Goh Chok Tong asked for ‘feedback’ from citizens minus ministerial salaries

[makapaaa]

<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Goh Chok Tong wants your feedback woh</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right></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>May-24 9:22 pm </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 18) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"></TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>51572.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD id=msgtxt_1 class=msgtxt>Goh Chok Tong asked for ‘feedback’ from citizens minus ministerial salaries

May 25th, 2011 |

Author: Temasek Review |

Edit

The PAP used to be ‘deaf’ to criticisms, especially ‘noises’ from anonymous netizens, but after losing a GRC in the election, they are now putting up a ‘wayang’ to show that they are ‘listening’ to Singaporeans.
MP for Marine Parade GRC Goh Chok Tong posted a comment on the MParader asking netizens to share with him the top 2 issues/policies on their minds with the exception of ministerial salaries:
“PM reviewing governance issues. Let us have a claim of his mindshare. Let me know the top 2 issues/policies on your mind. Leave out Ministerial salaries. Will then collate for discussion later. — gct”
It is not known why Mr Goh declined to discuss ministerial salaries which is a top topic among Singaporeans, so much so that the first thing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong did after his swearing-in was to set up a committee to review the salaries of PAP ministers.
Mr Goh had remarked famously during the election campaign that the ‘majority’ of Singaporeans are ‘not concerned’ with the PAP ministers’ high ministerial pay.
The open call for feedback from netizens has garnered more than 200 comments so far and not surprisingly, the top two issues are sky-rocketing prices of HDB prices and the relentless influx of foreigners.
Singaporeans should not be deceived by the latest ‘wayang’ put up by the PAP regime to ‘engage’ them. As the saying goes – a leopard never changes its spots.
There’s no use in offering feedback after feedback to the regime when Singaporeans are deprived of basic civil and political rights to exert a real influence on the policy-making process.
We challenge the PAP regime to repeal the Newspaper press and printing act, Sedition Act and Internal Security Act to return Singaporeans their freedom of speech and assembly first.
In the meantime, TR Facebook will be organizing a daily Townhall meeting at 11pm here.
Please share with us your feelings, views and proposals on national and municipal issues.

</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%"></TD><TD class=msgopt width="24%" noWrap> Options</TD><TD class=msgrde width="50%" noWrap align=center>Reply</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[makapaaa]

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><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>May-24 11:48 pm </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>(3 of 18) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"></TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>51572.3 in reply to 51572.2 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD id=msgtxt_3 class=msgtxt>posted this on his fb:
Dear Mr Goh, since you asked, I will just briefly summarize my long time observations on the Net the 2 biggest issues confronting Singaporeans:
[1] Over influx of foreigners to Singapore in the last 5 years. This has resulted:
(a) Job competitions for Singaporeans especially EP foreigners who are not subjected to any quota
(b) Depression of median salary for Singaporeans
(c) Housing prices – sky high HDB resale prices. As HDB resale prices increases, all other property prices will also follow, including commercial ones. High commercial property prices fuel high rentals which hit the consumers ultimately.
(d) Infrastructure overload – Bus, MRT, hospital beds etc.
(e) Education placing – competitions for places in Universities, polys, schools etc.
(f) Social problems
(g) Worst labour productivity among 1st world countries
In my view, this seething problem is entirely PAP’s own doing and it is reflected in the results of the recent election. You have basically shot yourself in the foot. To take care of this problem, it is not enough just to “control” foreigner influx which means we are still increasing the foreign population but to REDUCE the number of foreigners over the next 5 years. I would think a pre-2006 level of less than 30% would be somewhat more managable.
[2] Welfare:
(a) Health: There are still many Singaporeans not insured. What we don’t want to see is for Singaporeans who meet a terrible accident or catch a dreadful disease, sell away their homes to finance their hospital stay and end up living on the streets.
(b) Welfare for the aged: I do not advocate giving welfare for the abled. If you can work, you should work. There is no free lunch in this world. However, how do you expect a 78 year-old Ah Pek or Ah Mah with hands and legs shaking to work?
Welfare of the aged is the responsibility of the state in any countries who claimed to be in 1st world. The PAP Govt, on the other hand, conveniently enacted laws to push the responsibility to the children of the old folks, allowing them to sue their children if their children don’t maintain them. And when the old folks don’t have the heart to sue, the laws were changed to allow PAP Govt to sue on their behalf! Is this the way how a 1st world Govt should run its business?
Many of the old folks are working because their CPF is not enough to see them through. They don’t have the heart to sue their children cause they know their children are also in the deep end of the pool themselves. People of the first world should be allowed to retire happily and enjoy life in at least the last 10-15 years of their lives before they leave this world. They deserve it after slogging through a large part of their lives helping to build the country. They shouldn’t be made to work till they die or forced to rent out the rooms of their small HDB flats to foreigners and live with strangers.

</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%"></TD><TD class=msgopt width="24%" noWrap> Options</TD><TD class=msgrde width="50%" noWrap align=center>Reply</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>