Saturday 14 February 2009

Isn't It about Time We Took Our Business Elsewhere?

I've noticed something recently. Many people have forwarded me various email messages talking about the unhappiness with the way things are being run on Singapore Inc. And what's more interesting is that these people are not from the same pool of 'disgruntled' friends but are, in fact, unique individuals who have nothing else in common other than knowing me. Even casual acquaintances who are not even on the mailing list of my blog entries have passed on these criticisms to me.

It seems that people all over are discontented with the disconnected government whose lack of actual concern for its people has never been more obvious than in these trying times. Today, the only legitimate leverage it had - an over-performing economy - has metaphorically gone up in smoke and it has nothing else but 'trust' and acronyms to offer. Is it any surprise that a government that ran this country like a well-oiled corporation is now helter-skelter when the gears are falling off the machinery?
I was always told that the Singapore economy was 'super strong' and was the envy of the world.
Good, good.
And I needed to pay for it with my civil liberties?
Err.. ok...
But now? There is no more of the 'undeniable financial security' that our government bragged about. There is no more of the "Look here, we've done well, take this dividend *insert whatever subsidies here* and STFU about our takings (salaries), ok!".

Well, the beautiful Singapore Inc is now falling apart faster than you can say 'Ponzi' and the saddest part is that we don't really have a country to fall back on. Where other countries let the businesses do the business and the government takes care of the people, our government has been (mostly) running the businesses and left the caring of the people to 'market forces' such as filial piety, passionate volunteers and philanthropists.

I am scared, no doubt. But it's not the financial crisis that worries me but the fact that without the stellar performance of our economy, we have almost nothing else. Everything has been about money - not about welfare, patriotism, sentiment or (spiritual) ownership - and when you take that sole element away, then there's nothing much left, is there.

That takes us to my point. When you go to an establishment and get incompetent or unsatisfactory service, what do you do? Don't you take your business elsewhere? Even if that alternative may seem slightly inferior or untested? Well, I was fine with an exorbitantly-remunerated government because they delivered but that is no longer the case. I'm afraid that the 'social contract' has been broken - the government has not held up its end of powerful economic performance year-in-year-out.
What's that?

How about the decades of flawless performance, I hear you say?
Well, I've been taught (by this very government's philosophy) that past-performances and sentiment don't count for anything here. I've been taught that you only get to call the shots if you have money-related performance to brag about. So, right now, it's hard to take the 'management board' of Singapore Inc seriously. Without that "we've done well" halo hanging over their heads, I am not able to accept my government's display of (sudden) moral authority.

I (still) hope and desperately want Singapore to be a country - where there is humanity and inevitable flaws, instead of just Singapore Inc - a heartless but perfect machine. Maybe there is no better time than the present for that change to happen with all of us living with incompetency anyway?

As each day passes, I find myself thinking more and more about how Ms Sylvia Lim could lead Singapore as a country with Mr Siew Kum Hong running MOH, Mr James Gomez guiding MTI, Mr Low Thia Khiang heading MOM or Mr Chiam See Tong taking care of Foreign Affairs - perhaps then Singapore will become a country of citizens instead of an island of workers?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

"As each day passes, I find myself thinking more and more about how Ms Sylvia Lim could lead Singapore as a country with Mr Siew Kum Hong running MOH, Mr James Gomez guiding MTI, Mr Low Thia Khiang heading MOM or Mr Chiam See Tong taking care of Foreign Affairs - perhaps then Singapore will become a country of citizens instead of an island of workers?"

Hello, Ganga. I agree with the point of your argument. However, I find the conclusion disconcerting in its own ways. I think Singaporeans are caught between a rock and a hard place.

Ganga said...


Thank you Anon for your comment. I agree that we might not have that many options but I've come to realise that the whole government need not have to be replaced. As long as we have new leadership, many of the existing people can still continue to be a part of the political climate. In fact, there is a good possibility that many might just continue on under the new leadership.

Well, I am happy that instead of only having Mr JBJ and Mr Chiam with only Chee Soon Juan dangerously in the wings, I can rattle off a few more potential and capable people who'd be up to the challenge.

Hades said...

The problem is, we the people have been so used to being polarised by the government that we can't think in shades of grey any more. We are taught to think that we either vote PAP or we suffer horrible economic collapse. We either have GRCs or no minority MP's (someone should have told JBJ that in Anson '81). We either pay our ministers millions of dollars or become maids. We either support America no matter what it does or we become overrun with terrorists. We either have economic success or freedom and starvation. We either outright ban gay union or we have a country overrun with them. To most international observers, this kind of rationale is extremely juvenile and unsophisticated, but to us Singaporeans, we are so used to only hearing this it is hard to actually contemplate other choices. Why not, as you said, "Sylvia Lim for PM?" Is she really that much worse than the current chap? Are faces like Indrani Rajah, Halimah Yaacob, Vivian Balakrishnan, Tharman really that irreplaceable that we can't contemplate Singapore existing without them? What have they done to even merit re-election, much less a carte blanche mandate that we have been giving them?

Anonymous said...

A disconnected govt..a discontented people...recipe for something on the scale of...
the French Revolution..

Packrat said...

Ganga:

Thanks for the post. It basically reflects the sentiments that I have been trying to articulate.

Hard to take our business elsewhere. Maybe we can actually have our voices heard in the next election right? :)

Anonymous said...

Singaporean digit:
For those who think that only the PAP can deliver for Singaporeans and Singapore, you have swallowed the fear mongered by the ' 'Founding Father" of this country who convinced first with his mouth and later, when his words turned on him, with his hachet (in a dark alley).

There are many more people in Singapore and overseas outside of govt with the ability and brillance to take care of this place than the father, son and holy goh when they become history.

LKY's one and only true passion all this while is the preservation of his own private vested interest. For example, there is absolutely no compelling reason based on merits and ability for his 'slap-happy' son to become the PM. He is the PM because then and only then can LKY continue to manipulate the govt and the people.

If anything, the current downturn has revealed just how ORDINARY HIS GOVT AND CABINET ARE.

HC's 'ability' which apparently recommended her to the post of CEO Temasek is not exposed to be completely ILLUSORY. A GRAND ILLUSION possible only becasue of her husband's connection.

Ganga said...


Thanks for contributing to the issue people! I do think that many Singaporeans are wising up to how things are and how things could be. It is certainly a good time to consider supporting worthy opposition and 'taking our business' there.

Although the term could be inferred as leaving the country (emigration) as well, my emphasis would be on looking at the alternatives we have on hand.

Anonymous said...

I'm confident in the abilities of my fellow citizens to step up to the plate.

The politicians do not carry out the actual policy implementation. The hardworking average civil servant and private sector employees have a vital role because they keep things going.

Anonymous said...

If only all singaporeans can now just join force into one big unhappy mass to force out the present bunch of blood sucking mosquitoes, nothing else can be change. If IBA and all only human rights all over the world can join force and pressurise the present ruling party to come out clean, nothing else will ever change here. If only the big brothers like US, China, Australia would just step up to intervene for the justice and righteousness of citizens of singapore, nothng else will change.

Anonymous said...

Actually, it is very difficult for Singapore to change. Change can only take place from the bottom up, not top down. The top will never want to change.

They have been in the business of total power for too long - too comfortable and too well paid, actually quite an easy job for them - with such a huge civil service and top scholars to help them do all the dirty works.

And the bottom people too many of them are apathetic towards politics. It is only a handful of young educated graduates who are pushing for change. Most of the graduates are actually just making noises. They don't really have the guts or the will power to make things happen.

I have seen this over the past 30 years and it is the same today. There are no leaders good enough to take on the PAP. The only one who is doing it is Dr Chee, who is being criticized, condemned, despised, etc. by many naive educated people. But we can't solely blame the people who are against him. Dr Chee himself started off on the wrong footing. Otherwise, things would be very different by now.

For me, I think the only solution is to become a quitter, a defeatist attitude no doubt, but I think I want to have a hand on my own future, instead of allowing someone else to dictate to me all the time.

That is what I think and that is what I will do.
Yes, I agree with you, it is about time to go elsewhere.

Chow liao. Bye bye.

Elle Decker said...

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