WP's statement on the Ministerial Salary Review Committee's report

[scroobal]

Bro, read my first post on this. I actually stated the following

"There is no need to behave like them but lets not behave as though we are 2nd class either. WP was elected by the people and should represent the people with a straighter back and a demeanour of a lion with pride rather than a shy slow loris. "

I certainly wasn't calling for WP to be arrogant. One should be proud to have been elected by the people and represent the people like leaders with broad shoulders. You do realise that at this stage of this battle, much of the votes that went to WP was to spite the PAP for their behaviour and conduct towards Singaporeans. WP is actually at a stage where it has quality in terms of CSM, Sylvia, Pritam and GG with the sharpness and shrewdness of LTK. You can clearly see quality substance in their press release but no need for the kowtowing. In the past it was different, the winning equation was humility in huge doses as quality was sparse.

and besides, why be arrogant like ur opponent? let them be the bad one by allowing them to look bad themselves. There is no need for WP to behave like PAP.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Why glad? What is the good sign.

Well, I think that Gerald Giam and Pritam have been known to articulate their thoughts well and clearly both of them are very adept at making concise but focussed comments without too much rhetoric or unnecessary emotive appeal. Almost clinical you might say, but definitely easy to read and appeals to the common man as it's simple, sincere.

That's why I think its great WP has chosen them to be spokespersons by putting both their names on paper.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

LTK and CST = fake opposition.

And last week you were heckling CSJ.

 

[jesus]

Fighting for democracy on bended knees. :o

 

[Varuna]

WP's statement on the Ministerial Salary Review Committee's report

1. The recommendations of the Committee to Review Ministerial Salaries ("the Committee") are a step in the right direction towards grounding political leaders with a stronger sense of public service and mission. We HOPE that Ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs) will see political office primarily as a noble undertaking which allows them to improve the lives of fellow Singaporeans, rather than as a career option to be weighed against high-earning individuals in the private sector.

I feel the underlying string of events that led to the govt's final call to appoint a review committee to look into ministerial salary was driven more from pressure coming from disgruntled people in 2011 poll. In other words, it was the people who pushed them into it after a poor poll results in 2011 rather than a wake-up conscience call from within. And coupled with the disappointing and flawed recommendations outlined in the subsequent paras, the first para lacks the bite. Not that the bite was to meant to hurt, but to re-wake them up. It has reached beyond the use of "hope" stage. They should be more firm and terrokly say, "We want to remind (again) all Ministers and MPs...".

 

[Cruxx]

And last week you were heckling CSJ.

I did? Can't recall. I've nothing but contempt for lefties like CSJ but I admire his resolution in fighting for his rights. Paradoxically, the world would be a better place if people were more selfish, more belligerent and less trusting. Anyway, noticed the commonality that they all share? They are all bloody sinkies

 

[Perspective]

I did? Can't recall. I've nothing but contempt for lefties like CSJ but I admire his resolution in fighting for his rights. Paradoxically, the world would be a better place if people were more selfish, more belligerent and less trusting. Anyway, noticed the commonality that they all share? They are all bloody sinkies

"Nothing but contempt" means you would have nothing and not any admiration at all. Before you want to act like Tonychat, do one thing a bit different from him - know and decide what you want to say so that people can understand you.

 

[LeMans2011]

Looking at your own posting, you're practising what you're criticizing. Didn't you too state what you agree on first before going on to what you disagree on? If you go direct at what you disagree on, you keep no grounds, you'd be assumed to be disagree on everything. What you couldn't disagree with would come back to haunt you and nail you. If you later agree with what you couldn't agree with, you'd be seen to be losing and surrendering.



先礼后兵。Classic Chinese wisdom. Also adopted into western practice, e.g. "Dear Honorable Member of the House, while I agree with such and such, most of the rest of what you said sounds no better than fart." Well, I'm exaggerating a bit to make and emphasize the point, but that's the point. It's PAP MPs who are so silver-spooned, sheltered, complacent and arrogant that they've forgotten that or never learnt that at all. It's PAP MPs who're committing gaffes after gaffes shooting rebuttals straight off their mouths without preamble or qualification, then later struggling with how to salvage the grounds misfired upon.

Wah... Ramseth sometimes does talk sense

 

[LeMans2011]

This thread has at least 5 moles or fake oppositions: Cruxx, Cruxx, Cruxx, Cruxx and Cruxx

 

[Cruxx]

"Nothing but contempt" means you would have nothing and not any admiration at all. Before you want to act like Tonychat, do one thing a bit different from him - know and decide what you want to say so that people can understand you.

There's more to a person than his position on the political spectrum. I said I've "nothing but contempt for lefties". But some of those lefties might have other non-political virtues that I admire. I see no contradiction there. As usual, critical thinking is beyond dull thinkers such as Singaporeans. Next pls

 

[Perspective]

There's more to a person than his position on the political spectrum. I said I've "nothing but contempt for lefties". But some of those lefties might have other non-political virtues that I admire. I see no contradiction there. As usual, critical thinking is beyond dull thinkers such as Singaporeans. Next pls

Then it should be "much contempt for lefties but" and not "nothing but contempt for lefties". It seems Singaporeans are still pretty good by international standards. Bye to trash.

 

[Cruxx]

It's not a matter of degree at all. I've nothing but contempt for lefties. "Much contempt" doesn't express fully my unequivocal disdain for leftist ideals. I admire CSJ's perseverance, never mind the fact that he's a contemptible leftist. No contradiction at all. Thanks for lending credence to my claim that the Sinkie education system is a failure.

 

[steffychun]

The voters had no choice. I mean, would you rather want SDP to be sitting in their seats (not that SDP could ever capture places like H-B GRC). Sure, SDP might be more aggressive, but at what cost?

 

[liongsum]

All the crticisms and castigation of the salary review will not amount to much. Don't know what WP will do, but I will remember soundly 2588, published 2010 median income (MI) of Singaporeans. PM's salary in totality/MI of any relevant period is the factor to watch. For the future, if this factor grows bigger, it means the govt has done less for the average citizen. Drum this into the electorate.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

All the crticisms and castigation of the salary review will not amount to much. Don't know what WP will do, but I will remember soundly 2588, published 2010 median income (MI) of Singaporeans. PM's salary in totality/MI of any relevant period is the factor to watch. For the future, if this factor grows bigger, it means the govt has done less for the average citizen. Drum this into the electorate.

$2588 median income (assuming it is gross income) is very low compared to the current cost of living. This is only enough for a single person living alone in a 3 room HDB paying mortgage. What about breadwinners, those with aged parents, etc?

 

[motormafia]

I have to be clear to point out that WPs' position shares the same mistake with PAP at Part #5 of that statement to peg political officers' salaries with Essentially Economic Interest ONLY. Although WP statements' Part #1 was more correct in putting the "noble undertaking of political officers".

It is sad that WP & PAP both see only Economic Interest as the factor to consider financial reward for high political officers. This is very money blinded and very bad for any country. High political offices shoulders responsibilities for their people and states in many more areas than just economies, for example defense (security) moral and values and national spirit, education, health, technological & scientific excellence etc are also responsibilities of high political officers, and we are NOT to ignore and neglect ANY of these for just focusing on monies.

We NEVER had a balanced Singapore under PAP, and if WP is also not well balanced in values, that is very hopeless and terrible for all Singaporeans.

There are many gods in the heavens each responsible for different functions, why WP & PAP would only look at god of fortune to consider salaries of ministers + MP? Is such considerations a bit too narrow?

Why are ministers salaries not peg at all to e.g. welfare and (rid of) proverty? Nor peg to security & defense? Nor education? Health? Transportation (MRT reliability)? National Environment (rid Ponding)? or other important needs and concerns of Singaporeans? Why WP & PAP both ignored these importnat things?
:(

 

[liongsum]

$2588 median income (assuming it is gross income) is very low compared to the current cost of living. This is only enough for a single person living alone in a 3 room HDB paying mortgage. What about breadwinners, those with aged parents, etc?

That is another matter, maybe for a separate discussion.
My point is we cannot determine what the Govt does, but we can use this factor (yardstick) to measure whether the average citizen's life has got better or worse in terms of monetary rewards. In fact we can rake up this factor year by year and see how the averaged citizen fared under successive pm.