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Transport Prices Up, So Gahmen to Raise
Salary
Posted on Thursday, January 31,
2008
Topic: Local News
by K.K. Cheow
As ERP and transport-related charges go up, the Gahmen is
justifying another round of salary increases as a matter of
necessity.
“We need to maintain the incentives to draw the most capable people
into government,” said Ministry of Enrichment spokesman Mr. Peh Sum
Aw. “And there is no incentive if our Ministers and top civil
servants have to endure the same cost of living conditions as the
peasa… sorry, sorry, citizens.”
According to Mr. Peh, “I mean, think of our poor public servants.
Now when they ask their Ahmads to drive them to work, or boy-boy to
R.I. or their spouses to Taka, or go from office to the club, they
rugi a lot in ERP charges lah, higher fuel costs, lah! How
can?”
Mr. Peh said that it was only fair that Ministers and top civil
servants be compensated for these transport costs, as “you can’t
expect them to take bus or MRT, right? It’s not safe for them to
take public transport with all the peasa… sorry, sorry, citizens.
People still want to hantam them over raising GST, hospital fees,
foreign worker levies, Eldershield premiums, car park charges, Nets
fees, NUS tuition, cable TV packages, electricity tariffs, taxi
fares, EZ Link fares, POSB coins charge, airport luggage
surcharges, HDB valuation report charges, etc., etc., etc. So poor
thing, you know!”
Mr. Peh reminded everyone that high public sector salaries are
really value for money. “Look at the quality of the people it has
attracted! We’re so smart! Why, a few months ago, we even foresaw
that the cost of living would soon shoot up, and quickly voted
ourselves a pay raise! Did ordinary people do that? No! That’s
because we’re cleverer!”
He added that it was important to reward cleverness. “Look at the
clever policies we’ve come up with.”
When asked to name one, Mr. Peh replied, “Raising ERP charges to
tackle our congested roads, lor.”
And when it was pointed out that raising them before didn’t seem to
solve congestion enough to avoid having to raise them again, he
responded, “Look, having to raise prices is not a sign that
policies haven’t worked. That’s illogical. We’ve continually raised
the prices of our Ministers, and that has worked very well for
them!”
