NSP rebuts Manpower Minister's comments on EP salary threshold
SINGAPORE : The National Solidarity Party (NSP) has rebutted the Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong's comments that the NSP's proposal to increase the Employment Pass threshold salary to $4,000 from the current $2,800, won't work.
Mr Gan had said that doing so will not protect the workers from global competition.
But in a statement to the media, NSP said Mr Gan seems to be confused.
The party reiterated that it is the companies that face global competition, and not the jobs themselves.
The party said whether Singaporeans face local or global competition in employment, is determined purely by manpower policies on foreign employees.
The party said its proposal to increase the threshold affects jobs paying between $2,800 and $4,000.
And the move will ensure that 75 per cent of jobs at those salary levels go to Singaporeans.
The party also questioned if the minister was implying Singaporeans are unable to do such jobs as well as foreigners.
On Mr Gan's comments that training can enhance earnings, the party said blue and white-collar workers have not seen any improvements in their national wage levels for many years, even after training.
The party added that it would like to see statistics as proof and not just anecdotes of success cases, if wages have indeed increased.
- CNA /ls