3/03/2008

The burden of high salaries

All the hype about paying high salaries to supertalents is now taking a knock. There have been many strong views and attacks on Kan Seng since the disappearing of the Jedi or JI. And if one looks at the reasonings behind it, it is all linked to the high ministerial salaries. They are demanding for greater accountability and responsibility commensurate with the high salaries. Would these people be less harsh on Kan Seng if he is not getting this kind of salary? When high salaries are equated with high talent and ability, the expectation becomes very high as well. You said you are damn good and deserve that high salary, then you better peform and prove that you are worth the money. And when you fumbled, the people is going to come after you. Indeed the high salary, high talent, high expectation formula is becoming a double edged sword. I think the people will be much more kinder and forgiving if the salary is not tagged to high talent and ability. Are these people justified in their expectation and can demand for the axe to fall if it is not met?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the private sector they demand responsibility and performance in line with the high salary. The shareholders will come after you if you make a serious mistake. There is no such thing as an 'honest mistake'. Saying sorry is not enough. Sorry also must explain.

Anonymous said...

Their salaries are pegged against top earners who are CEO of large corporation. These CEOs also work hard but face the sack should their companies operations screw up.... When banks lose money, the CEO loses the job... so you conclude the rest for yourselves. We had trusted them for a long time now .. but now the public confidence is totally shaken.

They had preach to the general public to be watchful BUT their own house (with many fully paid officers) are even in order. Where do we put our faith in. Should this desperate terrorist (he preaches suicide afterall) commit another crime while on the loose Who do you think is acountable?

Anonymous said...

You mean they were all sleeping on the job from top to bottom in the detention baracks. Did the Officers report for work and say "Hello How are you today? and go open the emails. In the mind of the Terrorist quietly "AssH today is my last day here."

Layers after layers..sleeping There is not a single BOMB yet JEDI rules with this escape.. How malu.. One man against highly paid officers (still reading emails)

The only saving grace now is to work till he is caught... or you drop.

Anonymous said...

it is wrong to say that talents are limited that's why you need to pay so much... for in china, there are multitudes of hotshots that appear to be ten times more nimble in the brains and hundred times more dynamic, yet are getting just a tiny fraction of what our guys are paid. if you think we have limited talents, than why not import these people to help reduce the payroll in parliament? i am sure the shareholders would like that.

instead of copying trends like building durians, city lightings etc and responding to their creativity, these FT can help us be innovators for once.

Anonymous said...

Saying sorry is not enough. Sorry also must resign. This is expected when MIWs compare themselves with the private sector. Taking private sector pay but not the responsibilities and accountability is NOT acceptable.

Anonymous said...

KPKB all around, but in the end all will be swept under the carpet. Someone will say, " Enough, lets move on", then all the msm will stop publishing anything about this affair. The public will grumble a little longer and then all will be forgotten like it never happened. Get real Singaporeans, accept the final outcome and stop your KPKB. It will be of no use at all.

Anonymous said...

Can kpkb of course kpkb la. You think msm will publish meh.

It is precisely because msm will not publish that why must kpkb.

Anonymous said...

Singaporeans are so pathetic, just vote them out. Problems solved!!!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

crime free doesn't mean no crime. high salaries doesn't mean no mistakes. but we should not try to finger point as suggested by an article in the Today paper.

let's see how we can gain from this experience and be richer in our experience.

Anonymous said...

Not all Singaporeans are pathetic. The majority of voters in Hougang and Potong Pasir cannot be blamed for kpkb and doing nothing. They do what they meant to do.

As for the richer in our experience, erh monetarily I suppose?

Anonymous said...

In the meantime while this unfolds

another wrote
::: GIC invested USD6.9b in Citibank in Jan 2008
Now only worth 82% .

::: Temasek invested USD2b (S$3b) in Barclays in July 2007 (with further promise to invest another USD2.6b more).
Now worth only 66%.

Now for the Intl Award for the Smartest Investors: GIC and Temasek

Clap, clap, clap.