A few good men and a thinking citizenry

PN Balji wrote an interesting article about a world class nation needing a few good men and a thinking and questioning citizenry. In paradise, such a thought will be simply denounced as bull. We don't need a thinking citizenry. That is about what we have been brought up to believe in. Mind your own business, make your money and live your life quietly. Only a few good men are needed to carry this nation to a higher platform. We used to have a few good men with us for the first 20 years of our history in nation building. Good, decent and selfless men. Today's conventional wisdom is that these are foolish men who sacrificed for the nation at their own personal expense. So today we claim to have a few good men but of a different kind. A few good men that needs to be paid top dollars or else. Would this kind of good men really carry the nation forward? Self before nation or nation before self? The latter is naive idealism. Balji said this nation will be doomed if these few good men suddenly disappeared for there is really a dearth of good men available. This is a false assumption surely. We have many men that have been trained by the best universities. I believe there must be some good men among them, but because of the political system and culture, they rather stand aside. Anyway, if they stand up to say that they will run the country for half the pay they will be immediately denounced as only half as good. For if they could not command the top salary which top brains are associated with then they are no good. I believe some of the good men will know that they are being paid beyond their abilities and contributions. A good man will stand forward and say, look, you are overpaying me. I don't deserve so much. Balji also talked about a thinking and questioning citizenry to fill the second part of his equation of a great nation. We are not a nation but a hotel. Everyone who is able is hoarding as much wealth as he can to prepare to run. Only the less able and losers will stay behind when the dam breaks. In a nutshell, do we have a few good men and a thinking citizenry? Maybe not. But I am contradicting myself as I have said earlier that there must be many good men sitting on the sideline. Maybe we need a revamp of the system and the values for the really good men to come forward. Under the present system and values, it will invite a different kind of good men to rule the country. Is this system sustainable, able to last in this form into the future? I have my doubts. Our system started well. But when its continued existence or perpetuation of its existence is for the wrong reasons, it will end up in the dumps of history.

A new beacon of light

The centre of growth has shifted to the East. The two old giant civilisations have woken up and powering ahead. Then there is the revitalised Russia in the north, and the Koreans slightly to the east. And the old war horse, Japan, and Taiwan, Hongkong etc. Then there is Australia to the south and the world's biggest commodity producers, Indonesia and Malaysia. Singapore is strategically placed in the midst of these spectacular growth and growing economies. And we are gradually becoming the centre for the region. We will be the beacon of growth, playing the role as a capital city for these countries. We will draw their talents, their products and services and their funds here. We will manage and process them with our expertise and first world infrastructures and systems. We will grow with them. We have everything they need, and the ability to balance the delicate sensitivities of these countries by being neutral and acceptable to all of them. We have a bright future as the centre of this growth.

ERP is a big success

The recent addition of more ERPs and higher toll rates is a huge success in terms of effectiveness and acceptance by the motorists. About 70% of motorists and motorcyclists polled would rather pay more for a smoother ride. The poll was conducted by The Sunday Times on a sample size of 200. With such a high rate of acceptance, the LTA should give themselves a pat on the back for being proactive and for being able to read the minds of the people. It is a tough decision that the people know is coming and will accept it as they know it is good for them. There were some grouses of course. A commuter complained that MRTs are too packed. A shop owner complained that business has dropped. A cabbie complained that he would lose out if he pays for the higher tolls but could not pick up fares. But all these are a minority and they will get use to the new changes. And they will soon appreciate the goodness of the ERPs and be thankful for it. Things will die down and be normal again. As for the MRT jams, I think this will be resolved when the circle line comes in in 10 years time. Not to worry. Time will solve all problems.

The Incongruence of intent and purpose-part 2

We are hearing the all for a new direction or misdirection, have more babies. We need to bring back the good old days and our mamas and grandmas. We need to worship them as the heroines for producing by the dozens. It was a time of ignorance, of who cares, of wanton irresponsibilities perhaps, or were the children born in those days were children of love? The new mothers are shunning to have more babies for very practical and serious reasons. The days when children will grow up by themselves and fend for themselves are over. The children who will find their own food and live with a pair of pyjamas shorts tied by a piece of cotton string will not return. Simply, having babies is not cheap. Only the ignorant and irresponsible will keep producing beyond their means. And what will become of their children? Materially deprived, mentally disturbed, psychologically suffering from a complex of the have nots, and educationally good to be guards and waiters and waitresses, maybe salesperson. That is what many of these lower income children will become when they grow up. Not many parents can afford to bring up children to university levels, a minimum qualification to live a decent life. Given the high cost of everything, including education, how much would it need to bring up a child? Conservatively $250k or more for his first 25 years of dependency, ie $10k annually. Any parents who want their child to be properly and adequately brought up and educated, need to be able to set aside $1000 pm for 25 years. How many families can afford such a sum? Can a double income family with a $3k take home pay be able to set this aside? Barely, given each needing $1k to live by. This will rule out any family with an income of less than $3k to have babies if they want their children to grow up normal and live reasonably, and to be the pride of the family. But how many of our population is earning less than this amount? With the rate of inflation running away, with everything going to cost more, especially education, are we serious to call people to go forth and simply multiply? Yes, many irresponsible parents will do that. They will see their wrongdoings and the problems their children will face in the future when money is not enough. If we are real in wanting our people to procreate more, then the cost of bringing up a child must be brought down. The cost of education must be brought down to a manageable level. Otherwise we are asking these people to dig a hole to bury themselves in the future. What we can expect to hear for sure tomorrow is that education fees will go up and up. Then what will happen to the children who cannot afford the education?

Tharman has the making of a PM

We need strong and tough leaders who dare to tell the brutal truth even if it hurts. It is bad if leaders say all the nice things to gain popularity. Leaders must say the right thing and do the right thing. And Tharman has just done it. He said the most unpopular thing, but good for Singapore. He has warned employers against giving pay rise to workers to offset inflation. And the best judge of his wisdom is that the union leaders also support this view. And not only the union leaders, 2/3 of the people also voiced out in support of his position. I have read 6 comments in the ST and 4 were in agreement with him. Only two were slightly in disagreement. This only shows that the people are reasonable and thinking and will support hard policies as long as the reasons are sound. And in this case, 2/3 of them support Tharman. That is a good sign of Tharman's potential as the next PM.

The incongruence of intent and purpose

There is a new Singapore in the making. Singapore will be transformed in a world class city with world class facilities for world class people. We are inviting all the rich and famous to our shores. They are going to be greeted with world class universities, medical facilities, recreational and entertainment facilities, world class transport system, world class housing, in short everything world class. And we all know that we have to pay world class prices for world class servicesand facilities. It has to be. It is going to be better than the Swiss standard of living. It is what every Singaporean is dreaming off. How many can afford to live this dream? For the lower income wage earners, inflation is soaring and eating into their petty income. Not only that they are getting not enough, it is dwindling. And we are going to keep their wages down, to remain competitive. With low income and shrinking income, how are these people, the majority of the Singaporeans, going to pay for their dreams? The only way to live their dreams is by dreaming. The reality is too harsh and will not be attainable to them. And many are agreeing that their wages should be kept low. It was reported in the ST, 'Deputy president Philip Lee, 51, said his union(SISEU) would not push for higher wages because economic prospects were uncertain. "If jobs are not coming in, employers may retrench workers," he said.' He has his point. Job security is important. Meantime we have full employment to the extent that more foreign workers are being brought in to cover the shortages. And more foreign workers and foreign talents will find employment here while Singaporeans are worried of losing their jobs and competitiveness. The best part is that we cannot stop the inflow of foreigner workers. For they are here to help the Singaporeans and to provide jobs for the Singaporeans. Low income Singaporeans would just have to bear with their low pay jobs. Better to have jobs than no jobs...and keep dreaming of a world class lifestyle.

Quote by Cedric Foo

“If the operators’ returns are satisfactory, then it is a win-win situation. If they are unduly penalised, they do not get returns commensurate with their risks … then you would have a new set of problems – too few trains, too old buses.” Cedric Foo (TODAY) With this kind of statement and acceptance that public transport will be allowed to run to the ground if profit no enough, it is time that the govt should consider taking public transport back as a statutory board. With so many supertalents in the stats board, I am sure they can do a better job without being profit crazy. And if they cannot perform, sack them. You don't pay people so much who cannot perform. And I hope no one is going to say that only privatisation can make an organisation efficient and effective. Bull.