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Chitchat Why Jamus Lim join Workers' Party ?
- Thread starter batman1
- Start date
Jamus collects trash. 
Over the past weekend, #TeamSengkang held our quarterly #SGClean event. We were fortunate to be joined by more families this round—many who came with kids, which speaks volumes about the sort of values #SengkangGRC residents wish to impart onto the next generation—and we spent a part of the morning combing the 301-4 cluster of #Anchorvale for little bits of trash.
Litter picking is large a monotonous a solitary activity, but I was reminded, while doing so, about a lesson I learned from my American father (who is Buddhist): that if we can impart mindfulness in the mundane tasks of life—whether it be doing the dishes or ironing our shirts (or, indeed, picking litter)—we can also use these as occasions for spiritual renewal.
Life in Singapore is often hectic. But it makes sense to seize little moments: take a slow, deep breath, pause and reflect, and find inner peace; and in so doing, obtain a glimpse of the eternity.
Washing the dishes
is like bathing a baby Buddha
The profane is the sacred
Everyday mind is Buddha’s mind
(Gatha by Thich Nhat Hanh)
Jamus Lim
16 May at 07:09 ·Over the past weekend, #TeamSengkang held our quarterly #SGClean event. We were fortunate to be joined by more families this round—many who came with kids, which speaks volumes about the sort of values #SengkangGRC residents wish to impart onto the next generation—and we spent a part of the morning combing the 301-4 cluster of #Anchorvale for little bits of trash.
Litter picking is large a monotonous a solitary activity, but I was reminded, while doing so, about a lesson I learned from my American father (who is Buddhist): that if we can impart mindfulness in the mundane tasks of life—whether it be doing the dishes or ironing our shirts (or, indeed, picking litter)—we can also use these as occasions for spiritual renewal.
Life in Singapore is often hectic. But it makes sense to seize little moments: take a slow, deep breath, pause and reflect, and find inner peace; and in so doing, obtain a glimpse of the eternity.
Washing the dishes
is like bathing a baby Buddha
The profane is the sacred
Everyday mind is Buddha’s mind
(Gatha by Thich Nhat Hanh)
Jamus welcomes Parliamentarians from around the region. 
Recently, I joined several other MPs to welcome Parliamentarians from around the region, who had been in Singapore on a training program on international trade, organized by the RSIS | S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and the World Trade Organization - WTO.
The multilateral trading system has been under much strain in recent times. As a dyed-in-the-wool economist that specializes in international economics, I have a natural bias—as many Singaporeans do—toward free trade. While I won’t go as far as to argue the same (albeit theoretically quite analogous) case for flows of capital or labor—these present additional complications not well-captured by standard models—the arguments supporting unfettered flows of goods and services remains, by and large, very strong.
So it’s vital that not only our politicians be aware of the enormous welfare gains, ripe for the picking, when they pursue free trade policies; our counterparts in neighboring trade partners should, too. Free trade is one of the few areas that still allow for a non-zero-sum outcome, where everyone is made better off when it occurs.
I would go even further: as citizens, especially of one of the most open economies in the world, we should all understand why we should support free trade. Of course, this doesn’t come for free. We know that there are gainers and losers in trade, and so, to ensure that we continue to rally support for this economically-optimal outcome, policy also has to ensure that some of the gains held by the winners are also redistributed to the losers.
Jamus Lim
19 May at 08:06 ·Recently, I joined several other MPs to welcome Parliamentarians from around the region, who had been in Singapore on a training program on international trade, organized by the RSIS | S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and the World Trade Organization - WTO.
The multilateral trading system has been under much strain in recent times. As a dyed-in-the-wool economist that specializes in international economics, I have a natural bias—as many Singaporeans do—toward free trade. While I won’t go as far as to argue the same (albeit theoretically quite analogous) case for flows of capital or labor—these present additional complications not well-captured by standard models—the arguments supporting unfettered flows of goods and services remains, by and large, very strong.
So it’s vital that not only our politicians be aware of the enormous welfare gains, ripe for the picking, when they pursue free trade policies; our counterparts in neighboring trade partners should, too. Free trade is one of the few areas that still allow for a non-zero-sum outcome, where everyone is made better off when it occurs.
I would go even further: as citizens, especially of one of the most open economies in the world, we should all understand why we should support free trade. Of course, this doesn’t come for free. We know that there are gainers and losers in trade, and so, to ensure that we continue to rally support for this economically-optimal outcome, policy also has to ensure that some of the gains held by the winners are also redistributed to the losers.
Jamus continues house visits. 
This past week, house visits brought us to 323A and on to 323C, both of which we completed. We had quite a few extended discussions, with quite a few about estate maintenance. I was able to share a little more about our recent initiatives to improve the feedback and monitoring of the cleaning efforts.
#SengkangGRC residents will have noticed our rollout of cleaner sign-ins at every block. This helps ensure the accountability of the cleaners, in terms of attendance. More importantly, though, the introductory stories allow our residents to know who it is that is in charge of cleaning for their block. Many residents have shared that this helps then connect with the person who is working so hard for them.
We also have another technology tool that we deploy in the background. Modern homes often have WiFi routers. We map the routers for every floor in each block, then use a phone-based app that tracks when phones come within range of a given router (it doesn’t connect to the router, since we don’t know the passwords; the app just picks up the signal). This ensures, at the least, that the cleaners are walking the various corridors.
These are, of course, coupled with more regular oversight by the foremen, property officers, and our own weekly #TeamSengkang estate walks. On balance, I believe the system has helped us raise conservancy standards across the estate, even as we continue to pay attention to feedback on cleaning and maintenance needs, as and when we receive it.
Jamus Lim
21 May at 07:17 ·This past week, house visits brought us to 323A and on to 323C, both of which we completed. We had quite a few extended discussions, with quite a few about estate maintenance. I was able to share a little more about our recent initiatives to improve the feedback and monitoring of the cleaning efforts.
#SengkangGRC residents will have noticed our rollout of cleaner sign-ins at every block. This helps ensure the accountability of the cleaners, in terms of attendance. More importantly, though, the introductory stories allow our residents to know who it is that is in charge of cleaning for their block. Many residents have shared that this helps then connect with the person who is working so hard for them.
We also have another technology tool that we deploy in the background. Modern homes often have WiFi routers. We map the routers for every floor in each block, then use a phone-based app that tracks when phones come within range of a given router (it doesn’t connect to the router, since we don’t know the passwords; the app just picks up the signal). This ensures, at the least, that the cleaners are walking the various corridors.
These are, of course, coupled with more regular oversight by the foremen, property officers, and our own weekly #TeamSengkang estate walks. On balance, I believe the system has helped us raise conservancy standards across the estate, even as we continue to pay attention to feedback on cleaning and maintenance needs, as and when we receive it.
Jamus is concerned about poverty. 
One of the jobs I’ve held in the past was at the World Bank. The Bank’s mission is to conceive of a world free of poverty. So I’ve spent a disproportionate amount of my professional life thinking about the poor, and to improve their lot, especially in low-income countries. But poverty also shows up in the richer nations of the world. Not everyone is aware of this, but over the last decade, Singapore has vaulted up in the league table of per capita incomes worldwide, and as of this year, is expected to come in between 3rd and 5th. For a small city-state with no discernible natural resources, this is an incredible achievement. While there’s some myth surrounding how far we’ve come (at independence, we were already around the 70th percentile of global GDP per capita), we have nevertheless done very well.
What hasn’t really caught up, however, has been our attitudes and mindsets about welfare. Now, to be clear: most Singaporeans don’t believe in a European-style welfare state, and I doubt we’ll get there anytime soon. Still, it’s hard to deny that, for a wealthy country, state support for our poor is remarkably limited. One common argument that government makes is that this helps avoid a dependency mindset. Another is that day-to-day living here remains affordable.
There’s some mild truth to those statements. Other countries have welfare kings/queens (but even there, such overt efforts to milk the system aren’t widespread). And while things like food and public transport are relatively inexpensive, we still bear the burden for big-ticket items (houses, cars). Having lived in different places (often with little money), it strikes me that a key difference is asset ownership. Those with capital find life much more comfortable than those who don’t. While this is true everywhere, living here is significantly harder at the lower end. This struggle may also have become worse after the pandemic; high inflation has lowered the purchasing power of incomes, and unless you’ve money set aside in special savings accounts, CPF rates haven’t kept up, making you permanently poorer.
We can always make economic arguments about why we should help the poor (basically, one-off transfers help them break the cycle of poverty). This is the approach that this government has taken, and is why antipoverty schemes here tend to be frugal. But perhaps the strongest argument one could make for helping the poor is that it is a moral imperative. Not everyone is blessed with the same gifts. In a meritocracy, those who are endowed with more naturally get more, but what sort of society would we become if we aren’t inclined to share?
If we agree that those who are blessed with more should help those with less, it then comes down to a question of what we’re doing. For starters, we need to know who it is that we’re trying to help. This calls for an official national poverty line. I find it crazy that we don’t have one. Such a line is standard worldwide, in countries rich and poor. Sure, once could argue that we’ve many thresholds—for Comcare, or HDB rental assistance, or the average household expenditure on basic needs (by SingStat)—but myriad lines are confusing and a mess to monitor.
We pride ourselves on being a KPI-oriented civil service (whether that’s an unabashedly good thing, is another story for another time). But how can we say we’re successful in targeting poverty or not if we don’t have the most basic of indicators for evaluating it? Aren’t a suite of metrics, tailored to purpose, better? Sure, nothing precludes us from adapting thresholds for different purposes. Just apply a multiplier to the line! But at least you’ve got a basic level that everyone can focus on.
So what should this figure be? Well, there are many potential numbers, but most reasonable observers will accept that it should be $2,500 or more (the highest, which includes items that many would consider needs in an advanced economy, pegs this at closer to $6.4K). After all, what is necessary for life changes as a country gets richer. Will we tell a citizen struggling to access government support that a smartphone isn’t necessary? Or two working parents that kids’ tuition is a luxury? Or that rites and rituals are frivolous expenses? As most folks will probably agree, what is necessary for living isn’t the minimum amount needed to grind it out. It’s the least needed to not just exist, but truly live; humans need a reason to flourish—otherwise, what’s the point of living in the world’s 3rd richest country?
Beyond a higher poverty line for state support, what else can we do? Comcare—our nation’s social protection system—can extend their support for longer periods, to help those struggling truly get back on their feet (rather than require reporting back every few months). Comcare can also streamline its approval process. It is currently onerous and intrusive, and discourages many who actually need help from seeking it, because they feel ashamed or scrutinized. It’s important to verify needs, of course, but we’re talking about the poor here, not criminals.
Workfare—the other key antipoverty program, which tops up low-wage incomes—is also inadequate. The amounts are lower than those in other advanced economies; what more in high-cost Singapore? They also cut out at $2,500 a month, half that of other countries with similar programs. Moreover, we layer on a whole bunch of additional criteria ($500 minimum monthly income, payouts increase with age) that don’t make much sense. Why exclude top-ups for those who work limited hours? Why are the youthful poor less in need of cash than the elderly poor? Workfare also doesn’t adjust for the number of children in household. But these are precisely the sort of families that may need the most help, since they may have caregiving needs that prohibit longer working hours.
All this sounds like a rant—and in some ways it is—but these issues need attention, even if it only concerns (by definition) a small segment of society. Because in a rich, advanced economy, it is unconscionable that we haven’t fully eradicated poverty, and folks are still scrapping to make a hard living. #makingyourvotecount
Jamus Lim
23 May at 09:03 ·One of the jobs I’ve held in the past was at the World Bank. The Bank’s mission is to conceive of a world free of poverty. So I’ve spent a disproportionate amount of my professional life thinking about the poor, and to improve their lot, especially in low-income countries. But poverty also shows up in the richer nations of the world. Not everyone is aware of this, but over the last decade, Singapore has vaulted up in the league table of per capita incomes worldwide, and as of this year, is expected to come in between 3rd and 5th. For a small city-state with no discernible natural resources, this is an incredible achievement. While there’s some myth surrounding how far we’ve come (at independence, we were already around the 70th percentile of global GDP per capita), we have nevertheless done very well.
What hasn’t really caught up, however, has been our attitudes and mindsets about welfare. Now, to be clear: most Singaporeans don’t believe in a European-style welfare state, and I doubt we’ll get there anytime soon. Still, it’s hard to deny that, for a wealthy country, state support for our poor is remarkably limited. One common argument that government makes is that this helps avoid a dependency mindset. Another is that day-to-day living here remains affordable.
There’s some mild truth to those statements. Other countries have welfare kings/queens (but even there, such overt efforts to milk the system aren’t widespread). And while things like food and public transport are relatively inexpensive, we still bear the burden for big-ticket items (houses, cars). Having lived in different places (often with little money), it strikes me that a key difference is asset ownership. Those with capital find life much more comfortable than those who don’t. While this is true everywhere, living here is significantly harder at the lower end. This struggle may also have become worse after the pandemic; high inflation has lowered the purchasing power of incomes, and unless you’ve money set aside in special savings accounts, CPF rates haven’t kept up, making you permanently poorer.
We can always make economic arguments about why we should help the poor (basically, one-off transfers help them break the cycle of poverty). This is the approach that this government has taken, and is why antipoverty schemes here tend to be frugal. But perhaps the strongest argument one could make for helping the poor is that it is a moral imperative. Not everyone is blessed with the same gifts. In a meritocracy, those who are endowed with more naturally get more, but what sort of society would we become if we aren’t inclined to share?
If we agree that those who are blessed with more should help those with less, it then comes down to a question of what we’re doing. For starters, we need to know who it is that we’re trying to help. This calls for an official national poverty line. I find it crazy that we don’t have one. Such a line is standard worldwide, in countries rich and poor. Sure, once could argue that we’ve many thresholds—for Comcare, or HDB rental assistance, or the average household expenditure on basic needs (by SingStat)—but myriad lines are confusing and a mess to monitor.
We pride ourselves on being a KPI-oriented civil service (whether that’s an unabashedly good thing, is another story for another time). But how can we say we’re successful in targeting poverty or not if we don’t have the most basic of indicators for evaluating it? Aren’t a suite of metrics, tailored to purpose, better? Sure, nothing precludes us from adapting thresholds for different purposes. Just apply a multiplier to the line! But at least you’ve got a basic level that everyone can focus on.
So what should this figure be? Well, there are many potential numbers, but most reasonable observers will accept that it should be $2,500 or more (the highest, which includes items that many would consider needs in an advanced economy, pegs this at closer to $6.4K). After all, what is necessary for life changes as a country gets richer. Will we tell a citizen struggling to access government support that a smartphone isn’t necessary? Or two working parents that kids’ tuition is a luxury? Or that rites and rituals are frivolous expenses? As most folks will probably agree, what is necessary for living isn’t the minimum amount needed to grind it out. It’s the least needed to not just exist, but truly live; humans need a reason to flourish—otherwise, what’s the point of living in the world’s 3rd richest country?
Beyond a higher poverty line for state support, what else can we do? Comcare—our nation’s social protection system—can extend their support for longer periods, to help those struggling truly get back on their feet (rather than require reporting back every few months). Comcare can also streamline its approval process. It is currently onerous and intrusive, and discourages many who actually need help from seeking it, because they feel ashamed or scrutinized. It’s important to verify needs, of course, but we’re talking about the poor here, not criminals.
Workfare—the other key antipoverty program, which tops up low-wage incomes—is also inadequate. The amounts are lower than those in other advanced economies; what more in high-cost Singapore? They also cut out at $2,500 a month, half that of other countries with similar programs. Moreover, we layer on a whole bunch of additional criteria ($500 minimum monthly income, payouts increase with age) that don’t make much sense. Why exclude top-ups for those who work limited hours? Why are the youthful poor less in need of cash than the elderly poor? Workfare also doesn’t adjust for the number of children in household. But these are precisely the sort of families that may need the most help, since they may have caregiving needs that prohibit longer working hours.
All this sounds like a rant—and in some ways it is—but these issues need attention, even if it only concerns (by definition) a small segment of society. Because in a rich, advanced economy, it is unconscionable that we haven’t fully eradicated poverty, and folks are still scrapping to make a hard living. #makingyourvotecount
Jamus is concerned about land sales.
SLA has been in the news for other reasons recently, but I was pleased to learn about a different announcement by the agency: that the government will be revising its land lease sales system for religious organizations, toward a balloting system, with winning bidders paying a pre-determined land valuation.
The #workersparty has been on the record in pushing for a distinct land sales system for religious organizations. Our Party chair, Sylvia, first suggested in 2022 that the current system of competitive land bidding could be detrimental to such groups, and in this year’s Committee of Supply debate, both she and I made separate speeches arguing that religious institutions required special consideration to help them focus on their main objective (of serving their local communities). I’m glad that this new system will help in that effort, not least because I was inspired to support this cause on the basis of feedback we received from churches and temples in #SengkangGRC.
Some observers like to argue that the actions of the opposition, such as myself and others in the #workersparty, have little to do with such pivots in policy (essentially, that the government would have done things that way, anyway). This view is, of course, not entirely implausible, since we never observe the counterfactual (of what it would have been like if we had kept our mouths shut).
But if one truly holds such a skeptical perspective, then why should anyone—whether in parliament, the public service, or even in civil society—bother to raise concerns in policy, then? Yet we know where the road leads in societies where there is an absence of active debate: toward stagnation, hubris, and dysfunction. It is far better, in my view, to keep agitating for the sort of world we’d like to live in, and that includes ensuring that our representatives champion the sort of policies we’d like to see. #makingyourvotecount
Jamus Lim
30 May at 06:55 ·SLA has been in the news for other reasons recently, but I was pleased to learn about a different announcement by the agency: that the government will be revising its land lease sales system for religious organizations, toward a balloting system, with winning bidders paying a pre-determined land valuation.
The #workersparty has been on the record in pushing for a distinct land sales system for religious organizations. Our Party chair, Sylvia, first suggested in 2022 that the current system of competitive land bidding could be detrimental to such groups, and in this year’s Committee of Supply debate, both she and I made separate speeches arguing that religious institutions required special consideration to help them focus on their main objective (of serving their local communities). I’m glad that this new system will help in that effort, not least because I was inspired to support this cause on the basis of feedback we received from churches and temples in #SengkangGRC.
Some observers like to argue that the actions of the opposition, such as myself and others in the #workersparty, have little to do with such pivots in policy (essentially, that the government would have done things that way, anyway). This view is, of course, not entirely implausible, since we never observe the counterfactual (of what it would have been like if we had kept our mouths shut).
But if one truly holds such a skeptical perspective, then why should anyone—whether in parliament, the public service, or even in civil society—bother to raise concerns in policy, then? Yet we know where the road leads in societies where there is an absence of active debate: toward stagnation, hubris, and dysfunction. It is far better, in my view, to keep agitating for the sort of world we’d like to live in, and that includes ensuring that our representatives champion the sort of policies we’d like to see. #makingyourvotecount
Jamus continued his house visits.
In recent house visits, #TeamSengkang was able to wrap up 261B and 261C #Compassvale, as well as get through half of 316C #Anchorvale.
A recurrent concern that was shared with us is how prices have risen, too far, too fast. Folks intuitively understand that there are global factors at play when it comes to inflation. But when jumps are sharp, and felt in daily necessities—food, fuel, rent—it rocks our budgets, and households feel unable to cope, especially when they are already stretched thin.
Over time, wages are likely to rise and adapt. But the adjustment has been remarkably muted. (Real) wages went from 3.3 percent in 2020 to 1.6 percent in 2021, and last year, it barely eked up, rising by a mere 0.4 percent. What’s worse, the burden of rising inflation doesn’t appear to have been equally shared. Firm profits have remained stable—returns on assets for 2020 and 2021 were 5.2 and 5.3 percent (2022 data aren’t yet available)—and banks even posted record profits last year.
The government has provided some support, in the form of (taxpayer-funded) GST vouchers and cash grants. But as one retired resident shared, the money is one-off, but the price increases are forever. For that couple, stubbornly low CPF interest rates (Special and Medisave accounts
will rise from 4 to a 4.01 next quarter, while other rates remain unchanged) means that they are losing purchasing power from their savings over time.
The #workersparty has consistently spoken up about the need to support households through this high-inflation environment, and have CPF interest rates adjust to better reflect inflation realities. We will continue to do so. #SengkangGRC
Jamus Lim
3 d ·In recent house visits, #TeamSengkang was able to wrap up 261B and 261C #Compassvale, as well as get through half of 316C #Anchorvale.
A recurrent concern that was shared with us is how prices have risen, too far, too fast. Folks intuitively understand that there are global factors at play when it comes to inflation. But when jumps are sharp, and felt in daily necessities—food, fuel, rent—it rocks our budgets, and households feel unable to cope, especially when they are already stretched thin.
Over time, wages are likely to rise and adapt. But the adjustment has been remarkably muted. (Real) wages went from 3.3 percent in 2020 to 1.6 percent in 2021, and last year, it barely eked up, rising by a mere 0.4 percent. What’s worse, the burden of rising inflation doesn’t appear to have been equally shared. Firm profits have remained stable—returns on assets for 2020 and 2021 were 5.2 and 5.3 percent (2022 data aren’t yet available)—and banks even posted record profits last year.
The government has provided some support, in the form of (taxpayer-funded) GST vouchers and cash grants. But as one retired resident shared, the money is one-off, but the price increases are forever. For that couple, stubbornly low CPF interest rates (Special and Medisave accounts
will rise from 4 to a 4.01 next quarter, while other rates remain unchanged) means that they are losing purchasing power from their savings over time.
The #workersparty has consistently spoken up about the need to support households through this high-inflation environment, and have CPF interest rates adjust to better reflect inflation realities. We will continue to do so. #SengkangGRC
Jamus had the pleasure of speaking with folks at Sunrider, about the state of the Singaporean economy.
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with folks at Sunrider, about the state of the Singaporean economy. I reflected on how growth appeared to be losing momentum, even as inflation remained elevated. And while policymakers have sought to address the latter through exchange rate appreciation, the results have been lackluster. I also shared about how our potential output is likely to be lower in the future than in the past—closer to 2 or 3 percent—and that our globally-oriented trade may fail to exploit growth opportunities in the ASEAN neighborhood.
Thanks to Jay for the invitation, his moderation of the session, and opportunity to share my thoughts.
Jamus Lim
4 d ·Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with folks at Sunrider, about the state of the Singaporean economy. I reflected on how growth appeared to be losing momentum, even as inflation remained elevated. And while policymakers have sought to address the latter through exchange rate appreciation, the results have been lackluster. I also shared about how our potential output is likely to be lower in the future than in the past—closer to 2 or 3 percent—and that our globally-oriented trade may fail to exploit growth opportunities in the ASEAN neighborhood.
Thanks to Jay for the invitation, his moderation of the session, and opportunity to share my thoughts.
Jamus would like the system to be more flexible.
At this past weekend’s #SengkangGRC #RiverRun, we had a mix of runners with different comfort levels with running distances. Since Chua Kheng Wee 蔡庆威 abandoned us to join his residents in an adventure to Batam, we didn’t have two of us to lead different groups, and so had to adapt. We started our run off in one direction, before rounding back for the 2.4K. We then headed off in another, and allowed one less-seasoned runner to take a break while the others proceeded on to the turnaround, catching up with that person on the way back. While we didn’t cater to every possible pace (we maxed out at 6.4K in the end), I felt that we were able to at least accommodate a range of abilities and experiences.
It reminded me of the direction that I would like much our national-level policies to take, especially when it pertains to education. My sense of the status quo is that, too often, we seek efficiency and cost-savings, but as a consequence, cater mainly the masses around the average. We have specialized resources to further enhance the top end of the distribution (think gifted education, integrated program, or SAP schools). We do have some for the bottom end, but they are more limited (the few Pathlight campuses seem woefully inadequate given the prevalence rate of ASD in the population, and, to my knowledge, there doesn’t seem to any dedicated ADHD school).
And averages themselves are misleading. Who is truly “average”? In normal distributions, the average is constructed from a wide range above and below the mean, and if we focus too much on that elusive middle, we become excessively rigid and underserved those who may otherwise flourish if greater flexibility is built into the system. This general mindset—that we’d like to fine-tune our system to better accommodate a diversity of individual students and learning styles—infuses all our #workersparty proposals concerning education, and will continue to do so, as we raise our proposals in Parliament.
Jamus Lim
4 d ·At this past weekend’s #SengkangGRC #RiverRun, we had a mix of runners with different comfort levels with running distances. Since Chua Kheng Wee 蔡庆威 abandoned us to join his residents in an adventure to Batam, we didn’t have two of us to lead different groups, and so had to adapt. We started our run off in one direction, before rounding back for the 2.4K. We then headed off in another, and allowed one less-seasoned runner to take a break while the others proceeded on to the turnaround, catching up with that person on the way back. While we didn’t cater to every possible pace (we maxed out at 6.4K in the end), I felt that we were able to at least accommodate a range of abilities and experiences.
It reminded me of the direction that I would like much our national-level policies to take, especially when it pertains to education. My sense of the status quo is that, too often, we seek efficiency and cost-savings, but as a consequence, cater mainly the masses around the average. We have specialized resources to further enhance the top end of the distribution (think gifted education, integrated program, or SAP schools). We do have some for the bottom end, but they are more limited (the few Pathlight campuses seem woefully inadequate given the prevalence rate of ASD in the population, and, to my knowledge, there doesn’t seem to any dedicated ADHD school).
And averages themselves are misleading. Who is truly “average”? In normal distributions, the average is constructed from a wide range above and below the mean, and if we focus too much on that elusive middle, we become excessively rigid and underserved those who may otherwise flourish if greater flexibility is built into the system. This general mindset—that we’d like to fine-tune our system to better accommodate a diversity of individual students and learning styles—infuses all our #workersparty proposals concerning education, and will continue to do so, as we raise our proposals in Parliament.
Jamus has a date with his wife. 
In my experience, one of the more stressful (albeit joyful) events in a couple’s journey is the act of having a child. We’ve certainly had more heated exchanges since our little one entered our lives. Part of this is unsurprising; we carry our own expectations of how we should parent based on our own formative years, and layer on further beliefs about how we’d like to raise a kid.
So it’s immensely valuable (for us) to occasionally go on just-us dates, where we are able to catch up, without our little one demanding attention (and as any parent knows, they surely do demand). I’ve also come to learn that—given how busy my schedule can get—this tends to only happen when such dates are consciously scheduled. Usually this happens over lunch, while our daughter is at childcare. We did exactly that yesterday, and snuck off for a sushi lunch, before returning to the grind of the rest of the day.
Jamus Lim
4 d ·In my experience, one of the more stressful (albeit joyful) events in a couple’s journey is the act of having a child. We’ve certainly had more heated exchanges since our little one entered our lives. Part of this is unsurprising; we carry our own expectations of how we should parent based on our own formative years, and layer on further beliefs about how we’d like to raise a kid.
So it’s immensely valuable (for us) to occasionally go on just-us dates, where we are able to catch up, without our little one demanding attention (and as any parent knows, they surely do demand). I’ve also come to learn that—given how busy my schedule can get—this tends to only happen when such dates are consciously scheduled. Usually this happens over lunch, while our daughter is at childcare. We did exactly that yesterday, and snuck off for a sushi lunch, before returning to the grind of the rest of the day.
Jamus received a present. 
Some of the core members of #TeamSengkang #Anchorvale recently commissioned a work of Chinese calligraphy, which they gave to me as a present.
The text, 莫忘初心, is essentially an admonition to never forget what drove you to do something in the first place. Being in the hustle and bustle (and grit and grind) of everyday politics, this is sometimes easy to forget—or, at the least, put on a backburner—but it is often the simple messages like this that we need to rekindle the purpose and passion that led us to take the first step on that journey in public service.
What made the gift even more meaningful is that it is the work of an autistic teenager, who had struggled to be engaged in many things, before discovering that he could patiently write for hours by copying Buddhist scriptures, and creating his own font style in the process. Parents of special needs children—or just children, more generally—may sometimes not see the light at the end of tunnel in their road to raising a child. I was a pretty hyperactive kid growing up, who got into all sorts of trouble in school (including getting publicly caned and thrown out of class, being told to sit quietly in a rubbish bin, and paradoxically liking it), so I empathize. But I can also attest to how once one finds an activity, role, or goal that simultaneously holds deep meaning for oneself, one can accomplish things that nobody could have imagined.
Of course, my heartfelt appreciation to the talented artist, @junlefont. And to the team that plumped for the gift—you folks know who you are—thank you, not just for the beautiful piece, but also for all the times when you’ve been patient with me and helped me along, and yet I was too tired or absentminded to say so.
Postscript: Those who would like to support Jun Le so that he may scale new heights, you may view his calligraphy at https://www.junlefont.com/. As for me, the work will adorn our MP office at the #SengkangGRC town council, as a constant but tender reminder.
Jamus Lim
4 d ·Some of the core members of #TeamSengkang #Anchorvale recently commissioned a work of Chinese calligraphy, which they gave to me as a present.
The text, 莫忘初心, is essentially an admonition to never forget what drove you to do something in the first place. Being in the hustle and bustle (and grit and grind) of everyday politics, this is sometimes easy to forget—or, at the least, put on a backburner—but it is often the simple messages like this that we need to rekindle the purpose and passion that led us to take the first step on that journey in public service.
What made the gift even more meaningful is that it is the work of an autistic teenager, who had struggled to be engaged in many things, before discovering that he could patiently write for hours by copying Buddhist scriptures, and creating his own font style in the process. Parents of special needs children—or just children, more generally—may sometimes not see the light at the end of tunnel in their road to raising a child. I was a pretty hyperactive kid growing up, who got into all sorts of trouble in school (including getting publicly caned and thrown out of class, being told to sit quietly in a rubbish bin, and paradoxically liking it), so I empathize. But I can also attest to how once one finds an activity, role, or goal that simultaneously holds deep meaning for oneself, one can accomplish things that nobody could have imagined.
Of course, my heartfelt appreciation to the talented artist, @junlefont. And to the team that plumped for the gift—you folks know who you are—thank you, not just for the beautiful piece, but also for all the times when you’ve been patient with me and helped me along, and yet I was too tired or absentminded to say so.
Postscript: Those who would like to support Jun Le so that he may scale new heights, you may view his calligraphy at https://www.junlefont.com/. As for me, the work will adorn our MP office at the #SengkangGRC town council, as a constant but tender reminder.
Jamus is happy to be a parent.
Every parent has had moments where they’ve lost patience with their child. Our daughter is three-and-a-half, and is especially into testing boundaries. It can sometimes take significant self-control to get her to do things without blowing up.
But at the same time, she can be the sweetest angel; she would sidle up to us and hug us for no reason, and say she loves us, or she could try to feed us with something she herself enjoys, or just by being herself when she laughs and plays, she can bring such tremendous joy to those around her.
I’ve sometimes been asked if being a parent is worth it. I never hesitate to respond. While I won’t pretend that the journey has always been simple or easy, it has been enormously fulfilling, and on net, there is no question that being a father is a wonderful, incomparable experience. I would not trade my daughter for anything else in the world.
I recently had an opportunity to share my thoughts on fatherhood with the kind folks at The Singapore Women's Weekly. In addition to a video interview snippet—where I field awkward questions of the kind only kids can think up and dare to ask—I also took on a number of other questions, which you may read here: https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/.../parenting/jamus-lim/.
Thanks to Estelle and the rest of the ultra-professional team, for arranging the shoot, and providing a much-needed update to my ten-year wardrobe. And to all fathers out there: Happy Father’s Day!
Jamus Lim is not just an expert at asking questions, but also answering — even if they are from Gen Alpha.
In the first of our series for Father's Day, the MP for Sengkang GRC gamely and patiently explains why he “cannot marry your mother”, whether monsters are real, and even attempts to show off some Mandarin.
Producer: Estelle Low
Assistant producers: Michelle Lee and Karen Fong
Director & editor: Jasper Yu
Videographer: Alvin Quek
Production assistants: Nikki Ho, Isuru Nawod & Srinidhi
Fashion stylist: Angela Chu
Hair & makeup artist: Sha Shamsi
Location: InterContinental Singapore
#fathersday #jamuslim #dad #fathers
Jamus Lim
1 d ·Every parent has had moments where they’ve lost patience with their child. Our daughter is three-and-a-half, and is especially into testing boundaries. It can sometimes take significant self-control to get her to do things without blowing up.
But at the same time, she can be the sweetest angel; she would sidle up to us and hug us for no reason, and say she loves us, or she could try to feed us with something she herself enjoys, or just by being herself when she laughs and plays, she can bring such tremendous joy to those around her.
I’ve sometimes been asked if being a parent is worth it. I never hesitate to respond. While I won’t pretend that the journey has always been simple or easy, it has been enormously fulfilling, and on net, there is no question that being a father is a wonderful, incomparable experience. I would not trade my daughter for anything else in the world.
I recently had an opportunity to share my thoughts on fatherhood with the kind folks at The Singapore Women's Weekly. In addition to a video interview snippet—where I field awkward questions of the kind only kids can think up and dare to ask—I also took on a number of other questions, which you may read here: https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/.../parenting/jamus-lim/.
Thanks to Estelle and the rest of the ultra-professional team, for arranging the shoot, and providing a much-needed update to my ten-year wardrobe. And to all fathers out there: Happy Father’s Day!
The Singapore Women's Weekly
4 d ·Jamus Lim is not just an expert at asking questions, but also answering — even if they are from Gen Alpha.
In the first of our series for Father's Day, the MP for Sengkang GRC gamely and patiently explains why he “cannot marry your mother”, whether monsters are real, and even attempts to show off some Mandarin.
Producer: Estelle Low
Assistant producers: Michelle Lee and Karen Fong
Director & editor: Jasper Yu
Videographer: Alvin Quek
Production assistants: Nikki Ho, Isuru Nawod & Srinidhi
Fashion stylist: Angela Chu
Hair & makeup artist: Sha Shamsi
Location: InterContinental Singapore
#fathersday #jamuslim #dad #fathers
Jamus continues house visits.
Our #TeamSengkang house visits this week allowed us to complete 316C, and also finished 315B, and started on 315A, #Anchorvale. We were also able to have a number of deeper discussions with residents during our Sunday morning stop at the 338 coffeeshop.
One particular conversation stuck with me. I was speaking to a couple, who were parents of three children. The children had grown up, but when they were still schooling, they had wanted to pursue their studies—in various flavors of music and the arts—abroad, in part because that was where the very best universities were. They were a middle-class family, so it came down to finding the money, so that they could do so.
This story reminded me of another #SengkangGRC family, who had sent their children overseas to study as well. They wanted to sell their condo, to help finance their kids’ studies. But they got caught in the recently-announced requirement that imposed a 15-month wait before a flat purchase—even though their decision to send their kids away was made well before the new policy. We had appealed on their behalf a couple of times, but despite our best efforts, were unsuccessful in overturning the prohibition.
Both instances reminded me of just what parents are willing to do to help ensure that their children have the best possible chances in life. It often entails sacrifice, including sometimes giving up on their own dreams. But it is one that, over and over, parents willingly make. It’s a useful reminder, as we head into this Father’s Day weekend, of just how grateful we should be for what they do.
Jamus Lim
3 d ·Our #TeamSengkang house visits this week allowed us to complete 316C, and also finished 315B, and started on 315A, #Anchorvale. We were also able to have a number of deeper discussions with residents during our Sunday morning stop at the 338 coffeeshop.
One particular conversation stuck with me. I was speaking to a couple, who were parents of three children. The children had grown up, but when they were still schooling, they had wanted to pursue their studies—in various flavors of music and the arts—abroad, in part because that was where the very best universities were. They were a middle-class family, so it came down to finding the money, so that they could do so.
This story reminded me of another #SengkangGRC family, who had sent their children overseas to study as well. They wanted to sell their condo, to help finance their kids’ studies. But they got caught in the recently-announced requirement that imposed a 15-month wait before a flat purchase—even though their decision to send their kids away was made well before the new policy. We had appealed on their behalf a couple of times, but despite our best efforts, were unsuccessful in overturning the prohibition.
Both instances reminded me of just what parents are willing to do to help ensure that their children have the best possible chances in life. It often entails sacrifice, including sometimes giving up on their own dreams. But it is one that, over and over, parents willingly make. It’s a useful reminder, as we head into this Father’s Day weekend, of just how grateful we should be for what they do.
