2/26/2010

Singapore's 50 Most Trusted Individuals

The Asian Reader's Digest conducted a poll on 760 Singaporeans and asked them who they trusted most. 50 individuals finally emerged as the top most trusted men and women in Singapore. They include a top judge, a top cop, ambassadors, doctors, businessmen and women and comedians. I did not see the full list but some prominent professionals of eminent Singaporeans did not make it to the list, eg lawyers, bankers and people from the finance industry etc. But most notable was the absence of politicians. I thought, my god, the people have no trust for their politicians. Then I read further and it said 'the general elections have proven the country's leaders already rank highly...' and thus were omitted. I don't know what this statement means. It would be interesting if politicians were also included to give the people an insight into how well regarded they were. Then again it will be quite pointless if we end up with a survey when the top 50 most trusted individuals were all politicians. It will be quite embarrassing to the other professions and individuals. It will be equally embarrassing if one or two politicians did not appear as these are the most honest and highly regarded individuals we can find in our country. Anyone not in the list could be a slap in the face. Another reason for the exclusion of politicians in the survey could be a kind of self censorship. Ranking politicians with the mortals is unbecoming and can be sensitive. Better stay away from controversy. Whatever the reasons, the reason given for their exclusion is the most enlighten one.

8 comments:

Wally Buffet said...

When I read your post I fell off my chair and rolled over nearly dying from..........laughing too hard!

There is no one in Singapore I trust more than myself. WTF, even my right hand don't trust my left. Everyone, and I mean everyone is lumped by me into the category as used car salesmen, property agents, housing agents and politicians.

I trust my dog more than I trust any two legged homo sapien.

Hehe.

Wally Buffet said...

Addendum:

Second para, "housing agents" should read "insurance agents". I have so little respect for property agents that I keep trying to get rid of them every time with "sheltox" but to no avail. So I think about them all the time. One stupid bitch even had the temerity to ask me whether I wanted to sell my tent on the beach. She may have some foreign workers requiring accomodation. WTF!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Wally, It is unfair to blame the small guys. These are people who wanted to earn a living to live better. Their main concern is their pocket and personal well being.

Then the big developers, they too think about their profits. They don't care what happens to the country or the people. They will sell the whole country away by buying all the land available, developed them and run away with the profits.

The govt must balance the national good and the good of the people in their policies. If the govt also think like property developers with only profit in mind, then we will be in trouble, or the viability of the country will be at stake.

There is a country, a nation and a people it called citizens. There is a collective interest for the existence of the country, nation people as an entity. If we forget this, might as well sell the country lock, stock and barrel to the highest bidder, change the name of the country to the new owner, called it MacDonald country or whatever. Another new owner buys it, change again.

($)pap($) said...

Actually excluding politicians makes sense. They did get thousands of votes to enter parliament and mind you, over and over again.

So in this sense, those 84 MPs can claim they are the most trusted.
And of course if you apply the same logic, the one at the helm with his son has to be the most trusted.

ps: you can trust politicians to do whatever it takes to win your trust, even if they have to wear all white. LOL

Anonymous said...

Since ancient days people don't trust politicians. They are called 'people with two mouths'. One mouth will promise you what they will do when they are elected. Another tells you the opposite after they are elected.

Anonymous said...

i take readers' digest survey with a bucket of salt.
it depends on who you ask and the way the survey is formulated.
it can easily be engineered.

a simple rule of thumb for me, never trust those who serve the PAP.

Anonymous said...

Maybe mine is just a layman view. The survey should have the politicians included first and my reasoning is; a citizenry lead by a trustworthy leadership is good enough for all to see.
Now, a survey of a few hundred people could never be conclusive nor of significant representation. Actually, there is never a need for any survy. Reading My Singapore News Blog will give a very clear picture of how Singaporeans fare in trustworthiness. I can feel that Wally is almost afraid of anyone standing beside him. Even sleeping partners are hardly trusted in SIN, one good reason for those changing partners occassionally.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Wally is an emperor in Lijiang. Sure he is afraid of everyone around him. He can be robbed or assasinated.

Your highness, wan sui, wan sui.