Tan Kin Lian's Blog: View problems in perspective

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

View problems in perspective

Here are three responses to SM Goh's speech:

Lucky Tan
Singapore Notes
Singapore Recalictrant

My view
Different people have different perspectives, because they are affected by circumstances in different ways. For most people, they do not earn enough and the cost of living is too high. Their perspective is to struggle daily and feel the discomfort of crowded trains and buses and the stress of life. It is quite different from the perspective of government leaders who earn high salaries and perks, and receive the comfort given by their subordinates.

5 comments:

C H Yak said...: I agree whole heartedly with Lucky & Mr.Tan's comments.

Quote ST Online
"WHEN Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was a young civil servant working in the former Fullerton Building, he had, on occasion, waited as long as one hour to catch a bus home.

Today, most people who fail to get on a packed MRT train have to wait just six to eight minutes to get on the second or third train."

Unquote

How many hours he worked when he first started as a civil servant. 8am to 5pm at most, I suppose. He could still afford his first HDB flat or whatever.

How long the average Singaporean works today? And they still struggle to buy and pay off the first HDB flat. According to a report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), SINGAPORE's workers continue to lead the pack when it comes to the number of hours they put in at work - The Straits Times put the working hours here in Singapore at 45.9 hours a week for 2008 and the first quarter of last year. In 2007, the figure was 46.3 hours. I believe it is actually longer. I used to work for a Korean MNC contractor, I work at least 54 hours per week (lack of benefits aside).

He could have waited 1 hour for a bus but took 15 ~ 30 mins to reach home. Now anyone taking bus maybe have to wait for 15 mins but will take more than 1 hr to reach home, notwithstanding working longer hours.

He does not understand and appreciate the problem from the perspective of a commoner...which is necessary to solve social ills...and not for defending or praising public policies.

In the old days, they could let the grassroot organisations "recce" and report back the problems. Govt leaders could set themselves apart as a different class from the commoner and then decide what to do. Today, no way out with the electorate. Problems must be solved "upfront"...and that is exactly what they call "productivity".; September 07, 2010 9:16 AM
Koh said...: Mr Goh has lost touch with the ground! That's why he is having dialogue sessions with his constituents! It's time he listens & emphatise more & stop scolding & brushing the residents' legitimate complaints as nuisance!!; September 07, 2010 11:53 AM
Unknown said...: As mentioned by Mr.Goh, it is the problem of our own success. Did we asked for such a success in the first place? Even though we would like such success but it should be at a pace that our infrastructure and environment as well as our common people can catch up and appreciates such success. It seems like the success is only catered to certain group of citizens and non-citizens to appreciates because they are the one that benefits most from the wealth generated by the success.
To conclude, the Govt while contributing to such success as claimed due to having good, talented and honest ministers, so deos the problems coming along with it.; September 07, 2010 2:20 PM
JRT said...: I wish to side track to another topic

I read the Hong Kong hostages saga in Manila with interest. The Hong Kong govt is very proactive and very vocal. They came out at first instance and hit out hard at Philippines government, and immediately tried to make contact with the Philippines President. They even arranged a chartered flight to bring the pple home. I respect the Hong Kong govt (like like how they handled the Lehman Brothers saga).

The Hong Kong pple also came together to grieve and protest against the Philippine govt, and Jacky Chan pledge of support for the Phillipines was quickly, ruthlessly and rightly gunned down

Had the hostages been Singaporeans, how would our government react? How would Singaporeans react?; September 08, 2010 9:15 AM
Recruit Ong said...: JRT, i tell u how the pap gahmen will react. it will do nothing to offend the pinoy gahmen, instead get the 148th media to spin and label the dead as "Heroes" and such euphemisms just like what happen to the mumbai terrorist victim. lots of national mourning and grandstanding lah hahaha; September 08, 2010 12:40 PM