Comments on: Minister rebukes perm sec for ‘lacking sensitivity’

By: James

James — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:43:51 +0000

We’re making ourselves look stupid.

For instance. U.S. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel publicly reprimands the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her thoughts on U.S. foreign policy. Both are Democrats. And the Republicans are going to think that there is no party unity in the Democratic Party.

Same here.

By: ted

ted — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:22:53 +0000

Really? Dr Khor have been heard saying to a WP supporter who chaperoned his grandmother (Khor’s constituent) to her MPS, he was unconsciously wearing the blue WP wristband, to get the WP/LTK for help instead.

By: Ying Quan

Ying Quan — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:00:40 +0000

I’ll tell you 1 of the best i’ve seen =)

Dr Amy Khor =)

For this matter i hope more young people from the realm of “lesser mortals” will rise up to set things right in future =)

Obama said we can do it
I believe so too ^^

By: aygee

aygee — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:20:31 +0000

Dan, comment #2,

About them not having PR or sensitivities..

i have a theory. many of those folks in senior public service dont really want to be there.

these are folks who were nurtured from secondary school, sent to the best schools and universities and military careers, to be groomed as technocrats and administrators.

But they dont want to be in public service. they dont like to be questioned.

which, to me, explains their high pay. given a choice, they’d rather be in private sector. But if you’re invited to that tea party at the Istana, do you think you’re in a position to turn an offer down? Remember Don Corleone when he makes an offer you cannot refuse….?

i think the best MPs and civil servants are those who really want to serve the public.

By: TheWrathOfGrapes

TheWrathOfGrapes — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:56:22 +0000

Since he is such a good leader, he should have taken 5 years leave. I am sure the Ministry will hum along without him for 5 years. Or, maybe the Ministry may even perform better without him.

By: The Void Deck

The Void Deck — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:55:53 +0000

Good on’ya for spotting the deleted CNA threads! LOL about reminding us that TYS himself wrote the article – he pwned himself!

By: Panzer

Panzer — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:13:29 +0000

My sentiments too. Lesser mortals indeed!

http://military-life.blogspot.com/2009/01/lesser-mortals-tell-me-what-were.html

By: John Richards

John Richards — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:40:57 +0000

Maybe it made lesser mortals envious and they thought maybe he was a little bit boastful. Would people have taken offence if his wife (a senior investment counselor at a bank) had paid for everything? MP Charles Chong (Today)

So in the wake of a top civil servant’s $45,000 splurge on cooking lessons in France, we get another insensitive remark by a PAP MP. We, the average Singaporeans, are now referred to as ‘lesser mortals’. Is this how government MPs view us from their elite positions? Lesser mortals who are less worthy and perhaps even less than human in their eyes. It might explain why they are so unsympathetic towards the poor and less fortunate. Because are undeserving of their attention.

You what I think? Clear evidence that civil servants are overpriced and overpaid. Poor PM! Thanks to MPs like Charles Chong he may have to ‘buy votes’. I can’t wait for the elections.

By: anon

anon — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:09:47 +0000

Looks like another clown is going to get rapped too.

By: Blurp

Blurp — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:12:02 +0000

It looks like we need to seriously examine the assumptions that high salaries lead to low corruption.

We also need to examine whether there is any academic basis to justify a pragmatic relationship between corruption levels in Singapore & Government salaries and whether or not there is a significant change before and after the salary hikes.

Besides salaries, risk of capture and stiff penalties are also firm checks on corruption that have worked for over 40 years in Singapore.

MPs and citizens must seriously consider how bureaucratic extravagances affect them in future.