Rebuttal to Syu Ying Kwok's letter in ST forum today - "Top talent for star pay"

By Fang Zhi Yuan

I am most flabbergasted by Mdm Syu Ying Kwok’s feeble attempts to justify the exorbitant pay of our PAP ministers in her article to the Straits Times Forum today titled ”Top dollar for star talent“ and the atrocious journalistic standards of the paper to publish her article without first verifying the facts.

Using the example of U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson who took a pay cut of an annual salary of US$35 million in the private sector to a miserable US$183,000 to join the Federal government (read report here), Ms Syu lamented the lack of top earners in Singapore sacrificing millions in pay to join government service.

Next, she added a most astonishing spin to her story by praising Education Minister Ng Eng Hen and Law Minister Shanmugan for taking a “$2 million to $5 million pay cut to serve us.”

According to the latest data released by the Prime Minister’s Office in this press release, a cabinet minister is expected to earn on average, an annual salary of S$1.94 million dollars. If we include bonuses and perks, which can range from 3 to 9 months, a minister can take back more than S$3 million dollars a year.

Read rest of article here:

http://wayangparty.wordpress.com/20...e-fact-finding-before-shooting-off-her-mouth/

Dear Avantas

The final salary though obscene includes bonuses for ministers as I last remembered it looking at the issue. The highest paid is dear old Prataman followed by PM but calculations are inclusive of bonuses. Btw I disagree with the pay without performance bit but your calculations are wrong


cheers


locke

We are all prostitutes in our own ways ie: selling and going against our own moral principles, all in the name of survival for ourselves and our families. The only difference is the depth of shamelessness some people will go to ingratiate themselves to their clients and benefactors by giving extras like blowjobs without being asked to.

Someone is also prostituting himself for the SDP.

If he becomes minister he will prostitute himself for millions of dollars too.

If executive boards can pay US$30m in stock options and in cash to their under par CEOs, through their offshore accounts, as golden parachutes in New York, politicians who expect the same high amount as public servants, are basically of the same irk.

I'm sorry- but when politicians simply demand more money, and especially when they increase it, say like 50% to 70% more, or even demand a double of the current amounts, they are being morally and financially corrupted.

As Wall Street would have prove: you cannot pay excessive cash to CEOs and public servants to address corruption. The key here is reasonable levels, and not too much, not too excessive, and not too little. In the end, public servants serve the people; CEOs serve their customers and clients.

How not to pay top dollar when almost the whole nation are followers of Money God?

I wonder how much money did MM Lee accumulate after so many years in office. I mean, I'm sure he can choose to contribute FOC if he wanted to. It's not as if he needs the money.

chinkangkor said:

How not to pay top dollar when almost the whole nation are followers of Money God?

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Avantas said:

I wonder how much money did MM Lee accumulate after so many years in office. I mean, I'm sure he can choose to contribute FOC if he wanted to. It's not as if he needs the money.

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He could have done that if he had wanted, but this would put tremendous pressure on the other ministers who are not able to be as generous as he is.

LKY once commented that he does not need the salary because Lee and Lee firm is making lots of money. The same cannot be said of other ministers who may need the salaries for their families.

chinkangkor said:

He could have done that if he had wanted, but this would put tremendous pressure on the other ministers who are not able to be as generous as he is.

LKY once commented that he does not need the salary because Lee and Lee firm is making lots of money. The same cannot be said of other ministers who may need the salaries for their families.

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Loyalty bought with money can never be guaranteed. Someone else could offer a bigger bone. Anyone can be bought, the question is always, how much more? I bet my bottom dollar we'll see the full action after the old man"s passing.

On the other hand, the high salaries of the ministers will/may/can lead to people joining the PAP because:

(1) they want the money
(2) the dominant party is the best bet to get the money
(3) the opposition party is the surest way not to get the money

And such cases, if true, then public service becomes service not to the public

Thus those who justify these salaries could not have thought through the issues far enough



It may also give a strong incentive to the ministers to toe the party line if they intend to keep on earning such money

Thus it leads to a $million-carrot dangling in front of the politician's eyes, mind and soul.

Although some people keep on insisting otherwise, there exist a possibility that some of these ministers cannot justify such amounts in the private sector (multinationals) which are based on results. Of course in the small businesses and the family-owned businesses, there are different considerations. But the multi-nationals are very results-oriented.

kakowi said:

Although some people keep on insisting otherwise, there exist a possibility that some of these ministers cannot justify such amounts in the private sector (multinationals) which are based on results. Of course in the small businesses and the family-owned businesses, there are different considerations. But the multi-nationals are very results-oriented.

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Some ministers get more than what they can bargain for in the private sector. The flaws in the way the salaries are benchmark have been pointed out but LKY has made up his mind.

I can say in all good conscience, a certain minister should be poking thermometers up dogs' and cats' arses instead of collecting the people's hard earned money for doing nothing. His remaining presence there led me to believe he is there as a 'hole card' if ever there is dissent within the cabinet in a decision making vote count. High or low priced? Your take?

chinkangkor said:

Some ministers get more than what they can bargain for in the private sector. The flaws in the way the salaries are benchmark have been pointed out but LKY has made up his mind.

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Is it LKY or LHL who made up his mind?

Singapore is currently run by PM LHL.

kakowi said:

Is it LKY or LHL who made up his mind?

Singapore is currently run by PM LHL.

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May be they share the same view?

chinkangkor said:

May be they share the same view?

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This is something that we can never know for sure.

But as someone who is a strong admirer of LKY, I am of the opinion that that is not the case.

kakowi said:

But as someone who is a strong admirer of LKY, I am of the opinion that that is not the case.

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Interesting. Do you have more to share?

chinkangkor said:

Interesting. Do you have more to share?

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It is just an opinion.

Don't be deceived by this lockeliberal. He is a sneaky slimy snake. In the old SBF, he is infamous for sowing discord between the opposition. He is 100% a PAP mole in and out.

kakowi said:

This is something that we can never know for sure.

But as someone who is a strong admirer of LKY, I am of the opinion that that is not the case.

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