Originally posted by ndsef:
Thanks pikamaster for joining in the discussion. I see that both you and atobe "assume" that the system is rotten to the core. To me the system just needs some tweaking to it. It is akin to a rotten branch on a tree that needs to be removed before the whole tree gets infected.
To you, I have this question, " On what grounds do you think or believe that the present government is rotten to the core and has to be removed?" And what would your proposed solutions be for a better Singapore?
This is important, because, we can yak all day long about this is not good that is not done properly. So if you or Atobe is in the hot seat of the PM, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO MAKE SINGAPORE A BETTER PLACE?
nsdef,
1) disease spreads fast. look at bird flu.
2) I don't know abt Atobe (dun 4get ur caps) but for me, I think that the system has a rotten core, not that it is rotten to the core i.e. it has some very good peripherals, but the core engine is kinda rusty.
The grounds?
1) NKF... duh... problem with accountability
2) Elitism, which is becoming a cause for social division. you can even see
that effect within this forum itself, even within ur other thread, the one abt opposition. Notice many of the grouses go against "the elite". Such a class system is not beneficial to society in the long-run and would possibly cause more disunity than overpopulation. (not ur pt, so u can ignore this; the 2nd phrase I mean) Ironically, it is the pillar of meritocracy that forms this problem. the history of the concept is rather strange: Meritocracy started out as a derogatory word used by an author criticizing capitalism, and was transformed into an ideal through the rhetoric of the British Government...
3) Unlike Atobe (I think), I do have the basic framework of a policy plan whould I become PM (which I may never become unfortunately becos I'm not deciding to join any political party). It is outlined below:-
[Preliminary Policies]
a. Rewrite the Constitution to gvie it a more democratic character, which I am doing now already btw. Though due to time constraints, not gone beyond Part IV. (Article 19).
b. Divorce ELD from PMO and CPIB from SPF. Put CPIB under newly-divorced ELD.
c. Dissolve MITA.
d. Get local arts people to manage NAC.
e. Make MOE immune to Parliament.
f. Establish a (temporary) minimum wage.
g. Get Fandi Ahmad to be principal of Sports School.
h. Sack Lim Boon Heng and CJ Yong. (no personal grudge, merely to keep NTUC and the Judiciary politically neutral.) Separate FairPrice from NTUC.
i. Set up a Council of Inter-Religious and Moral Affairs (CIRMA) comprising the heads of all the religions. The body shall promote harmonious inter-religious ties or at the very base, serve as a peaceful platform through which issues, such as the current islamic fundamentalism, can be resolved.
j. Make Prefectorial Boards, Student Councils and Student Unions independent of school administrative control. Abolish School uniforms and school ties.
k. dissolve the 'Y' section of MCYS.
[Mainline Policies]
a. Create Singapore Journalists' Assiociation from journalists currently working in the press. Get Michael Backman or Lee Han SHih to head SJA. Divorce SJA from SPH. SJA will gather news and op-eds independently ands ell them in packages to newspaper companies like Straits Times or TODAY, who will then hire SPH to print the papers for them.
b. Reorganize CDIS into a School of Linguistic Knowledge (SLK), a School of Historical Knowledge (SHK) and a School of Utilitarian Knowlege (SUK). SLK will train teachers to teach and design syllabuses for language, literature, dance, theatrical studies, visual arts, architecture and music, including 3rd Lang, and decide a list of literary texts for exams. SHK will train teachers to teach and design syllabuses for Integrated Education, Southeast Asian History, European History, Chinese and Indian History, American History, Japanese History, Geography, Politics, Philosophy and Sociology. SUK will train teachers to teach and design syllabuses for Physics, Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics (A+E, C+F) , Biology, Microbiology, Life Sciences, Molecular Science, Quantum Mechanics, Environmental Conservation, Economics, psychology and all other related fields.
SUK and SHK together will prescribe the list of texts for Textual Study. CIRMA shall regulate the teaching of Religious Knowledge.
NOTE: CDIS will create syllabi for uni education as well.
c. Bring together the newly independent student unions and the STU to form a collective body called the Educational Parliament (EP), presided over by the Deans of SUK, SLK, SHK, NUS, NTU, SMU, NAFA, UNSW Singapore. This body shall regulate youth and education.
d. Allow students in and beyond puberty the right to vote for their union leaders and their Estate Managers. The Estate Manager shall replace the current headmasters/CEOS/Principals, and his/her pay shall consist of both a fixed component and a variable component. The variable component shall be voted on annually by EP. For that particular session, EP will be presided over by the DEM, rather than the EM.
e. Surrender the handling of schoolyard discipline to specially-assigned police officers. The only constant will be that homework is a mandatory obligation of the student. Decentralize Boys' and Girls' Homes to campuses.
f. Make all schools co-ed.
g. ban abortion.
h. Abolish the law against private homosex.
i. Abolish the Death penalty and ban Euthanasia.
j. Repeal the Land Acquisition Act.
k. Repeal the Defamation Act.
l. Replace the ISA with a series of Acts providing the same functions, but respecting Citizens' privacy at the same time.
m. Create under CIRMA a high court of appeal called the Court of Religious Justice (CRJ). To prevent formation of Theocracy, limit CRJ's powers to reduction of severity of sentences.
n. Add CIRMA in as one more avenue which bills pass through before Presidential Assent. To prevent Theocracy from taking root, CIRMA may only have temporary veto power and will have to submit a Memorandum to the House of the Miscellaneous, as Parliament shall be called, explaining why the bill was vetoed.
o. Make all companies in the country sell 50% of their shares to their staff. Establish by law that 50% of a Corporation's (as defined by the Constitution) shares must be owned by its staff.
p. Dump SEF, NTUC and CASE into one debating body under the supervision of the Minister of Trade and Industry and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. This body will be responsible for deciding on macro-economic policy.
q. Peg basic ministerial salaries to the median wage of the rest of the population, and have the variable proportion (bonuses, pensions etc) decided on by public referendum of citizens above 16 years of age.
r.
[Appendix Policies]
a.Put all charities under the charge of CIRMA.
b.Dissolve the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
...to be continued
(sry,having maths tute now)