myth 128

Is there a value to a job? The traditional method of evaluation the worth of a job and how much it should be paid is no longer relevant in the modern context, or at least in the Singapore context. In the past, a job is carefully evaluated with relevant factors to determine how much it is worth. It is quite a tedious and complicated process. Today, the determination of the value of a job is so much easier. Just peg it to somebody's income. In fact the value of all the jobs in Singapore can be done that way. And whether the value of the job increases or decreases will be determined by the income of the top eight lawyers, accountants, bankers, CEOs of MNCs and local enterprises, and engineers. And workers can likewise peg their pay to them. And when these people earn a lot of money, their pay can likewise be adjusted accordingly. The process is clean, transparent, objective and clinical. No need to argue about how much is a job worth anymore. No need to go for collective negotiation with management. Afterall the value of a job is only relative, relative to whoever one chooses to peg it with.

The irony of it all

The irony of it all The people who are struggling to make ends meet and slogging away are all silent while the fat cows are screaming for more. In a society like ours, those who are earning less than $3k a month, not to mention those earning less than $1k, are just living from hand to mouth. Anyone who earns $20k a month are very comfortable. Anything more than that will either go to their savings or for more luxury. And it is this latter group that keeps saying 'I want more and more and more.' It is so distasteful. Oops, I am wrong. I have lost touch with reality, with the people's aspiration, and the brutal truth.

great opportunity to start anew

The IDR is the greatest opportunity for Malaysia and Singapore to start on a new phase of cooperation. The Malaysian High Commissioner did not miss this out and is calling for more effort towards a hassle free transit in and out of JB. He is pushing for a new Causeway card that will make transiting a breeze. But there are many other things that need to be ironed out, especially the controversial and ambiguous rulings which the police, immigration and customs are famous for. Tinted glasses for cars, red plated off peak cars, no chopping of passports, checks and harassments for no rhymes or reasons, spot checks, stopping by traffic police etc etc. These are the irritants that make live very miserable and uncertain for visitors to JB and Malaysia. Maybe the High Commissioner could come out with a list to clarify all these things in a booklet form for Singaporeans to carry along to show to the law enforcing officers that they have crossed the line. If it will help. It may not as they could throw whatever booklet away and insist that one follows them to the police station and spend another few days in Malaysian against one's will.

best quote from swee say

The most convincing quote from Swee Say. Payrise for Ministers will benefit the people.

mindboggling pension scheme

The pension scheme is an accepted practice in the govt service introduced by the British. Now this scheme is also extended to politicians, people who are elected by the people on a 5 year term basis. And it is not even an employment. Then all one needs to be entitled to the lifelong pension is to be in office for two terms or a max of 10 years. Invariably it is lesser, between 8 to 9 years. Compare this to the original concept of pension when a person has to work practically all his life, 25 to 35 years before he is entitled to it and may lose it along the way if he fumbles. And the number is mindboggling. A person can be in office for 10 years and will be paid around $.5 to $1 million for the rest of his life. If he lives for another 25 years, the state could have to pay him $12.5 mil to $25 mil. Not sure if he is still entitled to all the medical perks. I am not saying that the scheme is right or wrong, good or bad. It is just mindboggling.