Lee Hsien Loong talked so much, still has the wrong attitude
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The buck stops here
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By Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's own admission, this is not the best of times for the Government to be grappling with an issue as sensitive as a pay hike for ministers and civil servants.
Certainly not when the income gap in Singapore is seen to be widening, and not everyone is enjoying the benefits of the returning good times. In fact, some speakers during the three-day parliamentary debate on the issue even wondered whether Mr Lee and his ministers had undermined their moral authority to govern by giving themselves such large pay increases.
So, when Mr Lee took the floor yesterday to wrap up the debate, he decided to address just such concerns: Minutes into his two-hour long speech, Mr Lee said he would freeze his pre-increment salary of $2.5 million for the next five years, promising to donate any increase in pay to charity.
That means a donation of at least $3 million, or a minimum of $600,000 in each of the five years. Under the phased pay revisions announced on Monday, Mr Lee will draw a salary of $3.1 million this year, a 25.5-per-cent jump from what he drew last year.
The Prime Minister said he did not expect other ministers to follow his lead.
"I'm the one carrying the ultimate responsibility ... I know that ministers and MPs already support various worthy causes, but it should not be an ostentatious display of how self-sacrificing they are. That is a private matter for them to decide at their own discretion," said Mr Lee.
While his decision is likely to win applause from many, one MP asked whether some Singaporeans may view it negatively.
Madam Ho Geok Choo (West Coast GRC) said: "I fear that there may be people out there who take his magnanimous gesture as a retreat and a face-saving admission that the policy (on ministers' salaries) is flawed."
Responding, Mr Lee reiterated that it was his personal choice.
In his speech, Mr Lee said he agreed with MPs who had argued that joining the public service required "sacrifice and selflessness".
Still, he added, choosing the right people for the job was "not an auction" to show who was willing to make the bigger financial sacrifice.
In a speech that was at times emotional and peppered with anecdotes from his own 23-year career in politics, Mr Lee spoke about his fears of Singapore getting a corrupt premier in the future.
"I'm worried about somebody wanting to be Prime Minister, hoping to be paid not a single cent but still collect $400 million — under the table ...
"We don't expect ministers to earn as much as top earners in the private sector, but it must not be too far out of line with what is earned outside," said Mr Lee, who also shared with the House that he turned 55 this year and has drawn his CPF.
On the timing of the pay hikes — less than three months before the Goods & Services Tax will be raised by 2 percentage points to 7 per cent — Mr Lee conceded that the timing could have been better.
But then again, he said, there is "no good time". The last major salary revision was seven years ago, and there was a growing "urgency" to close the gap on the private sector benchmarks in order to ensure that the public sector would continue to attract, and retain, top talent.
"Politically, this is the most difficult decision for me to take ... It was Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who encouraged me to do it. They know the importance of having good ministers to help them with their work."
Mr Lee also touched on the link made by many MPs between ministerial salaries and public assistance payouts for poorer Singaporeans.
"When you make such comparisons, the problem can become very emotional ... General welfare is something we can promise, it's very easy and popular. It's like having a God of Fortune giving out money and everyone is happy. You don't need very capable ministers to do that," he said.
However, if the Government were to tread down this path, it would suffer "long-term repercussions", he said. "The wiser approach is to grow the economy, and use the fruits of growth to implement policies that truly improve the lives of the poor."
Mr Lee also paid tribute to 94 MPs in the House, whose monthly allowances have each been raised from $11,900 to $13,200. He said the lawmakers here compare well with parliaments in other countries.
And while Mr Lee had said the buck stops with him when it comes to donating his salary increment, one MP — Dr Lily Neo (Jalan Besar GRC) — announced at the end of the session that she would follow his lead. - /sh -
How come this topic hor, can create so many thread wan huh??
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You know, he likes to use exhorbidant figures to scare us all. $400m, hahahaOriginally posted by soul_rage:The buck stops here
By Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's own admission, this is not the best of times for the Government to be grappling with an issue as sensitive as a pay hike for ministers and civil servants.
Certainly not when the income gap in Singapore is seen to be widening, and not everyone is enjoying the benefits of the returning good times. In fact, some speakers during the three-day parliamentary debate on the issue even wondered whether Mr Lee and his ministers had undermined their moral authority to govern by giving themselves such large pay increases.
In a speech that was at times emotional and peppered with anecdotes from his own 23-year career in politics, Mr Lee spoke about his fears of Singapore getting a corrupt premier in the future.
"I'm worried about somebody wanting to be Prime Minister, hoping to be paid not a single cent but still collect $400 million — under the table ...
On the timing of the pay hikes — less than three months before the Goods & Services Tax will be raised by 2 percentage points to 7 per cent — Mr Lee conceded that the timing could have been better.
But then again, he said, there is "no good time". The last major salary revision was seven years ago, and there was a growing "urgency" to close the gap on the private sector benchmarks in order to ensure that the public sector would continue to attract, and retain, top talent.
THEIR Salary. The civil service pay hike isn't much. Its their that is ALOT
Mr Lee also touched on the link made by many MPs between ministerial salaries and public assistance payouts for poorer Singaporeans.
"When you make such comparisons, the problem can become very emotional ... General welfare is something we can promise, it's very easy and popular. It's like having a God of Fortune giving out money and everyone is happy. You don't need very capable ministers to do that," he said.
I hated THIS PARTICULAR STATEMENT. What did this govt DO that made our lives better?
What achievement have they done?
Giving money don't need capable ministers? Raising ERP rate, raising GST also don't need capable ministers
At the end of the day, why waste time debating? Again, they refuse to heed the people's unhappiness. Again, so much talk talk talk, but NO change.
Why not just get rid of parliament? Follow his father, just tell us to shut up, he knows better.
Why spend money and effort pretending to be diplomatic? -
what is wrong with this topic? This topic is the thing that all Singaporeans should stand up for now.Originally posted by turbo_drift:How come this topic hor, can create so many thread wan huh??
If you don't feel at all, or you are not a Singaporean, then stay away -
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Fug off la..Originally posted by soul_rage:what is wrong with this topic? This topic is the thing that all Singaporeans should stand up for now.
If you don't feel at all, or you are not a Singaporean, then stay away
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so u want blind followers huh
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x2.Originally posted by turbo_drift:Fug off la.. -
Most ministers do have a certain role to attract foreign investments and improve trade relationships with working international bodies.
During which there is a fine-line for (practices of under table $$$) investments.
I don't understand why so much $$$ can be used for donation when they cannot afford to run their own CEO of charitable organization part-time for Free? -
That means a donation of at least $3 million, or a minimum of $600,000 in each of the five years.
Why at least 3 million? His salaries jumped by a lot. -
and you are a blind follower of the PAP?Originally posted by Eric Cartman:so u want blind followers huh
Why not you start here reasons why you support them, when after so many years, all we have seen is worsening conditions for the avg man on the streets? -
as I said, stay away. At least I did not sprout vulgarities, unlike you.Originally posted by turbo_drift:Fug off la.. -
of cuz luh, so much controversy... earn so much already still wan increment, why dont they all just announce to every1 how much salary is suffice for them to continue to 'serve' the nation lor..Originally posted by turbo_drift:How come this topic hor, can create so many thread wan huh?? -
they should actually compare bush salary with bill gates or donald trump salary..
bush never even make noise, USA still going strong.. -
25% abit too much lor.
den 20year down the road.
they will be earnin 10m a yr liao.