Hong Kong has good geographical location and China for hinterland so Hong Kong has a lot of advantages Singapore does not have.
If we want to compare Singapore with anything, we should have the clearer vision to want to compare with more progressive housing with lesser prices than we are paying and where the citizesn still have sufficient monies for retirements.
But our leaders would like to compare with less well off model like the most expensive cities. I am sure many know that just anywhere up north, in neighbouring Malaysia, for $50,000.00 citizens can easily be housed in comfortable 3-room flat with modern facilities without bankrupting his retirement nestegg.
If we want to compare, let us always compare objectively or reasonably based on same set of facts and circumstances.
This selective comparison by benchmarking of minister's salaries against the highest pay in the private sector is a case in point of comparing in a fallacious manner to suit one's foregone conclusion.
In making such comparison, it was conveniently not mentioned that civil servants and ministers are not any special entrepreneurs as they do not have problem with fund or monies. They only spend the monies collected from tax payers. They in fact should be compared with club workers or management corporation's staff who collect monies and spend them to provide certain services which are no big deals.
Civil service or government are not required to manage with any special skills needed in running a private company which has to fight for survival and bottom line.
We often heard of horror stories given in many selective comparison about dangers with democracy's freedom of election and expressions as happened in countries like Philippines, Indonesia or Thailand.
But the ministers will not make comparison with best democracy models elsewhere where people granted the freedoms are doing well like in Western Europe or Scanidavian. Many many domocracies have achieved great progress but we for many years were told stories as if individual rights and freedoms will lead to chaos. This selective comparison is therefore only a tactic of expediency to get out of problems.
So let us learn from more advanced countries where people learn to progress from truths and accountable good corporate governance.
Do not be short-changed on truths and do not listen to tactics like selective comparison, good presentation and justification to explain away our problems. Read original post at
http://www.youngpap.org.sg/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=10318