I agree that we must not underpay our ministers lest we risk them seeking "alternative sources" of income like those in corrupt countries around the world.
However, what LKY did not do was to follow up with a subsequent statement i.e.
We cannot OVERpay our ministers and argue that their sole reward, if not main, should be money above their contribution to the public good.
Coming back to Chan Chun Seng's $10 Peach Garden carrot cake.
I know what he is driving at. He is advocating 一分钱一分货. The fact that a BMW 740 will definitely be more expensive than a Kia Picanto because one is a German luxurious marvel of automobile technology, the other a Korean tin can on wheels.
The problem is that, and this is where we realise the horror of how we have made the mistake of voting in a simpleton into the cabinet, the price that we paid for the BMW 740 is in fact more than enough to buy a Ferrari 458 Italia.
Yes, BMW 740 is still an excellent car but I much prefer to pay the price of a BMW 740 and get the BMW 740.
I don't have any qualms paying my Prime Minister 3 millions dollars a year and my ministers more than 1 million dollars a year. Each.
Question is that have they performed up to the mark where the people feel that these millions spent were justified.
In short, were they underpaid as LKY hinted?
Judging from the sliding vote numbers with each election and the government scrambling to assemble a ministerial pay review committee to appease the people.
The answer is obviously NO.
Uncle, you want me to pay $10 for a plate of your carrot cake?
Your carrot cake got enough standard or not?
Come back when you as good as Peach Garden, then we talk about your $10. Wokay?
Image Credit: http://facebook.com/thecartoonpress
- Voxeros
2 comments:
Yeah, Ms Indranee highlighted exactly what you said: If you're seen or perceived to be doing your utmost to serve, no one will begrudge you a good salary.
Arrenn
Two points to your comments there.
1) If "utmost" is good enough. So often we have to let staff go simply because the said staff isn't competent enough for the job. It is very heart-breaking to pull the trigger when you know that the staff has put in every effort to do his/her best but yet still not hitting the mark.
2) "Good" salary to a level that is obscene to the general public is good from the receiver's point of view.
How do you define good?
The opposite can be said that we pay our Ministers a token salary of $1 per annum each. That is a "good" salary from the tax payers' point of view.
I feel "good" in this context has to strike a balance point between the two extreme examples I just mentioned.
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