Taking on a bigger role

After spending time at the St James Station partying with the young PAPs and explaining the ministerial hike to the Press, LKY came out to address the fear of the Indon Extradition Treaty. It will not affect our property prices and the Indonesian rich will not be running away. That is about the gist of what he said. There is fear of how this treaty will impact our large pool of rich Indonesians who have been staying here and investing in our properties and businesses. And the fear is genuine as the main reason that has been floated all these while is to deal with the 'corrupt' rich Indonesians that are here. You can't blame the rich Indonesians for having second thoughts about their well beings. And one can't dissuade the property speculators that this will not have any impact on the property markets. There will be some who will have to change their investment plans and sell off some of their holdings. The rich are mobile and when there is uncertainty, the best option is to disappear to safer ground. No point and no need to put themselves to risk. Now we watch and see how this extradition treaty will play up or down our property market.

council of elders - redundant talks

Not that a council of elders will be in the cards. Not that it will matter whether there is or there isn't a council of elders to make any material change. I am continuing this discussion simply for discussion's sake as a follow up to an interesting point raised by Chua Soo Kiat in his article in the Today paper on the same topic. Though Soo Kiat was advocating that more women are needed rather than oldies, he pointed out that paying a council of elders a token sum is a problem. How's that? Affordability is one problem, but a minor one. It is the moral authority of a council of elders that will be perceived by the public to be higher than those that work just purely for money. So the more one gets paid, the lesser is the moral authority, and vice versa. If this is going to be how the people will look at our political leaders, then the whole exercise of multi million dollar ministerial pay may erode and undermine their authority as we march towards the next general election. Money now seems to be the foremost factor in the minds of Singaporeans. Though I say that a council of elders may not be of interest to anyone now, but if we consider paying every one elected into the council a million or so, maybe it will revive some interest to have such a council. After all, money talks and many will be interested especially when millions are available for the taking. The more posts and positions created, the more people will stand to benefit. And no one has to come out from their pockets. Just pay from the public coffers.

Two wrong timing good leaders

According to PN Balji, Philip Yeo and Tan Kin Lian could have been great leaders but missed the boat. His misgiving for these two guys is that they left without a successor in place. In my view, they are great leaders, with their warts as all humans possessed, for all their achievements. And I can't blame them as both were young men with many years to go. Compare to all the octogenarians still strutting their stuff around, one cannot possibly expect these two young men in their prime to think of retiring. Philip has a lot more to do to see his baby grow. Kin Lian may be in a different league and may be waiting for a MNC offer. But both are doing extremely well. Then Balji quoted Nelson Mandela who quitted after one term as a great example of great leaders who never over stay their welcome. Now what does that mean? In our little island, dearth of talents, we cannot simply afford great leaders to warm their seats for one term and quit. If that is the game, soon we will be asking FTs to take over all the important leadership positions. We understand our problems and is doing everything we can to attract and retain leaders for a life time as long as they can contribute and still kicking.

Landmark deals with Indonesia

So the extradition treaty and defence cooperation agreement are going to be sealed while our barges are still being detained on hazy charges. And bombs exploded in a Singaporean company in Karimum. And instead of investigating and dealing with the saboteurs, the management of the company are detained for more hazy charges. The public may not know what the deals were and what have been resolved, but coming at a time like this is a bit stinking. And we clapped to trumpet the good relations with Jakarta. Let's hope more sands and reasons will prevail.

The muted silent corner

While the debate and airing of the ministerial pay hike were furious, both in the MSM and cyberspace, the battle line is quite clear. The ruling party is obviously fully behind it, with a few exceptions, and there were Ministers and MPs standing up to defend the position. The opposition's view is as good as anyone can expect. And so are the views of the public. So far I have yet to hear anyone having a good thing to say about the issue. And they are all being polite and circumscribe. What about the opinion makers and those luminaries with a view? The academics, the retired or elder statesmen and civil servants, the professionals and the newsmakers? These are people that must have a view. They cannot be clueless or opinionless. So far there is an almost total silence. Where are the voices of the elite of this Little Red Dot? Their silence could mean two things. For or against. These densely opinionated elite cannot be fence sitters. Perhaps they are all for the pay hike so nothing more to add. Or they are against it but have taken the cue or sense that it is better to shut up. That would be a shame for a first world nation or a little country boasting of being first world when opinions and views that matter were found wanting. The overwhelming presence of LKY and his intense support for the pay hike may be a suffocating factor. Just my opinion. I think not many would want to take the other corner to take on such a heavy weight that holds no punches. Now which is the case? Where are the elite or is this the proof that we need, that Singapore is sorely in need of talents or alternative political leadership?