4/10/2012

A brutal admission of grave errors

Light is shining through the thick foliage of the old oak tree. For 46 years, never has an individual got the guts to speak out so violently against the ills of the system, against a cancerous growth that all pretends not to see while the beneficiaries are lapping them up as their ill gotten rights.

Professor Lim Chong Yah has made a strong recommendation for radical reforms in our wage structure. Among his recommendations is a 50% increase of wages for those earning $1,500 or less per month and the freezing of wages for those earning $15,000 per month for three years. Those in between will continue to enjoy moderate wage increases with the main purpose of closing the widening wage gap.

The recommendations come at a time that calls or demands for drastic change which would otherwise be mulled over with some cosmetic changes to placate the victims of the economic structure.

Immediately we are hearing growls of pain and suffering from the super talents. Foul, foul, they screamed. Why should they continue to work when there is no increment for three years? The world appreciates their talents and they will move to greener pastures. And there are those earning in the millions that will see their days darkened. How could they survive the three years of drought without any pay rise? It is frightening. This country’s progress today is the fruit and effort of the super talents. If we lose them, we will, yes, go back to the third world 60s.

I think we should take a gamble and let our super talents move to greener pastures if they are that good. Sure they will find better paying jobs in the world. The whole world is waiting for them with open arms and willing to pay them the obscene pay they are getting today. Oops, maybe got to rethink this statement again. If we have to continuously import foreign talents to fill up top jobs, I doubt we have many super talents to go around. And knowing how protective are other countries are of their top jobs, I bet not even a handful will be hired if they quit their jobs in this island.

My apologies to the top talents here who feel that they will be able to land better jobs across the world. Some will, definitely. But if we look at Lim Chong Yah’s recommendations from the super talents’ point of view I think it also makes sense. What if it is true, all our super talents are hired in Wall Street and Fleet Street, in Europe and Japan, our little economic miracles will vanish over night. This is equally frightening.

A safer bet, not to risk the great economic progress that we are enjoying, is to reverse the recommendations. For those who are earning $15,000 and more, their income shall be raised by 50% over the next three years. Those earning less than $1,500 pm shall have wage freeze for the next three years. The recommendation for the in between group can be as recommended. This approach would definitely energise our super talents to work much harder and propel our economic miracle to greater height. Isn’t that what we want? It is all about meritocracy and the meritorious should deserve all the merits. And those earning a million can expect another half a million increase over the three year period. Those earning $5m can expect $2.5m increase. That would be great and we will have more multi millionaires.

Now which way shall we go? Maybe we will need another GE to decide what is the better move.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

And 3 years later, $500 per month can buy BTO!

Anonymous said...

The General Elections is a very effective feedback mechanism for deaf frogs.

Witness all the U-Turns since GE 2011.
1. Budget U-Turn 2012
2. "Inclusive" being the latest PAP slogan

and this morning Straits Times headlines:

3. MRT checks to get a rethink (i.e. U-Turn)

4. Increase pay of lower income earners (a wage policy U-turn trial balloon?)

Prof Lim Chong Yah's speech got the front page treatment from Straits Times.
I can't remember any Singaporean's "personal opinion" getting such front page treatment before.

This year is 2012.
Increase wages over a 3 year period will bring us to April 2015.
General Elections in 2016.

Hmmmmm. Interesting sequence of (unrelated?) events.

The Sinkie is addicted to voting for the Pro Alien Party.
Looks like hope is the drug being used on the Sinkie.

Anonymous said...

While I generally agree with the article to help the low income group,this should have implemented 15 years ago and we can possibly do not have a chronic deficit population.
This is good news as Hougang by-election is coming.Singapore citizens learned a bitter lesson in trusting one single man and they must vote for the opposition to insure a dilution of PAP power.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

This form of socialist "problem" (what problem?) solving is bound to fail -- epically.

In a reasonable free labour market, and Singapore's labour market is one of the most free in the world, wage rates will trend to be fair and just.

In a free market, meritocracy, some people will succeed better than others, since no one is "eqaul" in skill, ability or just plain old dumb luck. Therefore those who earn, say $1500 can only produce value from their skills in that ball park, and those who earn $100k, say are producing radically far more value. ** Note this refers to a free market -- like private enterprise. The government is a monopoly and controls everything. They can therefore pay their people whatever they like. **

The amount of income is a reflection of the person's PRODUCTIVITY. Capping the productive and rewarding the not-so-productive will invariably lead to dislocations, and a drop in quality, plus a rapid exodus of the productive persons -- one of the ideas of the novel Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. In the story, the productive class and their CAPITAL go on strike because the government, the unions and the entitlement-mentality true-believers want to grab everything without EARNING it -- in other word obtain something for nothing.

Sorry, but if you earn a low wage, the only way out is to make whatever productive capacity you have worth more by either changing your chosen vocation and upgrading your skills.

Anonymous said...

"Sorry, but if you earn a low wage, the only way out is to make whatever productive capacity you have worth more by either changing your chosen vocation and upgrading your skills."

ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE

Vote Opposition for a more inclusive society.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Wow Matilah, first time you support opposition for change.

Anonymous said...

Matilah Singapura says
" ... one of the ideas of the novel Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand ...

Being an average Sinkie, I agree.
Like my fellow long suffering Sinkies who are sick and tired of doing all kinds of "national service" ....

I give up.
Like Atlas, I shrug my shoulders.
No more constructive feedback.
No more extra long hours working over time for free.
Just Vote Opposition.
Everything also I don't know.
I will just vote Opposition.

I not elite.
I got no brains.
Only know how to vote Opposition once every 5 years.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@anon 1135

One of the ideas which appears in Atlas Shrugged is that the common man is also a producer and has capital -- his life. When the state authorities become too overbearing, eventually the feeling of slavery kicks in and the common folk get fed up of being screwed 24/7.

You are quite right to shrug. However voting opposition as you suggest is just transferring the solution to the problem to another 3rd party.

Life is about your life. That become apparent the moment before each of us die. We are here briefly, and it is up to us to construct the experience -- regardless of the hand that has been dealt. To leave it in the hands of "others" is dereliction of responsibility -- you WILL ALWAYS (no exceptions) be THE VICTIM.

Game Over, dude.

So far all the so-called "opposition" have shown themselves to be inept and bereft of any new ideas. So fuck them and fuck the PAP too.

In fact, fuck ALL THE COLLECTIVISTS. Fuck all of them with a thermonuclear weapon up their collective backsides, blow out their smelly guts to rain down as super-heated shit and smouldering tissue onto their cuntrees of spite and jealousy.

I stand by my original theory of dismantling the state entirely and having the City Of Singapore run like a Corporation where EVERY CITIZEN is a shareholder...i.e. OWNER of REAL CAPITAL STOCK, EQUITY...call it what you want.

Sack parliament and sell parliament house. Turn it into another entertainment spot like St James Power Station.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

One strange comment from Lim Chong Yah which many have over looked. He said the increase shall go to training, CPF and only 1/3 goes to take home pay. So the workers will have big increases but little real money to take home.

The big beneficiary is still CPF and whoever feeding on the CPF. Training, increase pay to go to training? No increase pay no training? Strange argument.

Anonymous said...

Matilah had suggested an idea which may suit the Rulers more than the People. Who is to say that the Rulers will be the Last to abandon or give up Singapore? Or sell It as You mentioned.

Me am always of the opinion that those FIRST to 'scoot' away will be the Elite and the Filthy Rich. There will always be ever-ready reason to just give up all their positions in Sin and leave the shit behind. Anyone with a huge fortune today hardly has any kind of affinity with anybody or any country.

The most important thing after amassing huge fortune, is to find a safe place and enjoy life. Matilah himself is a great example; to hell with nation, Race, Religion and culture. Last but not least, politics even though some have gotten super rich with political power.

Me has been wondering how many children, siblings, relatives and cronies of our social and political leaders have aredi got themselves oversea assets and investments. Many do not even need to work anymore as their fortunes could last them many generations living in abundance anywhere. And me always believe that a high proportion of them had made alternative to live peacefully elsewhere. They need not have to stay to stand the onslaughts from the People. Let You People die from your own anger, You cant blame anyone for that, lol.

Sin is indeed a fine place for those living in the laps of luxury and if You can afford it, live it like Matilah Singapura.

patriot

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

patriot,

I agree and disagree.

Firstly, the agreement.

At the sign of life-threatening trouble, the rich and the ENriched elite will be the first to fly the coop.

And it would be unfair to blame them. If anyone else had the means, they'd be doing the same.

As I've said before: it is pointless judging human behaviour as evil, selfish or whatever moral standard one is apt to "invent", because what you get is a WEAKER argument...blaming others for the shit. Human behavior is what it is.

Disagreement:

>> Matilah himself is a great example; to hell with nation, Race, Religion and culture <

Only as IDEAS, and not just limited to Singapore. I still very much love Singapore as a GEOGRAPHICAL location ...i.e. "a place to be present in". All ides of race, religion and culture are FUCKED. Most ideas of nationhood are also fucked. But one has TO EXIST somewhere.

What I've done is removed myself from those ideas. I merely comment on them, and since I am not a fan, I tend to be hostile and offensive. Do you think I care? Hahaha!

I can back up, with reason, my choices to dis Singapore as a broad socio-political-cultural idea. There are the majority who thoroughly disagree with my view and choices and choose to stay in "their home".

Good for them. everyone of us has to choose how we intend to live. I've made my choices, clearly and without regret.

BTW, I am not some big shot lah. I'm but a small time beach bum privateer who scores the occasional "good fortune" which enables me to be comfortable, but not fancy.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

BTW, I am no anything "special". Many average Singaporeans have Canndian or Aussie PR visas on "stand by" just in case SE Asia starts to fall apart. All the folks have alternative places to live, many of them own property overseas.

C'mon lah. They are Singaporeans. Which means they are KIASU, and therefore PREPARED for disaster :-)

See, I understand the culture...

Anonymous said...

Matilah;

many thanks for the Reply.

There are many enlightened folks in Blogoland, far more than the Lots in our Sin Cabinet filled with educated rascals.

Redbean aka Chua Chin Leng and Matilah Singapura make My Singapore News a must read for me. Here, me gets to understand much the concepts of Science, Nature and everything about living and philosophy.

Like to say it is joy whenever me gets to read You Folks in Blogoland, keep writing please.

patriot

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