This is a non issue for commercial enterprises selling hamburgers, shirts, mobile phones or chicken rice. Their primary preoccupation is to serve their customers, make them happy with their services and products to boost their bottom lines. And they can only boost their bottom lines if the customers are satisfied with their services.
None of these enterprises can hope to compete and exist in the market if their only interest is profit to please the shareholders. And the shareholders know too, that without the customers, they can forget about profits and the business.
In a monopoly, things get a little hazy. They can dump the customers, cut corners, provide substandard services and products and still get away with it. The customers have no choice. And they can blatantly carry the shareholder’s interest around to spank the customers. ‘We are answerable to the shareholders you know!’
If they are selling IPad or IPhone that are in demand, and the customers die die must have, no issue. Willing buyer willing seller, even if it is a monopoly, they can still have their cake and eat it. What if it is a public service like transportation? I can see eyes popping out now.
A public transport company has to serve the customers and the shareholders and also the national interest. Let me take the first two first. Between the shareholder’s interest and the interest of the customers, which is more important? Silly me to ask. If it is a monopoly, they can screw the customers and tell them they need to make profits for the shareholders first. Customers come second or third. What can the customers do? This is the reality of life, just lump it.
What if the money to build the facilities and the business first came from the customers, indirectly through the public coffer? Now this will make the customers angry for sure. Using public money to start a monopoly business and tell the public that the first priority is to serve the shareholders.
Do they care if the customers are transported to their destinations fast, comfortable and safe? Can any of these be compromised? You tell me.
The more important role of public transportation is to provide an efficient transport system to lubricate the economy and social activities. The economy depends on the efficient and safe transportation of people and workers all over the island, for economic and non economic activities. Failing to do this is undermining the economy and the social fabric of the society. A country can be crippled by a major breakdown of public transportation. Can a transport company carry the shareholder’s interest on its head and say, my shareholder’s interest comes first, the train can be slow, uncomfortable, unsafe, these are secondary? Can a transport company price the fares so high that people find it too expensive even to travel, or to go to work?
The top priorities of a public transport company, started with public money, must be national interest, the moving of people safely and efficiently, at a reasonable cost, and also the comfort and interest of the commuters. The shareholder’s profit must come last, and incidental to providing a good and efficient service. The shareholder’s interest cannot be the first and top most priority of a public monopoly. But this is just my opinion. I may be wrong or I am wrong. The shareholder’s interest is all that is.
And don’t forget the uniquely Singapore logic that it can only be efficient if it is privatised. No wonder non privatised institutions are so inefficient.
1/07/2012
I was overwhelmed
The events that were unfolding over the last two days must have numbed many Sinkies. After reading all the information laid out on the salaries of ministers, I am still in a state of shock.
The GE was like a minor earthquake of 5 in the Richter scale followed by an after shock in the Presidential Election. This revelation is like a 7. There will be bigger after shocks, and maybe a tsunami over the horizon. Things are happening very fast. The People’s perception and support for the ruling party is going to take a hit.
As an observer of political events, the GE was a small shake up and a little warning of worst to come. Seven months past, other than Boon Wan, who seems to be sensing something wrong and hastily trying to do some damage control, the rest do not seem to see any urgency for change. The 7 months of grace period to regain lost ground were wasted in a way. The expected hikes in fees and charges are flowing in predictably and in orderly fashion. Even minimum sums in CPF were raised as a non event. There is absolutely no need to consult the people, taking the people for granted.
Now this huge earthquake is going to shaken and loosen every foundation there is, and if a tsunami is to strike, it is going to be a waste land like Fukushima. I am still wondering how this salary thing is going to impact the ruling party and whether they can weather this perfect storm. At the moment there is no answer to the shocking revelation. What was being reported, written in blogs, are just the tip of an iceberg. The true sentiment of the people is simmering inside and would not come out in full, at least for the moment. There are still too much restraints and refrains from telling the truth. The PAP will never hear the truth.
What is more troubling is that there are some who are praising the Salary Recommendations. This will give the PAP a false sense of confidence that the prescription by the Review Committee is the solution they are waiting for. The more congratulatory support for the recommendations the more delusion they will get into. When the imperial physicians diagnosed that the emperor was only having measles instead of syphilis, there was a big sigh of relief and self congratulations. The physicians were brilliant. And the prescriptions were equally brilliant, just a few days of panadol and Vitamin C and the emperor will be back to good health. The diagnosis was what they wanted to hear and the prescription was what they wanted, and the imperial physicians did what they thought was best for everyone, including the emperor and their own good.
Is there any more goodwill left, any more political capital left, for the ruling party to survive this crisis, or I am just imagining things? What crisis? There will be a resurrection! Would the party be given a new lease of life after this storm and come out stronger? Or this is just a tropical storm and nothing more to it, and things will be back to normal in no time, with bright and sunny sky? Those who wanted the diagnosis to be measles would tell you that this is just a tropical storm and will blow over. Let’s hope they will be right again.
As a political observer, my crystal ball is revealing a different story.
The GE was like a minor earthquake of 5 in the Richter scale followed by an after shock in the Presidential Election. This revelation is like a 7. There will be bigger after shocks, and maybe a tsunami over the horizon. Things are happening very fast. The People’s perception and support for the ruling party is going to take a hit.
As an observer of political events, the GE was a small shake up and a little warning of worst to come. Seven months past, other than Boon Wan, who seems to be sensing something wrong and hastily trying to do some damage control, the rest do not seem to see any urgency for change. The 7 months of grace period to regain lost ground were wasted in a way. The expected hikes in fees and charges are flowing in predictably and in orderly fashion. Even minimum sums in CPF were raised as a non event. There is absolutely no need to consult the people, taking the people for granted.
Now this huge earthquake is going to shaken and loosen every foundation there is, and if a tsunami is to strike, it is going to be a waste land like Fukushima. I am still wondering how this salary thing is going to impact the ruling party and whether they can weather this perfect storm. At the moment there is no answer to the shocking revelation. What was being reported, written in blogs, are just the tip of an iceberg. The true sentiment of the people is simmering inside and would not come out in full, at least for the moment. There are still too much restraints and refrains from telling the truth. The PAP will never hear the truth.
What is more troubling is that there are some who are praising the Salary Recommendations. This will give the PAP a false sense of confidence that the prescription by the Review Committee is the solution they are waiting for. The more congratulatory support for the recommendations the more delusion they will get into. When the imperial physicians diagnosed that the emperor was only having measles instead of syphilis, there was a big sigh of relief and self congratulations. The physicians were brilliant. And the prescriptions were equally brilliant, just a few days of panadol and Vitamin C and the emperor will be back to good health. The diagnosis was what they wanted to hear and the prescription was what they wanted, and the imperial physicians did what they thought was best for everyone, including the emperor and their own good.
Is there any more goodwill left, any more political capital left, for the ruling party to survive this crisis, or I am just imagining things? What crisis? There will be a resurrection! Would the party be given a new lease of life after this storm and come out stronger? Or this is just a tropical storm and nothing more to it, and things will be back to normal in no time, with bright and sunny sky? Those who wanted the diagnosis to be measles would tell you that this is just a tropical storm and will blow over. Let’s hope they will be right again.
As a political observer, my crystal ball is revealing a different story.
1/06/2012
Grace Fu, feel sorry for you
I read what Grace Fu said. She came forward to serve the country with a cut in income, her career disrupted, the privacy of her life and family affected, and now this, a further cut in her salary.
This is indeed too much to ask for from a fellow citizen. Lose money, lost out in career and now lose more money. I can understand her unhappiness. I will support her if she chooses to leave politics and go back to advance her career and enjoy her higher income, and all the privacy of a normal citizen.
Sinkies are ungrateful indeed. Let’s all be more graceful and leave her alone. And if she so decides to return to the private sector, so be it, and wish her well. Happiness and peace of mind are important. If a political career is making her life so miserable, she should do what is good for herself and her family.
This is indeed too much to ask for from a fellow citizen. Lose money, lost out in career and now lose more money. I can understand her unhappiness. I will support her if she chooses to leave politics and go back to advance her career and enjoy her higher income, and all the privacy of a normal citizen.
Sinkies are ungrateful indeed. Let’s all be more graceful and leave her alone. And if she so decides to return to the private sector, so be it, and wish her well. Happiness and peace of mind are important. If a political career is making her life so miserable, she should do what is good for herself and her family.
When would the rogue govt be stopped?
After killing two Arab Presidents, it is now gunning for the third. At the same time it is preparing to start wars in the Korean Peninsula and South China Sea. It is forcing Iran into a corner by all kinds of sanctions possible. Under such provocations, it would be justifiable and expected for Iran to do a Pearl Harbour like what the Japs did under similar provocations and economic strangulations.
The odds at the moment are heavily against the Iranians. Cornered and isolated, separated from the world, and with no countries to come to its aid as it faces the rogue Americans with Israel and Nato tagging alone. This is the same formula for successful intimidation and invasion of countries by the western powers.
Divide and isolate a country and mount an attack with a coalition of forces. The UN is helpless, and the best thing to do is to put on the blinkers and see nothing, hear nothing. When would the rest of the world stand together to face this rogue nation and its rogue allies before their turns come? The world would need a counter coalition of countries to stand up to the rogue nations of the world, or one by one will face the same fate if they dare to disobey the Empire and the western gangs of bullies.
At the way it is going, Iran is going to be another sacrificial lamb in no time. When they came for Iraq, everyone kept quiet. Whey they came for Libya, everyone turn to look the other way. When they came for Iran, all ran away. When they came for you, be assured, you will be alone at the mercy of the rogues.
The odds at the moment are heavily against the Iranians. Cornered and isolated, separated from the world, and with no countries to come to its aid as it faces the rogue Americans with Israel and Nato tagging alone. This is the same formula for successful intimidation and invasion of countries by the western powers.
Divide and isolate a country and mount an attack with a coalition of forces. The UN is helpless, and the best thing to do is to put on the blinkers and see nothing, hear nothing. When would the rest of the world stand together to face this rogue nation and its rogue allies before their turns come? The world would need a counter coalition of countries to stand up to the rogue nations of the world, or one by one will face the same fate if they dare to disobey the Empire and the western gangs of bullies.
At the way it is going, Iran is going to be another sacrificial lamb in no time. When they came for Iraq, everyone kept quiet. Whey they came for Libya, everyone turn to look the other way. When they came for Iran, all ran away. When they came for you, be assured, you will be alone at the mercy of the rogues.
How much is the right amount to pay our ministers?
This question keeps popping up in every discussion after the discovery of how much the ministers are getting under the current formula. And when this question was asked, many would want to say $200k or $300k or $500k. But all were too shy to say it. They know that these numbers would not be accepted by people used to earning millions and have millions as their base reference point. The best example is what Gerard Ee quoted, that his peers would tell him not to kacho them for anything less than a million.
They would only be comfortable with millions and millions, nothing less.
And it is only right that these millionaires should not be coerced to suffer by going into politics to earn less when the heart is not there. Or else when they come in they would quietly devise all kinds of schemes and formulas to ensure that they get back what they want and more for the big sacrifice to go into politics. Money minded people will only think money even if they tell you money is not important or not a consideration.
A cat will say it would not want to eat mice. But eating rats is ok. Rodents, big ones, better still. Just don’t give it any mouse. They could even cut out the big rats or rodents into many pieces and tell you they are eating only a leg or a piece of steak. No mice. So the myth will go on, cats would no longer eat mice.
As to the question of how much, no amount is right and no amount is wrong. It is only right or wrong to the recipients. And it is also right or wrong to the public from their own perspective and values.
I would want to suggest a generous amount for our ministers. Actually it is a very generous amount in the eyes of reasonable people. Though it is not right to compare a chiku with a durian, if we want to be generous, we should close an eye and pretend that the chiku is as big as the durian and peg it to the durian’s worth. No one can say that this is not generous.
But the people must be brave enough to tell the chiku that it is a fruit and should not try to pick and choose what it wants to compare with. It is time to gently remind the chiku that it is after all a chiku.
Ok, now that we have a little framework in place and in a generous mood, I would suggest that we peg our PM’s pay with the richest and biggest economy in the world. We peg our PM’s salary to the President of the USA. Generous or not? If the President of the USA can live comfortably with his salary in a country where the cost of living is definitely not lower than ours, there is no reason that the same salary cannot provide our PM with a comfortable lifestyle and with dignity. At least he would have the same level of dignity as the President of USA which no one else can come near to. That should be very generous in my view. Anything more than this would be seen as greedy, outrageous and insane. Period.
A chiku is a chiku is a chiku.
They would only be comfortable with millions and millions, nothing less.
And it is only right that these millionaires should not be coerced to suffer by going into politics to earn less when the heart is not there. Or else when they come in they would quietly devise all kinds of schemes and formulas to ensure that they get back what they want and more for the big sacrifice to go into politics. Money minded people will only think money even if they tell you money is not important or not a consideration.
A cat will say it would not want to eat mice. But eating rats is ok. Rodents, big ones, better still. Just don’t give it any mouse. They could even cut out the big rats or rodents into many pieces and tell you they are eating only a leg or a piece of steak. No mice. So the myth will go on, cats would no longer eat mice.
As to the question of how much, no amount is right and no amount is wrong. It is only right or wrong to the recipients. And it is also right or wrong to the public from their own perspective and values.
I would want to suggest a generous amount for our ministers. Actually it is a very generous amount in the eyes of reasonable people. Though it is not right to compare a chiku with a durian, if we want to be generous, we should close an eye and pretend that the chiku is as big as the durian and peg it to the durian’s worth. No one can say that this is not generous.
But the people must be brave enough to tell the chiku that it is a fruit and should not try to pick and choose what it wants to compare with. It is time to gently remind the chiku that it is after all a chiku.
Ok, now that we have a little framework in place and in a generous mood, I would suggest that we peg our PM’s pay with the richest and biggest economy in the world. We peg our PM’s salary to the President of the USA. Generous or not? If the President of the USA can live comfortably with his salary in a country where the cost of living is definitely not lower than ours, there is no reason that the same salary cannot provide our PM with a comfortable lifestyle and with dignity. At least he would have the same level of dignity as the President of USA which no one else can come near to. That should be very generous in my view. Anything more than this would be seen as greedy, outrageous and insane. Period.
A chiku is a chiku is a chiku.
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