8/10/2014

I have been convinced, Singapore is getting more difficult to manage, and may not be around.




Singapore is growing every day and is a big country. And the bigger it grows, the bigger the island, Australia is also an island, and the bigger the population, the more complex will be its problems and ability to survive. There may not be a Singapore in 50 years. Actually I think it will be sooner, maybe 20 years, when Singapore could be renamed as something else.

When we were small, it was so easy to govern. We only need a few tertiary educated ministers, and paid them peanuts, to run the country. The rest of the cabinet and MPs were workers, no worry, everything was fine. The problems were small and easily managed. No need for the talents of scholars.

Today our problems are huge and very complicated because we are a big country. So, despite having so many scholars in the cabinet, despite paying them top dollars, practically everyone in the cabinet is paid more than the President of the USA, we may not see a Singapore in 50 years time. In fact several MPs could be getting paid more than Obama if their other directorship fees are added into their salary.

Come to think of it, we could be paying $50m annually to our cabinet of super talents and top scholars. The same amount of money could be good enough to hire 50 Obamas at the same time. Should be hearing them saying with full confidence, everything is in good hands, everything has been thought out, Singapore will go on and on, Singapore will exist forever? Why are we paying so much for so many top talents that have no confidence of Singapore still being around in 50 years? Are we paying for top or super talents, better than anyone money can buy?

There are two simple solutions to the existence of Singapore beyond 50 years. The easier one is to pay the ministers double their current salaries. This should guarantee Singapore to be still around in 100 years time. You want quality ministers, you just have to pay for it. If the current pay can only possibly see Singapore surviving for 50 years, doubling the pay should do the work for another 50 years.

Another easier solution is to openly seek talents from all over the world to replace our inept talents. If our talents are not even sure of keeping Singapore alive for 50 years, then Singapore should import real foreign talents to replace our not so talented talents for Singapore to be around for more than 50 years. Logical right?

And this can be applied across the board, from the top in govt to the top positions in the private sectors. Then the govt and private institutions would stand a chance to be around. Not sure if the Singaporeans would still be around. But that is a non issue as the new Singaporeans from everywhere are still Singaporeans.

Wow, I so clever, can solve the problem of Singapore being around in 100 years by two simple solutions and doing it all in a Sunday morning, and feeling so good and positive.

Kopi Level - Red, like at the NDP.

21 comments:

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

The harder it is for the government to govern, the better for freedom and peace for the people.

The proviso here is the culture and level of wealth and education of the people. Singaporeans are generally peaceful and productive. They don't require too much "governance". "Light touch" is all that is required.

At the moment there is too much of big expensive government for a small city on a small island, and a govt which cannot help itself but "kachau" people.

Less govt, more market solutions. That's the key.

Anonymous said...

Those scholars are there to think of ways and means to make money from peasants for the Government, hold on to their hard earned money with devious CPF schemes, and hope that they remain daft throughout their miserable lives.

I do not, for a moment, think these scholars are there to make sure we (the peasants, I mean) survive or lead easier lives. That is not their objective.

Peasants are here to help them grow the GDP and not be a liability to the Government. And that means work until the age of 90 and beyond, don't fall sick, and best of all, don't think of retirement. Retirement is becoming a dirty word in paradise.

Anonymous said...

What takes you 49 years to find out that Singapore is getting more difficult to manage? The fact that they have been paying themselves out of this world salaries already tells you this is the reality.

Wonder what kind of salaries they will ask for if we have what China had gone through - earthquakes, mine explosions and collapses, catastropic floods etc. Unimaginable!

Anonymous said...

"Why are we paying so much for so many top talents that have no confidence of Singapore still being around in 50 years?"
RB

Hahahahahaha.

Because they are from the only party in Sinkieland which is ready to be govt mah.

Can u find another party which is ready to be govt, let alone have minister calibre Sinkies willing to accept much lesser pay, u tel me lah?

Anonymous said...

If I were Keechiu CHan, I will even dare to say Singapore will not be around in 20, let alone 50 years, unless minister pay is doubled!

Because after saying this, in fact after saying anything lah, I still have 93% confidence that the strongest opposition party will still not be ready to be govt!

Anonymous said...

Those in power solve problems by money. Like you want no breakdown mrt and bus services, increase fares. Control littering, increase fine. Control road jam, increase ERP. Get 'talented' ministers and civil servants, increase their pay. But Stagnant the pay of peasants and import cheap workers to stay competitive. Will S'pore be around 50 years later? I'm pessimistic.

Anonymous said...

Tiok.

If they are not ready to be govt, and 60% Sinkies elect them as govt, jialat lah.

They may be fighting with other parties or even among themselves on who to become PM.

U never know what will happen when parties or people are suddenly given great power or even wealth when they are not ready to accept and use it.

Raymond said...

More vapid drivel from a senile old man...

Have you taken your medicine today?

Anonymous said...

@ Raymond said...
"More vapid drivel from a senile old man.."

You should be more CONstructive in your criticism of Mr Chua.

Anonymous said...

It's not Singapore or Singaporeans who are getting difficult to manage.

It's PAP who is not able to govern effectively.

If you think Singapore is difficult, try USA, Canada, Australia, Japan or China.
- Fucking useless white PAPIGs.
- these fuckers can't even govern the island of Tasmania without turning it into a casino destination.

And that's the hard truth.
Please vote them out in GE 2016.

Anonymous said...

The gangster is here to disturb RB. With this type of gangsters around, Singapore may not last even 10 years. They are dangerous to the people of Singapore.

Who is letting these gangsters running around bullying the citizens?

Anonymous said...

Raymond has his points of view. It is a democratic country after all. He is entitled to believe whatever takes his fancy.However, he is not at liberty to criticise or condemn others who may believe in ideas oppose to his. Therefore can I say this to Raymond, F*** OFF !! and stay on your side of the fence. Don't bother RB here and all the others like minded people here. Why don't you start your own blog and write whatever you fancy. Rest assured, you will not be bothered.

Anonymous said...

Double the top elite's salary for S to be around for another hundred years? You can or may be told, do not act too smart!

How can you propose the top to be replaced by FT? Do you want to have us citizen being made to repent further?

Please do not make it worst, what happen if the 6.9M change to 10M?



Anonymous said...

There will always be a category of natives who will hold to the unshakeable belief - Singapore is the best place in the world. It is hard to convince these adherents otherwise. As since they have been the direct beneficiaries of the system and continue to reap disproportionate benefits out of it. They will always support the status quo ante.

Then there are those who did not benefit at all or benefited less. You can say this group did not avail themselves of the opportunities. But then again, they will say, they just didn't fall under the category of what the PAP defined as the 'right stuff' for them to invest in. For these category of people, It is understandable that Singapore is less than perfect and they much prefer to make their world without having to suckle of the government of teat. Some may fail. Others will get by. Then there are those who make it.

It is those who have 'made it' despite their seeming 'lack' that poses the greatest threat to the PAP's self serving brand of meritocracy. For these category men, they will not have much respect for the scholar system nor will they buy hook, line and sinker into the PAP's narrow vision of what constitutes organizational and personal success. Since these people have made it largely thru their own resolve, ingenuity with hardly nah help from the government. It's perfectly understandable for them to harbor the belief - whatever the PAP has to offer will always fall short of the gold standard of governance.

Anonymous said...

Please understand. I am not saying the scholar system is rubbish. Or that those who have been anointed as having the 'right stuff' are so undeserving they don't nearly have the right to spend their stratospheric salaries on cooking holidays in Paris.

Only the limits of a system that claims to produce the 'best' has its inherent limits and the problem as I see it in Singapore is - this reality is so often whitewashed. Or given such prefunctionary treatment that most people are forced to live with the idea that there is only one road to be a successful individual and that way is by keeping to the tried and tested yellow brick road that has been layed by government.

But for those who have 'made it,' thru their own resolve, dexterity and by winging it on their own - they know only too well. There are many roads to success and what is offered by government is at best only one of many options.

In a world that is fast changing this is notion of 'one of many ways' to succeed in life is greatly amplified. So if you go and ask a planter whether it would be a good idea for his son to be sign on a dotted line to take up a government scholarship, he would probably consider it a monumental waste of a life. As since this planters conception of what constitutes success differs so dramatically from what is usually offered by officialdom - there can be no basis for agreement.

Only yesterday I had lunch with three young engineers who just graduated. One of those told me proudly, he wanted to return home to serve his country. I told him, don't flatter yourself - there is nothing in your brain to even suggest that you can serve anyone except yourself. I told them all to go and work in the EU for at least five years or see the world and to see how other people live.

After that I told them ONLY AFTER that can you rightly claim the right to be able to serve your country.

And that more or less sums up my attitude on the matter.

Good day.

Darkness 2014

Anonymous said...

One general man the C(ash) P(rior) F(uneral) system and everyone needs to "buy" this 50-Year to 60-Year "bond" as soon as one starts working every month. The redemption at the end of the expiry date ( which can be amended by the "borrower" at their "pleasure" aka moving goal posts ) is small installments over 20 to 30 years from age 65 as of now. So if YEW add up both time SPANS it is about 60+ to 70+ years.

Then YEW have another general, albeit with one more star, and paid millions in remuneration package each year opening declaring that the whole place might not be around in 50 years and possibly earlier ? ????

With "political tripping " over each other even in such simple "political message " to the public, how on earth could people across the spectrum, oldies, ordinary folks, students, young adults, family men and women have confidence in ANYTHING and not worried "SICK" every time these generals open their mouths to expound anything?

Anonymous said...

Typo correction @ 3.36pm ......

2nd paragraph should be "openly declaring "

Not "opening declaring "

Fat fingers.......

Too eager to tell kee chiu what we think of him?

It is one thing for old man to worry aloud in the past about this place long term viability.

It is another matter to "BITCH" about it at this point of time when C(ASH) P(RIOR) F(UNERAL) is being "locked" up to 70 years in a working adult's lifetime.

When this is the case and then YEW come out to "BITCH" openly that within 50 years or less, this place may not be around. Then YEW still have others trying to "BITCH" another tune that the people's blood,sweat and tears retirement $$$$$$ need to be locked up longer than 50 years counting from the time one starts work?

So if a bank's senior executive tell people his bank may be gone after 10 years but another senior executive selling people 30-Year bond with no redemption option before that?

Is this what we are paying for?

It goes to show that somebody is speaking his mind in that no matter what shit they spew and how illogical or ridiculous, they are the MONOPOLY and there are no alternative.

No wonder, with such pathetic incompetence, he is not confident of the existence of this place in 50 years time.

Yet they are clinging to POWDER at all costs?

Think the elephants have to concede their hide NOT as thick as the skin on kee chiu's face?

Anonymous said...

Is he capable of constructive contribution?
His one sentence comment is purely a personal attack.
Anyway, he can be ignored as he is not a calibre who can match Rb.

Anonymous said...

Just like to say that I sincerely agree with Minister Chan Chun Sing.
50 years is indeed too long a time for a resource-less tiny piece of land. No matter how good the calibres and how much the Leaders are paid, me am inclined to also feel that Lee Kuan Yew had made a prescient forecast. And that is Sinkies will be maids and other low income workers.
In fact, LKY's Prediction is already a reality. The Oldies are happy cleaning and proud to be independent. Middle age ex-executives and technicians are happy driving taxis and working as couriers. Youths and housewives are happily working as hawker and logistic warehouse assistants. Most are happy with their livings and I suppose few will be too worry about 50 years down the road so long as they are happy now.

patrikt

Anonymous said...

Actually, in many ways, old man and his followers would like to believe that they hold the keys and answers to the eternal prosperity of our posterity.

But do they?

There are too many things that are seen only through his lenses.

Is he everything?

Is he also a doctor, an engineer, an economist, an entrepreneur, a scientist, a physicist, a computer expert, an inventor ......... etc etc?

His judgment may be right on certain things but equally there are many flawed perceptions and decisions as well.

With such autocratic mindset, how can the best ever be harvested? Or was there ever an intention in the first place?

What is his ultimate motivation?

For the people?

Or for himself?

Are the the solutions and options the same for both?

Anonymous said...

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And 升管发财 is a very unproductive job, produces nothing that is good for society.