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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Why can't PM Lee be like Premier Wen?</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Feb-27 8:34 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 9) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>29293.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao chats with anonymous netizens in cyberspace live on CCTV4
February 27, 2010 by admin
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Written by Our Correspondent
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao took time off this afternoon to chat online with netizens at two state news portal in Beijing, many of whom were anonymous.
The event, titled “I have a question to ask the Premier” was conducted jointly by the central government and Xinhua News Agency.
As of now, more than 100,000 questions have been posed online to Premier Wen:
A journalist was charged with selecting the questions for Premier Wen to answer. The interview was screened live on CCTV4.
Some of the questions revolve around sensitive and thorny issues such as sky-rocketing prices of properties, corruption, inefficient bureaucracy, rights of workers and limited job opportunities.
The questions were fielded by netizens from all over China. Premier Wen did not insist they identify themselves before asking the questions.
Though the majority of the netizens are anonymous, Premier Wen listened to their questions attentively and took pains to answer them.
He did not cast doubts on their credibility because their identities are not revealed.
In some cases where he could not come up with a satisfactory answer immediately, he promised he would look into the matter.
Though China is a communist state, its leaders have shown a willingness to listen to the people unlike the authoritarian PAP government in Singapore which is used to talking down to Singaporeans.
While there is an official “feedback” channel REACH, comments posted on it are seldom taken note of by the leaders who are reluctant to engage netizens directly and openly.
More than 200 comments were posted a few days ago on the forum by Singaporeans who are mostly critical of the Budget announced by Finance Minister Tharman on Monday, but the mainstream media distorted the truth to give the erroneous impression that they are “supportive” of it.
Ministers often dismiss the complaints of Singaporeans as trivial and concoct lame excuses to cover their ineptitude. PAP’s strongman Lee Kuan Yew even described Singaporeans as “champion grumblers” in a recent interview with National Geographic magazine.
Like China, Singapore has been plagued by a red-hot property market which is making public housing unaffordable to the ordinary people.
Instead of addressing the concerns of Singaporeans, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan is adamant that HDB flats are “affordable” to Singaporeans despite evidence showing otherwise.
Last week, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong claimed that there is nothing much his administration can do to control the prices of HDB flats when the government enjoys a sole monopoly over the public housing market.
In contrast, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said during the interview that “he was determined to tame the “wild horse” of the country’s soaring housing market and to keep the prices at a reasonable level within his term as Premier.”
Premier Wen is a leader of the world’s most populous country and yet his annual salary is only a fraction of Singapore’s ministers.
His counterpart in Singapore – President Nathan earns about $3.7 million dollars a year. He has not been seen or heard lately. Singapore netizens should not expect President Nathan or PM Lee to chat with them online like Premier Wen anytime soon.
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February 27, 2010 by admin
Filed under Headlines
Leave a comment
Written by Our Correspondent
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao took time off this afternoon to chat online with netizens at two state news portal in Beijing, many of whom were anonymous.
The event, titled “I have a question to ask the Premier” was conducted jointly by the central government and Xinhua News Agency.
As of now, more than 100,000 questions have been posed online to Premier Wen:
A journalist was charged with selecting the questions for Premier Wen to answer. The interview was screened live on CCTV4.
Some of the questions revolve around sensitive and thorny issues such as sky-rocketing prices of properties, corruption, inefficient bureaucracy, rights of workers and limited job opportunities.
The questions were fielded by netizens from all over China. Premier Wen did not insist they identify themselves before asking the questions.
Though the majority of the netizens are anonymous, Premier Wen listened to their questions attentively and took pains to answer them.
He did not cast doubts on their credibility because their identities are not revealed.
In some cases where he could not come up with a satisfactory answer immediately, he promised he would look into the matter.
Though China is a communist state, its leaders have shown a willingness to listen to the people unlike the authoritarian PAP government in Singapore which is used to talking down to Singaporeans.
While there is an official “feedback” channel REACH, comments posted on it are seldom taken note of by the leaders who are reluctant to engage netizens directly and openly.
More than 200 comments were posted a few days ago on the forum by Singaporeans who are mostly critical of the Budget announced by Finance Minister Tharman on Monday, but the mainstream media distorted the truth to give the erroneous impression that they are “supportive” of it.
Ministers often dismiss the complaints of Singaporeans as trivial and concoct lame excuses to cover their ineptitude. PAP’s strongman Lee Kuan Yew even described Singaporeans as “champion grumblers” in a recent interview with National Geographic magazine.
Like China, Singapore has been plagued by a red-hot property market which is making public housing unaffordable to the ordinary people.
Instead of addressing the concerns of Singaporeans, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan is adamant that HDB flats are “affordable” to Singaporeans despite evidence showing otherwise.
Last week, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong claimed that there is nothing much his administration can do to control the prices of HDB flats when the government enjoys a sole monopoly over the public housing market.
In contrast, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said during the interview that “he was determined to tame the “wild horse” of the country’s soaring housing market and to keep the prices at a reasonable level within his term as Premier.”
Premier Wen is a leader of the world’s most populous country and yet his annual salary is only a fraction of Singapore’s ministers.
His counterpart in Singapore – President Nathan earns about $3.7 million dollars a year. He has not been seen or heard lately. Singapore netizens should not expect President Nathan or PM Lee to chat with them online like Premier Wen anytime soon.
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