I e-mailed a letter and an amended letter to the Honourable President of the Republic of Singapore.
January 26, 2007
Your Excellency
The Honourable President of the Republic of Singapore
Istana
Singapore
[via e-mail s_r_nathan@istana.gov.sg]
Dear Sir,
Re: The Compensation for the President
I was surprised and shocked to hear that the Parliament of Singapore considered it necessary and/or appropriate to increase the annual salary for the President of the Republic of Singapore. It appears that an annual bonus is also paid to the said President, regardless whether or not it is necessary, without consideration for the numerous needy and financially or medically or physically challenged citizens.
Any fair minded compassionate individual who cares for his or her fellow citizens would decline to accept the raise regardless whether or not Parliament approved the increase and the amount of the increase. It is not a matter that the President should be paid a sufficiently high salary to ensure that he is not corrupt, because I have heard that you are a person with integrity and one of the most trusted and respected citizens of the Singapore. In addition, any individual (who is retired) with a net worth of more than $2 million, if not $5 million, would humbly notify the government and the citizens that $2.6 million a year is too much, and perhaps suggest that he or she would gladly accept $365,000 a year or $1,000 a day (because almost everything is provided at the Istana), and designate the difference of approximately $2.2 million a year for fellow needy citizens. Otherwise, I urge you to forthwith donate the said amount per year to your favourite charitable organizations, and encourage others to do the same.
With respect, I urge you to consider changing the perceived materialistic attitude amongst Singaporeans, including the extravagantly paid Ministers, very generously paid members of the judiciary and senior civil servants, who do not consider service to country and citizens before "market value based" compensation. Please consider leaving a legacy by changing the perceived materialistic image of Singapore and Singaporeans.
Yours respectfully,
CKL
I absolutely support the motion.
ReplyDeleteNora M.
I support the motion...
ReplyDeleteBut do you think this fellow will care....even if he cares..his hands are tied....
he must accept..or there will be problems for his family and his extended family...that is how this country is run...
Now, say a Big Thank You to all your parents and grandparents who happily and are still voting LKY in.....pls don't throw the blame on minorities....because..we all know who is running this country....
Thank you for your support.
ReplyDeleteI am planning to draft a petition, regardless whether or not the Honourable President consider that he has no alternative but to accept the increase in his salary.
Perhaps, any individual who reads this, would consider persuading their relatives and friends to support the petition.
A draft petition for discussion and comments. When it is eventually finalized, I hope this forum would kindly consider hosting and setting it up for others to add their signature to it. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteTo: His Excellency, The Honourable President of the Republic of Singapore,
The Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong,
Cabinet Ministers and Members of the Parliament of the Republic of
Singapore
We, the citizens of Singapore and concerned individuals, OPPOSE the increase in the annual salary of the President of Singapore. We also oppose any consideration for an increase or forthcoming increase in the salaries / allowances / compensation of the Prime Minister, Senior Minister, Minister Mentor, and Members of Parliament. We see NO JUSTIFICATION for this increase.
Whereas the government may appear to provide justification for the increase in the GST, which will significantly increase the burden of Singaporeans and businesses, we believe that the increase in the salaries of those who earn more than $500,000 a year as losing touch with the average Singaporeans and an insult to all who took a reduction of the CPF several years ago. It is simply GREED. In addition, the President, the Prime Minister and Ministers may have forgotten that service to one’s country and fellow citizens should be before pecuniary rewards. If they desire to earn more than $1 million a year, they should consider working in the private sector or be an entrepreneur, but not as the President or a Minister. We believe that the amount otherwise designated for the increase in the President’s salary, the salary / allowances / compensation of the Prime Minister and Ministers should be directed to a fund to help the needy or the financially less well of citizens (the “Fund for the Needy”).
Otherwise, we request you to donate all of the approved as well as forthcoming increases in salary to your favourite charitable organizations, as we believe it would reduce the perception that Singaporeans are materialistic and money driven, especially those in the senior ranks of government. Please do it and set an example for Singapore and Singaporeans. Perhaps, the President and Ministers would match donations of the public, dollar for dollar, to the Fund for the Needy, up to a maximum of $2 million for the President and up to $500,000 for each Minister.
The said increase in salary for the President and forthcoming salary increase for the Prime Minister and Ministers are adding insult to injury after the recent increase in the GST. We believe that it is another sign of the “elite” losing touch with the ground.
Please do the right thing, as all of you are honourable individuals with morals and intergrity. If you are incorruptible, there is no need to pay any of you an annual amount which is pegged to the top 6 individuals in several professions.
Sincerely,
Very well drafted. I support the motion fully and will support the petition when it is up. I also do not think the presidents and cabinet ministers should be paid that exobitant an amount esp when the average citizen are earning lesser than they previously did. By paying themselves such salaries could only imply that our Ministers are living in ivory towers, and not only are they not in touch with the society, they also lack empathy and concern for the plight of the average citizen.
ReplyDelete