<Pic Credit: AsiaOne>
The PAP will continue to fail the people because scholars groomed for top government positions are out of touch with common folks’ reality.
Government scholars are assured of a meteoric rise in their career and guaranteed of a cushy retirement in a GLC as long as they don’t question the system.
As an RSAF helicopter crewman for 6 years some years back, I have witnessed the rise and rise of scholars in the military. Everyone knows a scholar is destined to become a big shot in double quick time; a scholar trainee officer would very soon become his superior’s boss or even the biggest boss in the organisation. (To the PAP, experience is totally irrelevant and only academic qualifications matter. Irrelevant experience has led to all the screw ups by the PAP.)
Within a few short years, a scholar pilot trainee would be able to command a squadron despite others with decades of experience. In less than a decade into the job, he would be commanding a few squadrons as the Base Commander. Many scholars make the rank of General in about 2 decades, all without any war experience and solely based on paper qualifications. Our generals are aptly called ‘paper generals’. PM Lee was promoted to BG in 13 years, a world record.
All scholars will likely receive glowing assessments at every stage throughout their military career. Their superiors must tread very carefully as antagonising scholars might see them being hentak kaki. For life.
Not all scholars are arrogant but there’s much more to good leadership than just being nice.
Scholars are promoted at an insane pace, leaving them with no time to interact with the rank and file. Being the smartest, scholars are also used to having their way. Their ego doesn’t take ‘No’ for an answer and ‘apology’ does not exist in their vocab. By understanding their mindset, we will not be surprised at hell breaking loose when military scholars become politicians or get parachuted to head a GLC.
Chan Chun Sing and Tan Chuan Jin come to mind. Tan is increasingly losing respect while Chan is more clownish and spouts rubbish pretty often ie cliff effect, kuih lapis can tackle poverty, etc.
Almost every cabinet minister is a scholar with a few exceptions eg Grace Fu, Lawrence Wong, etc. A number of ministers are ex military men with the cabinet headed by ex BG Lee and assisted by ex Rear Admiral Teo Chee Hean. Other government scholars include ex Rear Admiral Lui Tuck Yew, ex MG Chan Chun Sing, ex BG Tan Chuan Jin, ex LTC Lim Hng Kiang, ex Major? Lim Swee Say.
With so many military men parachuted into government via the GRC backdoor, it is no wonder we see so many screw ups without any solution in sight.
Scholars are all intelligent men who are guaranteed leadership roles solely because they are scholars. But the danger lies in most of them having mistaken classroom knowledge for wisdom and expect reality to fit neatly into their theories.
Just how out of touch are PAP scholar-ministers becomes obvious when PAP lost Aljuneid GRC. George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua were both scholars and seasoned ministers.
We can expect ministers to continue hearing an income of $1,000 enables citizens to own a HDB flat. Or worse, instead of effectively tackling/disclosing the statistics on poverty, our leader will insist poor Singaporeans are “less badly off than in any other country in the world”.
Mistakes made by scholar politicians have always been covered up by state propaganda. PAP’s selection process has repeatedly produced failures and is obviously flawed. Left unchecked, Singapore will be doomed by the PAP.
Phillip Ang
*The author blogs at likedatosocanmeh.