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Hougang By-election later news up date

[h=1]Lunar New Year Invite to The Florida[/h]<abbr title="February 17, 2013" data-utime="1361044800">Sunday</abbr> ·



MP Png, together with 3 HGCC members were invited to The Florida to celebrate Lunar New Year with the residents there on 16 February 2013, Saturday. We would like to thank the management of The Florida MCST for the kind invite and for giving us a chance for a meaningful interaction with the residents there.


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[h=1]Lunar New Year Invite to The Florida[/h]<abbr title="February 17, 2013" data-utime="1361044800">Sunday</abbr> ·



MP Png, together with 3 HGCC members were invited to The Florida to celebrate Lunar New Year with the residents there on 16 February 2013, Saturday. We would like to thank the management of The Florida MCST for the kind invite and for giving us a chance for a meaningful interaction with the residents there.


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[h=1]Lunar New Year Invite to The Florida[/h]<abbr title="February 17, 2013" data-utime="1361044800">Sunday</abbr> ·



MP Png, together with 3 HGCC members were invited to The Florida to celebrate Lunar New Year with the residents there on 16 February 2013, Saturday. We would like to thank the management of The Florida MCST for the kind invite and for giving us a chance for a meaningful interaction with the residents there.


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[h=1]Lunar New Year Invite to The Florida[/h]<abbr title="February 17, 2013" data-utime="1361044800">Sunday</abbr> ·



MP Png, together with 3 HGCC members were invited to The Florida to celebrate Lunar New Year with the residents there on 16 February 2013, Saturday. We would like to thank the management of The Florida MCST for the kind invite and for giving us a chance for a meaningful interaction with the residents there.


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[h=1]Lunar New Year Invite to The Florida[/h]<abbr title="February 17, 2013" data-utime="1361044800">Sunday</abbr> ·



MP Png, together with 3 HGCC members were invited to The Florida to celebrate Lunar New Year with the residents there on 16 February 2013, Saturday. We would like to thank the management of The Florida MCST for the kind invite and for giving us a chance for a meaningful interaction with the residents there.


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[h=1]Lunar New Year Invite to The Florida[/h]<abbr title="February 17, 2013" data-utime="1361044800">Sunday</abbr> ·



MP Png, together with 3 HGCC members were invited to The Florida to celebrate Lunar New Year with the residents there on 16 February 2013, Saturday. We would like to thank the management of The Florida MCST for the kind invite and for giving us a chance for a meaningful interaction with the residents there.


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Want to learn more about the legal and illegal side of money lending? Come join us on 28 February 2013, 7.30pm @ Blk 310 Hougang Ave 5 for this inaugural legal talk series, brought to you jointly by the Hougang Community Legal Clinic and HGCC. We are honoured to have with us, speakers from the Attorney General Chambers, the Registry of Moneylenders & Pawnbrokers, the Hougang Neighbourhood Police Post as well as the Law Society's Criminal Legal Aid Scheme to talk on this topic.








 
[TABLE="class: wp-table-reloaded wp-table-reloaded-id-24"]
<thead>[TR="class: row-1"]
[TH="class: column-1 sorting_disabled, colspan: 1"]when?
[/TH]
[TH="class: column-2 sorting_disabled, colspan: 1"]What’s happening?
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[TH="class: column-3 sorting_disabled, colspan: 1"]Where?[/TH]
[TH="class: column-4 sorting_disabled, colspan: 1"]Contact [/TH]
[/TR]
</thead> <tbody>[TR="class: row-2"]
[TD="class: column-1"] February 23 (Sat)
[/TD]
[TD="class: column-2"]HGCC Chinese New Year Dinner
(Tickets sold out)
[/TD]
[TD="class: column-3"]Hougang Neighbourhood Park (Facing Blk 332 Hougang Ave 5)
[/TD]
[TD="class: column-4"][email protected]
Call: 9866 3463[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
 
[h=1]Budget 2013 Speech – MP Png Eng Huat[/h]
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By MP for Hougang SMC, Png Eng Huat
[Delivered in Parliament on 5 March 2013]


Many members in this House have praised meritocracy and shared stories of how the system has brought them to where they are today. But we are humans and who we are and what we become is also determined by those people around us and the environment we live in.
If you are stuck in a deep hole, no amount of talent or ability is going get you out of that predicament if no one lends you a helping hand and throws you a lifeline to get you out of there.


So I am pleased to know that this government recognizes that meritocracy has its limits in sustaining social mobility, that it is going to do more to ensure a fair and inclusive society, and that it will take steps to mitigate the growing income inequality in our country. [SUP](1)


[/SUP]

Low Wage Workers



To low income families, it does not matter whether we should view our high GINI coefficient in the context of a global city or a country, a hard day’s work must equate to a fair living wage. In short, the wage must make ends meet and allow for some cash savings for emergency use and for that little indulgence in eating out or shopping once in a while.


Low wage workers have seen their wages stagnated in the last decade. These Singaporeans will see their wages shrink further when they hit their mid-forties. [SUP](2)[/SUP] For them, when it rains, it pours because these low wage workers will also be hit with lower Employer CPF contribution once they reach 35 years old. I, therefore, welcome the restoration of the CPF rates for these workers as announced in Budget 2013.
The increase in Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) payout with 40 per cent of it in cash is also a welcome measure but I urge the government to seriously think about increasing the cash component to 50 per cent or more for good reasons.


The example of the 45-year old earning $800 a month cited in the budget speech will see his take home pay shrink by 3.5 per cent or $28 after factoring the revised Employee CPF contribution rate. Using the online Workfare calculator, the difference between the current and new maximum WIS cash payout for this worker is about $38. [SUP](3)[/SUP] So effectively, this 45-year old low wage worker will see an increase of only 1.4 per cent in take home pay or an extra $10 a month for Budget 2013.
With core inflation expected to average 2 to 3 per cent for the whole of 2013 [SUP](4)[/SUP], the extra $10 a month is as good as gone. Although there are measures like GST Vouchers and S&CC rebates to help Singaporean families cope with rising cost of living, having some cash at hand before the next pay day comes is what low income families would welcome more.


I am also not too optimistic that the Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) is going to benefit low wage workers significantly and in the near term. These workers are traditionally hired by companies with low productivity and profitability and may be heavily dependent on cheap foreign labour to stay afloat. [SUP](5)[/SUP] Would these employers want to further erode their profit margin by participating in a state-funded wage scheme knowing very well that 60 per cent of the pay increase would still come out from their own pockets?


The tenet of increasing the cash component of WIS and introducing the WCS is to ensure low wage workers will have more disposable cash to beat inflation. While the WIS is a sure thing, the WCS is not. If employers do not warm up to the Wage Credit Scheme for low wage workers, their salaries will remain stagnant again.


Therefore I call upon the government to monitor the situation closely and raise the cash component of WIS, if necessary, so that our low wage workers do not have to skip a meal or medical appointment just to make ends meet.


Cost of Living – Rental Housing




While the budget has addressed the issue of saving more for retirement for low wage workers by increasing their CPF contribution rates, it has not addressed much on containing the rising cost of living. With rising income, low wage workers living in rental flats will also see a corresponding increase in rental rates.


Take the example of the 45-year old low wage worker again. If his employer decides to adopt the NWC Guidelines for 2012/2013 to give a $50 wage increase to those earning up to $1,000 [SUP](7)[/SUP], his salary will be $850 a month. But unfortunately, if he is living in a 1-room rental flat, his rent will also go up by at least $57 from $33 a month to $90 a month. [SUP](6)[/SUP] The entire net increase of $40 in his take home pay is not even enough to service his new rental.


We must also bear in mind this low wage worker is taking home less pay now because his CPF contribution rate has been revised from 17 to 20 per cent. Factoring in the $70 from his maximum WIS payout [SUP](8) [/SUP]and the subsequent increase in rental, he is better off forgoing the NWC recommended wage increase because he will end up $17 poorer every month. [SUP](9)[/SUP]
Most low wage workers living in rental flats will have mixed feelings about having pay rise. “What the left hand giveth, the right hand taketh away” is probably what some of them will feel.


The same 45-year old worker can only savour his wage increase until his existing rental contract runs out. After that, like many of his peers, he will receive a ‘rental shock’ when his contract comes up for renewal.


I am sure some MPs in this House have written to HDB to appeal for a stay or a review of rental rates on behalf of your residents. I believe this government can do more to ensure that when the salaries of low wage workers are finally moving up, their celebrations will not be short-lived.
The 2.7 times jump in the published rental from $33 to $90 a month for someone whose salary crosses the $800 mark is just too drastic to begin with. [SUP](6)[/SUP] I urge the Ministry to look into this and come up with a more reasonable tier so that low wage workers living in rental flats can truly appreciate the benefits of Budget 2013 and any wage increments that come with it. This is the least the government can do for these Singaporeans to make up for those lost years of their working lives earning meagre salaries while helping Singapore to grow.


Cost of Living – Food



Next I wish to talk about one component of inflation which Singaporeans like a lot i.e. food. Many Singaporeans eat out at hawker centres. And most of them especially low wage workers will have an inkling of what inflation is like from that cup of coffee or plate of chicken rice they ordered at meal time.


When the Minister announced that 10 new hawker centres will be built and run on a not-for-profit basis in 2011, [SUP](10)[/SUP] I thought it would be a good idea to offer these stalls to enterprising or unemployed Singaporeans, young or old, to try their hands at running a small business selling affordable cooked food.
My hope was short-lived as it was later made known that NTUC Foodfare, a social cooperative, was appointed to run the first new hawker center in Bukit Panjang. [SUP](11)[/SUP] Nonetheless, I still hope the government will open the remaining 9 new hawker centres to enterprising Singaporeans to run as small businesses on their own.
While NTUC Foodfare is touted as a social cooperative, it is still a Members Only organization. To enjoy special prices and value meals, you need to be a union member. [SUP](12)[/SUP] If the co-operative is enjoying subsidized rental, then it must benefit all. I am sure inflation bites everyone and not just NTUC union members.


The cost pressures on cooked food prices are rental, staff costs, utilities and ingredient costs. As long as NEA keeps rental reasonable or subsidized, any enterprising Singaporean hawker will have a fair chance to keep cooked food prices affordable. First and second generation hawkers on subsidized rentals do sell cheaper food items when compared to commercialized food stalls.


I know of one such food stall along Jalan Bukit Merah that sells very delectable vegetarian food. The stall is owner operated and it has 3 local staff. The cheapest plate of vegetarian bee hoon there is only $1.50 complete with ingredients like cabbage, mocked char siew, crispy bean curd skins and condiments.


This stall has been selling vegetarian bee hoon at cheap prices for the longest time. It is neither a no-frill meal nor a marketing gimmick. And you do not need to be a NTUC union member, Public Assistance card holder, or senior citizen to enjoy cheap and healthy food.
This is what we need in our hawker centres to fight inflation. Fix the rental of these new stalls at $320 a month, which is the high end of the subsidized rental, and allow Singaporeans to ballot for them. This will create jobs, keep hawker food affordable, and ensure Singaporeans, young or old, remain economically active.


Conclusion



Cost of living affects everyone. Low income families especially will be hardest hit by any price movements, no matter how small, because they do not have any margin for errors when budgeting for living expenses.
A trip to the doctor, a rise in rental, an increase in food prices, or even a day on medical leave could spell trouble for these families. And looking at the latest Report on Wages, we have about 186,000 people earning $800 and below. [SUP](13)[/SUP] I urge the government to look into improving their lives as we restructure our economy.
How we take care of the weak, the disabled, the needy, and the least will determine how much we have progressed as a developed nation.


References



(1) http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/budget_2013/pb.html#s4 (B21)
(2) http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/statistics-publications/wages2011/mrsd_2011ROW.pdf (Pg 46)
(3) https://www.cpf.gov.sg/cpf_trans/ssl/financial_model/wis/wis_calc2.asp?EmpType=emp
WIS cash: Budget (Annex B-1): ($2100×0.40)/12 = $70; Current (calculated) = ($95×4)/12 = $32; Net = $38
(4) http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1249665/1/.html
(5) http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/budget_2013/pc.html (C18, C20, C21)
(6) http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10323p.nsf/w/RentDirectHDBRentDeposit?OpenDocument#SecondTimer
(7) http://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/Pages/PressReleasesDetail.aspx?listid=428 (Para 15)
(8) http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/budget_2013/speech_toc/download/annexb1.pdf
WIS cash payout for 45-54 age group: ($2100 x 0.40)/12 = $70
(9) At $850: ($850 x 0.8)+$70-$90 (new rent) = $660; At $800: ($800 x 0.8)+$70-$33 (old rent) = $677
(10) http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1158019/1/.html
(11) http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1220095/1/.html
(12) http://www.foodfare.com.sg/foodfare/website/upload/file/2011-2012%20Social%20Report.pdf
(13) http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/statistics-publications/wages2011/mrsd_2011ROW.pdf (Pg 192)
 
"However, the LUP anomalies I mentioned are not found across the board. Some better designed flats implemented direct lift access without increasing the number of lifts. Thus, HDB must acknowledge that the designs of some older flats are complicated to begin with and that implementing LUP for those types of flats will lead to rising maintenance costs."

"Residents and town councils are already made to co-pay for these new lifts so they should not be made to bear additional increases in lift maintenance costs due to a strange design decision taken by in HDB in the past.
Preliminary estimates for some LUP blocks in Hougang alone have already seen a doubling of the routine maintenance cost for the newly added lifts. I am sure other town councils will also experience a phenomenal rise in maintenance costs for those LUP blocks that ended up with more lifts than before."

"I therefore call upon HDB to review and raise its grant for 3-room, 4-room, and 5-room LUP flats to take into consideration the additional costs required to maintain those flats with additional LUP lifts." - MP Png Eng Huat (8 March 2013)





COS 2013 Debates: MND – Grants for old estates with LUP (MP Png Eng Huat) : The Workers’ Party of Si
wp.sg
Sir, while having lift access on every floor is a given for new HDB flats, many residents living in flats built before 1990 have to live without that convenience due to what HDB claimed was ‘to meet demands for


 
"In the early years, HDB did well to ensure resettled residents would not need to adjust too much to living in a concrete jungle. So there were shops below most of the flats and a wet market and hawker centre nearby. [...]

Some semblances of kampong life continue in the local provision shop, the corner coffee shop, the wet market, the hawker centre and even the tiny convenience store at the void deck. [...]

But such simple amenities are sorely missed in the new estates. A visit to Punggol East early this year gave me a feeling that future HDB estates will see less and less of such features. [...]

As we embark to remake Singapore, I urge the Ministry to incorporate the heartbeat of old Singapore into the designs of new towns. I also urge the Ministry do the same to existing estates lacking in such amenities in the next phase of estate renewal. Every precinct should house some neighbourhood shops, eateries, or even just a small convenience store at the void deck." ~ MP Png Eng Huat (11 March 2013)





COS 2013 Debates: MND – Building a Singaporean Town (MP Png Eng Huat)
wp.sg
Like many Singaporeans, my family moved into a HDB flat in the early seventies. It was not easy for many of us, being kampong dwellers, to adapt to a new and strange high rise living environment. I remembered one family brought along their chickens to live with them.


 
"Although the government will continue to encourage all Singaporeans to own their homes, there will always be a group of Singaporeans who are unable to do so for various reasons. For these Singaporeans, the only option left is either to rent from the open market or HDB.

For families with household income of $2,000 and below, renting a flat from the open market is not a financially prudent thing to do. The latest median rents for a 3-room flat range from $1,750 to $2,400 depending on locations. [...]

Another group of Singaporeans who need assistance in housings are single parents with children born out of wedlock. For low wage earners in this group, renting a room is already a strain on their pockets. [...]

A third group of Singaporeans are elderly with no or very little income. Some have no children while others cannot depend on their children. [...]

I would like to ask HDB what other measures are there to help Singaporeans, some of whom are caught in between policies, to find a place to call home whether on a temporary or long term basis." ~ MP Png Eng Huat (11 March 2013)





COS 2013 Debates: MND – Rental Flat Criteria (MP Png Eng Huat)
wp.sg
Although the government will continue to encourage all Singaporeans to own their homes, there will always be a group of Singaporeans who are unable to do so for various reasons. For these Singaporeans, the only option left is either to rent from the open market or HDB.


 
[h=1]Hougang Lunar New Year Dinner 2013[/h]<abbr title="Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 11:48am" data-utime="1363146481" class="timestamp"></abbr>


The annual Hougang Lunar New Year Dinner took place on 23 February 2013, Saturday after months of preparation. This year's dinner caters to a total of 121 tables. The event was made possible because of the overwhelming support from Hougang residents and supporters, as well as the many generous sponsors. Here's a toast to all of you: May the year of Snake brings you good health and prosperity. Hougang Huat!


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[h=1]Hougang Lunar New Year Dinner 2013[/h]<abbr title="Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 11:48am" data-utime="1363146481" class="timestamp"></abbr>


The annual Hougang Lunar New Year Dinner took place on 23 February 2013, Saturday after months of preparation. This year's dinner caters to a total of 121 tables. The event was made possible because of the overwhelming support from Hougang residents and supporters, as well as the many generous sponsors. Here's a toast to all of you: May the year of Snake brings you good health and prosperity. Hougang Huat!


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[h=1]Hougang Lunar New Year Dinner 2013[/h]<abbr title="Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 11:48am" data-utime="1363146481" class="timestamp"></abbr>


The annual Hougang Lunar New Year Dinner took place on 23 February 2013, Saturday after months of preparation. This year's dinner caters to a total of 121 tables. The event was made possible because of the overwhelming support from Hougang residents and supporters, as well as the many generous sponsors. Here's a toast to all of you: May the year of Snake brings you good health and prosperity. Hougang Huat!


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