3/26/2007

convincing the people

There are several key issues today that are testing the govt and the people. The minister's pay is not only one of them, but a major one. Then there is the widening income gap which is also related to the minister's pay, the rising cost of living in every area from education to hospitalisation, food and essential services. All from the basic premise that you pay for what you get and all organisations must be profit driven. Then the CPF and all the people's money being locked away against their wishes. The 6.5 million population is also not sitting down well. There have been many explanations, but all mainly top down, shafting down into the throat type. And the people are expected to swallow it, like it or not. All the decisions have been made. It is actually more like telling the people that we are telling you this is what we are going to do. No way are we going to change what we have set out to do. We are the thinkers and knew best what is good for you and what is good for us. And we have explained to us. So let's move on. Now the real test comes. The quality of leadership is not just getting things done but to be able to convince the people to go along with the decisions. Failing to do so will only draw down on the goodwill of past credits and once expended, it will be pay back time. Are our leaders convincing in their arguments on all these critical and sensitive issues? Are the people buying them or just gritting their teeth and seaming with anger inside them? It will show over time.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whether you like it or not, you have to accept it. This is the Singapore way. Once decided by the top man, and all in parliament have nodded their heads ( real or otherwise ), implementation will proceed and nothing you can do or say will change the decision.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

you are right on this.

Anonymous said...

The people were already convinced that they were getting the current government for a bargain in May last year. Pay back time, hahahaha, don't make my toes laugh.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

"The Sheeple Get The Dictators They Deserve"

Whether people actually "believe" the govt's explanations, rhetoric and arguments is irrelevant. The fact that the govt gets voted in again and again, is the cold-hard objective REALITY.

Therefore they can get away with almost anything they can "invent".