Apr 23rd, 2007
Singapore is bigger than the PAP
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I wrote an entry with the same title on my Chinese blog following MM Lee’s speech at St James Power Station yesterday. I’m not going to do an exact translation here because it’s not exactly possible to capture the same essence in another language, but I’ll just list down the main points.
1. Does it mean that without the PAP, it will be doomsday for Singapore?
2. We have a far more educated society now. The number of people who are capable of holding public office are much greater compared to the past. Why do we have to worry that there are no people capable of taking over the PAP?
3. Even if Singapore lurches into a real crisis without the PAP, it is not necessarily a bad thing. I would like to see how many million dollar ministers would stay and stake their fortunes with Singapore.
4. In times of crisis, people will stand out to serve the country, whether there is PAP or not. The PAP would do well to be more humble and not think that it is indispensable.
In anycase, regarding my last point (which I didn’t write in my Chinese blog), I thought humility is an “Asian value”? 
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Hahahahahahaha singapore is the only country in the world that designs a system whereby certain personalities appear to be indispensible hahahahahaha funny, no one ever does that not even people who design and manufacture planes, rocket ships or nuclear reactors.
If they are really that smart in the first place you would have thought that they would have built quality into the system like what most smart ppl usually do instead of being like some tribalistic banana worshipping cult society where personality is so important as to even suggest not everyone is indispensible.
This statement definitely deserves the dodo award of 2007.hahahahahahahaha and he really expects ppl to believe it even, that is even funnier hahahahahahaha
Hoisin,
Actually Singapore is not the only country in the world which designed a system wholly dependant on a few people. The thing is most of those previous states have become history.
Aaron
With regards to Asian Values, rather than being some kind of code or guideline per se, its more of a justification used by PAP everytime they meet something they do not like.
With regards to capable, the current definition seems to suggest that to be capable means one has done well in education, is one of the socalled elite etc etc. Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang will definitely have something to say about that.
Ah well, humility is not one of the hall marks of the PAP it seems.
totally agree with you, aaron.
i was also particularly distressed by MM’s comment that the debate about ministers’ pay was “completely unreal” and “rubbish”. with that, he pretty much discounted the concerns of quite possibly the majority of the population and voting public. is he going crazy?…
i doubt the PAP gets the top talents, no matter how they poach. there are people who have been approached, but rejected the offer to join politics.
any way, if you’re the leader of singapore, you’ll probably be bound to “create history” and do a lot of “nation-building” by inflating the reality of singapore’s “vulnerability” once in a while. it’s a given that all countries need strong and capable leadership.
the PAP have established a political comfort zone for themselves, plus of course high barriers to entry into politics (for opposition). there’ll come a day when this bubble is burst and we’ll see true and capable people coming through. (i’m not refering to the gurkhas)
This is really hilarious. When politicians take themselves so seriously that is
It is such a wonder that our youths appear to be tunning off from politics.
Aaron,
I’m totally inspired by the part where the MM Lee said the PAP embarked on an all out search for talents for the govt. After search high and low and inside out, he found out that the most talented person to be PM was his son. He was reluctant and that slowed PM Lee’s rise but for the greater good of Singapore & Singaporeans, his son became the PM.
Given the effort that the PAP put in to get talents, Singapore will sink without the PAP because all the talents are in PAP. We may be educated with PHD & even masters degree but political talents we are not!
How about the unspoken assumption that paying more is both necessary and sufficient to keep talent?
Singapore is so one-dimensional.
there is also a going theory that the pay rise for ministers and the civil service in general may mean that the government ends up retaining the worst talent, because the really good ones who can get better offers in the private sector or elsewhere will leave, while it is only those who can’t match their pay outside or can’t receive better offers who will end up staying in government. this may be true for those whose decisions can be swayed by remuneration.
for those whose decision to serve the government are not easily swayed by remuneration, the pay rise would not have been an effective incentive anyway.
Just thought that you may be interested in this…
Apologise for the self-advertisement…
reminds me of the claim that without PAP Sinkapore would just sink back into the south china sea.
As per typical MM style, he skilfully avoided the debate once again. I mean, taking the bigger picture sure is a way of doing things but there’s an even bigger picture called common sense tio bo?
Maybe the PAP is already in its decline…hubris comes before the fall.
As insane poly has said “STFU”. Perhaps next election or next MM speech, someone will want to hold the message high in the air
The message is
‘STFU. Take the money and go.’
We know what is rubbish when we encountered one. After hearing MM speech, I start to wonder what’s the heck we paying $3m dollars for a old comedian whose also known as Mini-Me.
Thanks Aaron. I think the only way forward is if part of the 80 PAP members decide enough is enough and for the love of Singapore, our nation, our people, decides to move to become a new alternative party to serve the people. Can you imagine, after all the talk by various MPs, and people on the ground, MM Lee still think we are quibbling and are ‘unreal’ - ie they will not set KPI for ministers, their pay will go up for PM Lee and SM Lee 6 months from now, and suggestions by good P65 MPs, Denise Phua, thio Li Ann on accountability for ministers pay will be IGNORED. If the PAP MPs do not move out to show their dissatisfaction with the ministers, this country must fall. And that will be a messy sorry state of affair. That is why, I hope the likes of kitana and Gayle will continue somewhere…
For the good of our country we need a dose of different government; let the people and history decide whether it is competent or not.
Even China is enlightened enough to do something about the censor who went too far. One can read outside about dissent in China.
But if the media out of Singapore’s control dare publish any commentary about Singapore which our government does not agree with, they will face a legal barrage about interfering in our domestic politics. And the case will be tried in Singapore.
In the meantime our politicians take pot shots at everyone else in this world - invited or not.
Even LKY cannot control everything; unfortunately he does not realise this and he is surrounded by people who are afraid to tell him.
Boyying,
the person who holds that placard can be said to have testicular fortitude; unfortunately he better have the cash to hire the best lawyers money can buy cause he will be slapped with a criminal charge
Boyying,
if that sign is seen, the internet will make him a superstar overnight.