Remember all these the next time you vote

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Surprised to see so much litter during recent visit​

Feb 25, 2023

I lived in Singapore from 2011 to 2017. I have travelled to 56 countries; Singapore is my favourite country, and its citizens are lucky to be living there.
I visited Singapore for a week recently. What I noticed has changed the most is the amount of litter in public spaces.
I saw cigarette butts outside Raffles Place MRT station and along pavements, and plastic cups and bags on the pathways near eateries.
Several drainage canals were full of debris, with plastic bottles and paper cups floating on the water.
I saw a tourist toss a lit cigarette near a hotel, but I did not dare scold him for fear of retaliation.
When I lived in Singapore, I used an app to report cases of clogged drains and littering, but I did not have the app installed during this visit.
I have bragged to all my friends about how immaculate Singapore is. While it is probably still the cleanest country in the world, why is it allowing this littering?

Where are the litter patrols? When I first moved to Singapore, I saw officers speaking to tourists and local teenagers who had littered. During this visit, I did not see anyone cleaning community places under a Corrective Work Order.
Please do not let litter scar this beautiful country. Catch and penalise offenders. Make sure the canals are clean. Encourage citizens to maintain cleanliness. Singapore is a “City in a Garden”, and it must keep itself immaculate to maintain this image.

Marie Antoinette McBride

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

So the Ministry of Manpower has not been verifying the education qualifications of EP holders all along!!??

Employers must verify education qualifications of EP applicants from Sept 1​

The move coincides with the launch of a new points-based framework for new Employment Pass applications. PHOTO: ST FILE

Tay Hong Yi

Mar 1, 2023

SINGAPORE – To ensure that Employment Pass (EP) applicants are not granted work passes based on fake qualifications, employers will need to provide third-party verification of their diploma and higher qualifications from Sept 1, 2023.
The move coincides with the Sept 1 launch of a new points-based framework for new EP applications called Complementarity Assessment (Compass).
This is because an EP applicant’s qualifications will contribute to his Compass score, which will determine whether he is awarded the work pass, said Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng during the debate for the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) budget on Wednesday.
Under Compass, an EP application is scored based on four “foundational criteria” and two “bonus criteria”, covering both an applicant’s and his employer’s attributes. The worker’s qualifications are one of the foundational criteria.
The Government, which has consulted industry associations, employers and the labour movement about the verification process, will share more details in due course, said Dr Tan, who is also Second Minister for Trade and Industry. For EP renewals, Compass and the verifying of qualifications will apply from 2024.
“Rest assured that we will ensure smooth implementation and minimise disruptions to employers’ hiring process,” the minister said.
The move is poised to add another safeguard against fake qualifications, even though employers are already responsible for ensuring the authenticity of an applicant’s credentials, and MOM conducts its own checks. But employers that do not wish to rely on applicants’ qualifications to add points under Compass do not have to submit the verification.

Dr Tan did not elaborate on whether the added verification could affect the time it takes to process EP applications. Online applications currently take 10 business days.

He added that further details on Compass’ bonus criteria, which pertain to skills held by the applicant that are in shortage in Singapore, and the employer’s contribution to the Republic’s strategic economic goals, will be revealed later in March.
The bonus points will cover a targeted minority of strategic EP applications, as the Government expects most applications to obtain a passing score on Compass on the basis of the foundational requirements.

He also announced on Wednesday that employers in services and manufacturing can hire only up to 8 per cent of their total workforce under the Non-traditional Source (NTS) Occupation List, and have to pay these work permit holders at least $2,000 a month.
The occupation list, which was revealed in 2022 but kicks in from Sept 1, stipulates seven rank-and-file roles, such as those of cooks in Indian restaurants, for which employers can hire work permit holders – instead of S Pass holders – from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Typically, employers in the service and manufacturing sectors can hire work permit holders only from China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Taiwan.
Dr Tan said the quota guards against over-reliance on workers from NTS countries and regions, and ensures that employers diversify their workforce. The minimum salary safeguards against sourcing just the cheapest talent and encourages employers to hire higher-skilled or more experienced workers, he added.

Dr Tan on Wednesday also announced CareersFinder, a new feature on the MyCareersFuture online portal that recommends local residents jobs based on their expressed interests, the skills required and the training pathways available.
The artificial intelligence-driven tool will cut out the hassle of figuring what skills one needs for a job posting, and then the separate hunt for training courses.
A beta version is set for launch in the third quarter of 2023, and registration of interest can be made via the Workforce Singapore website.
“It will become more powerful as the data grows. We will continue to enhance it over time, to make it more responsive to job seekers’ needs,” said Dr Tan.
As borders reopen after the pandemic and foreign investments flow in, local workers are increasingly coming under heat to both compete with international talent and step up to jobs brought in by multinational enterprises.

Dr Tan urged workers to take charge of their own “career health” by tracking their own job marketability, charting their own development, and being resilient against setbacks.
In return, the ministry will support them “every step of the way”, he said.
Continuing the ministry’s years of work to raise working conditions for female workers, elderly workers, workers with disabilities and former offenders, Dr Tan briefed the House on various schemes and their results in securing fair opportunities for these groups.
These include flexible work arrangement guidelines; wage subsidies for employers that hire the elderly, former offenders and workers with disabilities; and progress towards a workplace fairness Bill.
Another group that has drawn the Government’s attention are skilled essential trade workers such as plumbers and electricians.
“Our society has traditionally valued ‘head’ work much more over ‘hands-on’ and ‘heart’ work, contributing to occupational wage disparity. But ‘hands-on’ work – the craft required to make something well, to fix a complex machine – is just as important for our society to function,” he said.
MOM and the National Trades Union Congress are studying ways to make these jobs pay better and offer clearer career and skill progression, with more details to come after the Forward Singapore consultation exercise concludes later in 2023.
This comes after the labour movement mooted in February a new framework to create clear career ladders for essential skilled tradesmen, dubbed the Career Progression Model.
Said Dr Tan: “Over time, if we are able to shift the prospects and perceptions of such jobs and offer attractive career pathways for skilled trades, we will be able to increase the number of locals in these roles in a sustainable way.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Lee Hsien Yang, Lee Suet Fern being investigated for lying under oath, have left country: Teo Chee Hean​

Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his wife Lee Suet Fern have left Singapore after refusing to go for a police interview which they had initially agreed to attend. PHOTOS: ST FILE, STAMFORD LAW

Tham Yuen-C
Senior Political Correspondent

March 2, 2023

SINGAPORE - The police have opened investigations into Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his wife Lee Suet Fern for potential offences of giving false evidence in judicial proceedings, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean told Parliament on Thursday.
The couple have left Singapore after refusing to go for a police interview which they had initially agreed to attend, Mr Teo said in a written reply.
The Court of Three Judges and a disciplinary tribunal had in 2020 found that the couple had lied under oath during disciplinary proceedings against Mrs Lee over her handling of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s last will.
Mrs Lee had been referred to a disciplinary tribunal by the Law Society over her role in the preparation and execution of the last will of the late Mr Lee, her father-in-law, who died on March 23, 2015, at the age of 91.
His last will differed from his sixth and penultimate will in significant ways, and did not contain some changes he had wanted and discussed with his lawyer Kwa Kim Li four days earlier. Among the differences was a demolition clause – relating to the demolition of his 38 Oxley Road house after his death – which had not been in the sixth or penultimate will but was in the last.
This had sparked a complaint by the Attorney-General’s Chambers to the Law Society about possible professional misconduct on Mrs Lee’s part, and a disciplinary tribunal was convened to hear the case.
After finding her guilty of grossly improper professional conduct, the Tribunal referred the case to the Court of Three Judges, the highest disciplinary body to deal with lawyers’ misconduct.

Mr Teo noted on Thursday that both the Court and the Tribunal had found that Mr Lee and Mrs Lee lied under oath.
Quoting the Tribunal’s report, he said the couple had presented “an elaborate edifice of lies… both on oath… and through their public and other statements”, which had been referred to during the proceedings, and that their affidavits contained lies that “were quite blatant”.
As such, the police have commenced investigations into them for potential offences of giving false evidence in judicial proceedings, said Mr Teo.

He added that as part of the investigations, the Police requested an interview with Mr Lee and Mrs Lee, which they initially agreed to attend.
“However, (they) later had a change of heart and refused to attend. Their refusal is disappointing,” he said.
He also said that the Police have advised Mr Lee and Mrs Lee to reconsider participating in investigations, but they have since left Singapore and remain out of the country.
The Police have thus informed them that necessary steps would be taken to complete the investigations in their absence, added Mr Teo.
“Their refusal to participate raises questions. If they maintain their innocence, the investigation will give them the chance to vindicate themselves,” he said.
“They should participate, take the full opportunity to give their side of the story, and clear their names.”
Mr Teo was responding to a question by Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang GRC) on the accuracy of the events described by an e-book titled “The Battle Over Lee Kuan Yew’s Last Will”.
It was published in July 2022 by author Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh, who runs Jom, a weekly digital magazine covering arts, culture, politics, business, technology in Singapore.
Mr Zhulkarnain had asked if the book accurately represents the circumstances surrounding the signing of the late Mr Lee’s last will, as found by the Disciplinary Tribunal and the Court of Three Judges.
To this, Mr Teo said: “Many Singaporeans would prefer to put behind us questions about Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s last will. But there are continuing efforts to rewrite the facts.
“The e-book by Mr Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh... is one such example.”
He added: “Mr Thomas claims to have spent a year scrutinising the evidence to shine a light on the events. However, the book is not credible, as it totally ignores the facts and findings which had been established, after an objective and thorough examination of the case, by the Court of Three Judges in November 2020 and a Disciplinary Tribunal in February 2020.”
Besides finding that Mr Lee and Mrs Lee had lied under oath, the Court and the Tribunal had also found that the couple had misled the late Mr Lee in the context of the execution of his last will, added Mr Teo.
Given this, he said, the Court and the Tribunal had concluded that Mrs Lee was guilty of misconduct.
Mr Teo, citing the findings, said that Mrs Lee had “focused primarily on what her husband wanted done”, and “worked together with Mr Lee Hsien Yang, with a singular purpose, of getting (Mr Lee Kuan Yew) to execute the last will quickly”.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew “ended up signing a document which was in fact not that which he had indicated he wished to sign”, added Mr Teo, citing the findings.
Noting that Mrs Lee was suspended by the Court of Three Judges from practising as a lawyer for 15 months, Mr Teo said: “This is quite a serious penalty.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Lee Hsien Yang hints at never returning to Singapore, says he is unlikely to see his sister again​

Mr Lee Hsien Yang's latest comments comes after Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean told Parliament that the police have opened investigations into Mr Lee and his wife. PHOTO: ST FILE

Mar 8, 2023

SINGAPORE – Mr Lee Hsien Yang said on Tuesday that he may never return to Singapore amid an ongoing police investigation into him and his wife, Mrs Lee Suet Fern.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Mr Lee, the younger son of first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and the brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, also said his sister, Dr Lee Wei Ling, is now extremely unwell.
“It pains me beyond words that I am unlikely ever to be able to see my sister face to face again,” he wrote.
Dr Lee was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, she said in August 2020, describing it as a brain disease that slows physical movements and eventually leads to dementia with prominent behavioural changes.
Mr Lee’s latest comments come days after Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean told Parliament on Thursday that police have opened investigations into Mr Lee and his wife for the possible offences of lying under oath.
The couple left Singapore after refusing to go for a police interview that they had initially agreed to attend, Mr Teo said in a written reply.
Police later said they left Singapore after being engaged in June 2022, and have not returned since.

In 2020, the Court of Three Judges and a disciplinary tribunal found that the couple had lied under oath during disciplinary proceedings against Mrs Lee, a lawyer, over her handling of the last will of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who died on March 23, 2015, at the age of 91.
Mrs Lee had been referred to a disciplinary tribunal by the Law Society over her role in the preparation and execution of the last will, which differed from his sixth and penultimate will in significant ways, and did not contain some changes he had wanted and discussed with his lawyer, Ms Kwa Kim Li, days earlier.
Among the differences was a demolition clause – relating to the demolition of his 38 Oxley Road house after his death – which had not been in the sixth or penultimate will but was in the last.


This clause became a sticking point among the late Mr Lee’s children.
Mrs Lee’s role in the will had sparked a complaint by the Attorney-General’s Chambers to the Law Society about possible professional misconduct on her part.

A demolition clause for 38 Oxley Road, which was in Mr Lee Kuan Yew's last will but not the penultimate one, became a sticking point among his children. PHOTO: ST FILE
After the disciplinary tribunal found her guilty of grossly improper professional conduct, it referred the case to the Court of Three Judges, the highest disciplinary body to deal with lawyers’ misconduct.
Mrs Lee was suspended by the Court of Three Judges from practising as a lawyer for 15 months.

On Friday, Mr Lee Hsien Yang also told Bloomberg news agency in a phone interview from Europe that he had been approached by some to contest the upcoming presidential election, which is expected to be called by September 2023, and that he would consider doing so.
However, several lawyers and law academics said the finding by the disciplinary tribunal and Court of Three Judges that Mr Lee had lied under oath may affect his chances of candidacy.
In his Facebook post on Monday, Mr Lee reiterated the position he and his sister had held on their father’s house.
“Both of us have always accepted that the Singapore Government has the power to preserve our father’s house, but we reject the continued pretence that he had changed his mind, that he was somehow ‘ok’ with it,” he wrote.
Mr Lee also repeated allegations he had previously made on the matter, including of harassment, surveillance and smear campaigns.
He wrote: “After what I have been through, I have no confidence whatsoever in the system.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: MPs should offer better ideas on building up reserves​

Mar 9, 2023

It is critical to note the points raised in Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s 2023 Budget round-up speech on Feb 24 (Prudent position on reserves has never changed and will never change: DPM; No slack in country’s Budget, says Lawrence Wong; Budget a delicate balancing act amid tight fiscal position: DPM, all Feb 25).
We have drawn $40 billion from past reserves to combat Covid-19. Without such fiscal resources, we would be in a bad state today. There were MPs who said the Government was not giving enough and that it needed to spend more on help and support. Fewer MPs offered ideas on how to build up our reserves to face the next crisis.
There were suggestions to tax the rich, but do not forget the rich are welcomed everywhere else in the world. When the wealthy leave and take their money with them, Singapore’s income will shrink.
Some MPs suggested raising corporate tax, but it is worth noting that other countries are offering subsidies to corporates to attract investment.
Singapore has notched up many great achievements, but we should not be under any illusion that we would be competitive forever.
Once investors lose confidence in the country and move their investment elsewhere, and if reserves are depleted, it will be difficult to turn things around in an increasingly competitive world. Unlike other countries, Singapore has only human, not natural, resources.
It is right for MPs to focus on suggestions on how to make Singapore competitive, to attract investments, to create better jobs and strengthen our reserves. It is dangerous to play Santa Claus to score political points.

Sim Lim Onn

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Managing waste without disposable bags a challenge for households​

Mar 10, 2023

With the rising cost of living, the move by supermarkets to impose a disposable bag charge effectively imposes a further financial burden on households (Most supermarkets to charge 5 cents for each plastic bag from July 3, March 3). Singaporeans reuse disposable bags to bag their waste. This helps to avoid spillage, odour, pest infestation and other public health nuisance. The authorities should offer alternatives for managing food waste and other rubbish.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Long wait at polyclinic but still did not get to see doctor​

Mar 14, 2023

I wish to express my concern about the accessibility of public healthcare at polyclinics in Singapore.
Recently, I took my 19-year-old daughter who had a fever of 37.8 deg C to Bukit Batok Polyclinic and was told to queue for a time slot to see the doctor.
But we ended up not getting a time slot because my daughter was not considered a priority case, as she was neither a child nor an elderly person running a high fever.
While I acknowledge the need for prioritisation in a busy healthcare system, I am concerned that this may prevent people from accessing the healthcare they need, particularly for minor illnesses that could escalate into more serious conditions.
For many families, polyclinics may be their only option for healthcare, and not getting treatment could have dire consequences.
In my recent experience, being in the queue for nearly an hour before being told we would not get to see the doctor was frustrating.
Many Singaporeans, like myself, have employee benefits at polyclinics that can help defray the cost of healthcare. Even with the Community Health Assist Scheme benefit, private healthcare costs are still higher than those for public healthcare.

Policies on public healthcare accessibility at polyclinics should be reviewed to ensure that everyone can receive timely and appropriate care.

Patricia Goh

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Fewer than 4 in 10 S'pore respondents optimistic of better lives in 5 years, all-time low in global survey​

Leonard Leong/TODAY
A global survey has found that economic optimism in Singapore has slumped.
Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok, and join our Telegram channel for the latest updates.

• Only 36 per cent of respondents in Singapore felt that their families will be better off economically in five years' time, according to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer survey
• This is the lowest level for this measure said Edelman, which has conducted the annual survey for 23 years
• The sentiment here was in line with a global "collapse" in economic optimism, the firm added
• This is happening as the income-based gap in trust towards societal institutions widened, with the more well-off indicating much higher trust in such institutions compared to low-income earners

BY TAUFIQ ZALIZAN
Published March 15, 2023


SINGAPORE — Fewer than four in 10 people in Singapore believe that they and their families will be better off economically in five years’ time, according to a survey conducted by consultancy Edelman. This is the lowest level of economic optimism in the 23 years that the firm has conducted the annual global survey.
Only about 36 per cent of respondents in Singapore felt that way, down 7 percentage points from a year ago, according to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer report released on Wednesday (March 15).
This was roughly in line with what the survey described as a “collapse” in economic optimism around the world, with the global average dropping by 10 percentage points over the same period to 40 per cent.

Infographic: Samuel Woo
“Nearly half of the countries surveyed (showed) a year-over-year double-digit decline in the belief that their families will be better off in five years’ time,” said Edelman in a statement on the 2023 report.

“
Nearly half of the countries surveyed (showed) a year-over-year double-digit decline in the belief that their families will be better off in five years’ time.
Consultancy firm Edelman
”

The firm noted that respondents in developed countries were less optimistic than those in developing ones.
This trend is occurring against the backdrop of a wider spread of income-based trust gap in governments, businesses, the media and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or what is collectively referred to by the report as "societal institutions".

​

The survey found that respondents from the higher income group have greater trust in these societal institutions compared to respondents with low income.
The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer is the 23rd annual trust and credibility survey by the Edelman Trust Institute. Conducted last November, more than 32,000 people across 28 countries were surveyed via online interviews.
A total of 1,135 individuals aged 18 or older residing in Singapore were interviewed.
Besides the low level of economic optimism, the survey also found that nearly half of respondents here felt that the social fabric in the country is weakening. More than three-quarters expect business leaders here to take a public stand over issues such as discrimination, climate change and the treatment of workers.

'COLLAPSE' OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC OPTIMISM​

Respondents were asked how they thought they and their family will be doing in five years’ time in terms of economic prospects, selecting their answer from a five-point scale.
For the 2023 report, 36 per cent of the respondents in Singapore picked either of the top two alternatives, indicating optimism. This was down from 43 per cent in 2022 and 44 per cent in 2021.

​

This compares with the 40 per cent global average across 24 markets, down from 50 per cent in 2022 and 53 per cent five years ago in 2019.

Infographic: Samuel Woo
"For some time now, experts have been predicting that the global economy is headed towards a recession," said Ms Julia Wei, chief executive officer of Edelman Singapore.
"Combined with the mass layoffs that have been taking place around the world since late last year, this could be reinforcing the perception that our financial prospects have never been worse."
The survey found that people in developing countries showed more optimism than those in developed countries. The following are the top three and bottom three countries in terms of percentage of respondents indicating an optimistic economic outlook:

• Kenya (80 per cent)
• Indonesia (73 per cent)
• India (73 per cent)
• Japan (9 per cent)
• France (12 per cent)
• Germany (15 per cent)

"A potential consequence of this lack of economic optimism is a deepening of economic fears," said Ms Wei.
"Already, job loss and inflation are top of mind for most people and a worsening of these fears could foster distrust, which could in turn lead to greater polarisation – creating a vicious cycle where polarisation deepens fears and distrust, and these fears and distrust in turn lead to greater polarisation."

GROWING INCOME-BASED DIVIDE IN TRUST​

​

According to Edelman, this decline in optimism has occurred “alongside a metastasising of the mass-class divide”.
“There is now a double-digit trust gap in three quarters of the countries surveyed where those with a high income are more trusting, on average, of the four main societal institutions than low-income respondents,” it said.
Among top 25 per cent earners, the average trust in institutions globally has soared to 62 per cent from 50 per cent in 2012. Among low-income earners, the bottom 25 per cent, the trust index inched up from 44 per cent to 48 per cent over the same period.
Thailand and the United States demonstrated the largest divides in 2023, at 37 points and 23 points difference respectively, according to Edelman.
“Singapore also registered a sizeable income-based trust gap of 18 points, tied for the seventh largest gap among all countries surveyed,” said Edelman.
High-income earners in Singapore registered an average of 73 per cent level of trust in NGOs, business, the Government and the media. In comparison, the bottom 25 per cent earners in Singapore indicated a 55 per cent level of trust, which falls under the "neutral" range of the trust index.
Edelman said the income-based trust gap has remained roughly the same at 19 per cent in 2021 and 2022, and 18 per cent this year.
Meanwhile, the income-based trust inequalities have grown from a four-point divide to 19 points in China and from 10 percentage points to 19 in the United Arab Emirates over the same period.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

The PAP government did set a 10 million population goal.
It denied it in the face of fierce resistance.
But the PAP is not letting go of this policy.
It is now reviving it again.
Say hello to BTO flats starting at $1 million for first-time HDB flat owners.
But kiss the PAP government's ass because they are subsiding $1 million.

Revisiting the Singapore population size debate​

With birth rates falling to historic lows, it’s time we take a hard-headed look at how to remain a vibrant city, and the critical role of immigration in this mission​

Zakir Hussain
Associate Editor

Singapore may not be near a population of 10 million, but it would be prudent to plan for that density in mind. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE


MAR 19, 2023

Ten years ago, Singapore saw a rather unprecedented public outcry at the suggestion that 6.9 million people might one day inhabit this island.
A Population White Paper that had cited this figure as a planning parameter – not a target – for around 2030 saw strong protests from segments of the public and ruling party backbenchers.
The ensuing parliamentary debate saw the Government acknowledge ground concerns over the pace of population growth and immigration, and commit that the conversation would continue.
Two months after the heated debate, a former chief planner suggested that Singapore look beyond 2030.
The country could do well to look ahead, perhaps to 2100, when it might have a population of 10 million, suggested Mr Liu Thai Ker at a forum in April 2013.
“The world doesn’t end in 2030, and population growth doesn’t end at 6.9 million,” he said.
Mr Liu, who used to head the Housing Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority, returned to the 10 million figure at another forum in July 2014.

The Republic should plan for a population this size in the long term if it is to remain sustainable as a country, he added.
The 10 million figure did not generate as much heat then, perhaps because Mr Liu was offering his thoughts in a less formal setting, and he had not been in government for some time.
It is hard to imagine a Singapore with 10 million people, even if it is decades away.

Mr Liu had noted that if the growth rate were based on the upper limit of the 2013 White Paper’s projections, at 6.9 million in 2030, Singapore could reach a population of 10 million by 2090.
But if it is based on the lower limit of 6.5 million in 2030 – a range we are quite far from today – then it may reach 10 million by 2200.
Mr Liu also acknowledged that Singaporeans may be uncomfortable with the thought of the country ever having a population that size.
But, to paraphrase Mr Liu, isn’t it better to plan for the longer term with this in mind, so that if or when Singapore reaches that level of density, it will remain vibrant and liveable because the infrastructure is in place?

Big city competition​

Singaporeans are not unfamiliar with large metropolises of over 10 million.
Many have been to Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City, vibrant economic centres of a fast-growing region.
All have one thing in common – they are magnets for manpower and talent from their respective countries. They are also growing rapidly, and their buzz and energy are palpable.
New York City and London each has more than eight million people in their city boundaries, and are also magnets for talent from around the world.
But many of these cities are also straining to catch up with infrastructure improvements and the challenge of urban renewal, some of which could have been avoided with long-term planning.
There is also a degree of tension between more settled, better-off residents and newer, less well-off arrivals, who may share a nationality but not the same outlook on the world.
Even if Singapore is nowhere near a population of 10 million, it must prepare to hold its own against these competitors with more land around them, and a larger talent pool. Some might point out that Singapore is just over 700 sq km. But its longer-term plans provide for substantial green lungs and nature reserves. By comparison, Jakarta has more than 10 million residents spread out over 660 sq km and New York City’s more than eight million residents are spread out over 800 sq km, and it still has a sizeable spread of parks.
A decade after the population debate, Singapore is a long way away from a population of 6.9 million, let alone the 6.5 million the White Paper said it could reach with slower population growth.
The country’s population rose rapidly from 1.6 million in 1960 to three million in 1990, and crossed five million in 2010.

But the Covid-19 pandemic saw the population fall for two straight years – from 5.7 million in 2019 to 5.69 million in 2020, and to 5.45 million in 2021.
While the drop was due to a decline in the non-resident population, resident numbers are also growing at a slower pace.
The White Paper had projected the total population to be between 5.8 million and six million by 2020, depending on fertility trends, life expectancy, and social and economic needs. It had also projected the resident population to be between four million and 4.1 million that year, with citizens numbering some 3.5 million to 3.6 million.
As at June 2022, the total population had climbed back up to 5.64 million. Singapore citizens numbered 3.55 million, and with another 520,000 permanent residents, brought the total resident population to 4.07 million.
The recent economic recovery and ongoing infrastructure projects mean the number of non-resident workers can be expected to grow in the coming years.
At the same time, the Government has continued to maintain its commitment to safeguarding a Singapore core to the population.

ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA

A shrinking pool​

But declining birth rates mean the core of citizens has to be topped up through immigration.
Singapore’s total fertility rate reached a historic low of 1.05 in 2022, well below the 2.1 needed for the population to replace itself.
Similar record lows are seen in the region, with South Korea’s birth rate at 0.78, and Japan’s at 1.3.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told his country’s MPs in January that the dismal birth rates meant the country was “standing on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society”.
Earlier in March, his aide Masako Mori said the country would “disappear” at current falling birth rates. “A nosedive means children being born now will be thrown into a society that becomes distorted, shrinks and loses its ability to function,” she added.
Japan’s situation is a cautionary example of what could happen when the immigration tap is too tight, or hardly turned on.


Singapore is trying to work on raising its birth rate. But it has also been able to complement its population by being able to attract and integrate new arrivals, some of whom go on to apply to be permanent residents and eventually citizens. Many of them come from the immediate region.
This could prove more challenging as the region’s economies become more vibrant, making it less compelling for their people to look abroad for a brighter future.
Singapore’s neighbours are also seeing record low fertility.
Thailand saw the lowest birth rate in 70 years last year, and Malaysia’s birth rate has dropped below replacement level.
Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam also saw fertility rates at or around the replacement level of 2.1.
Could there be implications for Singapore’s ability to continue attracting talent from the region?
In 2022, Singapore granted about 23,100 new citizenships, including about 1,300 to children born overseas to Singaporean parents. About 34,500 new permanent residents were accepted.
Giving an update to Parliament on these figures in February, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah said they were higher than pre-Covid-19 levels as some approved applicants could not complete the process in person in 2020 and 2021, and their applications were carried over.
Many of these new citizens have been PRs for some time, yet to some, distinctions continue to be drawn over “true-blue” or “born-and-bred” Singaporeans and newer citizens and residents.
This has led to some wondering if Singapore is losing some of its attractiveness and openness to talent.

Anti-foreigner sentiments​

Politics has invariably coloured some of these perceptions, as various quarters seek to tap into anti-immigrant sentiment, some of which has spilled over to Singaporeans from smaller minority groups and naturalised citizens.
The 10 million figure resurfaced in the 2020 General Election, when several opposition parties alleged that the Government planned to raise the population to 10 million by bringing in more foreigners.
The National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) issued a clarification categorically stating that these statements were untrue.
“The Government has not proposed, planned nor targeted for Singapore to increase its population to 10 million,” it said then, adding that it does not seek to achieve a particular population size.
In February, Ms Indranee also told Parliament that based on various scenarios, it remains the case that the total population is likely to be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030.
She also acknowledged that the issue of immigration had to be managed delicately.
“We have seen how tensions over immigration in other countries have led to fissures and divisions in society. We must not let that happen here in Singapore,” she said.
“While most Singaporeans understand why we need immigrants, there are, understandably, concerns over competition for jobs and other resources, and how the texture and character of our society could change, and whether our infrastructure can keep up.”

Today, infrastructure continues to be ramped up – with new MRT lines, a major highway and HDB towns under construction after a slight delay caused by the pandemic.
Planning isn’t all inward-oriented: The expansion of Changi Airport and the construction of Tuas Megaport well into the 2030s aim to cater to double the passenger and container volumes handled today.
Changi and Singapore’s port are not just major anchors and engines of the economy that were affected by the pandemic and have begun their recovery. They are also symbols of Singapore’s interconnectedness with the world, and of its commitment to staying open in a world beset by rising geopolitical tensions and uncertainties.
There is a high threshold for aspiring immigrants and would-be residents, and recent measures on Singapore’s part aim to compete for a slice of the global talent pie.
But the window of opportunity to attract top talent may be a narrow one.
Shying away from being more open and embracing of newcomers could mean missing out on a stronger footing for the long run, and not building the best possible team for Singapore.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Number of major MRT breakdowns doubles even as overall rail reliability remains high​

There were seven major breakdowns in 2022, which is the second-highest in the past five years. ST PHOTO: RYAN CHIONG

Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent

Mar 21, 2023

SINGAPORE – Serious MRT disruptions, each lasting over 30 minutes, more than doubled in 2022 from 2021 even as the frequency of total delays dipped.
According to rail reliability statistics just released by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the mean kilometres before failure – an engineering measure of reliability – rose from 1.994 million train-km in 2021 to 2.09 million train-km in 2022.
That means there was one disruption of more than five minutes for every 2.09 million km clocked by Singapore’s MRT trains during the year, making the system one of the more dependable in the world.
The best-performing MRT line was the newish Downtown Line, operated by SBS Transit, while the worst-performing one was the North-South Line, operated by SMRT. But even the latter clocked more than 1.6 million train-km before a failure.
The newest Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) operated by SMRT – which had suffered several delays since it opened three years ago – was not tallied.
Separately, there were seven major breakdowns (defined as those lasting more than half an hour) in 2022 – more than double the three in 2021, and is the second-highest figure in the past five years.
This contrasted against the number of major LRT glitches, which halved to just two in 2022.

Singapore University of Social Sciences Associate Professor Walter Theseira, an economist, said it was difficult to gauge reliability from year-on-year statistical changes.
“We do know the system is more than 10 times as reliable as it was in the mid-2010s,” he said. “Whether these gains are being reversed is difficult to tell from just one year of performance, just as it took several years for improvements in rail reliability to become apparent.”
While admitting that a recent spate of major delays across several MRT lines “are of concern for commuters”, he said the glitches were “distributed across the lines and hence do not suggest yet that there are systemic reliability issues... which were the problem plaguing our MRT in the past”.

Prof Theseira added that it was “common for reliability to change over time, since it’s a function of equipment age, maintenance, utilisation, operating tempo”.
“What is important is that since reliability is a choice, expectations are clearly communicated to operators, and operators have the resources to meet those expectations.”

Observers said the number of disruptions in the first quarter of this year has increased. There were five breakdowns on the Thomson-East Coast Line for the year up to early March, three others on the North-South Line and one on the East-West Line during that period.
In a Parliamentary reply to Mr Melvin Yong (Radin Mas) on Monday, Transport Minister S. Iswaran said there were five faults on the Thomson-East Coast Line since Stage 3 of the line opened four months ago. Two were owing to software issues, which have since been resolved, and three were caused by faulty components, which have since been replaced.
“Prior to opening a new stage of a line, the LTA and the rail operators conduct extensive testing to minimise the risks of service disruption or delay,” Mr Iswaran said. “Nevertheless, as rail systems contain many interlinked hardware and software elements, certain issues may only surface during the early phases of full-scale operation before the system stabilises.”
Responding to queries, the LTA and SMRT said in a joint statement that the TEL faults are unrelated, and detailed investigations to identify the root causes are ongoing.
LTA and SMRT added that they are working with the original equipment manufacturers to investigate and rectify the faulty components of the TEL trains to prevent a repeat of similar incidents.
The four faults on the North-South and East-West lines were also unrelated, they said – one was a train-related fault, one was caused by a train-borne signalling issue, one was a track fault, and the last was a track point fault.
SMRT said the train-related fault involved an older train from the first three generations of trains, which are being replaced.
Commuters polled said they are satisfied with the MRT.
Mr Eugene Mok, 37, a programme manager, said: “I am on hybrid work arrangement. On days that I return to office, there are no significant delays and the system seems to be running quite smoothly, even better than before Covid days, although the trains are as crowded as ever.”
IT consultant Davis Li, 39, said: “I use the Downtown Line, and so far no breakdown. The frequency of trains is within expectations too – two to three minutes during peak periods and three to six minutes during non-peak.”
In the 2022 annual commuter satisfaction survey conducted by the Public Transport Council, satisfaction over reliability slipped by 0.5 percentage point – dragged down by a 2.4 percentage point drop in bus service reliability and partially offset by a 1.5 percentage point rise in MRT service reliability.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Residents complain of defects in new Fernvale Dew estate in Sengkang; HDB says most issues resolved in 2 weeks​

Residents at Fernvale Dew have raised concerns about shoddy workmanship and multiple defects of their new Build-To-Order flat. PHOTOS: SCREENGRAB FROM CYN TAN/FACEBOOK

Elaine Lee

Apr 4, 2023

SINGAPORE - An online petition that made claims of poor workmanship in a nearly completed Housing Board Build-To-Order (BTO) estate has garnered more than 100 signatures.
Headlined “Feedback on shoddy workmanship Fernvale Dew”, the Change.org appeal was started by Fernvale Dew resident Kelvin Leong, who claimed that HDB had started issuing keys to homeowners in the estate in Sengkang, despite ongoing construction works there.
“Most of the owners, especially those batches who have collected keys in early February 2023 identified multiple defects with shoddy workmanship, ranging from hollow and chipped tiles, scratches on main door, scratches on bedroom doors and frames, slanted skirtings and DB (distribution board) box cabinets and many more,” the petition read.
The petition then claimed that the car park near where the distribution of keys to homeowners was not ready as of March 25, and has caused “much distress and further delays to a vast majority of the homeowners here”.
It then claimed that there were “severe delays” in the rectification of defects identified by the homeowners by the Building Services Centre (BSC), whose contractors allegedly disguised or concealed the defects instead of fixing them.
Mr Leong told The Straits Times that it took a total of 28 days for the defects in his new flat to be satisfactorially rectified.
“Although it is not 100 per cent perfect, we have decided to accept (it) and move on from there,” he said.

Besides the issues mentioned in the petition, resident Cyn Tan complained in a Facebook post that there was heavy ponding outside her unit when it rained. The accompanying video to her post showed large amounts of water flowing down from the sky terrace to her unit.
Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Gan Thiam Poh told ST that some residents had approached him and shared their feedback about the defects of their flats, which they reported to HDB after collecting their keys for their new BTO flats.
“I’ve gone down to the blocks to take a look at the issues a few times and I’ve conveyed the residents’ concerns to HDB for their assistance,” he said.

“A few residents had come back to me and said the matter had been resolved.”
Mr Gan added that the HDB contractor will be around for a year to attend to defects reported by residents and he will continue working with the residents and HDB to resolve any other unresolved matters.
“We are committed to solving all the issues that the residents face as they collect the keys to their new homes.”

HDB told ST that the bulk of the feedback from some flat owners of Fernvale Dew pertain to minor defects on surfaces, fixtures and fittings, such as uneven wall surfaces or painting, scratches on doors or window frames, and skirting joints.
“These defects do not affect the structural integrity of the building nor compromise the functionality or liveability of the flats, and can usually be rectified easily and fairly quickly.”
HDB added that seven of the 10 residential blocks have been completed as of March 31, with the remaining blocks to be completed by mid-April. Some 513 households have collected their keys in the 1,188-unit development.
The statutory board said that all newly completed HDB flats are covered by a one-year defects liability period, effective from the date of key collection. Flat owners can report defects to the on-site BSC, which would arrange for a joint inspection with the owner to confirm the flaws. A BTO contractor will then “target to complete rectification works within 14 days”.

An online petition that made claims of poor workmanship in a nearly completed BTO estate has garnered more than 100 signatures. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM CHANGE.ORG
“In a minority of cases where more time is required either because of nature of defects or the high volume of reports arising from periods of peak key issuance, the BSC will inform the residents accordingly, if more time is required,” HDB said. “In the case of Fernvale Dew, the vast majority of issues reported by residents have been resolved within two weeks.”
HDB said the water ponding issue along the common corridor of the ninth storey of Block 400B was due to water discharge points being partially blocked by debris from the ongoing works at the sky terrace.
“The issue has since been resolved, after we cleared the debris and further extended the scupper drain along the common corridor to improve drainage,” it said.
It added that there was water splashing onto the link way at the second storey of the landscape deck near Block 401F because of a gap in the canopy roof of the landscape deck, which has since been sealed. A pipe has also been installed to drain the rainwater away.
HDB said: “We thank residents of Fernvale Dew for their feedback, and seek their continued patience as we work with the BTO contractor to rectify any remaining defects in a timely manner.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Government Parliamentary Committee for transport monitoring rising COE prices, impact on transport cost for Singaporeans​

Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums have remained high, with the latest bidding exercise on Apr 5 closing with Category A and B prices breaking records for the second time in a row.

File photo of cars and other vehicles in Singapore (Photo: Jeremy Long)

Grace Yeoh​

@GraceYeohCNA
17 Apr 2023

SINGAPORE: The Government Parliamentary Committee that oversees transport is monitoring the rising Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices and its impact on cost of transport to Singaporeans, its chairman Saktiandi Supaat told CNA.
Mr Saktiandi (PAP-Bishan-Toa Payoh) was addressing the high COE premiums following the latest bidding exercise on Apr 5, which closed with Category A and B prices breaking records for the second time in a row.
For Category A cars, or those 1,600cc and below with horsepower not exceeding 130bhp, premiums closed at S$96,501 (US$72,300), up from the previous high of S$93,503 in the last exercise. Premiums for larger and more powerful cars in Category B also rose to a new high of S$118,501 from the previous milestone of S$116,201 on Mar 22.
Government Parliamentary Committees are set up by the People's Action Party to "scrutinise the legislation and programmes of the various ministries", according to the Party's website. They also serve as an additional channel of feedback on government policies.
"There have been recent changes made to the price discovery structure, such as rolling average, but the effects may take time," said Mr Saktiandi, referring to the latest adjusted method for computing COE quota available for bidding.
Under this method of computation that took effect from Feb 1, the number of COEs available for bidding in each quarter will be the rolling average of the number of vehicles deregistered over the previous four quarters, instead of two.
This is meant to further reduce the quarter-on-quarter volatility of COE supply.
"We are cognizant that demand remains high, but the cycle may turn in the second half of 2023 or end of 2023 as highlighted by several market participants," added Mr Saktiandi, who is an economist by training.
"It may be useful to continue to monitor if the COE prices start to fall in the second half of 2023 as the number of deregistered vehicles is expected to pick up towards the end of 2023."

CURBING COE PRICES​

The rise in COE prices is a reflection of the "continuing demand for cars" alongside the "zero vehicle growth policy" that "obviously curtails supply of COEs", said Mr Saktiandi.
"Short of moving away from the zero growth policy, which is unlikely, the demand for cars will be affected by rising rates, economic cycles and also general sentiment as well as seasonal patterns of the past registration peaks and troughs."
The "smoothening method" for the deregistered vehicles has "helped somewhat", added Mr Saktiandi. But the committee may need to monitor if the COE prices reach levels that may be "less than optimal" due to "non-real supply and demand factors driven by market inefficiencies leading to price distortions".
Mr Gan Thiam Poh (PAP-Ang Mo Kio), who also sits on the transport Government Parliamentary Committee, added that it is "too early to judge" how measures like the adjustments to the additional registration fee system affecting luxury cars will "filter down".
He, too, noted the cap on vehicle growth - but said that "demand is always there" despite limited supply. This could also be due to "aspirations of Singaporeans" to own a car, he suggested.
"I also notice with more completion of MRT lines, more people are riding the MRT. We can see more people going for public transport. But that doesn’t mean people don’t wish to own cars," he said.
Highlighting possible ways to address rising COE prices, Mr Gan pointed to existing measures, like car-sharing schemes, as well as increasing public transport and private-hire service choices and making them "more convenient" and "more economical".
On the other hand, Mr Saktiandi added: "The best approach is to address any specific market microstructure or market failures, such as the efforts being made for the motorcycle COEs on the duration reductions."
He was referring to the Land Transport Authority's move in March to cut the validity period of temporary motorcycle COEs from six months to three.
"One other extreme option eventually may be to lead to restrictions on the number of cars purchased per household to ensure equality in terms of access to vehicles for personal consumption. But that may not be viable at this juncture," he said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Soaring COE prices: What’s driving the insanity, and when will it end?​

Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent

Besides supply and demand, there are several factors driving COE prices up. PHOTO: ST FILE

Apr 23, 2023

SINGAPORE - Nearly 30 years ago, the Government refuted a June 1994 Business Times article which stated that certificate of entitlement (COE) prices would soon skyrocket on the back of an imminent shrinkage in supply because of fewer vehicles being deregistered – the main determinant of COE supply.
In a letter to the editor, the then Ministry of Communications (the precursor of the Transport Ministry) argued that fewer deregistrations also meant that fewer people were bidding for COEs to replace their deregistered vehicles.
“In such a situation – where a reduction in supply of COEs is accompanied by a corresponding reduction in demand for COEs – it does not follow that COE prices will ‘shoot through the roof again’,” it wrote.
As it turned out, COE prices shot through the roof, with the premium for bigger cars hitting $110,500 by end-1994 – a record that would stand for more than 20 years.
The surge, however, had little to with supply or demand. It had to do with speculation, where motor traders secured as many COEs as they could in the hope of pairing them with buyers.
And when they failed, they would quickly register the cheapest vehicle – in this case, the smallest motorcycles back then – with the unused COEs, and deregister the bikes to recoup the COE amount. Their losses were thus limited to cost of the mini-bikes.
The Government, which was refunding tens of millions of dollars to these speculators, acted swiftly to plug this loophole, by making car COEs non-transferable. The following month, all car COE prices plunged, with the premium for bigger cars nearly halved to $65,000.

It is not wrong to postulate that replacement demand is a determinant of COE prices. But there are several other factors which are equally important and are usually amplified when the COE supply is small.
For starters, people do not buy cars once every 10 years (the lifespan of a COE). Many buy them every three to five years, often when the warranty of their existing car runs out. In addition, Singapore has seen an influx of foreigners since the Covid-19 pandemic kicked in. Many of them seek to buy cars, which adds fuel to the frenzy.
On their part, car sellers fan demand further by dangling promotions, or by telling consumers they should buy soon because COE prices will go higher. The latter becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when consumers are swayed by this fear tactic.

And speculation – which drove prices to insane levels three decades ago – may well have returned in a new form.
The premium for bigger and more powerful cars hit a new record of $120,889 at the latest tender on April 19. Its proxy, COE in the Open category (which remains transferable), also set a new high of $124,501. The COE for smaller, less powerful cars is likewise at a record $103,721 – well past a level which triggered the Monetary Authority of Singapore to reintroduce car loan curbs 10 years ago (which cooled prices immediately).
While this latest round of hikes could be attributed to expectations of another supply shrinkage in the May-July quota period, motor traders point to private-hire vehicle operators as one underlying driver of runaway prices.
From the time ride-hailing firms entered Singapore 10 years ago, the private-hire fleet has been growing aggressively. From just 16,396 in 2013, it reached a record 77,141 in 2019 – swelling nearly five times in just six years, grossly outpacing the overall car population growth of 1.5 per cent in the same period.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the private-hire fleet shrank to 67,990 in 2021.
Growth resumed thereafter, with the fleet hitting 72,632 at end-December 2022, and 73,982 at end-February 2023. This represents an 8.8 per cent growth from 2021, while the rest of the car population crept up by merely 0.1 per cent in the same time frame.
With tourism returning to pre-pandemic levels, and with no regulatory cap on private-hire fleet size in sight, operators will likely continue to grow their fleet.
There are points of similarity between private-hire firms and the speculators who drove COE prices to six-digit levels three decades ago.
One, they are able to pass higher cost to vehicle hirers (drivers). Two, they are able to dispose of unhired cars by converting them into normal cars and selling them as used vehicles. Three, the more vehicles they acquire, the fewer can be sold to individual consumers, which in turn sets the stage for higher demand for rental cars.
In short, they are able to mitigate their risks. In fact, the only real risk they face is when COE prices start to slide when the uptrend in supply comes (starting as early as next year). When this happens, they will be stuck with an expensive fleet of cars which they cannot rent out or resell.
Motorists currently driving private-hire cars because they are priced out of the car market by stratospheric COE rates will stop driving them when COEs return to saner levels. In that sense, it is in the interest of private-hire firms to keep bidding aggressively to keep premiums high for as long as possible.
Unlike 1994, the Government on its part, faces no revenue risk this time round. It has nonetheless been trying to cool the market.

In Budget 2023, far more punitive taxes were introduced for costlier cars – mostly those with bigger or more powerful engines or motors. This has worked to some degree. Since February, the price increase in COE for bigger, more powerful cars has been smaller (+14.6 per cent) than the increase in COE for smaller, less powerful cars (+20.6 per cent).
This has also partly to do with consumers switching to the cheaper category of cars, and sellers importing more models which qualify for the cheaper COE category.
The Land Transport Authority has also tweaked the supply formula twice since July 2022, first, by basing each quarter’s quota on deregistrations of the preceding two quarters, and then, in January, expanding it to deregistrations of the preceding four quarters. This is meant to reduce supply volatility.
This cooled the market briefly, but clearly more needs to be done.
Make a decisive policy change to treat private-hire cars like taxis since they serve the same role as taxis. Cap their fleet size. Have an age limit on private-hire cars. Ban the conversion of private-hire cars to normal cars – or at least stipulate a minimum no-conversion period. Demand that ride-hailing firms adopt a transparent fare structure – the way taxi and public transport fares are transparent.
Will this affect fares and service availability? Unlikely.
The recent hikes in point-to-point transport fares and longer waiting time had less to do with a dip in driver supply than with drivers tailoring their driving pattern to maximise fares, and platform owners looking to increase profit margins. After all, the point-to-point vehicle fleet is now at more than 60,000 – more than double the taxi fleet in 2012 (before private-hire firms arrived).
Separately, the drive towards cleaner cars may be indirectly driving COE prices up. Sellers are using part of the tax incentives to price their hybrid or electric cars in such a way that they secure a more decent profit margin. This way, they are able to outbid others – such as those selling cars without incentives – to secure more COEs.
There must be a way where Singapore can encourage the adoption of cleaner vehicles without inadvertently driving up cost of all vehicles. Some cities use methods such as preferential access to restricted areas and income tax offsets to drive the green initiative.

COE premium for smaller cars surges to $103,721; Open category hits all-time high of $124,501
Lastly, easy credit underpins all the factors cited above. While car loans are still restricted to 70 per cent of selling price and tenure limited to seven years, loopholes exist. One, cars bought on leasing plans do not have these restrictions. Two, sellers have been inflating list prices to overcome the curbs. Three, cars registered under companies – such as private-hire firms – do not have to observe the restrictions.
A quick glance at car advertisements will reveal a rash of “100% loan” and “zero downpayment” slogans. The Straits Times has highlighted these tactics for years, but they have not been stamped out.
Stratospheric COE prices have a trickle-down effect on prices of other goods and services, contributing to overall cost of living.
While the premiums may continue to rise for the next quarter or two, the cyclical upswing in supply slated to start in 2024-25, could see some natural easing. But by then, premiums may have reached $150,000.
A multi-agency effort may be needed to arrest this trend again.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Average Singaporean should have a decent chance of owning a car​

Apr 25, 2023

In the light of record-high certificate of entitlement prices (Soaring COE prices: What’s driving the insanity and when will it end?, April 24), I wonder if we are allocating a scarce resource efficiently. Even small cars are now beyond the reach of the average Singaporean.
Moreover, the high COE costs would have a trickle-down effect and be passed on in other ways such as taxi fares, the cost of rental cars and other forms of transportation, and business costs. This would contribute to the financial woes of Singaporeans.
I know of one resident in my estate who owns nine cars. The rich will continue buying more cars and leave them idle at home.
Is that the best use of a scarce resource? These resources could be put to better use by those who really need them, such as those who have to ferry children or the disabled.
There have been calls for measures to curb ownership of cars beyond the first car by making those with multiple cars pay more. These are worth considering, to come up with a system that can address the problem of average Singaporeans getting priced out of the market and the inflationary pressures from runaway COE prices.
The average Singaporean should have a decent chance of owning a car. I urge the Government to do something fast about the current COE system.

Charlie Tan

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

How about cutting the salaries of the town mayors to keep costs down?

Service and conservancy charges for HDB residents likely to go up​

Singapore's town councils are currently evaluating their finances to determine an appropriate increase in S&CC. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
Amelia Teng

Apr 30, 2023

SINGAPORE – Service and conservancy charges (S&CC) are likely to go up soon for Housing Board residents, but the Government will provide temporary support to cushion the impact on households.
Town councils here are currently evaluating their finances to determine an appropriate increase in S&CC, and more details will be provided after these deliberations are completed, coordinating chairman for PAP town councils Lim Biow Chuan told The Straits Times.
S&CC was last raised in 2017, with the hike of between $1 and $17 per month phased over two years. Such fees go towards estate cleaning, landscaping, refuse collection, pest control and maintenance of mechanical and electrical fixtures such as lifts and lights.
When the rates are adjusted, “time-limited, special funding support” will be given to help residents deal with the higher fees, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai on April 21.
Responding to queries from ST, Mr Lim said town councils have been facing increasing cost pressures over energy prices, maintenance costs and manpower costs. Some of these increases have been particularly sharp, such as for energy prices, which have risen by 23 per cent between 2018 and 2023, he said.
Lift maintenance costs have also increased due to higher labour costs for lift technicians and higher materials costs.
“With the implementation of the Progressive Wage Model to uplift low-wage workers, the town councils’ operational costs have also gone up due to increase in tender prices for conservancy cleaning contracts and horticulture contracts,” Mr Lim said.

“This increase in costs cannot be avoided if we want to support the lower-wage workers.”
Mr Lim, who is also MP for Mountbatten, stressed that PAP town councils have been careful in managing expenditure and constantly seek productivity improvements and cost savings.
“Town councils are grateful to the Ministry of National Development (MND) for providing regular grants for our operations, which help us maintain S&CC at a lower level than we otherwise would need to,” he added. Some $240 million in grants are provided to town councils each year to offset maintenance costs so that they do not fully fall on residents.
Mr Murali said a key concern is that maintenance costs for mature HDB estates will rise faster than for newer estates.
Based on the latest financial statements, he told ST that town councils that manage a substantial number of mature flats tend to “run operational deficits before accounting for government grants, which are admittedly quite substantial”.
“In mature estates, there are simply more things to maintain,” he said. “For example, it is not uncommon to see perimeter drains that have become misaligned or damaged due to soil subsidence or natural deterioration.”

ST contacted nearly all 17 town councils, run by either the People’s Action Party or the Workers’ Party, but they declined to comment or did not respond.
Observers such as National University of Singapore (NUS) business school professor Lawrence Loh said the confluence of global factors such as inflation and geopolitical tensions having raised the cost of materials and services meant a price alignment is necessary.
But it is critical to ensure that lower-income households are not hit hard by the fee adjustments, he said.
“Financial support and rebates should remain a mainstay of assistance schemes. Yet, we have to consider carefully if any changes should be locked in permanently so as not to affect long-term financial sustainability,” said Prof Loh, who is director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at NUS.
“It may be prudent to introduce time-bound or one-off additional measures initially while the picture of overall economic recovery and cost stabilisation becomes clearer.”
Manpower costs are likely to be a strong driver behind the impending hike, said Singapore Management University’s associate professor of law Eugene Tan. He noted that wages have been rising after little to no wage adjustment during the pandemic years of 2020 to 2022.
Even so, there is always a question over whether S&CC hikes can be deferred or be smaller, given that town councils have operational surpluses, he said. “Furthermore, some residents are of the view that standards of estate maintenance have not improved, and so the hike in charges is less acceptable.”
Given additional funding from MND, some residents may also find the higher charges puzzling, Prof Tan added.
In its April parliamentary reply, MND said the Government had provided additional funding to town councils in May 2022 to help them manage steep cost increases caused by factors such as the pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the global supply crunch.
The money would go towards projects under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC). CIPC funds are typically used for facilities such as covered walkways, footpaths, cycling tracks and playgrounds.
The Government gives out rebates in its annual Budget to offset the S&CC. Depending on flat type, Singaporean households will receive between 1½ and 3½ months of rebates in 2023.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

With zero car-growth and rising incomes, COE prices will trend upwards: Iswaran​

Singapore will prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, and reduce the need for private cars, says Transport Minister S Iswaran.

Transport Minister S Iswaran speaks in parliament on May 8, 2023.

Chew Hui Min​

@ChewHuiMinCNA
08 May 2023

SINGAPORE: With Singapore’s policy of zero-growth in the car population and as household incomes rise, Certificates of Entitlement (COE) premiums are expected to trend upwards, said Transport Minister S Iswaran in parliament on Monday (May 8).
“Fundamentally, the COE prices reflect demand for a limited and falling supply of COEs,” Mr Iswaran said in a ministerial statement responding to parliamentary questions on the COE system.
He noted that demand for vehicles has remained "resilient", especially as the economy recovers after COVID-19. Incomes have also been rising over the long term, and the ratio of COE price to median monthly household income has fallen.
“As household incomes continue to rise in the coming years, coupled with our policy of zero-growth in the car population, we must expect the long-term trajectory for COE prices to be upwards,” said Mr Iswaran.
Even as he announced new measures to raise the COE quota for cars in categories A and B over the next few quarters, Mr Iswaran stressed that mass public transport is at the core of Singapore’s transport strategy and the country is moving towards a “car-lite” future.
“As we seek to improve the efficiency of the COE system with these measures that we have already undertaken over the years, we should not lose sight of our goal of becoming a car-lite society with accessible and inclusive transport for all Singaporeans,” he concluded.

Ten Members of Parliament had asked more than 20 questions about rising COE premiums, which have hit record highs in recent bidding exercises. Category A premiums for smaller cars, for instance, surpassed the S$100,000 mark in April.
A number of MPs asked about the reasons behind the rise in COE prices and the impact of demand from private hire companies. MPs asked if a cap can be imposed on the number of private hire cars, and if foreigners or households with multiple vehicles have driven up demand for cars.
MPs were also concerned that those who need cars, such as households with children and the elderly, as well as people who rely on cars for their livelihood, will be priced out.

CAR-LITE FUTURE​

Mr Iswaran set the context by pointing out that Singapore has two key constraints when it comes to land transport - land and carbon emissions.
Roads occupy 12 per cent of land area for 7 million journeys a day, while the rail network, taking up less than 1 per cent of land surface, serves around 3 million journeys a day, he said.
The land transport system also accounts for 15 per cent of Singapore’s total domestic carbon emissions, and it must be reduced if Singapore is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Mr Iswaran said Singapore will prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, and reduce the need for private cars.
“This is the ‘car-lite’ future that we envisage as we plan and redevelop our precincts,” said Mr Iswaran
Responding to the questions on COEs for private hire cars, Mr Iswaran said that for the last four years, the number of private hire cars has remained at about 10 per cent of the total car population and has averaged around 70,000 since 2019.
“While COE prices have been rising over the past several quarters, demand from PHC companies has in fact been moderating,” said Mr Iswaran.
The minister added that shared transport, including car-sharing services, allows for more efficient and inclusive use of roads, as compared with individually owned private cars. He thus cautioned against imposing any “arbitrary cap” on the private hire car population.
“That said, PHCs are a relatively new development ... and COVID-19 has caused some disruption in the market. We are studying this further to ascertain the effect of PHCs, if there is any impact, on the market,” Mr Iswaran said.

SMOOTHENING COE SUPPLY​

Addressing questions on improving the COE system for both cars and motorcycles, Mr Iswaran pointed to how the system has been adjusted over time.
"On the whole, the system continues to serve our policy objective of efficiently allocating the limited supply of COEs," he said.
In response to questions from two MPs, Mr Iswaran said that the proportion of car COEs secured by foreigners remains low - at less than 3 per cent - and has not changed significantly over the years.
He also gave statistics about households that own multiple cars, saying that over the past decade, the proportion has been steadily declining from about 19 per cent of households in 2012 to less than 15 per cent today.

He said last November that of the 471,000 households that own cars, 12 per cent own two cars and less than 3 per cent own three or more cars.
Mr Iswaran explained that as COE supply is determined by car de-registrations in preceding quarters, which has been low of late, the Transport Ministry decided to introduce measures to reduce volatility in the quota.
Instead of considering just the preceding quarter, the ministry now uses the moving average of de-registrations in the four preceding quarters to compute COE quotas.
While he expects the COE supply to start increasing in the coming months as more cars reach the 10-year mark when owners consider de-registering their vehicles, LTA will also take steps to re-distribute the supply from five-year COEs due to expire in the next projected supply peak, to further reduce volatility.
“There will still be a degree of supply fluctuation due to historical factors and broader market conditions,” Mr Iswaran said.
“Second, the long term upward trend of COE prices due to rising incomes and zero vehicle population growth will not abate.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Whistleblower calls out alleged unfair hiring practices in Singapore banking industry​

By
Terry Xu
-
May 19, 2023
167

An anonymous whistleblower, working in the banking sector, has voiced serious concerns over senior staff appointments within Citibank’s Singapore branch from India, suggesting that the bank may be overlooking potentially viable local candidates.
The whistleblower, who chose to stay anonymous due to job security concerns in her present local bank, detailed alleged instances of favoritism at Citibank. She drew inspiration from a GRAB delivery rider who openly challenged the issue of foreigners displacing Singaporeans in the job market. Despite disagreeing with his approach, she commended his determination in confronting such biases.
According to her source, the Global Functions head, operating from Citibank’s Changi Business Park, had recruited two Senior Vice Presidents (SVPs) from India. She noted that these SVPs continued to recruit more India-based staff, to work in India for the Global Functions Head in Singapore.
“This cronyism needs to stop. Singaporeans need to start reporting on these abuses of power,” the whistleblower stressed.
Her contact’s concern heightened when one of the Indian SVPs, having served Citibank India for two years and 11 months – of which eight months was as SVP, was transferred to Singapore in February 2023, which incurred significantly higher costs than their original salary in India.
The bank, however, did not advertise the position or interview any local candidates, which seemed contradictory – to the whistleblower – to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP)’s recommendations.
She highlighted, “The salary of a typical SVP in Singapore is around 20,000 SGD p/mth. This transfer is blatant cronyism in its simplest form.”
However, under current regulations, a company does not have to advertise the position if it is an intra-company transfer from overseas. Such transfers also do not affect the company’s quota for foreign staff.

It should also be noted that the fixed monthly salary of the job position is more than S$20,000, it too will be exempted from the requirement to advertise job vacancies on the Singapore jobs search portal MyCareersFuture.sg.
Despite her attempts to escalate these issues through Citibank’s Ethics website, she was disappointed by the lack of substantial response. Her concerns over anonymity were also heightened as she was directed to reach out to a specific Citibank representative for more details.
“All of the CEOs in the companies pretend to have a sizeable local demographic of permanent staff when there is also a sizeable foreign demographic of contract staff. I have been in both banking and non-banking companies and heard many stories from friends in especially the banking sector,” said the whistleblower.
“Changi Business Park is the worst case because about 3/4 of the employees there are not local. In all celebratory functions, the locals are the minority and it is very visible. For contract staff, who are majority not local, their employment agencies are all from India. Tata Consultancy Services, Virtusa, Larsen and Toubro, Nityo Infotech, HCL, etc.”
“You can see how easy it is for an Indian to come to Singapore and get a job through a contract role and work their way up to a permanent position. If Singaporeans just take an MRT to Expo MRT station in the morning on weekdays and just have a coffee near the bus stop there, your eyes will be opened wide. It is like you are in a different country”
She noted that the influx of foreign talents began in the early 2000s, and two decades later, one would expect that locals, after gaining the requisite skills and experience, would occupy top IT positions and manage these foreign professionals. However, contrary to expectations, it’s the foreign talents who continue to dominate top management positions, overseeing both their foreign peers and local staff.
The whistleblower expressed her deep-rooted concerns about the current situation and the future of the banking sector in Singapore, saying, “If this is the future of Singapore, I’m just biding my time to migrate to another country that values me. Being a PR in this country is sufficient enough to enjoy the fruits of labour of the country’s prosperity and success”
When asked about the possibility of Singaporeans not being able to fill up the position and therefore requiring the intra-transfer, the whistleblower said she does not believe that Singaporeans cannot do the job that the SVP can do.

The whistleblower provided several reasons to support her allegations:

1. Firstly, she pointed out that the new Senior Vice President graduated from a university in a third-world country – her Masters degree also from an unrenowned institution. She suggested that it’s implausible that a Singaporean graduate from a top-rated local university couldn’t perform her job for a S$20,000 salary. Particularly considering that the role is a typical project manager position. For perspective, the SVP’s university ranks #521-530 in the QS World University Rankings 2023, whereas the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) occupy the 11th and 19th spots, respectively.
2. The whistleblower questioned the true intentions behind her transfer to Singapore. She was able to manage her work remotely from India during the pandemic, however, transferring to Singapore effectively doubled her salary and burdening projects with unnecessary costs when that funding could have been allocated to local support for the projects. Instead, corporate transfers occur seemingly without hindrance, driving up costs such as housing rental and living expenses. These individuals can maintain their cost of living comfortably with a S$20k salary. If she sets a precedent for this department, she warns, it will inevitably lead to similar transfers from the rest of the Indian team under this new Global Functions Head.
3. Lastly, she voiced concerns about Singaporeans not being given the opportunity to showcase their capabilities as job positions are not being advertised. The whistleblower shared personal experiences of applying for jobs in banks like Citi, DBS, Standard Chartered only to be told that most of the positions are already filled. She claimed that these banks simply post the positions online on platforms like LinkedIn and MyCareersFuture.sg to comply with regulations, but in her view, this is simply a façade in Singapore’s context. To add to the insult, she claimed, local human resource executives are unwittingly participating in this show. They source local candidates, prompt them to apply for the positions, conduct interviews, only to waste the candidates’ time because the hiring managers have already selected their foreign candidates.

Meanwhile, the banks in question, including Citibank, have publicly denied such allegations of unfair hiring in the past.
Looking back, then-Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Tharman Shanmugaratnam stressed in 2013 the need for Singaporeans to secure top banking jobs.
Mr Tharman said, “It’s making sure there is a good spread of opportunities for Singaporeans within the different banking functions.”
Even as the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) pledged to cultivate a “Singaporean core” in the financial industry, calling for the financial institutions here that they must commit to growing the local talent pool in 2020, the whistleblower argues that the issue persists.
The whistleblower also expresses frustration over the difficulty of broaching this subject in Parliament or the media due to the immediate accusations of racism and xenophobia.
The whistleblower questions, “How can we bring attention to and tackle this matter without being accused of xenophobia or racism?”
Citibank has been approached multiple times by TOC regarding the intra-transfer hire, but the attempts have been met with redirections to different departments and a lack of concrete responses.

The anonymous whistleblower’s concerns highlight the pressing issue of the need for fair and equitable hiring practices within Singapore’s banking sector.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]