Low Thia Khiang: Low productivity not workers’ fault
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Low Thia Khiang: Low productivity not workers’ fault
By Gerald Giam
Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang has slammed the PAP government for seemingly suggesting that Singaporean workers have only themselves to blame for their low incomes, because of their low productivity and skills. He said it was easy to blame our local workforce for low productivity when it was the Government which opened the floodgates to foreign workers.Low was speaking Parliament on Tuesday in response to the Finance Minister’s Budget 2010 speech last week.
The Opposition leader pointed out that manual workers like cleaners and garbage collectors in developed economies are paid so much more than their counterparts in Singapore, attributing this to those countries’ more compassionate and effective policies to ensure that workers at the bottom of the economic ladder enjoy a decent and dignified life. Referring to the Government’s latest productivity drive, which is to grow productivity by 2 to 3 per cent each year over the next decade, Low wondered if low wage workers had to wait another 10 years for the wage increases which they had not seen in the last 10 years.
Low lamented that Singaporean workers are constantly told by the Government to “up-skill, re-skill, multi-skill, be cheaper, better, and faster”. He accused the Government of “squeezing every drop of effort and energy from our workers to achieve its desired GDP numbers”. He felt that the ‘growth at all costs’ strategy initiated since the late nineties resulted in the present state of our economy where low wage earners are growing dependent on state-funded handouts to subsist. He charged that for Budget 2010, the Government is using their same conventional wisdom to address the fundamental problems caused its policies of the last decade.
Abolish the foreign worker levy
Low called the Government to take a bold step to remove the foreign workers levy completely, and instead use the Dependency Ratio to control the growth of foreign workers in Singapore. (The Dependency Ratio sets how many foreign workers a company is allowed to hire for each Singaporean worker. The current ratio ranges from 1 Singaporean for every 7 foreign workers in the construction sector, to 1 is to 5 in the marine sector.) He reasoned that employers will save on the foreign worker levy they currently pay, and this could be used to benefit their local workers, including providing more training for them to improve their skills to become more productive.
Low also questioned whether the proposal to increase foreign worker levies was a revenue-enhancing exercise. He calculated that the Government collects about $1.6 billion in foreign worker levies each year.
Continuing education for older workers
In order to provide more adult continuing education programmes to cater to the needs of older Singaporeans, Low suggested starting a community college for citizens of all ages, especially older Singaporeans. He said the college should have no or minimum entry requirements, offering courses that are totally modular. This would allow senior citizens to earn credits towards a degree or simply for self-enrichment purposes.
The PAP’s response
Responding to Low, PAP MP Josephine Teo criticised his suggestion to remove the foreign worker levy. She said: “To try and introduce an alternative system to a pricing mechanism is a very dangerous suggestion to make. It opens up a whole pandora box (sic) of the difficulties we have to overcome.”
Teo was dutifully following the PAP’s modus operandi of labelling any bold idea suggested by an Opposition MP as “dangerous”. She said that without the levy, foreign workers will be cheaper and more attractive to businesses, and some will find loopholes to get round the quotas, to get cheaper workers, “affecting jobs for Singaporeans”.
She did not explain what loopholes businesses would find to get around a higher dependency ratio, in a country which is renown for very strict enforcement of laws. She also seemed oblivious to the fact that it was the PAP government which opened Pandora’s box of troubles by allowing in so many unskilled foreign labourers over the past decade, and in the process depressing Singaporean workers’ wages and our nation’s productivity.
In a flash of presumptuousness, Teo declared: “I can speak on behalf of the union leaders that we totally and firmly reject Mr Low’s disastrous suggestion that we remove the foreign worker levy as it will harm our workers’ interest.”
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Is this the only country in the world where gahmen can blame everything on their citizens, introduced crap policies and still get voted?
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may change in the next elections... as slowly slowly, the comatose people wake up...
that being said, i heard the stupid bastard Lim Sia Suay ranting on that there is no alternative than to be "faster, better, cheaper" than everyone else...
don't see that happening to the slower, lousier and fucking more expensive than everyone else gabrament who is feeding us bullshit...
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BEAR,,,GO SOLVE PROBLEM!!! GO KILL BULL THAT GIVES BULL SHIT!!
HOW COME I NO MORE IN SPORE YET I HAVE TO GIVE DIRECTIONS TO SOLVE YER PROBLEMS IN SPORE!!
HEY!!U ALL SAD CASE!!EXPECT ME TO FL Y BACK FROM OZ AND SOLVE YER SPORE PROBLEMS!!
U GORT NO LEG,HAND AND THOUGHTS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS IS IT?
U WHAT??TOFU OR KIAM CHYE IS IT??
U GO THERE AND SOLVE PROBLEMS !
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According to some extremely high profile Minister, Singaporeans are lazy and should be kicked in the arse with spurs or whipped.
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This teo seem like reading from the script.
All is prepared.
I agreed with low all the pts throw out but not abolish the levy, if abolish, employers will tend to take cheap cheap foreigners. Sporean died c standing.
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Well, as an intelleclect, i am going to quote something from Enstein on the laws of Relativity to justify this issue of foreigner.
"Problem cannot be solve by one who created it, in relativity, one can only deepen it"
In another words, the govt created the problem, in relativity, they will never be able to solve the problem because creator never forseen the problem and even so, will not admit it out of ego and pride, but instead they implement counter policies that can only deepen it.
As a lady, let me quote an example on at bf/gf or wife and husband quarrelling issue, both created the problem, but in the end, they need a counsellor, relative or friends to advice and solve the problem for them. They cannot solve it themselves, because if they do, it will only create more quarrelling and new problematic issue.
So, in conclusion, my pretty face mind think that Govt needs someone out of the box to solve their issues, and that mean vote for more opposition candidates in this coming election.
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Originally posted by laurence82:
......and still get voted?
....should be taken with a pinch of salt. the entire voting dynamics, process & mechanism in singapore is designed to ensure that pap will (still) get voted in regardless of what happens in the field.
the pap have made the entire election/voting universe in singapore into an artform, in every conceivable way .
there will be a need of a radical, seismic change in the political landscape in singapore for things to improve; something i dun see will happen in the next election.
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Oh, forget to put my CV in
Prof Angel
Pychologist cum socialist.
JCU
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In technical terms, someone implement some software for the company but never do some risk analysis. When problem hits one by one, they will solve it one by one by fixing. They will do the fix and implement into the software. Over the time, the software become rojak with layers of fixes until no one dare to touch it.
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Well, as an intelleclect, i am going to quote something from Enstein on the laws of Relativity to justify this issue of foreigner.
"Problem cannot be solve by one who created it, in relativity, one can only deepen it"
In another words, the govt created the problem, in relativity, they will never be able to solve the problem because creator never forseen the problem and even so, will not admit it out of ego and pride, but instead they implement counter policies that can only deepen it.
As a lady, let me quote an example on at bf/gf or wife and husband quarrelling issue, both created the problem, but in the end, they need a counsellor, relative or friends to advice and solve the problem for them. They cannot solve it themselves, because if they do, it will only create more quarrelling and new problematic issue.
So, in conclusion, my pretty face mind think that Govt needs someone out of the box to solve their issues, and that mean vote for more opposition candidates in this coming election.
WTF is all these dung?
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Originally posted by redDUST:
WTF is all these dung?
hello, to some farmers, dung is gold ok...so dun F around, if you understand, ok, if not get out of my lecture hall. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
hello, to some farmers, dung is gold ok...so dun F around, if you understand, ok, if not get out of my lecture hall.
Wow, you are giving us lecture arh? So good. -
Ah! almost forget, that what MP aunty Teo, what is she grumbling about,...how many members are there in the Union now?? Less than half a million?? if so, she represents only a fraction of the workers of singapore, talk so much for what....those Teo chew aunty, all like to show off...
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Originally posted by likeyou:
Wow, you are giving us lecture arh? So good.
Oh, u just come out of the toilet ar?? sit down -
Originally posted by angel7030:
Ah! almost forget, that what MP aunty Teo, what is she grumbling about,...how many members are there in the Union now?? Less than half a million?? if so, she represents only a fraction of the workers of singapore, talk so much for what....those Teo chew aunty, all like to show off...
Of course must show off mah, got so many back mountain behind her.Poor low, behind him only got cst. No back mountain.One old and frail and half stock man support him.
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Originally posted by likeyou:
Of course must show off mah, got so many back mountain behind her.Poor low, behind him only got cst. No back mountain.One old and frail and half stock man support him.
Ask that low to change his name to high, maybe his fengshui will change for the better, low low low very no good. Like very low class like this.. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
Ask that low to change his name to high, maybe his fengshui will change for the better, low low low very no good. Like very low class like this..
Low not low class. YOu are the one who is low class, lapitiao to earn a living very low class, low until about to enter hell. chau puay chee bye, stinkss. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
Ask that low to change his name to high, maybe his fengshui will change for the better, low low low very no good. Like very low class like this..Angel,
whether you are rich or not, does not concern me.
you belong to Generation ? - DON'T KNOW WHAT, just full of yourself (nice word - confident, bad word - cocky)
To you, the ruling party –PAP is a stronghold that would last for the next many years.
SO YOU SUPPORT THEM.
yOU ALWAYS THOUGHT - I AM SMARTER THAN MANY PEOPLE- GOOD LUCKY TO YOU
ONE MUST LEARN TO BE HUMBLE
Opposition is loser/nothing to you
Every single topic, you just any how write
YOU ARE HAPPY WHEN PEOPLE CALL YOU NAMES - YOU ON PURPOSE DO IT -
you loved to sing a different tune.
YOU JOINED PEOPLE THAT ARE SMARTER, ETC THAN YOU - THAT'S WHAT YOU CALLED ST SMART - BUT DON'T GET YOURSELF SORCHED - THEN SERVE YOU RIGHT
THE ABOVE IS JUST MY ASSUMPTION ABOUT YOU
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Originally posted by �玟 往日情:
Angel,
whether you are rich or not, does not concern me.
you belong to Generation ? - DON'T KNOW WHAT, just full of yourself (nice word - confident, bad word - cocky)
To you, the ruling party –PAP is a stronghold that would last for the next many years.
SO YOU SUPPORT THEM.
yOU ALWAYS THOUGHT - I AM SMARTER THAN MANY PEOPLE- GOOD LUCKY TO YOU
ONE MUST LEARN TO BE HUMBLE
Opposition is loser/nothing to you
Every single topic, you just any how write
YOU ARE HAPPY WHEN PEOPLE CALL YOU NAMES - YOU ON PURPOSE DO IT -
you loved to sing a different tune.
YOU JOINED PEOPLE THAT ARE SMARTER, ETC THAN YOU - THAT'S WHAT YOU CALLED ST SMART - BUT DON'T GET YOURSELF SORCHED - THEN SERVE YOU RIGHT
THE ABOVE IS JUST MY ASSUMPTION ABOUT YOU
Unker wat you say is 200% Corright!! -
don't know men or women type and sent
cos got one woman avatar
some time the tone very strange
just any how type
cos all the posts not relevant/relate to the topics
so, i never fall into that person tricks - just ignore it - never read also - cos all shits only - no sense at all - just bullshit - can go and eat shit
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hahaha...that is fun of it, so many of us here...
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Originally posted by angel7030:
hahaha...that is fun of it, so many of us here...
Just a bloody hum7030 exercising its labia minora that's all. -
Cool down guys....only Thursday....
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Originally posted by �玟 往日情:
Angel,
whether you are rich or not, does not concern me.
you belong to Generation ? - DON'T KNOW WHAT, just full of yourself (nice word - confident, bad word - cocky)
To you, the ruling party –PAP is a stronghold that would last for the next many years.
SO YOU SUPPORT THEM.
yOU ALWAYS THOUGHT - I AM SMARTER THAN MANY PEOPLE- GOOD LUCKY TO YOU
ONE MUST LEARN TO BE HUMBLE
Opposition is loser/nothing to you
Every single topic, you just any how write
YOU ARE HAPPY WHEN PEOPLE CALL YOU NAMES - YOU ON PURPOSE DO IT -
you loved to sing a different tune.
YOU JOINED PEOPLE THAT ARE SMARTER, ETC THAN YOU - THAT'S WHAT YOU CALLED ST SMART - BUT DON'T GET YOURSELF SORCHED - THEN SERVE YOU RIGHT
THE ABOVE IS JUST MY ASSUMPTION ABOUT YOU
No lah Uncle, u fortune teller ar?? i am not rich, there are many much more richer and richer peoples in Singapore than me.As for the ruling party, try not bogus yourself too much lah, the govt will go all the way to win election one lah, all these IRs, investments and long term projects are not going to be handle by another party after all the thinkers and works PAP had done, i mean, as i said many times, i am do not advocate myself to PAP, but you can't deny that they will be around for the next 10 to 20 years ya, my preposition here is make you all realize the truth, dun go on fooling yourself and day dream the day opposition can wins. Yes, i agree that if you do nothing, nothing will happen, it is struggle that you all need to go thru, but in Singapore, that struggle is not strong enuf, in Singapore, as i said many times, but you all still dun heel it is that you cannot form a party and win seats and govern the country, you need to work from inside out, you need to gain international support and you need alot of sacrification, that is struggle. If in the early 60s, the Barisan Socialist members who went to detention one after another with trial, their juniors should have move the ground and carry on with it, tell me, how many can they accomodate in detention, but just 3 months into it, all stopped, so how to win. You see some revolutionist, tho some become dictators, they never said die in their struggle.
I am not smarter than anyone, the truth is, smart people dun come here ya.