Ngiam: Authorities asking the 'wrong' questions to get the answers they want

[Confuseous]

Former civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow is of the opinion that "we often start with the answers we want and ask the questions to support it."

For example, in discussions on the "right" size of Singapore's population, her charges that the authorities mainly debated how to create a higher-density city with more high-rise flats and condominiums to cater to more people. "That's only a physical constraint, not an economic constraint."

He says that the right parameters to frame the quesion instead are: "Can we sustain the economic livelihood of five or six million people? Surely the size of the population is as much as you can sustain the economy of Singapore. Asking the right questions today is the most important factor for Singapore's future sustainability. If you ask the wrong questions, you are in trouble.

(Extracted from ST 12th Jan page D17)

 

[Kinana]

This guy is ignorant and think he is smarter than others.
Does he really think we made decisions on national planning based on physical constraints only? What a fool!

 

[Bigfuck]

This guy is ignorant and think he is smarter than others.
Does he really think we made decisions on national planning based on physical constraints only? What a fool!

Lol. 3013 is another hundred years to go for you to make arguments. You know it is bad to rag you own team, KANINA PAP IB. He could hunt you down and he does have far bigger bank account than you and assets stashed in safe areas. But I guess it takes till 3013 to understand for you.

Gotcha KANINA PAP IB

 

[andyfisher]

I tink ngiam is more wily, but i dont know why this clowns wen in power only kowtow but once pension off, then open their mouth and talk.
another is the st editor who came out with a book, forgot his name.
pls la, do smething wen u r in power, at least can change people's lives for the better. knn

 

[kongsimi]

This guy is ignorant and think he is smarter than others.
Does he really think we made decisions on national planning based on physical constraints only? What a fool!

Obviously you didn't study economics in school and played simcity before.

 

[Semaj2357]

I tink ngiam is more wily, but i dont know why this clowns wen in power only kowtow but once pension off, then open their mouth and talk.
another is the st editor who came out with a book, forgot his name.
pls la, do smething wen u r in power, at least can change people's lives for the better. knn

ditto, the ex-cpib boss. Perhaps they are following US politicians and former chieftains in govt where they publish memoirs and get invited to the podium and talk about their past glory.

 

[crimsondue]

This guy is ignorant and think he is smarter than others.
Does he really think we made decisions on national planning based on physical constraints only? What a fool!

The truth hurts doesnt it?

Fact is PAP screwed up when they increased the population and NTD is justifies in asking those qns.

Instead of admitting their mistakes, shoot the messenger. Well, you will continue to screw up.

 

[mojito]

I have great respect for Ngiam. This is but one instance of how bureaucrats (or any other corporate executives for that matter) take shortcuts in their assignments and avoid asking the really difficult questions. One naturally expects more from the most highly paid civil service in the world.

 

[Prometheus888]

I have great respect for Ngiam. This is but one instance of how bureaucrats (or any other corporate executives for that matter) take shortcuts in their assignments and avoid asking the really difficult questions. One naturally expects more from the most highly paid civil service in the world.

Ngiam and the rest of the unhappy civil servants may niot be alike. He belonged to a generation of civil servants who do not desire to drive BMWs, comand high salaries and live in big houses. In his time, the civil servants were the ones who were committed and dedicated to serve because they actually believed that they were doing something great for the country. It is not like the presentday civil servants who get paid millions to do nothing useful except to make sure that the good tyings built up by their predecessors dont get screwed up.

i think PAP's antics of justofying their plunder through the slogan that they need to get more money to make them less corrupted had that trickle down effect to their next level; which are the PS and the DS, in the end, all you get are immoral but educated scholars who have an "entitlement" mindset. the PAP has to know, just because you atempt to soak up all the brainpower from the population to jojn your civil servabnt may have the effect of acheiving a better control of them, but the immoral and unethical amongst these masses are amongst you as well. Along with those who come to the civil service for all the wrong reasons. Education does NOT mean that the person becomes a moral or upright character....on the contrary, it just means that when they conciously choose evil over good, it is deliberate.

It is about time this country realise this, with all its ranks of scholars amongst its mandarins......


This country is nothing but a fascist dynasty of the Lees

 

[zeebjii]

Ngiam and the rest of the unhappy civil servants may niot be alike. He belonged to a generation of civil servants who do not desire to drive BMWs, comand high salaries and live in big houses. In his time, the civil servants were the ones who were committed and dedicated to serve because they actually believed that they were doing something great for the country. It is not like the presentday civil servants who get paid millions to do nothing useful except to make sure that the good tyings built up by their predecessors dont get screwed up.

This country is nothing but a fascist dynasty of the Lees

Don't be taken in just because because of a few wayang comments. He WAS part of the establishment which made our country what it is today.

And you know what, i am quite sure he lives in a big house and drives a big car. He is no different from any other lackey who has shamelessly benefitted from this regime.

 

[Kinana]

Don't be taken in just because because of a few wayang comments. He WAS part of the establishment which made our country what it is today.

And you know what, i am quite sure he lives in a big house and drives a big car. He is no different from any other lackey who has shamelessly benefitted from this regime.

You are absolutely correct. This guy was part of the establishment for decades just like Tan Cheng Bock, Tan Kin Lian and Tan Jee Say. Why are these opposition people so gullible?

 

[Satyr]

I tink ngiam is more wily, but i dont know why this clowns wen in power only kowtow but once pension off, then open their mouth and talk.
another is the st editor who came out with a book, forgot his name.
pls la, do smething wen u r in power, at least can change people's lives for the better. knn

We don't know the ins and outs of what he did in his time. But people's views don't change overnight. I think he was doing his best just like many public servants.
In the end just like any employee , you can advise your boss, but you basically have to do as told, and do your best even if not in agreement.

 

[zeebjii]

We don't know the ins and outs of what he did in his time. But people's views don't change overnight. I think he was doing his best just like many public servants.
In the end just like any employee , you can advise your boss, but you basically have to do as told, and do your best even if not in agreement.

He was no ordinary civil servant. He was a Perm Sec. So his ramblings after retirement sound extremely shallow. I am sure he is a millionaire, many many many many times over.

If i ever met ihim person, i'd fuck him in his face with some choice hainanese swear words.

I admire people like Tan Soo Khoon more, who did most of his talking IN office.