Who will pay for Mrs Lee's medi/tpt bills?
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With great powers come great responsibility. -
With great responsibilities come great privileges and compensations.Originally posted by Parka: With great powers come great responsibility. -
The crux of the issue is not so much that SIA diverted a plane to "rescue" the wife of SM Lee but rather that she was given preferential treatment while in london.
It is pretty obvious that she jumped the queue for a CT Scan otherwise 10 downing street won't have to come out strongly and explain anything. And frankly, if i were a brit, so would i. How come my own govt is extending special treatment to an outsider rather than help their own citizens?
On the other hand, it's obvious that any head of state or thereof would be given red carpet treatment if an identical incident were to happen in a foreign nation.
It's the perk of being a former leader. We should instead acknowledge the fact that SM Lee WILL BE paying for all the medical expenses (and SIA's compensation i expect)
If you need an example, just look at all the ex-presidents of the United States - they are still given a small cadre of secret service guards after they leave office for protection. -
the test is to not abuse these privileges and not to start to see them as rights..
or confuse these privileges as the same privileges the common working hack has...Originally posted by Atobe:With great responsibilities come great privileges and compensations. -
Don't mistake Airforce 1 for specially converted jumbo jet....,Originally posted by stupidissmart:Hmm... if something happened to PM Goh's wife when she was overseas, I think the treatment will be the same too. If the same thing happened to George Bush's wife while they r overseas, I guess the America themselves will make the same arrangement. If Bush's wife got stroke while they r in Bali visit, I think they r prepared to send her out of country through a jumbo jet too. Politician & their spouse r important people whose lives must be protected while they r in office bah. LKY is still a minister isn't it ?
i seriously doubt any US policy / constitution will allow a president to order a commerical airline to be converted for a personal use by first lady, even if so, that must be officially written down as OK before he dare to do such thing.
btw, Airforce 1, already have a medical bed , clinic and doctor to take care of the 1st family...US president never need to "have a special medical jet"
most importantly , don't confused the difference between US's PRESIDENT and a 'MINISTER'. A president and first lady (espec US) has a lot more power than a Cabinet Minister..., while he had Airforce 1 at his disposal, yet US still don't allow him divert / use commercial planes of for personal use. -
quote]Originally posted by kanzer:
i ...
the first generation leaders has done alot to make our system work..... it has significantly reduced corruption and so on..... so if same person who made the system work destroys the system, then
Totally agree, having made contributions in earlier days does not mean anyone can used past credit as excuse to do 'incorrect' / 'questionable' things now. [b]Otherwise our system which SM lee worked hard to set up will be heading towards trouble....
I agree that the leaders in Singapore has done a commendable job in putting the country into the world map. However, they are not doing it for free. They are rewarded handsomely for their job. In fact, a Singapore minister or even an MP's pay is one of the highest in the world! The rationale? to erradicate corruption! So there, it is a fair transaction. One gets paid for a job well done. One should also pay for a good service rendered, full stop! -
LKY went for some events in Lodon. Whenever people hear of LKY, they will immediately think of Singapore, thus he is in a way representing our country. He is like an icon for singapore, a lengendary person. Maybe u guys feel he doesn't deserve it etc, but u got to agree he is one of the most, if not the most famous person in singapore now. After many years when he is gone, people will still remember him. And he indeed had done a lot of things. U may say he had also made a lot of lousy policies or anyone taking over his shoes will perform better. However one will never know wat will really happened if some other person take over his job. We cannot disclaim all his credit away.
Thus now her wife got a stroke, which is a very serious matter. Thus now I pose this question
1) Shall we treat them like normal citizens, not giving them any special priviledges or rights even if he is a minister
2) We give him some additional powers and priviledges due to his status. However there is a limit to it
3) We do watever we can to help them. Including transforming a 747 to an air hospital.
Most people here will probably choose 2. But wat do u think should be the limit for him ? The America got their Air Force 1 tat will probably just age in some hanger when the US president stays in the white house. Whenever any MP in singapore went overseas, they also booked away all the first class seats too isn't it ? Is using a comercial airplane purely for him in a medical emergency really too much to ask for ? Tis is especially if he himself foot the bill isn't it ?
If u ask me, I will choose 3, do watever we can to help him. Although his portfolio now is minister, however he is not just any minister. I will be blunt a bit... he is like Mother Theresa to Catholics or Sun Yat Sen to Chinese or George Washington to America as he is to Singapore. If the following people were alive, do u think the group he represent will not do their full effort to help them ?
Now I feel tat it is the correct thing to do is fade away after one had reached their peak. Otherwise their fate will be like LKY now where people r already begging him to leave the politcal arena.
Anyway in the end he had paid for the full fees himself, thus the airline nor the Gov had lost any money. Just treat tat the airline had paid back his help when SIA had just been established. -
We meet again.
Was he away from Singapore and visiting London while on personal leave, or was he on Official Duty representing Singapore ?Originally posted by stupidissmart:LKY went for some events in Lodon. Whenever people hear of LKY, they will immediately think of Singapore, thus he is in a way representing our country.
Recruits performing well in thier IPPT were released from BMT, given a 10 day furlough at home. While on home leave, the recruits were given back their Civilian ID, and their Military Green ID were taken back; and if any medical service is needed during this period, it will be from their own pockets.Continuing post by stupidissmart:
Icon ? Legendary person ? There seems to be a strong effort to elevate him to god like status too ?
He is like an icon for singapore, a lengendary person. Maybe u guys feel he doesn't deserve it etc, but u got to agree he is one of the most, if not the most famous person in singapore now. After many years when he is gone, people will still remember him. And he indeed had done a lot of things. U may say he had also made a lot of lousy policies or anyone taking over his shoes will perform better. However one will never know wat will really happened if some other person take over his job. We cannot disclaim all his credit away.
Should we preserve his body in a glass mausoleum for generations after to remember and learn of his grandeur, much like what the Vietnamese have done for their 'icon' Ho Chi Minh, and what China has done for Mao Tse Tung ?
If SM LKY had stepped down completely from Government, but remained in Politics, perhaps PM GCT could have been his own man, and implement the policies that he has dreamed of for Singapore to be more open.
Unfortunately, when LKY stepped down from the PM post, in a reply to a Foreign Correspondent question, LKY replied that even though he may not be the Prime Minister, he is still the Secretary General of the PAP.
Singapore is perhaps the only 'Democratic
' country on this globe that has a Political Party Secretary-General being more powerful than the Prime Minister.
The other countries that have such a political situation only exist in Communist Countries, where the Chairman or the Secretary- General of the Political Party is stronger than the President or the Prime Minister of a Country.Continuing post by stupidissmart:
You got to be kidding to think for others that we should decide for (2)
Thus now her wife got a stroke, which is a very serious matter. Thus now I pose this question
1) Shall we treat them like normal citizens, not giving them any special priviledges or rights even if he is a minister
2) We give him some additional powers and priviledges due to his status. However there is a limit to it
3) We do watever we can to help them. Including transforming a 747 to an air hospital.
Most people here will probably choose 2. But wat do u think should be the limit for him ? The America got their Air Force 1 tat will probably just age in some hanger when the US president stays in the white house. Whenever any MP in singapore went overseas, they also booked away all the first class seats too isn't it ? Is using a comercial airplane purely for him in a medical emergency really too much to ask for ? Tis is especially if he himself foot the bill isn't it ?
If u ask me, I will choose 3, do watever we can to help him.
Has he NOT got enough political and legislative powers already - implied or not
I doubt if anyone will bicker about the fact that he has done alot for Singapore - both good and bad - it is a hard pill to swallow that he has more medical privileges that most LESSER Singaporeans do not even dare to dream of having, let alone being able to afford.
At the end of the day, it is the system that SM LKY has created, which we have been ingrained with, and that is " nothing is free, and that if we desire to have Class A treatment, we pay for it " .Continuing post by stupidissmart:
Did Mother Theresa accused the 21 Catholics of being Communist for trying to serve the Church - by showing their concern for the welfare of some blue collar workers in Jurong Industrial Estate - and locking the 21 Catholics until they make TV "confessions" that only implicated themselves as 'Communists' ?
Although his portfolio now is minister, however he is not just any minister. I will be blunt a bit... he is like Mother Theresa to Catholics or Sun Yat Sen to Chinese or George Washington to America as he is to Singapore. If the following people were alive, do u think the group he represent will not do their full effort to help them ?
http://www.singapore-window.org/sw01/010521m3.htm
Did Sun Yat Sen lock up anyone for 27 years simply because he does not ideologically agree with his Political Opponent ?
http://www.sfdonline.org/Chialink.html
Did George Washington draft a Constitution that is lopsided in favor of a Single Ruling Political Party, or did he separate the instruments of Governments to ensure True DEMOCRACY for a newly independent USA ?
(See below referenced sites for further reading)
SM LKY is a mix of Mother Theresa, Sun Yat Sen and George Washington
You got to be kidding, and I will resist commenting your pen name.
The history books of Singapore must have been re-written and doctored to educate people like you with such an idea.
I am shockedContinuing post by stupidissmart:
Perhaps it is best that you heed your statement of fading away, or there will be a chorus of pleas to leave this political arena.
Now I feel tat it is the correct thing to do is fade away after one had reached their peak. Otherwise their fate will be like LKY now where people r already begging him to leave the politcal arena.
Anyway in the end he had paid for the full fees himself, thus the airline nor the Gov had lost any money. Just treat tat the airline had paid back his help when SIA had just been established.
SM LKY pay the fees ?
How are government ministers paid ? Where does the Government get their operating budget ?
It would have been best to have just shut up about the events that had occurred, instead of being supremely condescending in his comments about the Health Systems of UK and Singapore - which in the end only resulted in the embarrassing political fall-outs in the UK and in Singapore.
The US Constitution
http://usgovinfo.miningco.com/blconst.htm
The President of the United States of America
http://usgovinfo.miningco.com/cs/agencies/a/presbrief.htm
Congress and the Senate
http://usgovinfo.miningco.com/library/weekly/blhouseandsenate.htm
The US Federal Court System – Judiciary: Guardians of the Constitution
http://usgovinfo.miningco.com/blfedcourts.htm -
I do agree mostly with ATOBE's most recent reply.
But too many s'porean have been 'brainwashed' and educated of the 'S'porean way' - since born and educated here......from Primary till Uni. Many hence blindly support and believe whatever leaders say is correct....
many that got alternative views have spent some years abroad either through work or study.....
then wake up their idea and see the difference between a 'DEMOCRACY' AND 'S'pore democracy' --- what many S'porean 'leaders' called 'liberal democracy' and 'democracy' - implying Western democracies are no good as they are too liberal.... -
we're a republic not a democracy
a democracy has everyone voting for issues
but a republic chooses some to represent its people in the govt
thought LKY's spokesman claim the he has footed the bill
i feel that he probably got a discount from SIA