Why does a ministerial payrise require weeks and weeks of non-stop, daily dose of defense and justification from ministers? Is it that Singaporeans are too stupid to understand the importance of an increment, or is it the opposite – that Singaporeans are no longer as guillible as before?

Today, Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean continues to defend the government’s stand. He attempts to convince Singaporeans with the following statement:

This little red dot is very special because all of us have taken the trouble to take care of it very very well. All Singaporeans have worked hard to make Singapore special. The government is a special government – carefully constructed, bringing in the best people so that it can move Singapore forward, even with all the disadvantages that we have – the lack of resources, the position that we are in the region and in the world. And, Singapore is helped along by a first-class, excellent, efficient, uncorrupted public service that helps it to achieve Singaporeans’ dreams.

I wonder which government doesn’t think that it is a special one? In this case, if I am right that most governments around the world think they are unique and special in their own right, then why don’t every government in the world attempt to raise their ministers’ salaries to similar levels as this little red dot’s?

No doubt, Singapore’s civil service is relatively first-class, efficient and uncorrupted compared to others in the region. Thus, it is fair that civil servants should get market rate salaries. However, that is missing the point – the point is, the benchmark is flawed.

Now, imagine if the US benchmarks salaries for top civil servants in the same manner as Singapore does – by taking the average salary of top XX earners in the country. Top earners in the States earn more than those in Singapore… if this is a good benchmark, then the US government will go broke!

I wonder how the benchmark was derived? Which economist came up with this? Is there any evidence that this is a right benchmark to follow? Is this a fair, unbiased methodology?

These are the questions bugging many Singaporeans, not the fact that Singapore has a good civil service. Instead of addressing these issues in question, we are being treated to daily stories on how good these people are. Yes, we already know we’ve got a good civil service – now, can we be shown the supporting evidence that the benchmark is a fair one?  Can we also be given asssurance that a payrise based on % GDP improvement will not result in “window-dressing” activities?

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