I agree with MM Lee on this. In countries like India, China, Russia and Indonesia, Corruption is so institutionalized that giving them high pay wont make a difference, they'll just be as corrupt and take a higher pay that's all. The problem with those places is that if you are not corrupt but everyone else is, it's going to be a freaking problem coz believe it or not the corrupt colleague of yours is more likely to have a better standing with the corrupt boss then U.
I guess I'm among the minority that does not mind the ministers having high pay. To me I see it simply as, someone has a very high paying job, its more likely that they will do a proper job and not screw it up with petty corruption and risk such a high paying job.
A high salary does not guarantee that someone will not be corrupted. However just think about it, is a desperate staving man more likely to commit a crime to find his next meal or a well fed one? I'm sure everyone will agree its the former.
U can argue that some countries with lower minister pay then us are ranked just as high if not higher on the least corruption rankings but then again, have we reached that level on enlightenment as these nations? I seriously doubt so
Let's be honest, Corruption can never be eradicated. Being taught in a society that corruption is forbidden, imagine the cultural shock i got when I worked in Taiwan and Thailand previously. Talking about high morals and not paying a single cent is not going to get anything to work out for you. People still want something to fill their pockets.
I am ok with Ministers having high salaries. Because I have seen other guys working in pte sector getting as much as if not more than these Ministers.
Seriously, what is MP's allowance of $13.5K when there are many more others who are out there earning more money than them. (I know what I think others will not agree also. But I don't think I would like to be a hypocrite trying to agree with the majority for the sake of agreeing). There is however 1 thing which I don't agree with LKY on is having high pay means no corruption. Because being poor doesn't mean one is dishonest. While being rich doesn't mean he must be living a life of an honest man. But when faced with a situation of living from hand to hand vs a person who has enough money to spend, the tendency to commit crime is higher for the one who needs it more.
Back to this fraud case from SLA, I can only say they got too greedy without thinking how to cover themselves. over 5 million per year, and they think they can go undetected. They should have learnt from errant lawyer Zulklifli Amin, scoot off with over 10million, and not found till today. This guy before he scoot off, at least 8 months before that, he has already been planning his moves. On 1 incident, from a recommendation, I used his services for conveyancing and he can withhold $80K stakeholding money trying to buy his time into releasing. Till I threatened to report that if I don't get the money released, I will go to the Police, and presto he immediately got the problem solved, and money was released. That time I did not think too much into it, till his face was splashed on the papers months later. These commercial fraudsters spend time hatching plots to cheat. And if their intention is to cheat, no matter how rigorous the system is, they will still manage to do so. (Of course the more rigorous the system only makes it more difficult but doesn't make it impossible for them)
