Elites' Large Salaries Fuel S'porean Unhealthy Chase For $$
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http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=insightdownsouth&file=/2009/4/25/columnists/insightdownsouth/3758368&sec=Insight%20Down%20South
Where money holds sway
INSIGHT: BY SEAH CHIANG NEE
The large salaries paid to the elite is pushing many Singaporeans towards an unhealthy chase for the dollar.
THE trial of a high-living Buddhist monk who owns three properties and loves luxurious cars has shown how far Singapore has fallen under a money culture.
It is the latest of an ongoing debate whether this affluent city is over-paying its leaders in government, big business, big charities and religion.
Even priests and monks, who should be the last people to be involved, are not spared, the latest being one of Singapore’s top Buddhist monks.
He is Venerable Shi Ming Yi, who ran a popular and successful Buddhist hospital and medical centre for the poor.
As CEO and chairman of Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre with assets of S$47mil (RM112mil) , largely on public donations, he was paid a whopping annual salary of S$192,000 (RM461,000).
The saffron-robed monk, aged 47, is facing charges over an unauthorised loan from Ren Ci’s coffers to his ex-personal aide.
He is accused of embezzlement and fraud, which are serious charges. But for a monk who has taken the vow of worldly abstinence, it is more like a bombshell; and for Buddhist followers, too.
The furore is even being played out outside the court-room, focused on his CEO-type salary that allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle, which critics say is unbecoming of a monk.
He had spent large amounts on branded goods like Montblanc and Louis Vuitton and stays at luxury hotels such as St Regis and The Regent, charged to credit cards.
Singaporeans have learned that Rev. Ming Yi owns three properties in the posh Orchard area as well as an expensive car (including a BMW in Australia two years ago.).
“All this is totally against Buddha’s teaching,” a critic exclaimed.
Another blogged: “Any monk that takes money as his private or personal income should be de-robed. Monks have taken a vow to give up material wants except for basic needs.”
The Christian faith, too, is not excluded by society’s grip of the money culture.
The majority of religious leaders of all denominations live frugally on moderate incomes.
The big organisations involved in large fund-raising could provide the exception.
A few are paid like CEOs because their efforts rake in large amounts of money from followers.
One of the richest is the New Creation Church, known for its fund-raising abilities, and was reported to have paid one of its leaders more than S$500,000 (RM1.2mil) last year.
The church had an income of S$55.4mil (RM133mil) and total assets of S$143.36mil (RM344mil) last year.
In just one day alone it pulled in S$18mil (RM43mil) for the building of its new premises.
Singaporeans are reminded of the notorious National Kidney Foundation charity scandal four years ago caused by its brilliant fund-raising CEO.
T.T. Durai was the very person who had helped it grow into a S$260mil (RM625mil) charity to provide subsidised dialysis treatment for needy patients.
Durai’s salary of S$600,000 (RM1.4mil), which was hidden from the public, was considered excessive by many of its two million donors.
He lost the job in 2005 when he was found to have spent the charity’s funds on luxury items (including a gold tap for an office) for personal use. He also gave misleading information to lure more people to contribute.
Recently, a public outcry arose when government-controlled Capitaland, South-East Asia’s biggest property company, gave its CEO Liew Mun Leong S$20.52mil (RM49mil) for 2007’s enlarged profit.
The timing was terrible; the company’s profits were reeling.
The debate is whether quality leaders in charity and religion – and politics, too – should be paid similar to a top executive of a profitable private venture.
The difference, of course, is that the money is raised from the public, based on trust that it is for a collective purpose.
Rev. Ming Yi’s defenders, however, argue although he is a monk, where a high salary appears ridiculous, he is also chief executive of a large, well-run, hospital and medical centre.
“So what’s wrong about his high pay?” one asked.
Others say today’s Buddhist monkhood, like others, is different from ancient times when monks lived an austere life within high walls.
Rev. Ming Yi told the court that “we live in a modern world ... no longer like what it was in the past”.
Asked to elaborate, he added: “If people earn more, they will spend more.
Many religious people, not just myself, are very different now.”
Unfortunately not many people’s expectations have changed.
Most Singaporeans believe that when they donate money to a religious organisation or a charity, it is aimed at helping people (or troubled souls) in need, not to provide comfort for a few leaders.
The debate about Singapore’s spreading money culture - with a per capita GDP of US$48,900 (RM175,000) - has intensified since the economy plunged and sent many workers into hardship.
People have become more sensitive about the ruling elite – whether in the government, civil service or a large corporation – being paid excessively more than the average, middle class person.
Ironically, the unpopular elite pay policy is pushing many competitive Singaporeans towards giving wealth accumulation top priority.
People are lured to an unhealthy chase for the dollar.
“They see materialism as a god. Money can do anything, even deciding what is right or wrong,” remarked a semi-retired professional.
On the same day that Rev. Ming Yi was testifying, the manager of a shipping firm was fined S$1,200 for vandalising his neighbour’s flat.
The amount did not faze the apparently well-to-do man, who told a reporter: “After all, I can afford to pay. I spend S$4,000 on karaoke in one night. What’s S$1,200?”
Who says money doesn’t talk?
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By promoting materialistic among ordinary singaporean people. Citizen will be working hard to earn more cash to fuel their luxurious need.And thru this luxurious need, yr expenditure will fill up the Termasek Holding.
While at the same time with u cracking yr head for money,ordinary singaporean will have no time to think abt questioning government policy of increasing public transport fee, ERP,increase of GST and upping elite salaries.
Now u know why during saturday Strait times life session, there will be always a section worshipping of luxurious car, tempting singaporean to part their money for heavy tax to government. Always talking abt high life, spa and the next hot holiday session to fill ordinary sporean with obession of pursuing material comfort.
Making u a money making machine trying to fill up the never full Termasek Holding...
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Life is short, play hard ya
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No money , No honey lah.
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Singapore has fallen under a money culture.
It starts from the top. What to do when the top pee ay pee place money making as their top priority!!!
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unhealthy money chase sounds like... another term for capitalism?
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I dun think u can blame, if u can even use the term blame, anyone for the the culture of materialism that has come to define our society. I personally feel its not the PAP who because they have decided to pay themselves hefty wages that has culminated in pax materialism here in Singapore. Materialism is in itself a psychological tendency for individuals to place emphasis and value upon material objects. It is also the tendency which feeds and sustains capitalism, without materialism, there is no capitalism, and the system falls apart.
Of course, with the current crisis, many have pointed to the excessive level of greed (ppl buying more than they can afford) which partially resulted in the crisis we have today. However, I think this is a very shallow and unsubstantiated define of the term greed. I think we have to look back at our history into the 50s, and we can see a facade of greed manifest itself - through rampant corruption and administration inefficiencies. Then you have post independent Singapore, build up through attracting capital from abroad, from people motivated by the specter of profit - which ardent anti-capitalist will term greed. And Singapore today - where everyone is deem to be chasing after the wind - participants of a money making culture consumed by greed. I think the moral valuation of the term greed has made us lost sight as to the true motivation behind why people partake of materialism - it is no more than a question of survival, and no matter how misplace it seems, seeking happiness and fulfillment.
As such, dun blame the govt or any big business entities. Blame ourselves for not being able to draw the line, and looking beyond the rubrics of materialism - understanding that the path to self or collective fulfillment lies at times beyond the material world. As for greed, it isn't such a bad thing after all, if we can temper it with a ounce of idealism.
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The fault is with the despots. They have taken over control of everything imaginable. If they are not so arrogant and try to control everything, then you can't blame them, otherwise you have to blame them.
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I belief ur 'despots' were elected into office, yes I know, its an unfair electoral system which sustains the hegemony of the ruling party, that is the rebuttal I'll get for saying that. However, a large majority of Singaporeans still do vote for the PAP and when u ask people why do they vote the PAP, you get answers such as I'll lose my CPF and the value of my HDB flat will fall if I vote for the opposition or factors such as life upgrading convince people to vote for a particular party. Or they can check my vote, Im in the civil service, so I better vote for the PAP. I mean people largely dun even look at the issues, even those people who vote opposition are voting for the opposition because they just hate the PAP. I mean, it reflects the level of political maturity of the electorate. Yeah I concede u can blame it on One Party rule for fashioning such a psyche, but my point is, we are the bearers of our own ark, if we arent going to take ownership and responsibility for our own destinies and instead go looking at or blaming government whenever shit happens, it will just perpetuate this whole nanny-state mentality and basically further strengthen the need for the current system. But again, if most people are comfortable with such a reality, then why not? But instead of waiting for the day things become different, I believe we can be proactive and in our very own capacity, become self reliant and at the same time contribute to the greater community.
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If the despots want to, they can easily change such attitudes through the mass media that they control. Since they control the mass media, blame them and their dishonorable characters.
They rather destroy the country than to educate the citizens to achieve their self interest objectives.
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Example of the behavior of honorable people:
Barack Obama | Sarah Barracuda
All summer long I wrote off the Barack Obama birth certificate issues as being conspiracy theories. ... On Fox, I saw a woman get up and suggest that Obama is “an Arab”, and McCain took the microphone away from her in disgust. ... Update: CBS requested that YouTube pull down the ad, so if you want to see it you'll ...
sarahbarracuda.com/tag/barack-obama - 31k - Cached - Similar pagesExample of the behavior of dishonorable people:
The Standard - Hong Kong's First FREE English Newspaper
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has offered an apology for offending anyone by saying he would need to "fix" the opposition if they won too many ...
www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=18128&sid=7826659&con_type=1 - 53k - Cached - Similar pages -
wah lau, Ming Yi also dunno where to spend his money mah
Can't spend on girls, prostitutes, alcohol, meat...
Never say cannot enjoy or buy house and car mah... Money not impt to him... so just throw (donate) to the salesmen lor
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Whatever, compare Ming Yi with the old dictator, Ming Yi has compassion for people but not the old dictator. old dictator only interested to make money out of the people who feed him, a very ungrateful arrogant senile toad.