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Chitchat Why Jamus Lim join Workers' Party ?
- Thread starter batman1
- Start date
Jamus was delighted to join Rahayu Mahzam (Ministry of Health, Singapore and Ministry of Law, Singapore) and Nazhath Faheema (Hash.peace) on a panel on the Singapore Core at the Singapore Undergraduate Policy Conference. 
This past weekend, I was delighted to join Rahayu Mahzam (Ministry of Health, Singapore and Ministry of Law, Singapore) and Nazhath Faheema (Hash.peace) on a panel on the Singapore Core at the Singapore Undergraduate Policy Conference. The session touched on not just what we understand to be a “Singaporean Core,” but also how to bolster that core, through frameworks and infrastructure, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability.
I was happy to offer policy ideas on how I felt we could advance these objectives through advance planning in transport and housing infrastructure (while managing external pressures from being a globalized city), building a commitment to national identity (by ensuring that expansions of this Singaporean core maintains a level playing field between current locals and aspiring ones), and crafting a sustainable transition plan (not only via individual changes in our habits as consumers, but by helping our workers secure green and new-economy jobs, post-retraining).
Thanks to the organizing team at the NUS Political Science Society for the invitation, and to Desiree Wee for capably facilitating the panel!
Jamus Lim
11 hrs ·This past weekend, I was delighted to join Rahayu Mahzam (Ministry of Health, Singapore and Ministry of Law, Singapore) and Nazhath Faheema (Hash.peace) on a panel on the Singapore Core at the Singapore Undergraduate Policy Conference. The session touched on not just what we understand to be a “Singaporean Core,” but also how to bolster that core, through frameworks and infrastructure, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability.
I was happy to offer policy ideas on how I felt we could advance these objectives through advance planning in transport and housing infrastructure (while managing external pressures from being a globalized city), building a commitment to national identity (by ensuring that expansions of this Singaporean core maintains a level playing field between current locals and aspiring ones), and crafting a sustainable transition plan (not only via individual changes in our habits as consumers, but by helping our workers secure green and new-economy jobs, post-retraining).
Thanks to the organizing team at the NUS Political Science Society for the invitation, and to Desiree Wee for capably facilitating the panel!
Jamus wants to build more gardens.
Sometimes, municipal concerns that present themselves to us are actually longstanding estate issues, that had not been fully resolved previously. One of these is the small garden at 302A #Anchorvale, which had fallen into disuse, after the preschool abutting the plot no longer had the resources to maintain it.
So #TeamSengkang worked with HDB, and a small coterie of aspiring gardeners, and set up a number of small plots at the spot. Our goal is to a have a resident-led, ground-up (pun intended) space that provides enough motivation for gardeners to keep up their efforts, while preserving the community aspect of the project. Hence, plots are assigned but will be released in a couple of years, to ensure circulation to other interested residents. Students from the preschool can also access the garden, and learn about plants and vegetables.
We hope to set up additional, town council-managed gardens across #SengkangGRC, utilizing available spaces, especially atop multistorey carparks. Interested residents can get in touch, and while we cannot guarantee a spot, we will certainly add your name to our list, and contact you when plots become available.
Jamus Lim
13 hrs ·Sometimes, municipal concerns that present themselves to us are actually longstanding estate issues, that had not been fully resolved previously. One of these is the small garden at 302A #Anchorvale, which had fallen into disuse, after the preschool abutting the plot no longer had the resources to maintain it.
So #TeamSengkang worked with HDB, and a small coterie of aspiring gardeners, and set up a number of small plots at the spot. Our goal is to a have a resident-led, ground-up (pun intended) space that provides enough motivation for gardeners to keep up their efforts, while preserving the community aspect of the project. Hence, plots are assigned but will be released in a couple of years, to ensure circulation to other interested residents. Students from the preschool can also access the garden, and learn about plants and vegetables.
We hope to set up additional, town council-managed gardens across #SengkangGRC, utilizing available spaces, especially atop multistorey carparks. Interested residents can get in touch, and while we cannot guarantee a spot, we will certainly add your name to our list, and contact you when plots become available.
Jamus intends to visit every block. 
This week, #TeamSengkang wrapped up 326A #Anchorvale (we had been derailed last week because I caught a cold). Having wrapped up with time to spare, we then trekked across the estate and got a head start on 301C.
Sometimes residents mention that it has taken a while for us to reach them with our house visits, after the election. Because we don’t believe in rushing through our visits just so we can “check off” the block—deep conversations and meaningful feedback is what we value most from the exercise—we are typically only able to do around half a block or so each week. So doing the math, with something in excess of 160 blocks in Anchorvale, and 2 weeks to complete a block, it does take a while to get round, even if we do conduct house visits every week. But our goal remains to hit every block, so we’re doing our best to get there, we promise! #SengkangGRC
Jamus Lim
5 hrs ·This week, #TeamSengkang wrapped up 326A #Anchorvale (we had been derailed last week because I caught a cold). Having wrapped up with time to spare, we then trekked across the estate and got a head start on 301C.
Sometimes residents mention that it has taken a while for us to reach them with our house visits, after the election. Because we don’t believe in rushing through our visits just so we can “check off” the block—deep conversations and meaningful feedback is what we value most from the exercise—we are typically only able to do around half a block or so each week. So doing the math, with something in excess of 160 blocks in Anchorvale, and 2 weeks to complete a block, it does take a while to get round, even if we do conduct house visits every week. But our goal remains to hit every block, so we’re doing our best to get there, we promise! #SengkangGRC
Jamus meets the President of Kosovo.
Yesterday afternoon, I had the privilege of meeting the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, as part of a parliamentary delegation hosted by our Speaker, Tan Chuan-Jin, at Parliament House.
Like us, the challenges that Kosovo faces are those associated with finding a place in the global economy, and garnering the respect of other nations in a crowded world. We have been able to do so by embracing our internationalism and connectivity. This is now being threatened, on two fronts.
First, cross-border linkages have weakened. This is sometimes referred to as “deglobalization,” but is probably better characterized as a stalling of traditional international integration (in goods, capital, and labor), coupled with supercharged growth in modern connectivity (technology, information, and certain services). Second, there has been complacency in recognizing and addressing the wrenching pains faced by workers in a rapidly-transforming global economic landscape has meant an increase in populist and nationalist sentiment in many jurisdictions worldwide.
Both of these forces mean that governments of open economies will need to be nimble in responding to the needs of their population, as they face rising pressure from higher prices, displacement from certain jobs, and rapid advances in technology. It is insufficient to argue that these changes are inevitable, and we simply need to cope with it on our own. Populations look to their leaders to set the direction in which they should row, what sort of jobs they should be reskilling for, and how they can remain relevant in a rapidly-transforming economic landscape. This isn’t just about growth, but inclusive growth; economic progress that delivers a high quality of life, while leaving nobody behind.
Jamus Lim
12 hrs ·Yesterday afternoon, I had the privilege of meeting the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, as part of a parliamentary delegation hosted by our Speaker, Tan Chuan-Jin, at Parliament House.
Like us, the challenges that Kosovo faces are those associated with finding a place in the global economy, and garnering the respect of other nations in a crowded world. We have been able to do so by embracing our internationalism and connectivity. This is now being threatened, on two fronts.
First, cross-border linkages have weakened. This is sometimes referred to as “deglobalization,” but is probably better characterized as a stalling of traditional international integration (in goods, capital, and labor), coupled with supercharged growth in modern connectivity (technology, information, and certain services). Second, there has been complacency in recognizing and addressing the wrenching pains faced by workers in a rapidly-transforming global economic landscape has meant an increase in populist and nationalist sentiment in many jurisdictions worldwide.
Both of these forces mean that governments of open economies will need to be nimble in responding to the needs of their population, as they face rising pressure from higher prices, displacement from certain jobs, and rapid advances in technology. It is insufficient to argue that these changes are inevitable, and we simply need to cope with it on our own. Populations look to their leaders to set the direction in which they should row, what sort of jobs they should be reskilling for, and how they can remain relevant in a rapidly-transforming economic landscape. This isn’t just about growth, but inclusive growth; economic progress that delivers a high quality of life, while leaving nobody behind.
Jamus eats durian. 
Every now and again, we connect with our property team folks to ensure that they are both heard and supported. Property management can be a rather thankless job, and so it is important that we uplift our #SengkangGRC town council staff, and keep their spirits up. Some ways we do so is through fun, food, and fellowship.
This week, we did so with a small after-work durian party. It’s the season, and—calories and “heatiness” notwithstanding—it offered the opportunity for a key part of #TeamSengkang to take a breather and enjoy some off-the-clock time with their colleagues, engaged in a national pastime.
Postscript: it was also a neat reward for their hard work in tackling the dengue cluster at #Anchorvale, which thankfully has now been lifted.
Jamus Lim
13 hrs ·Every now and again, we connect with our property team folks to ensure that they are both heard and supported. Property management can be a rather thankless job, and so it is important that we uplift our #SengkangGRC town council staff, and keep their spirits up. Some ways we do so is through fun, food, and fellowship.
This week, we did so with a small after-work durian party. It’s the season, and—calories and “heatiness” notwithstanding—it offered the opportunity for a key part of #TeamSengkang to take a breather and enjoy some off-the-clock time with their colleagues, engaged in a national pastime.
Postscript: it was also a neat reward for their hard work in tackling the dengue cluster at #Anchorvale, which thankfully has now been lifted.
Jamus wants you to join him in running.
This coming Saturday is the first weekend of the month, which means that we will again be doing our #SengkangGRC #RiverRun. We had received feedback from our last outing that the pace had been a little too nippy for some folks. #TeamSengkang is always into listening to suggestions, so now that the route will be familiar to those that had previously joined us, I’ll plan on falling back to a more comfortable pace, and I’ll also double back to make sure that I get to connect with those who are taking things a little slower. Unfortunately, a foot injury will rule out Chua Kheng Wee 蔡庆威 this time round, but hopefully we’ll have another pacesetter step up! Do join us this weekend if you have the time. We will meet at open space beside Essen at Anchorvale CC.
Jamus Lim
13 hrs ·This coming Saturday is the first weekend of the month, which means that we will again be doing our #SengkangGRC #RiverRun. We had received feedback from our last outing that the pace had been a little too nippy for some folks. #TeamSengkang is always into listening to suggestions, so now that the route will be familiar to those that had previously joined us, I’ll plan on falling back to a more comfortable pace, and I’ll also double back to make sure that I get to connect with those who are taking things a little slower. Unfortunately, a foot injury will rule out Chua Kheng Wee 蔡庆威 this time round, but hopefully we’ll have another pacesetter step up! Do join us this weekend if you have the time. We will meet at open space beside Essen at Anchorvale CC.
Jamus went to Johore.
Over the past weekend, #TeamSengkang headed up to Johor with a group of residents and supporters, on our first grassroots tour since we were elected to represent #SengkangGRC. The trip was a reminder not just of the pre-pandemic freedoms that we often took for granted, but also of how far we’ve come as a country and a nation, since our separation from Malaya.
Our group enjoyed small glimpses of rural life, as well as a taste of an urban setting as folks engaged in our national pastime at a large mall. We also took in the street art that brings such character to Bekok, along with scrumptious meals, a lucky draw, and a small dinnertime show. On my part, I enjoyed connecting in a more informal way with residents and other Singaporeans, who shared their thoughts on a wide range of issues close to their hearts, from suggestions on municipal improvements to our local political climate to policies of national concern.
Since our grassroots activities do not generally receive any external funding, such events also serve another purpose: it helps us organize future grassroots activities. We work off a nonprofit model, where whatever mild surpluses we make are plowed right back into the community, as financing for future events.
Thanks to the tireless behind-the-scenes and front-of-house efforts of our volunteers—who not only took on the role of bus captains but also that of informal guides, grassroots representatives, photographers-cum-videographers, and jagas that kept everyone safe—to our tour company partners, and of course, those who came along for the ride.
Jamus Lim
5 hrs ·Over the past weekend, #TeamSengkang headed up to Johor with a group of residents and supporters, on our first grassroots tour since we were elected to represent #SengkangGRC. The trip was a reminder not just of the pre-pandemic freedoms that we often took for granted, but also of how far we’ve come as a country and a nation, since our separation from Malaya.
Our group enjoyed small glimpses of rural life, as well as a taste of an urban setting as folks engaged in our national pastime at a large mall. We also took in the street art that brings such character to Bekok, along with scrumptious meals, a lucky draw, and a small dinnertime show. On my part, I enjoyed connecting in a more informal way with residents and other Singaporeans, who shared their thoughts on a wide range of issues close to their hearts, from suggestions on municipal improvements to our local political climate to policies of national concern.
Since our grassroots activities do not generally receive any external funding, such events also serve another purpose: it helps us organize future grassroots activities. We work off a nonprofit model, where whatever mild surpluses we make are plowed right back into the community, as financing for future events.
Thanks to the tireless behind-the-scenes and front-of-house efforts of our volunteers—who not only took on the role of bus captains but also that of informal guides, grassroots representatives, photographers-cum-videographers, and jagas that kept everyone safe—to our tour company partners, and of course, those who came along for the ride.
Jamus continues his house visits.
Our house visits this week allowed us to conclude 301C #Anchorvale, and we also bundled in a little more than half of 289B #Compassvale on another evening.
One couple, who had been married for a decade, also shared about why they had chosen not to have a child. For them, it was simple: “Too expensive lah!” The high cost of living in our city state, especially for middle-income households—even pre-dating the recent inflation surge—is undeniably a factor. Couples are also choosing to invest more in fewer children, which is inevitable given the pressures our students face in scholastic achievement. The long wait for affordable housing also doesn’t help, so by the time a couple has a place to call their own, they may be past their peak fertility years.
Is this state of affairs inevitable? I do not think so. Issues like education, housing, and jobs are matters of public policy, and there are known solutions that can help navigate and mitigate the forces of globalization, inequality, and technological change. There isn’t any single silver bullet, but choices such as smaller class sizes, expanded skills training and recognition, broader public housing options, minimum wages, redundancy insurance, and wealth taxes can all be part of the mix that help us remain , while remaining competitive in the global economy.
Postscript: We also sometimes meet unusual residents, like this gorgeous parakeet, who (according to the family) took a liking to me, and so refused to get off my shoulder! #TeamSengkang #SengkangGRC
Jamus Lim
13 hrs ·Our house visits this week allowed us to conclude 301C #Anchorvale, and we also bundled in a little more than half of 289B #Compassvale on another evening.
One couple, who had been married for a decade, also shared about why they had chosen not to have a child. For them, it was simple: “Too expensive lah!” The high cost of living in our city state, especially for middle-income households—even pre-dating the recent inflation surge—is undeniably a factor. Couples are also choosing to invest more in fewer children, which is inevitable given the pressures our students face in scholastic achievement. The long wait for affordable housing also doesn’t help, so by the time a couple has a place to call their own, they may be past their peak fertility years.
Is this state of affairs inevitable? I do not think so. Issues like education, housing, and jobs are matters of public policy, and there are known solutions that can help navigate and mitigate the forces of globalization, inequality, and technological change. There isn’t any single silver bullet, but choices such as smaller class sizes, expanded skills training and recognition, broader public housing options, minimum wages, redundancy insurance, and wealth taxes can all be part of the mix that help us remain , while remaining competitive in the global economy.
Postscript: We also sometimes meet unusual residents, like this gorgeous parakeet, who (according to the family) took a liking to me, and so refused to get off my shoulder! #TeamSengkang #SengkangGRC
