Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Convoluted

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Convoluted - the Singapore way

Singapore policy makers have a convoluted way of handling issues. For those who are not familiar with this word, it means "Extremely complex and difficult to follow."

I have mentioned the CPF contribution rate that requires a person to refer to 6 brightly colored booklets of 19 pages each. How about setting the CPF contribution rate at 16%? It does not require many complicated tables.

How about workfare - which is lauded by our MPs as being better than a minimum wage. Here is the convoluted WIS (in case you don't know, it meas Workfare Income Supplement). I hope that our MPs, who love workfare, are able to understand how much is being paid to the low income workers. http://mycpf.cpf.gov.sg/Members/Gen-Info/WIS/WIS_Scheme.htm. Why can't the supplement be paid monthly and depend only on the income of the worker for that month?

What about GST Offset Package? Here is the table: http://www.gstoffset.gov.sg/GSTCredits.htm The table is simple, but figuring out the category that a person falls under require some research, i.e. the annual value of a house or the assessable income. What's wrong with giving every person a flat $300 or whatever amount?

There are many more of our convulated practices all over the place. Many of us experience them all the time. We give up trying to understand them. Each set of convoluted practices is designed by a large team of highly educated experts who can spend long hours to produce the complex tables and web calculators. They can spend the time because this is their job. They forget that every citizen has to do his daily work and live his daily life, and do not have the time to figure out the complexities that are created by five, ten or more agencies.

Welcome to convoluted Singapore.
Tan Kin Lian

6 comments:

sgcynic said...: The difference between the private and public sector is that the latter is paid to operationalise. The more work they appear to do, the better the chances of promotion and renumeration.; January 13, 2011 9:24 AM
jovan said...: *applause*
i share your exact sentiment on this. in order for them the scholars to be deem "useful or productive" and not made redundant. We get all the complex table, why cant many of the things made simpler when it can be.

although alot of countries copied our cpf system. however they copied in a intelligent way where they simplified the contribution rate process unlike ours.; January 13, 2011 9:48 AM
C H Yak said...: Singapore Govt is still stuck with a 3rd World mindset.

When S'pore was poor, the Govt then had to think all ways to make things very complicated and difficult, so the ordinary people just simply gave up trying; especially if they are ignorant.

Now, the Govt still adopts the same technique to handle the masses in many ways because they want to control everything while justifying a high salary for the civil service and the Govt. At the lower level of the civil service, it becomes a way to push away responsibilities by subjecting all to this mindset.

And because most of the corporates and service providers are GLC, they also follow the same mindset.

Ironically, they call for all Singaporeans to boost productivity without admitting the Govt and its mindset are the root causes.; January 13, 2011 11:58 AM
rex said...: rex comment as follows,
it is not just the government. The poison is everywhere in singapore. I look at the banking system for fixed deposit i want to faint. One bank start an "innovative" scheme of paying interests, which involve a complicated formula and a table to compute the interest under different tiers, and before long, all the banks follow such stupid ideas and try to outdo each other with more complicated rules to calculate. I don't know why they cant just say,interest is N% period. They have to complicate it so much that you have to really spend a lot of time figuring out which bank is better deal for fixed deposits. The worst thing is in the general newspaper advertisement, some key facts are not written, just marked asterisks "Terms and conditions apply", then you have to make phone call to understand what they really mean.

Life in the '70's was a much more pleasant experience, without computers, casinos and cocky government/banks.

rex; January 13, 2011 3:11 PM
Unknown said...: I am reminded of the Monkey Paradox where monkeys are sprayed with water when they try to reach for a banana at the top of a ladder.

I believe we should try and recall why there are 5 booklets (there are only 5 on cpf.gov.sg) needed just to determine the CPF contribution rate. Why did we not stick to a flat rate in the first place? I believe this discussion will be more enlightening than griping about the administrative work involved. Lest we end up in a situation hoping we had different rates for workers of various ages, nationalities and commitments.

Let's not be the monkeys.; January 13, 2011 4:57 PM
Tan Choon Hong said...: Some things never change. Back in the 60s, to deal with the ROV (Registrar of Vehicles, now the LTA) was so complicated especially for the less educated that there are "chye hoo" or clerks who for a fee will help you navigate the system. These self-employed individuals operate from tiny 2 x 3 feet tables stationed on the five-foot way along Middle Road where the ROV was located. They type the necessary forms and help direct you to the right counter to queue.

Perhaps having a convoluted system which requires an army of civil servants who are beholden to the government for their livelihood ensures the ruling party a deep pool of friendly voters.; January 14, 2011 1:34 AM