Not the time to flaunt your riches
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Not the time to flaunt your riches
Insight Down South
By SEAH CHIANG NEE
A high-ranking civil servant’s account about spending RM110,124 for him, his wife and son to learn fine French cooking has blown up in his face.
A GOVERNMENT elite has stirred ripples by talking of his expensive cooking lessons in France, revealing how hard times are deepening class differences in Singapore.
Inadvertently creating controversy was the permanent secretary at the Environment and Water Resources Ministry, one of the highest ranking civil servants.
Tan Yong Soon had related how he had spent S$46,000 (RM110,124) for himself, his wife and son for a five-day trip to learn fine French cooking.
In ordinary times, this leisurely – but rather insensitive – account would not have amounted to anything much but these days are, of course, far from normal.
Two factors invited criticism to flare.
First, he was seen as flaunting wealth, obtained from his high pay, at a time when Singapore is suffering one of its worst slumps in history.
Many thousands of workers are still losing jobs or suffering wage cuts.
And, secondly, government leaders are accused of being hugely overpaid, as a result of which some are no longer able to relate to the common people.
Tan was also accused of “boasting” about his elitist background when he wrote that his wife was “a senior investment counsellor at a bank” and his son, a soon-to-be student at America’s prestigious Brown University.
“Taking five weeks’ leave from work is not as difficult as one thinks,” Tan said.
“Most times, when you are at the top, you think you are indispensable. But if you are a good leader who has built up a good team, it is possible to go away for five weeks or even longer.”
Singaporeans were largely unimpressed. Some were angry. His fling at France’s prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in the face of rising poverty is the latest example of how out of tune some of Singapore’s well-paid elites are with heartland realities.
About 20% of affluent Singapore’s population lives in poverty with welfare payout to the poorest of the lot limited to a mere S$290 (RM694) a month.
When a government backbencher wanted to have it increased, a Cabinet minister refused, demanding: “How much do you want?”
Many Singaporeans were already unhappy with the multi-million dollar salaries paid to Cabinet ministers and top civil servants even in happier times.
(Despite a recent cut of up to 19%, the government here remains, by far, the highest paid in the world.)
The pay issue remains very controversial and contributes to the class division in society, a them-verses-us mentality that has apparently sharpened as a result of the economic crisis.
The whole episode has shown how the class – and social – divide is widening in high-tech Singapore.
The controversy over Tan’s trip has political implications for a government that is pondering over whether or not to call for a snap general election, which is not due until 2010-11.
In other developed countries from Britain to Japan, it would not have any impact since it involves a civil servant, not a political leader.
But the system is very different in Singapore, where the line separating the two hardly exists.
The Chinese characters “zeng fu” are used to describe the political leadership as well as the civil service.
Some questioned why Tan’s choice of spending his own wealth should be the public’s business – but not many are buying into it.
Established blogger Redbean articulated: “Tan is no ordinary, rich Singaporean. He is a senior civil servant ... and part of the governing elite.
“(He) should be seen as one who would be able to empathise with ordinary Singaporeans who are going through tough times ... (when) the Prime Minister is preparing the people for some belt-tightening and ‘bitter medicine’.”
Besides, if Tan had wished he should have spent his money at home to help the troubled economy rather than abroad, some believed.
Tan’s is by no means the only example of elitist snobbery, nor the worse.
A bigger controversy flared up four years ago when Wee Shu Min, the teenage daughter of a Member of Parliament, came across the blog of a Singaporean who wrote that he was worried about losing his job.
She called Derek Wee “one of many wretched, under-motivated, over-assuming leeches in our country.
“If you’re not good enough, life will kick you in the b***s ... Our society is, I quote, ‘far too survival of fittest’,” said Shu Min, who hailed from the elite Raffles Junior College.
“... Unless you are an arm-twisting commie bully, which, given your whiny, middle-class, under-educated penchant, I doubt,” she added before signing off with “please, get out of my elite uncaring face”.
The girl was flamed by hundreds of Singaporeans, but when her father Wee Siew Kim – an MP in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s constituency – told a newspaper that “her basic point is reasonable”, the row moved well beyond blogosphere.
A news agency, in reporting this, said: “The episode highlighted a deep rift in Singapore society and was an embarrassment for the ruling People’s Action Party and PM Lee.”
Raffles JC, which has produced several state leaders, had another brush with student snobbishness.
When a student found that a Raffles girl was dating a boy from a lower-achieving neighbourhood school, he hit out at him and had a message for lower-ranking students everywhere.
“Quit trying to climb the social ladder by dating students from top schools.”
There are signs the class distinction is getting into some young minds.
A reporter recounted how her friend was shaken when her young daughter came home one day and mentioned in passing that poor people were “stupid, obviously”.
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To the elites, anyone else is simply not human. To them, we're just sub-human parasites. Yet, why the hell are they fucking around with us when the People outnumbers them on a scale of at least 10000 to 1?
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i offer so so so many time already but i still never got a pm b4...... just pay mi 3 bowl of plain rice with luncheon meat and i will be ur PM.... why still paying so much to those jokers??? they can beat my offer meh? and no one can do a worst than them what.... except ah bian maybe...
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this is the reality isn't it. sad that the younger and richer generation have that kind of mindset.
tts why i don't like rich snobbish people.
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"In ordinary times, this leisurely – but rather insensitive – account would not have amounted to anything much but these days are, of course, far from normal."
Like what difference does it make ? If i have money I spend it whenever I like, If you don't like me telling the world now, then you wouldn't like it at any other time.
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I'm kinda surprised this article actually got through the local editor heh.
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Originally posted by Stevenson101:
I'm kinda surprised this article actually got through the local editor heh.
Insight Down South lehRM leh...
what u think leh??
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Originally posted by Stevenson101:
I'm kinda surprised this article actually got through the local editor heh.
when i read this, my take was it is one of the propaganda piece of work by the state media to tell people it is ok to spend, especially when you got the dough. otherwise, there will not be so many other articles on how people are still spending big of late, and pointers on where to buy what, etc.
obviously, the ordinary folks here in singapore are out of touch with the reality there; i.e. singapore is no longer a place for them.
the new singapore train have left the station.
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Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
Insight Down South lehRM leh...
what u think leh??
i think it's printed in Life! I can't remember which day though.
http://singaporeenquirer.sg/?p=985
January 6 i would think
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Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
Insight Down South lehRM leh...
what u think leh??
the original article was on the life section on ST. seah chiang nee merely commented on it.stevenson 101's question was how on earth did the life editor rubberstamp this to be printed.
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Originally posted by redDUST:
when i read this, my take was it is one of the propaganda piece of work by the state media to tell people it is ok to spend, especially when you got the dough. otherwise, there will not be so many other articles on how people are still spending big of late, and pointers on where to buy what, etc.
obviously, the ordinary folks here in singapore are out of touch with the reality there; i.e. singapore is no longer a place for them.
the new singapore train have left the station.
Heh i would agree with this one, they have to be seriously dumb to not consider the political ramifications for this.
Wayangparty put up his email, boy is this guy's email box going to crash.
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Originally posted by redDUST:
the original article was on the life section on ST. seah chiang nee merely commented on it.stevenson 101's question was how on earth did the life editor rubberstamp this to be printed.
even " I-Like-Flings(m)" this nick was printed on the paper b4.. so what u think?? nothing is impossible....
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Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
even " I-Like-Flings(m)" this nick was printed on the paper b4.. so what u think?? nothing is impossible....v
you're the man! -
Originally posted by freedomclub:
To the elites, anyone else is simply not human. To them, we're just sub-human parasites. Yet, why the hell are they fucking around with us when the People outnumbers them on a scale of at least 10000 to 1?
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Elitists.
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Extremely staunch PAP supporters who support the incumbent because it consists of 'elites' (referring to certain forumers who shall not be named) should be fed with elitist attitude.
But such attitude should be condemned when facing anyone else not in the above category.
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The latter-day Marie Antoinette - brought to you by the same fuck knuckles who came up with "Quitter"!
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So now you know all these while who you had voted into the "OFFICE" ??
while many of our fellow singaporeans are badly affected by the worst ever financial crisis, there people still have the cheek to show off their wealth !!!
Completely Insensitive and A Big Jerk !!!
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I would say....this is rather sad...I meant the elitist mindset. I dun really care how much the civil servant (what's his name?) is spending. I'm more concerned about the future of Singapore, they are rather badly educated in the EQ department.
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Originally posted by dalim1966sg:
So now you know all these while who you had voted into the "OFFICE" ??
Well, to be fair, this Tan fellow was never voted in. Some sugar daddy who was voted in decided he liked the cut of this toady's jib, and rewarded his ass-kissing with a high-paying job that involved doing fuck-all.
I'm just wondering how much of Rome there is left to burn while Nero fiddles.
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Originally posted by redDUST:
when i read this, my take was it is one of the propaganda piece of work by the state media to tell people it is ok to spend, especially when you got the dough. otherwise, there will not be so many other articles on how people are still spending big of late, and pointers on where to buy what, etc.
That's operating on the way-out-of-touch assumption that the average Singaporean can spend fifty grand learning how to toast snails.
I suppose the more-equal-than-others will next try to put a spin on things and say that they're saving Singapore's economy by doing the spending for others - not accounting, of course, for the fact that said spending is going into France's coffers, not Singapore's.
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i'm asking... what the hell is wrong if he spends his own money?
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I actually want to say so too.
Its his money.
Why punish a obscure so called senior civil servant then those that are enjoying 'peanuts'?
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Originally posted by Gedanken:
Well, to be fair, this Tan fellow was never voted in. Some sugar daddy who was voted in decided he liked the cut of this toady's jib, and rewarded his ass-kissing with a high-paying job that involved doing fuck-all.
I'm just wondering how much of Rome there is left to burn while Nero fiddles.
With the greatest respect, what makes you think the "sugar daddy" was actually voted in?
The plot of this brand of fascist tyranny is fast unravelling in parallel with the famed parody of George Orwell's "Animal Farm"...
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Originally posted by the Bear:
i'm asking... what the hell is wrong if he spends his own money?
Hey, if he wants to spend the money, fine, but let's not compartmentalise the issue to the extent where it loses meaning. If he kept it to himself, frankly, who gives a fuck?
On the other hand, when people are in fear of losing their jobs (if they're lucky enough to not already be unemployed), telling the world about how much money you can afford to spend is simply rubbing people's faces in it.
Regardless of the economic situation, I'm willing to wager that for any private businessman, the almost-guaranteed first response to one of his employees saying that he can take five weeks' leave off and not be missed is, "You're not doing enough work". With his spending fifty grand learning to cook liver during that time, the boss would be thinking, "I've paid this bugger too much". Considering this civil servant is being paid too much for not doing enough work, why should there not be outrage about how the public's coffers are being squandered?
Considering this guy's supposed to be part of the system whose mandate is to ensure that people are not in fear of losing their jobs simply grinds salt into gaping wounds.
It simply flies in the face of good old common sense that this leech should be able to tell everyone how much he earns for what little he does, and expect to not attract comment, much less outrage.