The recent events in parliament has proven one undeniable fact
with human nature - no matter how talented a person is almost
always affected by power, greed, hypocrisy and
self-centredness.
So soon after the Asian Financial crisis leaders have forgotten
that self-centredness was found to be the root cause of all the
wrong doings and malpractices as exposed by the crisis. All the
pretences and hypocrisy about the virtue of Asian societies due to
practice of Asian or Family values were merely shams cooked up to
assume leaders' legitimacy or outward success.
Again no matter how talented is an individual, he was put to the
test during the recent last two recession when they were seen to be
denying problems and responsibilities for unemployments or loss of
economic competitiveness.
So history has proven that at the end it will be self-centredness
which eventually cause downfalls of empires.
Now the same helpless people who could not solve problems suddenly
try to ride on a wave of world recovery and claim credit for every
thing and try to squeeze more taxes for self-centredness and
hypocrisy. There is no sign that surpluses or taxes if collected
will be put to good use but everything is up to them like the
estate upgrading decisions. Judging from past experiences of
surpluses being splashed on Souzhou or seven wonders how to trust
leaders that increased GST this time will really go towards helping
the people to tie over people in crisis.
If the leaders do not keep increasing rentals through creative
accounting next year citizens will be more than grateful already.
So forget about more promises like helping the people to overcome
problems.
Citizens will be wise in expecting more fee increases and salary
increases for ministers after this round of GST increases. Look at
their promises, and the way various schemes are actually
implemented one has practically be obliged to vote the MPs before
one can get any assistance. Otherwise Mr. Tan would not have jumped
the MRT track on being told that "sorry your family income exceeds
the limit so we could not help you".
Many people jumped the MRT tracks not because of the lack of
efforts or choosiness about jobs but because of uncaring government
who keeps taxing and recovering all costs against them until they
have to jump.
Today, bus fares and utilities in a lower income family can take up
40-60% of the take home pay. How can the leaders keep one eye
closed on such fee increases which only resulted in more
million-dollar pays and 6-month bonuses and share options to
directors of public transport companies who are actually doing
nothing much except in sitting pretty to collect fees.
By all these real-life experienes all can see that leaders cannot
be trusted to be free from corruption and self-centredness. They
should be checked by a more objective and powerful Ombudsman and be
continuously subjected to accountability or due process.
After 41 years, sad to say one thing is proven - leadership and
talent is a make-belief concept or theory. Singapore today has
witnessed leadership as consisting of only showmanship, hypocrisy,
greed and self-interest.
