Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Security - role of government and business

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Security - role of government and business

The Mnistry of Home Affairs has said that security should not be left to the Government and that businesses should also play their part. They were referring to the recent incident of lax security at the MRT depot in Changi.

I agree. However, it is important for the Government to spend more money on security and that it should be supplemented by business entities. The Government cannot leave this matter to the business entities as there is no clarity on the level of security that is needed and businesses are more focused on their bottom line.

It is important for the Government to put in sufficient funds and effort to ensure a hgih standard of security, law and order, and ask business to play their part to supplement the government's efforts. Our standard of security and many other aspects of public life has dropped during the past decade, due to the policy of cutting cost and leaving things "to the market". We should be prepared to increase our pubic budget in line with the increase in the population.

Tan Kin Lian

13 comments:

Anonymous said...: "Singapore security: Not just Govt's job"
Straits Times, 13 June, front page headlines.

- Yes, we know
- everything also not your job
- but your million dollar salary is yours and yours alone

- You don't owe us a living
- But we owe you a living

Another perspective on,
Yet another startling newspaper headlines,
Sincerely
Mr Obvious Man; June 13, 2010 7:43 AM
Lye Khuen Way said...: This latest security slip showed up a number of interesting aspects of Singapore.
1) Government expect private enterprises to do their part,
2) Private enterprises, including GLC expect "everyone" to do their part !
3)private citizens , like myself expect the Government to do its part !
Boy ! How the art of Tai-chi has evolved in Singapore.
I expect the Home Ministry to push to the Transport Ministry. So they both, now woke up the little known PTSC to issue a statement, some 3 weeks after the breach. Soon , we will have the Law Ministry in the act, as well !

By the way, as someone else noted, why was the cut in the fence not detected ? Does SMRT expect some busybody to patrol their perimeter fence ?; June 13, 2010 8:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Soon , every citizen will be asked to be a vigilante to patrol all govt properties when they sleep with million dollar below their pillows.; June 13, 2010 9:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Are citizen not already doing their part! I do not understand the message they are trying to put across.; June 13, 2010 11:59 AM
Anonymous said...: Be careful!.. next they will audit and assess you for your 'part' and failure will attract penalities.

lets invite politicians from other countries and pay them to run ours.. after all its market forces right?; June 13, 2010 3:09 PM
Anonymous said...: Over the last 10-15 years, PAP govt has been getting more & more inefficient and ineffective. The money needed to feed them gets bigger and bigger, but many outcomes are worse and worser.

E.g. Lower quality of life, more stressful, need to work harder and longer, no more retirement unless you have at least $1M in cash, cannot take out CPF due to ever-increasing minimum sum, lesser & lesser job security, cost of living outstripping salary, depressed wages due to cheap foreigners, ever-widening income gaps, high unemployment for 40+yr old citizens, more & more chronic unemployment of 1 yr and longer, you die your business environment, everything you do must be with eyes big big, unforgiving society for you & your family but elites don't need to account for big mistakes, no social safety net, a foreigner with unknown-degree willing to take $1.6K is more valuable than a citizen who serve 2.5yrs NS + 13 yrs reservist, etc, etc...

Isn't all the above and much more proof that this govt has totally regressed and is completely unproductive and deserves an F9 grade?

Imagine you have a colleague, and this guy keeps getting huge salary increments and promotions, but he doesn't do much work, just routine stuff, and even worse cocks-up on big projects. You work your ass off, 60 hrs a week, but don't get any recognition at all; instead you get scolding from boss, salary get cut, salary don't get fully restore, little or no increments, no promotions, and everytime your boss threatens you with sacking you.

Will you be happy? If answer is NO, then why are you so contented by having this govt continuing to be in power and rubbing salt into your wounds?; June 13, 2010 5:02 PM
Anonymous said...: ""Foxconn and Honda workers very quickly received 30% increase in wages once labor problems surfaced.""

How much were your increments over the past few years??

Those who were retrenched or "under-employed" get nothing.
They are getting cheaper & faster.; June 13, 2010 11:01 PM
C H Yak said...: I totally agree with Mr Tan; regarding SMRT profit centred-ness and issue on cost cutting...perhaps even thinking commuters should bear the cost.

There is also an issue with responsibility...across the board.

Read my blog: -

http://de-leviathan.blogspot.com/2010/06/smrt-security-whose-job-and-who-to-bear.html; June 14, 2010 12:34 AM
Anonymous said...: "Singapore security: Not just Govt's job"
Straits Times, 13 June, front page headlines.

versus the reaction of the England goalkeeper, Robert Green, when he made a mistake and let the USA score an easy goal.

"But Green refused to make any excuses and admitted that the blame lay entirely with him. He said: "I saw the ball coming, thought I had it covered, but missed it. It was my mistake. I must live with it."

Source:
Straits Times, 14 June, page B11, 4th column from the right, 3rd paragraph from the bottom.

What a world of difference in terms of taken responsibility for the outcome. I don't see any tai-chi moves here.

And I don't think Robert Green is being paid a very high salary since he is West Ham's goalkeeper in the regular season.

Another startling news story,
brought to your attention by,
Mr Obvious Man; June 14, 2010 8:10 AM
Anonymous said...: Security and safety are indeed the concern of everybody. And that is, everyone has to ensure his/her and its' wellbeings. Meaning, the company takes care of itself, You take care of yourself and me takes care of myself. The Ministers take cares of themselves. Is this not the practice in SIN now ?

patriot; June 14, 2010 9:19 AM
symmetrix said...: This govt haa a tendency to blame the ppl when something goes wrong. First, with Mas Selamat's escape. Now, with vandalism on MRT train.

These shameless politicians must realise that they are earning millions of taxpayers dollars, yet cannot do their job effectively. Always blaming "the other guy". They should consider returning some of their excessive salaries back to the ppl, and the ppl will gladly accept joint responsibility for any security breaches.; June 14, 2010 1:52 PM
C H Yak said...: Q
"Singapore security: Not just Govt's job"
Straits Times, 13 June, front page headlines.
UQ
&
Q
Security and safety are indeed the concern of everybody.
UQ

The SMRT depot is a "Protected & Restricted Place"...these are gazetted places...you see a sign with "Soldier firing rifle at any intruder"...whose responsibility is clear.

I used to belong to a reservist unit doing such protection of installation training for some sensitive civilian installations...but for wartime.

There was certainly a neglect of responsibility at the TOP level, in respect of the secuirty SMRT depots...forget about stations and bus interchanges which are not "restricted areas".

Is it a job for the super-salaried Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security appointed just to care about security coordination or the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs taking care of the HOMETEAM or is it the direct responsibility of the SMRT CEO who is equally well-spurred in terms of salary motivation ? As it is peace time, we can leave MINDEF out.

No budget for SMRT? - And looking to recover from commuters? ... Cheapest way; say everything is public responsibility...public to feedback and public to blame...but this time, the public was not complacent and spotted it...but sent to You-Tube...maybe they tried to cover up on MSM and took so long to inform the public...but already on You-Tube...LOL.

Read my blog.
http://de-leviathan.blogspot.com/2010/06/security-of-key-installations-whose-job.html; June 14, 2010 1:56 PM
sgynic said...: Singapore security: Not just Govt's job?

Whose CORE BUSINESS is it?

Stop pushing the buck while getting all the credit.

Shameless.; June 14, 2010 3:46 PM