DEFINITION OF TRUE DEMOCRACY
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Plentiful are our talents,
Everthing is world class,
Full of good presentations,
Of Contrivance, Alienation, Depolitisation,
Corporatizations and Avoidance,
Many Policies and Assumptions,
Will solve all problems,
With world-class solutions,
Meritocracy and Confucianism,
Will showcase our values,
Tax-and-recover charges will increase surpluses
Reserves and provisions,
No more headaches as the wonderous gains,
And Plenty of Surpluses will prove leaderships,
Talents Again and again,
Never mind what is going to happen,
These are Simple answers to complex questions. -
Alright... take it easy:Originally posted by robertteh:Plentiful are our talents,
Everthing is world class,
Presentations, contrivance,
Alienation, Depolitisation,
Corporatizations and avoidance,
For such policies save on headaches,
For such policies will put our talents
In powers and control,
Better presentations,
Of world-class corporate governance,
Of Meritocracy and Confucianism,
For better answer to common grouses and complaints,
Tax-and-recover policies will gain surpluses
While saving Costs of provisions and solutions,
No headaches but wonderous gains,
Plenty of Surpluses will showcase leaderships,
Talents Again and again,
That is our talented existence,
Never mind what is going to happen,
For these are Simple answers to complex questions.
Here comes the election,
behold our great nation...
And a new section,
from the finest selection...
of our best generation.
Robert, why not go stand for election?
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I am a citizen ordinary,
With no talents except tireless opinions,
Of what lives should be,
Being a citizens ordinary,
I am Free from the hustle and bustle,
From from worldly cares and worries,
Though I will do my part to serve,
To be a busy body,
To give tireless opinions,
As I see it without fear or favor,
This is the way citizens will be. -
haha Elfred, r u urself standing for election?Originally posted by Elfred:Alright... take it easy:
Here comes the election,
behold our great nation...
And a new section,
from the finest selection...
of our best generation.
Robert, why not go stand for election? -
ermm... pls cut the pessimism!!Originally posted by robertteh:I am a citizen ordinary,
With no talents except tireless opinions,
Of what lives should be,
Being a citizens ordinary,
I am Free from the hustle and bustle,
From from worldly cares and worries,
Though I will do my part to serve,
To be a busy body,
To give tireless opinions,
As I see it without fear or favor,
This is the way citizens will be.
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Nope. Not this one definitely.Originally posted by pikamaster:haha Elfred, r u urself standing for election?
You? -
The common attitude of the populace is one of complacency and make-belief. People easily believe in the leadership's various justifications to excuse them of poor performance, presentations and rehashing of past look-good policies.
If leaders have been lacking over the past 20 years since 1970s or so, and let arrogance go to their heads, it is partly the people's doing.
It is very difficult to change the complacency or naivety of the people. The lack of progress from the 1970s was something not easy to change on the part of a few.
Yet, the problems facing Singapore's society are serious ranging from high costs and loss of economic competitiveness to class divisions. These are largely created by lack of leaders' adaptation to the new world competitiveness being held back by their egotism and self-interests. How the economy has been performing since the 1970s is common knowledge but none of the leaders have admitted we have fallen behind many Asian tigers in technology ascensions etc.
Despite ineffectiveness of various past polcies that emphasise only on elitism and their own talents and self-importance and the obvious lack of implementation abilities or excellence among ministers, the leaders would rather wish them away and regard the economy as doing well.
A group of active citizens would have to be cultivated and stay vigilant and in the know about the current situations and true state of the economy. They alone can do something at the end as pressure group to make the unseeing government leaders see the need to change,
The elites, and academic talents, elected MPs, and politicians are unable to question or change usually being the target of cooption and depolitisation. Only the active citizens will remain the force to question and make suggestions or create pressures to change. -
suggestions, robert?Originally posted by robertteh:The common attitude of the populace is one of complacency and make-belief. People easily believe in the leadership's various justifications to excuse them of poor performance, presentations and rehashing of past look-good policies.
If leaders have been lacking over the past 20 years since 1970s or so, and let arrogance go to their heads, it is partly the people's doing.
It is very difficult to change the complacency or naivety of the people. The lack of progress from the 1970s was something not easy to change on the part of a few.
Yet, the problems facing Singapore's society are serious ranging from high costs and loss of economic competitiveness to class divisions. These are largely created by lack of leaders' adaptation to the new world competitiveness being held back by their egotism and self-interests. How the economy has been performing since the 1970s is common knowledge but none of the leaders have admitted we have fallen behind many Asian tigers in technology ascensions etc.
Despite ineffectiveness of various past polcies that emphasise only on elitism and their own talents and self-importance and the obvious lack of implementation abilities or excellence among ministers, the leaders would rather wish them away and regard the economy as doing well.
A group of active citizens would have to be cultivated and stay vigilant and in the know about the current situations and true state of the economy. They alone can do something at the end as pressure group to make the unseeing government leaders see the need to change,
The elites, and academic talents, elected MPs, and politicians are unable to question or change usually being the target of cooption and depolitisation. Only the active citizens will remain the force to question and make suggestions or create pressures to change. -
Let's be very frank - there is no solution to the current problems.Originally posted by pikamaster:suggestions, robert?
If people are that naive to listen to craps and vote the elites on their fallacious pretentions, assumptions and presumptuousness, or are easily bought by pre-election goodies they alone will have to face the consequences.
It looks like under the current political situation, there is no more politicians left to serve the people and by default the party in power will continue to be comfortably in power for a long long time not because they are successful but they have hijacked the election system to hold on to power.
No individual has the power to change any thing.
The only way to survive is to crawl to the governing elites for bread crumbs that fall off the table or be self-reliant, (read below], accept the fate, (we may be in this phase now and for a long long time to come) migrate or destroy the votes.
http://www.managefranchise.blogspot.com
http://www.ospforohsopolite.blogspot.com
http://www.easymanager.blogspot.com -
What has intuitive or judgmental management done for your company? Have you tried any of the following methods in improving efficiency or upgrading competitiveness of your company?
(1) ATTEND MANAGEMENT COURSES, SEMINARS?
(2) TRAINING AND RE-TRAINING OF STAFF?
(3) LIFE-LONG EDUCATION?
(4) PROMOTE ENTREPRENEURIAL ABILITIES?
(5) MANAGEMENT AUDIT OR SOP?
(6) GET GURU ADVICE OR TRY NEUROLOGICAL MIND MAPPING?
(7) I.S.O TO ADD BRAND NAME TO YOUR COMPANY ?
(8 ) QUALITY CIRCLES OR STAFF SUGGESTION SCHEMES?
If you sincerely believe that the above-mentioned measures will answer to your company problems, the go on, be consistent and focused and review your company performance again after three months.
-------------------------------- after 3 months -----------------------------
Many methods such as the above-mentioned have been tried, but have these measures brought about improved efficiency or profitability?
Why not open up and let the staff and workers manage tasks according to their abilities without constraints based on empowered processes that corresponds to natural sequential work proceses they know best.
What people really need is empowerments, coordination and knowledge application to increase efficiency and productivity. That is the only way to change.
Organizational Efficiency = coordination + knowledge application by all (not personal efficiency or individualism) -
If the ministers in charge are proactive, or creative, there will not be a history of problems with departments under their charge. PM does not seem to override or correct Ministers' policies. He usually leaves it to them to speak and defend. That is why the pattern of inactions and persistent problems like work site poor safety records etc is happening. That is why LTA, MOH, Public Transport companies etc under the ministers' charge have not been recognized for so long.
Just look back at the particular ministers' past records of dealing with work site accidents, transport fare hikes, medical fee hikes and there have been only a series of defensive explanations and not much creative actions to solve problems. High costs would remain high and there will not any actions to correct shortcomings.
NKF is a typical case of ministers in charge persisting in some belief that high flyers of their recognition would deliver. But are the ministers minitoring problems like ratio of donation to salaries of CEOs.
If ministers are willing to be proactive and admit accountable and transparent management. The same MRT chaotic problems and LTA, mess or past MOH's persistence in refusing to lower hyper medical fees etc. would not have been explained away with some stupid committee or public panel's wrongful beliefs or policies. He would step in and correct them without bothering the PM. -
PM LHL said he wanted to build an inclusive society. He should know so far he had been excluding ordinary citizens from participating in political process. His election system such as the GRCs are contrived in such a way as to exclude citizens to vote for their own choices of MPs or Presidents. Everything the
leaders do is to conceive and impose their wishes and come up with schemes to carry them out to entrench themselves in power - full of hypocrisy and falsehood.
There is a saying: "You can fool some people some of the time but not all people all the time." Leaders must walk the talk instead of all the policies and pretentious schemes with double or hidden agendas.
As long as leaders continue to be self-serving and not prepared to be objective, or walk the talk, as long as they continue to double-talk there will be problems at the end like the NKF case - full of malpractices and cover-ups and at the end, implosions or cataclysmic collapses of the falsehood.
There is not enough real sincerity about building an inclusive society so far. If there is government would relent and release all the politically oppressed people and let them lead their free lives.
Leaders should be objective and real and show concern for citizens' wishes and aspirations. It is time to get real and come down from the high horse and show the citisens how to be inclusive and involve all.
It will only happen when citizens are allowed without all the gerrymandering of election processes to elect their own choices of leaders, PMs, or Presidents. Let citizens have the say in such thing. Then PM Lee can say he is above the fray of dirty politics and able to lead the new order and create a cosmopolitan inclusive society where everyone cares about fellow citizesn and the country. -
The whole government is now run on :-
(1) Presumed or "talk-about" Leaderships.
The truth is when faced by economic recessions, what did they do? When faced with high costs of living and dropping asset values and wages or class divisions etc., what did the leaders do?
When leaders are struggling together in bad time and not paying themselves by self-voting themselves the world's highest public administration salaries or winning elections by tampering with system to create walk-overs, we the people can call that kind of leadership real Deng-Xiao-Peng leadership.
(2) Elitism - only those presumed to have passed certain academic examinations at certain grades are fit and proper to lead or be entrepreneurial to upgrade our ecnomic competitivness.
(3) Talents
What are talents and who are our entrepreneurs who create jobs? Have the leaders taken the lead in creating a technologically advanced economy to sustain our higher costs of living created by past high-cost policies?
(4) Personality cults
All the leaders' speeches so far are full of promotions about elitisms and talents when the economy remains uncompetitive and SMEs are not doing well to save the economy from downward stagnation.
(5) Media hype -
In the absence of true or substantive leadership (as opposed to forms and concepts) the leaders are seen using the press and broadcasting media to show to the people many things they are doing and justify their past actions or inactions. Is that kind of presentation good corporate governance or leadership?
Without creating any true economic competitiveness, results or accountability and without reducing our high costs, the leaders are claiming all kinds of success to the world through the media.
All the following promises are still not fulfilled but people are getting daily propaganda to show leaders in very good-looking picture to help the party win over naive people some of them are seen on TV praising the leaders.
The quality and resolve of the people now is far more important not personality cult or leaders' idolizing or worship.
If people are easily bought over by believing easily what the leaders aer saying about good things or good acts they are seen doing without holding them accountable for performance and result, we all end up suckers. Tell them to buck up and deliver on lowering the high costs of living, upgrade economic competitiveness and go slow on promoting elites or themselves.
The above advice is given to people to help them to stay focused and objective so that all could enjoy better lives ahead.
_________________
Author of Objective-steps processing mgt sys. -
Hello Gollychuck, (Reply to a US forumer)
I agree that Singapore and Malaya are countries in flux. They have not realized the full benefits or potential of democracy.
There is a state of delicate balance between personalities and system. To me it is when system is broadly established as a total framework to guarantee citizens of rights and roles in nation building that able leaderships can maximize and contribute.
Singaporeans are largely brought up to believe in talents and leadership because of accidental success of personal leadership by a forceful centrist leader like Lee Kuan Yew.
Whether able leader will continue to bring progress is something being widely debated.
"Definition of True Democracy" as posted at www.sgforums.com sets out to establish the view that it is more important for society to take care of establishing basic rights of citizens and democratic institutions before there can be sustainable personal leadership. Many would not agree including some notable forumers from USA who have read the posting and posted contrary views praising Lee Kuan Yew to no end.
Without differentiation, between personal leadership and institutional framework that allows society to work equitably at its best, all political views are now confused and in a state of flux. -
The MAS wants to separate the positions of Bank Chairman and CEO as reported in Today on 9.9.2005. At he government level which handles even higher responsibilities, is the executive (PM, Ministers, MM, SM and cabinet) properly separated from judiciary, president and legislature and free so that there will be no gerrymandering, direct or indirect self-interest influences of the executive ?
Are appointments, administrative or human-resource supervision of chief justice, senior government officers, CAD, CPIB and nomination of president etc independent vetting or confirmation by another source.
It is opportune time to make our whole system more accountable and transparent at this point when PM Lee is trying to instill a new cooperative inclusive spirit in the whole place. (unless when he says are words only)
How about walking the talk so that PM can better run the country with moral (not just legal) authority for once after so many years of talking about leaderships and concepts and be more effective. -
Originally posted by robertteh:
Actually the whole issue (as in the darkened part) in the expert world is of what does PM has to materialise those... words he made.
The MAS wants to separate the positions of Bank Chairman and CEO as reported in Today on 9.9.2005. At he government level which handles even higher responsibilities, is the executive (PM, Ministers, MM, SM and cabinet) properly separated from judiciary, president and legislature and free so that there will be no gerrymandering, direct or indirect self-interest influences of the executive ?
Are appointments, administrative or human-resource supervision of chief justice, senior government officers, CAD, CPIB and nomination of president etc independent vetting or confirmation by another source.
It is opportune time to make our whole system more accountable and transparent at this point when PM Lee is trying to instill a new cooperative inclusive spirit in the whole place. (unless when he says are words only)
How about walking the talk so that PM can better run the country with moral (not just legal) authority for once after so many years of talking about leaderships and concepts and be more effective
Hence, the subsequent reaction to him and his leadership.
It's just as an officer who said 'I'd bring you alternative battle plans and bla bla bla...'
But we all know he can't even differentiate between entrance and exit, and totally lacking in equipment and dire assistance and such... Hence the reaction.
So it's not really gauging is he in the opportunity or willing to do anything... that's really out of the point. Does one has what it takes for a start? If we said he's determined, now where would such determination be generated from in the first place and where would it lead to? -
Elfred,Originally posted by Elfred:Actually the whole issue (as in the darkened part) in the expert world is of what does PM has to materialise those... words he made.
Hence, the subsequent reaction to him and his leadership.
It's just as an officer who said 'I'd bring you alternative battle plans and bla bla bla...'
But we all know he can't even differentiate between entrance and exit, and totally lacking in equipment and dire assistance and such... Hence the reaction.
So it's not really gauging is he in the opportunity or willing to do anything... that's really out of the point. Does one has what it takes for a start? If we said he's determined, now where would such determination be generated from in the first place and where would it lead to?
1) ur grammar is a little lacking here...
2) well, tt's to be expected, i guess.
3) hmmm...
4) Now, ur political stance seems kinda blurred... or r u juz riding the wind?
5) Well, if he really had the conviction in what he said, that would prove that he has teh ambition to achieve what he promised to achieve, and that gives you his determination. And, as Robert has explained earlier, (as usual u dun seem to be reading posts in detail), tt would lead to change in all the abusive practices.
:mregreen:
the (politically hopeful) pikamaster (who hopes that WP will be modernized under its new Youth-wing leadership) -
nono, still too young and "inexperienced".Originally posted by Elfred:Nope. Not this one definitely. You? -
Government is now desparately in need of some oppositions in parliament now due to change of circumstance. Firstly people got fed up with their ineffective leadership during all of the last two recessions. Secondly now it is clearly proven that the incumbent party has run out of ideas how to upgrade or restore lost competitiveness. If an incumbent as proud and egoistic as this one faces such a situation, they should revamp and let there be some forms of respite to all the hypes about leadership and talents and let in some renewal. In order to retain some semblance of propriety, I bet they realise they cannot win all and got to invite some competitions.
If not the incumbent might even fail and shriver more quickly. So to retreat is sometimes better solutions than to insist on going forward. Let there be some funs and entertainment at the same time and all will be better.
There is no reason in coming election for incumbent to suppress oppositions especially after the NKF fiasco as that might be a bankruptcy move totally crippling to the whole system. To retreat sometimes is to advance in the next move and I guess this leeway to oppositions now is a right move. -
And when would you think you'd be old enough?Originally posted by pikamaster:nono, still too young and "inexperienced".
Just because MM started PAP when he's 31yo and you have to enter politics at 31yo???
What experience do you need, when you'd never have before you ever have any.
When the situation is ripe, you go. -
The ability to differentiate between truths and untruths, to reason and rationalise what are good for the country and speak out without fear or favor is enough.Originally posted by Elfred:And when would you think you'd be old enough?
Just because MM started PAP when he's 31yo and you have to enter politics at 31yo???
What experience do you need, when you'd never have before you ever have any.
When the situation is ripe, you go.
If one has fire under the belly to stand for election, go and do so. Do something for the country. -
Don't be too pessimistic. I think Singapore today is quite different from what it was at the last election. Structural unemployment is a bigger problem than before, costs have gone up despite a diminishing pay packet and despite all the promises of higher property value following upgrading, not many wealthy people have resulted from this anyway. Add to these the NKF saga, the Nicoll Highway collapse and talk about elitisim.....this government has alienated alot of people, including those who support most of their policies.
The opposition parties will gain seats if they can be united for once and plan their election strategy so that the most promising candidate is offered at each constituency instead of diluting votes for the opposition. But they have to be credible...we cannot have opposition party candidates turning up in slippers and who cannot give a rational argument about policies. -
I actually share MM's view on elitism... saved that my version of political elitism and his ain't quite the same.
Basically, to govern, you really need a type of people. Not just those all boiled up with hot gas in the bellies and for the sake of election.
In order to govern, one has to have some basis for wisdom. Scholars and such branded personnels are usually the pests of past regimes who unwittedly contribute to both downfall and destruction of a regime.
It's not what the western educated call it the people who can come up with policies... Policies... they are never perfect and utimately if it's still the man behind, it's still the man itself which is the factor. Which is why people such as Durai could have lasted so long, even under challenged.
Leaders have the responsibilities to lead the society. People with huge know-hows ain't necessarily the people with the ability to educate the people and influence them in the right manner. Which is why an over-stayed system can never be removed instead of having the system removing required political elements. -
Hello Oxford Mushroom,
I agree fully with your observation of the current political situation. It is a situation requiring change as existing leadeships are running out of ideas or solutions.
Any one reasonably well informed, objective and committed will win Singaporeans' support as long they are willing now to come forward and offer themselves to stand for election. -
Hello all forumnites,
New Leadership and Process Management
Very often, people would about leaderships, talents or other recipes or factors of success in running a business or a country.
At one time, people readily worshipped their leaders' eloquence, or personality etc that appealed to their base instincts. Is this kind of leadership what we need today in nation building?
How do we get our leaders to translate goals, objectives and all kinds of look-good policies into actions and processes to deliver results with objective performance, reliability, justice, empathy with the poor and needy, the underdogs or socially handicapped or better serve the social and economic wellbeing of all.
Chances are that leaders today are still mostly rhetorical, and conceptual offering good-looking policies and assumptions rather than the ability to deliver results and economic competitiveness.
Given the continuously fast-changing technological and knowledge-based environment of today, it will be foolhardy to rely on concepts about talents or assumptions in governing of a country.
In the new age, leaders should be people possessing implementation abilities and special knowledge and skills in applying technologies to fuel growth. Practical knowledge applications will thrive and lead the world in the future.
Hence, they should act as facilitator of follow-through performance, objective and accountable corporate governance, leveling up of populations to gain competitive advantages to seize opportunities at practical applications of knowledge by all in every field.
They should mobilise people to achieve progress through implementation processes and go beyond revenue collections and enforcements of regulations and controls or provisions of basic services in security, medical or other utility needs of the early ages.
Effective leadership today should consist of the following criteria:-
(1) Translate goals and objectives and policies and assumptions into implementation processes to empower all in transforming widest fields of knowledge to create technology start-ups and jobs to bring about value-adding competitiveness.
(2) Collective leadership or governance to avoid narrow top-down conceptual look-good management by a few erudite elites or individuals.
Process management will avoid bias, prejudices of individuals, presentations, public relations, rhetorical abilities or emotive personality appeal.
Collective process management should aim at translating all goals, objectives, ideas or policies into real implementation capabilities from planning to execution, applying knowledge with total coordination to benefit whole society. Implementational efficiency and creativity must be part of the new ability to lead and rule.
The government must oversee the implementation of all knowledge applications from an holistic economic master plan, to realize technologicial start-ups and value-add all economic activities to stay competitive.
The modern governments should nurture an environment to grow more entrepreneurs and technological start-ups and create jobs. Government should be about creating higher paying jobs to sustain people's expected standards of living.
Very often, sad to say, many governments are only overly concerned with their own equations of success and protecting their own interests which are not consonent with the majoirity's interests or wellbeings.
It will not be enough to govern a country based on collecting maximum taxes, saving or privatising government expenses and creating government surpluses. Without empowering the workers and employees to participate in practical knowledge application, the economic pie is unlikely to grow.
Modern governments should practise holistic good corporate governance and dispense with self-centred policies of the past and should open up to facilitate building up of capabilities and competitiveness through practical knowledge application.
Only by practising collective good corporate governance as described will governments solve problems diverse problems in a more holistic manner.
All decisions will then carried out by means of committed people-centred implementation processes without hindrances from all the media hype, justfications and look-good presentations and defensiveness.
(Read more: http://www.managefranchise.blogspot.com
http://www.ospforohsopolite.blogspot.com
http://www.easymanager.blogspot.com