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Post by oldman on Feb 22, 2014 20:06:23 GMT 7
Nice video and song in appreciation of LKY.
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Post by candy188 on Mar 1, 2014 23:52:10 GMT 7
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Post by oldman on Mar 3, 2014 10:00:08 GMT 7
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Post by oldman on Mar 4, 2014 7:38:25 GMT 7
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Post by candy188 on Mar 4, 2014 18:11:07 GMT 7
Life is getting tough in Singapore, no wonder Singaporeans are sad.  Happiness is related to cost of living in Asia ===> India 
 Sullen in Singapore: Its workers are the unhappiest in AsiaWorkers in wealthy Singapore are the unhappiest in Asia and nearly two-thirds would like to quit their jobs in the next year, a regional survey by recruiting firm Randstad Group showed on Wednesday. Tiny Singapore, a banking and trade center with world-class amenities and high per capita income, has seen unprecedented public discontent in recent years over the rising cost of living and competition from foreign workers. Randstad's World of Work Report showed that 23 percent of Singaporean workers felt unmotivated and that their skills were not being used effectively, while 64 percent planned to leave their jobs in the next 12 months.
The top reasons for dissatisfaction were an unsuitable corporate culture, difficult bosses and being asked to do more with less.
Indian workers were the happiest in Asia, with about 70 percent feeling challenged, motivated and mentored, according to the survey by the Netherlands-based firm of 14,000 employers and professionals in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The survey showed Singaporeans were motivated by knowing their contributions matter, but that salary expectations were also important. About 59 percent of Singaporeans had a pay increase in the last year and 67 percent expected a raise of at least 5 percent over the next year.  Singapore named world's most expensive city: Economist Intelligence UnitThe city also has some structurally expensive items that skew the overall cost of living upwards. For example, car costs have very high related certificate of entitlement fees attached to them, which makes Singapore significantly more expensive than any other location when it comes to running a car.  Source: www.oneshift.com/new_cars/coed.php?coeid=236As a result, transport costs in Singapore are almost 3 higher than in New York. Mumbai in India offers the best value for money and is joined among the cheapest locations by South Asian cities such as New Delhi, Karachi in Pakistan and Kathmandu in Nepal. sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/singapore-named-worlds-most-expensive-city-economist-intelligence-015408023--sector.html
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Post by oldman on Mar 6, 2014 20:42:46 GMT 7
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Post by oldman on Mar 7, 2014 9:36:54 GMT 7
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Post by zuolun on Mar 7, 2014 14:08:23 GMT 7
oldman, There is stark similarity on the 2 men who handle the Little India's riot and SMRT's bus drivers' protest, Both men are paid top dollars but their performances are certainly below par... Is Desmond Kuek a responsible SMRT CEO?The strike itself is not his fault. The manner that involved himself in handling the crisis reflects poorly on him. It shows poor leadership and this attribute is important in a big organisation. He is the defacto role model of the organisation. Failed to engage the commuters who are his customers. They are fare paying customers and not welfare recipients.
The strike is not be his fault as he only recently took over the organisation. However it is certainly the fault of the organisation, SMRT. They failed on multiple fronts. He however for reasons best known to him chose to remain with his family on a holiday albeit claiming to be in touch. He did not address his customers who were inconvenienced. To compound the matter for reasons best known to him, he chose to appear at the dorm after everything was done and dusted and went overboard with PR photo opportunity. What was he trying to prove? That he was one with the workers. That he is Mister Empathy Par Excellence. - scroobal Police commander comes under fire for ‘staying put and doing nothing’ during riotFLASHPOINTMr Tee: Some of (what happened during the riots) you conveniently say you don't know, but what action have you taken about it? You must at least show that you are asserting control. The public is looking. What impression they have is from the perspective of rioters, and if no police actively arrest them, they'll say (the rioters) had free play. |
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Post by oldman on Mar 7, 2014 14:46:55 GMT 7
I think if people are paid well, they will do anything to protect their rice bowl. I don't think they will put themselves in harm's way... after all, they already have a good life.
Personally, I don't agree that paying people well will reduce corruption. Corruption takes place in the highest offices which suggests that more money corrupts even more. At the core of corruption is greed. Greed will not stop when you have more money... in fact, it usually gets worse.
The politicians I admire most are the earlier generation of Singapore leaders who run our country because they really want to make a difference. They are not driven by the multi million dollar salaries. They are instead driven by a sense of mission and responsibility. One can only admire such people.
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Post by zuolun on Mar 7, 2014 15:12:19 GMT 7
I think if people are paid well, they will do anything to protect their rice bowl. I don't think they will put themselves in harms way... after all, they already have a good life. Personally, I don't agree that paying people well will reduce corruption. Corruption takes place in the highest offices which suggests that more money corrupts even more. At the core of corruption is greed. Greed will not stop when you have more money... in fact, it usually gets worse. The politicians I admire most are the earlier generation of Singapore leaders who run our country because they really want to make a difference. They are not driven by the multi million dollar salaries. They are instead driven by a sense of mission and responsibility. One can only admire such people. oldman, Thanks for your objective view.  Truth Hurts... I admire your ability to put it in a summary, short and sharp. |
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Post by candy188 on Mar 7, 2014 18:02:50 GMT 7
If tough penalties like confiscation of property is being handed out, corruption cases will be almost non-existent.  If the government kept emphasizing the need to pay BIG money to them, then the people will demand to be serve well to retain the existence of the ruler, instead of valuing the years of nation building. SPP – "High salaries will not mitigate corruption"The government’s policy is that paying high salaries will mitigate corruption in the public and civil service. It is time for this policy to be questioned again. We urge the government to prioritise a ‘stick’ approach, rather than a ‘carrot’ approach, in tackling corruption.
Corruption can only be deterred if the penalties are costlier than the potential bribe received. This should begin with imposing tougher penalties for offences such as asset misappropriation.Singapore imposes tough jail terms on two senior civil servantsThe former head of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lim Cheng Hoe, was sentenced to 15 months in jail for inflating expenses for thousands of dollars' worth of pineapple tarts and wine bought as gifts for dignitaries.
According to charge sheets, Lim claimed for more than 10,000 boxes of pineapple tarts, a popular savoury in Singapore, but only 2,200 were used as gifts.  In a separate case, Edwin Yeo Seow Hiong, an assistant director at the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, was sentenced to ten years in jail for misappropriating $US1.4 million worth of government funds.
Yeo had used the government funds he misappropriated to gamble at a casino. 
Five virtues that Confucius stated that one need to lead a good life: compassion, decency, good manners, insight, and fidelity.I think if people are paid well, they will do anything to protect their rice bowl. I don't think they will put themselves in harm's way... after all, they already have a good life. Personally, I don't agree that paying people well will reduce corruption. Corruption takes place in the highest offices which suggests that more money corrupts even more. At the core of corruption is greed. Greed will not stop when you have more money... in fact, it usually gets worse.
 The politicians I admire most are the earlier generation of Singapore leaders who run our country because they really want to make a difference. They are not driven by the multi million dollar salaries. They are instead driven by a sense of mission and responsibility. One can only admire such people. 
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Post by oldman on Mar 7, 2014 19:56:34 GMT 7
In the private sector, if you make a mistake, you can lose your job. This is why we are all on our toes all the time. We will not be given a chance of staying on "to clean our mess"... which is another way of saying, here is your second chance. There is no second chance in the real corporate world. That is why we in the private sector are paid well. We don't have an iron rice bowl.
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Post by candy188 on Mar 7, 2014 22:09:52 GMT 7
When the top gun in public sector commit a grave error, they just apologise and stated honest mistake.  In private sector, the top gun will bear the brunt of the axe and asked to leave immediately... even if the mistake is committed by your subordinate. Remembered a case where a senior executive utilised the bank fund for his money exchange business during weekends but was detected after 20 years, his immediate boss and head of department were served termination letters on the spot while I worked in a foreign bank previously.  Don’t take advantage of people, Minister Balakrishnan tells WPDr Balakrishan then distributed a dossier containing evidence, before specifically pointing out documents showing that Ms Lim had been untruthful. Speaking to WP Chief Low Thia Kiang, he said: “Politics is a contest for power,  but the key principle when you have power is,
don’t take advantage of people under your charge, and always be honest and upfront with them. All of us will make mistakes. When a mistake is made, just come clean and say so, but don’t cover up. That’s why I have not let this go, because it is not about cleanliness of the ceiling, it is about clean politics, and I appeal to you because I know you to be an honourable man. I appeal to you, go back, do a thorough investigation of what’s gone wrong in your TC and put it right, set it right. I have confidence that you will do so, Mr Low.”  MCYS minister: We miscalculated on YOG budgetDr Vivian Balakrishnan has admitted that his team had miscalculated the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) budget. He explained that the games exceeded its original budget of S$104 million by over three times because it was the first time that such an event was organised and there was no other model for reference.The 50-year-old, who heads the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), insisted that his team "did not overspend or waste or squander" the S$387 million budget allocated to the project. In fact, he proudly declared that they spent much less. 
“Limping Terorist” escapes – 10 questions for Wong Kan Seng“Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng has cited a lapse in security at the Whitley Detention Centre on Wednesday as the cause for the escape of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) member Mas Selamat Kastari.”“ Mas Selamat had been taken from his cell to another part of the detention centre for a visit from his family. He then asked to be allowed to visit the toilet, where he escaped.”Are PAP Ministers Man Enough?What voters care about is whether their lives are Better, AS A RESULT OF YOUR MILLION-DOLLAR SALARIES.The reason voters are pissed off is because their lives have not got better. And to add insult to inury, PAP Ministers gives all kinds of excuses. “Once in 50-year event”, “Learning Experience”, “Honest Mistake. Let’s Move On”, “It cannot be helped”, “30-year HDB mortgages are affordable”, etc.PAP Ministers are not man enough to resign, to take the accountability that comes about with the post.
Now PM Lee says that ministers should be accountable, whatever the pay, but “Singaporeans must evaluate ministers fairly”, and “they cannot expect ministers to never make mistakes.” The key point is, i f your ministers and your government didn’t make people’s lives better, you do not deserve the pay you asked for. If your ministers made serious mistakes, you should just fire them if they didn’t offer their resignation already.In the private sector, if you make a mistake, you can lose your job.
This is why we are all on our toes all the time. We will not be given a chance of staying on "to clean our mess"... which is another way of saying, here is your second chance. There is NO SECOND CHANCE in the real corporate world. That is why we in the private sector are paid well. We don't have an iron rice bowl.
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Post by zuolun on Mar 7, 2014 22:14:22 GMT 7
In the private sector, if you make a mistake, you can lose your job. This is why we are all on our toes all the time. We will not be given a chance of staying on "to clean our mess"... which is another way of saying, here is your second chance. There is no second chance in the real corporate world. That is why we in the private sector are paid well. We don't have an iron rice bowl. "Our mistakes don't make or break us - if we're lucky, they simply reveal who we really are, what we're really made of." — Donn Moomaw |
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Post by oldman on Mar 8, 2014 7:29:02 GMT 7
Excellent video. Yes, doctors make mistakes all the time. I sadly belong to the majority who don't like talking about my mistakes. Brave guy to break out of the mould and tell it as it is. My respects to him. In the private sector, if you make a mistake, you can lose your job. This is why we are all on our toes all the time. We will not be given a chance of staying on "to clean our mess"... which is another way of saying, here is your second chance. There is no second chance in the real corporate world. That is why we in the private sector are paid well. We don't have an iron rice bowl. "Our mistakes don't make or break us - if we're lucky, they simply reveal who we really are, what we're really made of." — Donn Moomaw |
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