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Jobless in the republic
Insight Down South
By SEAH CHIANG NEE
Influx of foreign talents adds to woes of an increasing number of jobless professionals from the middle class.
A SALES and marketing manager loses his S$7,000 (RM17,145) job and turns to driving a taxi – a fallback profession for Singapore’s rising army of unemployed educated.
In another case, an engineer, married with children, who cannot find a job after being retrenched, spends some desperate months working as a S$4 (RM9.80)-an-hour librarian.
And thirdly, a Business graduate with First Class Honours who was replaced by a foreigner seven months ago has failed to land another job.
“Not a single job offer because of the intense competition from many ‘qualified’ foreign talents and an increasing number of jobless PMET Singaporeans,” he said.
PMET has become a familiar word in the republic in recent years, one that is increasingly associated with some of the woes of the new Singapore.
It stands for Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians that form the backbone of the affluent middle-class.
They also make up half the city’s work-force.
It is an institution that has been badly affected by the country’s immigration strategy of increasing the population and providing cheaper manpower for businesses.
Singaporeans are increasingly embittered about imported “cheaper paid” PMETs which have cut into employment and depressed wages for Singaporeans.
Thousands whose jobs have been taken over by outsiders have joined the ranks of cab drivers, private tutors, salespeople and part-time workers.
Like the three cases mentioned above, many victims are in their 40s and married with a family.
“If the government is right in saying that Singapore’s future can be secured through mass immigration, then we, the present generation, have to be the sacrificed,” said a retrenched engineer.
The PMET job market is in a general state of fluid as cheaper outsiders continue to move in.
It is marked by anxious job-holders who never know when their turn may come, while fresh start-ups – from those in university – are losing hope.
Ironically, it is the government’s emphasis on higher education that has significantly pushed up PMETs and Singapore’s middle class.
It has made for a better-educated, skilled population, raised more two-income families and raised household wealth in the Republic.
Over the horizon, however, some dark clouds are gathering for them.
Although the government has recently raised restrictions and reduced the foreigner intake as a result of public protests, the overall immigration policy is being firmly pursued.
According to statistics, middle-aged PMETs form the largest group of the new unemployed.
Six in 10 (59%) of Singaporean residents who were laid off in the third quarter of 2012 were aged 40.
Some 30% were in their 30s.
Degree holders formed the largest group by education, forming 28% of all unemployed.
Some of the hardest hit are post-graduates who found themselves over-qualified faced with a market that prefers cheap manpower.
The post-graduate son of an old friend had to apply for jobs with his normal degree because many bosses had refused to hire him for fear that he might be a transient professional.
Complainants include those with the highest education – the doctorate.
A Chinese mainlander with a PhD who could not find a meaningful job since coming here said he regretted taking up Singapore citizenship.
Another who had worked for A-Star bio-tech research is now driving a cab after being unable to find work since leaving the state-owned company.
Last week Singaporean Andrew Lee, who returned from Australia with a doctorate, wrote to a People’s Action Party (PAP) backbencher for help after failing to find work.
How badly are PMETs hit?
With half the work-force, they made up some 67% of the new unemployed, according to the latest official statistics.
Those with degrees form the largest group (41%) of people who were laid off.
Two years ago there was an inkling of things to come when a cabinet minister in charge of the labour movement, NTUC (National Trades Union Congress), talked of plans to go for cheap labour.
Lim Swee Say said his unions would help put on track a “Cheaper, Better, Faster” economy.
This sort of leadership philosophy has stagnated productivity and helped widen the gap between the rich and the poor.
Nevertheless, Singapore remains largely a middle class society.
There is no universally accepted definition for one, but a middle class person is seen as one earning about S$4,000 (RM9,800) a month.
The latest impact on the middle class population now is the intake of foreign PMETs, which was traditionally the PAP’s strong support base.
It is much less true today. Many in this group are revolting against the ruling party. There is a spreading undercurrent of distrust.
Even without this, some economists fear the erosion of Japan’s middle class – first enunciated by Japanese strategist Kenichi Ohmae – may already be happening here.
Japan, he said, was emerging into a “M-shape” class distribution, in which a few middle class people moved into the upper class, while many others gradually sank to the lower classes.
These people suffered a deterioration in living standard, faced the threat of unemployment, or their average salary was dropping, he said.
Gradually, they can only live in a way the lower classes live: e.g. take buses instead of driving their own car, cut their budget for meals instead of dining at better restaurants, and spend less on consumer goods.
And, Kenichi said, all this can be taking place while the economy is enjoying remarkable growth and overall wages rise.
The broad masses cannot benefit from the growth and their living standard goes into decline.
Some of these trends already exist here. They could erode the middle class faster because of Singapore’s much smaller size.
Insight Down South
By SEAH CHIANG NEE
Influx of foreign talents adds to woes of an increasing number of jobless professionals from the middle class.
A SALES and marketing manager loses his S$7,000 (RM17,145) job and turns to driving a taxi – a fallback profession for Singapore’s rising army of unemployed educated.
In another case, an engineer, married with children, who cannot find a job after being retrenched, spends some desperate months working as a S$4 (RM9.80)-an-hour librarian.
And thirdly, a Business graduate with First Class Honours who was replaced by a foreigner seven months ago has failed to land another job.
“Not a single job offer because of the intense competition from many ‘qualified’ foreign talents and an increasing number of jobless PMET Singaporeans,” he said.
PMET has become a familiar word in the republic in recent years, one that is increasingly associated with some of the woes of the new Singapore.
It stands for Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians that form the backbone of the affluent middle-class.
They also make up half the city’s work-force.
It is an institution that has been badly affected by the country’s immigration strategy of increasing the population and providing cheaper manpower for businesses.
Singaporeans are increasingly embittered about imported “cheaper paid” PMETs which have cut into employment and depressed wages for Singaporeans.
Thousands whose jobs have been taken over by outsiders have joined the ranks of cab drivers, private tutors, salespeople and part-time workers.
Like the three cases mentioned above, many victims are in their 40s and married with a family.
“If the government is right in saying that Singapore’s future can be secured through mass immigration, then we, the present generation, have to be the sacrificed,” said a retrenched engineer.
The PMET job market is in a general state of fluid as cheaper outsiders continue to move in.
It is marked by anxious job-holders who never know when their turn may come, while fresh start-ups – from those in university – are losing hope.
Ironically, it is the government’s emphasis on higher education that has significantly pushed up PMETs and Singapore’s middle class.
It has made for a better-educated, skilled population, raised more two-income families and raised household wealth in the Republic.
Over the horizon, however, some dark clouds are gathering for them.
Although the government has recently raised restrictions and reduced the foreigner intake as a result of public protests, the overall immigration policy is being firmly pursued.
According to statistics, middle-aged PMETs form the largest group of the new unemployed.
Six in 10 (59%) of Singaporean residents who were laid off in the third quarter of 2012 were aged 40.
Some 30% were in their 30s.
Degree holders formed the largest group by education, forming 28% of all unemployed.
Some of the hardest hit are post-graduates who found themselves over-qualified faced with a market that prefers cheap manpower.
The post-graduate son of an old friend had to apply for jobs with his normal degree because many bosses had refused to hire him for fear that he might be a transient professional.
Complainants include those with the highest education – the doctorate.
A Chinese mainlander with a PhD who could not find a meaningful job since coming here said he regretted taking up Singapore citizenship.
Another who had worked for A-Star bio-tech research is now driving a cab after being unable to find work since leaving the state-owned company.
Last week Singaporean Andrew Lee, who returned from Australia with a doctorate, wrote to a People’s Action Party (PAP) backbencher for help after failing to find work.
How badly are PMETs hit?
With half the work-force, they made up some 67% of the new unemployed, according to the latest official statistics.
Those with degrees form the largest group (41%) of people who were laid off.
Two years ago there was an inkling of things to come when a cabinet minister in charge of the labour movement, NTUC (National Trades Union Congress), talked of plans to go for cheap labour.
Lim Swee Say said his unions would help put on track a “Cheaper, Better, Faster” economy.
This sort of leadership philosophy has stagnated productivity and helped widen the gap between the rich and the poor.
Nevertheless, Singapore remains largely a middle class society.
There is no universally accepted definition for one, but a middle class person is seen as one earning about S$4,000 (RM9,800) a month.
The latest impact on the middle class population now is the intake of foreign PMETs, which was traditionally the PAP’s strong support base.
It is much less true today. Many in this group are revolting against the ruling party. There is a spreading undercurrent of distrust.
Even without this, some economists fear the erosion of Japan’s middle class – first enunciated by Japanese strategist Kenichi Ohmae – may already be happening here.
Japan, he said, was emerging into a “M-shape” class distribution, in which a few middle class people moved into the upper class, while many others gradually sank to the lower classes.
These people suffered a deterioration in living standard, faced the threat of unemployment, or their average salary was dropping, he said.
Gradually, they can only live in a way the lower classes live: e.g. take buses instead of driving their own car, cut their budget for meals instead of dining at better restaurants, and spend less on consumer goods.
And, Kenichi said, all this can be taking place while the economy is enjoying remarkable growth and overall wages rise.
The broad masses cannot benefit from the growth and their living standard goes into decline.
Some of these trends already exist here. They could erode the middle class faster because of Singapore’s much smaller size.
