The Rhetoric
“The Government has no hand in the hiring and firing, or remuneration of foreign top executives in government-linked companies (GLCs), said Second Finance Minister Lim Hng Kiang (in Parliament) yesterday.”
– Straits Times, Nov 12, 2003The Reality
“I was instrumental in getting John Olds and I defend every single cent that we paid him.”
– SM Lee Kuan Yew on why DBS paid a reported $10.9m in total to ex-CEO John Olds and ex-President Ng Kee Choo in 2000, Straits Times, May 23, 2001