Originally posted by mhcampboy:
S'pore governed by extraordinary men willing to make sacrifices:
MP
SINGAPORE: Singapore is governed by extraordinary men willing to
make personal sacrifices, said MP for Tampines GRC Irene Ng in
Parliament.
The MP, who supported the civil service and ministerial pay
revisions, cited the contrasting fortunes of two former labour
chiefs, Lim Chee Onn and Lim Boon Heng.
The first left public office for the private sector, while the
latter joined the public sector after a successful stint in the
private sector.
Ms Ng said that Mr Lim Boon Heng is currently paid "a small
fraction" of the $5.5m-$5.7m that Mr Lim Chee Onn now earns in the
private sector.
This, she said, is a "stark contrast between the reward systems for
high-calibre people who stay in politics and for those who leave
it."
Ms Ng added, "I don't believe Mr Lim Boon Heng or any of our
Ministers would work less hard or be less committed if their
salaries remain as they are. But, if we apply the principle that we
in the labour market have been fighting for on behalf of our
workers - pay our workers according to their abilities and
performance - why should we adopt an opposing standard when it
comes to those who make it possible for us to enjoy a better
standard of living year by year?"
What will the market worth of Lim
Boon Heng after having served in such high Public Office with
supposedly recognised accomplishment ?
Why was he not allowed to leave Public Office to pursue his choice
of private careers - if his goals are money and not serving the
public ?
If the Ruling Party aka the Government has the Politicians interest
at heart, why does it not develop a scheme or fund that will
protect the interests of all politicians who are prepared to enter
politics to serve Singaporeans ?
Why make politics the exclusive domain only for its own Political
Party ?
Why do they not extend the same opportunities to all who are
prepared to enter Politics and serve it with honor
?
The example set by the Prime Minister was also brought up.
In 1992, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, as then-Deputy Prime Minister, had
held a media conference just after undergoing chemotherapy for
lymphoma.
"I don't think he allowed the media to interview him for his own
sake or because he liked the publicity. For sure it was not. It was
for public interest. It was to assure the public that life and
business in Singapore was going on as usual. I think if you talk to
any cancer patient going through chemotherapy, I think their
instinct is, 'Please let me recover quietly, let me focus on my
health'. But he (Lee Hsien Loong) was thinking of Singapore even in
his time of need," said Ms Ng. - CNA/ir
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EXTRAORDINARY !!!! 
Did Singaporeans press LHL to
enter politics, or was it political vanity and political ambitions
of LKY to press his son into Politics ?
Yes, he could sit back and relax and not aggravate his condition
that will cause a relapse of the cancer that has been fought into
remission; then again, LHL as PM has enlarged the Cabinet and with
more ministers in the PM's Office then any other PM before
him.
The cost to run the Cabinet is higher due to the larger pool of
manpower needed to keep the Government machinery humming.
Is this efficiency ?
Who is paying for these increases in the operating budget of the
Government but the Citizens ?
Now we know why it was necessary to increase the GST from 5 to 7
per cent.
Was it LHL's choice to enter politics, or was it his father's
choice for LHL to enter politics and help to continue keeing a lid
on the Reserves, and for his wife to help him clean up the
skeletons within the period of his term as PM for at least 2 to 3
elections.
Can LHL achieve LKY's plans to clear all the skeletons that are
hidden in cabinets of the GIC and Temasek - that have always
hindered clear and transparent accounting even to help the Elected
President to perform its role as guardian of the Second Key to the
National Reserves ?
