NSP argues with Gan over jobs proposal
The National Solidarity Party (NSP) yesterday took issue with Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong for saying that its proposal to raise the threshold salary for employment passes from $2,800 to $4,000 would not protect white-collar Singaporeans.
Mr Gan said last Friday that doing so would compromise the competitiveness of companies, as white-collar workers hold jobs that face competition globally, not just locally.
The way to help Singaporeans is through skills training, higher productivity push and tighter requirements for foreigners, he added.
Responding, NSP spokesman Hazel Poa said in a statement yesterday that Mr Gan had implied companies would become less competitive if they could not hire foreigners for the jobs.
She added: 'Why would he think that? Is he implying that Singaporeans are unable to do these jobs as well as foreigners? If so, he should have a good chat with the Minister for Education.'
If it was a problem of not being able to find Singaporeans to fill these positions, the NSP's proposal provides for companies to apply a higher quota on a case-by-case basis, she said.
She also disagreed with Mr Gan's preference for using training to enhance workers' incomes. She said many years of training for blue- and white-collar workers have not resulted in improvements in national wage levels.
'We would love to see statistics to show the number of people trained under various training programmes, the amount of money spent, and how their wages have progressed over the past 10 years, not just anecdotes of success cases,' she said.
Mr Gan is set to helm Chua Chu Kang GRC, which the NSP is contesting at the next polls. Ms Poa is one of five candidates on the NSP team.
Kor Kian Beng
The National Solidarity Party (NSP) yesterday took issue with Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong for saying that its proposal to raise the threshold salary for employment passes from $2,800 to $4,000 would not protect white-collar Singaporeans.
Mr Gan said last Friday that doing so would compromise the competitiveness of companies, as white-collar workers hold jobs that face competition globally, not just locally.
The way to help Singaporeans is through skills training, higher productivity push and tighter requirements for foreigners, he added.
Responding, NSP spokesman Hazel Poa said in a statement yesterday that Mr Gan had implied companies would become less competitive if they could not hire foreigners for the jobs.
She added: 'Why would he think that? Is he implying that Singaporeans are unable to do these jobs as well as foreigners? If so, he should have a good chat with the Minister for Education.'
If it was a problem of not being able to find Singaporeans to fill these positions, the NSP's proposal provides for companies to apply a higher quota on a case-by-case basis, she said.
She also disagreed with Mr Gan's preference for using training to enhance workers' incomes. She said many years of training for blue- and white-collar workers have not resulted in improvements in national wage levels.
'We would love to see statistics to show the number of people trained under various training programmes, the amount of money spent, and how their wages have progressed over the past 10 years, not just anecdotes of success cases,' she said.
Mr Gan is set to helm Chua Chu Kang GRC, which the NSP is contesting at the next polls. Ms Poa is one of five candidates on the NSP team.
Kor Kian Beng
