U TURN - Kena Threatened?

[SadPlumpGirl]

Ngiam Tong Dow says his recent comments on ministers unfair and illogical



Former top civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow said he gave the wrong impression in a controversial interview last month in which he said current ministers are afraid to speak up and elitist. -- ST FILE PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN


By Robin Chan

Former top civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow said he gave the "wrong impression" in a controversial interview last month in which he said current ministers are afraid to speak up and elitist.

On Thursday, Mr Ngiam sent a clarification statement to the editor of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) News which had published the interview.

In this statement, Mr Ngiam retracted his earlier charge that today's ministers are afraid of speaking up in Cabinet because of their high salaries, saying it was "illogical" and unfair. He also said that ministers are not elitist, as he had spoken without realising many in fact come from humble backgrounds.

"I retired from the civil service in 1999. Since then I have not attended any cabinet meetings, and have never seen one chaired by PM Lee Hsien Loong. Thus my statement that ministers will not speak their minds before PM Lee is unfair as it was made without knowing what actually happens at cabinet meetings today," he said.

 

[lhlisanidiot]

Must be his million dollar pension at stake, no choice have to retract his statements.

 

[palden]

They offer him free food and lodging in sentosa. Or he can be bunk mate with selamat at Whitney.

 

[halsey02]

Must be his million dollar pension at stake, no choice have to retract his statements.

Must have got a call from, the 'big gourd'...& peed in his pants!!...his latest pension statement was hand delivered to him...& it showed ZERO! ha ha ha ha ha

If he has the BALLS, stand by what he had said...this prove that all these well fed 'anjings' can not be trusted for their words!!

 

[Narong Wongwan]

He should have seen this coming....why do half fuck? Rather not do at all....

 

[halsey02]

He should have seen this coming....why do half fuck? Rather not do at all....

"Ngiam Tong Dow says his recent comments on ministers unfair and illogical", from this day on, anything he says, is not worth to print....do he has any more credibility left?? if his comment is HONEST..stick by it!!

 

[Annunaki]

Ate too much prata. Turn here turn there.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Ngiam certainly knows which side of his bread is buttered.

 

[scbccb]

Kena threatened with his pension.

 

[Reddog]

My old Chinese language teacher taught me that there's a wise Chinese saying: (something like) "once your words leave you mouth, even 4 horse cannot catch them back". Ha Ha. What a coward. Stupid coward.

 

[Confuseous]

In this statement, Mr Ngiam retracted his earlier charge that today's ministers are afraid of speaking up in Cabinet because of their high salaries, saying it was "illogical" and unfair. He also said that ministers are not elitist, as he had spoken without realising many in fact come from humble backgrounds.

"I retired from the civil service in 1999. Since then I have not attended any cabinet meetings, and have never seen one chaired by PM Lee Hsien Loong. Thus my statement that ministers will not speak their minds before PM Lee is unfair as it was made without knowing what actually happens at cabinet meetings today," he said.

"I have been told by civil servant colleagues that cabinet discussions are robust - as robust as they were when I attended cabinet meetings as PS (PMO), when Mr Goh Chok Tong was PM, and Mr Lee Hsien Loong DPM."

Mr Ngiam added that he knows some ministers have given up successful and well-paying careers in the private sector to join politics at lower pay, while others could have chosen to join the private sector to make more money but did not.

"They have no reason not to speak their minds when they are convinced that they are doing right by Singaporeans," he said.

Mr Ngiam also stirred up controversy with remarks suggesting that the certificate of entitlement (COE) system was introduced to "collect more money" for the government.

In his letter, he clarified that "it was not the case".

"The fundamental purpose of the COE scheme was to limit Singapore's car population. If the intent had been to raise revenue, I would not have supported the policy as permanent secretary at the Finance Ministry," he said.

Mr Ngiam is the former chairman of the Economic Development Board and was permanent secretary of several ministries before he retired in 1999.

Here is Mr Ngiam's clarification statement in full:

From the feedback from friends and colleagues who read my interview published in SMA news, September 2013 Issue, it has come to my attention that I had given the wrong impression in several ways.

I had described my discussions with Mr Lee Kuan yew about the COE scheme as an example of Mr Lee's openness in discussin policies, even with officials. I realise that my comments might suggest that the COE scheme was implemented to raise funds. That was not the case. The fundamental purpose of the COE scheme was to limit Singapore's car population. If the intent had been to raise revenue, I would not have supported the policy as Permanent Secretary at the Finance ministry.

I also realise on re-reading the interview that I had not been fair in what I had said about Ministers and discussions in Cabinet. I retired from the civil service in 1999. Since then I have not attended any cabinet meetings, and have never seen one chaired by PM Lee Hsien Loong. Thus my statement that Ministers will not speak their minds before PM Lee is unfair as it was made without knowing what actually happens at Cabinet meetings today. I have been told by civil servant colleagues that Cabinet discussions are robust - as robust as they were when I attended cabinet meetings as PS (PMO), when Mr Goh Chok Tong was PM and Mr Lee Hsien Loong DPM.

I also realise that my claim that Ministers may not speak up because they earn high salaries is illogical. I know that some Ministers have given up high-flying and well-paid careers in the private sector in order to serve the public at a fraction of their original or potential income. Others could have gone to the private sector to make more money but have chosen to be in the public service. They have no reason not to speak their minds when they are convinced that they are doing right by Singaporeans.

I had also said that the current crop of leaders is elitist. I had spoken without realising that many had in fact come from humble backgrounds.

I had the privilege and honour of working with Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Dr Goh Keng Swee, Mr Hon Sui Sen and Mr Lim Kim San. I have said many times that Mr Lee is my hero and that Singaporea was lucky to have had such a team to steer it from third world to first. The Cabinet today faces different and less straightforward challenges, having to deal with globalisation and more intense international competition. However, as I had mentioned in my interview, we are starting from a good position - for example, in healthcare, one of the main subjects of the interview.

 

[halsey02]

Ngiam certainly knows which side of his bread is buttered.

Ngiam bread was buttered with KAYA...now he is so afraid that, the 'father, son & the holey goh' will take away that CAVIAR..and he has to butter the sides of his bread, like the lesser mortals, with Planta Magarine...not even SCS 'gu yu"!!:p

In the first place, should have kept his mouth shut!!

 

[kezgtree]

...if someone is going to take action...I do not know what or how is going to happen to him but remind me of an incident that 1 aero plane captain very "iron tooth"(hokkien) headed the union....sacked, revoked PR...n also cannot fly aero plane into red dot even with other company.....si bey Jia lat...

 

[makapaaa]

KNN! I am still kicking and you monkeys have the gall to bully my precious son?!​

 

[kopisiewdai]

Must be Kena yellow card Liao. :p

 

[melzp]

The Black Pot(ngiam) called the Kettle(present cabinet) Black(Million $$ to be hesitant).

 

[ZorrorroZ]

joke of the century... this fucker has lost any little credibility he had left.

 

[laksaboy]

My old Chinese language teacher taught me that there's a wise Chinese saying: (something like) "once your words leave you mouth, even 4 horse cannot catch them back". Ha Ha. What a coward. Stupid coward.

But it is also good, because it reveals much about those who made him retract his statements.

It's like a witness giving a solid testimony in court against the accused, then on the next day, he insists that the accused is innocent.
The witness also claims that the strange bruises on his face were caused by him accidentally slipping and falling.

 

[halsey02]

But it is also good, because it reveals much about those who made him retract his statements.

It's like a witness giving a solid testimony in court against the accused, then on the next day, he insists that the accused is innocent.
The witness also claims that the strange bruises on his face were caused by him accidentally slipping and falling.

do not forget the grim face, grumpy judge, who had not eaten breakfast.....what will the punishment be? "write a million lines, no photocopy, " I MUST NOT BITE THE HANDS THAT FEED ME"!! heh heh heh

 

[thenakedtruth]

Well. It proves conclusively that NOBODY will dare to SPEAK UP after this. Whether they were formal civil servants or present ones. They are too AFRAID to do so!

What a CREATIVE move by Ngiam Tong Dow. He proves his point by surrendering.
Wonder if his wife had anything to do with it!

Ngiam Tong Dow says his recent comments on ministers unfair and illogical

View attachment 12471

Former top civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow said he gave the wrong impression in a controversial interview last month in which he said current ministers are afraid to speak up and elitist. -- ST FILE PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN


By Robin Chan

Former top civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow said he gave the "wrong impression" in a controversial interview last month in which he said current ministers are afraid to speak up and elitist.

On Thursday, Mr Ngiam sent a clarification statement to the editor of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) News which had published the interview.

In this statement, Mr Ngiam retracted his earlier charge that today's ministers are afraid of speaking up in Cabinet because of their high salaries, saying it was "illogical" and unfair. He also said that ministers are not elitist, as he had spoken without realising many in fact come from humble backgrounds.

"I retired from the civil service in 1999. Since then I have not attended any cabinet meetings, and have never seen one chaired by PM Lee Hsien Loong. Thus my statement that ministers will not speak their minds before PM Lee is unfair as it was made without knowing what actually happens at cabinet meetings today," he said.