Chitchat Why Jamus Lim join Workers' Party ?

[jw5]

Jamus Lim​

11 h ·

The Workers' Party​

20 h ·
During his address in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 7), MP Jamus Lim asserted that Singapore's reserves are owned by the people, not the Government. He emphasized that the Government serves as a custodian of these reserves, entrusted with the responsibilities of management, growth, and distribution.
Jamus highlighted that transparency is essential as it respects the rights of the owners to be informed about their assets and ensures real-time accountability of the reserves. He questioned the current practice of concealing the portfolio assets of Temasek and GIC, stating that it contradicts this principle.

Assoc Prof Lim underscored the necessity for consultation, advocating for collective decision-making regarding the utilization of reserves with full transparency. He emphasized the importance of informed national discourse to determine the optimal use of reserves, including the Net Investment Returns Contribution and the principal amount. He condemned the lack of fair discussion on savings in a democratic society, rejecting vague assurances of government prudence and dismissing criticisms of altering reserve usage as charges of fiscal irresponsibility. He emphasized the critical need for a review to comprehend the significance of managing the people's finances effectively.
#wpsg #makeyourvotecount

 

[jw5]

Jamus joined in Lunar New Year celebrations.

Jamus Lim​

2 d ·
Over the past weekend, the #SengkangGRC Lunar New Year celebrations continued at #Anchorvale, with a (vegetarian) lunch and various elements of pomp and circumstance: the customary lion dance, handouts of angpows and oranges, and a lucky draw.
The lunch was for the benefit of less-fortunate families in our neighborhood. During a festive time, it is sometimes easy to overlook how, while some are enjoying abundance and plenty, there are others who are trying hard to get by. Many families have a tradition of eating overnight rice on the first day of the new year, a tradition to hope for continued provision, year after year. But for certain households, it is a daily or weekly struggle. We should never forget these ones in our midst.
Massive thanks to the Dana Citta Buddhist Society 喜舍佛学会, for their many contributions to the event. And, as always, a shout out to all the #TeamSengkang volunteers, who took time off their busy schedules to make things happen.

 

[jw5]

Jamus sends CNY greetings: 祝大家新年快乐，万事如意，心想事成，龙年大吉!

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·
One of the wonderful things that one gets to enjoy walking around #SengkangGRC at this time of the year are the decorations that residents have put up. Some have gone as far as to put in energy and effort into doing up common spaces, which naturally lends a festive atmosphere and really helps get one into the mood. Here are some sights captured around the #Anchorvale neighborhood that I’ve encountered. 祝大家新年快乐，万事如意，心想事成，龙年大吉!

 

[jw5]

Jamus rounded up his annual all-estate walk.

Jamus Lim​

3 d ·
This morning, I rounded up my annual all-estate walk for #Anchorvale and the part of #Compassvale that is under my charge (we started early yesterday morning). It was an exhausting 43,000 steps or so, but it’s usually worthwhile. As I’ve shared before, this was inspired by Mr Low Thia Khiang’s tradition of doing so, and is also the way that I touch base with the estate team directly about municipal concerns, updates, and upgrades (our weekly estate walk is usually performed with #TeamSengkang volunteers, rather than town council staff).
Almost all precincts in #Anchorvale—and indeed much of #SengkangGRC town—will undergo (or have recently completed) repair and redecoration (R&R) works over the course of this year, and the next. This is something that many residents are looking forward to, and I’m glad that we’ve not only been able to move the process along, but also take on board significant resident feedback during the process. We will continue to incorporate as many suggestions as possible before it’s all said and done, so please do reach out if you have more to share.
Here’s wishing everyone a joyful reunion dinner with their families. My contribution will be salmon curry, but I’m looking forward to the other Peranakan delights other family members will be bringing along!

 

[jw5]

Jamus poses with a happy family.

 

[jw5]

Jamus is concerned about reserves.

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·
Reserves are the endowments of our nation, which result from forgone consumption when we are taxed more than we receive back in benefits, or forced to save more than we would like, or made to accept a weaker purchasing power of our currency. As such, reserves belong to us, the people; not to the government of the day, not to any ministry or agency, and not to any political party. Since they are our money, they should follow some basic principles: transparency (people should know what they own), accountability (the steward of our money needs to tell us what they’re doing with it), and consultation (we should be able to have a mature conversation over how our money is to be spent, rather than being told in a high-handed way than we should just trust whatever the government is doing). #makingyourvotecount

 

[jw5]

Jamus explains why the PAP government appears to be so kind.

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·
Today, the government will announce details of #Budget2024. There are lots of wish-lists floating around, including hopes for more funding for SMEs, changes to the property tax regime, improved wage support, and more sustainability initiatives.
This occurs against a fragile economic backdrop. Since peaking from the post-pandemic rebound, growth has dropped sharply, with the latest revision pegging the 2023 GDP expansion at 1.1 percent. Inflation has also remained higher than what the MAS would like. Perhaps more crucially, global conditions do not seem supportive. China is struggling with its real estate implosion, the Euro Area and Japan are probably is recession, and it’s unclear whether the U.S. economy can continue to defy expectations and keep expanding. With many Singaporeans struggling, it’s unsurprising that the government has unveiled multiple cost-of-living packages, including one for a Majulah generation (born before 1973), the details of which we should be getting more clarity on today.
It’s perhaps useful to remember that this is occurring amidst bumper tax revenue. Which isn’t entirely surprising; taxes are typically collected as a percentage, and as inflation has bumped up the prices of everything, it’ll automatically boost tax receipts, too. That’s why we should keep in mind that it’s not out of government largesse that these packages are being rolled out. Not rebating these surpluses would amount to a stealth tax increase, which is a terrible thing to do when the economy remains weak. So it’s not so much about the “giving-chicken-wings-and-taking-back-chickens” trope. Giving back to the people what they’ve paid in higher taxes as a result of inflation only restores them to where they would otherwise have been. That’s something to keep in mind as we listen to the goodies handed out today. They aren’t so much about generosity or prudent spending or even a desire to buy support. It’s simply a moral imperative. #makingyourvotecount

 

[jw5]

Jamus invites you for a one-day trip to Johore.

Jamus Lim​

23 h ·
Come join #TeamSengkang for a one-day trip to Johor. The #SengkangGRC Constituency Committee is organizing a tour of a fruit farm, a scenic Buddhist sanctuary, and—of course—a mall, so everyone can get their requisite shopping fix. Tickets will go on sale at our meet-the-people session locations, commencing this coming Monday. Hope you’ll consider joining us!

 

[jw5]

Jamus continues house visits.

Jamus Lim​

4 d ·
These past couple of weeks, our #TeamSengkang house visits took us to 309B and (half of) 311A #Anchorvale. While many were in a festive mood, I also had more somber conversations, about issues and challenges faced in financing healthcare.
Two conversations stayed with me. One was with a resident who had a spouse that was ill. She shared the struggles that the couple had faced in trying to obtain financial assistance from the state. Despite working with a medical social worker over an extended period, she still felt—as a middle-class household—that the amount of support rendered was not only insufficient to cover the expenses they faced, it was also very hard to come by. In the end, while she was able to jump through the necessary hoops and secure some help, she observed that (in her own words), “she had to fight very long and hard, for not that much money.”
Another resident shared a similar story, about an elderly couple that were working in his company. Their combined income just barely crossed the threshold for substantial financial support (in the form of a blue CHAS card). In earlier years, the resident had been able to successfully appeal on the couples’ behalf—they were illiterate—and they received the card anyway. But he said that this year, the red tape was more burdensome, which prompted the couple to just give up in exasperation.
While it makes sense for the government to be responsible with public monies, I’m of the view that we should be careful not to err too far the other way. Excessively taxing procedures strike at the dignity of those asking for help, and can put folks off the process altogether. #SengkangGRC

 

[jw5]

Jamus poses with a happy family.

 

[jw5]

Jamus remembers his father.

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·
Today is the silver anniversary of my father’s passing. In 1999, the day that he left us was also 人日, celebrated by many Chinese as “everyone’s birthday.” It was a tragic loss for our family, but a reminder that the circle of life rolls on, regardless.
We went through a box of his old stuff, this morning. Other than uncovering photos of me in my childhood and teenage years (oh, to be young again!), we also found this photo of him, which was probably taken when he was about my age now. As one of the region’s better sound engineers, he had recorded many an artiste during his time, including the singer Tracy Huang (who’s the glamorous-looking lady in the middle, beside my mom).
Unlike Tracy, Dad had chosen not to continue his promising musical career in Taiwan, where he had received an offer after the studio that hired him in Singapore shut down. He wanted his kids to grow up speaking English, and he felt that relocating to Taiwan would compromise that. So our young family stayed put, and while he would go on to form one business enterprise after another, none of them ever became very distinguished (he wasn’t a great businessman—insufficiently calculating—a trait that I probably inherited).
Twenty five years is a long time, but nobody ever really gets used to losing their loved ones. As we remember his death, we can also celebrate his life, and the sacrifices that he—like so many parents—make for the sake of a better future for their children.
Tired stone, thinning wool, and the tarnishing of silver
The wheels of time grind down
But fine wine and diamonds and smooth supple leather
Are polished by sands of many years past
Like our memories of you

 

[jw5]

Jamus distributed oranges.

Jamus Lim​

2 d ·
Last weekend, #TeamSengkang hit coffeeshops and hawker centers in #SengkangGRC, to distribute oranges and wish our residents a happy and prosperous Lunar New Year.
The gifting of oranges—meant to symbolize wealth and abundance (in addition to looking like gold ingots, the Cantonese and Hokkien words for orange are also homonyms for gold)—is a common sight during this time of the year. And of course, the associated blessings are not limited to monetary ones; health, happiness, and success (in whatever endeavors one sets one’s mind to) just as much constitute parts of a full and meaningful life.
That evening, we continued the festivities (and orange gifting—you can see a theme here) with a resident-led initiative at #Compassvale, which included the traditional lion dance, and a sit-down dinner (with entertainment, including a singing act by our very own Chua Kheng Wee 蔡庆威). Thanks to all volunteers who helped make the activity-packed weekend happen; as always, we couldn’t have done it without you guys!

 

[jw5]

Jamus Lim​

1 h ·

The Workers' Party​

3 h ·

In his speech in response to this year’s Budget, MP Jamus Lim spoke about the importance of preparing our businesses, workers, and students for an AI era. He reviewed initiatives proposed in Budget 2024 in light of how AI will upend some of our traditional assumptions and hitherto successful policies.
#wpsg #makeyourvotecount #sgbudget2024

 

[jw5]

Jamus asks for permission to speak to resident.

 

[jw5]

Jamus will be walking instead of running.

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·
Unfortunately, the #SengkangGRC MPs will be involved in (yet more) Chinese New Year dinners this weekend, hence our monthly #RiverRun will have to be cancelled for this coming Saturday. I’ll still be planning our regular weekend estate walk and coffeeshop visit, so hopefully I’ll catch you around elsewhere in the neighborhood this weekend! #TeamSengkang

 

[jw5]

Jamus spoke about AI.

Jamus Lim​

4 h ·
Although artificial intelligence (AI) may seem like an abstract, sci-fi, highfalutin development, the reality is that it will touch every aspect of our lives. More important, it will alter the traditional way that our businesses operate, our workers labor, and our students learn. It is this indirect impact—of AI as a general purpose technology—that will upend our lives more than anything else. Imagine your life today without electricity, or getting about without an engine, or life without the computers that power our phones and systems. The difference will be profound. This gives us a glimpse of the transformative power of AI, and we need to be aware of this. I spoke about AI in my #Budget2024 speech, and here are some key excerpts. #makingyourvotecount

 

[jw5]

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·

The Workers' Party​

1 d ·
()
In his cut for the Ministry of Health, Sengkang MP Jamus Lim offered three suggestions for improving transition care capacity in an aging economy: ramping urgent care offerings, improving incentives for transition care at home, and ensuring that nonprofit facilities retains operational flexibility for those adopting the model.
#wpsg #makeyourvotecount #SGBudget2024 #parliament #healthcaresg

 

[jw5]

Jamus continues house visits.

Jamus Lim​

5 d ·
For house visits last week and this, we wrapped up the remainder of 311A and most of 311B #Anchorvale; the weekend also brought us to the 215C coffeeshop. We met many young families, which isn’t unusual in #SengkangGRC. The town has many features catering to kids—in addition to the waterpark and many varied playgrounds, there is a garden maze in #Rivervale, the #Compassvale sculpture park, and kid-friendly malls, including the new one at #Buangkok.
Sometimes, residents raise concerns about safety-related elements, which—given the number of young residents we have—we take seriously. Most of these do involve coordination with national agencies, such as HDB or LTA. While these agencies may not always pursue the remedies residents hope for (usually for justifiable reasons that may not be immediately apparent), in my experience, they do take our feedback seriously. So do reach out if there’s any newly-emergent or longstanding issue you’ve encountered, and we’ll work on bringing by the necessary attention to the matter.
Other times, it’s the little things that matter. One father shared with us that Kopitiam Square did not have child seats (we’ve since reached out to them to provide this feedback). As a father of a young child, I know how a simple matter like this could be the difference between a happy child and a disgruntled one, which in turn affects their ability to enjoy the meal (and of course, the ability of us parents to also enjoy said meal).
Family is an immensely important part of life, and #TeamSengkang will continue to work on making the town as family-friendly as possible. Let us know if there’s more we can do.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbi...hg4vSuY6azF9D-fr93OS25Vt_MnVetKJ&__tn__=*bH-R

 

[jw5]

Jamus chats with a father and daughter.

 

[jw5]

Jamus chats with an elderly couple.