He says, who checks and who confirms?    Another case of me, myself and I? Another case of ownself check ownself. 

If it's got that amount of potential and income making capability, why would the India govt sell it off in the first place? 

💵 Monthly allowance for Members of Parliament to rise from $13,750 to $18,500 from Oct 15   Adjustments to the salaries of the President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker will also take effect on Oct 15.   READ: https://asia1.news/4xL2WnX   Follow @AsiaOnecom for all the latest updates.   Here are the full details of the political salary and MP allowance adjustments announced in Parliament on 8 September 2026, taking effect 15 October 2026 :       📌 Background   - Last adjustment: 2011 — salaries have remained unchanged for 15 years  - Independent Review Committee: Appointed Dec 2025, chaired by Gan Seow Kee; recommendations accepted by Government  - Core principles retained: Calibre (market reference), Commitment (40% discount vs market), Clean (no hidden perks)        👤 Members of Parliament Allowances   Category Current From 15 Oct 2026  Elected MP (monthly) $13,750 $18,500[__LINK_ICON]  Annual (incl 13th month + 1-mth variable) ~$192,500 ~$259,000[__LINK_ICON]  NCMP (monthly) 15% of MP allowance (~$2,062) 30% = $5,550[__LINK_ICON]  NMP (monthly) 15% peg retained 15% peg retained[__LINK_ICON]    - Rationale: Accounts for inflation since 2011; allowance is substantial because MPs carry substantial responsibilities in Parliament and constituencies  - Future review: Government will study delinking MP allowances from ministerial salary benchmarks, as recommended by the committee       🏛️ Ministerial & Political Office Salaries   Detail Current New Benchmark Immediate Adjustment  MR4 (entry-level minister) annual benchmark $1.1M $1.8M[__LINK_ICON] ~$1.2M (up to 9% one-off rise)[__LINK_ICON]  President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker — — Adjusted same date, per existing pegs[__LINK_ICON]  Prime Minister 2× MR4 = $2.2M 2× MR4 = $3.6M benchmark Up to 9% adjustment; PM Wong will donate his full pay increase for 5 years[__LINK_ICON]    Key points:   - Not full immediate jump: The $1.8M is the updated benchmark — existing officeholders get a one-off up to 9% adjustment now, not the full amount  - Individual increments depend on performance, responsibilities, and last adjustment date  - Grade restructuring: MR2 & MR3 combined → 3 grades instead of 4; salary ranges widened to ±25% around each grade’s reference point  - By end of this term, most MR4 ministers expected to reach ~$1.35M (lower end of new range), not the full $1.8M  - The $1.8M benchmark reflects median income of Singapore’s top 1,000 earners with a 40% discount applied; without discount it would be ~$3M  - Annualised increase since 2011 works out to ~3.6% per year, below overall wage growth in Singapore        🗓️ Timeline   - 8 Sep 2026: Announced in Parliament by PM Lawrence Wong  - 15 Oct 2026: All adjustments take effect  - First salary review since 2011

The core issues and political tension behind this parliamentary debate center around differing perspectives on commercial risk versus public interest:   1. The Distinction Between "SIA's Money" and "Public Money" The Government's Stance: Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow argues that SIA is a commercially run, publicly listed corporation. The money spent on Air India comes from SIA's own operating cash flows and balance sheet, not direct taxpayer money.   The Critique: Government-linked investment firm Temasek Holdings owns 53% of SIA, making the Singapore government SIA’s majority shareholder. Critics argue that attributing zero public exposure to SIA's massive capital outlay is semantics. If SIA incurs severe losses or requires recapitalization down the road, Temasek—and by extension, state reserves—acts as the ultimate financial backstop, just as it did during the 2020 pandemic recapitalization.     2. Air India's Severe Losses vs. SIA's Cash Drag   The Reality on the Ground: Air India and Air India Express reported a combined loss of over US$2.3 billion for the fiscal year ending March 2026. The airline recently sought an additional US$1.5 billion capital injection from its owners (Tata Sons and SIA).     The Tension: MP Kenneth Tiong highlighted that despite SIA's core business performing strongly on volume, SIA posted a net loss in a recent quarter due to equity-accounted losses from foreign associates. While SIA holds S10.5 billion in cash reserves, it also holds roughly S10.7 billion in debt. Critics argue that throwing good money after bad into a notoriously difficult, loss-making aviation market could drain SIA's balance sheet over time.   3. "Designated Operating Entity" vs. Commercial Freedom   The Regulatory Loophole: The Ministry of Transport maintains that under the Civil Aviation Authority Act, SIA is only required to notify regulators if an event materially impairs its ability to safely provide essential air transport services to Singapore.     The Critique: Critics question why a "nationally designated essential provider" can take billion-dollar risks abroad without explicit regulatory risk caps. By framing Air India purely as a "commercial board decision," the government effectively separates itself from accountability if the investment fails, while taking credit for SIA's strategic positioning when it succeeds.   4. The Strategic Paradox The Rationale: Singapore's domestic market is small, meaning SIA needs access to vast aviation markets like India to secure long-term growth against regional competitors.     The Risk: Indian aviation is historically high-risk, volatile, and highly competitive (dominated by low-cost giants like IndiGo). SIA's 25.1% minority stake gives it significant financial exposure to Air India's restructuring without giving it total operational control to fix the airline's entrenched inefficiencies.