New announcement for even higher Minsiters' pay...
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can u elaborate more here??Originally posted by robertteh:How about using one's position as an employee to promote one's own interest like director or adviser in another company or other international companies? Will receiving of a discount on property purchases be allowed if there are business transactions of such a giver with one's own employer. Will such an employee be allowed under HR regulations of PSC to accept concurrent appointment like director in Morgan Grandfel or some international firm while holding a public office? Is there a conflict of interest in holding of such positions? Is there a breach of conduct as spelt out in PM's codes of conduct issued to his ministers?
Backdoor -
I am only asking general questions to see if there will be integrity, accountability and transparency by those who are in position of trust or privilege in avoiding paying themselves their own salaries and bonuses after appointment as after-thought. Our practice whereby ministers can give themselves any salaries they like is the same as issuing our ministers who are in a public position of trust of privilege a blank cheque to be filled as they like.
One would have thought that to avoid conflicts or shenanigan, as disclosed in Enron and Worldcom such matter like ministers' and civil servants's salaries especially bonuses should be pre-determined with support of the people prior to or during the election as one total package.
If this is not so, then any one could simply use one's power to pay himself any amount he likes as after-thought. It is the normal professional HR practice to determine salaries of CEOs only during the interviews not not give the CEOs the after-thought to compare and increase salaries thereafter. -
Who is he waving at when the majority of the onlookers are standing behind him ?Originally posted by Gordonator:
Why is his back facing the onlookers, should he not be facing them and waving towards them ?
This looks like a poor amateurish Photoshop attempt at propaganda. -
"To build a country, you need passion. If you just do your sums - plus, minuses, credit, debit - you are a washout."
- Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, 21 Aug 89
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All these talk and arguments, and angry protests in here over their latest move to increase their own wealth. WHat can and what has, ANY ONE of us been able to do about it all???
NOTHING.
But are you aware, that the very 'dragon boat' we are rowing for them needs all of us to move along??? If one rower stops, the 'dragon boat' still moves along. But if a few stops rowing, the 'dragon boat' will slow down but still moves along. However, if 9 out of say 10 stops rowing - the 'dragon boat' will come to a stand still. This is the economy, this is their machine for money, and if we stop everything, they will start to listen.
Money is more precious to them. Not us. Stop rowing their 'dragon boat', and they will probably listen, or, better still - we can have a GOOD DOSE of different government! -
If nine out of ten did not attend ND rally or stop work for one day on 2nd of May after the Labor day, then it will definitely have an effect. Else we will have to wait for external events like recessions to force them to change.Originally posted by ShutterBug:All these talk and arguments, and angry protests in here over their latest move to increase their own wealth. WHat can and what has, ANY ONE of been able to do about it all???
NOTHING.
But are you aware, that the very 'dragon boat' we are rowing for them needs all of us to move along??? If one rower stops, the 'dragon boat' still moves along. But if a few stops rowing, the 'dragon boat' will slow down but still moves along. However, if 9 out of say 10 stops rowing - the 'dragon boat' will come to a stand still. This is the economy, this is their machine for money, and if we stop everything, they will start to listen.
Money is more precious to them. Not us. Stop rowing their 'dragon boat', and they will probably listen, or, better still - we can have a GOOD DOSE of different government! -
But I know, NO ONE dares upset anything because every single one of you (myself included) are tied down with family commitments, financial and career commitments. This is WHY, our government knows we CANNOT, DARE NOT, and WILL NOT make any REAL moves.
So hence, the saying is true; No Pain, No Gain.. But in our case, No Pain, No Change... -
Is there really pain? There is a lot that impressions can do.
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Right now, there is pain already... except that its just like a normal dull tooth-ache...
But for real change to happen, it will be like pulling that aching tooth out without novocain jabs...!!
Imagine the extreme pain that will bring... but once that bothersome tooth is gone, real healing shall begin in earnest!!
However, slow-rot is status quo for now... -
He really said that? People do change.Originally posted by countdracula:"To build a country, you need passion. If you just do your sums - plus, minuses, credit, debit - you are a washout."
- Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, 21 Aug 89
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Yesterday, he had wanted to build a nation. Today, he just wants to bring cash into the coffin.
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NEW FLASH ::
MINISTERS' salary will rise to $1.6 million from $1.2 million by end of this year.
Announcing the pay rise, Minister in-charge of civil service, Teo Chee Hean said on Monday, ministers' pay will be raised further to $1.94 million by end of 2008. -
With so many people making so much noise, they dare not raise the full amount, but then again ... greed is greed .... no matter how much ..
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What friggin difference does that make? ... a little bit now, and a little bit later.. it still adds up to the amount they have in mind.
I say to them; don't increase your own salaries until you can all solve or at least improve outstanding issues!!!
Show us your friggin PASSION! Not GREED!!! -
No wonder many Sprorean chose to live in countries which provide social welfare to the citizen.Originally posted by gill_hfc:If you read the papers today, the poor old women living in a rental flat has only plain rice to eat. The government feels that older people should only receive a megearly sum of few dollars a month! while we turn around and pay our ministers millions. we are forgetting that these are the old folks that helped build singapore! the government now needs justification in supporting them in old age!
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SINGAPORE, April 9 (Reuters) - Singapore's government ministers, already among the world's highest paid, will see their annual salaries jump by about 60 percent to an average of S$1.9 million ($1.26 million), a minister told parliament on Monday.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will see his salary rise to S$3.1 million ($2.05 million) from an estimated S$2 million, which will be five times the $400,000 that U.S. president George Bush earns.
"For the public service to remain an attractive employer, our terms must keep pace with the private sector," Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also minister in charge of the civil service, said in parliament.
The salary increase -- which will take effect in two steps by the end of next year -- is slightly smaller than the government had originally proposed.
Prime Minister Lee said last month the salaries of Singapore ministers and top civil servants might have to rise to as much as S$2.2 million (US$1.45 million) because they had fallen way below benchmark top salaries in the private sector.
The announcement sparked an outcry. Hundreds of Singaporeans signed an online petition and wrote to the state-controlled newspapers to protest against the move.
Some Singaporeans said the salaries do not reflect the country's economy or the government's performance, and that the government was tactless to raise ministers' salaries now given Singapore's widening income gap.
Since 1994, the salaries of Singapore ministers have been set at two-thirds the median pay of the 48 best-paid bankers, lawyers, accountants, engineers, and executives in multi-nationals and manufacturing firms. -
If we are going to pay LHL in the millions, is there a gurantee that comes with it that we will never see a recession ever again? people will never loose their jobs?? can he and his government provide such a gurantee? These whole salary episode is pathetic. it shows how inconsiderate the government is. They want justification for providing welfare to the aged and poor but have no problems with raising their salaries for 25%!!!! pathettttttttttttttttttttic!!!!!
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Latest news from the Parliament...
Looks like our Ministers are the only winner in the latest pay hike...
As I know most Div 3 and Div 2 Govt. servant their pay is between $1500 to $4000.
Most will have an increase of between $42 and $112 if we take 2.8% increasement across the broad.
Any comment?
Expect a modest pay hike as Singapore job market heats up
By Lee U-Wen and Lin Yanqin, TODAY | Posted: 09 April 2007 1030 hrs
The job market may be heating up in Singapore, but don't expect a huge jump this year when the boss reviews your salary.
Real pay increases for some groups in Singapore could range from 2.8 to 3.2 per cent, according to a study by human resource consultancy Hay Group.
The company's Global Pay Day report revealed that salary hikes for administrative staff and senior management here could go up by 2.8 per cent, while professionals may have it slightly better — at 3.2 per cent. These figures are a dip from the average of 3.8 per cent predicted by it in its 2006 report.
On the whole, this year's salary increase predictions — taken after adjusting for inflation — are modest compared to the rest of South-east Asia. Of the other five countries in the region, Indonesia is likely to see the highest increase of 4.7 per cent, followed by Vietnam (4.5 per cent), Singapore, Malaysia (2.7 to 3 per cent), the Philippines (1.5 to 2.5 per cent) and Thailand (1.9 to 2 per cent).
When benchmarked against the rest of Asia, the expected pay increase for Singapore's professionals, for instance, lags far behind that of China (7.8 per cent), India (5.9 per cent) and South Korea (4 per cent).
Shedding some light on this, Hay Group's reward information services managing director (Asia) Roland Ruiz said Singapore's current salary levels are already among the highest in the region, which explains the smaller percentage growth.
Even so, the findings buck the trend set by recent surveys that said workers in Singapore could look forward to better bonuses and bigger pay hikes, in light of a healthy economy and record job creation last year.
Employers here, said Mr Ruiz, are "cautious" about raising salaries because regional economies remain a source of risk, with "economic and political instability, potential interruption in regional production chains and financial weakness".
"Singapore employers (have) not taken an immediate response on salaries to align with a clearly more buoyant economy in 2006, partly because they take a longer term view when it comes to increasing their fixed costs to the business," he told Today.
On pay matters, private sector employers also usually take their cue from the civil service. The National Wages Council, meanwhile, is due to deliberate on wage guidelines for 2007/2008 later this month.
Still, he said, things were looking up thanks to the tightening labour market. "There are many jobs chasing after a smaller pool of people, so there is now a much clearer case for employers to act on salary growth," he said.
Job sectors likely to face pressure to increase salaries are those that saw significant growth last year, such as marine and offshore engineering, biomedical manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail trade and financial services. "There will be continuing pressure to increase wages for critical positions in these industries since continuing growth is expected from them," said Mr Ruiz.
The Government's latest figures spell growing employment prospects. Last year more than 176,000 jobs were created — the highest since data was first compiled in the late 1970s. More than 450,000 jobs are expected to be created in the next five years, with the latest unemployment rate standing at an all-time low of just 2.7 per cent. - TODAY/sh -
Now that the economy has improved, they deserve a raise.. BUT when time were bad, the citizen had to have their CPF cut !!! Till this day we have yet to have our CPF restored !!!Originally posted by gill_hfc:If we are going to pay LHL in the millions, is there a gurantee that comes with it that we will never see a recession ever again? people will never loose their jobs?? can he and his government provide such a gurantee? These whole salary episode is pathetic. it shows how inconsiderate the government is. They want justification for providing welfare to the aged and poor but have no problems with raising their salaries for 25%!!!! pathettttttttttttttttttttic!!!!! -
Lai CF wrote:
I am sure with any other leaders around like MM Lim Chin Siong, there would not be so much protectionism or cronyism going on in the government and civil service who are mostly engaged on connections.
If there is no Lee Kuan Yew, then Barisan Socialis will come into power....
MM Lim CHin Siong will be on a pension scheme at 2/3 of his last drawn salary of S$300,000 per annum.
He lamented that nobody wanted to join the Civil Services as they are all out there earning multi-million dollars running their own businesses here and in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
MM Lim Chin Siong then announced civil service salary will increase by 33% from S$100,000 pa to S$133,000 per annum for the top earners.
But they will enjoy 2/3 pension, free medical care for life, free education for their sibligns for life, and free public housing for life.
That is Democratic Socialism as in PAP Manifesto 1954.
Even with all the talks about meritocracy and talents we could have many practical talents among the administrators and executives in the private sector who would be more passionate and talented to create jobs and bring about our competitiveness if only they are not excluded by the artificial barriers erected by the HR to perpetuate their protectionism.
Why if the market is open we could have more than enough talents who need not be paid so many millions.
So in reality, it is not that we do not have talents among citizens who could do better jobs but they have been excluded due to protectionist barriers.
Now let us ask this question, without Ng Eng Hen, would we be worse off or would there be no singapore or progress.
Would we have a better work permit scheme to help build a competitive economy?
I would think that without Ng Eng Hen's S-passes scheme which allows employer to take in any foreign worker they like, many of our unemployed Poly graduates would stand a better chance to be employed as now the employers are practically employing any foreign workers on the slightest whims of foreign talents which are no talents to boast of. -
oops. did he said that? i think he forgot liaoOriginally posted by countdracula:"To build a country, you need passion. If you just do your sums - plus, minuses, credit, debit - you are a washout."
- Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, 21 Aug 89
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yoz..you behind time liao. this cannot apply anymore in the 21st century. during then, casino was no..no... today? if no casino, economy also no..no..Originally posted by countdracula:"To build a country, you need passion. If you just do your sums - plus, minuses, credit, debit - you are a washout."
- Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, 21 Aug 89
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MM Lee, opposition MP Low Thia Khiang debate increase in salaries
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SINGAPORE : Opposition MP Low Thia Khiang questioned the need for such high salaries for ministers and top civil servants to prevent corruption.
He said Singapore ranked below Finland, Denmark and Switzerland, in a UN report on how corrupt a country is, but these countries pay their top civil servants less than Singapore.
This had Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on his feet and challenging his statements.
"Does he realise that Singapore's GDP is only one-third of its external trade? Our external trade is 3 1/2 times that of our GDP, higher than Hong Kong. And if this economy ever falters, that's the end of Singapore and its First World status. Denmark, Switzerland and Finland are part of Europe. You can fail and you're still caught in the European situation. If you fail here, you go back to a Southeast Asian situation. Just look around you," said MM Lee.
"So is the Minister Mentor saying that without paying such a high salary, we are bound to fail? And even if we pay top earners' salary, can the present government bring Singapore up to superpower (status), as what he has mentioned for those in Denmark?" challenged Mr Low, MP for Hougang.
"I am putting a simple question and asking for his clarification. He has compared Singapore as if it were Denmark, Finland or Switzerland. Their systems and governments never produced the kind of transformation that we have, and their system and government have a broader base and can afford a mediocre government," said the Minister Mentor. - CNA /ls -
Oh I cannot help but salute the old man's arrogance.Originally posted by soul_rage:MM Lee, opposition MP Low Thia Khiang debate increase in salaries
"Does he realise that Singapore's GDP is only one-third of its external trade? Our external trade is 3 1/2 times that of our GDP, higher than Hong Kong. And if this economy ever falters, that's the end of Singapore and its First World status. Denmark, Switzerland and Finland are part of Europe. You can fail and you're still caught in the European situation. If you fail here, you go back to a Southeast Asian situation. Just look around you," said MM Lee.
With a superb sweeping statement, he has just insulted all our neighbours, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos.
And what will happen? These countries will be pissed off with Singapore, and once again, they will take out their anger on us, the ordinary Singaporean.
No wonder we are hated in ASEAN. Our govt seems to always think we are the best and the greatest in ASEAN, and along the way, insults the rest. No one really appreciates our aid, no matter how many billions we donate to them, coz we give them the impression we are looking down on everyone ard us -
i couldn't agree more....Originally posted by soul_rage:Oh I cannot help but salute the old man's arrogance......
when i heard what he said on the telly,
2 words immediately comes to mind.....
SUCH ARROGANCE.
this will set the scene for diplomatic ties for singapore for the years to come. good luck sinkapore -
Unfortunately this whole affair is likely to escalate into a diplomatic nightmare. I can imagine the Foreign Minister swearing and cursing and our ambassadors to our neighbouring countries sweating in their suits. And of course their ambassadors to Singapore must be thinking 'oh my goodness the old man has finally gone senile.'