This will make them so expensive that foreign countries would not try and poach them.” An Anonymous Wag ~by: Dr Wong Wee Nam~ “When I undertake to do something, I do not expect...
No country for fishermen
Jan. 9 | A Filipino’s pursuit for compensation and justice for his brother’s death at sea raises questions on Singapore’s Maritime and Manpower laws. By Joshua Chiang/ The last time Eril Morales Andrade contacted his family was through SMS telling them that...
Complete accountability for our land transport grid
Jan. 9 | ~by: Howard Lee~ In the months to come, speculation will be rife about why SMRT chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa decided to resign. Did the SMRT board of directors force her to do so, given the big dent that the latest train disruptions caused to SMRT shares?...
Paradigm shifts needed to reform political pay structure
Jan. 8 | ~by: Hong Weilun~ This week in Singapore saw intense debates and discussions in two areas, namely the pay of our political leaders and entry tests for children’s admission into tuition centres. The former topic concerns our current leaders, the latter...
Will some Ministers’ salary go up instead of being lowered?
Jan. 7 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ THE revised total salary for an entry level MR4 minister is reduced by 31 per cent and 37 per cent (with imputed pension), based on an average total of 20 months pay of $1.1 million (‘Ministers’ starting pay cut to less...
部长薪金调整 – 换汤不换药的政治秀
Jan. 5 | ~吴明盛~ 历时超过半年的《政治职位薪金检讨报告》昨天终于出炉，建议大幅削减总统、总理和部长薪金达28% 至53% 。这双位数字的减幅看来大刀阔斧，但是仔细研读当中的魔鬼细节后，就不难发现检讨报告只是一场换汤不换药的数字游戏。 去年大选之后，李显龙总理为了“顺应”民意，成立了政治职位薪金检讨委员会，检讨多年来被批评为过高的总理及部长薪酬，这也被普遍视为大选失利而重新笼络民心的动作。然而委员会到头来所作出的薪酬计算建议，显然是令人大失所望，因为它缺乏大胆改革薪金制度的决心。 首先，委员会建议把部长薪金基准与新加坡300万劳动人口中最高薪的48人，增加至与1000人挂钩，这种改动没有实际意义。单单把薪酬与高收入人士看齐，却忽略中层和基层人士薪金的变动，得出的结果是狭隘和有偏差的。 以2007年为例，当年我国基层人士的薪金呆滞，中产阶级的加薪幅度也不高，但是部长薪金却因为跟高薪人士挂钩而水涨船高，一口气飙升了60%！在贫富悬殊日益严重的新加坡，这种荒谬的现象更突显了薪金计算机制的不合理。 此外，委员会建议沿用花红制度，并作一些无关痛痒的小修小补，即使改革后的最高花红从以往的27.5个月降低至14.5个月，但对国人来说，这仍然是个天文数字。 在计算表现花红方面，若纯粹以总理的主观意愿来决定，而完全缺乏客观的理据，那又如何避免官官相护呢？虽然国家花红的水平是依照包括经济增长、失业率等四方面的因素而定，但是报告所设的门槛过低，根本无法准确反映政治官员对国人福祉的贡献。 再者，新加坡作为一个开放型的经济体，取得的经济增长主要是受到外围经济环境的左右，不能直接跟部长的表现扯上关系，更遑论以此作为制订花红的指标。 不过，最重要的还是身为服务国家的公职人员，竟然采用私人机构的薪酬配套，以所谓的“工作表现”来决定花红的多寡，未免偏离了公共服务人员应有的献身精神。 其实，就算不计花红在内，我国最初级部长减薪后的年收入，也大幅超越美国总统薪酬多达20万新元，并与香港特首的薪酬看齐。如果这样才能吸引人才，甚至确保高薪养廉，国人所付出的代价恐怕会是另一个“世界第一”。 诚然，检讨报告的确削减了政治官员的薪金，但是问题的症结未解，薪酬计算方法仍然不合理。我建议简化计算方法，取消花红，综合高、中、低层人士的收入作为官员基本薪金的指标，把官员和整体国民的收入全面挂钩，从而加强总理和部长对民众问责。 如果执政党天真的以为这次薪金检讨能成功化解民怨，那未免过于低估国人的政治智慧了。国民期望的是更彻底的改革，而不只是单纯的减薪。但是从执政党声明接受检讨结果来看，他们显然是缺乏政治决心去实行认真、彻底的改革了。 事实上，部长薪金过高只是民怨的其中一个诱因。多年以来，我国部长在领取世界第一高薪的当儿，却没有为自己的各种政策失误负起应有的政治责任，反而以各种理由搪塞，这才是引发民怨的真正原因。如果行动党不认真对症下药，切实执行政治问责制，相信民怨将继续累积，选民必然会在下届大选中以选票表达不满。 _______________________________ Translation...
Salary Revisions’ Terms of Reference Needs Change
Jan. 5 | ~by: Dr James Gomez~ Future political salary revisions should be guided by different Terms of Reference (TOR) which bench mark wage levels for Singapore political office holders to that of developed countries. This is what we can take away from the recommendations...
Why compare salaries only with private sector? What about other countries public services?
Jan. 5 | ~by: John Chan~ One question seems to be the focus of the freshly revealed ministerial pay recommendations: “Will it make it hard to attract top talent to public office?” This naturally requires the definition of the sought-after top talent....
TOC 2011: the year that nearly wasn’t
Jan. 1 | ~by: Choo Zheng Xi~ For TOC, 2011 was the year that we nearly didn’t get to write a year-end retrospective. 2011 started with the notice of our gazetting as a political association on 11 January 2011 in an email from the Prime Minister’s office....
Is TOC part of the media or not?
Jan. 1 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ “MP Seng Han Thong: SMRT’s unpreparedness also due to Malay and Indian staffs English language proficiency. The article does not say that he was quoting an MRT officer. They could have pointed out that it was an inaccurate...
Bidding Adieu to 2011
Dec. 31 | ~by: Ghui~ The last few days of a year about to pass away into history are always reflective ones. As the world sits at the cusp of 2012, it is time to take a long, hard look at the events that have reverberated the globe. In many ways, 2011 has been...
Look Back at 2011: Animal Welfare
Dec. 31 | ~ By Gangasudhan ~ The animal welfare scene in Singapore has been burgeoning in the last few years, and there is little argument that 2011 especially has been a year of milestones for animal welfare – and advocacy as a whole. Hopping Mad about...
Look Back at 2011: Human Rights – No more divisions
Dec. 31 | ~by: Braema Mathi~ Watching the destruction on Christmas Day and seeing the bodies strewn onto the road was just so utterly sad that you become just devoid of words for any form of self-expression. As the images of the bomb blast on the Church in...
Look Back at 2011: Media
Dec. 31 | ~by: Howard Lee~ It would be too much to claim that 2011 was the year of the media, as much as it would be crazy to claim that it was the year of the Internet elections. The reason is not because it is untrue. We did not have an Arab Spring equivalent...
Look Back at 2011: Politics
Dec. 30 | ~by: Eric Tan~ Many years from now when we look back on 2011, we might view it to be a defining year in the development of Singapore politics; as the General Election 2011 changed the political landscape for us all, hopefully, forever. The election’s...
分水岭选举后的六个月，尘埃落定了吗？
Dec. 29 | ~林宝音 殷素素译~ 2011年5月大选的独特现象是新加坡选举史上前所未见的。一个备受惩罚的行动党政府和锐不可 挡的激烈选举，在政治评论员一声声：惊叹、转型、奇迹、洪水、地震、分水岭、大转变的形...
Thank you to our readers who spoke up for our credibility
Dec. 27 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ Yesterday we linked this The New Paper (TNP) article on our Facebook (see HERE) with the following comment: 1. Quote one person saying, “I find TOC a dependable source of news, which is why I found the report disturbing.” 2....
Looking at SMRT breakdowns from a Macro View
Dec. 25 | ~by: Jimmy Ho~ Recent spate of breakdowns of the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) system is a concern for most Singaporeans. There were people blaming the system’s maintenance, with some pointing their finger at Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, its CEO, for...
The irony of racism
Dec. 20 | By: He Ruiming “Fucking Asian!” The words, filled with disgust, spat from his mouth as he walked past. Who? Me? I looked around to see who the poor sod that was the victim of verbal abuse. The only soul in sight was a single sprightly old lady,...
Grassroots gripped by Stockholm syndrome over SMRT fiasco while shareholders lose confidence
Dec. 20 | ~by: Kumaran Pillai~ – My neighbour Muz reckons that breakdowns are a commonplace just like how his motorbike breaks down from time to time. To stress his point further, he said that even aeroplanes breakdown and air-crashes are quite common. I...
Restore the public’s trust in SMRT
Dec. 19 | The Online Citizen sent the following petition to the Minister for Transport, Chairman of LTA, Chairman of PTC and Chairman of SMRT: – Singapore has an international reputation for being efficient. While Singapore might not be the most exciting...
The story of SMRT is the story of Singapore
Dec. 18 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ ~pictures: Terry Xu~ I still remember as a young boy, in the 70s, waiting for more than an hour for the bus to arrive. I also remember that if you wanted to go to Sembawang (where some of my father’s friends lived), there were...
