Sometimes when we look at other countries, we can’t help but appreciate (or wonder in awe) how efficient our government implement things, such as salary hikes for political appointments and civil servants.
Look at Hong Kong. As reported in today’s Business Times, their proposal to increase civil service salaries has drawn “fire and ire”. Hong Kongers are complaining that the proposed wage increase of up to 30% is divisive because the hike is not across the board and will mostly benefit new entrants to the service.
In contrast, our Public Service Division has just revised upwards, without much fanfare or ado, the starting salaries of our civil servants.
(I recall that the Hong Kong public were also strongly against a proposed sales tax akin to our GST. Subsequently, the HK legislators dropped the idea.)
We should be proud of ourselves. Or should we?
1 Comment
I think it is quite understandable lah. Take a look at the post-increment salaries… still pretty pathetic.
Seriously, I still think I can earn more in a private sector, and the civil service will end up with more trouble trying to draw people to work for them without this increment.
What is actually debatable is the top ministers’ pay. (And when I mean debatable, there is all sorts of reasons for and against it.)