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Ricky Lim
I agreed with the Minister of Finance analysis that :-
(1) Outcome is more important than input for 3 reasons :-
- Fund input if not put at the right place - will lead to wastage and abuse & yet does not produce the right outcome.
- Fund spend too much and not targeting at the right outcome - will deplete the Nation financial resources and will draw money away from critical investment - that will further boost the Nation strength in building infrastructure, build capability and boosting the skillsets of our human capital.
- Reduce human motivation to work hard for themselves and families - while relying on the Nation to feed them or live on social welfare - that will dampen our Nation competitveness and drive away investors.
Singapore has been doing very well in 3 areas that are vital to close the income gap and social inequality.
(1) Housing
(2) Education
(3) Healthcare
However there are 2 important areas that Singapore should focus on and should do better - that will be extremely vital to close the income gap and bridge social inequality.
What are they?
(1) Good paying jobs and job opportunities
(2) Ensure affordable Cost of living.
With this respect - I also don't agree with the Oxfam parameters in measuring the social inequalty of a Country --- which in fact will contribute to :-
(1) unnecessary financial burden to a Nation - and yet does not contribute to the right outcome
(2) encourage people to slack - and dependant on Nation for social welfare
(3) will cause undue burden to working people that contribute as tax to the Nation - for the unnecessary wastage and abuse - that do not contribute to the right outcome.
(1) Outcome is more important than input for 3 reasons :-
- Fund input if not put at the right place - will lead to wastage and abuse & yet does not produce the right outcome.
- Fund spend too much and not targeting at the right outcome - will deplete the Nation financial resources and will draw money away from critical investment - that will further boost the Nation strength in building infrastructure, build capability and boosting the skillsets of our human capital.
- Reduce human motivation to work hard for themselves and families - while relying on the Nation to feed them or live on social welfare - that will dampen our Nation competitveness and drive away investors.
Singapore has been doing very well in 3 areas that are vital to close the income gap and social inequality.
(1) Housing
(2) Education
(3) Healthcare
However there are 2 important areas that Singapore should focus on and should do better - that will be extremely vital to close the income gap and bridge social inequality.
What are they?
(1) Good paying jobs and job opportunities
(2) Ensure affordable Cost of living.
With this respect - I also don't agree with the Oxfam parameters in measuring the social inequalty of a Country --- which in fact will contribute to :-
(1) unnecessary financial burden to a Nation - and yet does not contribute to the right outcome
(2) encourage people to slack - and dependant on Nation for social welfare
(3) will cause undue burden to working people that contribute as tax to the Nation - for the unnecessary wastage and abuse - that do not contribute to the right outcome.
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Ricky Lim
Let us do a short analysis of how well Singapore do in Housing, Education and Healthcare -- in closing the people's inequality :-
(1) Housing - more than 90% of people own their flats or private housing.
In particular, subsidy and grants and owner's CPF - most of the time will enable people to buy their houses and own the flat - provided they are gainfully employed. There are SERs scheme and VERs scheme is coming our way to ensure when 99 years lease is up - residents will get some monies back.
(2) Education - are heavily subsidised for citizens, tutition grants, bursaries and scholarships are given. Loans are also freely available.
Many path ways are available for children to climb - as long as they are able and willing to study - whether through ITE, Polys, JCs, Uni or Private Uni etc.
(3) Healthcare - heavy subsidy for citizens and other grants such as CHAS, Pioneer, Merdeka subsidised cards etc are granted by Government.
Generally the Singapore Government has done well in these 3 areas - that have helped to close the inequality gaps.
(1) Housing - more than 90% of people own their flats or private housing.
In particular, subsidy and grants and owner's CPF - most of the time will enable people to buy their houses and own the flat - provided they are gainfully employed. There are SERs scheme and VERs scheme is coming our way to ensure when 99 years lease is up - residents will get some monies back.
(2) Education - are heavily subsidised for citizens, tutition grants, bursaries and scholarships are given. Loans are also freely available.
Many path ways are available for children to climb - as long as they are able and willing to study - whether through ITE, Polys, JCs, Uni or Private Uni etc.
(3) Healthcare - heavy subsidy for citizens and other grants such as CHAS, Pioneer, Merdeka subsidised cards etc are granted by Government.
Generally the Singapore Government has done well in these 3 areas - that have helped to close the inequality gaps.
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Ricky Lim
2 Areas in which i feel that the Government can and should do more are :-
(1) Creating good paying jobs, provide job opportunities and putting people into jobs
(2) Ensure affordable cost of livings for Singaporeans and residents
In fact these 2 parameters are the 2 most important antidotes - that will cure many Singaporeans grouses and grievances - that we can see manifesting in many social media platform.
Let us explore a bit more in details these 2 parameters that are antidotes to close inequality gaps :-
(1) Good paying jobs are income that will have helped a household to finance all their needs and their families need.
This is especially important for graduating young adults, retrenched mature workers or elderly who want to work.
Thus good paying jobs will be the income inequality equaliser.
(2) Affordable cost of living will be important for people to be able to cope.
Of course with good paying jobs - paying the monthly cost of living will not be a problem.
But for retrenched workers, graduating young adults, retiree, low income people, sick or handicapped who are not able to work etc - cost of living become an important parameters - if it keep going higher and higher - without good income or no income.
Thus these 2 parameters will be the main focus points - to solve the inequality gaps.
(1) Creating good paying jobs, provide job opportunities and putting people into jobs
(2) Ensure affordable cost of livings for Singaporeans and residents
In fact these 2 parameters are the 2 most important antidotes - that will cure many Singaporeans grouses and grievances - that we can see manifesting in many social media platform.
Let us explore a bit more in details these 2 parameters that are antidotes to close inequality gaps :-
(1) Good paying jobs are income that will have helped a household to finance all their needs and their families need.
This is especially important for graduating young adults, retrenched mature workers or elderly who want to work.
Thus good paying jobs will be the income inequality equaliser.
(2) Affordable cost of living will be important for people to be able to cope.
Of course with good paying jobs - paying the monthly cost of living will not be a problem.
But for retrenched workers, graduating young adults, retiree, low income people, sick or handicapped who are not able to work etc - cost of living become an important parameters - if it keep going higher and higher - without good income or no income.
Thus these 2 parameters will be the main focus points - to solve the inequality gaps.
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Ricky Lim
Why the 2 are considered important parameters that will widen the inequality gaps?
(1) Good paying jobs - create wealth for the people and allow people to have more spending powers, more income for savings and investment - that will help to grow their wealth.
(2) Affordable cost of livings - will help to reduce depletion of their savings and improve their spending power. With more savings, people can make investment and grow their wealth.
Thus - both jobs and cost of livings - are in fact more important parameters to be focused on to tackle inequality gaps.
(1) Good paying jobs - create wealth for the people and allow people to have more spending powers, more income for savings and investment - that will help to grow their wealth.
(2) Affordable cost of livings - will help to reduce depletion of their savings and improve their spending power. With more savings, people can make investment and grow their wealth.
Thus - both jobs and cost of livings - are in fact more important parameters to be focused on to tackle inequality gaps.
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Ricky Lim
For good paying jobs, it will apply to the below categories of people :-
(1) PMETs
- young graduating adults looking for good paying, skill matching PMETs jobs.
- middle aged PMETs or mature PMETs workers - who are retrenched or who need to change to good paying PMETs jobs.
(2) Blue collar workers or low income workers
- looking for good paying jobs
(3) Entrepreneurs or start-up
- looking for funds or JV capitalists to fund their business operations.
- those who unable to proceed with their business and need to look for jobs.
The above are the most likely scenarios that the Government must attempt to do more to help the above group of people to get good paying jobs --- and if succeeded ---- guarantee to close the inequality gaps ---- and guarantee the incumbent Government will continue to govern for a long time to come.
(1) PMETs
- young graduating adults looking for good paying, skill matching PMETs jobs.
- middle aged PMETs or mature PMETs workers - who are retrenched or who need to change to good paying PMETs jobs.
(2) Blue collar workers or low income workers
- looking for good paying jobs
(3) Entrepreneurs or start-up
- looking for funds or JV capitalists to fund their business operations.
- those who unable to proceed with their business and need to look for jobs.
The above are the most likely scenarios that the Government must attempt to do more to help the above group of people to get good paying jobs --- and if succeeded ---- guarantee to close the inequality gaps ---- and guarantee the incumbent Government will continue to govern for a long time to come.
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William Loh
One of the anomalies of today’s education system is that the world is not producing sufficient people with independent and critical thinking without bias or prejudice. What they think or say is always influenced by self-interests. If they are speaking or thinking from their soul’s level and having the heart at the right place, they will know what is right and wrong, and not trying to reason what is wrong to become right to fit the agenda. We should not be behaving like a parrot and just mimic the sounds of the master because we are human beings with a true soul that is compassionate and loving at the core.
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