OPINION: The squeeze is on! - Seah Chiang Nee

Malaysia Star, 23 Mar 2013
Foreign workers, who were once getting red carpet treatment because they were prepared to work cheaper and longer hours, are facing tougher times. The doors will remain open but some of the old cordiality is missing.
From Filipino waiters to Indian executives, from Malaysian managers to Chinese salesgirls, their presence seems heading for at least a temporary decline.
Several converging factors are conspiring to bring this about.
The first is the fast changing politics. The new Singaporeans, young and middle-aged, are becoming more outspoken against poor policies. Full story

OPINION: Joseph Stiglitz’s Singapore is hardly the one I grew up in - Kirsten Han

QZ.com, 20 Mar 2013
Joseph E. Stiglitz may be a brilliant economist, but familiar with Singapore he is not.
This fact could not be more glaring than in his piece in the New York Times urging the United States to emulate the tiny city-state. His description paints Singapore as practically utopian: the rich willingly contribute to help the poor, everyone puts money aside to pay for healthcare and retirement, and the government makes sure that workers are not disadvantaged by cunning employers.
The policies and measures praised sound good in theory, but don’t actually work that way in reality. As a matter of fact, the issues singled out by Stiglitz—wages, the Central Provident Fund (CPF), housing and labour relations—are the very things keeping Singaporeans up at night.
Singapore is far from being an equal society. When considered in the global context, Singapore cannot be considered a society with “fewer economic disparities.” Its Gini coefficient, which measures inequality, is the second highest among developed countries. Full story

Related:
Singapore’s Lessons for an Unequal America - The New York Times

OPINION: Will Singapore 2013 Budget Promote ‘Inclusive Society'?

Global Voice Online, 17 Mar 2013
Marketdecoder presents a succinct summary of the budget which critics say is infused with populist programs. Meanwhile, Roy takes a step back and examines the macro-political impact of these giveaways. He says:

"The other way to look at Budget 2013 is to look at it as a corrective budget. … Budget 2013 is the start of a series of evolutionary budgets which will be aimed at correcting the missteps by the Singapore government of the economy over the past 10 years or so."

 Full story

OPINION: Hiccups in becoming a global city - Seah Chiang Nee

Malaysia Star, 16 Mar 2013
SINGAPORE’S ambition of becoming a global city that attracts the world’s top talents is facing a setback in the face of a strong public backlash against immigration.
Whether the policy was poorly implemented or explained, the pursuit of this objective is now clouded by a fog of resentment against foreigners.
Transforming the republic into a flourishing cosmopolis has long been the dream of the ageing Lee Kuan Yew, who once said he would like to see it take place before he leaves this world.
With many Singaporeans feeling they have lost control of their own destiny, talk of global city and diverse imported talents has all but disappeared. Full story

OPINION: MOH must tackle root cause of healthcare problems

Singapore Democrats, 15 Mar 2013
The SDP welcomes Health Minister Gan Kim Yong's acknowledgment about high healthcare costs in Singapore. We are also pleased to note that he has take some measures to ease such costs for Singaporeans, in particular
1. making some parts of the recommended National Vaccination program for children free,
2. removing the administrative charges for some Medisave use, and
3. promising to review healthcare costs for the people.
However, these proposed changes seem to be piecemeal measures that do not tackle the fundamental issues in our healthcare system. The current 3M system of Medisave, Medishield and Medifund will continue to leave a heavy financial burden on Singaporeans. Full story

OPINION: Is PAP MP Penny Low being hypocrtical about the importance of pre-school education?

Facebook.com, 8 Mar 2013



Link

Related:
Penny Low is hypocrite? - Hardwarezone Forum

OPINION: More Singapore elites speaking out against PAP govt's ill-conceived policies - Seah Chiang Nee

Malaysia Star, 9 Mar 2013
THE government is facing increasing pressure over some of its ill-conceived policies, not only from its citizens – but increasingly from the elite as well.
This reflects the changing face of politics. So far, the party has handled it with a one-step-forward, two-steps-backward manner, giving in on a few cases but hitting back on others.
The elite critics are people who hail directly or indirectly from the People’s Action Party (PAP) government or its institutions.
Traditionally, these people were overly reticent about revealing true political thoughts, let alone criticising the government. This was especially during the rule of Lee Kuan Yew.
Now with the aid of the Internet and under a generally more relaxed regime of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, a small number is speaking up alongside the new public mood. Full story

OPINION: Singapore Doesn't Always Need Internet Censorship to Silence Critics - Professor Phil Howard

TechPresident.com, 5 Mar 2013
Singapore likes to promote itself as a business-friendly country where the government has a soft touch. But by firing a professor known for criticizing the government's censorship strategies, ruling elites have demonstrated that they still have a firm hand in controlling political conversation. It should make U.S. universities rethink their research partnerships with universities in Singapore, because such relationships actually help launder the regime's reputation.
As one of Singapore's most high profile censorship critics, Cherian George is guilty of several things. In his teaching, he is guilty of corrupting several cohorts of young journalism students with ideas about press freedoms. In his role as a public intellectual, he is guilty of helping to organize and inform the country's growing community of independent bloggers and citizen journalists.
Through his research, Cherian George has long demonstrated how subtle and sophisticated censorship strategies by Lee Kwan Yew, the 89-year-old father of modern Singapore who ruled for 30 years and still holds considerable influence, allowed the country become "sustainably authoritarian."
This is actually the second time there has been high level interference with his career trajectory. In 2008, he helped lead a coalition of democracy advocates to lobby for more internet freedoms in Singapore, and helped lead a workshop to teach bloggers about their (lack of) rights. The regime ordered NTU to have nothing to do with the efforts, though that did not stop George from moving ahead on his own energy. The National University of Singapore's Law School had originally offered to host the blogger workshop, but they too were instructed to stay clear. But George helped pull the event off anyway. The next year, his case for promotion moved smoothly up the ranks within the University, but was quashed with little explanation by the University's President. Full story

Related:
Was Cherian George's tenure at NTU being rejected by the "higher mortals" above faculty level?

OPINION: Wage Credit Scheme is a subsidy that allows employers to offset increase in foreign workers' levy

Singapore Democrats, 4 Mar 2013
As in the previous Budget, the Government announced that it would increase the foreign worker levy as a disincentive for employers to hire foreigners.
At the same time, however, the Finance Minister presents the new Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) where the Government would pay employers to raise the wages of workers earning $4,000 and below. With the subsidy, employers can use the savings to make up for the levy increase. How does this help to reduce our dependence on foreign workers?
In fact, the measure will make matters worse - increasing wages without lessening our reliance on cheap foreign labour (and, therefore, a rise in productivity). Full story

OPINION: Jetstar customer shares his encounter with Filipino customer service on flight cancellation

Hardwarezone Forum, 1 Mar 2013
 Booked a flight from HK to SG in April Think due to low ridership Jetstar cancelled my flight and want to move it to a earlier slot at 255pm or 11am next day. Both timing sucks so I called their call center to ask for other slots.

Me : I want to check on my booking ( give details)
Pinoy : Your flight is cancelled and got option of 2.55pm the day or 11 am the next
Me: got other timing , can I ask for 255pm the next day?
Pinoy : Sorry sir only this two choices
Me: Can I ask for the 255pm the next day since same price?
Pinoy: Sorry sir , only this 2 choices or you can cancel your flight and get refund in 3 weeks
Me: Can you be more flexible and change it to 255pm the next day since same price
Pinoy : I cant do that , flight changes other then the 2 allocated slot will incur extra charges
Me:.... (frustrated) OK will think about it and call back later

I personally know jet star can change to other timing FOC one and this bitch Pinoy didn't even make effort to help me. Thought of a way to get help. Called back and select Chinese.

Me: 你好( give details)
Chinese: 你的行程有变动，需要换时间。
Me: 隔天2.55pm 可以吗？
Chinese: 没问题
Me: 需要而外付费吗？
Chinese: 不用免费的？
Me: 谢谢

5 mins settle, so I conclude that the English CS is useless never select English unless other langague CMI.
Link

OPINION: Singaporean frustration directed at government, not mainland immigrants: Lina Lao

Global Times, 3 Mar 2013
In the past years, there had been several high-profile incidents including a notorious Ferrari accident, Chinese students attacking Singaporeans on social media, and immigrants from the mainland complaining about the local food culture, which have led to rising anti-mainland sentiment in Singapore.
The conflicts between local Singaporeans and immigrants from the Chinese mainland are growing, thanks to daily incidents such as Chinese speaking too loud on the subway or in other public places.
Furthermore, a large number of immigrants or investors from the mainland have purchased a large number of houses in Singapore, which has pushed up local housing prices and living costs. Their arrival has not resolved local labor problems, but added to local woes and the burden of a populated island. Full story

OPINION: Economics myths in the Population White Paper debate

Yahoo! News Singapore, 2 Mar 2013
Myth #1: If we don't have sufficiently large injections of foreign labour, business costs will rise, some businesses will shut down or move out of Singapore, and Singaporean workers will be laid off.
The first fallacy is a version of the misguided economic reasoning behind protectionism. The (flawed) argument for protectionism is that because our local firms cannot compete globally, they need to be subsidised by the state. By lowering costs for our firms, protectionism helps them compete against more efficient and productive foreign firms, thereby creating employment for citizens. Economists know this reasoning to be intuitively appealing, but wrong. The protection that is given to local firms does not raise their productivity; indeed, it explains their very lack of competitiveness. Meanwhile, the processes of creative destruction – the main source of dynamism in capitalist economies – are impeded, and the signals for the economy to adapt, innovate and move up the value chain are muted.
The business case for a liberal foreign worker policy rests on similarly flawed arguments. Businesses that rely on cheap foreign labour receive an implicit subsidy from the government. The low cost of labour encourages them to persist with low value-added production and discourages them from upgrading and improving their business processes. Meanwhile, cheap foreign labour discourages automation and holds down wages for citizen workers doing the same job. Full story

OPINION: A Controversial Warship to Singapore

Asia Sentinel, 28 Feb 2013
n the next day or so a sleek, futuristic warship painted in newly-applied grey and black 'dazzle' camouflage will push off from a naval dock in San Diego, California, at the start of a voyage that will end in Singapore in about a month.
While the arrival of Freedom at Singapore's Changi naval base for an eight-month 'deployment' will have no direct impact on naval dispositions or power within the Asia-Pacific region, it is set to serve a wider purpose for the US Navy.
Freedom's formal mission includes conducting "maritime security operations, participat[ing] in international exhibitions and exercises to highlight US strategic intent in the region." However, the less advertised purpose of the vessel's time in Singapore is seen as running the technically troubled warship through its paces as far away as possible from the LCS program's numerous critics within the navy and defence establishment. Full story

OPINION: The "Robin Hood" budget - Seah Chiang Nee

Malaysia Star, 2 Mar 2013
BUDGET times are not occasions when the thrifty government here would likely score a lot of brownie points among its citizens. In fact, Singaporeans are often more worried about being made to pay more fees and levies than to be able to receive goodies.
However, Budget 2013 last week was a surprising exception. It has allowed the government to regain a little ground lost through unpopular policies poorly implemented – including excessive immigration, spiralling prices and a worsening rich-poor gap.
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam became the man of the hour when he increased taxes for the rich to be used on the needy and middle class. Full story

Related:
Budget with changes in the right direction.....several years late! - Diary of A Singaporean Mind

OPINION: The Jurong Town Episode In 1972 That Singaporeans Should Know

The Real Singapore, 28 Feb 2013
An episode which happened some 40 years ago is worth sharing as it may offer some relevant lessons.
Back then in 1972, Jurong Town was the newly designated industrial estate, with many newly built unoccupied flats. It was effectively a ghost town with more flats than residents. In the bleak and deserted town there was fortunately a ray of light.
With funding from the Lutheran church, a Jurong Civic Centre was built to offer space for community activities. Then came the Jurong Industrial Mission (JIM) which was likewise funded by the Christian churches. The aim was not to evangelise but to help people identify the problems affecting the community, and encourage them to organise around those issues in search of solutions. Their modus operandi was community organising, based on the model popularized by Saul Allinski in Chicago where Barrack Obama first cut his political teeth.
An issue in Jurong Town at that time was the absence of any public transport. Young workers and residents had to use the services of “pirate taxis” in Bukit Timah to reach their living quarters in the Industrial Estate. This issue was identified by JIM following discussions amongst the residents. Before long, with the help of JIM, the residents managed to organise two bus loads of residents to call upon their MP, the then Ho Kah Leong, who of course was from the PAP. Mr Ho was taken aback by the visitation, but he had a ready answer. He claimed then that there were no public buses because none of the bus companies were interested. Full story

OPINION: Cars in Singapore to become a luxury affordable only to the rich

Yahoo! News Singapore, 28 Feb 2013
“This will really force people to realign their priorities. It is one thing to prevent us from overstretching ourselves financially, but it also severely limits the purchase options,” said Yit Beng, 28, who is in automotive-related sales.
He added, “Young couples, families and sales personnel who need their vehicles for their jobs will be the worst hit. Already the amount of cash on hand is low, with the short loan period now and the increased interest rates, these all make for a recipe for disaster.”
Indeed, the hardest hit will be on people who really need the car, such as those with children, elderly or requiring a car for their businesses. Businesses may be forced to get commercial vehicles and people may have to start whipping out their EZ-link cards more often.
The car trade will also suffer, as these measures came so abruptly that it has left industry players scrambling for the next few days.   Full story

OPINION: Growing perception of injustice in Singapore - Ng Tze Shiung

New Straits Times, 28 Feb 2013
The perception grows that the country that the people had built, and continue by their best efforts to keep safe, well and functioning, now benefits a class of foreigners who are either more affluent than the Singaporean, or by their skills are enjoying a status as privileged as Singaporean citizenship.
The headache for the Singapore government is that with this perception also grows a sense of injustice among the people of Singapore. What the leaders of Singapore experience today are the pains of nationhood. Their people, despite their apparent wealth, are unhappy because they perceive their special position as the rightful people of Singapore to have been trespassed by policies, which combine the free market with regulations to favour the foreigner. Full story

OPINION: Wage subsidy could blunt Singapore’s edge - Andy Mukherjee

Reuters, 26 Feb 2013
Singapore’s government hopes that new subsidies for low-wage workers will fix two problems: pressure on company profits, and income inequality. But in doing so, it will just create new problems later on.
The concern is what happens to companies’ costs when the subsidies end in 2016. Imagine a worker paid S$3000 a month gets a five percent raise a year over the next three years. After the payouts stop, the employers will need to fund future increases – including the S$190 paid by the government as its 40 percent contribution in the third year – entirely out of their own resources. By then, employees may also have grown to expect generous salary increases. Full story

OPINION: What’s quality of life for Singapore? ― Mallika Naguran

The Malaysian Insider, 27 Feb 2013
Our government’s recent position on increasing the size of the population hinges on the premise that Singapore citizens should be able to continue to enjoy a “high quality living environment” in the future. A denser Singapore could still be “liveable” and with economic growth comes job growth, good prospects and a high quality of life, it said.
What makes for quality living? No two persons think alike on this matter. One may aspire for a bigger car, while another longs for cycling lanes on main roads for a low-cost, pollution-free and safe commute. Rather than assuming what constitutes a high quality of life, let’s discuss what Singaporeans want now and in the future. Full story

OPINION: Hong Lim Park protest is deeply significant for Singapore politics - Stephan Ortmann

South China Morning Post, 25 Feb 2013
The recent protest by an estimated 4,000 Singaporeans, against government plans to increase the city state's population largely through immigration, may not have been large by Hong Kong standards.
Yet in Singapore, where open political expression is greatly restricted, it was deeply significant. And it reflects a larger process of political change that has been unfolding in recent years. Essentially, Singapore is more politicised, with more citizens becoming politically engaged.
There are many reasons for this. Most significantly, steady increases in the cost of living and relatively slow or stagnant increases in wages at lower ends of the labour market have led to tangible declines in living standards. Singapore is now the third most expensive city in Asia, after Tokyo and Osaka, and Singaporeans, who work among the longest hours each week, are hard pressed to keep up. Full story