Unemployment rate among residents go up to 5.9 per cent
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Unemployment rate among residents go up to 5.9 per cent
Written by Our Correspondent
The unemployment rate for Singapore residents hit 5.9 per cent in June this year, up from 4 per cent a year ago.
The rise was felt across all occupations and industries, according to the Labour Force Survey carried out in mid-2009 by the Ministry of Manpower’s Research and Statistics Department, which released the key findings on Monday morning.
For some strange reasons, the Ministry has grouped citizens and PRs together under the “resident” category meaning that the figures for unemployment rate among Singapore citizens remains a mystery.
According to Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, there were over 20,000 new citizens and 90,000 PRs last year.
In total, there are about 530,000 PRs in Singapore. It is not known if the inclusion of PRs in the “resident” category has helped to depress the unemployment figures to make it more “respectable”.
If PRs are taken out of the equation, the unemployment rate among Singapore citizens may be higher than 5.9 per cent.
The survey also found that among those in employment, the median income stabilised after rising significantly over the preceding two years.
It was not revealed the if the income of the high or low income group had risen the most.
Singapore has the highest income gap among developed countries after Hong Kong.
While the median wages of ordinary Singaporeans have not increased by much, the cost of living has sky-rocketed in the last few years, particularly that of public housing.
The price of HDB resale flats hit a record high in June this year, fueled partly by the influx of PRs into the market. An Indonesian PR forked out $653,000 for a 4-room HDB flat in Queenstown when he could have easily afforded a condominium.
The Manpower Ministry said the employment rate of older residents aged 55 to 64 remained at the record high of 57.2 per cent reached in 2008.
This may be attributed to the fact that many Singaporeans have to continue working beyond their retirement age in order to support themselves.
The government has provided few social welfare benefits for Singaporeans on the ground that it will create a “crutch” mentality.
Singaporeans are encouraged to work for as long as their health permits and to start their families young so that they will have children to take care of them when the grow old.
For those who are unable to work and have no children or relatives to support them, they are put on “Public Assistance” scheme which pay them a monthly living allowance of $330 a month.
When asked by PAP MP Dr Lily Neo a few years ago to increase the allowance which is then only $290 a month, Minister for Community, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian retorted:
“How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
Dr Vivian has recently unveiled a $10-million dollars mega Community Integration Fund to make the new citizens feel “welcomed” in Singapore.
The Ministry should consider breaking down the national unemployment rate into three categories: locals, new citizens and PRs to better reflect the situation on the ground.
Only then will Singaporeans know if PRs and new citizens are indeed “snatching” away their “rice-bowls” as is widely perceived.
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$330 per month is damn freaking low...they should at least give those unemployed each month $800 which would be much more reasonable.....
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some more it's from our country reserve
they sponsored free education to foreigners
pui
later they bye bye
pui again
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Oops.
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It's the Singaporeans fault for being lazy and not going out to find jobs.
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$400 should be reasonable lar. you wont go starving. depend on the user how they use the money though.
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$400 buys many loaves of bread.
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400 dollars more then enought
with one meal a day
a meal + one plate or cai png with only
one cai..
Why need to eat so much in life
eat and shit it out
gone liao
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Singaporeans should be grateful to PAP.
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"The Ministry should consider breaking down the national unemployment rate into three categories: locals, new citizens and PRs to better reflect the situation on the ground."
There are many kinds of locals.
- lower qualifications and unemployed - already on some form of assistance.
- Plus those that served NS, have dip and above qualifications. Owe HDB $$$ locals who are unemployed and falls outside category of assistance.
- New Citizens
- PRs
- Applied for PRs and rejected
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For some strange reasons, the Ministry has grouped citizens and PRs together under the “resident” category meaning that the figures for unemployment rate among Singapore citizens remains a mystery.
For those who are unable to work and have no children or relatives to support them, they are put on “Public Assistance” scheme which pay them a monthly living allowance of $330 a month.
It is pretty unfair for MOM to group both locals and foreigners under the same group. Perhaps by doing this will help cover up their asses.
It is bullshit that people in need are getting $330. I know of acquaintance and friend who are receiving up to maximum of $200 for just 3 months. They told me this is the highest amount the govt is giving for public assistance.
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Originally posted by maxsee:
$330 per month is damn freaking low...they should at least give those unemployed each month $800 which would be much more reasonable.....
While i think giving 800 per month is excessive for the unemployed, i wouldn't mind seeing it go to the elderly (60+) unemployed. They've devoted their youth to Singapore, i don't see what's wrong with letting them indulge in the "crutch" mentality for what remains of their years.
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Originally posted by whycannot:
Unemployment rate among residents go up to 5.9 per cent
Written by Our Correspondent
The unemployment rate for Singapore residents hit 5.9 per cent in June this year, up from 4 per cent a year ago.
The rise was felt across all occupations and industries, according to the Labour Force Survey carried out in mid-2009 by the Ministry of Manpower’s Research and Statistics Department, which released the key findings on Monday morning.
For some strange reasons, the Ministry has grouped citizens and PRs together under the “resident” category meaning that the figures for unemployment rate among Singapore citizens remains a mystery.
According to Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, there were over 20,000 new citizens and 90,000 PRs last year.
In total, there are about 530,000 PRs in Singapore. It is not known if the inclusion of PRs in the “resident” category has helped to depress the unemployment figures to make it more “respectable”.
If PRs are taken out of the equation, the unemployment rate among Singapore citizens may be higher than 5.9 per cent.
The survey also found that among those in employment, the median income stabilised after rising significantly over the preceding two years.
It was not revealed the if the income of the high or low income group had risen the most.
Singapore has the highest income gap among developed countries after Hong Kong.
While the median wages of ordinary Singaporeans have not increased by much, the cost of living has sky-rocketed in the last few years, particularly that of public housing.
The price of HDB resale flats hit a record high in June this year, fueled partly by the influx of PRs into the market. An Indonesian PR forked out $653,000 for a 4-room HDB flat in Queenstown when he could have easily afforded a condominium.
The Manpower Ministry said the employment rate of older residents aged 55 to 64 remained at the record high of 57.2 per cent reached in 2008.
This may be attributed to the fact that many Singaporeans have to continue working beyond their retirement age in order to support themselves.
The government has provided few social welfare benefits for Singaporeans on the ground that it will create a “crutch” mentality.
Singaporeans are encouraged to work for as long as their health permits and to start their families young so that they will have children to take care of them when the grow old.
For those who are unable to work and have no children or relatives to support them, they are put on “Public Assistance” scheme which pay them a monthly living allowance of $330 a month.
When asked by PAP MP Dr Lily Neo a few years ago to increase the allowance which is then only $290 a month, Minister for Community, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian retorted:
“How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
Dr Vivian has recently unveiled a $10-million dollars mega Community Integration Fund to make the new citizens feel “welcomed” in Singapore.
The Ministry should consider breaking down the national unemployment rate into three categories: locals, new citizens and PRs to better reflect the situation on the ground.
Only then will Singaporeans know if PRs and new citizens are indeed “snatching” away their “rice-bowls” as is widely perceived.
“How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
Why don't the government provide Food Voucher thru NTUC or thru wet market? That way its directly addressing basic food needs. (hand to mouth)
U kinda of wonder what is the emotional maturity of the people who came up with the ideas to change the criteria of the report just to make it look good? Singapore is not that big....to hide.
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Originally posted by Arapahoe:
“How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
Why don't the government provide Food Voucher thru NTUC or thru wet market? That way its directly addressing basic food needs. (hand to mouth)
U kinda of wonder what is the emotional maturity of the people who came up with the ideas to change the criteria of the report just to make it look good? Singapore is not that big....to hide.
That's because the Singapore PAP government don't believe in social welfare, if you are old and decrepit or uninitiated, then they believe you should just starve and die.
Survival of the fittest.
Welcome to the jungle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYRC4H64EFk
Or is it?
Welcome to Singapore.
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Originally posted by Stevenson101:
While i think giving 800 per month is excessive for the unemployed, i wouldn't mind seeing it go to the elderly (60+) unemployed. They've devoted their youth to Singapore, i don't see what's wrong with letting them indulge in the "crutch" mentality for what remains of their years.
I agree that 800 per month is excessive, because there are some salaries that are equivalent, or lower.
I shudder to think what will happen to me when I get old and useless in the future, 50 years down the road.
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The CNA reported :
"Older workers maintain high job rate despite overall decline in employment "
I have some doubts:
1. what is really meant by 'Maintaining high job rate' ? Can it also mean lower employment rate for older workers but still classifiable as high rate?
2. what is really meant by 'overall decline in employment'? Assuming older workers employment rate is unchanged , based on what is reported that overall went down, can i deduce that employment rate for younger workers went down?
IF SO, would it be clearer a news heading if the ST Journalists phrase it as "
"Younger Workers employment rate Went Down as Older Workers employment rate maintain the same as there is an overall decline in employment"
English is so fun. Its not exactly clear all of the time, at least to me.
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Originally posted by deepak.c:
$400 buys many loaves of bread.
Aiyo , so luxurious eat bread. Water even cheaper. 1 litre a day can survive liao.$400 can last a year.
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Originally posted by likedatosocan:
Aiyo , so luxurious eat bread. Water even cheaper. 1 litre a day can survive liao.$400 can last a year.
bread is consider luxurious nowdaysbread not cheap nowdays liao
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rice, sugar going up very soon
pui
salary the same
pui
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Originally posted by noahnoah:
bread is consider luxurious nowdaysbread not cheap nowdays liao
the word 'survive' can mean a few things.1. survive well. live like a king.
2. survive like life and death. live like someone stranded in the wild.
English can be ambiguous , as illustrated. Many have prospered from it.
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HDB making a loos? Loss of what? What Mister mama doing? isn't labor cost the problem? so now almost 100 percent in fuking construction insdustries all foreign pigs littering everywhere ethy still make a loss. Loss of words maybe. yeh should separate the jobless into categories, PeeAr, Sgreans and overseas pigs. then we know the real figures. Isn't what statistics is all about? and we want accurate statistics with breakdowns. i am against wellfare society. but if too many pigs here create social problems , overconjestion that do not help or promotes our local population numbers, redundancy then i think pigs should be sent home.
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Is the Public Assistance scheme adequate for elderly folks?
Sunday, 30 August 2009, 7:45 pm | 3,145 views
Breaking News:
The Democratic Party of Japan has won a landslide victory in the country’s general elections, ousting the Liberal Democrats which had ruled the country for most of the last 54 years. (CBC News)Leong Sze Hian
When the question was last asked in parliament as to the rejection rate for applications for the Public Assistance scheme, the answer was that about 50 per cent were rejected.
As there are only about 3,000 Singaporeans receiving public assistance, the question that needs to be raised is whether the criteria to qualify is too strict?
The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports’ (MCYS) website says:
“If you are unable to work owing to old age, illness or disability and have no means of subsistence and have little or no family support you may seek help under the PA scheme”.
Thus in Madam Chung’s case, where she appears to be able to “work”, she may not qualify for PA.
The tens of thousands of elderly toilet cleaners, food court cleaners, used drink cans and used cardboard collectors, etc, I believe may also fail to meet the PA scheme criteria.
If the elderly lady earns more than $12 a day, she may be actually better of being a rubbish scavenger, as recepients of the PA scheme are not allowed to work.
I also understand that if you own a flat, or have working children, it is also very difficult to qualify. Would you prefer to stay in your own home – instead of having to sell it and use up the proceeds, in order to get $360?
Medifund I understand cannot be used for polyclinic out-patient treatment. I spoke to a 81 year-old toilet cleaner who earns just $600 a month, and she told me that her biggest worry is that everytime she goes to a polyclinic about every three months, she has to pay about $98 for her three-months medicine and consultation.
As I understand it, the criteria to qualify for Medifund is confidential. As far as I am able to find out, the patient and family members must all have nothing in their Medisave, very little in their bank accounts, hardly any extra monthly disposable income, in order to get Medifund subsidy. Also, getting Medifund does not mean free, it may just be a subsidy for part of the medical cost.
I also understand that about 20 per cent of Medifund applications are rejected.
Members of parliament should know what are the rejection rates for Public Assistance, Financial Assistance and Medifund in their own constituencies. I suggest that these statistics be made public.
Compare Singapore to any developed country, and the number of only 3,000 public assistance recipients against the total citizen population, may be the lowest “welfare per capita” in the world.
To get the whole picture, perhaps what we need are the statistics. For example, according to the latest Department of Statistics data available, the bottom ten percentile of employed households have a per capita monthly income of only $360. What about unemployed households and retiree households? How many of the 116,600 unemployed as at June 2009 have zero or very low per capita income?
How many Singaporeans earn less than $800? The latest data say that 292,800 residents (Singaporeans and PRs) earn less than $1,200, and about 126,800 work part-time for a median income of $600 which has remain unchanged from 1999 to 2008.
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