4/08/2014

ESM Goh calling for review of social policies

I was quite excited when this piece of news popped up on the evening news. After all Chok Tong was once the mover and shaker of our little island and instrumental in all the major policies. When LKY opened the door to Chinese nationals to the island, he responded with his forward policy to India with the signing of the landmark and earth shaking CECA. Both policies have benefitted Singapore greatly, I think, though some may disagree, in terms of population growth and its accessory rewards of a vibrant economy and property prices, bringing great prosperity to the citizens and to those renting homes and of course the train and bus companies.
 

The influx of PRC Chinese and India Indians have greatly affected the social fabric of our society and, despite the great economic benefits, there are increasing social ills and concerns simmering among the population. So, I thought Chok Tong, with his experience and wisdom as the Emeritus Senior Minister, would be sharing them with the younger ministers to rebalance the social compact.
 

We have grown over the years from frowning at Singaporean quitters to glorifying foreign quitters to our shores. Both have serious consequences if left alone to flourish unguided by govt measures. I must say the glorification of foreign quitters have been so successful, more successful than the Stop At Two policy, that it will grow on its own steam to steam roll over the last remaining few pathetic and talentless Sinkies left on our shore. If this trend continues, we would need to build a museum to house the memories of the pioneering generation or to legislate a reservation to protect their welfare and existence.
 

For a start Chok Tong is calling for the forming of a committee to take social policies more seriously and to look into the interests of all the stakeholders, probably this would include all the new stakeholders as well. Forming committees to understand problems is a good new beginning. We just had a great committee looking into the problems of rioting in Little India. And the Tourism Board is also setting up a fund for the tourist industry to understand what the tourists really want to see in Singapore. Such committees are really useful as without them many policies, money and effort would be wasted without knowing what are the right things to do. Cannot imagine how so many policies and activities were formulated and executed in the past without the benefits of the valuable inputs of committees. Would it not be better to form more of such committees ahead of policy formulations and, like in the case of tourist attractions, not to build gigantic and unauthentic attractions that the tourists did not want to see? Millions and billions of dollars could be saved, time and manpower too.
 

Setting up committees and conducting research and surveys are a good start to all good policies and tourist attractions.

Kopi level - Green

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Conceptually, setting up committees is a great idea. Unfortunately in the land of PAP all suggestions are not independent but follow the wishes of the masters in power.

Anonymous said...

Committee or no committee, the strongest opposition party will not be ready to be govt.

So even if Committee is only a form without substance, does it really matter, u tell me lah?

Anonymous said...

I think PAP govt can afford to form committees without substance.

So that daft Sinkies can see that PAP govt is at least doing something - forming committees to solve problems.

If only those daft Sinkies realise the root of the problem!

Hahahahaha

Anonymous said...

" What’s needed, Mr Goh said, is a coherent framework to pull all the different components together to make it a holistic, effective and sustainable social compact to ensure Singapore remains a fair and equitable society. "

Singapore already got such a framework.
It's called General Elections

Anonymous said...

Which party can replace the WP and which Sinkie can replace Teochew Ah Hia as the leader?

And to contest 100% seats against PAP next election?

If not, I foresee at worst for PAP, a repeat of 2011 and at best, PAP doing even better than in 2011.

Anonymous said...

"At some point, Mr Goh suggested, the Government or party could consider setting up a social review committee, like the government economic review committees that were established to transform the economy at critical junctures."

I repeat.
We already have this "social review committee" in Singapore.
It's called General Elections.

GE 2016.
It's time for the social review committee (Singaporeans) to once again review & vote on the success/failures of PAP's social policies.

Anonymous said...

/// I’m focused on what Singapore is going to be like in the future, and I discuss with the ministers and the MPs regularly on what I think could be the problems and how we can tackle them,” he (Goh Chok Tong) said. ///

Please remember hor.
Today (2014) was the future ... 20 years ago in 1994.

Do we want to wait/suffer another 20 years until 2034 ... to discover we have still made no progress under a PAP government?

Why not vote Opposition now.
To ensure Singaporeans are protected.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

He is a dangerous man. He is a master of deceit and a very clever political operator.

That "nice guy" image is a complete facade. Trust him at your own peril ;-)

Anonymous said...

Seems typical of the government. Reactive. Let the problems fester until they erupt. Forming endless committees when things go wrong. Haven't you heard of the saying: When you don't want anything done, form a committee. These obscenely paid hacks. Time to throw them out.

Anonymous said...

>>Setting up committees and conducting research and surveys ...

This is great.. we're probably already a COI and many other high level inter-ministry committees hub

Anonymous said...

We need more committees and more surveys to solve all our problems.

Anonymous said...

20 years Go Sotong change the locks,stock& barrel and replace with an auto sliding door. That looney removed the door leaving only the door way open. Now want feedback on social programmes after which they will hack the doorway to an even bigger doorway. Think 2015 freeflow of economy and labour agreement in ASEAN. Singapore will be first to be doomed.

Anonymous said...

So long as the Government is the Biggest Realtor, Largest Employer and the Setvice Providers of all the ESSENTIAL GOODS AND SERVICES, the People will be manipulated and exploited as workers and consumers.

I share Matilah Singapura's Opinion about the Man. And I wish that he joins his daughter to stay away from Sin.

patriot

b said...

Review or not, the people will still get fix and the rulers will get richer. Most likely taxpayers will pay for the review and associated travelling, hotel, entertainment, meal costs and the rulers will get very well paid in the process. Money will be transferred from public funds to the rulers private companies.

It is easier for the people to get out and grow roots than to make any sense out of the political situation here.

b said...

Singapore is only a good place to set up a business because can exploit the workers (foreign or local) easily. When it comes to living, it is as shit as india.

Anonymous said...

When they have the NatCON, who were the people being invited and featured on the tv interviews?

When they have their so-called national survey, who were the people being called for surveys?

what were the 'biased' results that came out of the so-called 'silent majority'?

How come I have been living here 40+years and never ONCE was I ever invited to these kinds of natcon or telephone surveys? INeither has anyone in my family.

When I was unemployed in different period of my adult life ranging from 3- 1 year, how come nobody come and asked me or verify that I get into any 'unemployed' statistics. I never go anywhere to register since there is no such thing as unemployment center, so how do they know?

Have you ever been invited to any survey natcon or simisai committee they organized? Have you ?

If I continue to rotate my research or social study among the 60% and you then tell me that is what the 'silent majority' one, then there is no need to listen to the 'noisy minority 40%'..tio bo?