1/21/2012

Lawrence Wong - Change also must explain

Last night it was in the news, repeated several times to make sure that everyone heard it, that Lawrence Wong, Chairman of PAP’s Publicity and Publication Subcommittee, wrote in the PAP’s website demanding that the WP explains its change in position on the pay of ministers. And there is a half a page article in the ST today to signify how important it is and how strong the PAP attached to the issue of explaining.

I quote, ‘This is what it means to be accountable and transparent, …Otherwise, how can voters be sure what to make of their future election promises and manifestos?...they never mentioned their past positions, much less explain their policy reversal…It is honourable and logical to change one’s position as circumstances change and new information becomes available. I hope that is why WP has changed its position. But when political parties and their leaders change positions, they have a responsibility to explain to the people.”

He added with a query, “if the change was due to a ‘principled approach’ or ‘political opportunism’.” This broadly sums up the importance of transparency and accountability of a responsible party like the PAP. Every major change and decision must be explained clearly to the people. This is a very honourable position to take. Tell the people the truth, the whole picture, do not hide anything, so that the people know exactly what the party stands for.

As the ruling party and govt, and the champion of transparency and clean wage and clean everything, perhaps the PAP should take the lead to show the smaller parties what transparency and accountability mean. Before the WP try to explain anything, which may not be up to the standard of the PAP’s KPI or sort of, and be asked to explain more, PAP may want to set a few examples like say, why the change to cut ministerial pay when the pay was actually raised recently, including those of the President? And there should be more disclosure of what the ministers were actually paid over the last 3 years, 2008, 2009, and 2010. The people are still in the dark despite all the claims of transparency and clean wage. Set the example by explaining and telling the people about them.

This revelation is more relevant as lack of understanding, like the MX9 issue, could lead to improper conclusion and understanding of the matter in discussion. In fact, all the numbers quoted of percentages of salary cuts were wrong if the actual total payout is not known. They were all talking about the basic salary. It is vital to know what was the take home pay and what is the new take home pay to know how much will be the cut. It could be 5% or 50% or more, no one really knows and everyone arguing like they knew.

This is quite disappointing really. Unless there is full transparency and disclosure, all the discount or salary cut percentages are misleading. At best they were only reflective of the basic pay. I found it disturbing that the both parties had based their proposals of salary cuts without knowing or mentioning what was the total payout to the ministers, at least last year.

The PAP may also want to explain why the three ministers were dropped from the Cabinet so that the people would know the reasons behind the droppings. It is about explaining and communications.

To quote Lawrence Wong and to satisfy his hunger on ‘they never mentioned their past positions, much less than policy reversal’, and also his morally correct stand, ‘when political parties and their leaders change positions, they have a responsibility to explain to the public’ it would be good for the PAP to set the standard of explaining and public disclosure. This will definitely raise the standard of good govt and something that we can all be proud of and expected of future govt.

Let’s do it, show the way, and the smaller political parties can learn from it. Follow the leader with the highest standard of transparency and accountability. The smaller parties must know what should be explained and how much to tell as they did not know how high the PAP has set its standard on these matters. It is like the KPIs which no know really knows what they were and one can set KPIs for self and for others without telling or transparency.

I am impressed by Lawrence Wong’s call and support it and hope all parties will abide by this clean call for more transparency and accountability. “It is not always easy or popular to take an honest and principled approach. But Singaporeans expect no less, both from the ruling party and the opposition.’

It is all about honesty versus hypocrisy. I am glad that the PAP can stand on high pedestal and talked about principled approach. That is what the people expect of an honourable political party that frown upon political opportunism.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha ha , Lawrence Wong, now i know why he is chosen. Blatantly twisting others's words ! Remind me od sha...gan.

Hsq

Anonymous said...

These are politicians, what do you expect? Even the churches won't come clean in the name of God and you think they will?

Accountability and transparency only if they are not put in a vulnerable position where their life's work suffers irrepairable damages.

Anonymous said...

These PAP people are really holier than thou. No other people in the world are comparable to them in terms of transparency and accountability. The PAP people are so chao chee bye (super white) and this episode just adds more juice to it. Yes PAP please continue to be our beacon of light and continue to maintain such a high standard of morality. I'm sure everyone will vote for u in 2016. Cheers..

Anonymous said...

Good suggestion.

If Mr Lawrence Wong changes the all the "WP" in his article to "PAP",it applies equally.

In the spirit of Lunar new year,let's start with this bold suggestion by Mr Lawrence Wong.

Anonymous said...

Politicians,like priests and preachers, share the same initial as prostitutes - P - all do it for money in the name of whatever

Pimps and Prostitutes - your ultimate penthouse edition.

Divali said...

[Reprise of Bak Chor Mee]
"For someone appointed as Minister of State of Education, Lawrence Wong sure wasn't paying attention in class during the three days of ministerial salary debate. Instead of taking cognizance of lessons learnt in the bruising battle of words, he is droning on..."

http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

When you put a price on yourself, like a prostitute, you are a prostitute. Prostitutes do it for money, not love. People who love do not expect anything in return when they do good.
If we can’t find men and women of such calibre, and with wisdom, we are building for a fall.

(TRE censored the above comment)

Anonymous said...

Open society? Free to air your honest opinion?

Please. There is no democracy.

Anonymous said...

All political parties and political bloggers are...fuckers. Period.

Anonymous said...

welcome to the band of fuckers.

Anonymous said...

when you have parties(political and religious), your priority is to fight for the party you support though you may not agree with all their nonsense and seriously, who cares about the people?

your dogmas come first and if people go to hell, that's their problem but if they want to be saved,bring in your offerings and tithes prease and place it at the altar of sacrifice so fatcats can consume.

and the rests of the bloggersphere will say...amen and amen

market2garden said...

PAP is truly uncomfortable with WP's strange behaviour and "strange proposal. And I believe WPs strange behaviour will continue for a while (at least).
Lawrence Wong. on behalf of the PAP, asking the question actually knowing the "real answers". PAP is nervous about the changing mode of party politics.

Anonymous said...

If you want to get back all your CPF money;

Just vote Opposition.

Give your fellow die-hard Singaporeans a chance.
Not like the PAP quitters of Aljunied GRC.

PAP cannot and will not change until they lose at least 40% of their parliamentary seats.

Anonymous said...

Agree. Make it count in 2016.

Anonymous said...

Dear RB and Readers

Part 1

Our country is doomed when we have
One law for the rulers and one set of the laws for the ruled

Was reading Google News and Asiaone ... it will ruin my Reunion dinner later tonight!

Headlines - 2 FTs get off light while 2 Locals gets the brunt of the law!

Nigerian Murderer: It was a crime of passion
Judge gives Nigerian man 12 years' jail for killing his ex-lover Ms Liu Shuhui

Another FT win court case: Australian discharged for assaulting woman at Jurong East

While our fucking Judges PP and AG does this to our fellow country men
Public prosecutorial discretion exercised carefully over capital crime

1 gets death while the other gets life for the same crime! Over Mary Jane!
Besides should MJ be a capital offense in the first place??!!! It’s fucking state sponsored murder!

Our cuntry is going to shits!
These War on Drugs is state sponsored terrorism, soon it will be used on us sinkies and turn us into Disneyland workers with the penalty of death

I guess MARX was right
Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people!

Those who cannot stand religion or the system turned to the real thing to numb themselves!

Prison–industrial complex, what is happening in USA will happen in SG mark my word

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=864268000924014458

Prisoners - Per capita (most recent) by country

Singapore is number 12 now and soon we will be in the top 10!
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_pri_per_cap-crime-prisoners-per-capita

it’s an illusion guys! Just like the fairy tale castle in Disneyland is actually a dungeon!

Anonymous said...

Part 2

Ever wonder why all the Jobs at our GIC companies are employing FTs over natives? …. Cause when push comes to shove and we have NOTS start pushing back … the cannibal capitalist wants to make sure everything will run smoothly while they start locking us up!

And if the FTs start to push back like the SIA pilot? You know the score!

Another thing why the mass import of FTs and obsession with GDP? It’s so that they can increase the money supply!

It’s all about printing more MONEY for them to steal!

Our patriot Mr Goh Keng Swee did not want a FED and print money like nobody biz and rob us natives thru inflation! Hence he set up this monetary policy and GIC

http://www.sgs.gov.sg/macro_overview/macrooverview_mone.html

Monetary policy is reviewed on a semi-annual basis to ensure that it is consistent with economic fundamentals and market conditions, thereby ensuring low inflation for sustained economic growth over the medium term

The GIC was setup so that our common wealth would not be sold to the cannibal capitalist! O’ the irony of me growing up in commonwealth drive!

Hence the increase of labor supplied and GDP to print MONEY MONEY MONEY!

Does anyone know how much MONEY we print a year? How much of it are now going to the international banks!!!

He must be rolling in his grave now if he knew the steps he had taken to protect us have been circumvented!

Just Google it if you don’t believe me that our bank, telecom, power suppliers and transport are now partly owned by international banks!

Example DBS - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBS_Bank

The largest shareholders as of 10 February 2006 are:
1. DBS Nominees Pte Ltd: 357,492,056, 23.86%
2. Raffles Nominees Pte Ltd: 263,390,352, 17.58%
3. Maju Holdings Pte Ltd: 234,497,040, 15.65%
4. Temasek Holdings (Pte) Ltd: 185,673,795, 12.39%
5. Citibank Nominees Singapore Pte Ltd: 110,584,014, 7.38%
6. HSBC (Singapore) Nominees Pte Ltd: 107,052,860, 7.14%

Who the fuck is Maju Holdings! Who the fucks are Citibank HSBC Nominees? Cronies?!!

For fucks sake, even me a lowly educated N level beng can see what the fuck is happening. Is the rest so blind?

Maybe i m just going crazy ....

Bengster

Sorry RB and Friends ... really needed to let off the steam, i m almost in despair now .... i think i should turn off and tune out as i really cannot tahan how our cuntry is going to shits

Happy CYN friends

Anonymous said...

Redbean,

you know how in this age of internet era that PAP is becoming the moron of the age !

Can you believe that PAP asking for transparency and accountability in the first place where they themselves totally fall short of ? And when push further for answer, their only world-class million dollars excuse is "it is because Singapore is unique and special".

Shooting themselves repeatedly in their foot is what PAP is capable of. They really think that people nowsaday is stupid and daft as pre-internet age.

Anonymous said...

PAP is used to getting scripted question so that they can prepare highfalutin nonsenical answer to it that when caught by unknown question, they suddenly don't know what to do , and the only way to do is to accuse he questioner of not being fair and playing politics.


So all along we be paying a bunch of idiots to come out prepared answer from prepared question !

What are those PAP goondu think we are ?

Anonymous said...

Many still don't get it. It doesn't matter which party you support. So long as you are a supporter of any available party, you are part of the ping pong brigade that goes no where except down ....to pagatory.

But maybe that's why we have all this mess because too many people are still beholden to party politics or hanker for their political heroes to save them.

Aren't you a bunch of idiots that deserve what's coming to you?

Anonymous said...

Exactly why pap like this type of fixing the opposition candidate and attack dog like lawrence wong.

Anonymous said...

HI LAWERENCE WONG

Do u know how much problem u have in MOE u better solve these issues before they become big issues for singaporeans We want to know what are your plans for singaporeans for the next 5 years YOU are paid millions of dollars to solve it Thanks

Anonymous said...

Whatever replies the WP makes, if it is stupid enough to do so, will be met by not enough or not good enough and to explain more. And likely they will be made to look like fools, submitting replies after replies and getting nowhere.

Be prepared for karmic forces when the mandate of heaven ends. The pendulum will swing back with equal force.

Anonymous said...

When we ask for accountability and transparency from PAP and govt, how come we never this Clown Lawrence pursuing for answer from govt ?

No wonder the kind of students come out of singapore is just brain-dead robots that only good in study and excellence in exam with no critical independent thinking.

Anonymous said...

Lawrence Wong, your party and government has accountability and transparency? LOL

Why don't you ask your master what accountability and transparency are? LOL

By asking such question, it only shows that either you are daft by brainwash or really a running dog of MIWs. LOL

FeedMeToTheFish said...

Hi Redbean,

Transparency and accountability doesn't mean squat when the Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean mentioned in Parliament something like, "We are transparent in what we do but we must respect the privacy of the individuals". Are we any wiser if a ministers get a bonus of 21 months? Or is it 26 and a half?

My thoughts of PAP's exercise of fooltility and Lawrence's refusal to accept closure is available at http://feedmetothefish.blogspot.com/2012/01/paps-debacle-exercise-in-fooltility.html

If WP is guilty of changing their stance on ministers' salary, PAP is a bigger hypocrite! Do read the link above to know why.

With best wishes and kind regards,
feedmetothefish

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi fish, a happy new year and good health to you. Have been reading many of your piercing and revealing articles lately.

A couple of points to add on transparency. Do the people really know of all the allowances and the 27.5 mths of bonuses of the current pay package and how much was actually paid to the ministers over the last 3 years? This part of the clean and transparent pay is still waiting to see daylight until they come upfront with it. If they dare to scream clean and transparent, then they must tell.

The WP knew and are holding back on this and many people too, but all too polite to ask. Perhaps it is still not the right time to hear the truth. Maybe 2016.

As for the pay cut arising from the new package, got to wait to see how clean and transparent it is. WP must insist that all payouts to ministers must be reported in Parliament, then only the people will know what is happening.

At first glance, I don't think the difference is that great except for the loss of lifelong pension.

Wait and see and time will tell.

Take care of your health.

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Lawrence Wong,what u're saying is just to distract people from focussing on the horrendous amount that the PAP is paying themselves from paxpayers money.Every cent that is paid to politicians should be disclosed - that's transparency in 1st world democracy. WP changing stand can't be worse than LKY changing his stand on many issues over the years , before n after he came into power -has Lawrence Wong read about this & demanded that LKY gives an explanation ???