Today, I received an interesting comment from a reader all the way from Denmark. Here is his well-researched and insightful response, reproduced in full.
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I read with interest Mentor Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s remark in Singapore’s Parliament that Denmark, Finland and Switzerland can afford mediocrity in the remuneration of their ministers.
I shall restrict my observations to Denmark and Finland.
These 2 Nordic countries reward their leaders, in both the private and public sectors, somewhat less handsomely than Singapore. Despite this, I would suggest that both countries’ governments are by no means mediocre, and neither have they evinced any indication of being able to afford it.
Finland has managed to weather the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 90s, a market for 20% of its exports, in no small part due to its successful transformation from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy. Its leading multinational, Nokia, is the market leader in the mobile telecommunications industry, with a global market share of 36% in the manufacture of mobile phones (Q42006) and revenues of €41.121 billion (2006). While most of the credit for this success story can be attributed to the Finnish private sector, Finland’s government had a significant role to play in creating the optimal framework for the flourishing of the technology sector. From the mid 1960s onwards, there were special efforts to expand higher education, with a law on higher education passed in 1966, the result being that Finns are some of the most well-educated people in the world.
The Finnish government was also instrumental in pushing for the promotion of GSM as the European mobile telephony standard, based on the Nordic countries’ experience of NMT, an earlier, pan-Nordic standard. The early adoption of GSM in Finland provided the platform for Nokia’s global breakthrough. Decades before the global liberalization of telecommunications markets in the 1990s, Finland’s telecoms market had already been liberalized, and thus had possibly the world’s most competitive market for telecom operators and equipment makers. Credit for this is in no small part due to the role of the Finnish government. Finland devotes a higher percentage of its GNP to research and development than most countries, and the role of the government has been critical, especially in the early 90s, where public-funded research increased despite recession.
In the case of Denmark, the government made the decision in the 1970s to intensify research into renewable energy. Important research was carried out at Risoe, the government research centre, into wind energy. It took political courage to subsidize feeder tariffs for wind turbine-produced electricity. That decision has paid off handsomely. Today, Danish-based companies have a global market share of ca. 50% in the manufacture of wind turbines, an industry with global annual growth rates of 30%, and estimated revenues of €10 billion (2006, est.). Indeed Denmark’s Vestas has recently set up engineering and research facilities in Singapore.
In more general terms, I would submit that both countries’ systems and governments are not mediocre, and are like Singapore’s, acutely aware of not being able to afford it. Rather than Europe being there to catch Finland and Denmark should they falter, both countries have been net contributors to the European Union budget since their accession. Mediocrity is not a hallmark of either society either. In the last 30 years, both countries, despite their small populations, have produced individuals who have won Olympic gold medals, Oscars and Nobel Prizes. They have produced New Economy pioneers, for example Finland’s Linus Torvalds, the creater of Linux (an open-source operating system and competitor to Microsoft’s Windows) and Denmark’s Janus Friis, co-founder of Skype (a peer-to-peer telephony application).
In conclusion, both countries’ positions as globally competitive economies and high-achieving societies have been attained against the backdrop of low corruption levels, and high levels of trust between citizens and government, and seemingly despite high taxes and comprehensive welfare states. This has not required stratospheric levels of remuneration of government leaders and officials.
Mr. Gregory Glen
Holstebro, Denmark
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Hmmm… people talk about Singaporeans being rude, I wonder if they’ve ever been to Hong Kong or Shanghai or New York. And is it true that people in those places are less educated than Singapore.
But I think that people usually think in either of 2 ways:
1. The government is very powerful and we are successful because of it.
2. The government is very powerful and is screwing us all up.
But have you considered a 3rd possibility:
3. The government didn’t affect us that much.
Maybe Singapore is successful because Chinese people seem to succeed anywhere they go. The government didn’t have anything to do with Singaporeans being hardworking.
Maybe if the government tells you 1 thing and your mother tells you another thing you listen to your mother.
Maybe the really successful people, the great businessmen are not the type of people who like to listen to the government.
Maybe all along the government is claiming too much credit.
The quality of a country’s people is certainly reflective of its government. In the same vein, the way a country’s people behave outside of their home country reflects the attitude of its government. Bear in mind, however, that the government is made up of many characters/personalities.
Having travelled quite extensively and lived/worked in Shanghai in the mid-90s, I’ve met many Singaporeans abroad who are arrogant, loutish and downright rude. I’ve also met Singaporeans who are courteous, helpful and kind. ‘Citizens of the world’ as I define them.
One can’t deny that in our formative years, we needed a certain self-confidence and bravado in order to progress. The plaudits have been well-documented over the decades. However, in progressing to a First World country, I feel we are behind in terms of our EQ. The attitudes of the previous generation need to be tempered now with a certain ‘diplomatic sophistication’.
I agree that before we make remarks about others, we need to look at ourselves.
While it is inevitable that toes will be stepped on, I think our government needs to carefully consider the ramifications of remarks that are made by its senior leaders. I for one do not agree that they reflect the sentiment of our people because having been to northern Europe (albeit as a tourist), I marvel at the quality of life their citizens enjoy.
[...] Do read this. [...]
Unless the countrymen can convince the government otherwise, I believe the pay hike is a done deal. This issue is very educational not only to the Singaporeans but to the whole world as well. The way it was carried out had certainly created ripples …
I just got news that Singapore Govt is to be awarded a Nobel Prize
For Humility and Highest Salaries in the World !
The Envy of the World !!
If the MM is reminded of all the achievements of the countries that he labelled as having “mediocre” government, he might left the comparison out of his speech.
But the MM appears not to be one who accepts other views well. He is entrenched in his own views. For years, he’s ruffled feathers everywhere. He’s got his admirers and detractors.
The argument is simple-
If you want to be friends with the Singapore people, share their fate, hopes and dreams and have the same future
Otherwise join the ranks of the greedy, money grabing CEOs
Who voted them in office any way ? The ordinary honest hardworking Singaporeans or the conniving business leaders ?
just had a thought this morning – there seems to be a very close parallel of this situation with a recent gold tap incident…
the protagonist was a hard working idealist and decided that he would like a larger remuneration for the work he carried out. after all he was not well paid in the earlier years and sacrificed so much, was away from his family and worked 20hrs a day. the results of his efforts was a world class institution recognised internationally.
to ensure continued success he selected and picked capable like minded people and gave them large remuneration packages. to satisfy the public, his own package was approved by a board committee.
please draw your own conclusions…
Its good to know that there are so many readers who are contributing their opinions. I have something to comment after reading all the 56 above.
Kiasuism was molded onto its people by the govt of Spore over time. If you look at it closely, the govt started this kiasu thing. You’ve to pay in advance for everything and when money is due back to you from the govt, you have to collect. Eg. smart card, parking coupons etc. Else where, the govt authorities need to collect from you.
Spore govt will deduct your CPF to buy insurance and what other health isurance where they deem fit and if you do not want to be in this scheme, you need to opt out. Why cant it be the reverse?? I am sad for those senior citizens who cant read and is not aware of this scheme and losing thier savings in the CPF.
In Holland, thier senior citizens get free medical attention after retirement, and the above 60 yrs even get free help from the govt to repair their roof or TV athenas as it is dangerous for them to climb. What do we get from Spore??
You can only use part of your medi-save even when there is enough to cover for the entire amount. Govt starts to shift the withdrawal amount when they want to. CPF is our force savings, return it to the retirees upon retirement age, not keep thier money and tell them how and when to spent it.
My saying is,, Govt is so kiasu that you squanter all your savings away and they need to take care of you,, so where is the love for its own citizens who had been paying taxes all these years,, they need to fend for themselves when they retire with not only no help from the Spore govt but having their savings locked up like a 5 yrs old kid and being told as to how to spend it.
I know of people who is so frastrated that they gave up their citizenship to withdraw their savings and the govt condems them as quitters while foriegners who take up citizenship are named FT.
Its our educational system that brings about kiasuism and behaviour of its people are part of the educational system. The govt gave no room for mistakes, you do it correctly or die but yet our Ching Ho is allow to make mistakes one after the other and is comfortably sitting there squantering our CPF money.
I am not a quitter but a FT abroad. Just give me back my entitled savings in the CPF and I am happy where I am outside Spore.
Dear Mr. Glen, first and foremost, I would like to apologise on behalf of majority of singaporeans for the remarks which may have offended you and your fellow citizens. I don’t think the rest of the Singaporeans share the same sentiments. On the contrary we do have high a regard for the goverments and people of Finland & Denmark.
If you could be so kind as to write to our national paper, it would indeed be a big favor to us. The details are as follows:-
Letters to the Forum editor
Please include your full name (as in IC), your address and a telephone contact number. For women, please indicate Miss, Mrs or Ms.
Send your letters via e-mail: stforum@sph.com.sg
or Fax (65) 6319-8289
When you write to The Straits Times Forum page, we take it that you agree to allow us to archive, resell or reproduce the letter in any way and in any medium.
If you wish to contact the editor of a particular section, a comprehensive list of our key editors is here.
A very well articulated piece by Mr Gregory Glen.
While I agree the ministers’ pay has to be in line with market rate, but to assume the entire civil service to be pegged accordingly after the ministers’ pay sounds like an old idea stolen from why we have GRC during GE. Firstly, you rationalise using the heavy weights and then conveniently move the rest (some mediocre ones) into the scheme. We need the government to be more transparent than this.
This is a clear sign that the ruling party is feeling extremely insecure about itself for the foreseeable future in the area of attracting new blood and retaining the old in public office. Holding public office comes from the heart and soul of a person who aspires to be an MP or minister. It is reinforces the fact that material driven society we live in is fully endorsed and blessed by our leaders. We have often heard our leaders holler when other nations’ leaders were to pass comments or remarks about us. It is interfering meddling in our domestic politics. We seem to have all the licence on the planet to do it to them. Maybe we have the licence to do so as diplomatic protocol allows immunity to one who has reached a certain age. So far in life, I have learnt that only wine and bank balances get better with age. It seems I’ll have to add politicians to that list as well.
I wish to apologise to the three countries and their citizens.
If anyone of them would offer me their citizenship, I’ll gladly pack to catch the next flight out.
I did not vote for the current mediocre government we have, but I suspect the majority of Singaporeans didn’t either. The 66.6% is the majority of a minority only. The truth is still out there.
Mr Glen, please bear with our senile MM for a few more years, like most of us do in Singapore.
I am confident your country will still exist after another 40 years. I am not so sure about our tiny dot still being around then.
Again, my sincere apologies.
One of the most successful and insidious ways for governments to cream money out of the populace is through inflation,i.e. by increasing the money supply. Of course the “increase” is, to put it in another way, the government just printing money, spending it, and as it trickles down into the economy, translates into inflation. Inflation means that the purchasing power of your dollar has declined as more $ are out there chasing the same amount of goods and services. Of course wages increase a little as the money trickles down, but it will never catch up with inflation. If you were to measure your cost of living year-to-year, you will get the true rate of inlfation, not the statistics issued by the government, and from there, you can extrapolate how much more was sucked out of your income (besides taxes, GST, etc.) to pay for government spending!
Ministers, ministers of state and parliamentary secretary etc should stand for election on single constituencies rather than helming GRC.The first generation leaders all stood in single ward constituencies and they had no difficulty getting elected before the introduction of GRC.Singaporeans are now mature and sophisticated and should be given a chance to vote.Let Singaporeans decide whether a minister is worth getting their millions at the general election.If ministers are
able to reduce the cost of housing, education, health and transport,then even a salary of 5 million dollars is justified.
What is worrisome is that all ministers ,except the defence minister, will be judged by the PM and MM on the amount of money they make in their ministry.Hence there will definitely be an increase in the cost of housing, education, transport and health etc.
We need to make these people millionaires in order to run our country well as we are in shortage of intelligent, capable and honest people.
We do not have capable and good opposition parties to speak rightly for the people, as most had migrated, therefore our Ministers deserve the millions to speak on our behalf.
This is a very urgent matter, we must save as much as possible and increase all taxes as soon as possible so that we are able to pay millions of dollars to attract perfect intelligent people to run and keep our country ahead and even teach others how to be more democratic.
We must work harder to keep paying our inflated house and car values so that we do not have any free time to joint political parties to go against the government.
Keep up the good work and good luck to those intelligent voters who had supported the PAP.
Spore is a unique country being a small dot but is in the first world category.
Please do believe that most Singaporeans are not arrogant people and do not believe in commenting on how other governments run their countries. Its just those who want to glorify themselves and demean others that they pass such comments. We hope to maintain good and cordial relationships with people of all nations.
[...] Danish Citizen Disputes MM Lee’s “Mediocre Government” Comment Source: http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/danish-citizen-responds-to-mm-lees-mediocre-government-comment.html [...]
anyone consider the fact that maybe singapore has limited lifespan and PAP men are enriching themselves, and parking most of their wealth overseas to prepare to run away when Singapore goes belly up?
by that time we open up the treasury to find maybe its all empty thanks to Ho Ching’s bad management and President Nathan or some former ISD man who is made president did not do a thing to stop the funds being spent?
singapore dollar will overnight be worth less than 1 Rupiah.
or 1 Peso.
our maids will be richer than us!
the devil has bequethed its bride with money and that will
at the end destroy the moral human values in a nation. money gives you power and ultimately destroys the soul. you will end up with a population of mercenaries.
God save Singapore.
I am living in Singapore for 2 years plus. My family and I decided to leave Singapore by the end of this year.
I am shocked of the education my daughter is receiving here. This city (country) is ruled by a dictator/monarch. I am not sure what yet what form.
It is sad to see that the average Singaporeans are constantly brainwashed to the benefit of the “ruling” class.
The “Minister Mentor” & his whole gang should be ashamed. Raising GST, making Singapore uninhabitable for the normal person, raising their salaries… The list is long.
I for one have had enough. I rather pay my tax in an other country. I feel sorry for the normal Singaporean and their actually nice country. What will their future be? The costs of living here is spiraling and the politicians need a raise – natural.
If one is such a greedy person, one should keep low profile and not risk to talk so much dumb and insulting nonsense to distract from the reality. A knowledgeable population represented b y a greedy totalitarian narrow minded family.
I, as a foreigner express my sorrow to the Singaporean population.
As a foreigner and a mother, I feel raising children here a dilemma. How does one explain the disparity in ‘incomes’ among proffessional and ministers [who are civil servants]. Politics is a service to the public and a noble cause, as a priest devote his Life to the Chrurch. A minister devote his life to his country!
How can we raise our children to have ‘a backbone’ if this country is run like in medieval times. Whatever the King says must be obeyed or beheaded!!
This is the 21st Century.
Singaporean ….you are nice people please stand up for your rights!! Speak Up . Unity is strength! Do it as a group!
Quote from animal farm:
…“Comrades!” he cried. “You do not imagine, I hope, that
we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the wellbeing of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for YOUR sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Yes, Jones would come back! Surely, comrades,”
cried Squealer almost pleadingly, skipping from side to side
and whisking his tail, “surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?”
Now if there was one thing that the animals were completely certain of, it was that they did not want Jones back. When it was put to them in this light, they had no more to say. The importance of keeping the pigs in good health was all too obvious. So it was agreed without further argument that the milk and the windfall apples (and also the main crop of apples when they ripened) should be reserved for the pigs alone…
The 2nd Exodus after Mosses lead the people out of Egypt:
So sorry for the remarks made by our MM.
To :The citizens of Denmark and Finland.
Do you have enough land and space to accomodate few hundred thousand or 1 to 2 million talented and hard working people. We are tired and frastrated people who wanted to find another land to build our homes. Lets them have increments and do what they wants.
My family migrated to Singapore for almost 70 years. I am the 3rd generation that my family have planted the roots in Singapore. I do not want my decendants to suffer in this type of enviroment and i wanted badly to uprooted the whole entire clan from this place and move to a new land to build our homes. Quick send your delegates and rescue team!. We want to find a peaceful place to build our homes.
Does this sound exactly like what is happening here?
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_shlaes&sid=aN24BW8B5Kqo
[...] have come up with companies like Linux, Nokia, Ericsson, among others. Mr Biao has published a letter by a Danish citizen about this [...]
I hope senile and arrogant men will stop passing disparaging remarks against other countries.
Please consider the plight and safety of Singaporeans working or holidaying overseas. These poor Singaporeans will be at the receiving end if there is back-lash arising from just stupid comments.
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What singapore lacks is a strong opposition. This can be largely attributed on the monopoly the Pap has. Unlike the United states and other countries it has always been the Pap. And how can we expect to have a strong opposition when the Pap keeps such a strong hold on all our media outlets and we don’t even have a free press. Opposition members are sued and put in jail for criticising the government. Is this freedom? We have no freedom of speech in Singapore. We don’t even have an independent paper. The straits times is owned by the government and instead of being a government watch dog which in more liberated countries is seen as the role of the media, it is a puppet, merely putting forth the views of the government. Our media is as bad as Fox news of the US except that we don’t have alternative media outlets to turn to to help us sift through the bias.
Besides that, the Pap continually brainwashes the youth. Going through 10 years of Singapore education (I am currently furthuring my studies in Australia), I find my views were greatly molded by subjects like Social Studies or History which showed Singapore, or more specifically, the PAP, in such a great light. Teachers exalted the role MM played in the attainment of independence. Countries like Malaysia are depicted as being unreasonable where our government was the honest, fair, understanding one. Is this truely the case? Can we continue to support PAP just because they made singapore work some 40 years ago? Even my own mother refuses to listen to reason and proudly declares support for the PAP and scolding me if i so much as mentioned anything negative about MM. I’m sick of hearing talk about the role MM played. Yes, he did help singapore succeed so many years ago. But he has been paid well for it. Times have changed and we cannot stick to the same beliefs that brought us through tough times before. The world is changing and sticking to old beliefs with do nothing to furthur Singaporean’s interest.
With regards to the pay of the ministers, I am totally disgusted. Yes, there have been no cases of Singapore ministers being corrupt, but what we are doing is as good as making it legal. Yes, they say that some of the ministers earned 200000 a month before joining the PAP. But surely this isnt’ the case every month, their pay wouldn’t be as stable as it is with the PAP. The reasoning given by the PAP is that paying large amounts of money is essential to get the very best. Shouldn’t there be a degree of public service invoved? That the ministers want to serve, though they might earn less, becuase they want to give back to their country? Isn’t that what the Pap advocates? Giving back to the country that has “given so much to you”. It is hypocritical and ridiculous to expect Singaporeans to give back to the country when our self serving ministers are only looking out for themselves and needing to be wooed by larger pay checks. How can they justify their 1m pay check? I read a comment above which siad that mm earned 3 million a year. I don’t know how reliable his/her sources are but all MM has done lately is criticise other governments. Criticising other governments is immature and if the PAP is as wonderful as they say they are then woudln’t they realise that it is in our interest not to piss everyone else off? Criticising other countries does nothing to help singapore.
I’m so sick and tired of PAP. They stifle and “dumb down” society by restricting their view points and discouraging different opinions. So many people are migrating to another country becuase they cannot take the way Singapore is being run by the PAP. There isn’t even any point in joining the opposition anymore because they are totally controlled by the PAP.
If I did have children one day, there is no way I would subject them to the education Singapore provides. How can we be called a democracy when all there is no choice. What we have on our hands is a dictatorship and to seal the deal, the PAP has done such a good job of brainwashing the general population is largely unaware of this.
Hi.
Good design, who make it?
Let’s all quit now and let foreign talent flood the place. then LKY can boast that he is ruling an international elite, and they will all bow to him and offer their humble obedience.
or he could pick a kennel of dogs to rule over too, since that’s how he treats his fellow Singaporeans.
wonder how come some old people refuse to roll over and die.
http://www.topwomen.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=26898
Naive comments from such as elder statesmen.
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I watch this guy for year, yea he do a lot of crazy stuff, but I know he is a really good and nice person. My boyfriend got his all best fights and we probably going to pray today and watch his in ring – so sad love you Mike.
I just came back from vaction and my boss surprised me with a lay off. So I’m pretty depressed right now and looking for another damn job. I got plan to make some money and got my self in Hawaii, I just dream about that wonderful place in the world.