Hot in the City

Recently, the papers kept talking about the imminent payrise of the ministers'. Even the President get a payrise too.

In defence of the goverment, here was what MM Lee said.
"The cure to all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government," Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew told the Straits Times on Thursday, adding that it is "absurd" for Singaporeans to quarrel about ministerial pay and warning that Singapore would suffer it the government could not pay competitive salaries.

"Your security will be at risk and our women will become maids in other people's countries," he said.

Hmm...guess, if we don't pay the ministers, I'd probably end up as a maid in another country.

I also read this comment from the many who voiced their opinios on the payrise of Singapore ministers. This is quite funny.

Pay rise for me, HR said they can find cheaper and better candidate elsewhere!
I did one of the most difficult job in a pharmaceutical company that no one can do. I commented that I was not paid enough for this kind of high level work that demands lots of time, knowledge, and of course, right talent. The HR laughed and told me to please find another company. They can find a cheaper candidate from anywhere. My boss said he has a budget to stick to. The company is rated number 1 in profits.

I came also from the civil service, and feel that the people stay there because they are mostly afraid to find work outside once they are comfortable with the power and pay. I chose to leave it because I cannot grow to be a talent in it unless I am a scholar. Now, two do the same job, but the scholar will be rewarded more in promotion, and pay rise.

I cannot remember having such a high pay rise without any form of sacrifice?

In the private world, I have to endure risk of retrenchment, up against empty headed 'foreign talents', going back to be ridiculed by the army as reservists on weekends and at career and family time, high cost of living standards, and maintaining a poorly design less than 60 years lease left HDB resale flat.