A nation run by scholars

Two senior persons, a company director and a businessman, expressed a similar view. They are concerned that Singapore is now run by scholars who do not have experience about the business environment and try to solve the problems by writing papers.

The handling of the mini-bond crisis is an example. Although the initial response of the authority was appropriate, the subsequent events (especially after the Hong Kong settlement) needed a new response. But, the scholars were not able to handle this type of situation.

There were incidences of cheating in motor insurance claims. The situation is getting worse over the years. Reports made to the authority were not followed up or investigated, but were pushed aside. The insurance companies were asked to solve this problem, but they do not have the regulatory power.

Many foreign workers reported that they had to pay a large sum of money (USD 9,000) to get a permit to work in Singapore. There were a suspicion that a large part of this money goes to the pocket of the employer who held the work permits.
A minister was reported to have said that as the payment was made in a foreign country, it falls outside the jurisdiction of Singapore. Surely, an investigation can be done in Singapore to see if the employer had received some payments?

This lack of practical experience applies not only to the senior levels of the civil service, but higher up in the chain of command. We have to move away from writing papers to the real issues faced by the people in Singapore.

Tan Kin Lian