Almost 99% of Singaporeans are mediocre.
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's remarks at a recent event organised by South East CDC definitely caused a stir online. When asked by a resident if it is possible to lower ministerial salaries to channel them into more support for elderly Singaporeans, ESM Goh had this to say:
"Somebody must pay for the pension – and you got it right, we’ll have to take it from somewhere else.
If you had suggested we up GST by 2%, I would have applauded you. Seriously. Because you’re then taxing the whole society to support the older ones.
But you did not. You said cut the defence. 1% is enough.
On top of that, you said cut minister’s salaries. That’s very populist.
I’m telling you the ministers are not paid enough. And down the road, we’re going to have a problem getting people to join Government. Because civil servants now earn more than ministers. Are you aware of that?
And where do we get our future office holders from? From the private sector? I tried for the last election.
Two of them – one earning $5 million a month and one earning $10 million a month. To be a minister for $1 million? (inaudible)
So where do you want to get your ministers from? From people who earn only $500,000 a year? …
You’re going to end up with very mediocre people who can’t even earn a million dollars outside. Is it good for you? Or worse for us?"
First, let's applaud ESM Goh. Seriously. Because he's slamming the whole society for being mediocre when they only want to help the older ones.
According to him, we're so mediocre unlike our educated, elite, gracefu ministers, but who's worse for crying that they're not earning enough? Isn't serving the nation and its people supposed to be a calling, a service, a commitment; something that cannot be measured in dollars and cents?
Aren't they being too calculative by saying that their efforts outweigh their salaries? Aren't they being arrogant for saying that their effort outweigh OUR efforts? Do they think that we have not done anything for our country to deserve even a mediocre salary?
We, too, put in as much effort to do our work daily and keep our families together. Actually, many Singaporeans probably have to put in MORE because they don't earn that much! Will those in their ivory towers ever understand? Have they experienced how it's like for us ordinary Singaporeans to get by?
Calling us mediocre seriously undermines the effort of every Singaporean to work hard or simply be proud of being a Singaporean. Whether it is taken out of context or not, it remains a horrible thing to say.
Come, let's applaud ESM Goh for making this statement in the month of our nation's birthday. He totally rained on our parade.
Credits to Mustsharenews for the transcript
