Deep divisions of US, UK must not take root in Singapore: Lee Hsien Loong

November 21, 2016

ricky l

14 seconds ago

“I think the spending, the welfare scheme, the social safety nets is one part, but the self-reliance and giving people the ability to look after themselves and investing in people, I think that is another very important part,” Lee said.
---

I think many Singaporeans want to be self-reliance.

There are many mature PMETs who want to work - but going for countless interview - still cannot find jobs.

For deep division not to take root in Singapore, jobs must be easily available to Singaporeans young and mature one.

ricky l

2 seconds ago

In US and UK, people are not happy because there are no jobs ---- no so much on social divide.

Similarly, Singapore mature PMETs and even some younger ones - also have problem finding jobs and ensuring job security. This is the real root cause of unhappiness - not so much about social divide.

When previously, well-paid jobs are abundant, now it is like finding a strain of hair in a haystack.

Singapore will have to address the issue of jobs and job security ---- if not to head into the problem facing US and UK today.
- ricky l
  
  2 seconds ago
  
  I think no one is complaining about the welfare scheme & the social safety nets, housing, healthcare, education etc.
  
  These are done very well in Singapore.
  
  Jobs and Job Security - is the biggest complain in Singapore.
- - XYZ
    
    59 minutes ago
    
    You voted for PAP in GE2015 correct?
    That means you voted for GLOBALISATION.
    And you voted for BIG-GOVT. SOCIALISM.
    What are you complaining and whinning and KPKB about ????
    LOL
  - ricky l
    
    2 seconds ago
    
    @XYZ - don't understand your logic about Globalisation, Big-Govt, Socialism.
    
    You don't seems to understand what are those terms entail and how does that link to jobs and job security.
  - - ricky l
      
      2 seconds ago
      
      @XYZ - can you please explain the 3 terms intellectually - and how does it link to our current jobs problem and job security problem?
    - ricky l
      
      12 seconds ago
      
      Now since I did not get any response from you, let me explain what do you mean by those terms you mention and not all are relevant to Singapore - in other words, your label on Singapore is flaw.
      
      (1) Socialism - Singapore is not adopting socialism for its economy. In fact Singapore is adopting market economy (Capitalism) complemented by Government link companies. Socialism are predominantly state-owned companies - eg. N Korea and previously China SOE (State Owned Enterprises) - where China are already making their SOEs more market oriented.
      
      Thus you label Singapore as Socialism is flaw, is wrong.
      
      (2) Big-Govt - Singapore civil servants are 143,000, or about 4% of our labour force - it is one of the smallest civil servants to population ratio - as compared to other Countries - with a bigger ratio.
      In other words, Singapore is not a Big-Govt as you suggest.
      So your hypothesis is flaw.
      
      (3) Globalisation - Singapore is an entreport and international hub for trade since Independence. Singapore wealth is generated by Globalisation.
      How does this impact our current job problem and job insecurity problem - where trade bring us wealth, business and jobs?
    - - ricky l
        
        2 seconds ago
        
        If Singapore is adopting Socialism - where jobs are allocated by State-own Enterprise and given by Government - then we will not face job insecurity problem - and our job should be an "iron rice bowl".
        
        If Singapore is a Big Government - than many people will have jobs as Singapore Government become the Largest Employer.
        
        Then the question is --- is SOEs and Big Government efficient - as it need to be pay by taxpayer money. Also how does SOEs compete and operate in a Global Market Economy?
        
        Thus your hypothesis of the above 3 terms you mention are totally flaw.
- ricky l
  
  2 seconds ago
  
  The statement " the uncertainty of jobs, these are real problems, which people feel. You have to address them, you have to make people not only deal with the problems but make people feel that their concerns have been heard and have been attended to" - is reassuring.
  
  But the statement can only be reassuring - if it is translated into real action - to help those without jobs - to secure jobs and able to work until their official retirement age - without being force out arbitrarily with lame excuses - under the pretext of restructuring, economic slowdown etc.

XYZ

33 minutes ago

Dude, I remember I told you months ago that you are DELUSIONAL. LOL!
Why would the PAP want to help retrenched locals back into PMET jobs when it was their very idea to make the retrenchment happen to begin with ?

Its called GLOBALIZATION:
- 6.9 MILLION White Paper plan.
- The so-called "Economic Restructuring".

The PAP plan is to get millions of overseas immigrants to take up citizenship or at least a PR first.
Why would an FT want to take up citizenship here if he/she is not being given a high-paying job ???????? LOL
Of course the PAP Govt priority is to ensure the FTs have nice and good paying jobs, to entice the FT to take up citizenships !

The LOCALS PMETs are to be systematically REPLACED and REDISTRIBUTED to other sectors /jobs the FTs are reluctant to work or not willing to do!

Which is why PAP have all the Skillsfuture etc.. programes for you, to train you for DOWNGRADING. LOL

You can continue to vote PAP, and wait long long, and HOPE they will self-destroy their big plans to kick out the FT to give you back your PMET jobs lor.

LOL!!!
XYZ

29 minutes ago

Which is why your MASTER, LHL, in many of his public speeches and media interviewe, keeps telling Singkies to "SACRIFICE for the greater good of the nation".

And you if have lost your PMET job to the FT, and if you have also voted for PAP (in 2010 and 2015) that means you HAVE AGREED to sacrifice your personal and your family's well-being for the "greater good".

And therefore, don't complain and KPKB now lah!
LOL
ricky l

22 seconds ago

The following are the real reasons for the current job insecurity if you are able to analyse and understand the real root causes :-
(1) Economic restructuring - nationwide effort
(2) Business restructuring - enterprise wide effort
--- the above 2 aim to improve productivity
(3) Global economic slowdown
(4) Disruptive technologies, robotics, automation - that remove jobs
(5) Business want to cut cost - targeting high pay mature PMETs and workers - many Singaporean mature PMETs and workers got hit - and adopt unfair practices to remove Singaporeans
(6) Influx of foreign talents and workers that crowd out Singaporean PMETs and workers.

The above are the real root causes of our current job problem and job insecurity.

ricky l

13 seconds ago

The above root causes of our job insecurity - is not only happening to 1 or 2 industrial sectors ---- but are cutting across almost all economic sectors.

That is why the job insecurity problems are magnified - and unsettling to many Singaporeans.

And many are affected.
- ricky l
  
  2 seconds ago
  
  The above problem is not only confronting Singapore .
  
  US and UK - have bear the brunt - similar to what we experienced in Singapore here.
  
  In fact the whole of Europe is facing similar problem - and in fact compounded by bigger problems - of immigrants and refugees.
  
  Thus the West is facing a bigger discontentment - that has result in the US election shock and the UK Brexit.

J.

10 minutes ago

@ Ricky L,
you wouldn't find the middle class complaining too much about social divide simply because they are enjoying middle class life. but just because the majority of locals are in the middle does not mean there is no social divide, because the bottom 20% are worse off then they were years ago.
ricky l

2 seconds ago

As long as the bottom 20% have jobs and able to feed themselves and their families, the social divide will not be magnified.

If no jobs there social divide will magnified.

So the root cause still come down to "jobs".

In US, those who support Trump is complaining about "jobs".
In UK, those who support Brexit is complaining about "jobs".

Jobs lead to income - and lead to social divide if no income.

ricky l

12 seconds ago

US, UK, Europe and even Singapore - did not complain about diversity, cosmopolitan, foreigners etc many years ago ------ why?

Because people in these Countries have jobs and well-paying one.

Now why these people is complaining now?

Precisely these people lose their jobs - and cannot find one.

This is the main reason why US shock election and Brexit and the deep underlying discontentment across Europe come about.

J.

20 minutes ago

@ Ricky L,
(1) not Socialism?
GLCs may not be solely state owned, but they are not full fledged private enterprises. you have SMRT's CEO being appoint by govt. even our football association's top jobs were appointed by govt, and its only on foreign intervention did things change.

so while the situation may not appear outright socialist. it has very clear socialist underpinnings.

(2) not Big-Govt?
PAP govt is the largest employ in SG. that's a fact, regardless of how you compare to other countries. which is a moot point.

(3) Globalisation?
this is where i largely agree with you, opinion-wise.

ricky l

3 seconds ago

One main ingredient of Socialism :-

managed economy
a non-market economy in which government intervention is important in allocating goods and resources and determining prices.

All GLCs are subjected to market mechanism where pricing are determined by market forces. It is not determined by State pricing.

GLCs are profit-oriented and they have to watch their bottom line and they compete with private enterprises.
- ricky l
  
  2 seconds ago
  
  Wonder which Countries in the World does not have civil servants larger than any private enterprises?
  
  Government run the whole Countries of multi-million people. So if the Government is not the largest employers in a Country, then which private enterprises employ hundred thousands of people?
  
  A police force already required a few thousand people.
  An army of regular troops have hundred thousand of soldiers.......
  
  Hmmm very puzzling .....

XYZ

28 minutes ago

First the PAP GOVT is a BIG GOVT.
Agree?

ricky l

12 seconds ago

First the PAP GOVT is a BIG GOVT.
Agree?
---
You mean opposition can do a better job?
And what is the official definition of Big-Govt?
It refer to the size of civil service vis a vis the population - so don't understand your above statement.

In Singapore, politicians are elected through election by the voters.
If voters think that the opposition can do a better job, than opposition will grow.
But if voters think that opposition can't do a better job than the incumbent will be the dominant party.
So how do you explain a Big Govt to an elected MPs?
Don't know the logic ????????????
- XYZ
  
  37 minutes ago
  
  The root cause of "HIGH BUSINESS costs" is ultimately due to extremely high Office/shops /factory rentals, due to high LAND COST lah.
  The salaries of local PMETs and blue-collars workers are really not high compared to developed countries .
  
  In my opinion, the policies of opening of borders to huge influx of "FOREIGN labors" are NOT a result of high rentals (resulting in high business costs);
  but rather, being passed in order TO MAINTAIN the high rentals.
  
  The continued potential of being able to lease out their offices /shops at high rentals means Commerical property Developers and builders can continue to bid for land projects from SLA at high costs to develop.
  The Govt thus can continue to receive huge REVENUES into the State coffers.
  
  By legislating an OPEN-BORDER policy to allow for huge influx of CHEAP FTs/FWs, the COST PRESSURE which businesses (tenants) faced can be "unloaded" onto local workers/employees,
  instead of channelling the pressure upwards, to force down the rental rates.
  
  In otherwords, the COMPETITIVE pressure of capitalism, have been UNFAIRLY applied onto LOCAL workers Salaries.
  Local workers thus either have their salaries being depressed or are being replaced by FTs/FWs.
  And it was PLANNED to be such by the Government. Reasons which I have mentioned in the above posts.
  
  Do you think all those Property developers are willing to take such high risk to invest and develop so many office buildings and towers, shopping malls, Condo projects, all over the island, had they not received assurance by the PAP Govt of its OPEN-BORDER policies ??
  
  Of course, there are indeed jobs which locals do not have the expertise or are not willing to do also, but we are not talking about that here lah.
  LOL
- ricky l
  
  22 seconds ago
  
  The root cause of "HIGH BUSINESS costs" is ultimately due to extremely high Office/shops /factory rentals, due to high LAND COST lah.
  ---
  
  I think this is the last point that i am going to respond to you.
  
  You mention that Singapore adopt Socialism -- means a managed economy and that State determine the price.
  
  I am telling you - that you keep mixing up market economy and socialism and vice versa.
  
  The high land price and high rental --- is due to the Economic theory of demand and supply.
  
  If there is no demand, no matter how high the price the State fixed, no one will buy or rent.
  It is the "opportunity cost" - due to the demand and supply.
  
  The land price and rental is high - because of demand --- through the market forces - not Socialism.
  
  I think you should get your Economic fundamental right and your political acumen right first.

ricky l

2 seconds ago

yawn zzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz
- ricky l
  
  2 seconds ago
  
  Now i know why opposition cannot make an inroad into Singapore politics.

J.

7 minutes ago

@ Ricky L,
demand for land can be induced, through immigration policies. and immigration polices are managed by policymakers, not free market.
ricky l

22 seconds ago

@J, i say again if you understand Economic fundamental and Political acumen, by inducing the demand on land or immigration ---- if there is no market force of demand and supply ----- no matter what price you fixed, no one will be so stupid to pay money to buy the State land.

If don't believe you sell a land in Antartica for 1 million dollar - you see anyone will buy or not?

J.

1 minute ago

@ Ricky L,
i know i am right. and you know it too! =)
ricky l

1 second ago

Yawn zzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz
I prefer to talk to intellect.

Deep divisions of US, UK must not take root in Singapore: Lee Hsien Loong

Yahoo News Singapore

November 21, 2016

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (L) and Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski shake hands at the 2016 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Photo: Mikhail Metzel/TASS — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (L) and Peru’s President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski shake hands at the 2016 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Photo: Mikhail Metzel/TASS

The kind of deep divisions in society that were exposed by the recent US elections and Brexit must not be allowed to develop in Singapore, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

“You have to work together, you have to work hard, the government must have policies which generally will be working for people,” said Lee, who conceded that there is no “magic formula” to prevent such sentiments.

“At the same time, we have to develop a sense of identity and togetherness within Singapore so that you don’t have a deep divide within the society.”

According to a Today report on Monday (21 Nov), Lee noted the deep dichotomy in the US between Democrat and Republican states, and the disparity between London and other English cities in terms of education and income.

“The changes induced by globalisation, the Rust Belt problems, the uncertainty of jobs, these are real problems, which people feel. You have to address them, you have to make people not only deal with the problems but make people feel that their concerns have been heard and have been attended to,” said Lee, who was speaking to Singapore media on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Peru.

Noting that comparisons have been made to the 2011 General Election in Singapore, which saw anger among Singaporeans over immigration policies, Lee said that there is a “massive difference in scale” compared to what happened in the UK and the US.

The Prime Minister added that social divides cannot be allowed to widen, because rebuilding these bridges will be very difficult.

Asked if the authorities will implement policies to redistribute wealth more equally within society, Lee pointed to government schemes like Workfare and the Pioneer Generation Package, as well as basic schemes like healthcare and the Housing and Development Board’s home ownership programme.

Lee added that spending in such schemes have gone up considerably compared to 10 years ago.

Stresses of globalisation need to be addressed: Lawrence Wong

By Dylan Loh, Channel NewsAsia
Posted 23 Nov 2016 10:11
Updated 23 Nov 2016 10:20

People cross the street next to the Singapore Exchange (SGX) building in Singapore on July 21, 2016. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)

SINGAPORE: From Brexit to Donald Trump's election, 2016 has seen such developments mark the rise of anti-globalisation politics, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (Nov 23).

While governments need to act to address globalisation's stresses, businesses will have to do better too, said Mr Wong addressing delegates of the 5th Responsible Business Forum.

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He said while globalisation has brought benefits through economic interdependence between countries, there is a broad section of society which does not feel their lives have improved.

"All this is fuelling deep discontent with globalisation, and provoking nationalistic and protectionist sentiments around the world," Mr Wong said.

He added governments will have to act to address workers' anxieties about their jobs and livelihoods, but will also need to be honest about the challenges and what practical state intervention is able to achieve.

Mr Wong warned against selling populist measures that sound good but may cause more harm, like stirring up xenophobic sentiments and cultural divisions.

For businesses, he cautioned against "tokenism", where corporate social responsibility is typically seen in the form of monetary donations to charity. He said the fundamental issue concerns how companies make money as a responsible member of the global community, so that trust in the marketplace can be restored and strengthened.

"Ultimately, we all need to work together,” said Mr Wong. “Governments need to set rules that are balanced and fair. Businesses need to act responsibly and move towards long-term sustainability. Consumers also need to make the right choices to encourage the right practices.”

- CNA/ek

Active public policies needed to help those hurt by global trade: Tharman

Posted 24 Nov 2016 22:34

Updated 24 Nov 2016 23:28

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SINGAPORE: Active public policies are needed to help those who are negatively affected by global trade, said Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Thursday (Nov 24).

Addressing a Singapore-France economic forum, Mr Tharman said: "We do have a problem, because most of the advanced world is facing a loss of confidence that has to do with the sense of ordinary people as to how much they gain from open economies and societies - and it has to be addressed."

In the United States, President-elect Donald Trump's campaign promise to pull the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) resonated with voters who feared that the trade deal would affect American jobs and wages.

Mr Tharman noted that the challenge with open economies is that while the majority benefits, there is a "not insignificant" group that loses out. "There has been inadequate effort to bring them back into the game of common prosperity," he said. "And that's the heart of the problem."

He added that the "only positive strategy forward" is to stay open and do "far more" to help those who lose out.

"That requires active public policy; it requires new public-private partnerships, and it requires a new political culture that is about everyone being in the same boat; that is about inclusivity, not just in economic terms but in social terms. And that positive strategy has to infiltrate our political discussions, wherever we are in the world."

The Deputy Prime Minister identified the need for public policy to focus on regenerating towns and cities, as well as creating new jobs. He also spoke of the importance of speeding up the spread of new innovation and technology, as well as the need for lifelong learning.

"Skills are in demand, but the paradox is that the skills that are in demand don't last as long as they used to … because the pace of change has increased, in technology and the nature of jobs," said Mr Tharman.

"And this is all the more why we can't front-load education into just the first 18 or 22 years of a person's life but we have to keep re-investing in every individual throughout their careers – learning through life."

ASIA PACIFIC STILL LOOKING TO OPEN UP ECONOMIES

Mr Tharman added that countries in the Asia Pacific are still looking to open up and liberalise their economies, even as many parts of the advanced world face the temptation to withdraw globally.

"You don't sense that same temptation (in the Asia Pacific)," said Mr Tharman. "Progress may be slow in reforms, economies are opening up in fits and starts. But the direction of travel is still towards greater opening.

"And with or without the TPP, we have the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) which is going to go ahead. We have each country still moving in the direction of further opening up. You still have a continent that's liberalising and looking for opportunities for co-operative regionalism and co-operative internationalism."

Mr Tharman told his audience that he was optimistic about the way forward. "We've got to put our minds to it and work out new forms of collaboration that will allow us, at the end of the day, to keep economies open so that the majority can benefit.

"If we don't deal with those who have lost out, we are not going to keep our economies open and everyone will lose out."

- CNA/dt

Babe Blog - Insights on News Events

Monday, November 21, 2016

Deep divisions of US, UK must not take root in Singapore: Lee Hsien Loong

Deep divisions of US, UK must not take root in Singapore: Lee Hsien Loong

Stresses of globalisation need to be addressed: Lawrence Wong

Active public policies needed to help those hurt by global trade: Tharman

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