The naivety of the PAP government

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Empty BTO flats up for sale on property portals, despite 5-year MOP rule for owners​

A three-room HDB flat at 95A Henderson Road appeared to have never been renovated, aside from lighting installed on the ceiling. PHOTOS: SCREENGRAB FROM PROPERTYGURU

Michelle Ng
Housing Correspondent

DEC 21, 2022


SINGAPORE - At least three unrenovated Build-To-Order (BTO) flats that appear to have never been lived in before are up for sale on property listing portals, despite the Housing Board’s rule that flat owners must live in their unit for the full five-year minimum occupation period (MOP).
These flats have no light fixtures or kitchen carpentry and come with the original sanitary fittings provided by HDB – with some toilet bowls still wrapped in plastic.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee, in a Facebook post on Monday, said owners cannot buy a BTO flat, not move into it for five years, and then sell it as “almost brand new” on the resale market. If owners are unable to fulfil the MOP, the flat has to be returned to HDB. It will then be put up as a balance flat for other home buyers to apply for, he added.
“Otherwise, it may be a breach of HDB rules and HDB will investigate accordingly,” Mr Lee said.
A check by The Straits Times on Tuesday evening found three such vacant flats on PropertyGuru, with agents touting these units as a “blank canvas” and “never stayed in before, brand new”.
One of them – a four-room HDB flat at 292B Bukit Batok East Avenue 6 – was taken down from the property portal on Wednesday morning, after netizens posted about it in the comment section of Mr Lee’s Facebook page.
The unit, which reached the MOP this year, had an asking price of $688,888 and was listed as being on a high floor with an unblocked view. Photos from the listing showed an empty kitchen and bedroom, as well as a toilet bowl wrapped in plastic.

The agent who listed it described the unit as a “blank canvas – no need spend money to hack anything” that was owned by a “motivated seller” who could hand over the unit once the transaction was completed.
An in-person viewing scheduled for Wednesday morning by this reporter with the listing agent was cancelled an hour before the appointment time. Further calls to the agent went unanswered.
Another listing for a three-room HDB flat at 95A Henderson Road stated an asking price of $750,000. The unit appeared to have never been renovated, aside from lighting installed on the ceiling.


A walkthrough video showed a pile of spare tiles, which are provided free of charge by HDB to assist owners in their renovation works, kept in the unit’s household shelter.
Meanwhile, an agent who listed a three-room HDB flat at 110A Depot Road described it as “never stayed in before, brand new” in its listing, with an asking price of $650,000. The unit is just over five years old.
Both listings were still up on PropertyGuru at the time of publication.

A three-room HDB flat at 95A Henderson Road has an asking price of $750,000. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM PROPERTYGURU

A three-room HDB flat at 110A Depot Road, described as “never stayed in before, brand new” in its listing, has an asking price of $650,000. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM PROPERTYGURU
Mr Lee’s Facebook post came after local media outlet Mothership spotlighted a five-room HDB flat in Yishun Street 51 on Dec 16 that was allegedly left vacant for eight years, as the buyers had moved into their family’s landed property. It was listed on PropertyGuru with an asking price of $690,000 but has since been taken down.
The Straits Times has asked HDB for comment.
Property agents said unrenovated BTO flats that are left vacant account for a minority of resale flats on the market. This is because the opportunity cost to owners of leaving a flat empty for five years and “locking up their names” in the property is too high, said ERA Realty property agent Anne Ho. This is opposed to buying a private property for immediate rental income and potential capital appreciation, she added.

Other agents said a change of family plans, financial difficulties, moving to work overseas or the death of a spouse could explain why some owners leave their BTO flats vacant.
OrangeTee & Tie property agent Susan Mariam said she had once sold a half-renovated HDB flat, as the husband died soon after the couple collected their keys and started renovation works, and the wife did not want to live in the unit.
“It’s very rare to come across flats that are completely empty, maybe one out of 100, and it’s usually because of an emotional reason such as a spouse has died or the owners believe the unit is haunted and refuse to move in,” said Ms Mariam.
ERA Realty’s head of research and consultancy Nicholas Mak said the issue of vacant flats being put up for resale cast a spotlight on housing as a social issue.
“People are angry because some have been balloting for BTO flats for years and cannot get (one), but these people have BTO flats but don’t live in them and end up selling them for more money on the resale market. It’s a case of haves and have-nots,” said Mr Mak.
“The empty flat could have provided shelter for a family for the past five years but it was just sitting there empty – the opportunity cost is too high. And if this is a prevalent issue, there could be a problem in our housing allocation,” he said.

 

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Vacant BTO flats for sale: Outcry over MOP breaches reflects broader public housing woes​

Michelle Ng
Housing Correspondent

At least three unrenovated BTO flats that appear to have never been lived in before are up for sale on property listing portals. PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM PROPERTYGURU


DEC 25, 2022

SINGAPORE – Recent media reports of seemingly vacant Build-To-Order (BTO) flats put up for sale on property portals have got some Singaporeans up in arms.
These flats are completely bare and unrenovated, with no apparent signs of having been lived in during the mandatory five-year minimum occupation period (MOP).
On Thursday, the Housing Board said 53 errant flat owners who did not live in their flats during the MOP had been taken to task in the last six years. This translates to less than nine each year, a minority given that there are more than one million HDB flats in Singapore.
But these MOP breaches have irked some Singaporeans, with online reaction ranging from anger towards the flat owners to disappointment in the inadequacy of public housing policies to stamp out such unlawful practices.
The public outcry reflects broader unhappiness over public housing issues and the difficulties that some Singaporeans face in getting their BTO flats.
In the past two years, application rates for BTO flats, which are launched for sale by the HDB four times a year and allocated via balloting, have risen sharply. This is partly driven by a cohort of millennials reaching marriageable age and seeking their first home, the growing trend of smaller households, and the attractive BTO projects in mature estates on offer.
Anecdotally, it is not uncommon to hear of Singaporeans who have failed many times in their BTO applications, some of whom eventually give up and turn to the HDB resale market where home prices are higher.

Thus, it understandably does not sit well with many to see a group of owners who are lucky enough to buy a BTO flat even though they do not need to live in them, and yet are hoping to sell them for a profit.
In other words, Singaporeans are fed up with people gaming the public housing system.
When it comes to detecting such “vacant” BTO flats, much relies on the public to raise any suspicious misuse of flats via a toll-free hotline, which will then prompt the HDB to investigate.

But how many people are willing to tattle on their neighbour?
While the HDB conducts around 500 inspections monthly to detect violations of housing rules, these are likely more of a deterrence and there may well be rule-breakers who go undetected.
This raises the question: Is there a more efficient way of detecting such cases instead of relying on public feedback, which may be unreliable and sporadic?

Netizens have raised the possibility of the HDB requesting monthly utilities bills, prior to the completion of any resale transaction, to see if HDB flats were occupied. But this may complicate paperwork and could run the risk of being too intrusive.
A more effective way could be to go after the property agents who may knowingly or unknowingly assist this group of owners in selling their flats.
Agents who come across these seemingly vacant flats should probe their sellers for further details, and report any suspicions to the HDB.
The board has said that every HDB flat sold on the open market is inspected as part of the selling process, and tell-tale signs of a home that has not been lived in will be investigated.
While owners who allow their flats to sit empty for years but have no intention of selling will likely not be detected, these cases should be in the minority, as the opportunity costs of tying one’s name to an unutilised HDB flat do not make much financial sense.
There may also be owners who choose to forgo an agent’s service, but navigating the resale process on their own will likely already pose some difficulties in selling.

In 2021, over 31,000 HDB flats were sold on the resale market.
The matter of “vacant” BTO flats on sale comes as the affordability of HDB resale flats and the pricing and availability of BTO flats have been in the spotlight in recent months.
In a recent interview with The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said his ministry is looking into various aspects of public housing policies as part of the Forward Singapore exercise, and is prepared to consider major changes to meet the needs of the times – including possibly relooking the allocation of flats to prioritise first-time applicants with pressing housing needs.
It is an opportune time to address the issue of MOP breaches as part of the broad review, and consider whether they warrant more stringent enforcement action moving forward.

 

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Chinese national banned from entering Singapore worked here illegally for 15 years​

Wong Shiying

Dec 28, 2022

SINGAPORE - A 58-year-old Chinese national lived and worked in Singapore illegally for 15 years from 2007 to 2022 despite being banned from entering the country since 2006.
Yan Jinfa was on Wednesday sentenced to a year in jail and fined $3,000 after he pleaded guilty to two charges under the Immigration Act.
The court heard that Yan was deported from Singapore in November 2006 after he was caught entering Singapore without a valid pass.
He had been sentenced to three months’ jail and five strokes of the cane for that offence, and was prohibited from entering Singapore henceforth without permission from the immigration authorities.
In November 2007, Yan hatched a plan to work in Singapore illegally. He approached an agent in China and disclosed he could not enter Singapore without a permission letter.
The agent said he could not help him to enter Singapore and proposed instead to get him to Malaysia for 10,000 yuan ($1,930). Yan agreed and arrived in Malaysia on Nov 24, 2007.
A few days later, he sought help from a Singaporean friend to enter Singapore. The friend offered to get him here on a motorboat for $20,000, which Yan accepted.

In December that year, Yan arrived in Singapore. He paid his friend $15,000 and worked for him as a carpenter at a furniture factory to pay off the balance before moving on to other jobs.
Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers arrested Yan in the vicinity of Tampines Industrial Park A on Dec 19, 2022, after he could not produce evidence that he was in Singapore legally.
Court documents did not state how Yan’s offences had come to light.
In mitigation, Yan said he is remorseful for what he has done and wishes to return to China as soon as possible to care for his 98-year-old mother.
“Recently my right ring finger was amputated accidentally at work and this affected my nerves, resulting in frequent fainting spells,” he said.
Responding to queries on how Yan had avoided detection for 15 years, ICA said it continues to keep the immigration offender situation under control through enforcement and biometric technology.
“In addition to border control measures at the checkpoints, ICA also mounts regular enforcement operations inland to detect and remove such offenders from Singapore,” it added.

 

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Allowed a corrupt person to hold positions in so many government and Temasek-linked companies

S’pore’s IOC vice-president Ng Ser Miang warned, fined for interfering in World Sailing election​

International Olympic Committee vice-president and Singapore National Olympic Council board member Ng Ser Miang has been found guilty of interfering in the World Sailing 2020 election. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Deepanraj Ganesan

Jan 4, 2023

SINGAPORE – International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president and Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) board member Ng Ser Miang has been fined €1,000 (S$1,418) and served with an official warning after being found guilty of interfering in a World Sailing election.
In a notice put up on its official website last Friday, World Sailing (WS) detailed the charges facing Ng and former World Sailing Ethics Commission chairman Dieter Neupert. WS noted both had been found guilty of failing to act with integrity and interfering in the 2020 election which saw then-president Kim Andersen of Denmark narrowly defeated.
When contacted by The Straits Times, Ng, 73, said on Wednesday: “I resigned from the World Sailing Ethics Commission in December 2020. I served the World Sailing Ethics Commission as a volunteer and have done so without fear and favour, and in full compliance with its rules and regulations.
“World Sailing has no jurisdiction over me after December 2020. I have not taken part in any of their proceedings and reject any allegations and sanctions made against me by World Sailing.”
The Singaporean, who was vice-president of the International Sailing Federation (WS’s predecessor) from 1994-1998, is a veteran sports administrator and has served the IOC as a member since 1998. He was vice-president of the SNOC from 1990 to 2014 (he is now chairman of its games appeals committee and finance committee) and chairman of the Singapore Sports Council – now national agency Sport Singapore – from 1991 to 2002. He was also president of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games organising committee.
Ng was accused of failure to act with utmost integrity, honesty and responsibility and acting in a manner that is likely to compromise the impartiality of the Ethics Commission. The decision was reached by a three-member independent panel, chaired by London-based lawyer and former English Premier League footballer Gareth Farrelly. The other two members were John Shea and Laura McCallum.
In November 2020, China’s Quanhai Li was elected as the new WS president after defeating incumbent Andersen. Li’s victory came after a bitter election campaign where Andersen faced three ethical complaints against him. The World Sailing’s Ethics Commission dismissed two while the third was withdrawn. Andersen however, claimed that the complaints were part of a smear campaign against him prior to the election.

In September 2020, prior to the election result, Andersen lodged complaints against Neupert, a Swiss lawyer, and Ng relating to their conduct whilst they were members of the World Sailing Ethics Commission, alleging that their conduct was in breach of the world governing body’s regulations. He alleged that Ng and Neupert, who were part of the Ethics Commission, should not have taken part in judging his cases.
Andersen also accused Ng of misusing his IOC membership to interfere in the presidential election.
The independent panel said in its judgement that both Ng and Neupert should have stepped aside once accusations of conflict of interest had been made. Instead, Neupert managed correspondence from Andersen and continued to consult with his representatives, as well as other members of the Ethics Commission, despite the fact that the complaint was against him and Ng.
Ng and Neupert resigned from the Ethics Commission in Dec 2020 and Jan 2021, respectively.
The independent panel also noted that Ng failed to answer questions from two different disciplinary investigation officers (DIO) as they conducted their inquiries.
In its judgement, finalised on Nov 29, 2022, the panel noted: “This case was by no means straightforward. It is clear that this case was highly politicised within World Sailing and related to governance issues in relation to the operation and functioning of the Ethics Commission.
“The DIO noted that the allegations against Mr Anderson at the time, which were not substantiated, but which caused damage to his reputation, and which Mr Anderson complained with good cause, showed that there had been a campaign to influence the election and damage his reputation.”

 

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Typical reactionary action from government bodies. NPark will step up monitoring in response to recent complaints.
But when the monitoring is reduced, the errant cyclists will be at it again.
Till the next compaints.

Forum: NParks monitoring situation at Rail Corridor, Rifle Range Nature Park​

Jan 7, 2023

We thank Ms Ng Suan Eng for her letter, “Cyclists ignoring rules and endangering others on shared paths” (Jan 5).
The Rail Corridor and newly opened Rifle Range Nature Park are designed to be inclusive and safe shared spaces for everyone to enjoy.
The National Parks Board (NParks) urges all visitors to adhere to safety guidelines and advisories on signs displayed in these green spaces, and to be gracious to fellow users.
For the safety of all visitors, we would like to remind cyclists that cycling is not allowed at Rifle Range Nature Park. Cyclists are also not allowed to ride on designated hiking trails in our nature reserves and other nature parks, which can be easily identified by the “No Bicycles” signs.
Cyclists using the Rail Corridor are reminded to ride safely and look out for others. They should slow down and give way to others, especially in crowded areas, and dismount and push their bikes when approaching narrow stretches, such as along the old railway bridges.
NParks will continue to monitor the situation at the Rail Corridor and Rifle Range Nature Park. We conduct regular operations to engage errant cyclists, and will take enforcement action where necessary.

Lim Liang Jim

Group Director, Conservation
National Parks Board

 

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Forum: Digitalisation solutions must serve all, not just the service providers​

JAN 6, 2023

Digitalisation can help a nation greatly in terms of productivity if applied correctly.
However, such an effort should not be left entirely to the service providers to design and grow without considering the nation’s total productivity.
Banks and stock exchanges, among others, used to send customers paper monthly statements – a full-push method. We could file the statements, or a busy executive could get an assistant to file them.
Post-digitalisation, some of these service providers adopt a time-limited, half-push half-pull method.
They send an SMS to customers to alert them that the statements are ready to be downloaded within a certain time period.
This can make things difficult for someone who is busy and has to perform many such tasks on a regular basis, especially if different service providers have their own unique delivery systems.
Digitalisation should require service providers to think of a full productivity goal, not just one that benefits only themselves.

Engineering teaches us to innovate by manipulating the combination of man, machine and method.
Here, shouldn’t the government machinery step in and come up with one standard method of digital statement delivery that the market would embrace, and which service providers must follow?
One simple suggestion is to require service providers to have no time limits on when statements can be downloaded, fulfilling a full-push responsibility.
After all, providing a small cloud storage space for clients should be seen as good customer service.

Ong Yong Hwee

 

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Senior SPH Media staff taken to task or have left company after review finds issues with circulation data​

A spokesman said the company had in March 2022 initiated a review of internal processes. PHOTO: ST FILE

Goh Yan Han
Political Correspondent

Jan 9, 2023

SINGAPORE - Several senior employees of SPH Media have been taken to task or left the company after an internal review found issues linked to circulation numbers.
An SPH Media spokesman on Monday said: “We have immediately taken steps to strengthen processes.
“The staff involved had been taken to task, or had left the organisation.”
The employees were not named.
The spokesman said the company had in March 2022 initiated a review of internal processes.
This included the reporting of circulation data.
“Some inconsistencies in the reporting of the data were discovered,” said the spokesman.

SPH Media cited several examples of these inconsistencies, in reply to queries from The Straits Times.
Lapsed contracts continued to be counted into circulation data.
There were also copies that were printed, counted for circulation and then destroyed; as well as double-counting of subscriptions across multiple instances.

“A project account was injected with additional funding over a period of time to purchase fictitious circulation,” the spokesman said.
“Certain circulation numbers were arbitrarily derived,” she added.
These resulted in a discrepancy of between 85,000 and 95,000 daily average copies across all titles, which represents 10 to 12 per cent of the reported daily average circulation, the spokesman added.
SPH Media publishes The Straits Times and The Business Times, as well as Lianhe Zaobao, Shin Min Daily News, Berita Harian and Tamil Murasu.
The review was initiated shortly after SPH Media was spun off in December 2021 from mainboard-listed company Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) to become a not-for-profit entity - a company limited by guarantee (CLG).
The period of review was from September 2020 to March 2022.
This period included a full financial year, from September 2020 to August 2021, plus two quarters - from September 2021 to November 2021, when the media business was still part of the listed company, as well as from December 2021 to March 2022, when SPH Media had become a CLG.
SPH had first expressed intent in May 2021 to transfer its media business to a company limited by guarantee, to help secure funding from public and private sources.
The move was approved in September 2021 by shareholders of SPH, which, like other media companies globally, had struggled with falling advertising revenue and losses in recent years.
Following the move, the Ministry of Communications and Information said in February 2022 that SPH Media would get government funding of up to $180 million annually over the next five years, and the company would be required to provide half-yearly progress updates.

 

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18 property agents disciplined in last five years for marketing HDB flats which breached MOP rules​

Some seemingly vacant and unrenovated BTO flats were reported to be up for sale on property portals in December. PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM PROPERTYGURU

Michelle Ng
Housing Correspondent

Jan 9, 2023

SINGAPORE - A total of 18 property agents were taken to task between 2017 and 2022 for helping their clients to market Housing Board flats which breached the HDB’s mandatory five-year minimum occupation period (MOP) rule.
Of these, six agents had their registration suspended for between seven and 48 weeks and were fined between $2,000 and $5,000 by the CEA’s disciplinary committee, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee in Parliament on Monday.
Another two agents received letters of censure - which are issued for minor disciplinary breaches - with one of them fined $1,000. The remaining 10 agents were issued warning letters for their disciplinary breaches.
These property agents were found to have breached the code set by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) that requires them to ensure that no law, including those that apply to HDB properties, has been infringed as part of their work.
CEA investigated 51 cases involving 69 property agents in the last five years, with 19 cases still under investigation, said Mr Lee in response to questions filed by nine MPs on the issue of Build-To-Order (BTO) flat owners flouting MOP rules.
This comes after some seemingly vacant and unrenovated BTO flats were reported to be up for sale on property portals in December. Agents who listed the units described them as a “blank canvas” and “never stayed in before, brand new”.
Property agents who have reasonable cause to suspect that MOP rules have been infringed should inform their clients of the potential consequences and stop marketing the property, said Mr Lee.

The Straits Times has asked the Ministry of National Development if property agents are required to report such suspected breaches to the CEA or HDB.
HDB flat owners have to live in their units for five years before they can put it up for sale on the open market - a longstanding policy that is meant to reinforce public housing as a home to live in.
Mr Lee said owners who cannot fulfil their MOP due to changes in their circumstances must return their flat to HDB.

Between 2017 and 2022, a total of 258 BTO flats and 168 HDB resale flats were returned to HDB, mainly due to changes in owners’ circumstances within the MOP which made them ineligible to own an HDB flat, he added.
These circumstances include divorce or separation, death of the owner and medical reasons, he said.
Mr Lee said owners who are genuinely unable to stay in their flat during the MOP, like those who posted overseas for work, should write to HDB to seek a waiver. These appeals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
He added that HDB detects potential infringement of HDB rules through a range of methods, including regular inspections, feedback from the public and property agents.
Data analytics and other tools are also used to detect potential infringement, he said, declining to go into details as some involve confidential investigative methods.

Since 2017, HDB has conducted random checks on some 35,000 homes as part of its regular inspection routine, he said.
HDB also received around 4,700 pieces of feedback on potential infringements relating to MOP rules from the public and agents, said Mr Lee. These include cases of flats being listed for resale in bare or “brand new” condition.
He said HDB tries to strike a balance in detecting and investigating breaches. “On the one hand, we want to ensure that HDB rules are complied with by detecting and deterring errant owners who infringe the rules; on the other hand, we do not want to overly impinge upon the privacy of the 1.1 million HDB homeowners, the vast majority of whom abide by the rules.”
Between 2017 and November 2022, 53 errant flat owners who did not live in their HDB flats during the MOP were taken to task. Of these, 21 had their flats compulsorily acquired by HDB.

Depending on the severity of the breach, HDB may issue a written warning, impose a fine of up to $50,000, or compulsorily acquire the flat.
Owners whose flats are compulsorily acquired by HDB will also be debarred from buying a subsidised flat, taking over such a flat by changing flat ownership or renting a public rental flat from HDB for five years.
Mr Lee acknowledged that the issue of MOP breaches has caused some unhappiness among Singaporeans.
“We also recognise the concerns by members of the public, sometimes anger, when they see such actions being taken by people around them when they, and many other HDB owners, comply with the rules and are concerned about whether the playing field is level,” he said.
He reiterated that HDB takes rule violations seriously and will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant owners.

 

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SingPost senior V-P charged with corruption and deceiving company into paying him $840,000 in wages​

David Sun
Correspondent


MAY 11, 2021

SINGAPORE - A senior vice-president (V-P) of SingPost allegedly cheated the company for more than four years, getting them to pay him more than $800,000 in salaries.
Liang An Wey, 46, is also alleged to have attempted to get $1 million in bribes from a contractor after he was made a senior V-P of the company.
On Tuesday (May 11), he was slapped with one charge for corruption and another for cheating.
According to court documents, Liang deceived SingPost into believing he was employed by private firm GSM Holdings between 2012 and June 2013 at a salary of $14,500.
He allegedly submitted the false information in his job application to SingPost in 2013.
SingPost then paid him a monthly salary of $15,000 for a total of 56 months.
The total amount he was paid in the position over the period was $840,000.


In March 2015, as a senior V-P of SingPost, he attempted to obtain a bribe of $1 million from the chief operating officer of Bintai Kindenko, a mechanical and engineering contractor.
The bribe was allegedly to have been in return for him recommending Bintai Kindenko as a sub-contractor for the construction works involved in the redevelopment of the SingPost Centre Retail Mall and works related to the SingPost Office Asset Enhancement Initiative.
Liang is currently out on $5,000 bail and is expected to be back in court for a further mention of the case on June 8.
In a statement, a spokesman for SingPost said it was alerted to Liang's activities by the authorities in 2017 and dismissed him in April 2018 after conducting its own internal inquiry.
If convicted of cheating, Liang may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
If convicted of corruption, he may be jailed for up to five years, or fined up to $100,000, or both.

 

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Former SingPost senior V-P claims trial to cheating, graft-related offence​

Liang An Wey gave false information about his employment history and past remuneration. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
UPDATED

Jan 10, 2023

SINGAPORE – A former senior vice-president at Singapore Post (SingPost), who was dismissed in 2018, is now accused of duping the company into giving him a salary of $8,000.
Liang An Wey is said to have done so after giving false information about his employment history and past remuneration.
When he applied for the position of vice-president of project execution with SingPost in 2013, he stated in his curriculum vitae (CV) that he had been the head of project management at a construction firm where a friend was a shareholder and director.
Liang, now 47, also stated on the CV that GSM Holdings paid him $12,500 a month plus $2,000 in allowance, Deputy Public Prosecutor David Menon told the court.
Liang is claiming trial to one count each of cheating, and an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
On the first day of the trial on Monday, the prosecutor said: “The accused was not formally employed by GSM… There was no contract of employment, the accused did not draw any salary from GSM, and GSM did not make any CPF contributions on the accused’s behalf.”
DPP Menon said that on June 28, 2013, a recruiter from Reed Personnel Services submitted Liang’s CV to SingPost for him to be considered for the vice-president position.


According to court documents, Liang stated on his CV that he had been employed as head of project management at GSM Holdings since August 2012.
SingPost then interviewed Liang with a view to hiring him, and on July 12, 2013, he was offered a vice-president position.
In an “application for appointment” form that he was asked to fill, he stated that he had been a director at GSM.


Stressing that Liang was not formally employed by GSM, the DPP said: “Rather, he assisted his friend Tan Yew Seng, who was a director and shareholder of GSM. The accused assisted Tan on an ad hoc basis, primarily with a factory that GSM was building (in Senoko Loop).
“Tan was unfamiliar with building permits, so he asked the accused to assist him. The accused reviewed documents and advised on correspondence with the main contractor and the relevant authorities.”
Mr Tan had made at least one verbal offer to pay Liang, but this agreement was never formalised.
The DPP said Liang was very close to his mother, who died in February 2012, and he had also been diagnosed with persistent complex bereavement disorder and/or grief reaction with associated major depressive disorder when he applied for the SingPost job.
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Separately, Liang is also accused of trying to obtain a bribe of $1 million in cash from Mr Wong Siaw Fun, the then chief operating officer of mechanical and engineering firm Bintai Kindenko, in 2015.
In exchange, Liang allegedly offered to recommend Bintai as a preferred subcontractor for works at the SingPost Centre in Eunos Road.
The prosecutor said: “The possibility of corrupt gratification was raised. No corrupt gratification was ultimately paid or received by either party.”
Liang is represented by lawyers Eugene Thuraisingam, Johannes Hadi and Hilary Low.
The trial continues.

 

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SPH Media tasks audit committee to look more fully into overstated circulation data​

Seven employees were taken to task over the matter in December. Four of them have left the company, while the other three were served warning letters. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Tham Yuen-C
Senior Political Correspondent

Jan 20, 2023

SINGAPORE – SPH Media’s board has asked its audit and risk committee to further investigate overstated circulation numbers that were discovered in an audit in 2022, and consider what further steps should be taken.
In a statement on Friday, the media company, which came under public criticism after announcing the discovery on Jan 9, said its board’s audit and risk committee will focus investigations on the preliminary findings that circulation figures had been overstated by up to an average of 90,000 daily copies in some months.
The committee will also commission legal advisers to assist in the probe, and report its findings directly to the SPH Media board.
SPH Media had, in March 2022, initiated a review to assess data that it had taken over from its predecessor Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPHL), which had transferred its media business to SPH Media Trust, a new company limited by guarantee.
The review covered the period between September 2020 and March 2022, which included a full financial year of SPHL from September 2020 to August 2021. An independent Big Four advisory firm, one of the four largest professional services companies, was commissioned to assist in the review, which found the inconsistencies in circulation data.
Giving more details about the discrepancies for the first time since news on the matter broke, SPH Media said that of particular concern was an overstatement of an average of 49,000 daily copies – or 5 per cent of total daily circulation then – of news titles, which include The Straits Times.
This figure had been recorded as circulation numbers, although the copies were never distributed. The majority were digital copies.

Another 5,000 daily copies on average continued to be recorded in circulation numbers after contracts had lapsed, while 17,000 copies on average were recorded as a result of a failure to check that reported numbers were accurate against actual usage tracked in the system.
There was also a possible discrepancy of an average of 19,000 daily copies, which included a barter arrangement with another publisher, which SPH Media did not name.
The committee is chaired by former managing partner of EY Asean & Singapore Max Loh, and comprises Allen & Gledhill co-head of mergers and acquisitions Lim Mei and HSBC Singapore’s vice-chairman of global banking for South-east Asia Philip Lee.

News of the overstated circulation numbers broke after several senior employees of SPH Media left the company in December 2022, following the internal audit.
In its statement on Friday, the company said a total of seven employees had been taken to task over the matter at the end of December. As a result, four of them have left the company. The other three were served warning letters.
Since the over-reported numbers were uncovered, some advertisers have said publicly that they had contacted the company over the matter.
In an e-mail to advertisers on Jan 10, SPH Media Group’s chief executive Teo Lay Lim said that circulation data is not used as a basis for the company’s advertising packages. Instead, media rates and advertising packages are based on reach and readership, an estimate of how many readers a publication has.
This data on reach and readership is collected periodically via a survey panel that is statistically representative of the Singapore population, Ms Teo had said.

Circulation data is a count of how many copies of a publication are distributed, such as through regular subscriptions or off-the-shelf purchase.
The company did not clarify what circulation numbers are used for and the impact the overstated figures could have had. The discovery had also sparked questions about how long the practices that led to inconsistent data had gone on for, and why they had not been discovered or announced earlier.
In Friday’s statement, SPH Media said that circulation data reported in previous annual reports – when its predecessor company Singapore Press Holdings was still listed on the Singapore Exchange – was stated to be in accordance with the rules set by the Audit Bureau of Media Consumption Singapore. This entity ceased operations in Singapore in 2019, as digital and media advertising grew and quantifying print circulation became less relevant.
“To obtain data on reach and readership, SPHL commissioned surveys conducted by independent third-party research agencies such as GfK,” said SPH Media.
It added that in the light of the changing media environment, the company is reassessing the methodology for the reporting of circulation data to establish a new framework and baseline to measure its performance, something publishers elsewhere have done as circumstances have changed.
SPH Media said: “SMT is committed to upholding integrity in every part of our business.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

MCI has not disbursed any funds to SPH Media to date: Ministry spokesman​

MCI had previously stated that SPH Media Trust will receive public funding of up to S$180 million a year over five years. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Jean Iau

Jan 20, 2023

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) has not disbursed any of the $900 million in funding support it had committed to SPH Media Trust (SMT) over the next five years.
MCI is also conducting its own review to see if the inconsistencies in circulation data, which SPH Media first announced on Jan 9 and gave further details of on Friday, would have affected the decision to fund SMT and the amount the Government committed to fund, a ministry spokesman said.
The ministry was responding to SPH Media’s announcement on Friday that the company’s board had tasked its audit committee to look more fully into overstated circulation data.
The MCI spokesman noted the media company’s statement on its internal review of the data, as well as the steps it has taken to deal with the matter. The spokesman also noted that the SPH Media Holdings Board has tasked its audit and risk committee to further investigate the issues more fully.
“MCI has requested for SPH Media Holdings Board to share these findings when ready and expects full cooperation on this,” the spokesman said.
“MCI is undergoing its own review of whether the inconsistencies would have affected the decision to fund SMT, and the amount the Government committed to fund. We have not disbursed any of these funds to SMT to date. We will share our findings in due course,” the spokesman added.
The overstated circulation numbers were discovered in an internal review covering the period between September 2020 and March 2022, to assess data that SPH Media had taken over from its predecessor Singapore Press Holdings Limited.

MCI had previously stated that SMT will receive public funding of up to S$180 million a year over five years, with the company required to provide half-yearly progress updates.
In a statement on Friday, SPH Media, which has come under public criticism after announcing the discovery on Jan 9, said its Board’s Audit and Risk Committee will focus investigations on the preliminary findings that circulation figures had been overstated by up to 90,000 average daily copies in some months.
The committee will also commission legal advisers to assist in the probe, and report its findings directly to the SPH Media board.
Several MPs have filed questions on the matter for Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo for the next Parliament sitting on Feb 6.
People’s Action Party MP Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio GRC) has asked whether the Government could provide some insight from the internal report received from SPH Media regarding the alleged inconsistencies in its circulation data, and how these could possibly impact the Government’s commitment to fund the company. Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang GRC) has asked if the Government will adjust the grant given to SPH Media.
Workers’ Party MP Dennis Tan (Hougang) has asked how the inconsistencies in circulation data will impact the Government’s commitment to fund SMT while fellow WP MP He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) asked whether individuals involved in initiating and perpetuating the inflated circulation figures in SMT have been referred to the police for further investigation. WP MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) has asked about the total number of copies that were printed, counted and destroyed and the environmental impact of these actions.
The Progress Singapore Party has called for an independent inquiry to be conducted and said its Non-Constituency MPs will pursue the matter in Parliament.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Can't catch two over-stayers for more than 10 years.
How many more over-stayers are there?

Six months’ jail, fine for 2 women from China who overstayed in S’pore for more than a decade​

Samuel Devaraj

Jan 25, 2023

SINGAPORE – Despite getting their employment passes revoked, two Chinese nationals continued staying in Singapore illegally.
On Wednesday, Wei JianQin, 56, and Chen Mei, 44, pleaded guilty to one charge under the Immigration Act each, and were given the maximum jail sentence of six months and a fine of $2,000.
Both women were arrested on Jan 9 by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers in the same HDB unit in Bedok North Road after they were not able to produce any evidence to prove that they were staying in the country legally.
The court heard that Wei held an Employment Pass that was valid for one year from April 18, 2007, to work as a waitress. Chen was issued a pass valid for two years from July 17, 2009, to work as a general worker.
The Ministry of Manpower cancelled Wei’s pass on Sept 27, 2007, and Chen’s pass on Aug 5, 2009, and they were required to depart Singapore the day their passes were revoked.
Court documents did not state the reasons for the cancellations.
Wei remained in Singapore illegally for 15 years, three months and 13 days, while Chen did so for 13 years, five months and four days.

Noting that they had overstayed for a very long time, District Judge Lorraine Ho said she took into account the pair’s early guilty pleas and their clean criminal records, when meting out the sentences.
Apart from the maximum jail sentence, they could have been fined up to $6,000 for the Immigration Act offence.
In December, a 58-year-old Chinese national who had lived and worked in Singapore illegally for 15 years, from 2007 to 2022, was sentenced to a year’s jail and fined $3,000 after he pleaded guilty to two charges under the Immigration Act.
He was deported in November 2006 after he was caught entering the country without a valid pass, and was banned from entering Singapore without permission from the immigration authorities.
But he returned illegally after he accepted a friend’s offer to get him here on a motorboat for $20,000.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Law enforcement agencies must do better to deter overstaying​

Jan 30, 2023

It is rather inexplicable that two Chinese nationals managed to stay here illegally for more than 10 years after their employment passes were cancelled by the Ministry of Manpower before they were arrested and convicted (Jail, fine for 2 Chinese nationals who overstayed for over 10 years, Jan 26).
Surely there is enough information on overstayers, perhaps starting with their last known addresses or places of employment, to enable the authorities to track them down.
I wonder if the enforcement of the laws on overstaying is too lax, and how many other overstayers are still here.
Reports like this may encourage some foreigners to overstay, since they may think that it takes years for the law to catch up with them, and they may not find the punishment meted out to be enough of a deterrence. The risk and benefit trade-off seems to favour the offenders.
Our law enforcement agencies must do much better in stamping out overstayers, some of whom might resort to illegal activities to survive. Since all overstayers need housing and some work illegally, those who provide them with accommodation or employment should be dealt with severely for abetting in the offence. This would widen the net to more easily and quickly weed out and deport overstayers.

Ang Ah Lay

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Illegal carpooling chat groups on Telegram grow in popularity; LTA monitoring, will take action​

The largest carpooling chat group here, SG Hitch, has over 199,000 members as at Saturday, up from about 56,000 members in April 2020. PHOTO: UNSPLASH

Nadine Chua

Feb 6, 2023

SINGAPORE – On a Friday night, a trip from Bedok to Orchard Road cost $32 on ride-hailing apps such as Grab and Gojek, while the same trip cost $16 on an illegal carpooling chat group on Telegram.
To save on the trip, a 26-year-old teacher, who wanted to be known only as Ms Gen, opted for the carpooling service from SG Hitch to get from her home to Wisma Atria. Her ride in November 2022 put her off such illegal services for good.
“The driver drove dangerously. He was tailgating and speeding the entire time. He later admitted that he rarely drives,” Ms Gen told The Straits Times last week.
“I was really afraid when I was in his car, but because Telehitch is unregulated, there was no way for me to report him,” she said.
Chat groups such as SG Hitch on Telegram that connect drivers and passengers have grown in popularity over the years. These chat groups, known as Telehitch groups, started appearing around 2019 and are illegal and unregulated.
In Singapore, drivers offering private-hire ride services need to get a Private Hire Car Driver’s Vocational Licence (PDVL), but this is not required on Telehitch groups.
The largest carpooling chat group here, SG Hitch, has more than 199,000 members as at Saturday, up from about 56,000 members in April 2020.

A check by ST found that there are at least five such chat groups on Telegram, with the smallest having more than 18,000 members. One of these is a group for only female drivers and passengers, and it has more than 32,000 members.
The administrators of the chat groups did not respond to requests for comments.
In response to ST’s queries, a spokesman for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said carpooling matched through informal non-business mediums, such as SG Hitch, is not allowed.

Carpooling arrangements facilitated by licensed business platforms such as GrabHitch and RydePool, as well as other licence-exempt business platforms which have fleets of fewer than 800 vehicles, are permitted, said the spokesman.
There are no restrictions on social carpooling among friends and colleagues, she added.
When asked what measures LTA has taken against illegal carpooling services on Telegram, the spokesman said the authority “will continue to monitor and take enforcement action against those providing illegal carpooling and carpooling matching services”.

In 2019, a man used carpooling chat groups on Telegram to dupe women into believing that he would drive them to their destinations. Instead, he drove them to secluded places and molested them. He was sentenced to five years and 10 months’ jail and given six strokes of the cane for molestation.
In the same year, a Nanyang Technological University student was reportedly molested by another driver on a Telegram carpooling chat group.
If found guilty of providing carpooling matching services, an individual may be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $10,000, or both.
Those convicted of providing illegal carpooling services without a vocational licence, or using an unlicensed vehicle, may be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $3,000, or both.
Passengers who opt for carpooling services offered by Telegram said they do so to save money, especially when fares spike on ride-hailing apps during peak periods.
They said they are aware of the risks involved. These include sexual harassment and other safety risks.
Ms Lim Zheng Yi, who works in IT and uses Telehitch about once a week, said she received nude photos from men on three occasions - once in 2021 and twice in 2022 - when using the platform to get rides.
The 23-year old said: “My friends who use Telehitch have also received unsolicited nude photos.
“But it hasn’t really deterred me from using these chats because the people who send such photos are the minority. I’ll just block them and usually these people will have their accounts banned from the chat group after a while.”
Another passenger, who wanted to be known only as Mr Wong, said he usually uses Telehitch at night when prices are high and it is tougher to get a ride.
The product manager, 26, said: “I’m aware of the safety concerns because the drivers are not screened and the service is illegal, so I’m slightly more alert during the ride.”
Most drivers using Telehitch whom ST spoke to said they use the platform to make a quick buck, even though they are aware that it is illegal.
A 27-year-old financial adviser, who declined to be named, said he picks passengers up on Telehitch about once or twice a month when he rents a car for the day.
“When I’m on my way home, I’ll just send a message on the chat and see if there is anyone I can pick up along the way. It’s just to cover petrol costs, so why not?”

Another Telehitch driver, a university student who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, 25, said: “To be a driver on legitimate apps such as Grab and Gojek, a PDVL is required and I’m too young to apply for that.”
In September 2020, LTA announced that all new PDVL applicants must be at least 30 years old. Prior to that, there was no minimum age, although applicants had to have held a driver’s licence for at least two years to qualify.
Despite the dangers of using illegal carpooling services, many passengers looking to save on travelling cost are willing to take the risks.
A 20-year-old undergraduate, who wanted to be known only as Ms QX, said: “If the driver decides to take you to some place secluded and something bad happens to you, you cannot hold anyone accountable.
“But as someone who is trying to save money, I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of safety to get a better deal.”

 

[melzp]

Forum: Do more to deter touts who take advantage of accident victims to jack up costs​

Dec 24, 2022

I am a lawyer who handles road accident claims. Road touting has become a serious and, unfortunately, profitable business.
These touts swoop in right after an accident. They know which roads are the busiest and where accidents are more likely to occur.
Their offer of help comes with a few enticements. First, they will make things convenient and settle everything. Second, they have workshops and surveyors, sometimes unqualified ones, who are prepared to jack up repair costs for a bigger cut. And third, the car owners can get a complete makeover of their cars even for minor dents. At times, willing car owners are paid for playing along.
Indeed, where there’s honey, the bees will come. However, the cost to justice is paid by the accident victims, the insurance companies and car owners who pay car insurance premiums.
When such bogus claims rise, insurance payouts increase. Over time, premiums also rise. It’s a shared financial woe because of the acts of a few rogue freeloaders.
Most accident victims are also being exploited. These touts strike when victims are most vulnerable, right after a collision. They hijack from them what is most crucial: the victim’s autonomy. In turn, they offer them “peace of mind” in the guise of a rescuer, when what they are after is a lucrative payout.
I am sure that some are jailed for making these fraudulent claims. But a strong message of deterrence has not been sent, since cases appear to still be rampant.

I have clients who shared with me that they were led from the accident site to the workshops, then to a police post to lodge a report, and then made to sign documents without knowing their full content.
I feel that more has to be done in this area. And I hope this raises awareness for those who may be the next victims of such touts.

Michael Han Hean Juan

One very good example happening over the decade is outside the CDG entrance gate in Loyang.

The security, the staff inside all knew it, including taxi drivers.

And this scammer/tout hv really made it good; upgrade his own vehicle and himself.

Nothing, if anything can persecute him. Coz he knew all the trade circumventive loopholes, and hv moles in CDG there too.

Nobody cares, including CPIB. Only "undercover" can expose them, I suppose.

 

[Karmile005]

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Ex-Muis officer charged with cheating Temasek Foundation International of nearly $785k​

Razak Mohamed Lazim was handed two cheating charges and five charges under the Computer Misuse Act. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN FILE

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

FEB 17, 2023

SINGAPORE - A former Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) employee was charged on Friday after he allegedly cheated Temasek Foundation International of nearly $785,000.
Razak Mohamed Lazim, 55, who used to be a senior director for madrasahs at Muis, was handed two cheating charges and five charges under the Computer Misuse Act.
A search with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority reveals that he is a director and shareholder of Irsyad Trust Limited (ITL).
The company states on its website: “We are a one-stop provider to assist partners in establishing 21st-century schools.”
According to court documents, Razak allegedly cheated Temasek Foundation International on or around Feb 12, 2018. The non-profit philanthropic organisation funds and supports programmes.
He is said to be linked to an ITL grant proposal involving Islamic schools in Indonesia submitted to the foundation.
Razak is accused of falsely portraying that ITL was then affiliated with Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah in Toa Payoh.

As a result, he is alleged to have dishonestly induced Temasek Foundation International to deliver $448,150 to ITL between Dec 7, 2018, and Sept 7, 2020.
By using a similar method for another grant proposal involving Islamic schools in the Philippines, he allegedly duped the foundation into giving $336,750 to ITL between Sept 6, 2019, and Sept 7, 2020.
Court documents do not state what happened to the monies.

Among other things, Razak is also accused of securing access to Madrasah Irsyad’s e-mail server without authority in 2019.
In a statement on Friday, a spokesman for Muis said: “Muis takes such issues very seriously and continually takes steps to strengthen governance in our religious institutions... Muis is unable to comment further as the matter is now before the courts.”
Razak’s case has been adjourned to March 17.
The case made the headlines in June 2021 when Madrasah Irsyad filed a police report after discovering that confidential files were leaked in an e-mail to unauthorised third parties.
Internal investigations revealed that a staff member, who was not named, had downloaded numerous confidential documents from the school’s e-mail server without authorisation.

In a statement issued at that time, Muis said the staff member had resigned.
It also said that the stolen documents were linked to a review of the madrasah’s financial transactions.
The review was mentioned in a parliamentary reply on April 5, 2021, by Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, who was responding to Mr Faisal Manap (Aljunied GRC) of the Workers’ Party.
He had asked, among other things, for details on any links between Madrasah Irsyad and ITL.
Mr Masagos answered then that ITL was established as a separate company in 2006 by the madrasah’s management committee. ITL was then known as Irsyad Foundation Limited.
In 2014, Madrasah Irsyad’s management moved the international side of its fund-raising efforts to ITL.
But after a review, the school decided to de-prioritise its international projects.
The school and ITL later agreed they would no longer be affiliated with each other. This meant that ITL could no longer use the school’s branding for its international projects.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

So the Ministry of Manpower has not been verifying the education qualifications of EP holders all along!!??

Employers must verify education qualifications of EP applicants from Sept 1​

The move coincides with the launch of a new points-based framework for new Employment Pass applications. PHOTO: ST FILE

Tay Hong Yi

Mar 1, 2023

SINGAPORE – To ensure that Employment Pass (EP) applicants are not granted work passes based on fake qualifications, employers will need to provide third-party verification of their diploma and higher qualifications from Sept 1, 2023.
The move coincides with the Sept 1 launch of a new points-based framework for new EP applications called Complementarity Assessment (Compass).
This is because an EP applicant’s qualifications will contribute to his Compass score, which will determine whether he is awarded the work pass, said Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng during the debate for the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) budget on Wednesday.
Under Compass, an EP application is scored based on four “foundational criteria” and two “bonus criteria”, covering both an applicant’s and his employer’s attributes. The worker’s qualifications are one of the foundational criteria.
The Government, which has consulted industry associations, employers and the labour movement about the verification process, will share more details in due course, said Dr Tan, who is also Second Minister for Trade and Industry. For EP renewals, Compass and the verifying of qualifications will apply from 2024.
“Rest assured that we will ensure smooth implementation and minimise disruptions to employers’ hiring process,” the minister said.
The move is poised to add another safeguard against fake qualifications, even though employers are already responsible for ensuring the authenticity of an applicant’s credentials, and MOM conducts its own checks. But employers that do not wish to rely on applicants’ qualifications to add points under Compass do not have to submit the verification.

Dr Tan did not elaborate on whether the added verification could affect the time it takes to process EP applications. Online applications currently take 10 business days.

He added that further details on Compass’ bonus criteria, which pertain to skills held by the applicant that are in shortage in Singapore, and the employer’s contribution to the Republic’s strategic economic goals, will be revealed later in March.
The bonus points will cover a targeted minority of strategic EP applications, as the Government expects most applications to obtain a passing score on Compass on the basis of the foundational requirements.

He also announced on Wednesday that employers in services and manufacturing can hire only up to 8 per cent of their total workforce under the Non-traditional Source (NTS) Occupation List, and have to pay these work permit holders at least $2,000 a month.
The occupation list, which was revealed in 2022 but kicks in from Sept 1, stipulates seven rank-and-file roles, such as those of cooks in Indian restaurants, for which employers can hire work permit holders – instead of S Pass holders – from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Typically, employers in the service and manufacturing sectors can hire work permit holders only from China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Taiwan.
Dr Tan said the quota guards against over-reliance on workers from NTS countries and regions, and ensures that employers diversify their workforce. The minimum salary safeguards against sourcing just the cheapest talent and encourages employers to hire higher-skilled or more experienced workers, he added.

Dr Tan on Wednesday also announced CareersFinder, a new feature on the MyCareersFuture online portal that recommends local residents jobs based on their expressed interests, the skills required and the training pathways available.
The artificial intelligence-driven tool will cut out the hassle of figuring what skills one needs for a job posting, and then the separate hunt for training courses.
A beta version is set for launch in the third quarter of 2023, and registration of interest can be made via the Workforce Singapore website.
“It will become more powerful as the data grows. We will continue to enhance it over time, to make it more responsive to job seekers’ needs,” said Dr Tan.
As borders reopen after the pandemic and foreign investments flow in, local workers are increasingly coming under heat to both compete with international talent and step up to jobs brought in by multinational enterprises.

Dr Tan urged workers to take charge of their own “career health” by tracking their own job marketability, charting their own development, and being resilient against setbacks.
In return, the ministry will support them “every step of the way”, he said.
Continuing the ministry’s years of work to raise working conditions for female workers, elderly workers, workers with disabilities and former offenders, Dr Tan briefed the House on various schemes and their results in securing fair opportunities for these groups.
These include flexible work arrangement guidelines; wage subsidies for employers that hire the elderly, former offenders and workers with disabilities; and progress towards a workplace fairness Bill.
Another group that has drawn the Government’s attention are skilled essential trade workers such as plumbers and electricians.
“Our society has traditionally valued ‘head’ work much more over ‘hands-on’ and ‘heart’ work, contributing to occupational wage disparity. But ‘hands-on’ work – the craft required to make something well, to fix a complex machine – is just as important for our society to function,” he said.
MOM and the National Trades Union Congress are studying ways to make these jobs pay better and offer clearer career and skill progression, with more details to come after the Forward Singapore consultation exercise concludes later in 2023.
This comes after the labour movement mooted in February a new framework to create clear career ladders for essential skilled tradesmen, dubbed the Career Progression Model.
Said Dr Tan: “Over time, if we are able to shift the prospects and perceptions of such jobs and offer attractive career pathways for skilled trades, we will be able to increase the number of locals in these roles in a sustainable way.”

 

[blackmondy]

It's a given that dictatorships are naive by nature.