Although NKF is charity, election issue will centre on NKF
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It is predictable. Based on general unhappiness so far generated, people have seen through NKF as caused by government's own tax-and-create-huge-reserve policies that don't benefit them. Ministers cannot deny or cover up such problems. Government has to change fast all its past excesses. It is of no use just try to explain NKF away or push it to Durai.
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generally govt take a something happen so we must intervene approach so ofcoz an ugly scandal like that would mean a retaliation by the public - donors quit, angry letters, graffittied walls, huge public outcry etc... if the govt don't address the issue and put some confidence back to our own people...imagine what the rest of the world and non-supporters would think??? before the matter gets misinterpreted by the general public and the rest of the world, the govt will act to show that it spares no efforts in dealing out punishments where wrong-doing is proven. with the election coming, the focus on the remedial actions taken by the govt to prevent such misgiving actions would probably buy back general confidence in the management of the state's affairs and funds etc...
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i doubt they will have election soon.
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June would be a nice time.Originally posted by dragg:i doubt they will have election soon. -
This re-building of confidence is a justification exercise. People are more educated now and they can see that once this justification exercise is over, there will be the same persistent denials of same NKF problems in GIC, Temasek, LTA, EDB, JTC and HDB where large powers are concentrated without solutions to the 20 major problems posted. There will be the same lack of accountable decisions without producing fully justified benefits.Originally posted by fire & ice:generally govt take a something happen so we must intervene approach so ofcoz an ugly scandal like that would mean a retaliation by the public - donors quit, angry letters, graffittied walls, huge public outcry etc... if the govt don't address the issue and put some confidence back to our own people...imagine what the rest of the world and non-supporters would think??? before the matter gets misinterpreted by the general public and the rest of the world, the govt will act to show that it spares no efforts in dealing out punishments where wrong-doing is proven. with the election coming, the focus on the remedial actions taken by the govt to prevent such misgiving actions would probably buy back general confidence in the management of the state's affairs and funds etc...
Nothing seems to change and GIC or Temasek will not one day be more accountable and transparent with decisions that can be scrutinized e.g. how much reserves to build, how many cents in per dollar reserve to come back from risky ventures to benefit in lowering costs of medicare for citizens or temporary help during short-term unemployment. -
My feelings too. However, it will be too short sighted of us to think that NKF is the only issue they will talk about. Other issues like job loss, CPF, NS, tax, bills, education and laws will come up.
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Nope, I dont think the NKF scandal will be the main focus of the election. The Press has been "very" helpful recently and is giving out a lot of information and blunders that the former NKF has done. I think by making NKF the highlight these few months, the public will become tired of the whole NKF scandal and thus when elections come, the NKF scandal cannot be used to its full effectiveness.
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That's assuming that the population will forget like the past..
This cannot be allowed to go away from the public psyche.
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They have to have an election latest somethime this year, or else they are being unconstitutional by LAW. Of course, they can always amend the constitution, but then...Originally posted by dragg:i doubt they will have election soon.
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sure every election will hv lotsa topics...cpf, inflation, casino and what nots....but there is alwaya a focal point. poor governance in the charity sector has caused the public much unhappiness and it is this public outcry that will drive the ministers to revisit the topic and ensure that measures are put in place to align practices etc...
no doubt that we don't know what goes on in the gic and temasek and watsoever but precisely becoz they haven't been "exposed" so we cannot do anything about it....nkf is a proven issue so the govt will act to put a stop to prevent the public from further guessing about the role the govt plays in charities....
all i am saying is that the nkf issue, i'm sure, will be discussed along with many others, and
no matter that it cannot solve the queries that we have on the gics and the govt investiments, all the same, this will be a small step in the right direction, hopefully.
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do anyone noticed that the government act or take action toward NKF only when the election coming? All these years, why no one exposed NKF?
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The government only takes action when something happens.Originally posted by 798:do anyone noticed that the government act or take action toward NKF only when the election coming? All these years, why no one exposed NKF?
Their policy is "If it ain't broken, don't fix it". -
People have demonstrated their wisdom and indomitable spirit and will not tolerate wrong doings no matter what justifications are used to cover up problems.
People can see clearly that it is the past government's own policies about reserves that led to wrongs in NKF. Government policies must first be put right and all artful arguments and fallacies, self-promotion and self-reward under the guise of reserve must be totally debunked and condemned once and for all.
For too long, government has continued to build on reserves which have not benefitted the people but only led to exhorbitant charges and high costs. Reserves also have led to extravagant spending on 7 wonders and unwarranted foreign investments in areas that do not benefit the citizens.
If reserve is to be built, it has to be used not for self-rewards but for lowering people's high costs of living and solve persistent unemployment problems.
It is only when reserves will account for patients' or people's interests that reserves should then be accepted.
Other than re-defining purpose of reserves with accountability and transparency, people will demand change to existing assumptions about reserves. -
Up to the end, Durai still had his ardent loyalist who refused to believe that he has done any wrong.
Durai had a wonderful model organisation and role model from which he learnt to mould NKF and himself - and that is from the manner in which SINGAPORE is being created and governed as a TIGHT SHIP by A SINGLE STRONG GUIDING HAND from a STRONG "CLEAN" EXAMPLARY LEADER - who will not hesistate to sue to protect one's reputation.
Unfortunately, unlike his Role Model whom he obviously idolize, Durai does not have the benefit of the Secrecy Act to protect the widely available information that the NKF owes to the Public.
Can Singaporeans believe that "Half Truths spoken often enough by Reputable Personalities CAN become the TRUTH' ?
Can Singaporeans be awaken from their deep slumber and start to question the necessity of an ELITE FAMILY to run Singapore ?
Can Singaporeans believe in their own capacity to succeed - in the same manner as the Hong Kongers believe in their OWN ABILITY to succeed in GOVERNING themselves WITHOUT the draconian heavy hand of the Central Government from Beijing ? -
Singaporeans are a pragmatic lot...if they have a job that pays well and their property and share prices rise, chances are they will vote the government, NKF or not. If the economy is down and they lose their jobs, then they will think that they have nothing to lose and vote the Opposition.
The government will schedule the Elections at a time when the job market is good and most people are getting a pay rise of some sort. I think the most important factor that will determine the opposition's chances at this election is going to be the economy. -
Someone was just telling me recently, that NKF is now a vulgar word:
"NKF you!" -
Unfortunately, Singaporeans have a short memory, and one can only wonder what is the threshhold in its propensity towards the "pain" that is regularly inflicted on its psychic.Originally posted by oxford mushroom:Singaporeans are a pragmatic lot...if they have a job that pays well and their property and share prices rise, chances are they will vote the government, NKF or not. If the economy is down and they lose their jobs, then they will think that they have nothing to lose and vote the Opposition.
The government will schedule the Elections at a time when the job market is good and most people are getting a pay rise of some sort. I think the most important factor that will determine the opposition's chances at this election is going to be the economy.
The economy took a slide since 2002, deepened during 2003 - all of which required us to make sacrifices in cuts to our pay and CPF, with property prices plummeting (-40% for Private Properties, and about -20% for HDB units).
These cuts were moderately replaced in late 2004, but have we forgotten that before the cuts were fully replaced, and with an unemployment rate still hovering at 4%, we saw price increases in transport fares, petrol prices, fees for all kinds of services provided by the Government and its Government Owned " Private Enterprises " - hospital and medical fees, education fees, HDB charges, Utilities - all of which took a hike of at least 10%.
With pay increase of less then 5% in 2004, and the 20% pay and CPF cuts only moderately replaced, the 10% price increases cut deeply into Singaporean plans.
During 2004, before Singaporeans were able to get back the full pay and CPF cuts, and with the unemployment rate still at an all time high of Singapore history, we saw the full replacement of the 10% pay suspension of Ministers and Civil Servants.
It was also during 2004, that the Government decided that all future HDB sales will no longer be financed by HDB, and that Private Banks will take over the financing role based on NORMAL COMMERCIAL TERMS - Singaporeans are now left on its own, with the HDB homes open to seizures during mortgage defaults.
On top of this threat to the individual Singaporean's security, the Government (aka the Ruling Party) and the NTUC (run by the Ruling Party) combined efforts to convince Singaporeans to accept a new Employment Plan of SHORT TERM CONTRACTS.
Can anyone still take on a 20 Year Home Financing Plan when one's career is tied to a 5 Year Contract ?
Are there any bridging schemes to tied over the period of being JOBLESS - between one short contract to the next ?
Our Economic Future rests very much on the Political Future, and OUR Political Future also depends very much on our Economic Situation.
Should Singaporeans subjugate its Political Future to that of its own Economic Future, and in the process tolerate abuse to its own Political Rights and its own Human Senses ?
Have Singaporeans forgotten to put in place a TRULY INDEPENDENT check and balances to moderate the powers of ONE - whether it is ONE Person, or ONE Family ?
Do we need another shock on the same scale as the NKF to awaken ourselves that the " Power of ONE " can only lead to more abuses and trouble ?
We are constantly reminded of the vulnerability of Singapore because of its size, does it not make it even more vital that a strong political institution of INDEPENDENT CHECKS and BALANCES should be in place, so that we do not need to depend on the "Power of ONE" in the Future ?
Can we ever ensure ourselves that any other future "Power of ONE" can be as " incorruptible " as what we "see" (??) at the present ?
With so much smoke screen that is raised and issues shrouded by the Secrecy Act, and information only released on a "need to know basis" - can we be certain that what can be " seen " is the true present picture ?
The fact that the present "Power of ONE" has adamantly refused to allow checks and balances to its present supreme position will already have sounded alarm bells in us, and yet Singaporeans remain complacent and helpless to this threat to the Political Future.
NKF has already proven the weakness and non-dependable position of the "Power of ONE" type of Management, we should awaken ourselves of the same being practised at the National Level. -
yah. all wayang niah...after sometimes natural death....cannot dun do anything so they do something for the sake of appeasing people.Originally posted by robertteh:This re-building of confidence is a justification exercise. People are more educated now and they can see that once this justification exercise is over, there will be the same persistent denials of same NKF problems in GIC, Temasek, LTA, EDB, JTC and HDB where large powers are concentrated without solutions to the 20 major problems posted. There will be the same lack of accountable decisions without producing fully justified benefits.
Nothing seems to change and GIC or Temasek will not one day be more accountable and transparent with decisions that can be scrutinized e.g. how much reserves to build, how many cents in per dollar reserve to come back from risky ventures to benefit in lowering costs of medicare for citizens or temporary help during short-term unemployment. -
The government is already softening the NKF scandal heavily by putting a lot of multi-million dollar upgradings to several GRC's. Just read today's Straits Times frontpage. Futhermore, like what atobe said, Singaporeans have a short memory, so in the same, nothing will change......
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When future historian looks back into the hay-days of this Republic, they will notice the warning signs had been officially made way before NKF saga: Remember former President Ong and his ?Originally posted by abao:The government is already softening the NKF scandal heavily by putting a lot of multi-million dollar upgradings to several GRC's. Just read today's Straits Times frontpage. Futhermore, like what atobe said, Singaporeans have a short memory, so in the same, nothing will change......
ASIAWEEK Interview,March 10, 2000..
This NKF story is "peanut" compared to what may be happening in a larger scale.
Rome was not created in a day, but it was certainly almost destroyed by its very own emperor. -
NKF clearly reflects the government's persistent lack of concern for people's welfare and wellbeing:-
(1) Lack of Transparency and Accountability of government.
(2) Government's lack of sympathy with people's struggles or lending helping hand to those in need of medicare.
(3) Government's selfishness in caring for its own superficial success irrespective of suffering of the people in paying higher costs to sustain such surpluses.
(4) Government's selfishness in taxing the people the highest market-level fees while stinging on provisions of essential services through recovering the fullest costs only to build its own surpluses without concern for wellbeing and welfare of the people.
(5) Using the surpluses on extravagant spending on their own salaries and bonuses and physical upgrading and extravagant concrete projects and wonders which do not benefit the citizens in terms of technology start-ups and job creations.
(6) Using the surpluses to benefit job creations for foreigners without acccountability and transparency while causing heavy financial losses against the wishes of its own people e.g. lowering of people medicare costs or temporary reliefs due to unemployments. -
Thanks for that reminder....how I wish we have someone like him who has the power and the guts to stand up to the government. We need such a watchdog...I regret to say I did not vote for him because I did not trust a PAP man to guard the PAP....but I was wrong...Originally posted by Gun:[color=darkred]When future historian looks back into the hay-days of this Republic, they will notice the warning signs had been officially made way before NKF saga: Remember former President Ong and his ?
ASIAWEEK Interview,March 10, 2000..
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If Mr. ONG TENG CHEONG'S SPEECH on transparency and accountability is given after the latest NKF case, many people cheering for him in the streets to stand for election or forming a new party..Originally posted by oxford mushroom:Thanks for that reminder....how I wish we have someone like him who has the power and the guts to stand up to the government. We need such a watchdog...I regret to say I did not vote for him because I did not trust a PAP man to guard the PAP....but I was wrong...
The media and press have avoided reporting his case for greater accountability and transparency.
Mr. ONG TENG CHEONG was sidelined, and citizens have forgotten him now and that is why we have our assets being run by GIC and Temasek without accountability and transparency.
Citizens are being too naive to accept wrong doings as shown in this case of OTC call for transparency being ignored. Who will be facing all the consequences. -
Give or take 10 years, when the older generation moves on, our political landscape will change.
The ruling party draws their support from the older middle class.Say above 55-60s. -
But with no long-term political roadmap, expect the ruling party to continue running their ship in the same manner as the old guard.
Our support may become irrelevant if there is no one to vote for. That's the worst fear: a total and complete stranglehold on the daily runnings of a supposed 1st world nation.