SDP’s statement on the cabinet appointments

[makapaaa]

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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Dr Chee speaks on cabinet appointments</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>8:57 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 8) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"></TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>51228.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD id=msgtxt_1 class=msgtxt>SDP’s statement on the cabinet appointments

May 18th, 2011 |

Author: YourSDP |

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The question that Singaporeans must ask is not who is appointed to which ministry but rather what policies will emanate from these new ministries.
If there is a lesson in this elections for the PAP it is that the people are fed-up with the it’s policies on the cost of living, foreign workers, housing, transportation, education, etc. Shifting portfolios among ministers without addressing these policies only signals that the Government is interested in cosmetic changes.
For example, if Mr Khaw Boon Wan who replaces Mr Mah Bow Tan continues with the Ministry of National Development’s policy of not revealing the real costs of constructing HDB flats, Singaporeans will still be in the dark as to how much their flats really cost and how much profit the Government is making from HDB sales.
Without this transparency, we cannot make sound policies that guide the pricing of HDB flats. If this is the case, whether it is Minister Khaw or Minister Mah is of no benefit to Singaporeans.
Therefore, we look forward to each minister coming out over the next days and weeks to clearly articulate the new policies and policy initiatives which we expect to be significantly different from their predecessors. Otherwise, it is a clear message that it is politics-as-usual from this Government.
Also, it is noted that ministers who have performed poorly in the previous Government have been retained and given another ministry. For example, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan who managed the Youth Olympic Games poorly and was heavily criticised for his insensitive remarks about the poor, is now given the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.
And former Environment Minister Mr Yaacob Ibrahim who could not get a grip of the seriousness of the floods that caused so much damage to Singapore now assumes the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts without conclusively dealing with the flood problem .
How will the performance and effectiveness of the Government be raised with such lateral movement?
In addition, we still have Ministers who have been assigned to the Prime Minister’s Office without a portfolio (Mr Lim Swee Say and Mr S Iswaran). Exactly what do these ministers do?
Another unexplained set of appointments are the second ministers. What exactly are their roles? How do they assist the ministers? How are their jobs different from the ministers of state?
PM Lee Hsien Loong must explain to the people why he has made these appointments and how these posts help in the more effective governing of Singapore.
Finally, if PM Lee is genuinely contrite and is determined to lead a government that listens to the people, then he will announce an across-the-board reduction in the Ministers’ salaries. The astronomical wages that the Ministers draw, despite the poor performance of the last government, have caused much anger among Singaporeans.
The SDP has recommended that the PM’s salary be reduced to $60,000 a month and the ministers’ wages follow accordingly.

Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General
Singapore Democratic Party

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[Bigfuck]

CSJ is asking all the wrong questions. Tit for tat is good to blow steam, but we have a country here and problems to rectify. Rectifying people alone, is doing another LKY. I do not mind millionaire dollar salaries, if there are multiple indicators (traffic jams, gini and inflation, old folks employment rate, retirment savings/income performance indicators included)used to evaluate whether it should be given or raised, salary bonuses witheld for 3 years with a possibility of clawback due to objectively evaluation of future economic perfomance over 3 years.
This could set a very good international practice in private and public sector. Saving money for the sake of saving is bad as is pumping up gdp for the sake of pumping it up is bad.
If the economically inclusive indicators are up, paying even more is okay and it will attract real talent to Singapore. This is the gauntlet laid down.

 

[steffychun]

I don't see what's the problem with a Minister without portfolio in the PMo; the UK has them in theri PMOs too. Perhaps just one Minister without portfolio yes.

I also expect better of Chee, beign a student of Western democracy.

 

[tonychat]

CSJ is asking all the wrong questions. Tit for tat is good to blow steam, but we have a country here and problems to rectify. Rectifying people alone, is doing another LKY. I do not mind millionaire dollar salaries, if there are multiple indicators (traffic jams, gini and inflation, old folks employment rate, retirment savings/income performance indicators included)used to evaluate whether it should be given or raised, salary bonuses witheld for 3 years with a possibility of clawback due to objectively evaluation of future economic perfomance over 3 years.
This could set a very good international practice in private and public sector. Saving money for the sake of saving is bad as is pumping up gdp for the sake of pumping it up is bad.
If the economically inclusive indicators are up, paying even more is okay and it will attract real talent to Singapore. This is the gauntlet laid down.

What the fuck are you talking about. If you dunno what CSJ says then shut the big fuck up.

 

[tonychat]

I don't see what's the problem with a Minister without portfolio in the PMo; the UK has them in theri PMOs too. Perhaps just one Minister without portfolio yes.

I also expect better of Chee, beign a student of Western democracy.

That is because you know nothing at all. Read up more and you might know. Or just go back to school.

 

[Khun Ying Pojaman]

repeated post. deleted.

 

[Khun Ying Pojaman]

That is because you know nothing at all. Read up more and you might know. Or just go back to school.

Yes. In UK PMOs are reserved for a few opposition MPs in a coalition government so that they're represented in the Cabinet, especially if the opposition MP happens to be the leader of an opposition party.

The keyword is Coalition Government.