Malaysia has effectively a double check and balance system of governance. They are the main ruling party – BN, and the state rulers (the King and the Sultans).
Singapore also has a double check system. They are the main ruling party – PAP, and the President (who is actually also effectively and currently, a PAP man - oh boy...).
Once upon a time, the President of Singapore (the late Mr Ong Teng Cheong) tried to check on the PAP. You know what happened.
Once upon a time too, the King of Malaysia, who is also the Sultan of Terengganu, tried to check on the BN. This is what happened…..
http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_220141.html
Excerpts
State tussle, national crisis?
Impasse over appointment of Terengganu MB is another blow for PM Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR - PRIME Minister Abdullah Badawi's showdown with the Terengganu royal house over the choice of a menteri besar in the state is leading his administration into rocky times with the powerful Malay rulers.
The stalemate has wide implications, and not just for Terengganu, whose Sultan is also the current King.
It is yet another fire for the Prime Minister to douse in the aftermath of the March 8 polls which left his ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and administration weakened.
Malaysia's constitutional monarchs seem to be forming an independent power base. In Terengganu now, as in Perlis last week, the palace has refused to endorse Datuk Seri Abdullah's choice of a chief minister.
The palace prevailed in Perlis.
'Would anyone have imagined the royal houses stepping out as a major influence on the post-polls course of events? Surely not,' wrote The New Straits Times in an editorial yesterday
Word has it that the Sultan of Terengganu, who also happens to the King of Malaysia, is not happy with the current state of affairs, as with regards to the Terengganu State gov’t. The Sultan, is effectively using his constitutional powers to reign the current government, which he is not to pleased with. It must be noted that in Perlis, the state ruler prevailed. It would be interesting to watch what happens in the next few days or weeks for Terengganu.
Let us now come back to Singapore. Can such an event ever happen? Well, we had the late Mr Ong Teng Cheong who questioned the government. Of course he did not appoint key personnel whom the PAP disliked – like in Malaysia. But what he did was enough to cause friction. Those of you who followed the story then, knew that the PAP prevailed.
Not so for Malaysia. In Perlis, the gov’t yielded and the Head of State won. We do not know about Terengganu yet, but it looks like a showdown (cowboy style) between the Head of State and the gov’t in Terengganu.
Whatever the case, in Malaysia, the Sultans and the King act as a check and balance against a corrupt gov’t. In Singapore (we were told and sold) that the Executive President will act as a check against a corrupt gov’t too.
In Singapore, the then President (Ong) tried to do his duty. He did not succeed. In Malaysia, we now see two Heads of States performing their duties. One has prevailed. The other is standing firm.
For all the jibes the PAP (and PAP lappers) have made against our northern neighbour’s that they have a corrupt system, it is Malaysians who have shown Singaporeans and the PAP, that they are able to put their system to good use, effectively stemming a corrupt gov’t.
As for Singapore, the double check system has proven to be ineffective. What is effective according to the PAP, is to pay them millions, so that they can have the millions legally, instead of corruptly.
In Malaysia, you don’t have to pay rulers and gov’t millions. You just need to vote according to your conscience and good judgement, and follow the constitution.
Personally, I think Malaysia is miles ahead of Singapore in this aspect.
If only Singaporeans are like Malaysians.
Singapore Time
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
If only Singaporeans are like Malaysians
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Singapore Politics
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9 comments:
correct man. Stupid retarded PAP - u r losing votes very soon if u dun feel the vibes of ground...
Sinagpore should not be compared to Malaysia in terms of the system of governance. Every country faces different problems and you need to be really in depth with politics before you actually make strong statements as such. Sinagpore has a very different community and system of doing things, as compared to Malyasia. It is reasonable to have different methods of handling things since different countries have to tackle different problems, taking into consideration their audience/public.
ya lor, den i can bribe police so they dun catch me speeding liao.
>>Sinagpore should not be compared to Malaysia in terms of the system of governance. Every country faces different problems and you need to be really in depth with politics before you actually make strong statements as such. Sinagpore has a very different community and system of doing things, as compared to Malyasia. It is reasonable to have different methods of handling things since different countries have to tackle different problems, taking into consideration their audience/public.,
There is truth in what you say. But I cannot help draw the parallel simply because PAP has all along jibed at our neighbour's governance as corrupted.
Thought I need to show that in spite of the "corruptness", they at least have finally begun to arrest it.
Singaporeans on the other hand, have to resign to the fact that we need to pay millions to our gov't legally, so that they don't have to take it from us corruptly.
There is really not much difference between the Leaders of both countries. However, the Malaysian people are much more cohesive and humble.
Singaporeans are highly individualistic, kiasu(conceited), kiasi(fearful) and houlian(boastful).
patriot.
With their overwhelming dominance in parliament, our constitution has changed alot. Look at GRC as a concept? They can continue to 'tweak' it the way they want. When will Singaporeans wake up to this fact? When? I am encouraged by Malaysia. But When will our fellow Singaporeans start to think properly?
ya lor, den i can bribe police so they dun catch me speeding liao.
Yeah, there would be lot's of space there to keep what remains of you. You can bribe them to get you a better burial plot.
i see. So your're saying in short that while our neighbour's "corruptedness" as stated, is more obvious, there is to some extent " corruptedness" on both parts? So your're saying that our "corruptedness" is restrained?
While 'we pay millions to our govt." Let's not forget that we also get paid indirectly by the govt. Without the govt, we wouldn't be able to attract foreign companies by individual efforts. We cannot make investments like the govt or any govt can. So they pay us and we pay them. You can't really say that being part of the govt isn't a job and collecting taxes as any country does is 'corrupted'. *Taxes are the only legal means where the govt. absorbs funds from the people. And taxes,apparently are imposed on its people by every country, even our neighbour.
Besides, define taxes--money collected from public to fund public fcilities. Now, i don't think you could expect the govt. to fish out a large sum continously to fund public projects attended by the people.
So, taxes are normal.
So, what's the inclination that'we have to pay millions'to the govt to prevent corruptedness from surfacing?
From your latter part of sentence. In short, it says that it is because people fulfill the govt. needs, henceforth, the govt. doesn't need to become corrupted?
What is corruptedness? It is an ever-growing desire for personal gain, neglecting and overwriting that of others. A govt. is defined as corrupted usually when it extort money from the people and seemingly become richer while its citizens live in poverty. Your sentence reveals that 'corruptedness can be restrained by money'. It's ironic. You are corrupt because you want more money from people and at the same time, you can be stopped from getting money because of money?
Corruptedness is when the govt.squanders the public's money. But, looking at Sinagpore, it appears that our country's economy is far ahead of others. Now, you can't base it simply on the efforts of the people. The govt. is responsible for channelling the efforts of the people. If we label the govt. corrupted when the economy isvdown and out, why can't we say the opposite when our economy prospers?
Please reply if you deem it appropriate.
Attracting foreign companies so that we can have jobs is no big deal. You mean to say that Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand can’t attract foreign companies?
Yes, corruptness and squandering money is part of PAP too, isn’t it? What about all the losses GIC and Temasek suffered? While Singapore Inc’s money is wasted, those cronies paid themselves like kings.
PS – I never said corruptness can be restrained by money. Those words are PAP’s. That’s the silly reason they give to pay themselves obscene salaries. If at all, they are saying that they are corrupt, therefore, pay them well, so that they will be less corrupt.
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