Tan Chuan-Jin

It is interesting to read BG(NS) Tan Chuan Jin’s parliamentary speech on the Ministerial Salary; it is the best I had heard so far.  In 3 simple points, he objectively point out the idealistic in the realistic world without being partisan about the issue.  Why serve? Pricing service and rhetoric and reality of service.

“Who do we serve? We serve our people, our country, for today and for tomorrow. As the honourable Mr. Yee Jenn Jong states, Singapore is not a company nor a business. It cannot be run as such. All of us agree. It is far more than that. But should we not be prudent? Should we not put in place systems and processes to keep things going well? Should we look at numbers? Should we look at details? Should we make those difficult decisions that are sometimes necessary but painful for some?”

“Mr. Chen states that political service is not a discount factor. I agree. It is not. I have talked about why we serve….So in the same spirit, would it be correct to say that in WP’s reckoning, that Political Service is a “mark-up factor?”…I don’t think so. That would be a cheap political shot. Because that is not what you mean.”

“I admire those who proudly proclaim that there is no sacrifice in stepping forward to political service. It took me a long time to decide even though I had been serving in our Army. Political service is public service but somewhat different. Does this make me a less committed Singaporean?..I am pained by the knowledge that I will miss the many moments when my children are growing up and time with family. My parents are not getting any younger. Those moments missed do not return. Ever. In time, I will look back, and there will be gaps. But that’s life….I’m not sure how one considers it a privilege to miss these precious moments. It trivializes all of us who do cherish these….Does that make all of us lesser beings?”

Oppositions really literally means their existence is to oppose?

RE: WP plans differ little from recommendations: PAP MPs



Hmm.. What stays in the past stays in the past; seems like gone were the days when we have quality debate and logical rebuts in Parliament even though we had overwhelming majority of a single ruling party. Maybe, it was made easier with lesser quality of opposition voices then. I could not sit easy with the debate going on in Parliament. After WP MP, Mr Chen Sao Mao, made his party’s first views on the recommended political salary package, several PAP MPs rebutted the WP’s proposal.

Extracts from Straits Times Online, “Mr Zaqy was among at least five PAP MPs
who critiqued the WP's proposals in on Monday's parliamentary debate on the
recommendations of the Committee to Review Ministerial Salaries….He noted that
as civil servants are executives, their pay must be competitive….This means the
WP has not managed to escape a market-based pay system.”

What is he trying to suggest? Opposition means they must oppose to whatever policy that the ruling party makes or agrees on? With social media reaching out to the younger electorate much more and easier than reaching out to the elderly population, the party really needs to review the way their colleagues make their point. While I have utmost respect for our Ministers, especially Prime Minister, the way the rest of the MPs make their points are careless and will, in my view, weaken the party’s political support in the long run.

Being an opposition in the Parliament does not mean that they must oppose to any recommended public policy, but a presence to strengthen policy/ies whenever required. So, their point is market-based pay structure is still relevant.

Are our politicians really earning the most in the World?

Here we go again; after reading the blasting on Grace Fu’s FB posting on the revised salary framework and find total sense in her post.

“When I made the decision to join politics in 2006, pay was not a key factor. Loss of privacy, public scrutiny on myself and my family and loss of personal time were. The disruption to my career was also an important consideration. I had some ground to believe that my family would not suffer a drastic change in the standard of living even though I experienced a drop in my income. So it is with this recent pay cut. If the balance is tilted further in the future, it will make it harder for anyone considering political office.”

I could not agree more that being a politician means loss of privacy, personal time, and most challenging of all, under public scrutiny. Mind you, she was the CEO of PSA before deciding to join politics and serve Singapore. Hey!! Hey!! If you think that money is the thing that is attracting her, I choose to think otherwise. If you think that a CEO is earning much less than what she could earn as a Minister. Think again. CEO of Singtel, Ms Chua Sock Koong, brought home $4.15 MILLION SINGAPORE DOLLARS last year; MUCH more than what our Prime Minister earns, and of course with much lesser public scrutiny and more privacy when she strolls down Orchard Road. And oh yes.. Directorships right? Another key moan is on the numerous additional incomes they earn from directorships. For your information, almost all CEOs have other directorships. Since I had compared CEO of Singtel, allow me to share that she in fact sits on 38 other boards. Are our politicians really overpaid?

Oh yes, many would say. Many people out there still moan about the “HUGE” pay packets that our Ministers can still bring home even after the revised salary framework. It is not helped that news articles continue fuel discontentment further by comparing the salary with other politicians across the world. Did anyone ask if there is something missing in the reports? Let us get real; if we really want to compare, then the comparison must be holistic. This is what HR practioners call remuneration package or total compensation pay. Pay packets MUST be drawn in comparison with the country’s GDP, cost of living, or most important of all, the nation’s growth; and it must include all the other perks that comes along with the appointment. Kenya President earns US$312,000 a year, and this definitely pales when you put him beside what our Prime Minister earns. But guess what, he is paid higher when you compare his earning against the nation’s GDP. Also, check out what else President Obama is getting on top of his US$400,000 salary. Is our Prime Minister the highest paid politician in the world?

2012.. A new beginning.. Goodbye 2011.

I look back at my 2011 Resolution and trying to recall the gracious turn point in my career in 2010; 2011 was good for me too. 2011 offers me to attend one of the most prestigious military institutes; US Army; and of course, it is an affirmation of my potential in my career. Ironically, I was contemplating of a job switch in May, just before I accepted the promotion; seriously think about my future in the Armed Forces. Not that I am no longer patriotic, I can continue to serve in the NS side of the house anyway; it is about the job security after an extended career in the military and be out of touch when the retirement time comes. Nonetheless, the choice was made back in Jun and I am here in United States.

Revisiting 2011 resolution; I think I can safely say that I have passed the most important resolution for 2011; that is to spend more time to mend the relationship bridge. Relationship has definitely improved but there is still room to be better. I guess it can never be the same as before; like the saying goes, the crack in the mirror will forever be there. I hope that this can at least maintain for a while. Let me revisit this come 2013.

On personal development, I guess I am more competent in dealing with people; judging from the reactions and feedback that my superior, peers and subordinates had given me. I guess people are more willing to open their hearts to me that keeps me occupied for good reasons. With new faces coming up under my HR arms, I strive to maintain this impression for 2012.

Experience and travel. Interestingly in the last month of 2011, Dec, there is this massive posting of One Hundred-travel list challenge on Facebook; I have made 12 so far, of which 10 is a result of my stay in US. This is one unique experience that probably money cannot buy; and time too, who on earth will have so much time and money to visit so many places in 6 months unless you stay in this country.

Resolution. 2012 Chinese Zodiac Forecast for Horse by Grand Master Tan Khoon Yong indicates a mediocre year for me; and also this is one Master that I follow his guidance as he is quite accurate. I guess my resolution should be health since it has only 1 star rating, but no, it is not my priority. After coming off 2011 stronger on relationship, this year will be the focus on my financial well-being. After balancing the check-book in 2010, doing well in 2011, I strive to fatten the bank a little more than I had usually done. “Value for money” does not necessarily mean cheap.

This year, I will break my norms of having only 1 key resolution; I will have 2. The other focus is to love my family and wife especially more and support her than I had usually done in past years; I had spent too much time on work and neglected family. It is this US trip that made me realised how much I had missed.