Chitchat Why Jamus Lim join Workers' Party ?

[jw5]

Jamus is concerned about the elderly.

Jamus Lim​

1 hr ·
One of the sights that many Singaporeans (and foreigners, for that matter) are shocked by is the large number of elderly who continue to work, even into their twilight years. Many perform menial tasks, which are ill-suited to their advanced years. You’ve seen them. They’re in our fast-food restaurants, our coffeeshops, our estates. Some do so because they went to occupy their time, and to remain engaged in society. But there are many others that work because they have to, to make ends meet.
In most high-income countries, this is unheard of. Sure, there are the poor, and homeless, and some of them are elderly. But these are usually folks who have gotten there because they have fallen out of the system (often because of addiction or mental illness). Our working aged are undoubtedly still part of the system. But the system doesn’t do enough to help them out. It stresses the importance of keeping government lean, which isn’t a bad thing, per se. Yet it does so to the detriment of the more vulnerable.
The #workersparty believes that more can be done to help these groups in society. Indeed, a good part of our manifesto proposes programs that lend greater support to the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. These strive for a more compassionate society. One such proposal is to make transportation free for the elderly and disabled. This can have positive benefits for their wellness, encourage their labor force participation (if they do wished), and promote environmental sustainability to boot.
Of course, free of charge doesn’t mean free of cost, and we recognize that. This was Transport Minister Iswaran’s principal objection: that the program would be costly, and hence borne by someone. This is correct. As we discussed during our budget debates, there are many additional levers for raising revenue. But even if we didn’t wish to go so far, so long as we buy the principle, there are many options for limiting the budgetary impact of the scheme. For instance, we could limit it to the disabled and most elderly (say, those above 80) among us. Or we could allow them to ride during off-peak periods, when there is spare capacity anyway (and we only forgo revenue).
There are, of course, those who object to the principle altogether, and ask why the elderly are more deserving of government generosity (or largesse, if one is particularly snarky) than any other group, as opposed to, say, the poor. There are (at least) three distinct arguments for supporting the elderly: first, they have contributed comparatively more, over time, to the existing system; second, they are generally less able to work to generate income; and third, even with savings, they live off fixed incomes. One may still say: why should the taxpayer subsidize the elderly, regardless of their wealth? But the notion that there are rich old people who would go around abusing this plan by taking free bus rides is just plain silly. In reality, only the less well-to-do will tend to do so.
As Singapore seeks to more inclusivity in its public transporting system (with barrier-free access, or priority boarding and seating), we should not forget the simplest inclusion of all: ensuring access to transport for those who cannot afford it. An inclusive and caring society can do more to offer our elderly the dignity to move around our beautiful city, free of charge, during their twilight years. Let them ride free. #makingyourvotecount

 

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Jamus continues house visits.

Jamus Lim​

9 hrs ·
This week, our house visits closed out 302A #Anchorvale, and because we received quite a bit of feedback over conservancy matters, we also decided to schedule our estate walks in the cluster. I was glad to see that a number of issues that I had raised—like an extra incense burner, given the impending arrival of Qing Ming—had already been fulfilled, and I was already pleasantly surprised to see that our efforts to upgrade the estate maintenance equipment and technology was also bearing fruit; see the dude in the background on the lawn tractor!
We rounded off our visit to the 303 coffeeshop, where we caught up with residents having brekkie. Their concerns were decidedly about bread-and-butter matters: the rising cost of living and implications of GST, the long wait for BTO housing necessitating costly interim rentals, and the challenges of securing a job that paid the bills. As I assured them, we will continue to make their voices heard in Parliament, and when necessary, we send letters on their behalf to government agencies to appeal for assistance. #TeamSengkang #SengkangGRC

 

[jw5]

Jamus posing with a father and his baby.

 

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Jamus takes a selfie.

 

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Jamus asks for permission to enter.

 

[jw5]

Jamus addresses young students.

Jamus Lim​

42 mins ·
This past Saturday, I had the honor of addressing young students in economics, enroute to A levels, on the topic of #Budget2022. I took on a number of very piercing questions: on how to think about the expenditure share of net investment returns contribution, about the viability of wealth taxation, whether drawing on part of land sales income required constitutional amendments, and what role R&D credits would play under the BEPS framework.
Incredibly, the nature of the questions posed were more in-depth and thoughtful than what I often get in interviews, social media exchanges, and (I hesitate to say) even what we manage to get into in Parliament! All credit to the students, who clearly came prepared to dive into the nitty-gritty of fiscal matters. As I always share during such discussions, we do not need to come to an agreement—indeed, for many public policies, reasonable people can disagree—but I was both heartened and impressed by the willingness and ability of these teenagers to engage in debate over economic policy. This bodes very well for the future of our polity.
Thanks to Eugene Toh (Economics at TuitionGenius) for the invitation, and the opportunity to share. For those who are interested, a recording of the proceedings may be found here: https://youtu.be/4xlMx2sVcVs

 

[jw5]

from msn.com:

Jamus Lim: Notion that rich elderly would abuse free bus, train rides ‘just plain silly’​

In a Facebook post on Sunday (Mar 20), Professor Jamus Lim explained further his recent proposal in Parliament to provide free public transportation for the elderly and for people with disabilities.

© The Independent Singapore
He wrote that the objection some might have that the wealthy among the elderly would abuse this privilege is “just plain silly.”
Seeing “the large number of elderly who continue to work, even into their twilight years” has come as a “shock” to many Singaporeans and even foreigners, the Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC wrote.

“Many perform menial tasks, which are ill-suited to their advanced years. You’ve seen them. They’re in our fast-food restaurants, our coffeeshops, our estates.”

© The Independent Singapore
And while some work in order to stay productive, “there are many others that work because they have to, to make ends meet,” he added.


This is unheard of in most high-income countries, with exceptions for those who have “fallen out of the system (often because of addiction or mental illness).”

But in Singapore “working aged are undoubtedly still part of the system.”

The MP, an associate professor of Economics at ESSEC Business School, added that “the system doesn’t do enough to help them out.”

Instead, the government has stressed “the importance of keeping government lean,” which Prof Lim says is not necessarily a negative, except when this is done to the disadvantage of more vulnerable people in society.

“The #workersparty believes that more can be done to help these groups in society. Indeed, a good part of our manifesto proposes programs that lend greater support to the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. These strive for a more compassionate society.

One such proposal is to make transportation free for the elderly and disabled. This can have positive benefits for their wellness, encourage their labor force participation (if they do wished), and promote environmental sustainability to boot.”

He wrote that Transport Minister S Iswaran had argued that the proposal would be costly, which Prof Lim acknowledged.

But the WP MP noted the “many additional levers for raising revenue” to help fund the proposal.

He added that “even if we didn’t wish to go so far, so long as we buy the principle, there are many options for limiting the budgetary impact of the scheme.”

Some examples for this would be to limit the scheme to persons with disabilities and seniors above the age of 80 or give them free rides on public transport during off-peak hours.

© The Independent Singapore
But some people, he added, are those who altogether oppose the principle and ask why the elderly deserve government aid more than other groups, including the poor.

“There are (at least) three distinct arguments for supporting the elderly: first, they have contributed comparatively more, over time, to the existing system; second, they are generally less able to work to generate income; and third, even with savings, they live off fixed incomes.”

Prof Lim also wrote that some may wonder why taxpayers should subsidize the elderly, who may be wealthy.

His answer: “The notion that there are rich old people who would go around abusing this plan by taking free bus rides is just plain silly. In reality, only the less well-to-do will tend to do so.”

The most important thing, he added, is that “we should not forget the simplest inclusion of all: ensuring access to transport for those who cannot afford it. An inclusive and caring society can do more to offer our elderly the dignity to move around our beautiful city, free of charge, during their twilight years. Let them ride free.”

 

[jw5]

Jamus wants to encourage bike lanes.

Jamus Lim​

14 hrs ·
When I lived in DC, I used to bike, as my primarily means of transportation. I started off doing it as a form of exercise, but eventually, it just became far more compelling to ride, since it would get me anywhere within a five-mile radius faster than any other mode. I would ride, through rain and shine, and the seasons (my threshold was around -9 degrees C, below which it was simply too darn cold, and I would take the metro instead). Thankfully, my workplace had locker and shower facilities. By riding as a form of commute, I became more attuned to things most would overlook. Like the hilliness of the terrain (huff huff). Or the routes with the fewest traffic lights. Or those with bike lanes, which afforded both smoother travel alongside safety.
One feature that is missing in the riding culture here is sufficient recognition that bikers, despite their slower speeds, are vehicles, with the same rights and responsibilities as cars or buses or trucks when they ply the roads. I only learned to dismount on pavements, after being warned sternly by a police officer that it was not permissible to ride on them. I also learned to respect traffic signals while on the road, after another one almost issued a ticket for running a stop sign. Changing such cultures, even when backed by the force of law, takes time. In the meantime, I think there are ways to improve the safety of pedestrians and riders alike, especially within our estates, where PCNs don’t reach.
That’s where bike lanes, carved out of existing roads, come in. Paint a bike lane, that bikers exiting the PCN can use to get home. When unused, cars can drive over them. But when used, it designates clear spaces for each (and forces cars to slow down). Cars not respecting the bike lanes when they are being utilized can be reported, and face stiff penalties, even when there is no accident that results. This better protects riders, and can cut down on road rage incidents. But it also protects pedestrians, who would otherwise have to contend with bicyclists riding on the pavement, or through walkways at the void decks of blocks.
It need not be rolled out everywhere. Pilot the scheme on a few lower-traffic roads, in collaboration with the town council. Paint the lanes a different color. Allow PMDs to use these lanes. Grow awareness before scaling up.
We believe this can benefit estates, like #SengkangGRC, where there are young families, many who ride quite often. Hopefully this will be a step toward improving their experience, and changing bike culture in Singapore. #makingyourvotecount

 

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Jamus disagrees that wealth taxes are impractical.

Jamus Lim​

Yesterday at 17:34 ·
Last week, there was a forum letter posted about wealth taxes in the Straits Times. The letter writer explained why he felt that wealth taxes were impractical, reiterating a number of common objections. The #workersparty disagrees, of course, and we carefully laid out explanations for why the different points made were either incorrect or incomplete. The original letter can be found here: https://www.straitstimes.com/.../forum-several-technical...
We had drafted a detailed response, but space limitations meant that our full rebuttal could not be published. But the nutshell of our arguments are: (1) pricing assets for taxation is not impossible, since wealth is mostly valued in public markets these days; (2) the notion that wealth taxes are not preferred rests on the presence of other capital asset taxes (of which Singapore has none); (3) while evasion is possible, there are mechanisms—like a one-off tax or offering the rich more agency over how their taxes are deployed—that could reduce such avoidance; (4) even if wealth taxes reduce investment in favor of consumption, this still generates jobs and economic activity; (5) collection costs of a wealth tax are likely to be recoverable. You may read our abridged letter here: https://www.straitstimes.com/.../forum-modest-wealth-tax...
While there is certainly virtue to being prudent and realistic, we should not allow rationalizations to become a crutch that prematurely rules out public policies that may seem impossible at first glance. Wealth taxes are a solvable problem, and their implementation can help address the rising inequality in our country. #makingyourvotecount

 

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