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LoginLim Swee Say to Low Thia Kiang: We are deaf to all these cri
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Lim Swee Say to Low Thia Kiang: We are deaf to all these criticisms
March 4, 2010
After being embarrassed in Parliament by WP MP Low Thia Kiang’s demolition of the labor movement’s ineptitude to help lower wage workers in Singapore, one would expect Minister Lim Swee Say and NTUC Secretary-General to come up with a robust argument to counter him.
Instead, he used an unheard fable about a “kingdom of frogs” to brush aside Mr Low’s criticisms.
“The story goes that in a kingdom of frogs, the tallest tower in the world is built for an annual competition. And when the event is held, many aim to become the champion by making it to the top, but fail as they are discouraged by the audience, who warn that the climb is too dangerous. All except one frog who did reach the top. And when asked afterwards why he ignored the crowd, the frog said: ‘I’m deaf. I can’t hear them’”, he said.
The gist of Mr Lim’s message: Despite criticisms from Mr Low, the labour movement will continue to address problems faced by low-income Singaoreans.
“We never give up. We are like the little frog. We are deaf to all these criticisms. So instead of telling us that low-wage workers are having problems, why not be part of the solution?,” he was quoted as saying in the Straits Times.
As expected, the Straits Times tried to portray Mr Lim as the “victim” and pinning the blame on Mr Low for criticizing without offering solutions.
Being paid almost $2 million dollars a year, Mr Lim ought to realize that it is the duty of MPs to ask questions and criticize if necessary in Parliament as in all modern democracies in the world. If he cannot stand the heat in the kitchen, he should get out of it!
The onus is on Mr Lim to answer the questions posed by Mr Low and not to counter-challenge him to be “part of the solution”. The key role of the opposition is to check on the ruling party and to hold it accountable for its words and actions and not to do offer solutions for it to govern the nation.
If Mr Lim wants Mr Low to offer solutions, then he should be prepared to give Mr Low a job in NTUC or other government committees and pay him a salary commensurate with his services.
Mr Lim also reminded Mr Low that “the government always paid special attention to low-income earners and had introduced programmes like Workfare to supplement their income”, but the fact remains that low wage Singaporeans are still struggling due to direct competition from cheaper foreign workers.
Furthermore, Mr Low did offer a solution to scrap the foreign worker levy and to refine the dependency ratio to moderate the inflow of foreign workers.
Mr Lim’s attitude epitomizes a wider problem pervading the entire PAP – the inability to listen to others and accept feedback and criticisms in good faith.
As the recent parliamentary sessions had shown, the PAP MPs are completely out of touch with the ground. It will be apt to describe them as a “kingdom of frogs” living in their own wells.
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If the frog is deaf, how can he responsed to any questions at all ?
Sign Language for frogs ?
The house have illustrated very clearly these millionsters cannot even defend and explain the policy that they have implemented and have to turn to blurring the questions with some frog tales.
If the policy truly benefits, there is nothing to defend or explain.
What is next ?
Fish or dog tales to explain and defend policy ?
Did we pay tax money for some bunch of pple to tell crap stories in the house ?
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They can pretend to be deaf as the policy that they made will enrich their pocket.
We can act deaf but cannot run away from the money sucking policies that are implemented but not announced.
If they can act deaf and dumb, why should they be entitled to our hard earned money ?
If they dun serve, they should be removed immediately cos they are useless.
Why should they be given 8.8% pay rise if they did not even solve any of the overcrowded problems that are caused by their greed ?
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i think lim sweee say is really deaf. coz he cannot hear Mr low suggestion.
you are paid millions of dollars and year and you are asking a MP to offer you a suggestion? how many PAP MP do really offer suggestion in parliament when challenging ministers policies? at most they feedback what the ground feel. typically of PAP ministers who often blame other for their own mistake.and misquote them.
when we say, we dont want to many foreigners workers. they assume we dont want them. WTF!
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