Kampong Days - Remember Singapore Weblog - Worth Reading

[Leongsam]

Internet has tons of information to feed us with ideas and nurture us with new ideas to take advantages of limited resources.

It obviously hasn't worked with you.

 

[eErotica96]

could not compete with japan and korea because we emphasis too much on production output rather than productivity. these 2 terms may look the same but technically it's different. instead of innovating better technology to reduce manpower and lead time, we chose to use cheap labour. tell me, how are we going to compete with the 2 countries you mentioned in the long run?

 

[tonychat]

It obviously hasn't worked with you.

how do you know?

 

[ionzu]

PAP made us richer, but they did not make us happier. while life did get easier materially, it got much harder to find happiness.

without happiness, you are better off dead.

 

[tonychat]

PAP made us richer, but they did not make us happier. while life did get easier materially, it got much harder to find happiness.

without happiness, you are better off dead.

how does PAP makes you richer???

I make myself richer, and i make myself happy. It has nothing to do with PAP.

but the sinkieness and cowardice are made by PAP.

 

[Leongsam]

could not compete with japan and korea because we emphasis too much on production output rather than productivity. these 2 terms may look the same but technically it's different. instead of innovating better technology to reduce manpower and lead time, we chose to use cheap labour. tell me, how are we going to compete with the 2 countries you mentioned in the long run?

Buddy.. we don't have the brain power or the critical mass to develop technology. We did not try cheap labour in order to survive in singapore. We tried expensive labour but we just could not deliver the way the Japs and Koreans could.

We told the govt via EDB what sort of problems we faced and that's one of the reasons why they have tried to help manufacturing by keeping labour as cheap as possible in order to keep as many companies as possible from moving offshore.

There is no easy answer. Solutions abound in internet forums where people can just type whatever they want. However, in the real world, it is not so easy. What you say has to be transformed into action and it then has to work.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

PAP made us richer, but they did not make us happier. while life did get easier materially, it got much harder to find happiness.

without happiness, you are better off dead.

PAP made themselves richer....
You sure everyone is richer? Back then both parents din have to go out to work.....back then household can afford to have more kids.

 

[Equalisation]

In those days, kids had real childhood, made so many friends, of different races, people were alot more community spirted, lot more colour in life, nurtured a sense of independence and the list goes on and on. Fishing, kite flying, marbles, tops, rounders, jukeboxes, tea dances, and the list again goes on and on.

There was a sense of identity, common aspiration, dreams to follow and people that readily step forward to help. See the smile on the child on the far left. Have you seem such a smile recently.

You moved to a civil society that has inbuilt welfare for the less abled. One does not need to lose one's dignity before help is given.

The day that I read that an Indian family could not cook curry in their very home freely is the day that this country died. I felt very sorry that us Chinese Singaporeans stood by an watch a Tiong family get their way. Sad.

Tuan, Agree.

Back in those days during the Jap Occupation, different races have a common identity and help each other. I still remember the makcik with big melons helping me take the water from the well before I brought the pail back home. I was 3 at that time.:o

 

[halsey02]

Tuan, Agree.

Back in those days during the Jap Occupation, different races have a common identity and help each other. I still remember the makcik with big melons helping me take the water from the well before I brought the pail back home. I was 3 at that time.:o

"cilaka" at 3 years old you were looking at Mak cik big melons, lucky you didn't 'jatoh' into the well! I bet when you ere biting into those juicy " si qua" you must be thinking of maK cik melons!

 

[Equalisation]

"cilaka" at 3 years old you were looking at Mak cik big melons, lucky you didn't 'jatoh' into the well! I bet when you ere biting into those juicy " si qua" you must be thinking of maK cik melons!

Datok,

Those were the good old days binya. Nowadays, citizenship anyhow given out. The main reason is new citizens means new Pappy votes. Period . This is sad to say the least.

 

[syed putra]

In the old days, the girls in the cotton pyjama type clothes looked much more sexy. Because can see though some of their clothes. Now no more. must down blouse and up-skirt.

when hospitals were invented and germs were not discovered yet, more wives died in hospitals then at home due to contracted infectious diseases.

Despite what sam said, singapore has a huge gain in terms of logistic costs for manufacturing because of its location. That is why it is a huge refining centre, was a huge ship repair centre and still is a huge oil rig manufacturing centre. The cost if shipping machinery and parts to singapore is so much less than neighbouring countries. Cost of labour can be off set by using low skilled foreign ones.
Because of this, singkies goes up several grades from low skilled labour into things like naval architecture and marine design, engineering etc.

But if kampung life you missed and wiling to commute, there is a ferry between tg Belungkor (very ulu) to Changi point ferry terminal. Maybe can rent a kampung house (no sewage but can build a sewer tank) but with running water and electricity on the other side. Those who ride bikes normally cycle around these kampung during the weekends. Very little traffic but must watch out for violent indonesian burglars. very frequent in johore area as it is one of the illegal landing points.

 

[halsey02]

Datok,

Those were the good old days binya. Nowadays, citizenship anyhow given out. The main reason is new citizens means new Pappy votes. Period . This is sad to say the least.

You mean there never got to see Ma Cik with besar Melons anymore these days?? no well to fetch water & look at the ah gu daughter getting the wet look when she bathe in her samfoo & the perky you know what sticking out of the blouse...ha ha ha

 

[watchman8]

Reasons why we failed:

• Staffing very difficult in night shift. Manufacturing needs to run continuously 7 days a week. We couldn't get enough locals who were willing to work nights and weekends.
• Could not compete with Japan, Korea in the high end segment. They simply did it better. We, as sinkies, were inferior. I admit it.

Did you try higher incentives for workers on midnight and weekend shifts? Did you reward workers with shares? I find it disingenuous that many employers can complain cannot find workers when they are paying peanuts. If the hourly rate is 50% or 100% more, you can bet a long line of sinkies will form. If highly automated, this higher rate for non standard hours should not be an issue as it will be a small portion of total expense. Just look at how many sinkies are working odd hours and weekends as fairprice cashier, property agents, drivers etc.

The key issue is still price competition from super low wage countries, especially china. The free flow of goods ensured that all workers get screwed while employers get all the profit.

 

[Leongsam]

Did you try higher incentives for workers on midnight and weekend shifts? Did you reward workers with shares? I find it disingenuous that many employers can complain cannot find workers when they are paying peanuts.

The problem wasn't finding production operators. We needed very few of those because of the efforts we had put into automating the processes.

However, what automation does is change the nature of the job required to keep a production line running. What we needed were skilled technicians keep the automated equipment humming along within tight calibration tolerances and I can assure you that we paid an arm and a leg for their skills. If tolerances drifted, the equipment would jam and downtime would throw the whole process out of sync.

With shift allowances included, they were taking home $4000 to $5000 per month. Many of them grossed more than the engineers they reported to but that's another story for another time. They could all afford cars and fancy home theatre systems. I know because I visited their homes during CNY. They had more hi tech stuff than I had.

These are the sinkies who are now driving taxis. Their demands were never ending. They helped strangle manufacturing and killed the goose. There is only so much a company can do before management calls it a day.

 

[tonychat]

The problem wasn't finding production operators. We needed very few of those because of the efforts we had put into automating the processes.

However, what automation does is change the nature of the job required to keep a production line running. What we needed were skilled technicians keep the automated equipment humming along within tight calibration tolerances and I can assure you that we paid an arm and a leg for their skills. If tolerances drifted, the equipment would jam and downtime would throw the whole process out of sync.

With shift allowances included, they were taking home $4000 to $5000 per month. Many of them grossed more than the engineers they reported to but that's another story for another time. They could all afford cars and fancy home theatre systems. I know because I visited their homes during CNY. They had more hi tech stuff than I had.

These are the sinkies who are now driving taxis. Their demands were never ending. They helped strangle manufacturing and killed the goose. There is only so much a company can do before management calls it a day.

The moral of the story is the more you give, the more you get.

Keep on demanding and in the end drive taxi..

 

[watchman8]

These are the sinkies who are now driving taxis. Their demands were never ending. They helped strangle manufacturing and killed the goose. There is only so much a company can do before management calls it a day.

You can't blame human nature. Everyone try to improve their lives all the time. Employers want higher profits year after year. Same for employees. Even government wants more tax revenue. Something is wrong if people don't strive for improvement.

The thing that killed everyone was the sudden availability of huge numbers of cheap labour from china coupled with free flow of goods and services. The capitalists won big time as they took advantage of china cheap labour, while employees from many of more expensive countries like Singapore and even Malaysia lose.

Of course PAP has to add insult to injury by bringing these cheap labour to our shores to compete on all levels of jobs, all the while pushing costs higher via properties and COE.

 

[tonychat]

You can't blame human nature. Everyone try to improve their lives all the time. Employers want higher profits year after year. Same for employees. Even government wants more tax revenue. Something is wrong if people don't strive for improvement.

The thing that killed everyone was the sudden availability of huge numbers of cheap labour from china coupled with free flow of goods and services. The capitalists won big time as they took advantage of china cheap labour, while employees from many of more expensive countries like Singapore and even Malaysia lose.

Of course PAP has to add insult to injury by bringing these cheap labour to our shores to compete on all levels of jobs, all the while pushing costs higher via properties and COE.

so what the hell can you do beside posting in the forum while identifying the problem?

 

[Leongsam]

You can't blame human nature. Everyone try to improve their lives all the time. Employers want higher profits year after year. Same for employees. Even government wants more tax revenue. Something is wrong if people don't strive for improvement.

The thing that killed everyone was the sudden availability of huge numbers of cheap labour from china coupled with free flow of goods and services. The capitalists won big time as they took advantage of china cheap labour, while employees from many of more expensive countries like Singapore and even Malaysia lose.

Of course PAP has to add insult to injury by bringing these cheap labour to our shores to compete on all levels of jobs, all the while pushing costs higher via properties and COE.

You speak of "capitalists" as if they're faceless tyrants bent on exploitation but in many cases, this does not reflect reality.

I was on the capitalist bench by providing capital to this company I speak of. The fact that we tried our best to make Singapore operations work for more than 7 years debunks your argument straight away. The management didn't want to see 200 Singaporeans lose their jobs in one fell sweep. We simply had no choice.

There is only so much red ink a balance sheet can take before a company can no longer trade and if that happens, salaries can't be paid. All the talk about productivity, skills upgrading and automation comes to naught if what you produce cannot sell at a profit.

As to whose fault it is my view is that everyone has to shoulder the blame. The staff for demanding unsustainable salaries and the owners of the company for not having the skills, foresight and technological know how to beat the Japanese and Koreans at the manufacturing game.

I'd be the first to admit that I, along with most other Singaporeans, don't have what it takes to be able to maintain a productive, high volume, profitable manufacturing presence in Sinkieland. That's why the country has to rely on foreign investment to keep the economy going and when you aren't in position of strength, the foreigners call the shots. They want access to cheap labour. If they can't get it, they have other options. They don't have to stay on in Singapore.

The PAP has done a very shoddy job in the execution of many policies but sadly, the fact remains that if all foreigners were phased out, Singapore would be even worse off. On it's own, Singapore simply does not have what it takes to sustain the standard of living that we got used to in the 80s and 90s.

 

[watchman8]

so what the hell can you do beside posting in the forum while identifying the problem?

I voted opposition and will continue to do so until 2/3 majority is lost to opposition. And I write comments to convince others to do the same.

 

[watchman8]

You speak of "capitalists" as if they're faceless tyrants bent on exploitation but in many cases, this does not reflect reality.

I'd be the first to admit that I, along with most other Singaporeans, don't have what it takes to be able to maintain a productive, high volume, profitable manufacturing presence in Sinkieland. That's why the country has to rely on foreign investment to keep the economy going and when you aren't in position of strength, the foreigners call the shots. They want access to cheap labour. If they can't get it, they have other options. They don't have to stay on in Singapore.

No, I was merely describing how I see things. Nothing wrong with capitalists taking advantage of china cheap labour. It's human nature. Just as I don't see anything wrong with workers wanting more. For past 20 year, capitalists won, workers lost. However, you seem to have an issue with workers wanting more.

What the PAP did wrong was to totally disregard the plight of sinkies for past 10 years, especially after pinky took over. There was no control over FW inflow, resulting in double squeezing of sinkies. First by driving up housing and transport costs, and second by stagnating wages. Old man and son surrounded themselves with yes men and capitalists, while turning deaf ear to workers. The tripartite balance became a gang rape when the government became the capitalist too.

If the inflow has been better managed, sinkieland will be attractive to less foreign investments, but there will be more and better jobs for all, and inflation under better control. The pharmaceutical, finance and oil refineries will still be attracted here for many reasons, but other lower value add industries can go elsewhere.

And it is not true that foreign investors all demand low wage workers. Just look at the hiring trend of some companies, largely dictated by race and nationality of the hirer, nothing to do with competency or cost.