Fallacies of the PAP and government

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#1

1. Said Ms Gan: "Mr Leong and PSP do not believe that Singapore should be an open city connected to the world... He wants Singapore to close up, for the top jobs to be given to Singaporeans only.

The Strawman argument.
Ms Gan is putting words in Mr. Leong's mouth.
Mr. Leong did not said he wants Singapore to close up, nor for all the top jobs to be given to Singaporeans only.
Mr. Leong asked why: "After all, retail banking is about our own domestic market, right? Can't it be 80 per cent, 90 per cent?"

2. Gan Siow Huang: "If we start telling companies that they can invest but can only employ Singaporeans for the top jobs, we will end up chasing some of them away, and thousands of good jobs for Singaporeans will be lost as well."

The Slippery Slope argument.
It is an unsubstantiated generalisation that thousands of good jobs will be lost. The jobs created may not be in the thousands, and the jobs may not be good.


Budget debate: Gan Siow Huang, Ong Ye Kung spar with Leong Mun Wai over foreign talent issue

Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai proposed to impose a $1,200 monthly levy on Employment Pass holders.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Justin Ong
Political Correspondent

25 FEB 2021



SINGAPORE - Two People's Action Party office-holders crossed swords with Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai over his proposal to impose a $1,200 monthly levy on Employment Pass (EP) holders, saying it signalled how his Progress Singapore Party favoured Singapore closing up instead of welcoming global companies and talent.
This was a view that the Government does not agree with, said Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung and Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang on Thursday (Feb 25).

They reiterated the Government's intent to strengthen the Singaporean core and to create more jobs for Singaporeans, after Mr Leong again raised the notion that foreigners were taking up jobs at the expense of locals.

Their back-and-forth was sparked by Mr Leong suggesting in his speech a levy on EP holders to level the playing field for Singaporeans suffering a "wage disadvantage" due to foreigners not being required to make Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions.

In response, Ms Gan said a blanket levy on EP holders would "signal to foreign investors that we don't quite welcome them bringing in their own talent".

The Government constantly reviews the EP qualifying criteria to rebalance the foreign and local talent mix here, and had just raised the minimum qualifying salary from $3,900 to at least $4,500 in September last year, she added.

She also noted Mr Leong maintaining his position that foreigners were taking the helm of companies in Singapore - a theme he first brought up in his maiden parliamentary speech in September last year, when he commented that DBS was "still without a home-grown CEO".

The bank's current CEO, Mr Piyush Gupta, was born in India and became a Singapore citizen in 2009.

Said Ms Gan: "Mr Leong and PSP do not believe that Singapore should be an open city connected to the world... He wants Singapore to close up, for the top jobs to be given to Singaporeans only.

"We must try to strike a balance between… welcoming foreign talent and building our own talent at the same time. Our future depends on it. If we start telling companies that they can invest but can only employ Singaporeans for the top jobs, we will end up chasing some of them away, and thousands of good jobs for Singaporeans will be lost as well.

"And going by Mr Leong's logic, Singaporeans who are working overseas won't be given top jobs outside Singapore."

Replying, Mr Leong agreed that Singapore, as an open global city-state, would require foreigners coming in to complement locals.

But he said the "rebalancing" of the local-foreign mix was proceeding too slowly. "The problem is, do we have enough policies to ensure that Singaporeans have fair treatment?" he added.

He pointed to Singapore bank OCBC announcing in January the appointment of Ms Helen Wong, who was born in Hong Kong, as group chief executive.

"So what is MAS doing? In my maiden speech, I said that during my time in the 80s and the 90s, localisation was almost a must in our financial sector. Today, it doesn't seem to be even a KPI (for) MAS."

Mr Ong, a board member of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), then rose to speak.

He noted that he had a similar exchange with Mr Leong in September last year, where he outlined efforts by MAS in establishing Singapore as a global and international financial hub, and growing local talent to a level where Singaporeans can take up senior roles and hold their own overseas.

"Of course, we always wish there's a menu that says 'we get all the jobs, but yet no competition'," said Mr Ong.

"I'm sorry, there's no such menu. The menu is 'open up more competition, but we build capabilities, and we can seize more opportunities'.

"So I'm a little bit disturbed when I hear Mr Leong grandstanding, saying that all of this… localisation (and) building our own talent is not in MAS' KPI. I think that is grossly unfair and ignores everything that we have discussed earlier."

Mr Leong apologised, and said: "Maybe MAS does have the KPIs. But I think the KPIs are not showing enough results. I think a lot of Singaporeans still have doubts - like for example, the senior executive positions in the retail banking sector in Singapore, why should there still be 30 to 40 per cent of foreigners?

"After all, retail banking is about our own domestic market, right? Can't it be 80 per cent, 90 per cent?"

Mr Ong replied: "Why 30 per cent of retail bank managers are still foreigners? Because we are a global financial centre. We have 70 per cent, and a much larger pie with a larger share. But that is the essence of being an open and international financial centre."

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin then called on the next MP to speak, but Mr Leong interjected, saying: "Speaker, let me have my last say."

He was turned down. "No, we are moving on," said Mr Tan. "I think enough was said."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#2

1. "In rebutting these points on Thursday, Ms Phua cited how Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had, after the election, "graciously" created the role of Leader of the Opposition, much to Mr Singh's surprise himself. She added: "Did Mr Singh not accept the role when asked - and the office, and the research assistant, and the salary - and try his best to be relevant too? Singaporeans too ask what the role of the Leader of the Opposition in our Parliament is.""

Creating the role of the Leader of the Opposition does not make the role of the CDCs relevant.
If Denise feels that the role of the Leader of the Oppostion is not relevant, she should have brought it up to her own party member and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong; or she can table a motion in Parliament to remove the role of Leader of the Opposition.

And there is no evidence that PM Lee created the role out of "grace".

2. Ms Phua said the CDCs should be assessed by the work they do on the ground and residents they benefit: "Would Singapore society be worse or better off without the CDCs? This is a question that is best answered by the beneficiaries of the work done by the CDCs."

Appeal to Accomplishment.
Denise Phua is justifying the existence of the CDCs on the work done by the CDC.
And to make it worse, she said the beneficiaries are the best people to answer that.
The beneficiaries obviously have a vested interest for the CDCs to continue.


Budget debate: Mayor Denise Phua rebuts Pritam Singh on relevance of CDCs and mayors

Central Singapore District Mayor Denise Phua thanked Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh for raising the subject of CDCs.PHOTOS: GOV.SG

Hariz Baharudin

25 FEB 2021


SINGAPORE - Central Singapore District Mayor Denise Phua on Thursday (Feb 25) roundly rejected the suggestion by Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh that a voucher scheme in this year's Budget was aimed at making Community Development Councils (CDCs) relevant.

"Mr Singh's accusation that the Government is trying to find some way for the CDCs to be relevant by asking them to manage the CDC vouchers scheme, is belittling the CDCs and our partners," she said.

"There is nothing to be ashamed about making sure one is always relevant," she added, giving an overview of the work of the five councils in assisting citizens who need help, supporting national initiatives like lifelong learning, and mobilising resources from businesses and the community to help residents in need.

Under the latest voucher scheme announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in the Feb 16 Budget to help households, all Singaporean households will get $100 worth of CDC vouchers for use in heartland shops and hawker centres.

This would help them defray the cost of living and support local businesses affected by the pandemic.
The five CDCs are still working on the details of the $150 million scheme, and will announce them once ready, Ms Phua said.

Their function in the voucher scheme is clear, she added. "We organise the resources, communicate the scheme, and get as many merchants as possible to sign up and make full use of this well-intended help scheme," she said.

In his speech at the start of the Budget debate on Wednesday, Mr Singh, who is Leader of the Opposition, noted that the CDCs came under the spotlight after last July's general election, with some viewing the salaries of mayors as outrageous.

He said the need for CDCs and full-time mayors continues to be widely questioned, as their work could be done by other agencies, and that their role in the voucher scheme was "potentially superfluous".

Measures' effectiveness should be 'readily determinable': Pritam on Govt expenditure | THE BIG STORY

"It would appear to me as if the Government is trying to find some way to make the CDCs relevant in view of their relative absence in the public mindshare," Mr Singh had said.

In rebutting these points on Thursday, Ms Phua cited how Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had, after the election, "graciously" created the role of Leader of the Opposition, much to Mr Singh's surprise himself.

She added: "Did Mr Singh not accept the role when asked - and the office, and the research assistant, and the salary - and try his best to be relevant too? Singaporeans too ask what the role of the Leader of the Opposition in our Parliament is."

Ms Phua also thanked Mr Singh for raising the subject of CDCs, adding that perhaps the biggest mistake the councils made was not to have better publicised the work they do.

CDCs, which were mooted by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1996 and established in 1997, complement the work of other grassroots groups and help manage programmes to bring people in the community together.

Their roles have evolved over the years, Ms Phua noted, citing how the administration of national financial assistance schemes which they did for many years has since been taken over by social service offices in over 20 towns.

But because CDCs operate at the district level, they continue to support national initiatives such as lifelong learning and SkillsFuture, she added, noting that in the last three years, the five councils ran 4,819 SkillsFuture Advice workshops that reached over 127,000 participants in the last three years.

And during the Covid-19 pandemic, they brought together resources from various agencies and private training companies to help residents find training and jobs. The mayors also got together soon after the circuit breaker began to garner resources and ensure students who used to get free meals in school continued to get e-vouchers for meals, she said.

"The value of the CDC structure... is its relative agility and ability to respond and develop programmes in the district faster than a bigger government machinery," said Ms Phua.

Mr Singh had also suggested that Citizens' Consultative Committees (CCCs) in the constituencies could administer the voucher scheme instead.

To this, Ms Phua said that local bodies like the CCCs do not always have market and shop representatives sitting in the committees, whereas the CDCs reach out to merchant and hawker associations by tapping a network that includes volunteers and national bodies such as the Singapore Federation of Merchants' Associations and its subsidiary, the Heartlands Enterprise Singapore.

"Mr Singh's suggestion to have the CCCs or grassroots volunteers run this multi-million help scheme is either ignorant of or insensitive to the reality on the ground," she said.

Responding to Ms Phua on Thursday, Mr Singh clarified that in calling for a review of full-time mayors, he did not harbour any personal vendetta against mayors and was not trying to indict the CDCs' programmes. Instead, he was trying to ask if there is still a need for them to be full-time, given how many roles they once performed are now handled by different bodies, like social service organisations.

Ms Phua replied that she was the only full-time mayor.

"And that's, I think, because the Prime Minister feels that I'm running the largest district here - 23 divisions. My fellow mayors are all double-hatting, or triple-hatting sometimes," she said. "But I do know that they only get one pay."

South West District mayor Low Yen Ling is a minister of state, North East District and South East District mayors Desmond Choo and Fahmi Aliman are with the National Trades Union Congress, and North West District mayor Alex Yam is executive director of the People's Action Party.

Ms Phua said the CDCs should be assessed by the work they do on the ground and residents they benefit: "Would Singapore society be worse or better off without the CDCs? This is a question that is best answered by the beneficiaries of the work done by the CDCs."

 

[shittypore]

For 20% of wat she's being paid you can rest assure you can find very capable individuals who could replace this fat lard.

 

[bobby]

Is it proper for an MP to also be the mayor...conflict of interests ?

 

[Hypocrite-The]

MOM says Dependant’s Pass holders will need work passes to work from May onwards; Netizens claim such changes are “long overdue” - The Online Citizen Asia
From 1 May onwards, spouses or family members of foreigners working in Singapore on Dependant’s Passes (DPs) will need to obtain a work pass to work in the city-state, instead of a letter of consent, said the Ministry of Manpower on Wednesday (3 Mar).
Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said during her Committee of Supply earlier today that the change was made “for consistency with recent work pass moves”.
This means that DP holders’ employers will need to apply for an Employment Pass (EP), S Pass or work permit for them—instead of the letter of consent that they currently use—including the relevant qualifying salary, quotas and levies.
MOM noted that existing DP holders who are currently employed on a letter of consent are allowed to continue working but they would still need to obtain a work pass when their current letter of consent expires.
“We will provide sufficient time for existing DP holders working on a LOC [letter of consent], as well as their employers, to transit to this new arrangement.
“Most of them meet prevailing work pass criteria. Those that do not will have to cease working in Singapore,” said Mrs Teo.
She revealed that DP holders working in Singapore on a letter of consent represent about 1 per cent of all work pass holders.
DP holders who are business owners, on the other hand, will be allowed to continue running their businesses with a letter of consent if their businesses create local employment.
In order to be qualified for this, they will have to be either the sole proprietor, partner or director with at least 30 per cent shareholding in the business, said MOM.
It added that the company must hire at least one Singaporean or permanent resident (PR) who earns at least S$1,400 and receives Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for at least three months.
If DP holders failed to fulfil these criteria, they will be allowed to run their businesses on their existing letter of consent until its expiry, or apply for a one-off extension until 30 April next year when they next renew their dependant’s pass.
“Thereafter, they will need to meet the criteria… in order to renew their LOC, or obtain an applicable work pass to continue working in Singapore,” said the Ministry, adding that more details of the changes will be released on 1 May.
“Letter of Consent has been a loophole for a long time”
Penning their thoughts under the comment section of CNA’s Facebook post, many netizens pointed out that the letter of consent scheme has been a “loophole” for “a long time” and the Ministry has just realised it now.
Though they agree that the new rules are necessary, they said the changes made by MOM was “long overdue”.

Some netizens asked why DP holders were even allowed to work in Singapore with a letter of consent in the first place, saying that such a scheme would mean that DP holders are no longer dependants but have similar qualifications as those work pass holders.

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[Hypocrite-The]

Netizens lambast business groups over their concern on MOM’s new rule on dependant’s pass holders - The Online Citizen Asia
A number of business chambers in Singapore have voiced their concerns about the message being sent across by the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) new rule for dependant’s pass holders to get a formal work pass in order to work in the country.

In a report by The Straits Times (ST), they pointed out that many such foreigners have skills and experience that can contribute to Singapore’s economy, and by having a more restrictive rule, it may cause difficulties for companies to relocate staff or senior executive with families.

However, some observers noted that the impact on companies may not be huge, given that dependants with valuable skills can meet the requirements to obtain work passes.

From 1 May onwards, spouses or family members of foreigners working in Singapore on Dependant’s Passes (DPs) will need to obtain a work pass to work in the city-state, instead of a letter of consent, said the MOM on Wednesday (3 Mar).

This means that DP holders’ employers will need to apply for an Employment Pass (EP), S Pass or work permit for them—instead of the letter of consent that they currently use—including the relevant qualifying salary, quotas and levies.

MOM noted that existing DP holders who are currently employed on a letter of consent are allowed to continue working but they would still need to obtain a work pass when their current letter of consent expires.

DP holders who are business owners, on the other hand, will be allowed to continue running their businesses with a letter of consent if their businesses create local employment.

In order to be qualified for this, they will have to be either the sole proprietor, partner or director with at least 30 per cent shareholding in the business, said MOM.

It added that the company must hire at least one Singaporean or permanent resident (PR) who earns at least S$1,400 and receives Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for at least three months.

Concerns of business groups
According to MOM, there are about 11,000 DP holders working in the country with letters of consent, or about 1 per cent of work pass holders. This figure excludes migrant domestic workers.

Commenting on this, managing director of human resources firm PeopleWorldwide Consulting, Dr David Leong, said that while the numbers affected are small, the new rule tilts the balance of probabilities towards Singaporean job seekers.

Business chamber leaders noted that some of the jobs that DP holders take up include part-time teachers in private education, entrepreneurs, roles in foreign chambers and religious institutions, as well as language teachers in local organisations.

Executive director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, Kate Baldock, said that among the Australian community in Singapore, there is a concentration of workers with letters of concerns in certain industries as well as operating sole person enterprises, and these sectors could be seriously affected by the changes.

“We are hearing from certain sectors as well as our SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) and start-up community that this could cause significant challenges,” she said.

On the other hand, Dr Lei Hsien-Hsien, chief executive of the American Chamber of Commerce here, pointed out that many DP holders possess advanced degrees, skills, experience and capabilities that can potentially fulfil niche workforce needs.

A large number of them own small start-ups, which contribute to the growth of the country’s economy, while some offer niche services such as marketing and communications for non-governmental organisations.

“However, due to circumstances, they often require a more flexible working arrangement including part-time or contract work, which the letter of consent accommodated,” she said.

Dr Lei added, “It is much more attractive and reassuring for families to know that there is relatively straightforward option to obtain a letter of consent to facilitate work for dependants.”

Additionally, Singapore International Chamber of Commerce CEO Victor Mills noted that MOM’s new rule narrows choices and opportunities, especially for partners and spouses of EP holders.

“The more serious impact will be one of perception that Singapore is a less welcome place than in the past. And we all know that perception is reality for many people.”

However, some business groups do not see much impact on the new rule.

Lam Yi Yong, CEO of Singapore Business Federation, expressed that most foreign employees in companies here would already have their work passes.

Separately, OCBC Bank chief economist Selena Ling cited the recently launched Tech.Pass scheme and said: “Singapore clearly remains open to foreign talent, especially at the mid-to higher-level professionals in key sectors.”

Netizens react
Over on ST’s Facebook post, netizens slammed the business groups for their concern over MOM’s new rule on DP holders.

They explained that Singapore needs actual foreign talents and that DPs deprive locals of getting jobs that are meant for them.


Some questioned why DP holders should be treated differently, and that if they want to get a job in Singapore, then they should apply for EP or S Pass, just like other foreigners who have a job here.


Others questioned the “niche skills” that these dependants have that the business groups have voiced out.

Online users said that the majority of DP holders are spouses or parents or in-laws of work pass holders, and they work part-time doing odd jobs.

As such, they said that these DPs are working in jobs with low salaries without complaining much, adding that this is not “niche skills”.


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[Hypocrite-The]

Netizens lambast business groups over their concern on MOM’s new rule on dependant’s pass holders - The Online Citizen Asia

A number of business chambers in Singapore have voiced their concerns about the message being sent across by the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) new rule for dependant’s pass holders to get a formal work pass in order to work in the country.
In a report by The Straits Times (ST), they pointed out that many such foreigners have skills and experience that can contribute to Singapore’s economy, and by having a more restrictive rule, it may cause difficulties for companies to relocate staff or senior executive with families.
However, some observers noted that the impact on companies may not be huge, given that dependants with valuable skills can meet the requirements to obtain work passes.
From 1 May onwards, spouses or family members of foreigners working in Singapore on Dependant’s Passes (DPs) will need to obtain a work pass to work in the city-state, instead of a letter of consent, said the MOM on Wednesday (3 Mar).
This means that DP holders’ employers will need to apply for an Employment Pass (EP), S Pass or work permit for them—instead of the letter of consent that they currently use—including the relevant qualifying salary, quotas and levies.
MOM noted that existing DP holders who are currently employed on a letter of consent are allowed to continue working but they would still need to obtain a work pass when their current letter of consent expires.
DP holders who are business owners, on the other hand, will be allowed to continue running their businesses with a letter of consent if their businesses create local employment.
In order to be qualified for this, they will have to be either the sole proprietor, partner or director with at least 30 per cent shareholding in the business, said MOM.
It added that the company must hire at least one Singaporean or permanent resident (PR) who earns at least S$1,400 and receives Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for at least three months.
Concerns of business groups
According to MOM, there are about 11,000 DP holders working in the country with letters of consent, or about 1 per cent of work pass holders. This figure excludes migrant domestic workers.
Commenting on this, managing director of human resources firm PeopleWorldwide Consulting, Dr David Leong, said that while the numbers affected are small, the new rule tilts the balance of probabilities towards Singaporean job seekers.
Business chamber leaders noted that some of the jobs that DP holders take up include part-time teachers in private education, entrepreneurs, roles in foreign chambers and religious institutions, as well as language teachers in local organisations.
Executive director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, Kate Baldock, said that among the Australian community in Singapore, there is a concentration of workers with letters of concerns in certain industries as well as operating sole person enterprises, and these sectors could be seriously affected by the changes.
“We are hearing from certain sectors as well as our SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) and start-up community that this could cause significant challenges,” she said.
On the other hand, Dr Lei Hsien-Hsien, chief executive of the American Chamber of Commerce here, pointed out that many DP holders possess advanced degrees, skills, experience and capabilities that can potentially fulfil niche workforce needs.
A large number of them own small start-ups, which contribute to the growth of the country’s economy, while some offer niche services such as marketing and communications for non-governmental organisations.
“However, due to circumstances, they often require a more flexible working arrangement including part-time or contract work, which the letter of consent accommodated,” she said.
Dr Lei added, “It is much more attractive and reassuring for families to know that there is relatively straightforward option to obtain a letter of consent to facilitate work for dependants.”
Additionally, Singapore International Chamber of Commerce CEO Victor Mills noted that MOM’s new rule narrows choices and opportunities, especially for partners and spouses of EP holders.
“The more serious impact will be one of perception that Singapore is a less welcome place than in the past. And we all know that perception is reality for many people.”
However, some business groups do not see much impact on the new rule.
Lam Yi Yong, CEO of Singapore Business Federation, expressed that most foreign employees in companies here would already have their work passes.
Separately, OCBC Bank chief economist Selena Ling cited the recently launched Tech.Pass scheme and said: “Singapore clearly remains open to foreign talent, especially at the mid-to higher-level professionals in key sectors.”
Netizens react
Over on ST’s Facebook post, netizens slammed the business groups for their concern over MOM’s new rule on DP holders.
They explained that Singapore needs actual foreign talents and that DPs deprive locals of getting jobs that are meant for them.

Some questioned why DP holders should be treated differently, and that if they want to get a job in Singapore, then they should apply for EP or S Pass, just like other foreigners who have a job here.

Others questioned the “niche skills” that these dependants have that the business groups have voiced out.
Online users said that the majority of DP holders are spouses or parents or in-laws of work pass holders, and they work part-time doing odd jobs.
As such, they said that these DPs are working in jobs with low salaries without complaining much, adding that this is not “niche skills”.

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[LITTLEREDDOT]

#3
Quotes:
He added: "I do not think there is any basis for people to say, a vaccine comes from China, it is no good, or conversely, a vaccine comes from China, it must be good because I am a Chinaman and it matches my DNA. Vaccines are vaccines."
Mr Lee also noted that China has capable scientists, biomedical researchers and vaccine researchers, adding that he had no doubt they were capable of making good vaccines.

Fallacy:
China has capable scientists, therefore there is no doubt that China is capable of making good vaccines.

Having capable scientists DOES NOT lead to NO DOUBTS that China is capable of making good vaccines.
China's Sinovac vaccine has a 50.4% efficacy rate. How can this be good?
In fact, this statistic shows that China is NOT capable of making good vaccines.

S'pore will use Covid-19 jabs from any source, as long as they are safe, effective: PM Lee

PM Lee said Singapore is in the process of evaluating China's Sinovac vaccine.
PHOTO: MCI

Tham Yuen-C
Senior Political Correspondent

MAR 14, 2021

SINGAPORE - Singapore will use Covid-19 vaccines no matter where they are made, as long as they are safe and effective, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in an interview with the BBC broadcast on Sunday (March 14).

"We will use vaccines from any source. Vaccines do not carry a nationality. Is it good or is it no good? Does it work? If it does, then we will use it," he added.

Singapore has placed orders for vaccines against the Sars-CoV-2 virus from multiple suppliers to hedge its bets, and has received supplies of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which have been approved for use.

Late last month, it received its first shipment of China's Sinovac vaccine, which has not yet been authorised by the Health Sciences Authority for use in Singapore. The agency is in the process of evaluating it for safety and efficacy.

With mass vaccination campaigns under way around the world giving rise to vaccine diplomacy - countries using vaccines as instruments of influence - some commentators have suggested that China may be pushing for Singapore to approve the Sinovac product.

Asked by BBC World News Asia Business correspondent Karishma Vaswani if Singapore was under pressure to use a Chinese-made vaccine, Mr Lee said: "We are in the process of evaluating the vaccine. If it passes muster in terms of safety and effectiveness, we will use it."

He added: "I do not think there is any basis for people to say, a vaccine comes from China, it is no good, or conversely, a vaccine comes from China, it must be good because I am a Chinaman and it matches my DNA. Vaccines are vaccines."

Mr Lee also noted that China has capable scientists, biomedical researchers and vaccine researchers, adding that he had no doubt they were capable of making good vaccines.

Since Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination drive kicked off last December, more than 610,000 doses of vaccines have been administered.

On why Singapore was not moving faster despite having got the vaccines quite early, Mr Lee said the Government wanted to persuade people to come on board.

"We have not been under quite as much pressure because we did not have so many cases domestically, and there was time for us to explain to people, persuade them, reassure them, and dispel their worries and anxieties, and to do it in a systematic way," he added.

"But we hope to do it with due dispatch, and certainly by the end of the year and sooner."

Mr Lee also hoped that as countries move to vaccinate their populations, those with a substantial proportion of people who have been inoculated may be able to reopen their borders for international travel, hopefully by later this year or early next year.

Describing how this may work, he said: "It would not be like before where you can just buy a ticket, hop onto the plane and go off to Hong Kong, Bangkok or Bali for a weekend and a casual holiday.

"You have to plan for it, you must have some documentation, you need some way to prove that you have been properly vaccinated and maybe be tested to prove that you have the antibodies in you when you fly."

Some have said that such vaccine passports present ethical issues. For instance, there is the potential that they could be used to deny people essential goods and services.

Noting that such mechanisms were also used before, with people having to show proof of vaccination for yellow fever or cholera to travel, Mr Lee said: "I think that will happen again. There are ethical issues, but I do not think that you can run away from a practical solution."

Singapore had also discussed opening up safe corridors or travel bubbles with places where the outbreaks are under control. A travel bubble with Hong Kong was to have started last November, but it was postponed following a spike in the number of cases in Hong Kong.

Asked whether the world has seen the worst of the pandemic, Mr Lee said that while cases have come down in the developed world with the proliferation of vaccines, the effort to vaccinate people worldwide is a massive task.

"Nobody has ever tried to vaccinate the entire population of the world within a year, or two or three years, and to invent a vaccine, test it out, manufacture it, and then to do that in 200-odd countries around the world. That is a huge task," he added.

"We cannot assume that it will go smoothly, and that it will always be in time. We are going to be struggling with this for some time yet, but we are no longer defenceless."

Mr Lee also noted that pandemics have happened before and subsided, and the Covid-19 pandemic will similarly end, though not for another three to five years.

"The nasty way is to go up the hill and come down the infection curve to get to herd immunity, and take a huge human toll along the way. Better if we can have vaccinations and protect people, and at the same time, therapeutics to treat people, so that we can get to a safe place, and we learn to live with this if it does not disappear," he added.

 

[realDonaldTrump]

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#4
LHL using the strawman argument.
Blaming misrepresentations of CECA to shift the attention away from the PAP government's mismanagement of CECA and inflow of foreign workers and unemployment among Singaporean PMETs.
The issue is not misrepresentations of CECA.
The cause is the mismanagement of CECA and the subsequent withholding of information on CECA-related matters (number of inflows, unemployment etc) by the PAP government.
The withholding of information causes Singapore voters to speculate and make guesses on the numbers.
The opposition parties have been pressing for more information for many years. If the PAP government had been forthcoming with the information, there would not be any misrepresentation.
The Singapore voters are right to blame the PAP government for being the cause of any misrepresentations, false information, false news, incorrect conclusions.

Misrepresentations of CECA have caused unnecessary public concern: PM Lee

Jobs, foreign competition are valid concerns, but putting the blame on Ceca will not solve the problem, said PM Lee.

Hariz Baharudin

July 7, 2021

SINGAPORE - Misrepresentations of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca) have caused much unnecessary public concern, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who highlighted Tuesday's Parliament debate on the matter.
Mr Lee said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (July 6) that Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng had set out the facts about free trade agreements and Ceca to put the public debate on a sound factual basis.
"Singaporeans are anxious about jobs, foreign competition, as well as the impact of the large number of foreigners working and living here," he said.
"These are valid concerns which we will address. But if we put the blame on Ceca, that will not solve our problem but instead make it worse."
Mr Lee stressed that Singapore needs access to global markets to earn a living. FTAs play a crucial role in letting the country do so, and he highlighted how Singapore's network of FTAs has created investments and opportunities for businesses here, as well as jobs for Singaporeans.
"They have helped make us a leading global hub," added Mr Lee, who also thanked officers who have spent years negotiating FTAs.



In two ministerial statements on Tuesday, Mr Ong and Dr Tan laid out the importance of free trade pacts and debunked falsehoods about Ceca, whose immigration-related elements have come under fire on social media and by the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
They also stressed that changes in foreign workforce numbers over time are to be expected, given that policies, as well as countries' industry needs, change over time.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who was Singapore's chief negotiator of Ceca, also posted about the debate on Tuesday.
"Both Ministers Ong Ye Kung and Tan See Leng gave comprehensive explanations to rebut baseless allegations made by the PSP that Ceca gave professionals from India a 'free hand' to enter Singapore. This is simply false," said Mr Heng.
"Nothing in the agreement implies Singapore must unconditionally let in PMEs from India. Contrary to PSP's claim, our ability to impose requirements for immigration and work passes has never been in question in Ceca or any other FTA that we have signed. We must put a stop to this misinformation."
Mr Heng, who rose to speak in the debate on Tuesday, said that he felt compelled to clarify one of the false allegations made related to a chapter in Ceca.

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This chapter, on the movement of people, pertains to temporary entry of individuals into both countries and has been highlighted as part of criticisms of Ceca paving the way for Indian professionals to take jobs from locals.
He said in his Facebook post: "I put on record that we did not sacrifice our positions on the 'movement of national persons' as a bargaining chip during the negotiations. This chapter of Ceca - which some wrongly believed allowed Indian nationals free movement into Singapore - was one of the most difficult chapters to conclude.
"But we did not and would not give away the rights to decide who can enter to live, work or reside in Singapore. In the end, we landed on an agreement that benefited both countries, while also protecting our vital interests."

 

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#5

Quote: "A survey by the Ministry of Communications and Information found that 39 per cent of respondents agreed that they were willing to pay more to support low wage workers, and 42 per cent remained neutral."

The majority of the respondents were neutral towards paying more and yet the Shitty Times and the "experts" came to the conclusion that consumers were willing to pay more.

Quote: "Singaporeans will be willing to fork out that bit more, experts said. But this must come with better service and firms showing they are really paying workers better."

And how do consumers verify that the firms are paying workers better before the consumers patronise these firms?

Quote: "OCBC Bank head of treasury research and strategy Selena Ling said: "Singaporean consumers would generally be understanding about the higher cost if they help to uplift more segments of low wage workers, provided that it is done at a pace that is gradual and goes to the workers involved, rather than adding to the corporate bottom line."

This is a generalisation.

Quote: "People can look down on drivers, which makes us feel hurt because we go through obstacles to ensure customers get deliveries," said Mr Muhammad Yusfiqri, 21, a van driver.

Yeah, obstacles like pedestrians on pedestrian pavements and footpaths where PMDs are not allowed. Obstacles like traffic signs and road barriers which the delivery riders ignore.

Consumers willing to pay more if workers get better wages​

Singaporean consumers will be willing to fork out more, but this must come with better service and firms showing they are really paying workers better, say experts.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Sue-Ann Tan

AUG 31, 2021

SINGAPORE - Raising the wages of workers in more sectors and occupations will help uplift their livelihoods, but costs of services will likely increase as the burden is shared.
Singaporeans will be willing to fork out that bit more, experts said. But this must come with better service and firms showing they are really paying workers better.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in the National Day Rally on Sunday (Aug 29) that progressive wages will be extended to more sectors and occupations like administrative assistants and drivers.
He added that the cost of higher wages for these workers will have to be shared, with consumers also chipping in.
OCBC Bank head of treasury research and strategy Selena Ling said: "Singaporean consumers would generally be understanding about the higher cost if they help to uplift more segments of low wage workers, provided that it is done at a pace that is gradual and goes to the workers involved, rather than adding to the corporate bottom line."
A survey by the Ministry of Communications and Information found that 39 per cent of respondents agreed that they were willing to pay more to support low wage workers, and 42 per cent remained neutral.



Associate Professor in Practice Terence Ho from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy pointed to the new Progressive Wage Mark that will help identify firms that pay progressive wages.
"The planned wage increases will be implemented over time, giving the public time to adjust to higher costs, which would be shared among the Government, businesses and consumers.
"The impact of cost increases can also be mitigated by higher productivity and better service," he added.
Ms Jolin Nguyen, AYP Group managing director, added: "While the consumers are willing to pay more as a token to recognise and appreciate such services, they also expect a higher standard in terms of service delivery."
Association of Small and Medium Enterprises president Kurt Wee noted the pandemic made front-line workers more visible.
"Generally consumers are more conscious and aware of the challenges they face, and that we all have to support them," he said.
Progressive wages are indeed important to recognise the hardships these workers face, union leaders said.
Mr Vijayakumar Arunagiri, the Supply Chain Employees' Union general secretary, said: "Drivers are usually under pressure to deliver within tight timelines, and some are paid on a per-trip basis, coupled with expectations from customers for fast deliveries.
"Yet there are little progression opportunities."

National Trades Union Congress director Mohd Fahmi Aliman pointed out that administrative assistants play a key role in ensuring that a business runs smoothly, but their wages were currently below the 20th percentile.
For their part, workers said that they needed more appreciation and upskilling.
"People can look down on drivers, which makes us feel hurt because we go through obstacles to ensure customers get deliveries," said Mr Muhammad Yusfiqri, 21, a van driver.
Park N Parcel delivery driver Muhammad Zahriar Ali, 33, added: "Delivery drivers or any other essential workers would definitely feel appreciated and recognised for our hard work as the workload has been increasing drastically ever since the beginning of the pandemic, which sometimes turns demanding due to express delivery expectations.
"With the (progressive wage) plan, it encourages me to continue contributing to our local e-commerce ecosystem."

Personal assistant at Prudential Singapore, Ms Lim Chew Hong, 44, said upskilling is vital.
She has taken courses on data management and critical thinking and communication, for instance, under the company's training initiatives.
"The training has also made me more confident in the use of technology. It's also made me more aware of the various opportunities available for me to consider in future," she said.
Mr Wong Woei Ming, logistics manager at ezbuy Singapore, said progressive wages will encourage drivers to see it as a career, rather than just a way to make ends meet.
The 26-year-old has 150 drivers under his care, and has trained some to rise to leadership roles.
"Singaporeans in general are gracious and I have no doubt that we will come together as a country to show our support for those who really need it," he said.

 

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The issue is not foreign investment creating jobs. That is a strawman argument.
The question is to who are the jobs going to, and who are the ones taking the plum jobs.

A question for Chia Yong Min is: of the 700 employees, how many of them were locals and how many were foreign workers?

Manufacturing tends to employ more workers. In services, like technology, e-commerce and financial services, foreign investments do not create that many jobs. And the employers used the excuse that the locals do not possess the skills required for the jobs, hence they have to bring in their own workers from their village, home towns, alma mater etc.

Forum: Jobs created here due to foreign investment​

SEP 27, 2021

I worked in a Japanese multinational company for more than 11 years.
The office was the regional headquarters with more than 700 employees, of whom about 60 were Japanese expatriates (fewer than 10 per cent).
Local offices in the region had an average workforce of 100 employees.
It is true that the executive posts were filled by Japanese expatriates. However, this seems only natural to me for strategic purposes. Singapore conglomerates, too, would put Singaporeans in critical positions in their overseas offices.
In the course of my work, I frequently communicated with my counterparts in the region, and saw improvements in work rate and intellect for many of them over the years.
My conclusion? Foreign investments create more jobs in Singapore, and career opportunities are like a game of golf - it is our game to win or lose.

And at this rate, we are losing our game, and very soon we will lose these foreign investments to other countries. This is the real threat.

Chia Yong Ming