Opps in response to PM's speech

[sinren67]

http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC100831-0000070/Opposition-reaction-to-Rally-speech

Opposition reaction to Rally speech
by Alicia Wong 05:55 AM Aug 31, 2010

SINGAPORE - Reduce National Service to one year, tax permanent residents who leave Singapore after gaining wealth and tighten labour laws. These were some suggestions made yesterday by Opposition parties in response to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally speech on Sunday.

Mr Lee's speech centred on the economy, education system, immigration policy and the Singapore spirit.

Singapore Democratic Alliance secretary-general Desmond Lim, who spoke on behalf of the SDA Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Election Office, said it "applaud(ed)" Mr Lee for understanding "many issues of concern to Singaporeans".

But Mr Lim felt a "social welfare tax" was needed for PRs who leave Singapore after accumulating a certain amount of wealth.

National Solidarity Party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng called for a tightening of the labour law so that foreign workers are not "exploited" to work 14-hour days even if they may be willing to.

Mr Goh said this would impact the wage levels of Singaporeans.

Reform Party secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam said in a statement that the "only concrete initiative" was the National Service Recognition Award of up to $9,000; however, he said the amount was insufficient.

Instead, his party still believes that lower taxes for NSmen would be better. It also called for, among other suggestions, foreign students on scholarship here to do NS and for a shorter NS period.

Singapore Democratic Party secretary-general Chee Soon Juan felt that an overly optimistic picture was painted on Sunday. Dr Chee cited Manpower Ministry data on the higher number of jobless in June compared to March. The number of long-term unemployed also increased between December and March. The Worker's Party did not respond to email queries by press time.

 

[drifter]

Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who know what is going on won't talk. singapore is hopeless ...

 

[sinren67]

Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who know what is going on won't talk. singapore is hopeless ...

WP did not say anything is still better than that guy that says rubbish. I'm now pretty sure he will still use PAP's manifesto in coming GE.

 

[drifter]

WP did not say anything is still better than that guy that says rubbish. I'm now pretty sure he will still use PAP's manifesto in coming GE.

Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts....can WP handle it ? i really hope they can .

 

[kingrant]

Everyone's response sounded so lame. Desmond even applauded the PAP. Wtf? Does he have to applaud him for showing concern? Isnt that great leader supposed to show concern?

And GMS, it's ok to let the foreign labourer work till he drops, then they'll stop coming. Or the world will know how scandalous our employers are. So why bother abt something like this?

I think the best response treally goes to --no prizes - the dear Dr Chee. Incisive, smart, deny, deny, deprecate, repudiate, scorn, poof-pooh..

Well done Dr Chee! Where's the money!

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC100831-0000070/Opposition-reaction-to-Rally-speech

Singapore Democratic Alliance secretary-general Desmond Lim, who spoke on behalf of the SDA Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Election Office, said it "applaud(ed)" Mr Lee for understanding "many issues of concern to Singaporeans".

But Mr Lim felt a "social welfare tax" was needed for PRs who leave Singapore after accumulating a certain amount of wealth.

Desmond Lim is a fucking moron. How has PM lee understood the issues of Singaporeans? Bollocks!!

And, if u impose a social welfare tax, you are only encouraging PRs to stay and further drain jobs from sinkees!

The problem is that PAP is importing too many to begin with, not that they are not staying put!

FUCKING CHEEBYE does Mr Lim KNOW the real problem sinkee are facing or not?!?!

Good thing I am self employed. If this kind of oppo get into parliament and I am still an employee I think I can kiss myself good luck and goodbye. Will be no different from PAP.

 

[Velma]

I am not surprised if Desmond Lim is a PAP spy. Look at how he tried to screw SPP and now this statement.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

And GMS, it's ok to let the foreign labourer work till he drops, then they'll stop coming. Or the world will know how scandalous our employers are. So why bother abt something like this?

I think the best response treally goes to --no prizes - the dear Dr Chee. Incisive, smart, deny, deny, deprecate, repudiate, scorn, poof-pooh..

Well done Dr Chee! Where's the money!

I disagree with you.

GMS is absolutely right. If employers are allowed to exploit foreigners, they will have no incentive to hire singaporeans beyond the minimum number. The only way to balance is to discourage exploitation of BOTH sinkees and foreigners, and to FURTHER restrict the import of foreigners through a combination of various policies like taxation, requiring proof of necessity, and capping the overall headcount on a company as well as nationwide basis.

Dr Chee as usual does not waste time and cuts right to the chase. Good.

Kenneth Jeyaretnam is wrong. Foreign students are different from foreign workers, you should not make them do NS. We NEED foreign students. The correct response is to force our universities to EXPAND their enrolment so that the intake of sinkee students is NOT compromised due to the foreign student intake. As long as sinkee students have the same chance to getting into uni, there is no need to make foreign students do NS. Making NS compulsory is the wrong response. It may appease some people, but it will just have a negative impact on our educational institutions.

KJ should not be targetting students but WORKERS.

FUCK! Do these politicians KNOW the real problem sinkees are facing?!!?

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

You can read about NSP's full response on the PM Lee's NDR speech here:

http://nsp.sg/nsp-response-pm-lee039s-nation-day-rally-speech


http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?t=72537

http://singaporealternatives.blogspot.com/2010/08/nsp-response-to-pm-lees-nation-day.html

 

[bebo]

Desmond having lose out to Mrs Chiam now tries to appease the PAP to be PAP approved opposition

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

Desmond Lim is a fucking moron. How has PM lee understood the issues of Singaporeans? Bollocks!!

And, if u impose a social welfare tax, you are only encouraging PRs to stay and further drain jobs from sinkees!

The problem is that PAP is importing too many to begin with, not that they are not staying put!

FUCKING CHEEBYE does Mr Lim KNOW the real problem sinkee are facing or not?!?!

Good thing I am self employed. If this kind of oppo get into parliament and I am still an employee I think I can kiss myself good luck and goodbye. Will be no different from PAP.

Like it or not, we may need people like Desmond Lim in parliament in order to remove the PAP from power.

We have to think of people like Desmond Lim as transitional characters rather than permanent structures. Once the APs are in power, we will have a more open society. This open society will allow the best and brightest to come forth to join politics to serve the people.

We have to think 10, 20 years down the road and not just the next GE.

For now, our main job is to remove the PAPies from their authoritarian power. People like Desmond Lim will help to fill the numbers but will definitely not be forming policies.

 

[molly]

Why don't SG have a professional army instead of NS?

SG is not like Taiwan or Israel under constant threat.

 

[methink]

I think the best response treally goes to --no prizes - the dear Dr Chee. Incisive, smart, deny, deny, deprecate, repudiate, scorn, poof-pooh..

Yes I agree with you. Dr Chee is right to the point. Why be wishy-washy and a wimp like the PM? Fluffing the issues is not the way to go.

I can understand why the PAP is so afraid of Dr Chee and the SDP. They are the real oppositions who can see thru their crap and hulaboo.

 

[johnny333]

Why don't SG have a professional army instead of NS?

SG is not like Taiwan or Israel under constant threat.

Spore already has a proffessional army but their primary job is to look after the old man

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

A chance "to begin transitioning" was given in 1991 when 4 oppo MPs were elected. But some were even worse than Desmond Lim. In the end 4 became 2 and we moved backwards. That shows quality counts, even in the so called transitional stage.

Like it or not, we may need people like Desmond Lim in parliament in order to remove the PAP from power.

We have to think of people like Desmond Lim as transitional characters rather than permanent structures. Once the APs are in power, we will have a more open society. This open society will allow the best and brightest to come forth to join politics to serve the people.

We have to think 10, 20 years down the road and not just the next GE.

For now, our main job is to remove the PAPies from their authoritarian power. People like Desmond Lim will help to fill the numbers but will definitely not be forming policies.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Why don't SG have a professional army instead of NS?

SG is not like Taiwan or Israel under constant threat.

Actually, Indonesia poses a major security threat to Singapore, but yes, I agree that we should have a professional rather than conscript army.

 

[Bryan_T]

"We are glad to hear the Prime Minister addressing the various KEY PROBLEMS that we have been raising for the past one year in his National Day Rally speech." - NSP

"We are therefore glad that issues PERTINENT to the people of Singapore had been mostly addressed in the PM’s speech." - SDA (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Election... Office)

"Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has mastered the art of talking a lot but not saying much. He did this when he spoke on the HOT-BUTTON issue of foreigners flooding Singapore, a topic that dominated his National Day (ND) Rally speech on Sunday night." - SDP

"This was an opportunity for the PM to address some of the pressing issues facing this country and his FAILURE to do so has demonstrated once again that our government is out of touch with the people." - RP

..... I have this nagging feeling that the RP Sec-Gen was LISTENING to the wrong NDR speech. Maybe he was hearing Najib's instead.

 

[Perspective]

The way the press quoted was either very PAP-ish or foolish. Better off not reporting. One needs to read the releases in original and full form.

However, I am just wondering why SDA is now represented by a "Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Election Office". It appears now that DL is trying to build a separate base of power like Ong Eng Guan once did to PAP, after losing the SPP base. Even then he could speak as SDA Secretary-General.

 

[balajii]

the opps should just ask pap if FT really so good (cheaper, better, faster), then perhaps pap should allow FT to work as MPs and ministers.

 

[LonewolfAlfa]

But Mr Lim felt a "social welfare tax" was needed for PRs who leave Singapore after accumulating a certain amount of wealth.

really childish idea lor. yah punish them for being successful. are taxes the only ideas we have? in no time, he's ideas will be the same as the miws. everyone will Pay And Pay.