The Reform Party Responds to PM Lee’s Cabinet
Reshuffle
We note the announcement by PM Lee today of changes to the
Cabinet*.
While it is good that the PM has owned up to the urgency of the
need for change, it is clear that the PAP is at a loss where to go
from here. The problem is not with the personnel at the head of
each Ministry or department but with the policies themselves. This
cabinet reshuffling of the same old figures is not rejuvenation and
the same old line up wearing different numbered jerseys can only
lead to stagnation. The PAP is wedded to its old policies which are
failing, have failed or are simply not delivering for
Singaporeans.
The PM is quoted as saying “I wanted a fresh start, and that’s
why I’ve gone for a radical change”. But this election we witnessed
the PAP put up its weakest slate of new candidates for many years.
It is clear that our ruling party has run out of ideas. As I said
at the RP’s final rally on 5th May 2011, if The PM really wants a
change we would advise him to pinjam some policies from the first
new and fresh political Party to contest an election in Singapore
for over 20 years.
http://youtube/f1RSMUm3ahY Minutes 7:10 for ‘pinjam’
comment.
Making Mr. Wong Kan Seng, Mr. Mah Bow Tan and Mr. Raymond Lim
the sacrificial lambs does not change the fact that their
Ministries’ failures are the responsibility of the entire
government. Also if Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and Mr. Goh Chok Tong are
stepping down, why have they been appointed as senior advisers to
GIC and MAS and Mr. Goh given the title of Emeritus Senior
Minister? After the PM’s comments about the PAP having a monopoly
on talent in Singapore, so that there can only be one A Team, it is
surprising that the government cannot allow them to enjoy their
retirement. Furthermore we feel that the voters of Marine Parade
and Tanjong Pagar have a right to feel aggrieved that the ministers
and senior ministers they voted to keep in before the election,
stepped down straight after the election. If I bought stock in a
company heavily promoting its directors and the day after my
purchase the directors stepped down, I would be aggrieved.
We are seriously concerned by the fact that several Ministers
are now running more than one ministry after this reshuffle. This
should be a wakeup call to the people of Singapore as it smacks of
desperation. (Mr. Tharman acting as DPM, Finance and Manpower
Minister and Mr. Shanmugam as Law and Foreign Affairs Minister)
This, more than any other factor of the reshuffle shows that the
government simply lacks enough talented players. How can we hope
for any fresh ideas or talent to emerge from the PAP when they
occupy 81 of the 87 seats in Parliament in a top-heavy and
extremely expensive structure yet still need to double up?
Failed and failing PAP policies include:
• An outmoded economic growth strategy which boosts the incomes and
employment of Non citizens and their home economies rather than the
real incomes of Singaporeans.
• A housing policy derived from Socialist-era Britain that keeps
Singaporeans in almost serf-like dependence on the government
rather than allowing them to actually own their own property and
live where they want. At the same time, in an effort to win votes
and boost the asset side of the government’s balance sheet, the
government has embarked on an irresponsible so-called asset
“enhancement” strategy of deliberately driving up prices. This both
puts the first rung of the property ladder out of reach of young
Singaporeans and will have severe consequences for the real economy
when the bubble bursts. There will not be nor ever be a fat middle
class in Singapore with this housing policy but instead only a
spread of the sandwich classes.
• A “forced saving” policy (CPF) appropriate to earlier stages of
development where the goalposts are regularly moved without
Singaporeans having any choice in the matter.
• A healthcare policy which deters Singaporeans from seeking early
treatment for many serious illnesses because of high fees and
leaves them facing financial ruin if they develop a
life-threatening or high maintenance chronic condition.
• An economy which is controlled to a large extent by GLCs and
where Singaporeans pay higher prices than they need to for many
basic utilities and public transport because of lack of competition
and/or effective regulation.
• A non-transparent process of accumulating chronic government
surpluses (of the magnitude of over $100 billion over the last ten
years excluding surpluses from Temasek and GIC and profits from
land sales) without justifying why such large savings are necessary
and whether or not a large part of them can be prudently returned
to the people in the form of lower taxes or higher spending or
dividends.
• Not one but two Sovereign Wealth Funds whose asset valuation and
investment policies are opaque and whose ultimate purpose is
unclear. Singaporeans should properly be given transparency and
accountability. Indeed The Reform Party calls for them to be given
a stake as it is their savings and hard work which has financed
this accumulation.
• A Defence Policy which relies on an amateur conscript force. This
labour comes only from male Singaporeans (but not male new
citizens) who are then not equitably compensated for their economic
sacrifice.
• Restrictions on the rights and liberties of Singaporeans which
insult our intelligence and reduce us to the equivalent of a
subject people in our own county.
• Restrictions on the rights to freedoms of speech and expression
which reduce Singapore to the level of a Third World developing or
authoritarian state.
• Obscenely high pay for Ministers which appears to be negatively
correlated with the quality of their performance.
When The Prime Minister has finished moving his pieces around he
can find some new ideas and our policy proposals here:
http://thereformparty.net/voting-rp/election-manifesto/
Taken from
http://thereformparty.net/about/press-releases/the-reform-party-responds-to-pm-lee%E2%80%99s-cabinet-reshuffle/
LKY, GCT, all bowed out, WKS, MBT and RL were probably asked to
leave in recognition of the mistake they made. The newly elected,
including the WP are all quiet and leave the new
cabinet to work out what is necessary. Changes in policies are
very likely but will have to take its course.
But how interesting those who couldn't even form a party big
enough to challenge the ruling party in the election, couldn't
even come up with a proper party manifesto, (let alone
winning a single seat in the election) are so quick in assuming the
role of advisor telling the elected what to do, or they think they
can do a better job? Now it is not what should be changed, it is
what should be the new policies!
The people of singapore are waiting to see how the new cabinet
will perform, how the opposition party elected into the parliament
can speak for the people and make a difference. Those who have lost
will have to work double hard to show us why they deserve more
votes to make a difference, the next time. Talk a lot won't make
any difference.
