<table class="contentpaneopen"><tbody><tr><td class="contentheading" width="100%">Chee asks if Yeo feels minister salaries are justified </td> <td class="buttonheading" width="100%" align="right">
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</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table class="contentpaneopen"> <tbody><tr> <td class="createdate" valign="top"> Tuesday, 11 August 2009 </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> Singapore Democrats
Dear Dr Chee
It is precisely because I don't want to involve my Ministry or the PAP that I prefer to avoid policy debate in FB.
On general considerations, I'm prepared to give my views, but not on details of policy like why SDP and CASE shd be treated differently. For this, I suggest you write MHA or get an MP to raise it in Parliament.
On Temasek, the key jobs are protected by the President and there are elaborate safeguards. Not in our interest to let the market know all our moves.
On minimum wages, this was a matter I considered in MTI. The higher it is, the greater the unemployment. Beyond a point, investors go elsewhere. Like it or not, there is an international labour market. But, within limits, we give our workers a leg up through foreign worker levies and citizen wage rebates.
I'm bumping into the 5000 ceiling on my FB account. Please feel free to become a supporter on my public page.
George
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</td> <td class="buttonheading" width="100%" align="right">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table class="contentpaneopen"> <tbody><tr> <td class="createdate" valign="top"> Tuesday, 11 August 2009 </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> Singapore Democrats
It is precisely because I don't want to involve my Ministry or the PAP that I prefer to avoid policy debate in FB.
On general considerations, I'm prepared to give my views, but not on details of policy like why SDP and CASE shd be treated differently. For this, I suggest you write MHA or get an MP to raise it in Parliament.
On Temasek, the key jobs are protected by the President and there are elaborate safeguards. Not in our interest to let the market know all our moves.
On minimum wages, this was a matter I considered in MTI. The higher it is, the greater the unemployment. Beyond a point, investors go elsewhere. Like it or not, there is an international labour market. But, within limits, we give our workers a leg up through foreign worker levies and citizen wage rebates.
I'm bumping into the 5000 ceiling on my FB account. Please feel free to become a supporter on my public page.
George
Dear George,
Again I note and appreciate your response. I do want to address the points you raised.
Before that, however, I would like to go back to the question I asked about ministerial salaries and salaries of our working poor which you didn't address in your reply.
I had asked you if you felt you deserved your salary. This does not require details of policy. It is a simple yes or no, and perhaps a few words about why you feel the way you do. I also asked if you thought it was economically or morally justified that our ministers are the highest paid in the world and yet our poor cannot eke out a decent living. Would like your thoughts on this, please.
I ask you these questions not to put you in a tight spot. It is the basis upon which our society functions; it forms the moral fabric of our nation – factors that will determine the future direction of Singapore. Your answer would, hopefully, give us a starting point in addressing these concerns.
By the way what exactly is your salary? I hope you don't feel that I am prying but you must acknowledge that you are a public servant and because of that, Singaporeans have the right to know how much ministers are paid especially if you are the ones determining your own salaries.
So if you don't mind, I'd like you to give some thought to my questions before we move on to the other points.
Soon Juan
Read the previous exchange here.Again I note and appreciate your response. I do want to address the points you raised.
Before that, however, I would like to go back to the question I asked about ministerial salaries and salaries of our working poor which you didn't address in your reply.
I had asked you if you felt you deserved your salary. This does not require details of policy. It is a simple yes or no, and perhaps a few words about why you feel the way you do. I also asked if you thought it was economically or morally justified that our ministers are the highest paid in the world and yet our poor cannot eke out a decent living. Would like your thoughts on this, please.
I ask you these questions not to put you in a tight spot. It is the basis upon which our society functions; it forms the moral fabric of our nation – factors that will determine the future direction of Singapore. Your answer would, hopefully, give us a starting point in addressing these concerns.
By the way what exactly is your salary? I hope you don't feel that I am prying but you must acknowledge that you are a public servant and because of that, Singaporeans have the right to know how much ministers are paid especially if you are the ones determining your own salaries.
So if you don't mind, I'd like you to give some thought to my questions before we move on to the other points.
Soon Juan
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