No time to read the papers until late last night. Saw this article in the front page. This could be potentially significant. Is the government signaling that for some services they no longer believe in leaving it to the private sector? On the other hand the security and integrity of this most critical infrastructure means that it cannot be left to business minded people who will inevitably take too much risk running it for profit. Just look at the repeated break-ins at our train depots.
This government almost never admit their mistakes. If they could be more humble, they will find themselves more trusted and respected. We would also be more cooperative. What is wrong with admitting failure or making a mistake? If you don't, we fear you have not learn the lesson and would repeat the mistake again and again. Why be like other governments?
I was brought up to admit mistakes I made, reflect and be sorry and made to not to make the same mistakes, especially the stupid/silly kind.
ReplyDeleteMy daughters are brought up the same way and just as someone in court plead guilty, sentence seemed lighter than those who wasted the time of the judge.
Friends and co-workers know where they stand in the "straight and narrow" of things.
You described clearly the stupidity of current PAP leaders and I seriously fear unless they wake up, Singapore will simply wither away with time.
This is correct wat. We already pay millions for dignity, dont tell the world we pay millions for incompetence. Wher should I put my face?
ReplyDeleteHi Peng You, you kinda gave too much credit to this govt on this issue. We're not merely correcting a mistake -- we're behind in emulating what many other countries (Germany, China, Brazil etc) are already doing, in the wake of the Snowden revelations. Here's an example : http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/technology/in-china-new-cybersecurity-rules-perturb-western-tech-companies.html?_r=0
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, on this issue, not only are we behind in following others' footsteps, I do not think that our response has been sufficiently thorough and worthy of "top student in a class of failures". Take a look at the student composition of IT courses in NUS or ISS -- how many Singaporeans can we find? If we have not developed a large pool of proficient technologists in the private sector over the years who are locals, how can we have the skill-set and wherewithals to put in a "total defence" strategy on IT privacy? Heck, even the PMO website can easily be hacked!! We are way way behind. Having essentially a private network alone is the equivalent of saying that we'll keep purchasing advanced tech defense & have NS and that will be adequate to protect Singapore in time of war. How are the thousands of reservists going to even get to their base camp when >1 million foreigners leave Sgp in times of trouble? Who will drive the trains, buses? Is having HDB flat ownership with a 30 year mortgage and an insecure job with no local protection adequate to motivate a S'porean to give up his life for the country? Or to flee, along with the elites?
We have the "form" of a response. But its not deeply thought through. And its following the footsteps of other countries. To China's credit, their leaders seem to have taken a more thorough approach in handling a "post-Snowden" era. Our leaders are not worthy of the kind of foresight, thoroughness in planning that the Old PAP guards had.
Excellent JG. Your comment should be part of my blog post.
DeleteWe cannot follow the examples of the large economies as we are too dependent on a free and open system. Now when others can get by for a while closing themselves off, we will be in big trouble. We are not there yet and I hope never. Of course the world at large pay not attention to our hopes.