Ministerial Salary Review

[corneyAmber]

Chenonceau:

3Boys:

Thank you.

Remember, I voted opposition at the last election, I understand.

Youuuuuuuu! Voted OPPOSITION!! *Gasp* *Hyperventilate* and then :faint:

Real anot?

Seriously though, I admire your insistence on evidence-based conclusions. :udaman:

3Boys, like Chenon, I am surprised....

[corneyAmber]

Chenonceau:

ksi:

It is certainly not a bad thing, both Chenon and I can attest to that. Positive diversity brings about progress.

Awwwwwwwwwwww.... I just got praised by my mod!! :please: :please: :rahrah: :rahrah: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love:

Boy... I am SUCH a sucker for praise. But well... :imcool: :imcool:

Sorry... :offtopic: Now I'll go and gloat in private.

Heh...where praise is deserved...never stingy.. :celebrate:

[corneyAmber]

insider:

3Boys:

[For instance, if someone criticises the g'ment for raising the GST to 7%, first we have to agree on whether 7% GST is in fact a good or bad thing, before we can discuss if the g'ment had done a good or bad job.

Wah, this 7% GST discussion deserves a thread on its own...

I agree this one is a long discussion.

[3Boys]

ksi:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"3Boys\"]
Thank you.

Remember, I voted opposition at the last election, I understand.

Youuuuuuuu! Voted OPPOSITION!! *Gasp* *Hyperventilate* and then :faint:

Real anot?

Seriously though, I admire your insistence on evidence-based conclusions. :udaman:

3Boys, like Chenon, I am surprised.... [/quote]Can't stand their politics....

[Sun_2010]

ksi:

For example, in the forum, we discuss until we can see things for each other's views.

It is certainly not a bad thing, both Chenon and I can attest to that.
Me too. I learnt a lot from that.

ksi:

Positive diversity brings about progress.

Agree. I might say for a small country like Singapore it is essential too.

ksi:

As citizens, I believe we are all watchful not to tip the balance in the scale for the macro picture, we still have faith in the leadership but we need a voice to bounce ideas so that things are not so top-down approach.

Yeah it's end of the era of top down approach. Otherwise it will be the end of the top .

[Sun_2010]

ksi:

If opposition is not constructive, I am sure it will be obvious to many as seen in past cases of undesirable oppositions.

This I am not sure of . Often the opposition has to highlight the flaws and they do so in ways are populist, which is the easier than sitting on the chair. A small percentage of people are into totally govt bashing lets ignore them. But a sizable portion seem to associate most problem to the govt, bcos often we need a target, we have our own troubles. Yes there are those dig deeper and evaluate and look beyond the words but they are not the majority.
This is a problem worldwide. And that is why I guess politics is such a dirty

ksi:

Balance is what we need.

[Strparent]

man,...... you ladies just keep adding charcoal to the campfire, feeding 3Boys' thirst for a good challenge, a good 'fight' :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: - in a good sense of course.


I love his posts as well :salute: , his strong stand to challenge the majority, the prove-it-to-me attitude.

wish we were army buddies, man

ksi:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"3Boys\"]Remember, I voted opposition at the last election, I understand.

Youuuuuuuu! Voted OPPOSITION!!
Real anot?

3Boys, like Chenon, I am surprised.... [/quote]ksi, dunno why u are surprised. Am sure chen was just kidding about it.

if you really read carefully, he is candid, frank, direct - maybe he is challenging just to prove his choice was correct
but seriously, you should know by now, most of the active forumers in 'these sort of threads' are more likely to have voted for opposition.
Those that voted for ruling party are not errrr....'agitated' enough to be too active here, imho.

But I agree with 3Boys on the 7% GST, it is good and need to be there. The only greivance is the lack of clear obvious subsidy from this GST for the truly needy, eg zero rate on pure necessities ( rice, sugar, etc ).

3Boys:

SMRT is listed company, whilst Temasek was possibly represented on the board (do they hold a seat?), the decision is a private one not dictated by the g'ment.

3Boys, come on.... dont do the white paper black paper on these leh.
Chartered SM? Singtel ? SPH ? DBS ? F&N ? all also public listed.
.......................... :imconstipated: :sick: :censored:

think we should leave it as it is. :siam:
kar kee chai doh ho liao :oops:

[Sun_2010]

In fact personally I don’t understand why this hue and cry about salary.

Is million dollars a lot of money? To me it is . Hell a lot.

But there are many earning that. I wouldnt get near to that but that is not the point. A minister , an MP has to deliver. That is what we should be looking at. Honestly, dun-flame-me I don’t think most of us are competent to judge what should be the salary.

Say a minister has a salary of $10,000 pm , and he blunders, is it ok?
The MPs and ministers have to perform, if they fail to do so they should made answerable, his pay is immaterial . Our vote then is our weapon.

[corneyAmber]

3Boys:

ksi:

3Boys, we have not reached the point to worry so much yet about opposition taking over the house. Having some opposition brings many dimensions to an issue. For example, in the forum, we discuss until we can see things for each other's views. It is certainly not a bad thing, both Chenon and I can attest to that. Positive diversity brings about progress. As citizens, I believe we are all watchful not to tip the balance in the scale for the macro picture, we still have faith in the leadership but we need a voice to bounce ideas so that things are not so top-down approach. I believe even for your sons, you will give them a chance to ask why and offer their different views before you come to some middle ground with them, no? If opposition is not constructive, I am sure it will be obvious to many as seen in past cases of undesirable oppositions. Singapore has reached some level of maturity to be able to manage this by its people. Of course I am with you when we read some of the very extreme views on the net that sometimes raise our brows the way the leadership is being brutally bashed. Balance is what we need.

Thank you.

Remember, I voted opposition at the last election, I understand.

The discussion does need to be predicated on a shared platform of agreed facts, or view at least. I think what goes on right now is a matter of establishing what those are. For instance, if someone criticises the g'ment for raising the GST to 7%, first we have to agree on whether 7% GST is in fact a good or bad thing, before we can discuss if the g'ment had done a good or bad job.

Chill pill time, gonna make myself a martini......

And I am in agreement that facts must be discussed but unfortunately there are times we do not know the full facts. So issues still need to be raised and perhaps someone with the facts can come along and fill in until we see the entire picture. I see our discussions as playing a jig-saw. We are all not privy to everything and the more we discuss, the more we can piece things together most times. If we get a good picture, we know how to praise or criticise better.

I see some of these rants and grouses sometimes as a way to state a problem.

Why am I re-iterating something you probably have voted for as well? Sometimes when I hear your warning signs of \"be careful what you wish for\", it gives me a feeling of a threat that the government can be replaced. I just want to remind... \"not so easy\"...

[corneyAmber]

Sun_2010:

In fact personally I don't understand why this hue and cry about salary.

Is million dollars a lot of money? To me it is . Hell a lot.

But there are many earning that. I wouldnt get near to that but that is not the point. A minister , an MP has to deliver. That is what we should be looking at. Honestly, dun-flame-me I don't think most of us are competent to judge what should be the salary.

Say a minister has a salary of $10,000 pm , and he blunders, is it ok?
The MPs and ministers have to perform, if they fail to do so they should made answerable, his pay is immaterial . Our vote then is our weapon.

Why the hue and cry? Salary is paid from the taxpayers' pool of money and so how this money is used is certainly a concern to us. Perhaps the money can be better used? At the end of the day, the burden lies squarely on our shoulders if we have to sustain such a salary structure => higher tax...
There are 2 fundamental arguments that need probing:
1. Why use obscene amount to attract 'talent' to serve?
2. Why not equitable with our size, given that we are so small as a country?

Now, the fact that they are willing to review means they acknowledge the issues.