Singapore's Questionable Cabinet

They are, of course, morally corrupt, or they would not be handing out undisguised S$800 bribes just before the elections. But this is not the type of corruption we will be speaking of.

We speak of financial corruption, for what they collect every year from public funds, is indeed corruption. It is blatant, legalised, stealing. Politicians from other countries, have to jump through all kinds of hoops, before they can accumulate such amounts. They have to set up proxy companies, and hand out contracts to their relatives, or stick their hands under the table, to accumulate such funds. At least that way, there is a chance they might be caught, and made to pay for their crimes.

But Singapore's Ministers only have to check their bank balance every month, to make sure it's all there. No country in the world pays so much, for what should be public service. It is not public service, if it is so outrageously remunerated. It is odious legalised corruption.

Meanwhile, some Singaporeans have to survive on one meal a day, on good days two. This statement of course, will be met with quick denial. How can we prove it? We would tell these suffering souls to protest publicly, but they would be quickly arrested, and hit over the head, with some draconian statute, or the other. We would ask them to write to the newspapers, but their letters, would never be published. They know little of social media, and computers, are luxuries they cannot afford.

The average citizen, we know, does not agree with the Minister's salaries. But there is little they can do about it. By overwhelmingly voting in the PAP at every election, they have created a one-party state in Singapore. They may have done it because they felt it safe. But now they are robbed, and helpless. The PAP Ministers can decide, at whim, whatever they want to pay themselves. There is no Opposition to speak of, to stop them, and they have long ago lost fear of the electorate. There was no referendum held on these ridicoulous salaries. If there was, the PAP would have, for once, lost. Singapore's citzens still have a chance, to show their disapproval, in the coming General Elections. If they do not, then the PAP will continue with it's feeding frenzy, and citizens will just have to grin and bear it.

Let the ministers take S$20,000 a month or S$25,000 if they must. Together with their perks of free housing, free cars, free holidays and goodness knows what else, it should be enough to live more than comfortably. Handing out seven-figure sums to Ministers, does not neccessarily make them less corrupt. The more someone has, the more they will want. We know they are not averse to giving out bribes, as in the case of this S$800, so where would they find the moral fibre, to resist taking them as well?

We will run off and join the private sector if you cut our salaries, they will threaten. All the better, for fortune-seekers, should have no place in Singapore's Cabinet.