|
|
By The Void Deck, on March 4th, 2010
In what was a Jan 2010 article that reported Singapore emerging as the world’s second freest economy for the umpteen times was greeted with the usual bureaucratic fanfare and the customary congratulatory from the state media. Ironic for a country that is more well-known for being impregnated with a repressed political culture and an ever-adolescent civil society. Beneath the accolades is a steadfast commitment of the PAP Government to grow Singapore’s economy by ensuring that there is a free market and competitive business environment for enterprises and their accompanying free movement of capital and (foreign) labour. As with all economic goods, it comes with a price. A price that is paid by the sweat and toil of Singapore’s low-wage workers who have pretty much stagnated in the whirlwind of economic progress that have benefited the upper and upper-middle class, some of who were foreigners. Singapore’s income inequality has increased; and although we do not have the poverty problems of other countries with more severe income inequality, the trend is increasingly worrying.
A large part of Singapore’s GDP growth has been achieved via the bumping up of our population whether through the import of cheap foreign labour or the “attracting” of talented Permanent Residents. The attention, with the announcement of Budget 2010, has now shifted to increasing productivity – an almost stark naked attempt to conceal and recover from the negative side effects of the earlier policies. And no doubt, the side effects which were most felt by the low-wage workers and the lower-class faced with an increasingly crowded, competitive and pricey Singapore.
Although the focus has now shifted to productivity, some of the earlier policies have not changed. While we will see a broad increase of the foreign workers’ levy come middle of this year, the dependency ratios of Singapore workers versus foreign workers are not going to change much. Meaning to say, companies who can still afford the levy will still continue to employ foreigners. This is in line with the government’s philosophy to maintain a free market economy that is conducive for businesses. With the PAP majority in Parliament, which will mean that Budget 2010 will pass unopposed, we can only call for the levies collected to be redistributed to low and middle-wage workers through WIS, WTS, SPUR, CPF contributions, Tax rebates and various other means. In fact, the government should run a deficit in this particular account to alleviate the hardship of the low-wage workers who have been most hard-hit by the fierce competition from the import of foreign labour in the last decade. Remember, while foreign workers and talent can return to their countries, where their money will last them longer, sons and daughters of Singaporeans can only continue to grit their teeth in Lion City. For a certain sector of Singaporeans to be stuck in the poverty cycle would not bode well for the future of this country.
Ultimately, welfare handouts, ingeniously disguised as training benefits and supplementary wages or otherwise, are only temporary measures. Ultimately, what is needed is a mindset change and diversified education system that is non-discriminatory, non-hierarchical and does not emphasize on streaming as a social stigma. As the Chinese saying goes, “There is use for every human that is born”. Anyone who has been to Taiwan, Japan or Australia will see that their workers doing non-executive jobs, like service staff, carpenters, construction workers and plumbers, are not shun upon. They take proud ownership and pride in jobs considered demeaning by Singaporeans. Needless to say, they provide good service and skills that are valued by society, not only in newspapers articles come National Day, but in kind and a respectable salary. Indicators such as freest economy, income inequality and freedom indexes are only but numbers and lofty statistics; only Singaporeans can redefine our own country and only ourselves will be left to clean up our mess.
By Lau Ah Pek, on January 26th, 2010
I always tell the younger ones to get their priorities right. Now it might be your work, later it might be your wife and maybe even later it may be your very talented foreign girlfriend. But for the PAP govt, it is always the economy that is the first priority – if they get this right they’re on their way to victory, or so they think. First, we have SM Goh telling us not to get excited about the polls and concentrate on economic recovery. Today, we have PM Lee telling us that the elections are not “imminent” and we should worry about the economy, workers’ productivity and the continuation of calibrated immigration to top up the population. Wait, you mean in the past it was not calibrated?! Maybe that’s why we have so many talented distractions around…so much so that husbands can’t be bothered to make babies with their wives? It’s a vicious cycle. So to solve it in a typical economic PAP way, we have to reduce the supply so only the rich can afford these talented distractions…calibrated immigration it’s called. Works out just fine, great policy planning.
But, just when they say elections are not imminent and tell us not get excited…as Riz Low would say, “Boomz”, they announced it and everyone is shell-shocked rushing to get the campaign going. Too little, too late sometimes. So take it with a pinch when your elders tell you to prioritise, it’s all about discipline and making sure some work is done everyday so you don’t get shell-shocked when the teacher throws you a surprise test.
By See Guai Lan, on January 18th, 2010
Wah piang eh…why nobody post for 2010…wait until lin beh also tak boleh tahan liao. Aiyah but actually tahun ini sama sama lah, GIC continue to lose money…steady lah…USD$675 million in U-Ass-A hilang liao. Dunno which ang moh sibeh happy laughing in his 20,000 sqft house with swimming pool and tennis court like MTV rap stars which costs peanuts while Singaporeans get damn excited about over-priced piegon holes maciam atas city living called simi lan Pinnacle@Duxton. They know what is hisap rokok@yellow box?? KNN…and soon cannot even smoke in kopitiam liao lah…I hear cheng-hu going to clamp down on smokers like maciam drug addicts, make sure they run into rat holes and smoke in gelap dark corner littered with cig butts. Hong Kan liao Lah!!
And more things won’t change in the new year…new kid on the block MInistar has to come out and assure Singaporeans that we are not being swarm by foreigners…build more HDB flats for who?? Housing prices continue to climb naik naik naik…apa pun naik…so sama sama as last year rite?? And what is black hair over 60 years old Ministar SEng saying when he claim that they are monitoring reactions to the church attacks in Malaysia...piang eh…kong simi lan?? He know Singaporeans is more buay song about MacD dun have Chinese Zodiac Pig Doraemon or not?? Haha…later hire Ah Long to hang pig head and spray paint on MacD…actually Doraemon is what huh?? Cat or Bear?? KNn he is sibeh fat…think he togo Baron’s Strong brew like me also…haha.
By The Void Deck, on December 25th, 2009
Yes, it’s another merry merry christmas with recycled gift exchanges and loads of wrapping paper laid to waste. But hey, at least we’re recycling the gifts. While it has deep religious meanings for some, others see xmas as another opportunity to revel and partake in less godly activities in the name of a countdown. Fret not, more opportunities to come next week. Heh.
Looking back, this year has been especially meaningful, or at least eventful, for Christians with the AWARE saga and the suspected Christian-backed Singanews soft launch. Seems like religious groups want their voices to be heard on social issues and we might see more of that in 2010. Less from the likes of Thiolibans, don’t bet on it! Here at TVD, we would welcome those with measured and centralistic views to speak up…freewheelin’ liberals (most often very lusty bros) most welcome as well. Afterall, it’s not the straitjacket tight-ass conservatives we are worried about, but the death of socio-political debate in SG.
While we celebrate xmas and watch Volvo being taken over by Geely, sadly today we also see the sentencing of PRC dissident Liu Xiaobo to 11 years imprisonment for trying to subvert the Communist Party (like wtf lor). A sad day for Internet activism.
So Merry Merry Xmas TVD readers, and do continue to read and write because change will only come about if our voices are loud enough.
By See Guai Lan, on November 25th, 2009
Although I is hokkien pai one but lin beh england also not that bad one ok…look at my title u know liao. Mwahaha. Philip Jeyaretnam, son of the late JBJ, baru appointed to Public Service Commission for lima tahun. For 5 years, he will tolong the kum gong gong government to choose all the maciam atas scorelahs…I is think govt also bo pian liao…the problem got so jialat that they recently have to come out and admit that their scorelahs poor attitude, self-centred…aiyah basically glory seeking knn solo king maciam sibeh smart type lor…macar Philip steady lah…pls help choose those that betul betul really wanna serve Singaporeans.
Anyway, why state media mention his name must always mention his father also? Knn he still wearing diapers ah? Lin beh fark
By Lau Ah Pek, on November 15th, 2009
In a gamble, you either win or lose but we all know that gamblers’ pride yearn for more and that’s why they wager. Chiam’s gamble for higher political honour and office might be his swan song given his age; a very risky one that might see his loyal Potong Pasir supporters bear with a [...]
By The Void Deck, on November 12th, 2009
Once again we have to thank Chee Soon Juan for portraying Singapore as a lawless backwater Asian country where its citizens are clueless oppressed natives waiting for the great US democracy goddess to save us from our sorry state. Reeks of neo-colonialism we say, ain’t no angmoh gonna tell us what we should do [...]
By Bo Zheng Hu, on November 11th, 2009
So Chee Soon Juan has hatched a great plan to use the APEC summit to run a literal media circus on the radio talkshow circuit in the US. The stuff mentioned is of the usual, democracy, suppressed freedom of speech, lawsuits, ad nauseum. Frankly, I have to wonder what Dr Chee hopes to achieve by [...]
By The Void Deck, on November 3rd, 2009
Alas, a government hospital getting into the news for the right reasons. NUH has been lauded in local papers for practising what is known as responsible outsourcing aka don’t take advantage of low-wage workers. Although the government is sticky on implementing a minimum wage law, it didn’t stop NUH from stipulating a minimum wage when [...]
By See Guai Lan, on October 29th, 2009
Actually me dun wan to talk about this chow ah lian liao because she boomz the whole sg liao…tapi she is really damn guai lan maciam like me…and the way she take off the silky lian top to show her bikini for the interview is damn sibeh natural…buay paiseh at all..wasted never develop her career [...]
|
|
Recent Comments