SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scandal?

The full Cabinet is as follows:

PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
Mr Lee Hsien Loong - Prime Minister
Mr Teo Chee Hean - Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam - Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies
Mr Chan Chun Sing - Minister, PMO
Mr Heng Chee How, Mrs Josephine Teo - Senior Minister of State
Mr Sam Tan - Minister of State

DEFENCE
Dr Ng Eng Hen - Minister
Dr Maliki Osman, Mr Ong Ye Kung - Senior Minister of State

FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan - Minister
Mrs Josephine Teo, Dr Maliki Osman - Senior Minister of State

HOME AFFAIRS
Mr K Shanmugam - Minister
Mr Desmond Lee - Senior Minister of State
Mr Amrin Amin - Parliamentary Secretary

TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Mr Lim Hng Kiang - Minister (Trade)
Mr S Iswaran - Minister (Industry)
Dr Koh Poh Koon - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016
Ms Low Yen Ling - Parliamentary Secretary

FINANCE
Mr Heng Swee Keat - Minister
Ms Indranee Rajah, Ms Sim Ann - Senior Minister of State

MANPOWER
Mr Lim Swee Say - Minister
Mr Teo Ser Luck, Mr Sam Tan - Minister of State

TRANSPORT
Mr Khaw Boon Wan - Minister
Mrs Josephine Teo, Mr Ng Chee Meng - Senior Minister of State

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr Lawrence Wong - Minister
Mr Desmond Lee - Senior Minister of State
Dr Koh Poh Koon - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016

COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim - Minister
Mr Chee Hong Tat - Minister of State
Dr Janil Puthucheary - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016

ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES
Mr Masagos Zulkifil - Minister
Dr Amy Khor - Senior Minister of State

LAW
Mr K Shanmugam - Minister
Ms Indranee Rajah - Senior Minister of State

HEALTH
Mr Gan Kim Yong - Minister
Dr Amy Khor - Senior Minister of State
Dr Lam Pin Min, Mr Chee Hong Tat - Minister of State

EDUCATION
Mr Ng Chee Meng - Acting Minister (Schools)
Mr Ong Ye Kung - Acting Minister (Higher Education and Skills)
Dr Janil Puthucheary - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016
Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Ms Low Yen Ling - Parliamentary Secretary

SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin - Minister
Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim - Parliamentary Secretary

CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND YOUTH
Ms Grace Fu - Minister
Ms Sim Ann - Senior Minister of State
Mr Baey Yam Keng - Parliamentary Secretary

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew called for a sense of proportion yesterday, pointing out that the annual wage bill for ministers and all office holders is $46 million - or just 0.022 per cent of Singapore's total economic output.

It was an ' absurdity', he said, for Singaporeans to quarrel over whether ministers collectively should be paid $10 million or $20 million more, when an economy worth $210 billion was at stake

'The cure to all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government,' he said in his first comments on impending salary increases for ministers and top civil servants. 'You get that alternative and you'll never put Singapore together again.'

Singaporeans' asset values would also disappear, he warned, adding that 'your apartment will be worth a fraction of what it is, your jobs will be in peril, your security will be at risk and our women will become maids in other people's countries'.

He said the present system of benchmarking ministers' pay to top private sector salaries was 'completely above board' and allowed the Government to recruit 'some of the very best' to lead the country

When it was put to him that people hoped for leaders who were willing to make sacrifices and who were not there for the money, he replied that these were 'admirable sentiments'. But he added that 'we live in the real world'.

His bottom line: if the Government could not pay competitive salaries, Singapore would not be able to compete and 'we're not going to live well'.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

‘Reasonable pay will help to maintain a bit of dignity’

Member of Parliament Lim Wee Kiak of the Nee Soon group representation constituency (GRC) defended ministerial salaries by saying a reasonable payout helped maintain "dignity" for politicians.

He was quickly slammed by netizens, many of whom pointed out in various posts on the Web that "dignity" should not be justified by salary alone.

The multi-million dollar pay of ministers was a hot-button issue in Singapore's recent General Election, which saw the ruling People's Action Party win 81 out of 87 seats but at a significantly lower share of the total votes.

Following the results, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the formation of a committee to review the "basis and level of political salaries". Any pay changes would take effect from 21 May this year.

"If the annual salary of the Minister of Information, Communication and Arts is only $500,000, it may pose some problems when he discuss policies with media CEOs who earn millions of dollars because they need not listen to the minister's ideas and proposals. Hence, a reasonable payout will help to maintain a bit of dignity," Dr Lim told LianHe ZaoBao in Chinese.

In reaction, Francis Oen postedon Facebook: "Hi Wee Kiat.. Suggest you clarify your statement. Does it mean that only $ talks?! ... And if someone earns less, does it mean he cannot have dignity?"

Winnie Lim tweeted: "So according to Dr Lim Wee Kiak's theory, our ministers will ignore Obama because he earns less than all of them."

On his Facebook page, Dr Lim said that his quote was taken out of context.
"Minister's pay issue is a sensitive one. There must be a balance. After all, capable individuals who are willing to come forward to serve should not so because of pay and perks," he replied to a user's question about his quote.

He added, "On the other hand, they do have families and dependents and need to consider for retirement, etc."

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

One-Third Revenue from GST Increase goes to Minister Pay Increment

How well is well-paid?

By Tan Hui Leng and Jasmie Yen, TODAY | Posted: 10 April 2007 1028

They expressed support for the need to pay top dollar for top talent in the public sector.

But Members of Parliament (MPs) who took part in yesterday's parliamentary debate on the pay hike also spoke passionately about what many Singaporeans believe to be the heart of the issue: The benchmarking formula used to determine ministerial pay.

Ang Mo Kio MP Inderjit Singh noted that Singaporeans could not expect their leaders to serve based on altruism alone. "Are we willing to leave the future of the country to chance, that we will get good people who will give up their competence without caring about their salary?" he asked.

Some MPs, however, saw problems in benchmarking ministers' pay to the private sector, pointing out to disparities in the risks taken by company chief executives and ministers and top civil servants.

Marine Parade MP Lim Biow Chuan said: "I struggle to understand what a top Admin Officer aged 32 at grade SR9 has to worry about that will justify him receiving $363,000 a year … From many people's perspectives, they take no personal risk and are at best, paid employees."

Opposition MPs Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir) and Hougang's Low Thia Khiang took issue with the fact that Singapore's ministers are paid more than their counterparts in developed countries.

MPs like Bishan-Toa Payoh's Mrs Josephine Teo, however, pointed out that ministers in other countries may make more money after their term in office ends, such as through public speaking.

Some MPs voiced concerns about the timing of announcing the pay revisions, especially with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) due to rise to 7 per cent in July.

Mr Singh said: "How do we answer the man-in-the-street when we're told that about one-quarter to one-third of the expected revenue increase this year from the GST is going to be for the proposed ministerial and civil service salary increases, about $240 million, I was told?"

Mr Low also referred to the recent debate on increasing the amounts for public assistance. "It's also ironic that we are consuming taxpayers' money and … discussing how much more of a fraction of a million to pay civil servants and ministers while we haggle over additional tens of dollars to hand out to our needy and disadvantaged citizens," he said.

Some MPs who supported the pay hike also suggested that the salary benchmarking could be finetuned, such as pegging ministers' salaries to more realistic markers such as top men in private equity firms and top companies based on market capitalisation.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.sg/2012/01/grace-fu-should-consider-resignation.html

Grace Fu Should Consider Resignation

Singapore has the world's most highly-paid ministers. If I recall correctly, they have held this world record for about the past 20 years. It is a record that has caused a huge amount of public unhappiness. Especially in the past decade, during which the government didn't ever seem to be particularly impressive or outstanding.

Now, finally, ministerial salaries are going to be cut. Mind you, after these cuts (which are quite substantial in percentage terms - about 36%), the ministers will STILL hold their world record. Which must surely suggest to any half-intelligent person how grossly overpaid the ministers have been all along.

But then you get the likes of Grace Fu (who is our Minister of State for something or the other). Writing on her own Facebook wall, Fu says:

“When I made the decision to join politics in 2006, pay was not a key factor. Loss of privacy, public scrutiny on myself and my family and loss of personal time were. The disruption to my career was also an important consideration. I had some ground to believe that my family would not suffer a drastic change in the standard of living even though I experienced a drop in my income. So it is with this recent pay cut. If the balance is tilted further in the future, it will make it harder for any one [sic] considering political office.” Grace Fu.
Now, lots of Singaporeans are angry with Grace Fu. The comments have come thick, fast and furious. As of right now, her Facebook post has drawn about 1,300 comments (that's about 650 times the average number of comments on her other Facebook postings). And of course, there is plenty of negative media attention, online and in the newspapers too.

Putting aside the other issues for now, I'm startled at Grace Fu's lack of political sensitivity. It was really, really stupid and unnecessary of her to write such a thing. Fu wasn't even under pressure. It wasn't as if she was at a press conference, and a belligerent journalist had just thrown an unexpected and difficult question at her, and she couldn't think fast enough about what best to say.

Instead - we can imagine it - there she was, relaxing in her living room, playing with her iPad, sipping a nice cup of tea, logging in to check her messages. And then suddenly, Fu decided to write what she wrote. On Facebook. Not in a private journal, not in a personal memo, but on Facebook.

She must have totally failed to foresee what would happen next.

What poor judgment! What a severe lack of foresight. And she's a minister, for goodness sakes. Who knows what other horrible errors she might have spoken or written, on other past occasions.

Now, of course Fu is backpedalling and she has made a statement that she had been "misunderstood". This is damage control .... for completely self-inflicted damage. LOL, that is funny.

Imagine this - you are a minister, and you say something, the public is shocked and angry. And then you say, "Oh, all of you tens of thousands of people, you've misunderstood me. I am the poor, unfortunate, misunderstood one." Sing me another song, birdie.

"Me talk nonsense. Also can sing song.

How much you pay me?"

If Grace Fu can be so badly misunderstood, then that surely says something about Grace Fu's communication skills. It is extremely difficult to get thousands of people to misunderstand you. I am sure that I could not possibly succeed in pulling off such a feat. (But then I am not a PAP minister, I lack such talent).

However - and this will surprise many of my own readers - I am not actually angry about the content, the actual substance, of Grace Fu's statement.

Why am I not angry?

Look - this woman is merely a product of the system. And what is the system that I speak of? It is the PAP recruitment system that Lee Kuan Yew decided to create, 20 years ago. A system that deliberately entices job applicants with world-record-setting amounts of money.

The inevitable result - the PAP attracts many talented political wannabes whose main interest is in the money. (Meanwhile, talented political wannabes who just hope to serve the nation can join the Workers' Party - like Chen Show Mao did).

And when the money gets cut, well, you can naturally expect the PAP ministers (at least, the more money-minded ones) to get upset. Isn't that logical? If you had come for the money, then you WOULD be upset by a pay cut, surely.

My blog post is entitled "Grace Fu Should Consider Resignation". Sounds sensationalist, doesn't it? But it isn't really. (I'm not that kind of blogger, lah). Let me just explain my thinking.

It goes like this - if any minister is really very unhappy with his or her pay, then he or she can always quit. It's not like they are being forced to be ministers.

Unhappy employees don't perform well - we know that from our own experiences in working life. It is better for the company if they quit. It is better for themselves too, for they can go elsewhere and find another job that is more satisfying for them.

Why would we expect things to be any different for our ministers? If they are not happy with their pay, they won't perform well. They should just quit and get a more lucrative job elsewhere (if they can, of course). After they resign as ministers, Singapore can replace them with new ministers who care less about the money, and care more about serving the nation.

So I say this to all the ministers - if you're not happy with your pay, please quit. Now, rather than five years later. Do yourself a favour, and do the country a favour. Just get out.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=4237

Said Mr Lee: “The PAP makes promises they deliver. The Opposition cannot deliver.”

“If you have a flood, just carefully think who is more likely to get the drainage put right and have the flood alleviated as quickly as possible: A PAP candidate with links to the ministers and Prime Minister, or a non-PAP candidate who has become an MP, like in Potong Pasir or Hougang, and who has to manage on his own?”

“That’s a fact of life.”

Source: Today newspaper, “MM Lee explains his tough stance against Opposition, throws a challenge“, 29 April 2006.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

Not Gan Kim Yong who is minister of health?

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

None of the PAP leaders should resign. Only PAP is the best and can lead Singapore forward. If the Opposition took over, they would make a total mess. It is a given. No need to debate about it.

I congratulate our media for having the wisdom and foresight to impose a media blackout on this case until the elections are over and new PAP cabinet sworn in.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

why got step down one???????
even Yusof mis-spelt NO step down but took full responsibility - means whaat???????

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

Scrooball (clone) said:

Not Gan Kim Yong who is minister of health?

Click to expand...

He no need to step up or step down. Just follow $8 cow dung advise n kill himself lor. And no need gun carriage.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

kncb pap cover up. 1st few cases happened in august but they don't dare announce because of GE :oIo:

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

CABcommander said:

kncb pap cover up. 1st few cases happened in august but they don't dare announce because of GE :oIo:

Click to expand...

There is a wise saying in Singapore.

Everything happens ONLY after elections.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

Half the elected PAP MPs are some sort of Minister.

Everyone is a Minister. Huat Ahhhh.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

Scrooball (clone) said:

Not Gan Kim Yong who is minister of health?

Click to expand...

All are Ministers in Health.

Re: SENGKANG WEST BY-ELECTION 2015: Should Lam Pin Min Step Down for SGH Hep C Scanda

mojito said:

Of course. Ask the WP. Where is your checks and balance? How to empower your future like that?

Click to expand...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89EzP4rMvgM

[video=youtube;89EzP4rMvgM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89EzP4rMvgM[/video]


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHhJbktLamI

[video=youtube;XHhJbktLamI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHhJbktLamI[/video]