[h=2]Can SGs pull together & rally behind Govt in crisis?[/h]
July 26th, 2014 |
Author: Editorial
ST published an article today (25 Jul) from Devadas Krishnadas, CEO of consultancy Future-Moves Group, which provides advisory services and solutions on risk management and strategic planning to organisations. In the article, he asked how Singaporeans would respond if an SQ flight was shot down instead of MH17.
Mr Krishnadas wrote, “For ourselves as Singaporeans, we may feel some relief at our good fortune. But perhaps we can also spend some time to pause and reflect on what it would mean if it had been an SIA aircraft that had been shot down and if many of the passengers had been Singaporeans.”
“How would our Government have responded? How would our people have reacted?” he asked.
Mr Krishnadas thinks that the quality of a country’s response to a tragedy is not only a function of the crisis management efforts of the government but the reaction and conduct of the people.
With regard to the MH17 incident, he praised the Malaysians and the Dutch for supporting their Governments.
Mr Krishnadas said, “The Malaysian people have been supportive of their government’s actions and, broadly speaking, have been understanding of the difficulties and challenges it is facing in responding to the event.”
“The Dutch people have been shaken but have stayed calm, despite losing the most in the casualty list from MH17, while their government has been restrained but firm in its response. The Dutch and the Malaysians deserve not only our sympathy but respect for how they have respectively conducted themselves as a people and as a government in relation to this unexpected tragedy,” he added.
Turning to Singaporeans, he noted that many Singaporeans these days appear to “hold unrealistically high expectations” of their political leaders and the public bureaucracy, and are “prone to criticising and perpetuating criticism of the government”.
“Whatever the divides or disappointments during normal times, it would not do well for us to continue in the same vein when the country faces a tragedy or confronts an existential shock,” he said.
“I can’t help but wonder whether Singaporeans would pull together and rally behind their leadership. Would we be able to constrain our high expectations and face realistically the challenges inherent in dealing with a tragedy so far away and in such a conflicted space? Or would there be brickbats aplenty?” he asked.
He said that without the backing of the people, the government would be “fighting a war on two fronts” – the crisis itself and domestic criticism and harping “from an impatient and insistent people”.
In such a scenario, no government can bring full focus to bear or have complete self-confidence in its handling of the crisis, he said.
ST then posted the following questions on its Facebook page [Link]:
Mr Krishnadas wrote, “For ourselves as Singaporeans, we may feel some relief at our good fortune. But perhaps we can also spend some time to pause and reflect on what it would mean if it had been an SIA aircraft that had been shot down and if many of the passengers had been Singaporeans.”
“How would our Government have responded? How would our people have reacted?” he asked.
Mr Krishnadas thinks that the quality of a country’s response to a tragedy is not only a function of the crisis management efforts of the government but the reaction and conduct of the people.
With regard to the MH17 incident, he praised the Malaysians and the Dutch for supporting their Governments.
Mr Krishnadas said, “The Malaysian people have been supportive of their government’s actions and, broadly speaking, have been understanding of the difficulties and challenges it is facing in responding to the event.”
“The Dutch people have been shaken but have stayed calm, despite losing the most in the casualty list from MH17, while their government has been restrained but firm in its response. The Dutch and the Malaysians deserve not only our sympathy but respect for how they have respectively conducted themselves as a people and as a government in relation to this unexpected tragedy,” he added.
Turning to Singaporeans, he noted that many Singaporeans these days appear to “hold unrealistically high expectations” of their political leaders and the public bureaucracy, and are “prone to criticising and perpetuating criticism of the government”.
“Whatever the divides or disappointments during normal times, it would not do well for us to continue in the same vein when the country faces a tragedy or confronts an existential shock,” he said.
“I can’t help but wonder whether Singaporeans would pull together and rally behind their leadership. Would we be able to constrain our high expectations and face realistically the challenges inherent in dealing with a tragedy so far away and in such a conflicted space? Or would there be brickbats aplenty?” he asked.
He said that without the backing of the people, the government would be “fighting a war on two fronts” – the crisis itself and domestic criticism and harping “from an impatient and insistent people”.
In such a scenario, no government can bring full focus to bear or have complete self-confidence in its handling of the crisis, he said.
ST then posted the following questions on its Facebook page [Link]:
In the wake of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash, columnist Devadas Krishnadas asks: What if it was a Singapore Airlines plane that was shot down, and many of the passengers Singaporeans? How would our Government have responded? How would our people have reacted?
Surprisingly, instead of giving answers to the questions, many netizens were pouring cold water on Mr Krishnadas for writing the piece and ST for publishing it:
Chung Chiang Shiao: There will be very little our government can do. Just look at what happened when we called for penalising the culprits behind the haze.
Dhiah Rahmat: What kind of sicko is that to even think of such things to happen? It’s better to think how to prevent such things from happening!
Ronald Ko: He must be a PR from Malaysia.
Collin Chan: Article contents totally irrelevant to the MH17 crash
Kenneth Teo Kian Hao: Stupid
Solomon Peter: I guz we got bigger problems in Singapore for Singaporeans to worry abt …than to speculate a plane crash….
Pravin Casthri Choy Choy Choy…
David Wong: It is pointless to go into the “coulda, woulda, shoulda..” type of thinking. They are usually done by losers.
James Chtay: this is cashing-in on others misfortune!
Tevan Teva: Wat a silly question..
Paul Alan: Stupidly wit ultra stupid statements
Suresh Sadasivan: How would ST have reacted?
Kelvin Emmanuel Ng: It’s a good question but a terrible article tt seems to say a lot but reads like a PR piece written by a Risk Consultant marketing his business… 2 cents
மோஹன் Mohan: Everyone not free to answer Devadas question. He too free
My Wish Lah Must be FT lah… what if it was Air India?
And one netizen said:Dhiah Rahmat: What kind of sicko is that to even think of such things to happen? It’s better to think how to prevent such things from happening!
Ronald Ko: He must be a PR from Malaysia.
Collin Chan: Article contents totally irrelevant to the MH17 crash
Kenneth Teo Kian Hao: Stupid
Solomon Peter: I guz we got bigger problems in Singapore for Singaporeans to worry abt …than to speculate a plane crash….
Pravin Casthri Choy Choy Choy…
David Wong: It is pointless to go into the “coulda, woulda, shoulda..” type of thinking. They are usually done by losers.
James Chtay: this is cashing-in on others misfortune!
Tevan Teva: Wat a silly question..
Paul Alan: Stupidly wit ultra stupid statements
Suresh Sadasivan: How would ST have reacted?
Kelvin Emmanuel Ng: It’s a good question but a terrible article tt seems to say a lot but reads like a PR piece written by a Risk Consultant marketing his business… 2 cents
மோஹன் Mohan: Everyone not free to answer Devadas question. He too free
My Wish Lah Must be FT lah… what if it was Air India?
Kathy Ng Seven: Well written, but unnecessarily bring up subjects at a wrong time, instead of encouraging Singaporeans to be more united, it has put Singaporeans down, a lead should never put anyone down at anytime. Instead of praising others of their great deeds, now arouse unnecessary arguments among countries and people. Spend ur talent on writing something positive to praise others and encourage ur own people.
What about TRE readers? How would you react to Mr Krishnadas/ST’s questions?
