Thursday, July 5, 2012

Not My Own Money

Not too long ago, there was an outcry over the $1,200 Herman Miller chairs bought by Nanyang Technnological University (NTU). Then it surfaced that Khaw Boon Wan had ordered 150 sets of the Herman Miller Celle®  model for office use in National University Hospital when he was in charge. Khaw said cheaper alternatives will not last as long - same reason offered by disgraced monk Ming Yi when asked in court why he bought Mont Blanc pens.

If you have to ask, you can't afford it
Now Khaw is defending the National Parks Board's (NParks) purchase of S$2,200 Brompton foldable bicycles as "a simple and effective way to raise staff productivity". The indefensible part has to do with his "clarification" that NParks "had no particular brand in mind" and "was open to considering all brands" (The NTU tender was written around Herman Miller specifications). Quite obviously the NParks folks have never stepped into a Giant or Carrefour departmental store to check out the alternatives, which kind of explains the telling remark by Khaw: "NParks might have gotten a better deal if there was greater participation in this quotation".

Why are Brompton bikes so expensive? The clue is found on the supplier's website:
Nothing is standard
We do not offer standard models because nothing we build is standard: every bike is built by hand from scratch.

There is something more insidious going on than the much maligned mentally of N.I.M.B. For want of a better acronym, N.M.O.M. should suffice. As in, hey, it's Not My Own Money, the daft taxpayers are shelling out for it.

In "Hard Truths", Lee Kuan Yew thought it weird one of his grandsons didn't want a scholarship even though he could easily get one. "If I were the father, I'll say, no, you better take that scholarship... Why should I spend $300,000 or $400,000 for nothing?" Indeed, why empty your own pockets when there's a cheaper alternative?

72 comments:

  1. If NS can give soldiers with iPad why not NP. Soon PUB will also give its staff speed boats to increase productivity while working with water. LTA will by Ferarri so that its enforcemment officers can overtake every vehicle. Wow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You mean PUB? Maybe something for Vivian Bala to consider. He could have come in on style given the flood at MBS recently during his WaterWeek Exhibition and conference. Then they don't have to keep citing 'drainage issue' anymore.

      Delete
  2. Purchase does not make sense as it is a steel folding frame type that does not suit our climate and prolonged use. A simple aluminium mini velo type would be more than sufficient. A lot of cycling enthusiats would be willing to provide feedback, only if they were consulted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where got consultation? Here scholars will decide. I bet these scholars never ride on one before. This is Singapore man. Get use to it.

      Delete
    2. You want to see a good case of citizens consultation? Look no further than here. Then see who are the ones benefiting from the usage ? Yes - the people and citizens of the town. Not some stupid frivolous government employees squandering for their elite use only!

      http://www.gizmag.com/starck-bordeaux-city-pibal-streamer-bike-scooter-concept/21426/

      Delete
    3. Why not consult our Disabled Group in Singapore, and ask them if would like to have a designer-built, custom-made foldable lightweight wheelchair, so that they can increase their productivity and compensate for what their limbs have lost?

      Why not extend it to our needy citizens or old folks on wheelchairs? Why just centered on the needs of our self-centered officials?

      That's what I would call a good Reinventing-the-New-Wheelchair program from our bureaucrats! Not just spending money.

      Delete
  3. Who won the tender?
    What are his political party affiliations if any?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Who approves the procurement?
      Is there a woman vendor involved?
      Anyone taken for a 'ride'?

      Delete
    2. http://www.bike-hop.com/

      Le winning bidder ain't even a legit bike vendor/reseller.
      What kind of servicing is National Park Board getting from them?

      Delete
    3. Isn't it standard practice for big organisations to have at least three quotes before a purchase decision is made? They simply accepted the single quote yet the recent case of an elderly stall-holder had her bid for rental at a govt market rejected due to absence of competive bids.

      Delete
    4. Maybe somebody was not just taken for a 'ride' but got 'blown' away?

      Delete
  4. The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly', meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.
    Larry Hardiman

    "Politics makes strange bedfellows rich".
    Wayne Haisley

    "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it wrongly, and applying unsuitable remedies".
    Sir Ernest Benn

    ReplyDelete
  5. To top it all off, we have the mother of all expenditures - the 7 to 8 billion dollar 21.5km north-south expressway in 2015, representing 15% of our 2012 budget. No doubt to cut travelling time for the ferraris, lexus, lamborghinis etc by 5 to 10 minutes. In contrast, 4.7 billion is "lavished" on Health! N.M.O.M.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Scream bloody Mary!!!!!

      Delete
  6. Like the Hermes limited production bags, there are only 22,000 Brompton bikes made per year.70% are for export, and our uniquely successful and rich country civil servants and government are so lucky to own 26 of them, at the taxpayers expense.

    What's next, a Air Container Scooter for our Navy soldiers so they can increase their productivity too? A new Birkin bag for our Temasek lady bosses so they can carry their work home with class and boosted productivity and image? 3-michelin star lunches are important so our civil servants will enjoy their work more if they are fed better? Does Khaw need a famous interior designer or architect to design a nicer office for him and staff so they can increase their productivity?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What is there to apologize for? They walk what you preach.
      No wonder NOL is now losing money and laying off workers.

      http://justice4workerssingapore.blogspot.hk/2012/06/long-interview-lim-how-teck-profit-is.html

      Delete
    2. Fcuk him and his rich cronies.

      Delete
  7. This guy should be head of social welfare. Then the poor will be given 3 course restaurant meals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Or National Productivity Board, to replace LSS.
      He will change motto to "Wasteful, Best, Fastest".
      Workers will love him.

      Now I invite SingPost to tender and buy the same designer bikes for their thousands of postman in order to increase productivity. And so my letters will be delivered same day and would never get lost.

      Delete
    2. For one bike, how many meals that could have been given to the old and needy go instead to the "benefit" of one rider? No amount of excuses can justify the price tag.

      Delete
  8. When comes to spending on dead objects, government is always very generous as compared to penny pinching when spending on the population.

    In the government's eyes, dead objects are more valuable than human beings!

    ReplyDelete
  9. An all aluminium rust proof multi-speed folding bike was selling at $499. It was oni 8 to 10kgs in weight.
    Imagine how much cheaper it would be if purchase in bulk and it's relatively easier to maintain as it is rust-proof.

    Maybe anything British/English impresses our M/Women in White more la.

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNZR4zqC450

      Yup. Is a british engineered thinggi.

      The Servants didn't want to come out of their own pocket, so it must come out from the Masters' pocket.

      No mention whether they also pick up the luxury baggage that comes with it. It wouldn't be complete without those fanciful accessories like T- bag, the C-bag etc .

      Delete
  10. There are Taiwanese models that provide value for money and are considered leading foldie brands - Dahon and Tern. These can be bought for a third of the Bromptons.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The brand is Bromptons, but manye some of the parts used could been manufactured by China/Taiwanese main bicycle producer. Who manufactures their own parts these days. Even so called "employees" are outsourced.

      Delete
    2. Actually they do.

      Brompton controls all its accessories and components itself. It makes about 15% on the bike itself, and then 45% on add-ons. This is exactly how firms such as Mercedes make such whopping profits.

      Still, is the coolest thing in town now, equivalent to the 2 wheel of VW bug. They sure know how to pick their toys.

      Delete
    3. Maybe singapore civil service should be renamed high class service because got very expensive taste for chairs and bicycles hor?

      Delete
  11. It seems that Herman Miller must be a popular choice with scholars. In 2009, the Attorney-General's Chambers ordered these chairs for all its 250 to 300 staff. The recommendation was made by a young scholar. It was not that new chairs were rquired. Just that there was a budget surplus and the department had to "burn" the extra money rather than have it go back to Finance.

    If only one kenw the full extent of the fiscal abuse that goes on come Feb -Mar every year.

    ReplyDelete
  12. http://stridasingapore.com/Prices.html

    At the price they are paying for 'customized' parts and bikes, how can it be value for money? Khaw should have just buy a good racing bike, then I will believe the racing productivity is purportedly to deliver!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I presume after taking over the bikes, the staff will find that it is too hot/wet (tropical weather) to cycle, or being chased by stray dogs & wild boars. I think those $2,200 bikes would be mothballed in about a year's time & NParks staff will be asking for electric carts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HM chairs come with life-time warranty.
      Does this Brompton bike comes with LTW too?
      How could a small production designer bikes give you more value for money when it comes to replacement parts?

      I don't buy NPB or Khaw's explanations. Are you telling me NPB staff need vans vehicles to shutter its park-rangers around town? What happens to our world-class public transport to get from point A-t-B. What's next? Designer Segways for park rangers in Gardens by the Bay?

      Delete
  14. The Big Picture7/05/2012 12:24 PM

    http://www.baldingsworld.com/2012/07/05/how-big-should-singapore-inc-be/

    They do such a bad job of justifying frivolous spend on $57,200.

    You can forget how they will justify the $760,000 billions that we are still waiting answers for.

    ReplyDelete
  15. KBW is as good as VP Foong King Yew who said "The huge fuss which subscribers have been kicking up is just noise, which I expect will die down after a while." Quoted from mypaper dated 20 June 2012, Page A6.
    The Above Quote was in response to data cut made by Singtel to it's subscribers.

    It could very well be just another fuss that will fade by next week.

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Could it be because we didn't make enough fuss over the $1200 HM chair, so now they progressed to $2200 BB this time. When the fuss died down, same time next year, we will see a $3200 expensive item to be tendered for their pleasurable use once again.

      Guess it beats paying $3200 an hour for a hooker?

      Delete
  16. "The NTU tender was written around Herman Miller specifications)."
    Well said, typical lazy civil servants type of trash work just get something they fancy (or thru crony connections)and write these specifications. You don't need talent and over paid shits i the CS. Singaporean are daft and duds

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Such an expensive bike and compact too. The nparks rider will probably be too worried to ride it as it can be stolen?

      Delete
  17. Well said. Not my money just spend and enjoyed and get rewarded(thru connections)

    ReplyDelete
  18. In Civil Service, "Not My Own Money" is also known as "Ah Gong's Money".
    Will you be "paiseh" spending your ah gong's money?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This one deserves a graffiti in front of MND road that reads
      "My Master's Money".

      Delete
  19. Khaw Boon Wan when it comes to spending not his money, approve taxmoney to purchase branded goods as much as possible allow, but when it comes forking out his money for his heart surgery, it must be as low as $8 !

    http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2010/10/khaw-boon-wans-8-bypass.html

    heart operation is one of the most expensive operations in hospital,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. $8 from his own pocket. All other cost by the people?

      Delete
    2. "What do you think ?"

      Delete
    3. I think the bicycles are just too expensive no matter what Mr Khaw says or any ministers says.

      Delete
  20. what is wrong with bmx?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe got to do with being more dignified when the nparks officer talk to a park user who has an expensive bike? Which miw said something similar?

      Delete
  21. /// NParks "had no particular brand in mind"... ///

    Yeah right. What's wrong with a $100 bike. If you pay 22x for a bike, of course brand does not matter.

    As an analogy, most of us have a $100,000 car. Suppose NP buy some for $2,200,000 each. They can truly say brand does not matter. At $2.2m for a car, I also have no particular brand in mind.

    And why the need for foldable bikes. Why put them in a van and then cycle?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If no particular brand in mind, then no particular vendor in mind, so why not buy from ebay? $699 can get one already.

      I also found out these spare parts are all very rare...so you can imagine what servicing is like. If they are selling like few hundreds dollars, can imagine what the original nuts and bolts are going to cost.

      http://www.ebay.com/sch/items/brompton%20bike?_dmd=1&_sop=12&clk_rvr_id=361728829744&adpos=1s2&MT_ID=71&crlp=10831876000_1&tt_encode=raw&keyword=brompton+bike&geo_id=10282&adgroup_id=3034641640

      I just want to curse now.

      Delete
    2. Is it a case of budget must spend or else next year lesser budget?

      Delete
  22. what is wrong with you guys?
    if minister khaw wants to spend, let him spend.
    at least he is telling the truth from his heart about the cost of the bikes.
    give the man a break.
    he could have chosen to deny you access to the information.
    disagree?
    btw we have decided to buy him an S$8 pass; what do you call that? buypass?
    since he is in the habit of doing things his way and bypass the wishes of the people, i could only hope that he makes it out alive this round.
    really a man of steel, even the heavens can do nothing to him.
    got guts but let's see how he fares this time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If he wants to spend, spend his own money. He might recommend a $88 bicycle instead.

      Delete
  23. How can you begrudge low wage worker $50 raise until they increase their productivity, then OTOH splurge $2200 on a tool and say you need it for productivity increase? Hello, are we all living on this same planet called little red dot, or do they also think they live in other bigger red dots of a communist country somewhere too? b

    If they don't have the heart to run this country, and want to be a mayor of other start up eco-city instead, then we should let them go sing their red songs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Easy to spend money on themselves law. Anything else, ask mediacorp artiste to perform for donation.

      Delete
  24. From first world to third.7/05/2012 7:15 PM

    Maybe PM wants to be mayor of Hunan.
    Then TCH can be mayor of TianJin.
    WKS can be mayor of Suzhou.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAZfPprXKw4

    ReplyDelete
  25. In a way, this is peanuts. Consider this: they spent $1B to upgrade Bishan park. Don't get upset over $50K. $50K is nothing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When top civil servants are obsenely paid, after a while, their mentality gradually changed to "anything" also become cheap or affordable to them. Why care where the money comes from as long as "standard" procedures are followed. Not enough money to pay for these"reasonable" (in their minds) procurement? Just increase fees, taxes, or introduce new things to fine. In the end who benefit? The civil servant or the poor man on the street?

      Delete
  26. in what way does it increase productivity?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Productivity is a word used as an excuse. Nothing more.

      Delete
  27. The trouble is most if not all Singapore Government departments, agencies & statutory boards ate staff by government scholars. The background of these scholars are mostly rich, upper middle & middle class who thinks nothing of buying an item worth $10,000 or less. Book-smart yes but certainly not street smart & more certainly less political savvy (haven't been selected to join PAP & hence not tutored to eat humble pies now & then.

    Have you seen the cars driven by Ministers lately???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Probably their undies are high quality silk too. These guys really love life at the peoples' expense.

      Delete
  28. Will someone please resurrect Mr. Goh Keng Swee?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Or retire the old grandfather clock.

      Delete
    2. with the shit hitting the fan, Goh KS rather RIP then to be resurrected, it's best to send limpeh and son to join him asap.

      Delete
  29. I recall the specs provided a range of min and max weight. Isn't that strange? That should just be a max weight.
    Somehow, I think the specs were written to suit Brompton - and not those in Carefour/giant!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The most curious part of the specs indicate the wheel has to be 16"!!! LMAO. Why 16" to be exact? Why not 18" or 21" ? Given is a bike, isn't it redundant to even say it needs a wheel?!! When you put tender for cars, do you specify it must come with tires? And a specific tires? And they say they have no particular brand in mind?!!! Sounds like they have a particular-specs-in-mind-but-don't'-want-to-say-which-brand is more like it.

      Very good at reinventing wheel here, NParks?

      Delete
  30. Anyone wants to bet that some of these bikes will end up as somebody's private property stowed away in their car boot to be used during some occasional weekend at East Coast Park ?

    Ditto with the Herman Miller chairs.

    They can't even detect those fake SLA invoices right from the start, do you think they can check if there is anyone abuse the system ?

    ReplyDelete
  31. Sack another Millionaire Minister in GE 2016.
    Then we can save some money Singapore.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Actually, I just want to know where they will park those bikes.
    Is just too good not to be stolen.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Minister Khaw should apologise, not justify. It is quite apparent there is a blatant indiscretion in the use of public fund. The image of a thrifty and effective civil service is going to the dogs if such wanton spending is not reined in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They probably have a different definition of public fund and its uses. Hard to match the image of thrifty or effective to today's civil service. Very hard indeed.

      Delete
  34. Minister Khaw seems to be hogging (pun intended) the limelight for all his disingenuous/egregious statements:

    his $8 bypass,
    nursing homes in JB,
    no means testing before GE2006,
    Bhutan is not Shangri-la on earth,
    HDB flats are not shrinking,
    HDB flats are still affordable,
    WP need to come clean,
    four more years of the same for Hougang,
    managing wild hogs,
    $2200 foldable Brompton bikes,
    etc..etc..etc..

    And we pay him millions. Singapore is going to the dogs (pun intended).

    ReplyDelete
  35. By their deafening silence, the elected MPs of the 60% are in agreement that buying the expensive bicycles is ok? Very jiatlat bunch hor?

    ReplyDelete
  36. If you watch Korean soap dramas,the government MP are just like the Korean clever directors,when it comes to a very difficult situation which is the essence of a good drama,they simply just switch over to another scene,brilliant.

    ReplyDelete