Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said it is healthy for Singaporeans to be asking if the government is doing enough after each Budget debate.But he added that most do understand that it is important to first grow the economy and create jobs so that there will be resources to help those in need.
I just don’t get it. Just several months ago it was reported that Singapore was running at full employment, the economy is performing well, etc. Now we are told that we still need to create more jobs “so that there will be resources to help those in need”.
If the economy isn’t doing well, its understandable – almost pardonable to say that the government needs to hold back on concessions to the people so as to grow resources. So growing the economy comes in first priority. In this case the economy is doing relatively well and the government still says the same – economy comes first.
So where do people in need stand? Are they forever going to be left behind in the dust – whether the economy is running at full speed or in the doldrums? Where exactly do they stand in the queue? Aren’t the record budget surpluses we are running in these few years more than enough to help a minority of the population lead better lives? I suspect they are enough, and there will be plenty left even after helping the marginalized population.
Is our country fixated on a permanent obsession – to grow and grow and grow reserves? What is considered enough? When can we stop and say “We’ve got enough resources to last us for a long time even if the economy’s performs at a so-so rate for the next decade?”. Our reserves are already considered one of the largest in the world… far more than what big nations like the US have got. How much is considered enough for a small island-state of 4.5 million population?
The Singapore of today is very different from the past. Our sovereign wealth funds are now well-known worldwide for investments in some of the best performing companies globally. The funds are invested in such a diverse portfolio that it will take a really serious global economy turmoil to significantly affect us. We turn in an undisclosed, but presumably very healthy profit from these funds annually. Even in times of economic difficulty worldwide, they are still doing well and taking the opportunity to acquire equity in some of the most prolific corporations.
Consider this: while saving up for a rainy day is a good idea, what if a day comes when an economic crisis on the scale of the Great Depression hits… currencies get devalued… and our wealth funds get diluted? With that in mind I think we won’t be any much better off later saving up than spending some of the money now.
I know, the usual pro-establishment replies will be like “Singapore is a small country with no natural resources. Our resources come in the form of a highly educated, hardworking population. Thus, we need to be always prepared for the worst – and we do this by growing our reserves”. My question to this typical response is: How much is enough?
True, we do not have natural resources. But we have equity in companies worldwide with such resources. That’s as good as having it.
What’s the point of saying its healthy to question if the government is doing enough… and asking for feedback so that they can be dismissed later? We desperately need an establishment that listens to the public and consider their opinions seriously and sincerely… and make decisions based on what the people want.
No related posts.
We have to wait for them to care for us tomorrow, NOT today.
Today, our leaders have to CARE FOR THEMSELVES FIRT!
Hi;
first to make correction to my above comment, the last word should be spelt FIRST.
If their multi-million SIN Dollars Incomes per annum, per person is ‘NOT ENOUGH FOR THEMSELVES’, then the Question surely must be; ‘HOW CAN THEY TAKE CARE OF US WHEN THEY THEMSELVES ARE NOT HAVING ENOUGH?
Lastly, I must say; I have enough of their rhetorics.
The conclusion I have of them is, our leaders have to take care of themselves FIRST, then the country SECOND and last hardly anything left for the people.
Thank You Mr Biao!
HaHaHa. Did not we were told that there are too many jobs created that we have to give some to FT.
I wonder we still need grow the economy for helping the poor or create more jobs for FT.
[...] are fed, up with progress! – This lush garden within: Healthy to ask if government is doing enough? – Diary of A Singaporean Mind: See what the Opposition is doing in [...]
Grow the ecomony first – this is to collect government payments and taxes. They need to grow their bank accounts first to replace the “unaudited outflow of taxpayer’s money”. Remember the budget ($6.4b) surplus. There are a lot of government projects going on and all these need money. When their banks are near empty, they need to collect money fast from an economy that is “doing well”.
The needy – talk cock sing song for a while and after sometimes, they hope people forget about them later. Again.
Yes, the goalpost will keep changing. They will telling you the goalpost is 2km away, but once you reach there, it is another 4 km away and on and on. This is our government who has been deceiving us all this while, giving us false hope and inspire nothing while that their own goal post of salary increment is specific. (Remember how much they going to increase salary at a certain date).
That is why this government must be removed, be it voted out (if it ever be possible). The government that is non-credible and incompetent should not be tolerated anymore.
The government is smart not put a specific figure to determine how well a economy is good enough then to help the citizen. In this way, the figure is presumed to be infinite.
Nothing is ever enough for government. Do note surplus do go into Temasek and GLC for further investment. And because creative manipulation that the government keep announcing budget deficit to help the public, and justifing whatever means to price hike.
Don’t you know that our government although the richest in the world is also the most corrupted because it is using a legal system of secrecy to protect and reward themselves while deprives citizen of any right to the investment ?
Don’t believe, take a read here
http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2005/yax-444.htm
Isn’t this the case late President Ong discovered of the coffers’ illegal and immoral practice ?
That is why our government is corrupted but of course in a way hard to detect by the public. It is corrupted at the legal system.
The strange thing about Singaporeans is that majority is ready to close one eyes to what government doing as long as life is satisfied.
What happened when the police issued a warning that Mas Selamat might resort to stealing vehicles…
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/1421/carnotyresrm6.jpg
[...] with progress! – Pseudonymity: Tak Bolek Tahan!! Protest This Saturday – This lush garden within: Healthy to ask if government is doing enough? [Recommended] – Diary of A Singaporean Mind: See what the Opposition is doing in [...]
I actually respect late President Ong a lot… he was a president like no other… one who really wanted to do his job well, but was seemingly unable to.
I never met him in person before, but based on what I read about him, he seemed as a very genuine and sincere person.