5/03/2014

10 reasons and 10 rebuttals on high ministerial salaries



Below are the 10 reasons put up by Roy Ngerng on the govt’s justifications for high ministerial salaries that Roy called 10 logical fallacies. I will attempt to rebut what Roy wrote in defence of the high salaries and hope my explanations are logical. And I think the IB will not attack me for writing this piece. I will want to clarify here that they are my versions and not PAP’s versions and I have not been commissioned to reply on their behalf. I just hope that my reasonings would make good sense.
 
1.      Why would the government fight to pay the highest salaries to themselves in the world but would not fight for the wages of Singaporeans, and would allow Singaporeans to earn the lowest wages among the high-income countries?

RB: If the govt does not fight to pay themselves, who else would fight for them? Tiok boh?  If Singaporeans would to fight to pay them high salaries then they would not need to fight for themselves right? And Singaporeans are earning the lowest wages because of competition. This one can’t be helped or Singaporeans would not even have jobs if they don’t accept low salaries. It is a global market, people can come in freely to replace Singaporeans. Heard of boh cheng hu?

2.      The government says that we need to pay them high salaries so that they won’t be corrupt. But they would pay Singaporeans low wages. If Singaporeans do not need to earn high wages, yet we can be honest, doesn’t that mean that there’s no need to pay the government such high salaries?

RB: Corruption at govt level is very serious as a lot of money will be involved. The higher in the govt the bigger will be the corruption. So very important to make sure ministers are not corrupt or tempted. This kind of super logic only can be found in Sinkieland. Singaporeans not earning high wages corrupt or not corrupt not important. At those low levels how much can they corrupt? How much is a Brompton bicycle cost. Peanuts right? They will be more interested in blowjobs than money. So no big problem.

3.      If we are paid low wages, does that mean Singaporeans are a dishonest lot? If we are not, then can the government earn lower salaries and still be honest?

RB. See answers above. The assumption is that everyone can be tempted to be corrupt. Only how much to corrupt and the price to prevent corruption. It is all about the temptation of man. And political leaders are only man, not immortals. Oops.

4.      If we have to pay the government such high salaries so that they can honest, doesn’t that mean they are corrupt in the first place?

RB: See answers above.

5.      If we need to pay the government high salaries so that they are willing to do the work, shouldn’t we fire them and bring in someone who’s willing to be honest and do the work at lower salaries?

RB: The problem is that you cannot find such talented people in the whole world that could be contented with a few millions dollars and would not be corrupt. Paying a few millions and have no corruption is really very cheap.

6.      If the government wants us to pay them high salaries to improve their performance, but the income inequality and poverty in Singapore has now become the highest among the developed countries, and Singaporeans earn the lowest wages and have the lowest purchasing power among the developed countries, doesn’t that mean that the government hasn’t improved Singapore? If so, shouldn’t we pay the government much lower salaries or shouldn’t the government step down?

RB: Depending on who you are, at least 60% of the Singaporeans have seen their lives improved. It is not possible to improve the lives of everyone right? And some Singaporeans are just not good enough, have skills mismatched, or some working for fun or for dignity. Money is not important to them. Didn’t you see the old uncles and aunties so happy and so proud of their jobs in the foodcourts and hawker centres? They are going to work till they die, happily.

Cannot pay the govt lower salaries or they will be corrupt or worse, they may resigned, then no talented people will step up to run the country. Cannot ask them to sacrifice too much.  Like that damn jialat you know. They will all go back to work in the private sector to earn more millions.

7.      If the government is willing to keep themselves on the highest salaries in the world, even as Singaporeans have been earning the lowest wages among the high-income countries for many years now, shouldn’t the government also reduce their salaries in the face of the stagnating wages among Singaporeans? If the government is not willing to do so, doesn’t that mean that they are being dishonest?

RB: Cannot reason like that one. Top talents must use top talent logic and no talent must use no talent logic. Just imagine if we remove this govt, there will be no more talent left in the island. This is the best team that can be found, A Team. And cannot accuse them of being dishonest, these are the most honest and honourable people, self sacrificing leaders that money can buy. Or you want to leave the country to Team B to run or the no talent opposition parties to run? All the talents available in the island are in the govt. Other places cannot find, got no more talents to find.

8.      If the heads of the Nordic countries can earn $300,000 and are able to turn their countries into one of the most equal in the world, where their citizens are able to earn one of the highest wages and have one of the highest purchasing power and happiness in the world, then why are we paying the Singapore prime minister 7 times more to create the most unequal society among the developed countries, where we earn the lowest wages among the high-income countries?

RB: You want to live in the Nordic country or you want to live in the most expensive city in the world where every one out of two person is a millionaire? You want to be millionaire or not? Income inequalities in a capitalist economy is normal. Can’t be helped. This is progress.

9.      If the government wants us to pay them high salaries so that they are able to be honest and perform, but if they have proven themselves to be dishonest and unable to perform, doesn’t that mean that we should reduce their salaries drastically or fire them?

RB: Where, where got govt not performing? Where got govt dishonest? No right? So second part of question irrelevant. We have the best performing govt that is the envy of the world.

10.  If they do not want to return us our money, what are they doing with our money?

RB: Return what money? You mean your CPF money? They are safe in the CPF. The govt are not touching your money. Can you prove that the govt is touching or ‘doing with’ your money? No proof cannot anyhow claim lah.

Are my answers sensible, logical and reasonable?

Kopi Level - Green

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wah, you very funny lah

Anonymous said...

RB, tiok, tiok all tiok.

Anonymous said...

redbean pau, art buchwald looking down and he's feeling proud of you.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Here's the post:
http://thehearttruths.com/2014/05/01/10-things-that-are-not-right-about-why-the-government-wants-us-to-pay-them-high-salaries/

Sorry to tell you Mr NGERNG -- you haven't pointed out ONE logical fallacy. I doubt if you even know the meaning of the term.

Before you embarrass yourself even more, you'd better start with Critical Thinking 101 and properly learn what logical fallacies really are.

Suggestion: Here's a great course I put my people through Pay particular attention to Lectures 7-10. Logical fallacies are one thing, but you must know about heuristics and cognitive biases as well, expounded in the great work done by Nobel laureat Daniel Kahneman
in his global best-seller Thinking Fast And Slow

Disclosure/Discalimer: I'm not associated with The Great Courses TGC). I'm only a customer and shop all over the internet for stuff -- TGC is only one of the many, many websites I buy from.

The sooner more Singaporeans become PROPER critical thinkers -- not the champalang rojak type we have at present -- the less sheeple there'll be and eventually the cuntry will truly be a place for the people, by the people, not for the elite by the sheeple as it is at the moment.

What is the SINGLE MAIN THING which will ensure your society will improve?

EDUCATION.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Redbean is equally bad at logical fallacies as highlighted in his "rebuttal". But since it is written in what appears to be "jest", let the shit fly and land where it will :-)

Oh, the IB gunslingers, please show yourselves. Let's see what arguments and fancy talk you can conjure up.

BTW, here's the thing:

If you need to pay high salaries to govt to be "honest" the game is over already lah.

Anonymous said...

Reasons no use.

Rebuttals also no use.

Because Sinkies also know the correct reasons why the strongest Sinkie opposition is not ready to be govt. And so no need to rebut one.

But got use or not, u tell me lah?

Anonymous said...

Normal logic works for laymen.
fuzzy logic works for super talent and elite. Can not be understood by the 40%. Tio Bio?

Anonymous said...

Tiok.

No need reasons.

No need rebuttals.

Just need money. The more the better.

And for daft Sinkies, need the Sinkie opposition to be ready to be govt.

Then got use.



Anonymous said...

redbean
you are just like good wine.
you improve with age.
When I first visited your blog a few years ago, I was not too sure about your calibre.

This is one of your best post ever!

Anonymous said...

Do you know why all the world leaders pay homage to the Oracle?

They want to know the secret on how to con the daft population to accept to pay them millions without complaining.

Anonymous said...

RB, how's your kopi level today?

Anonymous said...

PAP's high ministerial salaries for mis-managing such a small CONtry (country) is the height of hypocrisy.

High salaries for PAP ministers.
Low salaries for Singaporeans.

Senior Minister
Mentor Minister
What next?
CONsultant Minister?

How many more bites of the cherry they want?

oldhorse42 said...

"Redbean
you are just like good wine.
you improve with age.
When I first visited your blog a few years ago, I was not too sure about your calibre."

Above post by one admirer. With such flattering admiration, RB should go atas and change to RG which is red grape.used to make red wine.
Back to the topic: why do our minister pay themselves obscenely high salaries? Because they can and get away with it!
What can the citizen do about it? Vote them out,tan goo goo eh.
They will be around after the Fish is gone, RB is gone and all your whiners are gone,too.

Anonymous said...

Matilah you only kachiau kachiau RB. He write good good you always kasi spoil. I see you got 2 blogs. But both like rumah hantu. Nobody go visit. One dead for 1 year another since 2008. Mana boleh ini machiam? You are like those ticks that feed on the host.

JL said...

RB,
Nothing is permanent is a matter of when
Whenever possible always many kopi for you

Anonymous said...

JUST TWO QUESTIONS
------------------
1. Why vote for PAP?
- Is it to make my life easier or to make PAP's life easier?

2. How does it benefit me to vote PAP?

Anonymous said...

PM Lee said, we are doing so well.

Anonymous said...

RB said: ....at least 60% of the Singaporeans have seen their lives improved. It is not possible to improve the lives of everyone right?

Tiok. 93% agree.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

I hope Roy Ngerng is not offended with my rebuttals.

Today kopi level still red at this time.

Anonymous said...

Tiok.

Only God can improve the lives of everyone.

But PAP govt is not God so the lives improved for 60% shows that PAP govt is competent already.

And even WP Teochew Ah Hia also agrees PAP is a competent govt, tio bo?

And if Ah Hia can agree, who are u not to agree, u tell me lah?

Anonymous said...

In spite of their high salaries, they have succeeded beyond expectations and will give out the PGP. Guess how many years is their bonus for succeeding beyond expectations?

Anonymous said...

MBT's $28m investment in a single stock is the tip of the iceberg to reveal how big were the bonuses.

Anonymous said...

Matilar, u very free is it? If free go and write your 10 books lar u pig. If u not good in writing just write one book with 10 chapters lar. Knn


// Anonymous Anonymous said...
Matilar, u can also write the following books

1) how to boast about sexual power when both tiny are missing
2) the art of incest
3) the guide on how to bull shits
4) how to irritate people and waste their time daily
5) learning to be thick skin and flameproof
6) how to tahan when your ass kena fucked
7) how to act as patriot when you are a traitor
8) how to act and look normal when you are actually insane
9) learning to speak when a cock is stuck in your mouth
10) how to con your sisters and daughters to continue having sex with you without reporting to the police.


Anonymous said...

Vacancy available.
1. 7digit renumeration
2. No kpi.
3. No termination, demotion, salary reduction for mistakes.
4. Big bonus.
5. Guaranteed increment.
6. On job trainees can also apply
7. Must think inside the box.
8. Must be good in talk cxxx sing song.
9. Etc etc....
Pls sent cv to the ceo, land of opps, 65 bermuda triangle.

b said...

Sg is not the best but also not bad. Sg ministers are not the best but also not bad. No minister is perfect. Name me anyone if disagree.

There are many ministers in europa drawing high salaries but also cannot create any employment, only negative employment created. Those are the really asshole ones. When people want to work but cannot find work, that is the worst. Sinkies have not known the worst yet.

b said...

In europa, people are begging for jobs but there are no jobs. The gov screwed up the system so big time until no one want to invest and create jobs. All the high taxes are paid to fat cats - ministers who cannot create employment, smokers who do not work, obese people who do not work, lazy people who do not work, pensioners having sex parties around the world at the expense of working class.

b said...

Cannot compare with the norwegians, they have blond hair and blue eyes. Be happy with what you have and always look out for greener pastures or opportunities for yourself. Do not depend on anyone (not even your own spouse) as this will definitely end up in disappointment.

Anonymous said...

@ b @ May 03, 2014 8:16 pm
"There are many ministers in europa drawing high salaries ..."

Okay.
Name 3 European Ministers and their salaries.

Liar! Liar!
Pants on fire!

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@144:

>> I see you got 2 blogs.

Actually I have more. Don't just draw conclusions on what you think you see. Could be dangerous in certain circumstances. ;-)

>> You are like those ticks that feed on the host.

Yes, an excellent strategy. Think about it: you get to feed, whilst others do the work. Maximum profit, minimum effort.

Got good deal?

Anonymous said...

Sg minsters not the best and not the worst! So!

Why are they getting out of this world salaries?

If they are average they shuld be paid average salaries. This is simple logic.

Anonymous said...

matilah, where are your other blogs? if the stuff you write are as good as the chee soon juan piece you wrote today, i'd love to read your other blogs.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@1136:

>> matilah, where are your other blogs?

So sorry. They're all private, none of them are "political". Every project of mine has at least one specific blog used to collate info, research, development, etc. plus opinion and thoughts of course.

I guarantee you those "serious" blogs are not entertaining reading ;-) You will be bored to tears with numbers, charts and data.

Anonymous said...

Eat too much red bean, fart a lot.

Anonymous said...

yup. matilah everyday eat redbean.

Anonymous said...

No lah, it is the IBs eating too much redbeans and suffering from indigestion. So start farting everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Pity the IBs. Don't like redbeans but die die must swallow until stomach bloated out. No wonder they fart non stop.