Mourning in Parliament

Oh Blimey! Or is it blind me? It's only the 1st day of debate on the Review of the PAP's "Capable and Committed" Mintsters' Salary and it sounds like a bloody funeral for some in the PAP camp.

PAP MP Lee Bee Wah said in Parliament, "The salary cut should not be in anyway be viewed as an indication of demotion or penalization or an admission of anything amiss. Dedication and service to the country and its people is priceless. Such service can never be measured let alone be equated to a monetary value. Rather this pay reduction should be regarded as a pledge of further sacrifice that the leaders are willing to commit in the interest of our country and our people." [Link] With such high falutin' altruism, how dare an old bent jackknife cleaner with a bad back at the hawker centre complains that her salary was cut from $750 per month to $600 due to competition from foreign talents! Geez, I'm reminded of "Pledge" = "Aspiration" again! Thanks Viswa!

Denise Phua of PAP says the perception of each individual on the salary of the "committed and capable mintsters" is like any one of the "6 blind man and the elephant". I must agree: To each, his/her own! [Link]

Poor me, I'm the 7th blind man holding on the penis of the elephant and thought I "giok tio gu lan" when the PM apologised, promised to be a "servant leader" and commissioned a PAPay Review. Blind me, with the latest "clean wage" hype and the talents of Gerrard Ee, Mercer, et al, why does the simple proposal from Chen Show Mao of WP makes more sense to me? [Link]

No, it is not because CSM is in WP and I'm biased against the PAP. It is because I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired of the PAP's "DISCOUNT'! Please see blind-man-holding-the-prick-of-elephant examples below:

1. They insult us when they raise the price of HDB flats and still say we are getting it at a "subsidy", a "DISCOUNT".
2. Even way back in 2007, it was contemptible of them to raise the GST and then offer us a relief package as a "DISCOUNT" to help us get by.
3. It is a joke when they pay themselves millions for years and now come up with a new "DISCOUNTed" Salary and make a song and dance about it!
4. To add insult to injury, they peg the "New Normal" "Judgement Call" Mintsters salary and give a it a 40% DISCOUNT for it to appear all prim and proper because it came from Gerard & Gang and not PAP's Ministers. The "ETHOS Of POLITICAL SERVICE" [Link] so mentioned by DPM Teo Chee Hean may be the taller 8th blind man touching the balls of the elephant's perception of what "Ethos" may just be balls!
5. They "DISCOUNTED" us when we should be "Better, Faster and Cheaper" when the FAT CATS (that's you, ministers!) need a Committee to take 7 months to justify the 'new normal' salary. Hey! It just go to show the stupidity, greed and shame of the prior payout! Painfully, the poor Aunty with a bad back may think she'll at least get a "Minimum Salary" if the rich MIW ministers' pay has been "justified". My heart goes to the Aunty but I possess only DISCOUNTED optimism where PAP is concerned!
6. A spade is a spade and it is a shame that the PM had to waste the time and consciousness of so many to help put himself and PAP in a good light! Being the mathematical genius that he is, he should have come up with something as good if not better than Chen Show Mao's recommendation and get the house to approve it without any "discount". With the Whip and the seats that they own in Parliament, it's "Pow Chiak!" But no, the wayang goes on and the result is still: What he wants is what he gets! Albeit the song and dance! Servant leader indeed!

Fair is fair and I admit I'm guilty of moaning and bitching too. And why not? With the msm doing whatever it takes (holding the trunk, tail and all 4 legs of the elephant) to paint a whiter than white picture of the ruling party's "Clean Wage" and sacrificial DISCOUNT, this blind old man holding the prick of the elephant has to do some to level the playing field.

Holy phoenix, may the "loong" year bring more love and sincerity and less hype and contempt to loving citizens of Singapore!

Cheers,

feedmetothefish

PS: "giok tio gu lan" in Hokkien = "picked a bull's prick" = "found something precious"

"Pow Chiak!" in Hokkien = "sure eat" = "sure win" or "sure tasty" as used by durian sellers

“bo tua bo suay” in Hokkien = “no big no small” = “showing no respect”

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PPS: Denise Phua, I love you in “healing the land” and “Come What Pay‘! Your Drama Mama holding the glass of half full water [Link] may seem corny to some but your thanking the PM for his pay increment to charity sounds a little upsucking There are many like Sister Theresa who do “good in secret”. I’m not a fan of PAP but I’m with you on the crazy tuition industry showing how ‘fookup’ our education system is. Yes, the 3rd and 4th Casino may be as good as Vui Kong bringing drugs to Singapore! Vui Kong must die but Resort Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands??? The perception of sin is as good as the each of the 7 blind men touching the elephant.

Pardon my “bo tua bo suay” to a PAP MP but I’m just the blind man touching the prick of the elephant.

I appreciate and respect your taking the road less travelled, as a PAP MP, in telling it like it is but then again, I’m just the 7th blind man touching the prick of the elephant living with “come what may” perception of my truth.

PPPS: "In fact, if the maximum bonuses were awarded, the reduction in entry grade minister pay would be 8% and not the 31% calculated by the committee." Chen Show Mao [Link]. Thank you Show Mao. It's worth "regretting and repenting" when we learn how white the "clean wage" can be.

PPPPS: If the 8 blind men were touching a female elephant, then it's not the Ministerial salary that we are talking about.