Honesty not a commodity to be priced
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Apr 2, 2011 - ST Forum
WHILE I agree we have to pay market price to acquire and recognise talent, one should not set a price for honesty ('Singapore has priced honesty correctly' by Mr Kanagasabai Haridas, last Saturday).
The reasons offered to justify a price for honesty do not stand up to scrutiny.
First, that Singapore is still a young country: Corruption afflicts countries young and old and the passage of time does not guarantee a country will become more honest.
Second, a longer political life must be accompanied by higher pay to ensure continued honesty and incorruptibility. The point is to identify, dismiss and charge politicians who have become dishonest and corrupt.
Third, politicians in the United States are already rich or will become wealthy after leaving politics, unlike in Singapore. But Singapore is like the US in that some new politicians must take a pay cut to accept lower ministerial salaries. After leaving politics, many are assigned lucrative positions in government-linked companies or have no problem returning to their lucrative and successful private practice.
Fourth, there is no lucrative lecture circuit in Singapore. Apart from the US and a few larger European countries, how many other nations have one? Furthermore, being successful on the lecture circuit requires charisma and entrepreneurship. How many Singapore politicians have those qualities?
Ho Chee Khuen
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honesty is not a problem if the price is right.
