Are Singaporeans empathetic towards the plight of poor people?

[MaxRiley]

I am a strong activist to support the poor in Singapore, having done volunteer work in welfare organisations.

I realised that most Singaporeans live in their ivory tower without having any regard for the poor. And most are against minimum wage or in Singapore's case progressive wage, fearing that the costs will somehow have to be absorbed by them.

My belief is that miminum wage or progressive wage will help the poor progressively increase their social standings eventually to at least lower middle income. Regardless of whether the costs will be borne by us, they deserve a right to live in bare minimum comfort too.

Here are some write-ups on minimum wage / progressive wage that I found online, each with differing views. What are your thoughts?

http://dollarsandsense.sg/is-minimum-wages-really-that-bad-for-singapore/

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=45106

http://www.fivestarsandamoon.com/lets-talk-money-progressive-wage-model/

http://therealsingapore.com/content/why-minimum-wage-system-not-possible-singapore

 

[jw5]

1. Good luck with your "strong activism" to support the poor.

2. A better nickname would have been Baba O'Riley. Great song by The Who and also the theme song for CSI New York.

 

[MaxRiley]

Thank you! Actually my theme song is more of Donovan "To try for the sun"

[video=youtube;btHdFS98W7s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btHdFS98W7s&feature=kp[/video]

 

[Leongsam]

I am a strong activist to support the poor in Singapore, having done volunteer work in welfare organisations.

The low income earners only have themselves to blame for their predicament. If they made an effort to lift themselves out of their dead end existence, their financial problems would be solved overnight.

The poor should not be helped as the more assistance you provide, the more dependent they become on charity and the less motivated they are to help themselves.

The best way of helping the poor is to withdraw all assistance. They'll then be forced to fend for themselves.

 

[sleaguepunter]

whether the public support minimium wage has nothing to do with with helping poor in the mind of most ppl.

how to define poor? need handout to go to school or pay handphone bill?

i was dirt poor as a kid but i seen the so call poor going to MPS to ask for help with more expensive mobile sets than me.

generally singaporeans mostly are not stingy to donate, that why they are easily con into donating to NDF, Renci and that mansion to huang na's mom.

it the govt who is stingy most of the time.

 

[MaxRiley]

I think to be fair, more avenues should be given to them to assist them with their poverty. You need to help snap them out of the poverty cycle. Education is a good start. But for the parents to provide for the children to ensure good education, they need some form of financial assistance. Having a minimum wage or progressive wage will ensure that they have enough to support their family.

We are not a social state that hands out free cash to the poor. Heavey dependence on charity can lead to a more lazy society I must admit, however we also cannot just leave them to fend for themselves like that as if we are elitists. I am in full support for minimum wage or progressive wage to help alleviate them out of their poverty cycle.

 

[zhihau]

it the govt who is stingy most of the time.

really? this cannot be true because our leaders are the best paid in the world!

 

[Leongsam]

I am in full support for minimum wage or progressive wage to help alleviate them out of their poverty cycle.

Implementing a minimum wage does absolutely nothing to break the poverty cycle if the minimum wage is beyond what productivity levels will support.

All it will do is cause unemployment as no employer is going to hire someone who does not add value to their businesses.

 

[MaxRiley]

whether the public support minimium wage has nothing to do with with helping poor in the mind of most ppl.

how to define poor? need handout to go to school or pay handphone bill?

i was dirt poor as a kid but i seen the so call poor going to MPS to ask for help with more expensive mobile sets than me.

generally singaporeans mostly are not stingy to donate, that why they are easily con into donating to NDF, Renci and that mansion to huang na's mom.

it the govt who is stingy most of the time.

I fully respect the fact that you managed to move out of the poverty cycle and have a good career for yourself. In my opinion, minimum wage or progressive wage will at least help give the bare minimum for someone to help support his family and the children's education.

For definition of poor, definitely it would be good to set an indicator for poverty line. and I'm also glad to hear that Singaporeans are not stingy to donate. I do see a lot of people buying tissue paper to help old aunties, old uncles and disabled people.

 

[MaxRiley]

Implementing a minimum wage does absolutely nothing to break the poverty cycle if the minimum wage is beyond what productivity levels will support.

All it will do is cause unemployment as no employer is going to hire someone who does not add value to their businesses.

Minimum wage should not be tied to productivity levels. You are only providing minimum wage as an avenue to assist the poor. Think of it as a jumpstart to their career. As you can see from this economist, it is not economically viable to peg minimum wage to productivity.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/modeledbehavior/2013/04/07/elizabeth-warren-proves-the-minimum-wage-should-not-be-tied-to-productivity-measures/

 

[sleaguepunter]

We are not a social state that hands out free cash to the poor. Heavey dependence on charity can lead to a more lazy society I must admit, however we also cannot just leave them to fend for themselves like that as if we are elitists. I am in full support for minimum wage or progressive wage to help alleviate them out of their poverty cycle.

it true govt is very stingy when giving real cash into poor hands BUT govt do help the low income family in education by giving free uniforms,shoes,socks and school books. As for tuition, i know CDAC and the Muis do provide teachers to give tuitions to the children. Sometime it the parents who are not making an effort to let their children attend because it "too troublesome" or "too far". my wife went to CDAC apply to give teach tuition class but the attendence rate was so low, only 3 kids attended at the begining, all low income families kids having problem with Maths. By end of term, only one kid left and in the end class had to stop because cannot justified having only one student.

the low income families cannot expect free handout, they have to work hard to get out of the poverty circle. i myself came from a dirt poor family, i know how it feel like to go to school with no money and parents constantly worry lack of money to buy food. sigh.... horrible past.

 

[sleaguepunter]

I fully respect the fact that you managed to move out of the poverty cycle and have a good career for yourself. In my opinion, minimum wage or progressive wage will at least help give the bare minimum for someone to help support his family and the children's education.

For definition of poor, definitely it would be good to set an indicator for poverty line. and I'm also glad to hear that Singaporeans are not stingy to donate. I do see a lot of people buying tissue paper to help old aunties, old uncles and disabled people.

minimium wage help the poor? i not convince, all it do is raise inflation, then it become a LPPL situation.

 

[Leongsam]

Minimum wage should not be tied to productivity levels. You are only providing minimum wage as an avenue to assist the poor. Think of it as a jumpstart to their career. As you can see from this economist, it is not economically viable to peg minimum wage to productivity.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/modeled...-should-not-be-tied-to-productivity-measures/

New Zealand implemented the minimum wage way back in 1894 and it has done absolutely nothing for low income earners. Every time the minimum wage is increased, the resulting inflation will lead to a corresponding reduction in purchasing power.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/6020087/Poverty-an-embarrassment-to-the-country

New Zealand poverty statistics are an embarrassing reflection on the country, say politicians.
On Monday a story published in the Taranaki Daily News said 150 children died, unnecessarily, of poverty related diseases last year.

 

[sochi2014]

If you want to see real poverty you should visit our neighboring countries.

 

[KNNBNBCB]

If you want to see real poverty you should visit our neighboring countries.

if want to see largest assembly of millionaires in Singapore just go to parliament sitting.

 

[The_Hypocrite]

Except the PAP...a parasite organisation

Implementing a minimum wage does absolutely nothing to break the poverty cycle if the minimum wage is beyond what productivity levels will support.

All it will do is cause unemployment as no employer is going to hire someone who does not add value to their businesses.

 

[sochi2014]

If you really have a heart for poor people, setup a non profit organization and collect money and resources from your fellow citizens and redistribute to them. I sure to donate. Bitching here doesn't solve anything. They are still hungry and poor.

 

[virus]

Except the PAP...a parasite organisation

howw did you come to thos conxlusion? i am shocked when i learnt our dear minister hv to churi toothpick it must hv bean hard for him to feed the family from hand to mouth. pls raise his pay. we r supposed to b first class first world. we must not let them go down to picking cardboards n used csns. it is just too demeaning.

 

[chonburifc]

If you really have a heart for poor people, setup a non profit organization and collect money and resources from your fellow citizens and redistribute to them. I sure to donate. Bitching here doesn't solve anything. They are still hungry and poor.

In long term, sure got abuse. If want to help the poor, vote the pappies out!

 

[Agoraphobic]

I think eliminating poverty has been on the UN's agenda for a long time. Although I am for this idea, I don't think it is going to work. Reason being is that in order for some to be rich, others will have to be poor. In order for some to be extremely rich, many will have to be extremely poor. I think in Singapore, the favour tends towards the rich.

The best solution is a distribution of wealth somewhere in between. Say that the poorest will at least be able to affort a shelter, three meals a day, some creature comforts, education for their kids. I think most countries should be able to achieve this. In Singapore's case, deduct some expense from defence spending, should take care of it. But will the Ministry agree to this?

Cheers!

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I realised that most Singaporeans live in their ivory tower without having any regard for the poor. And most are against minimum wage.........