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部长高薪论 令开国元勋后代感羞辱

by Yee Loon
13/08/2018
in 新闻
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

"We want roses too" - all are invited to special screening.

已故建国元勋E W巴克(Edmund William Barker)的女儿,吉莲巴克,忆起父亲过去接受了比原本薪资还低的薪水,但是并没有抱怨,反之鞠躬尽瘁,为国家未来奠下扎实基础。

针对荣誉国务资政提及部长薪资过低,招来的可能都是非常庸俗之才。吉莲的丈夫汉奥利对此在脸书留言,称其妻子吉莲忆述,父亲在巴克1963年入阁,还接受了70-80巴仙的减薪,即便如此对服务人民也无怨无悔。

“要求财,应离开政界”

“他(EW巴克)率领委员会起草新加坡宪法,并且撰写马新分家法律文书,在不同时期统领五个部门,也是全球任职最久的律法部长,从政期间做出了许多贡献,包括组屋计划、推动体育项目、填土工程和解决武吉知马水患等。

对于酬劳低只能吸引庸俗之人的说法,令我妻子感到冒犯。形同羞辱建国元勋。他们即使领着低酬劳,“前人种树,后人乘凉”,他们的付出为国家未来成就奠下扎实基础。

如果他们想为高薪找理由,那么有更好的良才可选择,才不至于显得羞辱选民智慧。但是公共服务的理念呢?如果你只为财,那么就到外面赚钱去,政府应该是为服务人民的。”

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图源:转载自议论政策论坛Catherine Ng

有着欧亚裔血统的EW 巴克,是国人熟知的“平民部长”,在1963年当选新加坡立法议会东陵区议员,在政界服务了25年。

另一方面,新加坡时评网站Wake Up, Singapore也在脸书贴文,举例另一位开国元勋已故林金山,在60年代义务担任建屋发展局首任主席,三年不领薪水,无偿付出。在任内他解决了房屋荒问题,所建房屋总数超过前30年的数量。

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巴克不拍马屁  敢提反对意见

根据《联合早报》在2016年报导,沈丽群撰写《巴克:人民的部长》一书记载巴克生平事迹,书中阐述这位伟人出生于1920年,30年代就读莱佛士学院;1847年考获英女王奖学金前往剑桥大学深造。

1956年起,他在李及李律师事务所与李光耀共事,1963年被李光耀劝服竞选东陵区国会议席并当选,从此开启从政生涯。

他担任律法部长部长长达24年,间中兼任内政部长、国家发展部长、环境发展部长与劳工部长。已故建国元勋、前副总理拉惹勒南说,巴克决策是根据事物的价值和优点,不会去拍政府或任何人的马屁。

在一次访谈中,巴克曾说不怕李光耀,他们是同代人,但自己没想过从政,是李光耀要他加入。1964年,巴克成为律法部长几个月后,被李光耀召见,问他为何老在内阁和他唱反调?

巴克声明,如果觉得李光耀做得部队,他认为必须提出来。“如果你要我成为“yes man”,那明天起,你说什么我都会附和“,结果李光耀要他继续以原来的方式做。

赴吉隆坡签署新马分家文件

巴克最显著贡献,莫过于让新加坡能和平脱离马来西亚而独立。巴克与时任马国副首相兼国防部长敦拉萨,早年在莱佛士学院和剑桥大学念书认识,同在钩球队,结果打出一段矫情。

两人绝没想到多年后他们会成为国家领袖,在新马分家一事扮演重要角色。

1965年8月6日,巴克与时任副总理吴庆瑞最后一次以马来西亚公民身份,前往吉隆坡签署新马分家文件时,甚至冒着极大风险,因此胆战心惊,受过法律训练的巴克,直到他们这么做可被视为叛国,马来西亚甚至可用他草拟分家文件为证据,将他们以叛国罪名收押。

此外,他们也隐瞒一件事,当时李光耀已抵达吉隆坡,但根据谈判策略,他们假装李光耀还在金马仑高原,因为如果李光耀在场,谈判氛围可能变得不一样,一旦李光耀提出任何反对意见,马来西亚方的立场可能变得强硬。

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吴庆瑞和巴克,与马来西亚代表讨论,并对分家文件做了一些修改,等打字员打好文件时,已过了午夜。马来西亚的五个代表没再审查文件,就签了名字。敦拉萨信任巴克所说,李光耀也会在文件上签名。

巴克过后向李光耀汇报,说自己当场也跟着签了名,而且是“sign buta”(马来语“盲目地签”,既没看文件就签名)

李光耀说:“谢谢你,艾迪,我们成功完成了一场不流血政变(bloodless coup)”

据巴克的妻子格洛丽亚,1981年,时任总统薛尔思病逝,李光耀想要巴克当总统。他知道巴克喜欢果树,便在游说巴克时,提起总统府里有许多果树,巴克可以在府内四处逛逛,欣赏果树。

然而,巴克还是拒绝了,并称“我可能死在总统府里”。巴克要求继续让他成为联系马来西亚的渠道,因为他“认识所有的领袖与他们的苏丹”,这些人是在他莱佛士学院或剑桥结识的,而且是球队伙伴。

建议空出组屋底层

巴克常帮助贫困和残疾者、悲天悯人的一面。他为人低调、谦逊,即使人家错叫他为“Baker”(面包师),他也不介意,乐得挥手回应。

旧式组屋地面层都是住家单位,没有所谓“组屋底层”。一次雨天,巴克乘车经过金吉组屋区,看见孩子们在淋雨,就想到把组屋“调高一层”,好让孩子们有避雨的空间。后来的组屋多数都空出底层,这正是巴克的主意。

1988年,就在巴克告别政坛一个月前,李光耀告诉内阁成员:巴克总是反对我,你们为何不像他这样?有时他对了,有时他错了,但至少其忠告使我获益。

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