Why was the Whip not lifted during the debate on Ministerial Salary? If the PAP believes so strongly in its philosophy and policy on high pay for public service, should not all the MPs and ministers also believe in the same ideology? Or was the rumour of a split on this issue true, that some MPs and ministers were not agreeable with the policy of high pay?
How serious was the divide? Could the against faction be more than the for faction? If so, then the majority in the party is being overruled by the minority. But this is highly unlikely given the passion they exhibited in supporting this policy. Or could it be the MPs versus the ministers as the MPs are not the real beneficiary of the policy?
Hypothetically, if the Whip is lifted and more MPs and ministers were to speak against it, then it can become embarrassing. Or it could be the MPs speaking and voting against the ministers.
When that happens, the hypocrisies will be difficult to bear. It will clearly show the self interest of those in favour of high pay defending their high pay. Another form of hypocrisy that could be exposed will be MPs speaking against it and voting for it. And if that happens, it will be very awkward for PAP MPs to lash out at other political parties for hypocrisy.
Now that the debate and voting are over, no one will be wiser or have the good fortune to know what it could have been. It is just a speculative thought though. Who knows, all the MPs and ministers could come out with their guns firing in support of the recommendation. Then again, given the need to impose the Whip, perhaps this is an unlikely scenario.
Another hypothetical and disastrous ending, if the Whip was not imposed, would see the recommendation defeated by PAP MPs voting against it. That will be a real shocker.
The Whip is very effective in such a vital policy debate, and with an absolute majority, the phrase, ‘let’s vote for it’ is really an insult on the daft Sinkies. But this is democracy at its best, with a little aid from the Whip.
The other big question is whether the high salary bill is an issue of national interest or a matter of conscience. The advocates claimed that it is national interest with the red herring that it is all about the greedy politicians in the future, nothing to do with the present bunch. Well, how many would take this bait? If it is an issue of conscience, then it is not proper to impose the Whip as it will taint every MP and Minister in the same smear of colour.
Is this issue water under the bridge?
2/02/2012
Singapore needs a weather satellite
Several years ago when the heat was on haze coming from Indonesia, they recommended that they would need a satellite to keep track of all the fires in the huge archipelago. This sounded very reasonable given the size of the area to cover and the difficulty in locating the fire. It is normal for hundreds of fire to be burning without anyone knowing. With the satellite, they can pick them out on the computer screen easily, send a signal to Singapore or Malaysia and the two can parachute their fire fighters over the affected areas in no time.
We have an equally gigantic problem in flooding. Some ridiculed it by calling it ponding. But it is a very serious problem that necessitates ploughing millions or billions into it. A weather satellite seems to be useful to locate where the floodings are. If we have such a satellite, the flood prone areas or flood areas can be easily located. And when there is flooding, the affected people can be quickly informed and flood correcting measures be taken.
Such a satellite can also be used for many other purposes like tracking immigrants and population increases for the govt to build more supporting facilities for them. If we have such a satellite earlier, we would not have a housing shortage problem, we would not have hospital shortage problem, and we may not even have road congestion problem. It is still not too late to acquire a satellite to solve our problems. It is a good early warning indicator. It would tell us where the problem is going to come from.
We are a big country and we really need something in the sky, like the satellite to help us solve our big problems. Talking about the sky, maybe we should seriously consider acquiring an Air Force One for the Prime Minister to travel from the Istana to Parliament House, to Ang Mo Kio or Lim Chu Kang or whichever part of the island, by passing the traffic jams and ERPs. The PM could then be at any part of the island quickly and this will increase his productivity.
While we are talking about productivity, I remember the stylish and fanciful swimming suits wore by Olympic swimmers to shave a few mini seconds from their timing to beat the world records. The specialized suits are quite frictionless and will allow them to slice through the water at ease. I think the same principle can be applied to the flooding problem. The flood water is flowing too slowly through our drains and canals. If we can apply a frictionless material over them like the swimmer’s suits, the water will move faster and minimize flooding. They will get to the Marina Barrage at double quick time. But someone must open the flood gate to let the water out or it would make a flip turn and run back to where it came from just as fast.
If the walls of our canals can be smoothened, they can also be used by the skateboard enthusiasts to train and perfect their skateboarding skills when the water is low. No need to spend money on special skateboarding parks and equipments. Out smoothened canals will just be as good and saving on precious space too. Bukit Timah and Rochor Canal can be turned into tourist attractions like Shinjuku.
They say, win win solution man. So many wins. I am so excited this morning with my creative juices flowing unceasingly.
We have an equally gigantic problem in flooding. Some ridiculed it by calling it ponding. But it is a very serious problem that necessitates ploughing millions or billions into it. A weather satellite seems to be useful to locate where the floodings are. If we have such a satellite, the flood prone areas or flood areas can be easily located. And when there is flooding, the affected people can be quickly informed and flood correcting measures be taken.
Such a satellite can also be used for many other purposes like tracking immigrants and population increases for the govt to build more supporting facilities for them. If we have such a satellite earlier, we would not have a housing shortage problem, we would not have hospital shortage problem, and we may not even have road congestion problem. It is still not too late to acquire a satellite to solve our problems. It is a good early warning indicator. It would tell us where the problem is going to come from.
We are a big country and we really need something in the sky, like the satellite to help us solve our big problems. Talking about the sky, maybe we should seriously consider acquiring an Air Force One for the Prime Minister to travel from the Istana to Parliament House, to Ang Mo Kio or Lim Chu Kang or whichever part of the island, by passing the traffic jams and ERPs. The PM could then be at any part of the island quickly and this will increase his productivity.
While we are talking about productivity, I remember the stylish and fanciful swimming suits wore by Olympic swimmers to shave a few mini seconds from their timing to beat the world records. The specialized suits are quite frictionless and will allow them to slice through the water at ease. I think the same principle can be applied to the flooding problem. The flood water is flowing too slowly through our drains and canals. If we can apply a frictionless material over them like the swimmer’s suits, the water will move faster and minimize flooding. They will get to the Marina Barrage at double quick time. But someone must open the flood gate to let the water out or it would make a flip turn and run back to where it came from just as fast.
If the walls of our canals can be smoothened, they can also be used by the skateboard enthusiasts to train and perfect their skateboarding skills when the water is low. No need to spend money on special skateboarding parks and equipments. Out smoothened canals will just be as good and saving on precious space too. Bukit Timah and Rochor Canal can be turned into tourist attractions like Shinjuku.
They say, win win solution man. So many wins. I am so excited this morning with my creative juices flowing unceasingly.
2/01/2012
The Water Margin classic revisited
The early phase of the Water Margin story told of the marginalized and convicted officials who were fixed up by corrupt powers of the day. And they had no where to go, could not emigrate, except to escape to Liang Shan.
The first chief of the Liang Shan rebels was Wang Lun, a small minded selfish man of average intellect. As more and more able and more talented men flocked to Liang Shan, he felt threatened and tried to send them off. He wanted to remain the top dog for as long as he could.
To his disappointment, as more people and officials were driven away by corrupt court officials, he could not keep them away no matter how he tried. Eventually his reluctance and selfish desire to protect his own position led to his own demise. He was killed by Lin Chong, a powerful ex govt military officer.
Whether in govt or in the rebel camp, once the top dog has outlived his usefulness, and when more able and talented people appeared, they must make way or be removed one way or another. Resistance is futile. They will be bungled out to the wilderness.
The first chief of the Liang Shan rebels was Wang Lun, a small minded selfish man of average intellect. As more and more able and more talented men flocked to Liang Shan, he felt threatened and tried to send them off. He wanted to remain the top dog for as long as he could.
To his disappointment, as more people and officials were driven away by corrupt court officials, he could not keep them away no matter how he tried. Eventually his reluctance and selfish desire to protect his own position led to his own demise. He was killed by Lin Chong, a powerful ex govt military officer.
Whether in govt or in the rebel camp, once the top dog has outlived his usefulness, and when more able and talented people appeared, they must make way or be removed one way or another. Resistance is futile. They will be bungled out to the wilderness.
The deception of pay hike
How many of you really become richer when there is a pay hike? I am referring to the normal average Singaporeans, not those whose pay hikes are in the hundreds of thousands or millions. Many will feel richer for a moment but whether they are richer or poorer will depend on the subsequent events that follow the pay hike. Are there more hikes in fares, charges, rentals and services? If they do, then the pay hike could all be absorbed by the subsequent hikes of goods and services, or in short, inflation, unless of course the hike is much more than real inflation. Many could be poorer after the pay hike when the higher cost of living eats up more than their hikes.
There is also the reverse, when no pay hike can make one richer. If the cost of living can be lowered like the cost of goods and services, the same dollar can buy more, and thus makes one richer.
Many people have been robbed of hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars by the runaway property prices. Buy a property at $300k instead of $500k, or $600k instead of $1m. The amount of instant losses is huge beyond comprehension and would wipe away years of savings and stinging.
Don’t be too happy with your pay hike.
In the early 70s, a $2k income could buy a 5 rm flat, a car and bring up a family quite comfortably.
There is also the reverse, when no pay hike can make one richer. If the cost of living can be lowered like the cost of goods and services, the same dollar can buy more, and thus makes one richer.
Many people have been robbed of hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars by the runaway property prices. Buy a property at $300k instead of $500k, or $600k instead of $1m. The amount of instant losses is huge beyond comprehension and would wipe away years of savings and stinging.
Don’t be too happy with your pay hike.
In the early 70s, a $2k income could buy a 5 rm flat, a car and bring up a family quite comfortably.
Yesterday’s mantra, today’s high falutin
How things can change overnight. Many great arguments, uncontested and unchallenged, were elevated to become the daily mantras of Sinkies. Overnight, after a heavy thunderstorm, the dull Sinkie minds seem to have brightened up a little after the flood water subsided. Now they are calling all the mantras high falutins. They don’t believe in any of them anymore.
The first to fall is the high salary for super talent. This brought along the demise of high salary to prevent corruption mantra. No body really believes in it anymore. This is amazing. As they said, real gold is not afraid of fire. But gold plating is a different thing altogether. How many high mantras are going the high falutin way?
Maybe the Sinkies are going crazy and the old mantras are still valid but the daft Sinkies could not appreciate how valuable they were.
The first to fall is the high salary for super talent. This brought along the demise of high salary to prevent corruption mantra. No body really believes in it anymore. This is amazing. As they said, real gold is not afraid of fire. But gold plating is a different thing altogether. How many high mantras are going the high falutin way?
Maybe the Sinkies are going crazy and the old mantras are still valid but the daft Sinkies could not appreciate how valuable they were.
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