JC gal disgusted by PAP minister's high salary..(Reposted)
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Written by a 17 years old JC girl in her blog
Subject: Gayle Goh on Ministers Salaries
Money in Politics, Politics in Money
The issue of Singaporean ministerial salaries has been a hotly-debated one,
at least behind the scenes of mainstream journalism. I did a quick search
on Google to find out the exact figures, but couldn't find as wide a range
of independent observations and chronicles as I normally like to, so as to
lend the information credibility. If anyone has differing figures they deem
more accurate, do update me. But the consensus I gather from the
Internet is that our ministers are the highest paid in the world, and that
the Prime Minister's basic salary is USD 1 239 240 per annum, or SGD 1 958000 (I converted SGD to USD using the latest exchange rate of 1USD= 1.58SGD; again, tell me if I'm wrong with the figures). That is more than six times that of the US President's salary of USD 200 000 per annum.
The defence the PAP has always launched against the accusation that their
salaries are too high is to say: "We must do so in order to prevent
corruption." I have always found that to be a thin excuse. What, after all,
is corruption? The use of one's position in order to profit illegally. High
ministerial salaries simply permit the PAP to use their position in order to
profit legally. A simple analogy: it is illegal for someone to shoplift a
gold necklace from a jewelry store. But this thievery would be perfectly
legal if we had no laws against shoplifting in the first place. One could
profit in an arguably unethical manner without breaking any laws. Similarly, it would be illegal for the Prime Minister to siphon away $2 million a year.
But as a politician in power, instead of siphoning it away, he simply
ensures that he can receive $2 million a year in a
perfectly transparent and above-board manner. That's what they really mean by the concept of high ministerial salaries removing the need for
corruption. They don't need to be corrupt: we just hand over the money
anyway.
Yes, there are benefits to the system. It keeps corruption under control by removing the primary incentive for it - money. And a corruption-free
government undeniably attracts investors. According to Transparency
International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) we are ranked as the 5th least corrupt nation in the world as of 2005, after Iceland, New Zealand, Finland and Denmark. But the investigation does not, and must not stop there.
There is a basic principle to keeping ministerial salaries from
skyrocketing, and it is one that is often overlooked in Singapore.
Politicians in our government exist not to further their own interests, but
to subordinate their personal advancement to the needs of the nation. They serve the nation, and not the other way round. As a child, I used to wonder why they were called civil servants - the word 'servant' always had insulting connotations of someone that's second-class, servile and unworthy of much note. But as I grew, I came to realise that there is great dignity, perhaps even the greatest dignity, in being a servant of others; in placing their needs above your own, and in committing yourself to serve and protect them. That is the sacred vow, the tacit contract that
politicians undertake by entering this service. Lower salaries make it
clear that they are fundamentally different from those in the private sector
who seek to profit from their positions, making the frequent comparison
between public workers and private ones like corporation directors or media stars totally redundant. The nature and purpose of their work are as different as night and day. Managing ministerial salaries ensures, too,
that people do not enter politics simply to gain from the high pay and
benefits, but that they do so because they genuinely want to put their
talents to the good use of representing the country. Else, people would work towards entering the government simply because of the dangling carrot that is a fat pay cheque - which would clearly have
disastrous consequences for us all.
That is why George Bush, who is the leader of the most powerful country in the world and has far more responsibilities than PM Lee will ever have, is paid five and a half times less. That is why there was such a public outcry when TT Durai's salary was uncovered - it was legal and above board, but it was wrong in principle. But here in Singapore, this important principle isover-ridden, once again, by the excuse that it keeps corruption under control. Very well then, let us bring that reason under scrutiny.
According to the aforementioned CPI, there are four countries in the world
which are even less corrupt than ours. As Singaporean ministers are paid
the highest in the world, it obviously goes to follow that all these
countries' ministers are paid less than ours. I did a bit of
research and found out, via this article, that New Zealand PM Helen Clark's
salary is NZD 305 000 per annum, or USD 189 440 - less than George Bush, andsix and a half times less than PM Lee (I converted 305 000 NZD into 189 440 USD with the latest exchange rate of 1.61). New Zealand is ranked 3 places above Singapore in the CPI, as the 2nd least corrupt government in the world. Why is it that New Zealand ministers can be even less corrupt than our ministers, and yet are paid so many times less?
If we allow ourselves to succumb to the mentality that we need to pay them obscene amounts of money in order for them not to be corrupt, we are implying that they otherwise cannot be trusted; that unless they benefit so much from their positions, they cannot do a good job; that our ministers are six and a half times more inferior, six and a half times more selfish and six and a half times more prone to corruption than ministers from New Zealand (not to mention Iceland, Finland and Denmark). I would like to be convinced otherwise, but the message being sent by our high ministerial salaries is proving it difficult. Let me tell you what makes it even more difficult: that salaries are being paid to the members of our government, on top of the lucrative salaries they are enjoying in their professional
lives.
This brings me to the next issue: politics in money. Our MPs do not work
full-time. They hold very prominent positions in businesses all throughout
Singapore, and little wonder, too; they are recruited from these positions
with the natural assumption that their high-flying careers make them
capable, and not forced to give up their jobs, which are extremely demanding and exacting. Only Chiam See Tong, as of April 21 2006 (the release date of the CNA article I'm reading at the ...[Message truncated] -
Someone posted a threat in her blog for her comments...
<V » u little fat subversive bitch. i know that dee down u really are a pawn of the pap trying to disguise this as a 'new' 'enlightened' blog.>> -
2 million dollars a year........
Assuming he works 4 terms or 20 years, and assuming the bonuses he collects will offset the taxes he has to pay, he would have earned 2 x 20 or 40 million dollars during his life as a politician. Goodness me.......this can last a few generations. MONEY certainly is attractive for politicians........particularly if u join the ruling party. Well, we all condone it, don't we ?
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eh she's from acs (acjc), why is she bashing her own money-grabbing kind?
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its cool to be different.Originally posted by vito_corleone:eh she's from acs (acjc), why is she bashing her own money-grabbing kind?
if she joins pap when she grows up.
she will be blogging a different light. -
i've seen her in a debate session before, quite fat one, not say very good in debates also. the national team a bit farnie leh..made up of 2 acj and 1 rj students who aren't really very good in debating...i wonder why...
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i feel ashame of myself and most singaporean.
if she is really 17 year old. she is hell of a 17 year old.
you certainly got your facts right dear.
good work. you haev my admiration. -
Why did she bash her own money-grabbing kind ? .Originally posted by vito_corleone:eh she's from acs (acjc), why is she bashing her own money-grabbing kind? 
Is it not obvious that those from ACS (ACJC) need to show the RI (RJC) crowd - said to dominate politics - that if their objective is money-grabbing, they should follow the ACS crowd and stay in the business arena - in the ACS colors of WHITE SHIRT and BLUE PANTS; but if political power is desired then stay out of the money-grabbing field, so that the ALL WHITE uniform of RI - symbolising cleanliness - will not be soiled. .
If a 17 year old can discern political morals with such finesse, then this generation of educated young Singaporeans will give hope for Singapore's political future.
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hmm, some of us have more grey matter you know.Originally posted by vito_corleone:eh she's from acs (acjc), why is she bashing her own money-grabbing kind?
go and see who are the real outspoken people these days.. chances are they are from ACS.
not every ACSian is a money-grabbing idjit. -
"The Best is Yet To Be" - alwaysOriginally posted by LazerLordz:hmm, some of us have more grey matter you know.
go and see who are the real outspoken people these days.. chances are they are from ACS.
not every ACSian is a money-grabbing idjit.
The combination of the School Motto and the ACS anthem seems to give ACSians a push to persevere.
The following founding fathers were from ACS:
Dr Toh Chin Chye - (retired, DPM, Minister of Health, Minister Science & Technology )
Dr Goh Keng Swee - (retired, DPM, Minister of Finance, Defense )
Mr Lim Kim San - (retired, Minister of Finance, Minister of National Dev)
Current politicians from ACS :
Chiam See Tong - (MP for Potong Pasir)
Mr Sellapan Ramanathan - (President of Singapore)
Dr Ng Eng Hen - (Manpower Minister, 2nd Minister for Defense)
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan - (Minister of Community Dev, Youth and Sports)
Mr Tharman Shnmugaratnam - (Minister for Eduction
Mr Lam Pin Min - (MP for AMK GRC)
Mr Alvin Yeo - (MP for Hong Kah GRC)
Mr Yeo Cheow Tong - (MP for Hong Kah GRC)
They were quiet achievers, and when they speak - they are outspoken.
Click here for a list of prominent alumni of ACS -
has the ruling elite not managed to merge political power and lust for wealth into one entity? you tell me.Originally posted by Atobe:Why did she bash her own money-grabbing kind ? .
Is it not obvious that those from ACS (ACJC) need to show the RI (RJC) crowd - said to dominate politics - that if their objective is money-grabbing, they should follow the ACS crowd and stay in the business arena - in the ACS colors of WHITE SHIRT and BLUE PANTS; but if political power is desired then stay out of the money-grabbing field, so that the ALL WHITE uniform of RI - symbolising cleanliness - will not be soiled. .
If a 17 year old can discern political morals with such finesse, then this generation of educated young Singaporeans will give hope for Singapore's political future. -
i said her own kind, i did not mention how many or generalise or stereotype. d'accord?Originally posted by LazerLordz:hmm, some of us have more grey matter you know.
go and see who are the real outspoken people these days.. chances are they are from ACS.
not every ACSian is a money-grabbing idjit. -
Originally posted by vito_corleone:
Yes, when so many from ACS 'White-and-Blue' begin to join the POWER OF ONE supposedly formed by those RI 'Whites' - the entrepreneurial spirit of the ACS crowd began to be picked up by the Power Struck RI crowd.
has the ruling elite not managed to merge political power and lust for wealth into one entity? you tell me.
The RI crowd has certainly picked up from those wearing the "Blue and White" - and we are now seeing your "ruling elite merge political power and lust for wealth into one entity". -
Gayle has plainly cut through all the smoke our MM and PM have been creating over ministerial salaries: that the proper word to describe them can only be 'obscene'.
Legitimised corruption in this case may hold some truths, or perhaps in the case of the ruling party; either they still fail to grasp the reason why singaporeans have come to view ministerial salaries as such after the Durai incident, or they feel themselves above the need to explain their actions.
Both of which are not good for Singapore. -
I call these high ranking officials and mini-stars the Blood Sucking Vampires. All out to suck peasants' blood!!!
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wah better not talk abt politics man.. later one day the body kena chopped up and throwen into kallang river ah...
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Wah $2mil~!!! I think Bush will get angry if he sees this article. $%^&*&^
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No he won't. He has connections to certain large corporations, including oil companies that are all profiting from his foreign policy decisions. He and his cronies are laughing all the way to the bank. 2 million is nothing to him.Originally posted by Darkness_hacker99:Wah $2mil~!!! I think Bush will get angry if he sees this article. $%^&*&^ -
bcos.. they're from ac n rj lorOriginally posted by vito_corleone:i've seen her in a debate session before, quite fat one, not say very good in debates also. the national team a bit farnie leh..made up of 2 acj and 1 rj students who aren't really very good in debating...i wonder why... -
and if that's the case, why do we beat the English and Welsh yearly?Originally posted by shinta:bcos.. they're from ac n rj lor
Debates follow a stringent framework where arguments have to be placed in. It's not something like a fiery conversation and rebuttal. -
If this unabashed revelation is translated into an unabridged and uncensored movie, it will sell better than the Da Vinci code, at least here in Singapore. But you can be sure the "foetus" will be murdered by some supreme being before it can see daylight.
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Coz we suck, but not as bad as them.Originally posted by LazerLordz:and if that's the case, why do we beat the English and Welsh yearly? -
Nah,it would be Lou Lee,Lou Goh n young Lee bodies being chopped up n thrown into kallang river.Originally posted by Cpt.ZR:wah better not talk abt politics man.. later one day the body kena chopped up and throwen into kallang river ah... -
Honestly, a sizeable income does not serve to "remove" the primary incentive of money; it reduces the incentive at the very most. Money can never be "enough," much less when you have outright access to it in a perfectly "legitimate" environment. Thus the statement postulated by the government that high salaries help to combat corruption is little more than a simple excuse that is simplistically simplified for supposed simple minds like us.Originally posted by Texcoco II:Yes, there are benefits to the system. It keeps corruption under control by removing the primary incentive for it - money. And a corruption-free
government undeniably attracts investors. According to Transparency
International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) we are ranked as the 5th least corrupt nation in the world as of 2005, after Iceland, New Zealand, Finland and Denmark. But the investigation does not, and must not stop there.
Good job to the JC girl. Was she hot? -
maybe they never send the good ones so fight with sinkaporOriginally posted by LazerLordz:and if that's the case, why do we beat the English and Welsh yearly?
Debates follow a stringent framework where arguments have to be placed in. It's not something like a fiery conversation and rebuttal.