Do not gloat about generosities

The tsunami and earthquake in Japan have in a way mend some ties between the two countries. China has sent a search and rescue team and offered $5.8 million of aids for reconstruction and relief for the victims of the disaster. There are some views that the Chinese should not gloat over this little assistance given to the Japanese. In terms of aids, the Japanese have given China much much more, hundreds or thousands of millions over the years to help reconstruct the modern China today. Say thank you, China. This is the view of shallow minded individuals who have forgotten all about the history between the two countries. And probably they are expecting China to say a big thank you to Japan for the millions given to China which made the $5.8 m insignificant to mention. Should China say thank you to Japan? I think most Chinese well versed in the history of the two countries will still give a two ups to the Japanese despite the aids. The disaster in Fukushima may look big and dreadful today. But it is an act of God, no ill intent by anyone. Compare to the disaster and death toll inflicted on China by the Japanese Invasion in the 1930s and the Rape of Nankin, the death toll in Fukushima is nothing. The tragedy in Nankin could literally make one go mad trying to relive those dark days. Several hundred thousands of human lives were killed and maimed, not by an act of God, but inflicted on by another( in)human specie. It was brutal murder and atrocities to young and old, woman, babies etc etc. How about throwing babies into the air for bayonet practice? And the Americans prevented the Chinese from asking for war reparations after the end of WW2, and also no war crimes against the Japanese. What the Japanese had given to China was a kind of war reparation but without the negative incrimination of their heinous acts. Should China say thank you to Japan for those aids? No amount of money can compensate for the rape of a country, bombardment and destruction of properties and lives, and unremorseful killings of people. Another count is the huge war reparation that the Japanese extorted from the Chinese during the earlier Sino Japanese War. Of course the war was started by the Japanese, who had superior war machines. And the dying and near bankrupt China had to empty everything that was left in its treasuries to the Japanese. Compare this to the aids Japan gave to China which were excesses that Japan could afford in an era of affluence and high economic growth. Compare to the war reparations that the Japanese demanded from China which was outright cash with no strings attached and the Japanese aid to China with strings attached? The generosity of the Chinese people to come to the aid of the Japanese, though not amounting to very much, is a good gesture of human kindness, to give help in times of adversity unlike invading a country in times of adversity. The Chinese may not have forgotten the barbaric acts of the Japanese when China was weak, but are willing to keep those records in history, never to be forgotten. The Japanese on the other hand have forgotten everything and will even deny that they happened. Who should be thankful to who?

The most lucrative part time job

Anyone looking for a part time job will be resigned to the fact that it comes with no job security and a paltry allowance. But this is not true in the uniquely Singapore context. The part time job of a Member of Parliament comes not only with job security for 4 years, could be a life time, and with a handsome allowance which many CEOs may not even smell. This part time job offers an allowance of more than S$13k per month, with a 13th month bonus, with a productivity bonus or maybe 3 to 4 mths and with a GDP bonus that is 8 months for this year. All in all the total bonus could be something like 12 to 15 mths. Not bad really, for a part time job. And the perks of being appointed as directors or chairman of public listed companies and public companies….Really bee tang. The next best job is a full time job that some may reckon as a vacation in a palace. But this is not true as it comes with really heavy responsibilities. Anyway, it pays S$4m a year plus all the perks of a presidency and, yes, the same number of months of bonuses as an MP. The total payout for year 2011 could be more than S$8m! Where on earth can one find such lucrative part time and full time jobs?

Bad eggs

Here are two samples of half boiled eggs that I ate this morning. Both were placed in the same container of hot water for 7 minutes. Did not feel comfortable and went to the toilet twice after that. One egg is more normal with the egg white fairly well formed. The egg white of the other is loose, powerdery, like diaorrhea but white in colour. Egg white should not be in such condition. The question is, is this kind of egg safe to eat? Is there anything seriously wrong with it? It may not cause immediate harm now, like a little dosage of radiation, but over time, prolonged exposure/consumption, could it lead to a kind of slow death or sickness?

YES! Startups Scheme

I read about this scheme in the Sunday Times. YES stands for Youth Entrepreneurs Scheme. It is a scheme specially designed to help young people to start their own business, and many young entrepreneurs have done that. Started in 2008, the scheme has given grants to 72 applicants worth $3.5m. To be eligible for the scheme the applicants must qualify under the following criteria, • Singaporean/PR, below 26 years old. Parental consent must be sought for those applicants 18 years old and below on the date of application • 1st time entrepreneur • key driver in the company This is a good scheme as it opens up another avenue to the young people instead of applying to become employees. It encourages entrepreneurship, self employment and risk taking. In view of the healthy pool of retirees that are unwanted as employees, and with the understanding that they have another 15 or 20 more years of living to get by, it may be opportune for Spring Singapore to consider setting up a similar scheme for the oldies who still need to earn a living or who may want to try out something new in the new phase of their lives. Life does not end after 55 or after retirement. A new pool of manpower that is self employed and not dependent on applying for jobs and would not stress up the job market. The above criteria may have to be amended to suit the background and experience of the oldies. There are more and more of them coming into the workforce but only to hit the great wall of corporate Singapore that sees nothing good except youth. YES, youth is what living is all about. How about a little thought for the oldies, the yodas? Have another version of YES, Yoda Enterpreneurs Scheme, for the ‘has beens’ may be timely given the govt’s push for the oldies to be independent, resourceful and be useful to themselves and society. There are many campaigns to teach the oldies how to keep themselves alive and active, but unproductive. They are still dependent on their CPF and savings to carry on. Boon Heng may have slipped his mind on how to make the oldies young entrepreneurs again and live life to the fullest, and be useful and creative again. Just make sure they don’t indulge in it in the biological sense.

Singapore has priced honesty correctly

A Singaporean, I presumed, Kanagasabai Haridas wrote to the ST forum with the above heading. I am trying to grasp what is his real message, a statement of approval or a poke at the issue of honesty and corruption in the city state? Kanagasabai mentioned four reasons why Singapore must pay the price to prevent its govt officials from going the corrupt way, by paying them of course. First we are a young country and the spirit or culture of goodness or incorruptibility is lacking. No choice but to pay or bribe. Two, the turnover of ministers in other countries are high. Our ministers remained in the job for a very long time, ie more opportunity and temptation to be corrupt. So the longer they stay in the job, the higher must they be paid to prevent them from becoming corrupt. This is very logical. Three, the candidates came to office relatively poor and wanted to make their fortune. Unlike the example of Hank Paulson who could serve the country out of conviction alone, the case of candidates that have not made their fortune is precarious. He added that in the American case, the candidates could also leave the govt and ended in high paying cosy jobs which Singapore did not have that luxury. More reasons not to pay exceptionally well. Finally he said Singapore leaders could not go on a lecture circuit to make their money after leaving office. This is true. So must make the fortune while in office. The bottom line of Kanagasabai’s position is that money is the main motivating factor and money must be paid to keep a person from becoming corrupt. This is exactly the same as the govt’s position. People may agree or disagree with his version of human goodness and motivation. If he is right, then we should revise our govt’s pay formula and forget about pegging them to the market. Just measure the corruptibility index of the person. Pay the person the amount to keep him from becoming corrupt. This is easier I think. But if this assumption is correct, it will also mean that the corruptibility index will rise over time or will follow the course of inflation. The higher the inflation, the higher will be the corruptibility index, and the more must be paid, or else corruption will be rampant. It is sad if we have to pay people to keep them from becoming corrupt. It defeats the purpose of education, in schools and in religious quarters, or in families. There is no need to teach about ethics, morals and goodness. Having said this, I have to agree that pragmatism prevails. Pay and pay for good govt must be the mantra for a young country that has not developed a culture of goodness, honesty and high morals. It is all about money.