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?
http://www.salary.sg/2007/hk-civil-service-salary-hike/