Sign Wong Kan Seng resignation petition at Toa Payoh

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Tuesday, 29 April 2008

Singapore Democrats

There's an added incentive for Singaporeans to make their way down to Toa Payoh Central on Thursday. Apart from the Tak Boleh Tahan! petition, we're conducting another signature campaign calling for Mr Womg Kan Seng's resignation.

In a poll conducted a few days ago on this website a whopping 91.1 percent of the 537 votes indicated that Mr Wong should resign. Only 6.5 percent said no (see here).

It is clear that Mr Wong should resign. It is also clear that he is not going to.

What's more, he has not been held accountable in any manner big or small. In one of the biggest debacles in Singapore's history, the one person most responsible for it has gotten away absolutely scot-free. There's not even the traditional slap on the wrist.

The Minister Mentor even has the cheek to chide Singaporeans for their complacency over the matter. How he makes the connection no one knows. But one thing is obvious, he wants attention diverted away from the Government, in particular, Mr Wong Kan Seng.

In paying the Ministers the kind of heart-stopping salaries that they insist upon, these so-called super-talents must be held to the highest standards. It follows, of course, that when they are found wanting they must be also be dealt with commensurately.

But there is no resignation, no demotion, no fine, no cut in pay, not even a censure. Nothing.

This is not meritocracy. What it really is is a small clique of people at the very top protecting their own interests and ensuring that they remain unanswerable to anyone else. They want power but they don't accept responsibility. They boast about their prowess but when they fail, they wriggle out every which way they can.

Singaporeans are outraged that every one in this country is held accountable for their actions, everyone that is except those within the inner circle of the PAP.

So if you want to register your displeasure at the unaccountability of Mr Wong Kan Seng, come down to Toa Payoh Central on Thursday, 1 May, and sign the petition.

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Comments (20)

Tue 29 Apr 2008 6:23 PM | elitocracy - WKS 's contribution

I see many people calling for WKS 's head to roll.

I like to take the contrarian view; maybe WKS is not so bad after all. Maybe he has made some significant contribution in the past. So I tried to recall what he has done .. and I cannot seem to remember any significant policy that is spearheaded by him, unless you want to include things such as extending the ISA's lifespan as a major contribution ...

I know what Tharman has been doing; he has made extensive changes to the education system. I know what Koh Boon Wan does, he is trying to overhaul the medical system. Yes, their policies may be controversial but at least I know what they are doing.

But WKS?

Anyone can help me out here? Because I really cannot recall ...

Tue 29 Apr 2008 7:25 PM | Chew

To elitocracy:

Yes, he might had done some good in the past, but isn't that why we were paying him? It was his job, thus his duty to do it, and he was getting paid for it.

Now that he messed up big time, he should answer for it. We don't pay him to cock up.

Furthermore, their rocket-high salaries are unjustifiable. Since PAP claimed that they will be earning more bucks if they join the private sector, so what is he waiting for? I say go now, and good riddance.

Tue 29 Apr 2008 8:37 PM | Anonymous

All the more he wants to hang on to his job now as with such a big screw up, he would not be able to find another job in the private sector. They want their pay to be pegged to the private sector but they do not seem to want similar accountability as in the private sector. They justify their million dollar pay by saying that's the best way to stamp out corruption. Well, in a similar argument, let's give all thieves all they ever want so that they wouldn't steal! Only in Singapore can we stomach such a lame excuse!

Wed 30 Apr 2008 5:48 AM | Gary Teoh

To Chew,
What he can do in private sector ? The most he can only become a teacher, what I know is ,his English is not that good.He is over paid.

Wed 30 Apr 2008 6:53 AM | Anonymous

WKS has been helping to prevent absolutely world threatening and dangerous protests such as CPF-NKF '05, IMF '06. Oh and let's not forget, the Odex action figure protest, deemed to threatening to public law and order that it warrants the presence of ang chias.

All so that his boss sleeps better at night.

Wed 30 Apr 2008 7:39 AM | C J

His facial skin, obviously is VERY thick.
Don't resign nevermind.. next GE, sack the whole lot!

Wed 30 Apr 2008 10:56 AM | tunkdon - god

OH GOD save us .

Wed 30 Apr 2008 2:04 PM | E C

next GE2011... you cant kick them out... PAP will redistridute aljunied and those where oppo almost win.. except for hougang and potong pasir.

i hope we wont see LKY next GE, and we have to raise the flag at half mast soon.

Wed 30 Apr 2008 2:41 PM | Anonymous

WKS' screw-up is an obvious indication that his work performance is beginning to slide. We need to pay the poor chap more in order to provide him the motivation and incentive to work harder and more competently.

After all, according to the PAP, money solves all problems, right?

Wed 30 Apr 2008 2:45 PM | Anonymous

We need to significantly increase WKS' salary in order to provide him the motivation to work harder and more competently. After all, according to our PAP masters, money solves all problems.

Wed 30 Apr 2008 6:54 PM | Jen cheow

in the first place, why is it that an old man who couldnt even speak properly and can't even put sense into what the hell is he gonna say, could be a minister??
oh wait, i think most of them are, you already have such prime minister to spearhead them all.

Wed 30 Apr 2008 8:31 PM | Anonymous

He speaks English like a taxi driver. No offense to all taxi drivers in Singapore.

Thu 01 May 2008 8:44 AM | Taxi driver

wow , wks speak like us ah ! like that i also can be a million dollars minister liao

Thu 01 May 2008 1:05 PM | Stand for Singapore

SDP always lablled the local media as mouthpiece for the PAP Govt. Isn't your website is also playing the similiar role. Where on earth in your website can you find praises directed at the Sngapore (PAP) Govt. None but just ridicule not only Singapore which the Ang Moh like but also you ridicule the IQ of the majority of Singaporeans. Your party is more like a gangster party challenging the authority in whatever ways. Singapore will be in deep shit if you ever psycho naive Singaporeans to vote for you.

Thu 01 May 2008 1:33 PM | Anonymous

The local media should be just what it is, providing news objectively but more often than not, it is just another mouthpiece of the ruling party. SDP websites is just what it is, it makes no pretense that it is not a mouthpiece of the SDP. It is the pretense of the local media to be objective that is distasteful.

Singapore is already in deep shit as far as democracy is concern. Perhaps you live in so much shit that you don't realise you are living in one right now and is begging for more from the ruling party!

Thu 01 May 2008 6:33 PM | Jen

and after he resign, please transfer some of his salary to my account. I'm not greedy, just 3days of his salary will do.
I need money now!

Thu 01 May 2008 8:47 PM | Anonymous - re:

[quote=Jen cheow]in the first place, why is it that an old man who couldnt even speak properly and can't even put sense into what the hell is he gonna say, could be a minister??[/quote]
It is abundantly obvious that the ONLY qualification required for being a minister is the ability to suck up to and kiss the asses of the PAP LEEdership. Good communication skills are merely incidental to the position.

Fri 02 May 2008 5:30 PM | Anonymous

useless banch of people here with no brains

Thu 08 May 2008 12:14 PM | Kaiser

There must be accountability.

Mon 26 May 2008 4:37 PM | Nicholas - Acting Responsibly

Well, I personally think this whole incident is a total disgrace to the way our home teams run things in Singapore. I believe the only reason why Singapore is peaceful is not because of the efficiency of our home team but because of the sheer minute size of Singapore making it more manageable.

It is totally ridiculous as to how a ""PLUMP"" and ""LIMPING"" Mas Selamat actually managed to climb over a window he can barely fit into, and escape a secured Detention Centre.

On the News today, I only see Mr Wong Kan Seng reprimanding as to how his officers are responsible for the escape of Mas Selamat and how he goes about disciplining them. Mr Wong clearly shunt all responsibility on his part to the entire incident. By merely shifting the entire blame onto your subordinates does not make one a responsible and dignifying leader.

Shouldn't the Minister of Home affairs have a full and complete knowledge of how the detention centre is run and by whom (Commander in Charged)? Shouldn’t he be more vigilant, cautious and interested about the detention centre since an international fugitive is being held there?

I think the ultimate point is what is his job as the Minister of Home Affairs? He should be held accountable for the man he has entrusted to run the detention centre. Mas Selamat would still be in detention if he had been held in Changi Prison instead.

1) Who decided that Mas Selamat should be held at the Whitley Road Detention Centre? Mr Wong Kan Seng?

2) Who decided that Whitley Road Detention Centre was more secured compared to the other holding centres? Mr Wong Kan Seng?

3) Being the Minister of Home Affairs does he not have a part in placing Mas Selamat at the Whitley Road Detention Centre? NO?

4) Shouldn’t he have paid more interest in the running of the Detention Centre if he has a part in putting Mas Selamat there? NO?

I’m not saying that Mr Wong should step-down over this one mere incident; it is too harsh a punishment. But he should have at least bared some responsibility over his lack of foresight and supervision over the entire incident. A mere gesture of a pay-cut on his part would have been sufficient to appease most Singaporeans. By shunting all responsibility on his part reflects very badly on the government and the PAP as a whole.