Technorati Tags: Singapore, Craftsman

It should be quite interesting. I’m sure it’ll beat the hell out of just doing my usual work.

Technorati Tags: Singapore, Craftsman

Technorati Tags: Singapore, Craftsman

So, we decided to go watch Spiderman 3!!!! It seemed to me that the kids were ready. They’ve been watching Spiderman 1, Fantastic 4, Superman, over and over again, and even Elkan was spellbound every time the movie starts. He just sits on the sofa and goes completely mesmerised.

Waiting for the lift and in the Lift at Plaza Singapura

The kids took a couple of photos with Shrek and Spiderman

Unfortunately, the day didn’t turn out fantastic. Elkan fell asleep just before Sandman appeared, and at the later part of the movie wanted to go to the toilet, and didn’t want to go back in. Kyla on the other hand visited the toilet 3 to 4 times throughout the show until I became really irritated. We were sitted in the middle of the row, and we had to get past 4 other people just to get out. By the forth time, I decided not to go back into the cinema. We’ll just have to wait for the DVD to come out before watching the ending.

Gah! what a terrible way to end a show.

Technorati Tags: Spiderman, Movies, Family, Singapore, Craftsman

They say that behind every successful man is a woman. That is so so true! Thanks Honey for giving me all your support.

But last night was good. We all enjoyed Spiderman together. Everyone was quietly watching Spiderman and the Green Goblin fight each other until the scene where the Green Goblin sang “Itsy Bitsy Spider….”. That was when Elkan stopped being quiet, but stood up and started singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider…” over and over and over again, and laughing to himself after that. He was still doing that this morning. Aiyohhhh……..

I know that this was the subject of a news article by Channel News Asia, but the conclusion was less than satisfactory, in my humble opinion. An elected MP is paid a monthly allowance of S$11,917, and allowances for a “Legislative Assistant” and “Secretarial Assistant”, at S$1,000 and S$350 respectively, are also available and are paid directly to the helpers. (This was before the recent ministerial pay hike)

In today’s parliament, if I am not wrong, only opposition MP Chiam See Tong is a full time MP. All the rest of elected WP and PAP MPs (save for Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, Mayors, etc) hold on to their day jobs or directorships.

While I applaud MPs for their strength, energy and vitality in taking on day jobs as well as responsibilities of an MP in the evenings, I personally feel that this is not an optimum arrangement. MPs are elected, not only to give the people they represent, a share of voice in Parliament, but also to ensure that the people they represent and serve are well taken care of.

I am extremely skeptical how this important responsibility can be achieved when an MP holds two or more jobs. Take myself for example. I hold a job as a Regional IT Manager in a Pharmaceutical company. My job requires me to take responsibility for the region, and to chart the IT direction for the company. By the time evening comes, I’m often dead tired. I also want to spend some time with my family, etc, etc… Assuming an MP holds a managerial position (Like Ms Jessica Tan, a GM in Microsoft Singapore) by the end of the day, wouldn’t she be really brain tired? Where got the presence of mind to give to meet the people sessions? I mean, she could physically be there, but mentally she might have switched off already. By the time she meets her residents, her mind would have already been working for more than 9 hours. She is giving the best slots (9am to 6pm) of her mind to Microsoft, instead of her residents. I am however ok if the elected MP has director or chairmanship responsibilities. Those are often not too time demanding.

It is my personal opinion that to better serve the new generation of electorate, elected MPs MUST be a full time job. Heres my view on compensation. De-couple Elected MP and Ministers salaries from salaries for Civil Service. Work out a different pay scale. Raise the elected MP allowances to $20k. Reduce Cabinet Ministers pay (by some formula decided by a council of Elders).

At the end of the day, it is the electorate that gets the benefit of a full time MP who will give more time to listen to the issues of his/her residents and it would be the top priority of the elected MP to solve those problems, instead of solving issues for their day time employers.

Technorati Tags: Politics, PAP, Singapore, Craftsman

Actually, this is also the reason for my concern. The PAP government has through the solid performances of eradicating unemployment and housing its people in public housing (HDB), won election after election since 1959. Its is also unashamed of the way it governs. Paternalistic and completely logic driven. This method of government might have been appropriate in the early years, but with a burgeoning young and educated electorate, it can no longer afford to continue like the emperor with a mandate from heaven. I’m sure they realise this, with SM Goh Chok Tong and now PM Lee Hsien Loong’s promise for a more inclusive society. But, I’m not sure if they realise that they’re not doing quite a good job of this. Getting the P65 MPs to hip hop to groovy tunes is not going to do the trick. You need more than that.

This, in my opinion will become the archilles heel for the PAP government. If it doesn’t already know, it has seriously mis-calculated or mis-read the young of today. They have unbridled energy. They are very vocal, yet impressionable. They want changes fast, and are easily disappointed when they do not see change. Because the young are impressionable, they can easily fall into the seductive persuasions of people with less than honourable intentions. If left unchecked, the problems that come with this new generation will grow to a tipping point for the PAP government, and may de-stabilise Singapore in the long run.

The solution? I’m no expert, but I feel that the PAP government needs to target the thinking generation (19 to 45). The government needs to come down from its pedestal, and meet with people one on one. Discuss policies in the open, explain policies, crystallise them for people to understand. Put important policies to national referendum. Decisions like the Integrated Resort is one example. I think deep down, people understand that the IRs are a required poison for the long term viability of Singapore. By putting it to a national referendum, the PAP government would not only have a solid confirmation of their decision, but they would also have given people their voices, and made people feel they are included in the decision making of the country.

For example, the “Stop at 2″ policy of the 1960s. This has been criticised many many times, but I believe it was the right policy for that time. In the 1960s, unemployment was at 10% and more. Structural unemployment was a very real threat. The population kept growing and growing. Housing was an issue. The policy to stop at 2 was sound, and logical for that time. What was wrong, was that it was allowed to continue past the mid 70s, when employment dropped to 3% or lower. Families were still penalised for their 3rd and 3+nth child. This is an example of a correct policy, but slightly over done. The government should explain this to the people so that they understand. Instead, because of this resulting mis-conception, there are people who use it as one of the key reasons (completely out of context) why we are short of citizens and have to resort to foreign talent. Conversely, if the government were to engage in robust debate with its citizens, people would have realised that to not have the “Stop at 2″ policy, we might never have resolved our unemployment problem, our education problem, our housing problem, etc. Singapore might not be where we are today.

The needs of a new generation needs to be met with an equally creative and diligent government willing to engage its citizens on all matters of policies. To this regard, the PAP government has many things it needs to change.

Technorati Tags: Politics, PAP, Singapore, Craftsman

I took this picture of a Coppersmith Barbet at the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 2004. I remember it was in the Bukit Timah Core of the gardens, and there was this tree which they had just pruned. Very botak, but it had a small hole which the Barbet was busy trying to enlarge so that it could buil a nest. This bird makes a mettalic sound, which sounds like “tonk, tonk tonk tonk tonk…” It really is a beautiful bird.

Technorati Tags: Birdwatching, Nature, Singapore, Craftsman

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