o
No politician,
so PAP
turns to
China
By Mandy Tin
March 11,
2008
FEWER Singaporeans want
to go into politics.
So PAP has hired its first batch of 20 politicians from
China.
The party confirmed that the new
Chinese young bloods have been sourced from its subsidiary party in
China, and it is in the process of bringing them in.
It also said that a two-term
attachment has been worked out for these politicians.
The Newer Paper checked with the
company after reader Pauli Antony Fernandez, a security project
officer, 42, called us on hearing of the employment of the Chinese
politicians.
He asked: 'Isn't this a total
contradiction to our Government policy of providing our politicians
with employment and bringing down the unemployment
rate?'
In an e-mail reply to The Newer
Paper, Ms Timid Tan, PAP's corporate communications director, said
that over the years, the party has found it increasingly difficult
to get people to join the profession.
It does not help that the demand
for politician is growing as more constituencies are rolled
out.
Even the PAP New Politician
Orientation Scheme, launched in 2005, has lost its
shine.
That year, enhanced salary
structures drove a politician’s basic entry salary up from $10,000
to $12,000 per month for Singaporeans.
Politicians also became known as
people leader, providing an essential service.
PAP then announced that it received
three times more job applications from Singaporeans in the first
month of the scheme's inception, three times more than the previous
average of 60 applications a month. But most did not meet the high
entry level standards. They include:
1. You must be
a Rafflesians, St. Josephians or ACS old boy
2. Oxcam
preferred, but not critical
But now, it seems that FT from
China may be the way to go.
Ms Tan said: 'Thanks to a recent
relaxation by the Ministry of Manpower on non-traditional sources
of manpower, we are now looking at supplementing our current
politician pool with those from China.'
Are Singaporeans apprehensive about
Chinese politicians serving the people? Or is a foreigner
politician willingness to accept lower wages then their Singaporean
peers?
PAP now has 5,200 wanna-be
politicians under its wing - 100 per cent of whom are Singaporeans.
Some were Malaysians but they are quitted Malaysia to be
Singaporeans. These Malaysians have been decried by the Malaysia
Malaysian Chinese for greed.
The average gross salary for most
is about $12,00 a month, excluding an annual wage supplement and
bonuses, or other political appointments.
The company said that the new
Chinese politician’s salaries have not been decided.
'We are still in the process of
negotiating the terms,' Ms Tan said.
Mr Fernandez feels that PAP has
found the easy way out.
The concerned citizen spoke to more
than 10 politicians during his Meet the People sessions, and
concluded that better work welfare can solve the employment
problem.
Mr Fernandez said: 'Upon hearing
their woes, I feel the turnover rate can be reduced and good
employers retained if better work welfare is provided. Just pay
them a lot more!'
Politicians work six days a week,
including officiating opening ceremony and walk about sessions. On
average, they clock three hours a day.
Ms Tan said that 52 per cent of a
work day is spent on breaks in between work.
But traffic congestion often
deprives politicians of that rest period.
Mr Fernandez said: Politicians have
told me that when they are held up by bad traffic, they return back
to Parliament House later than scheduled and their rest times are
shortened.
'While at Parliament House, I saw a
politician drive his Bentley into the reserved lot, run to the
toilet, clocked in and out, and in less than five minutes, he was
back in the driver's seat preparing for his next joint. F1 would
have been proud.
'When I met him, I asked him why he
did not take a drink or a meal.
'He replied, 'No choice, due to
adverse traffic conditions. And LKY will get mad'.'
Politicians have to begin their
next assignment fairly quickly to minimise further inconvenience
caused to electorate, like waiting for their lifts to be
fixed.
BAD TRAFFIC SHORTENS
BREAKS
PAP acknowledged this
problem.
Ms Tan said: 'In cases of extreme
traffic congestion, where these 5 litre cars are caught in a bad
jam, politicians do return to the Parliament House very late, thus
affecting their work commitments.'
She added: 'This is one of the many
challenges that we deal with in our running of the country and we
appreciate the dedication of our politicians.'
PAP said that the Chinese New Year
celebrations at Chinatown last month caused a traffic build-up,
from Eu Tong Sen Street tailing to North Bridge Road on some
days.
MPs arrived at the New Parliament
House late, some by as much as 45 minutes, it said.
Mr Fernandez's parting shot:
`Politicians are also ordinary human beings like all of us, who
need ample rest to recharge and be alert and stay healthy while on
service.
'Please look into this management
area first, like doubling their pay before looking for other
solutions.'
