TR EMERITUS

Written by Our Correspondent PAP MP and Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC Halimah Yacob has sounded the alarm bells on the plight of low-wage and older workers in Singapore. With the PAP's sudden obsession with labor productivity now, Madam Halimah is concerned that these workers will be left behind. Speaking during the Budget "debate" two days ago, Madam Halimah warned that" Singapore's efforts to boost productivity can be derailed if the country does not address the foreign workers challenge." Due to the PAP's lax labor and pro-foreigner policies, foreigners now make up more than one third of Singapore's workforce. A recent Wall Street Journal editorial claimed that the relentless influx of cheap foreign workers over the years has depressed the wages of ordinary Singaporeans. The foreign worker levy will be increased from July 2010 onwards as part of a series of cosmetic measures to placate angry Singaporeans with the next election around the corner. The hike is not substantial and employers can easily pass the higher cost back to the workers or customers. Madam Halimah opined that "despite the planned increase in the foreign worker levy, companies could still employ foreign workers cheaply by paying them lower salaries or making them work very long hours or during their rest days or public holidays without paying overtime." Another direct result of Singapore's heavy dependence on foreign workers is declining labor productivity. According to a shocking press release from the U.S. Department of Labor last year, Singapore experienced the steepest  decline in productivity among 17 developed economies in the world in the years 2007 – 2008. Among the 17 countries, the Republic of Korea and the United States had the largest increases (1.2 per cent each) while Singapore had the steepest decline (-6.6 per cent): As noted in the graph below, Singapore’s labor productivity took a plunge from 2004 onwards when the inflow of foreigners started to pick up: [Source: Kojakbt, 3in1kopitiam forum moderator] This coincided with the beginning of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s tenure when he announced his ambitious plan to increase Singapore’s population to 6.5 million people by 2030 via immigration. While Madam Halimah may sound genuinely concerned about the plight of lower income workers in Singapore, her hands are tied as the major decision-makers lie in a few senior leaders within the PAP. She can only make her views known, but cannot slow down the influx of foreigners or change labor laws to favor locals. PAP MPs who seriously want to serve Singaporeans (and not the party) such as Madam Halimah and Inderjit Singh should consider either joining the opposition or split from the PAP to form a new party so that they can advocate for policy changes independently without being restrained by the Party Whip.   Related articles: 1. The root of Singapore's economic woes 2. U.S. Labor dept: Singapore has steepest productivity decline 3. How PAP screws up Singapore’s labor productivity by opening its doors to foreign workers 4. Singapore has the lowest wages and domestic spending purchasing power among the Asian Tigers 5. Moving towards a Russian standard of living 6. Why Singaporeans are paupers in a first world economy 7. The Singapore Way 8. DPM Teo Chee Hean praises Singapore government for progress made in past productivity drives 9. Pitching the case for genuine democracy in Singapore  Read More →

From AP March 12, 2010 - 8:43AM Columnists and bloggers are calling him Singapore's Tiger Woods - not for his golfing skills but for an extramarital affair that has tarnished the image of the city-state's most beloved film director. On Thursday, in a news conference reminiscent of Wood's confession on live television last month, director Jack Neo, admitted to cheating on his wife, culminating a week of revelations about a two-year relationship Neo had with a 22-year-old model. Other aspiring actresses and models, including a 16-year-old, have told local tabloids this week that Neo aggressively tried seducing them, including promising to make them stars in his movies. "It's all my fault," Neo, 50, said before covering his face with his hands and crying. "Please give us a chance." Neo's wife of 27 years, Irene, was by his side. She said she forgave her husband and would stay with him. She broke down after speaking and collapsed while walking away. She had to be carried from the stage amid a blaze of photographer's flash lights. "I've already been hurt," she said through tears. "I really need your blessings." Neo gained fame as a comedian on Singapore television in the 1990s and later directed popular Chinese and English-language movies - such as Money No Enough and I Not Stupid - that celebrated the importance of family among other topics. His latest, Being Human, opened in Singapore last week. The government has recognised Neo with public service and cultural awards and he shares a blog with Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo, who wrote on Sunday that Singaporeans should "rally around Jack, his wife and his children". Others have been quick to distance themselves from Neo. Mitsubishi Electric Asia on Wednesday dropped Neo as a spokesman for the company's StarMex air conditioners. "It amounts to Singapore's very own version of the Tiger Woods sex scandal," said Chia Han Keong, a columnist at newspaper My Paper. "Just like Woods, his act of unfaithfulness to his wife has elicited far more reprehension than perhaps he would have expected." Woods ended three months of silence last month and confirmed he had extramaritial affairs, at a televised public statement not attended by his wife, Elin. The golf superstar lost a number of advertising sponsors and says he is taking leave from the sport while working to save his marriage. Neo's saga began Saturday when Wendy Chong, a model who had small roles in two Neo movies, told a Chinese-language tabloid she has been his girlfriend for two years and confronted Neo's wife last week. "Aw come on, that girl is young enough to be your daughter," wrote blogger Victor Koo. "Jack seems to be playing Tiger Woods." Newspapers have published allegations of more affairs and quoted actresses who say they spurned his advances. Maelle Meurzec, 21, said that after a small role in Neo's 2004 movie I Do I Do, he bombarded her with text messages and told her to meet him at hotels. She turned him down. "This guy is supposedly promoting family values but he can't even hold himself back from sending text messages to a 16-year-old," Meurzec told the New Paper. AP Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/cheating-director-called-singapores-tiger-woods-20100312-q1zi.html Video link: http://media.smh.com.au/world/world-news/singapores-tiger-woods-confesses-1217253.html  Read More →

From The Age   DEWI COOKE   March 12, 2010 - 7:47AM A further 4500 affordable rental properties will be built in Victoria as part of the state government's plan to tackle Melbourne's record-low vacancy rates and rising rents. The government is expected to this morning announce that Victoria will contribute $177 million in incentives to encourage investors to build the properties under the federal government's National Rental Affordability Scheme. Under the scheme, properties are earmarked for rental to low-income individuals and families while private investors or community housing associations are provided with tax-breaks and subsidies from both the Commonwealth and state governments over a 10-year period. The announcement will be made as part of the launch of the long-awaited Victorian Integrated Housing Strategy. However, it is understood that the strategy does not include any plans for "inclusionary zoning" - a planning tool mandating the amount of new housing stock to be set aside as social or affordable housing - despite the efforts of lobby groups to convince the government. Housing Minister Richard Wynne and Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson will launch the plan at 9am. Source: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/4500-new-affordable-rental-properties-for-victoria-20100312-q20m.html Related website: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/housing/overview/Pages/default.aspx  Read More →