Chok Tong's take on ministers

Chok Tong talked about the qualities expected of a good minister, able to anticipate problems and provide a solution. Three ministers fit this description, Boon Wan, Eng Hen and Raymond. They have been anticipating problems and working out solutions. What Chok Tong should add is that the solutions must be workable, meaningful and effective in solving the problems. There is no point pushing solutions that the people do not believe are appropriate or what they want and ended being compelled to accept the solutions. This last part is also related to what Chok Tong said, be connected with the people. Compelling the people to accept solutions they do not need or want is not connecting with the people.

Cheaters and the women behind them

Cheaters and the women behind them by Chitra Rajaram, Deputy Editorial Director of Today ....Look around us in Singapore. Do our male political leaders engage in such behaviour? I don't think they do. . This is because when people are elected and hold important positions in Government, they have a moral obligation and responsibility to society — to not just deliver as politicians but also as individuals within accepted moral and ethical considerations. . To me, these individuals have a strong moral fibre, and I trust them to run the country because they have earned my trust as individuals. . Our leaders may not have a dapper appearance, nor do they dazzle with colourful speech — you could even say some of them come across as fuddy-duddies. But their heads and hearts are in the right place.... The above is an extract of an article published in the Today paper today. I am sure the factually accurate article will win an award at the Annual best paper or best journalist award presentation.

I don't need your approval

Isn't that nice? The cyberspace is providing a platform for everyone, young and old, rich or poor, powerful or powerless, to say what they want, to say what they think is important, without requiring the approval of the msm or their editors. This is the greatest development since the practice of universal suffrage. The voice has returned to the people. And the people must use this voice wisely and to put it to good use in their own interest. Speak for yourself. Speak your own truth. The people now do not have to accept other people's agenda and other people's truth. Welcome to the brave new world of Cyberspace.

New govt in 2015?

Today I will do a little crystal ball gazing of what the govt will look like in the future. There is always a possibility of a new party taking over from the present govt. Maybe a LP Party wins the election by 2015. No one can be certain of the future. What will happen then? The LP Party may elevate the position of the President higher and raise his pay to $10m. Equally, without saying, the PM, SMM, MM, 3 SSM, SM will be paid near to $10m. And Ministers could easily be paid $8m. And more ministerial posts will be created to reward party stalwarts. There will be Minister for the Poor, Minister for Protection of the Environment, Casino Minister, F1 Minister, Minister for Women, Minister for Charity, Minister for Private Schools, Minister for Private Hospitals, Minister for Hospices, Minister for GST, and possibly more. But the good thing is that the people are all happy. Salaries have all gone up sky high because money is flowing out from the Casinos. Why not? And we own 5 of the world's top banking and financial institutions. We also bought over Harvard and Yale Universities and thinking of buying more. Long live the LP Party!

Paranoid or Mean

We are a rich nation, call ourselves first world, pride ourselves for being compassionate, sophisticated and blah blah blah. But we are very disturbed by the fact that some richer people would not want to pay higher hospital bills and do not mind opting for lower class wards with lower quality services. And we feel aggrieved on the ground that these people are sponging on the system or depriving the not so rich from govt subsidies. So, the solution is to set up a system of machinery and people to mean test these people. Wonder whether the objective justifies the cost and trouble to implement it. And with the rising cost of living, NTUC is thinking of setting up a low cost store to sell food and essential items to the people worst hit by this change. And I think the same fear or paranoia will be creeping into the decision makers' mind. What to do if the richer people also come and buy from such a store? Can't let them take advantage of this too. Perhaps mean testing again. I would propose a simpler and cheaper idea. Just use the power of the word. In hospitals, called the C Wards, Cheapskate Wards. That would be a deterrent to shame the cheapskates. And as for the low price store, called it Low Class Store or Hard Time Store. Some mean sounding names to keep the free loaders away. Just by renaming, I think it will keep a lot of them away from taking advantage of the systems to help the poor buggers. No need to sweat the big stuff and the small stuff. No need to waste so much energy and resources too.