Actually I wanted to use stronger words but since this is public, I thought it was inappropriate.
How many people are anti-growth? Most still want good pay rises right?
How many people are truly anti-foreigner. It is actually about how poorly the government has been managing this. I thought this is water under the bridge already?
Meritocracy? What Meritocracy? It was very good in the early years. Not working as well now and I expect it to be worse as the playing field become more and more uneven.
Actually I was so pissed and tired [redacted], I didn't even want to blog about it. This is not the space for ranting. However, my ex boss called me late yesterday afternoon asking what I thought and I was bitterly telling her the PM missed it. Why get so excited over what a minority thinks. She knew I was very upset and wrote back to make sure she understood me. I quote her because she had it down in good one-liners.
I understand what you said about:
1. It’s not about anti-growth, it’s about growth at what cost.
2. It’s not about anti-foreigner, it’s about managing the inflow.
3. It’s not about meritocracy, it’s about mobility.
My biggest point was on mobility. The man in the street doesn't care about meritocracy. He is only interested how it benefits himself, family and the common folk. Meritocracy is the means to mobility. If there is no mobility it is a fail. You better make way for another party to form the government. With mobility people will accept growth and foreigners. As it is their policies have not made life better for large segments of the people.
A stupid government that never admit to mistakes never learn. A clever government that never admit that they are wrong learns too slowly. This is a clever but under performing government. Instead of stepping up they are trying to persuade us to lower the standard so that they can continue to do well. Do you negotiate the cut off mark for a A*?
At 4:45 this morning I emailed her. I was up very early and started reading, 'The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business' and I wrote the following quickly using my phone. Our phenomenal success had created a frame of mind and some habits.
Habits once very successful become hard truths which unaware turned into religion which are self limiting. The evidence is in the sacred cows but it is the nameless ideology disguised as pragmatic eclecticism that's the trouble maker.
In earlier emails I had tried to explain to her that this government had caught religion.
Hey, don't get too upset. I know how you feel and what you mean -- sometimes hearing what the Govt says can make your blood boil. You must literally "switch off" mentally to speed read through the ST report.
ReplyDeleteThis falls into the category of what I call "false equivalence", which the PM especially is fond of making. Either we grow at all costs or be prepared to have your daughters work as maids overseas. Either we let in foreigners by the hoards, or we slide to a no growth policy. Either we pay Ministers millions or have a corrupt govt. Either .. or. Because they live in a sealed chamber and hear only their own echo, they think that when they say things that defy logic, the lack of response mean that people are accepting it. When I come across such idiotic reports, the way I handle this is to just speed read through it, if not just skip it.
The only thing "new" about this report to me, are 2 things :
a) There's a sudden fascination by PM on "old folks". Somehow a paranoia that if we don't let in foreigners by the hoardes or grow at all costs, the young will all leave and Singapore will be an old folks home. I guess the hoardes of foreigners you take in will never grow old?
b) YOu also see the PM waffling a bit now. Even 2-3% growth is good!! You won't and didn't see him saying that 2-3 years ago. After going auto-pilot on taking in foreigners in the few years before GE2010, they realised they overshot. At that time, the justification was "the region is growing, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, it would be "stupid" of us not to take advantage". Then, alamak!! We've the highest GDP growth in Asia, outside of China!! How embarassing!! This "2-3% is also OK" thing is a belated acknowledgement that we overshot. Of course, he will never say that. The Govt makes no mistakes and can never make a mistake, period!!
Unfortunately, the people are not stupid. Just because they keep quiet, smile, remain affable, doesn't mean that they are stupid. Or they agree with every idiotic statements made. They know there's no point complaining - the Govt will never change. The only avenue is to vote.
I am breaking my rule of never responding to comments except when someone asks for help here. I just want to say THANKS!
ReplyDeleteOn "false equivalence". He had simply taken up his father's habit. I pray it was just rhetoric. Bad idea to frame issues this way in policy making.
What an oxymoron. Who is to oversee this meritocracy in action? How would they define merits? Its meritorious if it fit their template ideals? Without accountability and transparency, it reek of cronyism.
ReplyDeleteruss