12/18/2008
The people get the govt they deserved
This is Matilah's favourite line. And it holds a lot of simple truth. I will elaborate a little of this wisdom here. The HDB said the market pricing is fair. The hospitals preferred to have more A and B1 wards instead of B2 and C wards. High rentals and high property prices are good. If a govt is for all these things, what can the people do? Nothing. They have elected the people to form the govt. And those elected are expected to make the decisions. It is their right to do so. This is what it means by the people get the govt they deserved. Period. They have to live with their decisions till the next GE.
The people have some rights too. They may have elected these people to be in charge. But they need not agree with them in everything. And they can disagree openly. They can scream and shout until they are heard. But the elected govt still can decide whether they want to listen to the people's unhappiness or disagreement. The elected govt can ignore the people if they so choose. Or they can set their own agenda, their own values of what is good or fair. After all they are the govt. So both parties have their rights and role to play. The govt can keep on doing things which it thinks is right according to their own logic and wisdom. The people can continue to kpkb according to their own interests and pain level.
It will be good if the govt will listen to the people and moderate its policies. If not, they can continue to do what they think is best. The best part about democracy is that there is a GE every few years. This is the only safeguard for the people. In a one party or dictatorial system, this right to change and get the govt they deserved would even be forgone.
Some in an elected govt may think that they will be there forever and can ignore the people's cry. And they can be there forever if the people just continue to vote for them. It is up to the people to decide what they want and who they want. In between the two GEs, the people can at best kpkb.
During a GE the window is open for change. If the people choose not to change, then it is their choice. They deserve the govt they get.
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5 comments:
That depends on the context. In a system where the people choose a representative government, the people get the govt they deserve.
Under TGC, it is THE GOVERNMENT which gets the people they deserve.
So if the people are unruly and asking all sorts of questions which potentially call the govt to account, then you know the power-structure is upside down.
To regain supremacy of power, i.e. TGC, the govt needs to act swiftly to quell individual bravado and restore order, and get back on track with the long-term social engineering.
i am starting to see a little light.
..at the end of the long tunnel.
i believe that one of the reasons the costs are high in sg, is the almost control freak like way the auth are paying to maintain the reputation of being the cleaniest place in the universe.
roads are constantly repaired and upgraded even when they are still very usuable, parks are constantly maintained. not cheap obviously.
if you look at other countries, developed or otherwise, the roads and buildings may look old but usable no doubt and there are no constant tiling and re tiling which cost the country hefty bills. yet, everything is functioning.
where fixed assets are in good conditions, there is no need to upgrade it every other year, unless you are an oil rich country with expanding resources. it is more prudent and practical for eg, to drive a honda for 10 years or more, than to upgrade to a new car every 2, 3 years. it is a choice, abeit a wasteful one.
unless it is absolutely justifiable, we shudnt be making everything gleaning and new for the sake of our reputation, when things are usuable for the next 100 years. there is no need to polish, repair and renew more than necessary. if it aint broke, dun fix it.
had we not relocated the old glutton's square or the bugis street but left it as they were, those places may have been livelier and more attractive to tourists today. if we continue to chase newness and cleaniness as a big spending control freak, we must be prepared for the higher costs of living.
we will have to pay for our sins of waste one day. scrapping cars in less than 10 years, pulling down buildings to rebuild etc etc.
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