All the good signs

The economy grew by a record 15.7%. What a miraculous number and what an exceptional govt to achieve such a high rate of growth in a world hit by financial crisis and natural disasters. Time to reward everyone for a job well done. All civil servants and politicians will receive pay rise, performance bonuses and GDP bonuses to the tune of 10 or 17 months of bonuses on top of the basic salary, the 1 mth AWS and the 3 months of variable bonuses. Please correct me if I am wrong. Roughly it is about there, and everyone will be happy happy. The people will also not be left out. Everyone will get something, at least $800 plus whatever savings from taxes, and top ups. And the opposition parties are in the mud ring wrestling and trying to get out to be ready for battle in the coming GE. And let’s not forget the most important man in the country, the President. He too must be rewarded for doing such a fine job, shouldering such a heavy responsibility and still having to look happy and make visitors to the Istana ground feel happy. Of all the good signs, this is the most telling. For some may claim that it is audacity beyond words for the govt to pay the President $4m a year plus all the perks, and almost a $1m pay rise. Such arrogance could be negatively received by the electorate. But looking at it from another angle, it is a sure sign of confidence. The govt knows the ground well and that the people will still give the ruling party a resounding victory in the next GE. They would not dare to risk winning a GE by making this kind of payment if they think it will not go down well with the people. The govt is always right and they must have done their sums well and knowing that all is well. The next GE will be another clean sweep. There will be no meltdown whereby the opposition will do a clean sweep. The budget, pay hike and big bonuses will not be the swan song.

All the bad signs

Japan is into the second week of the tsunami disaster and nuclear plant meltdown. The situation is grave but how grave? There were reports and reports and updates and updates. The Japanese on the ground are feeling uneasy. Many are openly questioning the reports coming out from their govt. What is the situation today? Last night I heard Naoto Kan saying that he would be visiting the site next week. This is the first time a senior govt official is talking about a visit to the disaster site. What does it say? For one whole week, with all the assurances that the nuclear fallout is still safe, no govt officials dare to visit the actual site of the disaster. Maybe I am wrong and they did visit the site but not reported. And the victims were accusing the govt of neglect and leaving them to die. Japan is a super efficient govt. Not just talk only. They have proven it in many ways. Why are the aids not reaching the stricken people after so many days? Bad transportation, bad coordination, bad weather, not enough helpers? None of these is valid. The Japanese are the best equipped and best organised. Even in India and China, helicopters will be flying around to drop aids to the victims. Maybe all the helicopters are used in dropping water on the nuclear plants. Is the situation that bad that it is better to leave the affected people on their own, to die as the victims are claiming? Could it be that these people are like lepers, already hit by radio activity and better to leave them there than to risk good people going after bad people? The Americans are helping, but no troops on the ground. They are keeping at a safe distance of 80 km. What does this tell? Is there a message saying nothing nearer than 80 km is safe? Then the exodus of foreigners and those who are able to do so. Embassies and MNCs are telling their staff to get out of Tokyo. Another bad indicator that there is more to it than meets the eyes. Finally, yesterday the threat level using the International Nuclear and Radioactivity Event Scale (INES) was raised from 4 to 5 with 7 as the highest. And the cooling of the 6 nuclear reactors are still work in progress, with one leaking water as fast as water being pumped in, and some still in threatening state. The signs are bad and saying a lot of bad things that were not reported. A sure sign of things are getting better is to see govt officials and the Americans on the ground itself. The UN nuclear envoy also avoided visiting the site. And there is no surge of volunteers rushing to save the victims by the highly nationalistic Japanese and their samurai spirit. Obviously things are bad. How bad?

A worst case scenario

What if a sudden explosion or discharge of radioactive clouds from one of the reactors and raising radioactive particles to a dangerous level? Fukushima prefecture no longer habitable and the govt order an immediate evacuation from the area. Radioactive clouds are blown towards Tokyo and a similar evacuation order is made. Can you imagine Fukushima prefecture will be abandoned and left barren for years to come? Can you imagine an evacuation of Tokyo! Just pray the Japanese is able to control the situation and prevent it from becoming a crisis of such a magnitude.

Cover ups rife in Japan nuclear industry

This is the heading of an AP article about the cover-ups in Japan’s nuclear industry. The Japanese are angry and no longer believe what they were told, especially of the current nuclear meltdown. Kei Sugaoka, a former nuclear engineer said, ‘There’s not enough transparency in the industry.’ AP wrote, ‘In 1989, he received an order that horrified him: Edit out footage showing cracks in plant steam pipes in video to be submitted to regulators.’ The cover-ups of Japan’s nuclear industry went back to the early days of the 1970s when the plants in Fukushima were built. According to some reports that were in the media, some GE engineers resigned because of fear that the plants were unsafe as they were built to withstand only quakes up to 7 in the Richter Scale. There were reports that subsequently this was rectified. How much was the truth and how much were cover-ups no body really knows. The Japanese people are feeling the brunt of this fiasco.” ‘I can’t believe them,’ said Taketo Kuga, a cab driver in Tokyo, where low levels of radiation were observed on Tuesday.” What about the foreign communities? They voted not to believe all the reports that the radiation level is low and safe by leaving Japan, particularly Tokyo. There is an exodus going on with foreign companies and embassies ordering their people to leave. The honesty and integrity of the Japanese govt are taking a whacking for sure.

Why the President’s salary is pegged higher

This is a reply from Chen Hwai Liang, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister in the ST forum page. I am wondering why is it a letter in the forum page and not an official statement, say in the front page of the ST. The kpkb in cyberspace about the more than 20% increase in the President’s salary must be making people uncomfortable. So here is the official explanation. The salary is pegged to the private sector benchmarks. ‘The principle and benchmarks have been extensively debated in Parliament, most recently in 2007.’ He forgot to add that this was also approved by Parliament. Who and how many MPs voted in favour of this formula? Let me guess, 82 for and 2 against? I am not sure, forgotten already. The vote in favour was almost unanimous. Do the citizens agree with it? Sorry the latter is a non issue since the people voted the MPs as their representatives in Parliament and are indirectly saying that the MPs represented them and voted on their behalf. The other reasons given by Chen Hwai Liang, ‘The President occupies the highest office in Singapore. He exercises custodial powers to protect our past reserves and over the appointment of key public officers to protect the integrity of the public service. As head of state, he represents the country and advances our interests internationally. This is why it is appropriate to peg the President’s salary higher than ministers’ and just above the Prime Minister’s.’ I think the first sentence should be sufficient. It is the highest office in Singapore. Period. But the explanation added that the President’s job carries a higher responsibility, though the ministers may be running their ministries and their thousands of staff. The people may agree or disagree, but this is the official position. Now that the people understand the rationale, let’s move on.