The Cocoon Man 天蚕人

Life is but many layers of cocoon. Great wonders await outside the thin layer of cocoon within you, break it apart to experience a whole new world! 破茧而出,犹如泰斗!

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Politics: President Nathan - The 3-Million-Dollar Man

To Nathan Sir - "What are you going to do with some much money now? Don't keep your fingers crossed leh... ..."

Much debate has been witnessed on the topic of ministerial hike. However it seems the Mass Media has been unusually quiet on the President of Singapore’s pay package and why it deserves to be on par with that of the Prime Minister and other important and so-called indispensable leaders of Singapore.

As such, it’s an opportune time to highlight the job scope of our elected President, according to his own words, after he was elected as President (uncontested) for a 2nd term in 2005 …

- To work more closely with the National Council of Social Service and the Community Chest to tackle social service problems such as autism and dyslexia, which do not qualify as Charitable causes
- To preserve the trust that the people had bestowed on him.
- To focus more on building up the community and social roles of the presidency.
- To support NTUC in assisting workers affected by globalization to learn new skills and to accept reality and take on jobs that are available.

All the above are extracted from the NTUC website here. Of course he will also be performing the usual ceremonious duties to the best of his capacity as a President.

Is there a way to gauge his performance since he has already revealed some challenges he likes to achieve? It’s entirely possible to place Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on some of the things he has promised to carry out. Of course it doesn’t really look good on his resume if he finally manages to get recognition of charity status for autism and dyslexia just before he finishes his term in 2011.

However certain things like preservation of trust that people have bestowed on him seems to be intangible. How much percentage of people in Singapore is he trying to maintain their respect for him? How do you quantify the numbers? Also how is he going to assist a retrenched worker to face reality other than offering a nice, warm handshake? Provided the worker is wiling to meet him knowing well that the President probably makes much more in 1 day (more than S$8,000) than he could have possibly made in 6 months?

For most of the job scope mentioned, do you think that a very experienced and knowledgeable social worker cum grass-root leader might be up to the mark as well?

On the other hand, according to the Istana website, the President also has the following job scope which seems to be more significant:

“The President is empowered to veto government budgets and appointments to public office. He can also examine the Government’s exercise of its powers under the Internal Security Act and religious harmony laws, and in investigations into cases of corruption. The President, must, however, consult the Council of Presidential Advisors before he takes a decision on some of these matters.”

As you can see, it seems important decisions on Singapore will have to be made together with the advisors. So if that’s the case, is anything being done to reward these advisors properly (so as to prevent them from corruption?) to make sure a 3-Million-Dollar President can make a wise decision in the case of an emergency? I don’t really know, as this has never been done before.

This is surely one of my greatest achievements as President of Singapore. Come, join me to build a better Singapore!

Stop it, Nathan! I’m President of a Superpower, but don’t have superhigh salary. I don’t want to hear any of this no more!

Let me know your views and kindly comment. Does President Nathan deserve the 3 million? My blog will not crumble or fall regardless of what comments you make. All I request is FREE & RESPONSIBLE OPINIONS

8 Comments:

At 4:34 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

err, no.

SGD3M for ceremonial post?

no.

 
At 5:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is he worth 3m?

I speculate the following:

1 his skin colour is in vogue and there isn't anyone of such stature as him in his clan yet, so he is rare commodity.

2 he knows some dark secrets which the party will collapse when told

3 it's stressful to attend meetings which you can't really understand

4 he's warming the seat for someone who just retired from a ministerial post, the pay increase is to facilitate the next one getting it

5 he is not too smart and will not ask those questions ....

6 We need an Indian to talk to India. This is of immense economic value, 3m no enough.

Other than these, I really don't see why he is worth even a million :0

 
At 6:54 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is another challenge that is the most important of his job scope. It is this potential element that make him worth millions !!!!

This ability is the potential to make excellent tasting prata that none in the world can compare.

Unfortunately, looking at his prata, $3millions should be in hade or rupiah currency, and even than, it is gracious enough.

 
At 10:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you pay someone who is not able to earn $3 million a year on his own the sum of S$ 3 million to be a check on you, he loses his independence and you can be sure he will be an ineffective check.

 
At 12:15 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What does President Nathan do? Shake hands, wave at the masses, smile, cut ribbons? Nod his heads at whatever budget, appointment or death penalty the government wishes to carry out? And earn 3 million for it?

He has absolutely no respect from me, and I have never met anyone who looks up to him. Ong Teng Cheong was a much better President.

 
At 11:52 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Everyman has his price...
Guess his was for 3M$ a year to be PAP's bitch

 
At 1:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

His worth depends on what he can do in the private sector. In this case i will say this career civil servant is probably worth at most S$3-4k a month.

Paying him $3m a yr is really to facilitate GIC and Temasek to get access to the reserves.

 
At 11:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Somehow a kwayteowman seems far more intellectual to me!

 

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