Chitchat Why Jamus Lim join Workers' Party ?

[jw5]

Jamus sat down with the indomitable Paige Parker in an interview for her Pass the Power podcast.

Jamus Lim​

5 d ·
A couple of months back, I sat down with the indomitable Paige Parker in an interview for her Pass the Power podcast. We spoke about the educational system in Singapore, including about diverse minds and how (or whether) they can thrive in the local context, contrasts between what we do well here versus what other systems excel at, and my own personal philosophies about teaching and learning.
What I appreciate most about Paige is her willingness to examine her own assumptions, even as she asks pointed questions to those who hold different worldviews from her. That is truly the mark of an open mind, and regardless of where our personal or policy leanings lie, being intellectually omnivorous prepares us to not only confront our own presumptions and predilections, but also to truly understand the benefits and costs of own positions.
This is the essence of constructive criticism. Keen curiosity, matched by generosity in interpreting the arguments those with whom we disagree. It is about accurately articulating the other side, and being clear about where key differences lie. And remaining receptive to new data or information that may challenge your priors, and make you uncomfortable. I won’t pretend to have mastered these skills, but I try my best, and urge others to do so, too.
For those who may be interested, the full interview is available here: https://youtu.be/hK2cfp_FDu4 or this link if you’re a more auditory sort of person: https://spotify.link/.../key_live...).


YOUTUBE.COM
From Rowdy Student to Politician: Jamus Lim on Singapore’s Education Syste
Jamus Lim, Politician and Educator, Speaks Out About the Cut-Throat Education System in SingaporeKnown for warming the cockles of many Singaporeans' heart, I...

 

[jw5]

Jamus prepared ceviche.

Jamus Lim​

5 d ·
The recent spate of hot weather inspired us to prepare some ceviche, a mix of fish and chopped vegetables common in Spanish-speaking parts of the world (including my wife’s native Chile).
Ceviche is deceivingly easy to prepare, although—like all dishes involving uncooked food—one has to secure the freshest seafood available (we used a mix of red snapper and sea bass, procured from our favorite fishmonger Song Fish Dealer). A blend of citrus—in this case, orange and lime juice—then “cooks” the fish while it rests, while also imparting a delightful piquancy. One then mixes with chopped vegetables and aromatics, such as cucumber, radish, onion, cilantro, and green chiles. Our secret weapon was mango, whose sweetness balanced out the tanginess and spice.
My wife especially loves the “leche de tigre”—milk of the tiger—which is the creamy extract that results after salt is introduced. It is almost magic when the addition of a simple ingredient is able to make the dish sing, much like how, in life, what we need is a sprinkling of someone unexpected to a team, for it to truly excel.

 

[jw5]

Jamus Lim​

6 d ·













https://www.facebook.com/ChuaKhengW...dgEryVVTscS-Iq-SJ0htSlH1UUxw5&__tn__=<<,P-y-R

Chua Kheng Wee 蔡庆威 is at Rivervale Shores.​

6 d · Singapore ·
Proper waste disposal at Rivervale Shores

In addition to the issue of renovation debris, we’ve noticed quite a lot of bulky items and old furniture such as sofas and even bathtubs (!) disposed around our new estate…
We will be following up with the NEA on monitoring and enforcement actions, in relation to the indiscriminate littering and dumping of bulky refuse in the estate.
Jamus Lim He Ting Ru 何廷儒 and I would however wish to appeal to all our new residents, to remind their contractors and sub-contractors on the importance of responsible waste disposal and housekeeping, and together, let us create a pleasant living environment for all!

#Rivervale #TeamSengkang #SengkangGRC

 

[jw5]

Jamus asks about rental policies.

Jamus Lim​

2 d ·
As most of us know, the vast majority of Singaporeans own their homes. In fact, our homeownership rate is among the highest in the world. This is something for which many are, justifiably, proud. There are generally clear benefits to owning one’s home. Often, even with a mortgage, the benefits—the value of the asset, when sold—exceed the costs of paying the mortgage and downpayment. There are also non-monetary benefits: when you live in a place you own, you get to modify it as you wish (albeit you also bear the burden of maintenance). At the national level, ownership helps folks develop roots in where they live.
But even the financial logic isn’t guaranteed. If house prices don’t appreciate sufficiently, then the amount you take out in the housing loan, plus interest, may exceed what you get back. This is the case even if you happen to have cash. There are plenty of investment options out there. If you buy real estate, you won’t be able to purchase other assets, like stocks and bonds. Depending on what these are, you could leave money on the table if you bet on property (historically, at the global level, real estate tends to offer return between that of bonds and stocks. Risk rises with returns, however, so it’s not always clear that everyone should automatically choose the highest-return asset).
What doesn’t make sense, however, is to insist on purchasing a home, regardless of consequences. You may not have enough saved for a downpayment. Mortgage rates may be too high. Or you’re at a stage in life (young or old) where renting makes more sense. Of course, if you’re a foreigner, renting is also the main option. But lest locals think that rents don’t concern them because they own: nothing could be further from the truth. That’s because, as any student of economics or finance knows, the way markets price real estate is by the so-called “discounted present value” of the “stream of expected rental payouts” over the lifetime of the asset. (1/3)
That’s a lot of technical jargon, but it just means that the value of a home reflects what one would otherwise pay in rent over 99 years (in most cases in Singapore), adjusted by the fact that a dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future. So rental rates matter, even when you own. That was a major motivation for a recent Parliamentary Question I filed, on whether there should be a maximum permissible percentage that the rent may be hiked, at the expiry of the lease.
Rents in recent times have gone through the roof (figuratively speaking, haha). Even rentals for HDB flats have spiked, with a recent record of 6.6K a month. While the increases have slowed, the shock of such rapid increases is real. Some may be aware that, in other countries, protections from such rental surges are in place. This allows market forces to still operate, but smooths out the transition process to allow tenants to adapt to higher rental costs.
In his response, Minister Desmond Lee explained that most rental agreements are mostly private arrangements between tenants and landlords, and that such caps could inadvertently distort the market. This is possible, but in my view, it takes market fundamentalism to an unnecessary extreme. Markets often function just as well (if not better) when there are mechanisms to dampen sharp corrections and reduce excess volatility.
That’s why I asked about policies to contain the rate of increase in rents. This isn’t about outright rent control—where a cap is imposed on the maximum rent that can be charged—but more a “speed bump” to slow sudden, large increases. These frictions allow tenants time to adjust, while also encouraging landlords to constantly pay attention to market conditions, so that they don’t spring unreasonably large rental spikes, which are hard to manage. Such sensible slowdown measures can help contain volatility not just in the rental market, but could spill over to the ownership market, too, all to the benefit of Singaporeans. #makingyourvotecount

 

[jw5]

Jamus Lim​

8 h .

The Workers' Party​

8 h ·

We refer to queries from various mainstream media outlets.
The Workers’ Party’s views on the office of the Elected President (EP) and the role of the President of Singapore, are set out in the Party manifesto, as well as in a 2016 submission to a Constitutional Commission on the Elected Presidency. The Party’s position has also been set out in the course of parliamentary debates over the years.
The Workers’ Party believes that the current qualifying criteria for presidential candidates is skewed towards PAP-approved candidates and the EP in its current form undermines parliamentary democracy. It also serves as an unnecessary source of gridlock - one that could potentially cripple a non-PAP government within its first term - and is an alternative power centre that could lead to political impasses. The Workers’ Party has consistently voiced its objection to and called for the abolishment of the EP, and to revert to a ceremonial presidency, which has been the Party’s position for over three decades.
The Workers’ Party does not endorse any presidential candidate, nor does it call upon its members or volunteers to assist them in any official capacity.
WP 2020 Manifesto: https://d3bnzwrhehvhbjiwmja.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.c...
WP 2016 Submissions to the CCS: https://www.wp.sg/the-workers-partys-submission-to-the.../

 

[jw5]

Jamus continues National Day Celebrations.

Jamus Lim​

2 d ·
A couple of weekends ago, #TeamSengkang continued our National Day celebrations with our annual Colors in the Park festival, held as before at the Sculpture Park at #Compassvale.
This year, we had the usual drawing and coloring competitions, along with carnival stations with balloons, cotton candy, and ice cream. In lieu of the collaborative painting—which we featured last year—we had two other competitions: an upcycling challenge to transform old town council holiday greeting banners into bags, and “Sengkang’s Got Talent,” where contestants chose to dance, sing, and display their artwork. Our eventual winners included a young lady performing a classical Indian dance, another who performed ballet, a Chinese ballad with both male and female parts sung by the same gentleman, and a stunning portfolio of charcoal, graphite, and acrylic sketches.
We also managed to squeeze in three guest creatives: a caricature artist, a typewriter poet, and an art therapist. In addition to their fun and amazing work—cranked out on-the-fly for excited residents—we had hoped to showcase the skills of artisans from the local community, which we feel are essential to the fabric of a diverse and vibrant society.
Congratulations again to all our winners, and thanks to all #SengkangGRC residents who came down for a morning of artistic expression in celebration of our nation’s birthday. Appreciation also goes to our guest creatives, Ben, Caricaturist.SG, Gini, Vic, and Bernice, along with former MP PNG ENG HUAT, who joined us for our final song performance. And of course, all this could not have happened without the contributions of our volunteers and support from SKTC. Kudos to the organizing committee, as well as all who manned the stations, assisted with setup and teardown, and all the sundry tasks needed to make an event like this happen.

 

[jw5]

Jamus continues house visits.

Jamus Lim​

25 August at 09:20 ·
Our house visits over the past few weeks allowed #TeamSengkang to wrap up 313C, 334A, 335A, 336C, and make our way through the uppermost levels of 329A. We are about two-thirds done with #Anchorvale, and will work to cover every block in the estate. If we haven’t gotten to your block yet—we’re almost there! Thanks for your patience in the meantime.
One of the discussions that emerged this round concerns the challenges elderly Singaporeans face. We are an aging society, a fact that everyone, including the government, recognizes. But the challenges our seniors face aren’t limited to adapting our infrastructure to accommodate them, as PM Lee sketched out at his national day rally. We also need to look at the sorts of financial strains they face, as they grow old in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
I had previously made the case—in several speeches pertaining to the GST hike—that any additional tax revenue raised as a result of higher inflation (because higher prices would automatically mean a larger tax take in nominal terms) should naturally be rebated back to the people. To this end, I am gratified that that this has now been realized, with PM Lee’s recent announcement that the Majulah generation package would be seeded with fiscal surpluses. This package is the least we can offer to this sandwich generation, but it is surely insufficient; at best, it helps to make up for the effects of inflation, which still leaves them with the same (often limited) purchasing power.
But it is also about the little things. One resident shared about how the plastic bag charge—while small and may help shift attitudes toward conservation—was nevertheless yet another little thing adding to rising expenses, especially since many stores (not just the larger merchants) have gone ahead and added such a fee. Anecdotally, there have even been charges of as much as fifty cents, and not just for plastic bags but many other containers. These all eat away at the already-meager savings of retirees, especially when CPF interest rates have fallen far behind the pace of inflation. The #workersparty will continue to highlight the difficulties of rising costs of living we all face.

 

[jw5]

Jamus invites you for a run.

Jamus Lim​

14 h ·
Although we usually hold our #SengkangGRC #RiverRun on the first Saturday, yours truly is currently with residents on our 2D/1N Malacca tour, and so will be unable to join. As @chuakhengwee will also be indisposed—he has to attend a team BBQ—we will be moving our run to next Saturday evening, Sep 9, at the usual 6:30pm timing. Hope to see you then!

 

[jw5]

Jamus poses with a father and daughter.

 

[jw5]

Jamus poses with a family of five.

 

[jw5]

Jamus went to Melaka.

Jamus Lim​

7 h ·
Over the recent long weekend, I joined residents from #Anchorvale and #Buangkok as we headed out for a two-day trip to Melaka. We were able to set off bright and early, the day after the presidential election, and hence missed the worst of the causeway jam (we were similarly lucky on our return on Sunday evening). So notwithstanding an unexpected bus breakdown—which added about an hour and a half to one of the groups—the roadtrip turned out to be relatively smooth.
Melaka has a special place in my heart, not least because my ancestors (from Dad’s side) probably came from there (I say probably because our extended family had been in Singapore for so many generations that we’ve pretty much lost touch with any connections there). Still, being able to touch base with rich Peranakan culture—while simultaneously enjoying a different take on Nonya food—is always deeply appreciated. It is a poignant reminder of how virtually all Singaporeans once hailed from far-flung places, but eventually melded our cultures and traditions into something unique to our Little Red Dot.
Melaka also harbors a mixed colonial history. The Portuguese, Dutch, and English all saw the strategic potential of the port, and while their rule likely helped consolidate the city’s standing in global trading networks, whether the town would have developed better or worse otherwise is debatable. But like all civilizational conjunctions in history, European presence left its mark on the city’s cultures and traditions (not least, in leading my predecessors to adopt Catholicism as the family religion).
As always, thanks to our organizing team, including our volunteer bus captains, who took precious time off their weekends to help ensure that our residents were well taken care of. Also to the guides and drivers, for keeping everyone safe and on track (even through unexpected bus failures!). And of course, to our residents, for joining us on yet another little adventure.

 

[jw5]

from theindependent.sg:

Jamus Lim explains why certain estate maintenance projects can sometimes ‘take longer than we’d like them to’

SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning (Sept 5) that certain estate projects need maintenance that take longer to finish for various reasons. He mentioned this in the context of feedback he and the WP team have received during house visits from time to time about maintenance works that take “a long time to resolve.”

“This includes an out-of-commission playground at the Compassvale Cape area, another at Anchorvale Horizon, and a couple of covered walkways,” he wrote. He then explained that “some end up having to be abandoned because, despite our prior due diligence, contractors do go bust, which necessitates a lengthy process of seizing the performance bond and either reinstating the project, of re-opening the tender for a new contractor to take over.”

He added that off-cycle projects can also take a while to address. “For example, if a playground needs to be replaced prematurely, funds have to be secured from non-routine sources, before a new one can be ordered and installed.”
Assoc Prof Lim wrote reassuringly that these are not excuses but a question of the availability of facilities and that there are usually “sound reasons” for delays in accomplishing maintenance projects.

He added that the team works closely with the Sengkang Town Council in case of delays.

“We stress the importance of safety, so it is better to close off a facility entirely rather than risk someone, especially kids, getting hurt. We ask for any quick fixes that could be done to at least make the facility usable, while a longer-term solution is being implemented. And we always make sure that the team is aware of the inconvenience and frustration residents feel when deprived of key amenities. It is a wonderful sight when a sought-after playground or long-desired project eventually comes to fruition. We ask for residents’ patience and understanding in the meantime,” wrote Assoc Prof Lim. /TISG

 

[k1976]

He can be the next President after pineapple era

 

[jw5]

He can be the next President after pineapple era

He can and should be the next Prime Ministar.

 

[k1976]

He can and should be the next Prime Ministar.

Then, crown Prince how?
Good hands cannot afford to retire liao

 

[jw5]

Then, crown Prince how?
Good hands cannot afford to retire liao

Crown Prince should become King.

 

[k1976]

Crown Prince should become King.

King = Yang Ah Gong?

 

[jw5]

Jamus shared his thoughts.

Jamus Lim​

13 h ·
Occurring on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit last week was the ASEAN+ Youth Summit, an effort by Indonesian Youth Diplomacy—along with the Government of Indonesia—to involve young Southeast Asians (and beyond) in diplomacy and international affairs. I was very fortunate to have been invited to share my thoughts on a panel on the future of education and employment, and was joined by Puteri Komarudin (People’s Representative Council, Indonesia), Othman Almoamar (Confidential Government, Saudi Arabia), Jang Kyung-Tae (National Assembly, Korea), and Cinta Laura Kiehl (Ministry of Female Empowerment, as well as a bona fide local celebrity).
Given my conviction that the future of education must successfully harness the power of #ArtificialIntelligence, it was unsurprising that I based my remarks on how generative AI should not be viewed solely as a threat but rather an opportunity for the next generation of workers to augment their human talents with AI tools and techniques. Importantly, I stressed how youths should learn how to be power users of generative AI, find niches where the needs of people and society are yet to be met, and to think of how one can contribute in a uniquely human way (usually by remaining insatiably curious and persistently questioning).
Thanks to Anastasya Jesslyn and her team for the invitation, and to all youth delegates who enthusiastically participated in the summit: your (and our) future is your collective hands, and it’s so refreshing to see you seize this with gusto.

 

[jw5]

This coming weekend, Chua Kheng Wee 蔡庆威, He Ting Ru 何廷儒, and Jamus will host their quarterly #SengkangGRC Conversations town hall.

Jamus Lim​

6 h ·
This coming weekend, Chua Kheng Wee 蔡庆威, He Ting Ru 何廷儒, and I will host our quarterly #SengkangGRC Conversations town hall. We are headed back to #Rivervale this time round.
As usual, our plan is for the session to touch on both municipal matters that residents bring up, as well as national concerns. While we will be guided by the flow of conversation, we hope to share on some recent developments in Parliament that are relevant to building communities. These include “harder” aspects—such as challenges surrounding housing affordability (and our suggestions for how these may be better mitigated)—as well as “softer” elements, such as enhancing community spaces and initiatives to promote inclusion.
We are also delighted that we have partnered with AXS, the National Crime Prevention Council Singapore, and Samaritans of Singapore, who will all host booths that residents can mingle at while enjoying the refreshment spread. We hope to see as many of you there as possible! #TeamSengkang

 

[jw5]

Jamus continues house visits.

Jamus Lim​

4 d ·
This past week, we wrapped up house visits at 331B #Anchorvale, coupled with an estate walk around out the Harvest and the brand-new Village.
Harvest is one of the clusters where repair and redecoration (R&R) works had been somewhat delayed due to COVID-19, but are now part of a large (53 blocks—about a third of Anchorvale) project. To best make up for the wait, we’ve pushed the R&R contractor to commence the works with two separate clusters (Cove and Isles), but rest assured, things are moving along, and they’ll eventually get to the others.
Folks are still receiving their keys to the two new blocks (339A and

, but if you’re moving in, welcome to the neighborhood! You should be receiving a welcome pack from the town council, and #TeamSengkang looks forward to welcoming you to life in #SengkangGRC! Please feel free to reach out if we can be of any assistance, even at this early stage.