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Chitchat Why Jamus Lim join Workers' Party ?
- Thread starter batman1
- Start date
Jamus is concerned about food wastage. 
Environmental sustainability and costs are often seen as opposing ideals. Organic produce at the supermarket is often more expensive, for example, and green buildings typically require dearer construction materials. Even electric cars—which usually save money in the longer run—have a heftier up-front price tag.
But there is at least one loophole to a more sustainable lifestyle: eating more veggies and less meat. This hack can be made even more amazing, if one were to be willing to consume produce that would otherwise be condemned and disposed, such as perishables near their sell-by dates, or “ugly” vegetables that have some yellowing or wilting.
I was recently alerted to a resident-led initiative that captures these attributes. The project will distribute free produce that would otherwise be wasted (albeit not organic). Starting Wednesday, July 13, you can pick up veggies (every fortnight) and bread (every week) at the 304C #Anchorvale multipurpose hall (unless there’s a wake, in which case they’ll move to a nearby block). So if you’re in the neighborhood, do consider swinging by!
Jamus Lim
2 hrs ·Environmental sustainability and costs are often seen as opposing ideals. Organic produce at the supermarket is often more expensive, for example, and green buildings typically require dearer construction materials. Even electric cars—which usually save money in the longer run—have a heftier up-front price tag.
But there is at least one loophole to a more sustainable lifestyle: eating more veggies and less meat. This hack can be made even more amazing, if one were to be willing to consume produce that would otherwise be condemned and disposed, such as perishables near their sell-by dates, or “ugly” vegetables that have some yellowing or wilting.
I was recently alerted to a resident-led initiative that captures these attributes. The project will distribute free produce that would otherwise be wasted (albeit not organic). Starting Wednesday, July 13, you can pick up veggies (every fortnight) and bread (every week) at the 304C #Anchorvale multipurpose hall (unless there’s a wake, in which case they’ll move to a nearby block). So if you’re in the neighborhood, do consider swinging by!
Jamus is delighted that MAS has decided to move to further strengthen the Singapore dollar. 
Academics often dream of their otherwise obscure papers having an impact on the broader policy debate; this has been a big part of my motivation for my research. In my role as a legislator, I have a slightly wider platform for making arguments about the direction of national policy. Nevertheless, not being in government means that any influence I have is necessarily indirect, and I have to rely on making convincing, evidence-based arguments that are credible to policymakers.
This morning, I learned that the MAS has decided to move to further strengthen the Singapore dollar, something that I’ve been pushing for. I am delighted by this decision, not just because it’s something that has empirical support. When there is an agreement on the appropriate stance of policy, I believe that it is in the best interest of the country for such policies to move forward, rather than be mired in costly political prancing. This ensures that our nation continues to progress. #makingyourvotecount
Jamus Lim
10 hrs ·Academics often dream of their otherwise obscure papers having an impact on the broader policy debate; this has been a big part of my motivation for my research. In my role as a legislator, I have a slightly wider platform for making arguments about the direction of national policy. Nevertheless, not being in government means that any influence I have is necessarily indirect, and I have to rely on making convincing, evidence-based arguments that are credible to policymakers.
This morning, I learned that the MAS has decided to move to further strengthen the Singapore dollar, something that I’ve been pushing for. I am delighted by this decision, not just because it’s something that has empirical support. When there is an agreement on the appropriate stance of policy, I believe that it is in the best interest of the country for such policies to move forward, rather than be mired in costly political prancing. This ensures that our nation continues to progress. #makingyourvotecount
Jamus wants to celebrate National Day with you.
It’s been a little more than two years since the residents of Sengkang took the bold step of voting for the #workersparty to represent them in Parliament. But COVID-19 put paid to any opportunity for a mass gathering to commemorate this step. This year, however, #SengkangGRC will finally join #AljuniedGRC and #HougangSMC for our annual National Day Dinner.
Join our 9 Members of Parliament at Hougang Neighborhood Park—in front of Blk 324 Hougang Ave 5—as we celebrate our nation’s 57th birthday, on 13 August 2022 (Saturday). Tickets are priced a $500 per table of 10, but if are appreciative of the work that we do and would like to express your support more viscerally, sponsorship tiers—at the $1,000 and $3,000 levels—are also available. Tickets will be available for sale at our weekly #Anchorvale meet-the-people sessions.
Jamus Lim
10 hrs ·It’s been a little more than two years since the residents of Sengkang took the bold step of voting for the #workersparty to represent them in Parliament. But COVID-19 put paid to any opportunity for a mass gathering to commemorate this step. This year, however, #SengkangGRC will finally join #AljuniedGRC and #HougangSMC for our annual National Day Dinner.
Join our 9 Members of Parliament at Hougang Neighborhood Park—in front of Blk 324 Hougang Ave 5—as we celebrate our nation’s 57th birthday, on 13 August 2022 (Saturday). Tickets are priced a $500 per table of 10, but if are appreciative of the work that we do and would like to express your support more viscerally, sponsorship tiers—at the $1,000 and $3,000 levels—are also available. Tickets will be available for sale at our weekly #Anchorvale meet-the-people sessions.
Jamus is concerned about mosquitoes.
Some of us may have seen the TED talk (remember those?) by Bill Gates, where he released a bunch of mosquitoes into an unsuspecting, well-heeled crowd, to make a point about how the poor face a scourge of malaria, which gets less attention than research into hair loss. As audacious as that stunt was, science has indeed processed when it comes to tropical diseases, and there is currently a project islandwide that uses an ingenious biological solution to control the spread of another mosquito-borne disease: dengue.
This month, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will roll out Project Wolbachia in #SengkangGRC. This entails the release of male mosquitoes infected with a bacteria (wolbachia, the name implies), which prevents the hatching of eggs by the female Aedes mosquito (the main vector of transmission for dengue). The male mosquitoes do not bite, and the bacteria is harmless to humans. Nor will the presence of more makes attract more females (mosquito males in the wild, as it turns out, are much like us, in that the males tend to be ones pursuing the females).
So while you may find out a little more annoying to have more buzzing around your household this month, rest assured that it doesn’t mean that you’ll get bitten more, and more importantly, you’ll be experiencing an eventual decline in dengue incidence in the estate. More information from the agency about the project is available here: https://www.nea.gov.sg/.../nea-s-project-wolbachia...
Jamus Lim
8 hrs ·Some of us may have seen the TED talk (remember those?) by Bill Gates, where he released a bunch of mosquitoes into an unsuspecting, well-heeled crowd, to make a point about how the poor face a scourge of malaria, which gets less attention than research into hair loss. As audacious as that stunt was, science has indeed processed when it comes to tropical diseases, and there is currently a project islandwide that uses an ingenious biological solution to control the spread of another mosquito-borne disease: dengue.
This month, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will roll out Project Wolbachia in #SengkangGRC. This entails the release of male mosquitoes infected with a bacteria (wolbachia, the name implies), which prevents the hatching of eggs by the female Aedes mosquito (the main vector of transmission for dengue). The male mosquitoes do not bite, and the bacteria is harmless to humans. Nor will the presence of more makes attract more females (mosquito males in the wild, as it turns out, are much like us, in that the males tend to be ones pursuing the females).
So while you may find out a little more annoying to have more buzzing around your household this month, rest assured that it doesn’t mean that you’ll get bitten more, and more importantly, you’ll be experiencing an eventual decline in dengue incidence in the estate. More information from the agency about the project is available here: https://www.nea.gov.sg/.../nea-s-project-wolbachia...
Jamus shared the stage with 3 bankers.
Last Thursday evening, I had the privilege of sharing the stage with three bankers—Claude Harbonn (Credit Suisse), Foong Hsueh Min (LGT Bank), and Eli Lee (Bank of Singapore)—as we discussed economic prospects, and their attendant investment implications, amid the gloomy global macro landscape.
The discussion was wide-ranging, although it often returned to the big four macro indicators (growth, inflation, FX, and rates), in the two major economies (the U.S. and China). Crucially, while some of the panelists were more downbeat about the world falling into recession soon, others (myself included) were more cautiously optimistic. I see the Chinese economy kicking into a higher gear in the second half of 2022 (it has already begun), and while U.S. growth is shaky, I do not think it will qualify for an NBER-defined (as opposed to the cruder 2-quarter-negative-GDP growth metric) recession, so long as the Fed does not stomp on the interest rate brake too hard in the months ahead. With these two growth engines still going—albeit sputtering—I still anticipate soft-by-expansionary global growth, albeit heterogeneity and idiosyncratic challenges among major economies also means that I won’t be surprised if either the Euro Area or Japan do slide into recession.
Of course, predictions are hard, especially about the future, but I was happy to offer my views, and to have them challenged, by other thoughtful observers. Thanks to Kevin Gin for the invitation, and to the Tanglin Club and the partner banks for hosting the event.
Jamus Lim
3 hrs ·Last Thursday evening, I had the privilege of sharing the stage with three bankers—Claude Harbonn (Credit Suisse), Foong Hsueh Min (LGT Bank), and Eli Lee (Bank of Singapore)—as we discussed economic prospects, and their attendant investment implications, amid the gloomy global macro landscape.
The discussion was wide-ranging, although it often returned to the big four macro indicators (growth, inflation, FX, and rates), in the two major economies (the U.S. and China). Crucially, while some of the panelists were more downbeat about the world falling into recession soon, others (myself included) were more cautiously optimistic. I see the Chinese economy kicking into a higher gear in the second half of 2022 (it has already begun), and while U.S. growth is shaky, I do not think it will qualify for an NBER-defined (as opposed to the cruder 2-quarter-negative-GDP growth metric) recession, so long as the Fed does not stomp on the interest rate brake too hard in the months ahead. With these two growth engines still going—albeit sputtering—I still anticipate soft-by-expansionary global growth, albeit heterogeneity and idiosyncratic challenges among major economies also means that I won’t be surprised if either the Euro Area or Japan do slide into recession.
Of course, predictions are hard, especially about the future, but I was happy to offer my views, and to have them challenged, by other thoughtful observers. Thanks to Kevin Gin for the invitation, and to the Tanglin Club and the partner banks for hosting the event.
Jamus continues home visits.
This week, #TeamSengkang was able to wrap up the remaining floors of 321C #Anchorvale, while also completing 307C (by adding an additional Saturday afternoon to our usual house visit schedule). We even managed to bundle in an extra pit stop at a resident in #Compassvale, who was unable to make it physically down to our meet-the-people session due to mobility issues. So we brought the session to him!
We were also able to wander the Cove cluster, during our weekly estate walk. There, we located the electric car chargers that had been installed recently. Such chargers are being gradually rolled out across the island. Their rate of installation will have to be accelerated—even though demand remains minuscule now—if we are going to be in a position to rapidly switch to an electric-dominant auto fleet, if we are going to meet our Singapore Green Plan 2030 goals. Of course, this could also mean some redundancy in the interim, as charger supply outstrips current needs, but that is the nature of planning infrastructure ahead.
Skeptics may question whether such a speedy upgrading is possible. There is actually an existing institutional mechanism that can help accelerate and lock in the transition to a greener fleet: the COE system. Issuing more electric-vehicle (EV)-specific COEs (while reducing internal combustion engine, or ICE, COEs) can encourage takeup. Applying a small premium to ICE COEs—or offering a discount to ERP rates for EVs—could also help usher things along. But monetary incentives aside, I am hopeful that we will all see the individual and global environmental benefits of moving from ICE to EVs, and for those who drive, consider a hybrid or electric for their next car. #SengkangGRC
Jamus Lim
12 hrs ·This week, #TeamSengkang was able to wrap up the remaining floors of 321C #Anchorvale, while also completing 307C (by adding an additional Saturday afternoon to our usual house visit schedule). We even managed to bundle in an extra pit stop at a resident in #Compassvale, who was unable to make it physically down to our meet-the-people session due to mobility issues. So we brought the session to him!
We were also able to wander the Cove cluster, during our weekly estate walk. There, we located the electric car chargers that had been installed recently. Such chargers are being gradually rolled out across the island. Their rate of installation will have to be accelerated—even though demand remains minuscule now—if we are going to be in a position to rapidly switch to an electric-dominant auto fleet, if we are going to meet our Singapore Green Plan 2030 goals. Of course, this could also mean some redundancy in the interim, as charger supply outstrips current needs, but that is the nature of planning infrastructure ahead.
Skeptics may question whether such a speedy upgrading is possible. There is actually an existing institutional mechanism that can help accelerate and lock in the transition to a greener fleet: the COE system. Issuing more electric-vehicle (EV)-specific COEs (while reducing internal combustion engine, or ICE, COEs) can encourage takeup. Applying a small premium to ICE COEs—or offering a discount to ERP rates for EVs—could also help usher things along. But monetary incentives aside, I am hopeful that we will all see the individual and global environmental benefits of moving from ICE to EVs, and for those who drive, consider a hybrid or electric for their next car. #SengkangGRC
Jamus discusses modes of working. 
Even as COVID-19 bids a slow (perhaps too slow) retreat from our lives, the pandemic did offer a number of fascinating lessons, especially with regard to our patterns of work. One big lesson was that the traditional modes of working—heading to an office from Monday to Friday, working from 9 to 6, dressed in “office attire”—was wholly unnecessary for most jobs in the modern economy. It was possible to connect to office systems from home, conduct effective meetings on Zoom, work around schedules of childcare and family time, dressed in PJs or sarongs or boxers. Everyone now has a better taste of work-life balance.
There are drawbacks, of course. We are social creatures, so team spirit may be affected without physical interactions. But it seems like such spirit is best fostered in nonwork conditions anyhow, like happy-hour drinks, parties, and retreats. Still, it seems better to bolster individual morale by granting greater flexibility in when and where we work, so long as targets and deliverables are still met. In the longer run, we should evaluate workers by outputs, not inputs. A recent Harvard Business Review article stressed how employees increasingly value autonomy—to the extent that many workers will no longer accept 5-days-in-the-office jobs (3-in-2-out seems to be the optimal arrangement): https://hbr.org/.../forget-flexibility-your-employees...
My hope is that our local office culture will gradually evolve to better reflect such a modern approach toward work. However, cultures don’t necessarily evolve as quickly as we’d like. That’s where government can play a role, with a demonstration effect. The public service is the natural place for such a policy to take root. Which is why I’m happy to hear that the government will indeed be embracing flexi-work arrangements for the public sector.
Incidentally, another HBR piece also suggests that fears of loss of control, culture, and collaboration misplaced. Sure, some effort must be made to ensure such objectives aren’t forgotten; but one could say the same even in a traditional workplace: https://hbr.org/2021/06/5-myths-about-flexible-work Hopefully, our national work culture will get to a point where such admonitions are no longer necessary. In the meantime, we can all contribute toward changing mindsets in our own workplaces. #makingyourvotecount
Jamus Lim
12 hrs ·Even as COVID-19 bids a slow (perhaps too slow) retreat from our lives, the pandemic did offer a number of fascinating lessons, especially with regard to our patterns of work. One big lesson was that the traditional modes of working—heading to an office from Monday to Friday, working from 9 to 6, dressed in “office attire”—was wholly unnecessary for most jobs in the modern economy. It was possible to connect to office systems from home, conduct effective meetings on Zoom, work around schedules of childcare and family time, dressed in PJs or sarongs or boxers. Everyone now has a better taste of work-life balance.
There are drawbacks, of course. We are social creatures, so team spirit may be affected without physical interactions. But it seems like such spirit is best fostered in nonwork conditions anyhow, like happy-hour drinks, parties, and retreats. Still, it seems better to bolster individual morale by granting greater flexibility in when and where we work, so long as targets and deliverables are still met. In the longer run, we should evaluate workers by outputs, not inputs. A recent Harvard Business Review article stressed how employees increasingly value autonomy—to the extent that many workers will no longer accept 5-days-in-the-office jobs (3-in-2-out seems to be the optimal arrangement): https://hbr.org/.../forget-flexibility-your-employees...
My hope is that our local office culture will gradually evolve to better reflect such a modern approach toward work. However, cultures don’t necessarily evolve as quickly as we’d like. That’s where government can play a role, with a demonstration effect. The public service is the natural place for such a policy to take root. Which is why I’m happy to hear that the government will indeed be embracing flexi-work arrangements for the public sector.
Incidentally, another HBR piece also suggests that fears of loss of control, culture, and collaboration misplaced. Sure, some effort must be made to ensure such objectives aren’t forgotten; but one could say the same even in a traditional workplace: https://hbr.org/2021/06/5-myths-about-flexible-work Hopefully, our national work culture will get to a point where such admonitions are no longer necessary. In the meantime, we can all contribute toward changing mindsets in our own workplaces. #makingyourvotecount
