Chitchat Why Jamus Lim join Workers' Party ?

[k1976]

https://theindependent.sg/jamus-lim-explains-why-high-coe-prices-are-not-just-a-concern-for-elites/

SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) explained how the high prices of the Certificate of Entitlement (COE), the document allowing Singaporeans to own and drive cars, affects everyone, not just wealthy individuals. In a Wednesday morning (Nov 22) Facebook post, Assoc Prof Lim talked about the issue, which is part of the motion on the cost of living crisis the WP filed and was debated in Parliament earlier this month.

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“Some may wonder if COE prices are just the concern of elites. I don’t think so. Two in five households own a car. Many of these are just regular families, many with young children, for which wheels help get kids to classes, pull off grocery runs, and make work appointments. Others are those with an elderly or dependent with medical needs, for which a reliable ride becomes almost a necessity. Besides, pricey car COEs spill over into the cost of semi-public options, like taxis and rideshares, or low-cost alternatives, like motorbikes,” he wrote in his post.

See also Going viral: GE meme comparing Nicole Seah with Heng Swee Keat
The Sengkang GRC wrote that he highlighted the high cost of COE prices because it has been the biggest contributor to higher and higher transport costs. COE prices made the news around the globe as they reached record highs last month, although prices have moderated since then.

Read related: Jamus Lim: COE system is broken; time to implement changes
He also shared the solutions he proposed in Parliament through a series of infographics and further explained why the proposed solutions show how important the opposition voice is.
“A vote for the incumbent PAP is for more of the same, an acceptance that the system, which has delivered ever-rising costs of living, does not need reform. What we’re saying is that, despite having served a solid purpose, more of the same no longer cuts it when the young worry about being able to afford their first flat, or young families a modest car, or lower-income households relief from high water and electricity bills.”
See also Jamus Lim Offers Letters of Encouragement as Alternative to Edusave Awards
The proposals Assoc Prof Lim put forth include segmenting the COE market into more specialized categories and creating a category specifically for vehicles driven for commercial purposes and for Electric Vehicles (EVs), which he had already proposed in Parliament last year. He also proposed removing private hire cars from regular Category A and B bidding, proposing that car dealers should no longer be allowed to bid and that second car purchases should be required to be in the open category.

The Sengkang GRC MP also proposed solutions for addressing high COE costs for motorcycle owners, many of whom are from lower-income families. /TISG
Read also: Increased COE Quota For Category A, B, And C From Nov 2023 To Jan 2024
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[k1976]

As Usual, our Auntie know the best.....

 

[jw5]

Jamus chats with a resident outside his flat.

 

[jw5]

Jamus has been celebrating Deepavali across various constituencies represented by the #workersparty.

Jamus Lim​

11 h ·
Over the course of last week and this, we’ve been celebrating Deepavali across various constituencies represented by the #workersparty. At the #SengkangGRC celebration, we substituted a sit-down dinner for one that—consistent with our demographics—emphasized family-friendly activities, such as children’s art and craft, and a kid-oriented magic show.
We did, however, have the usual complement of performances (including by residents!), but we were especially delighted to welcome Migrant Dancers Singapore, a multicultural group of migrants who perform cultural and contemporary dances. Even though the dancers may have started off a little reserved, once they got into the music, it was clear that they found a natural comfort in letting their bodies express their groove.
Singapore has such a large migrant community—who help with keeping our environment clean, cooking our delicious meals, caring for our children and elderly, and building our homes—that they truly are an essential part of the fabric of our nation. As they care for us, we should also care for them; this ranges from simple acts of friendship and appreciation, to speaking up for their welfare, something that the #workersparty has sought to do. #TeamSengkang

 

[jw5]

Jamus tries to convince a resident to talk to him.

 

[jw5]

Jamus asks resident to accept his flyer.

 

[jw5]

Jamus continues house visits.

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·
This past week, #TeamSengkang completed our house visits at 301B, and got a start on 305B #Anchorvale. Our chats touched on the various and sundry, but one issue—befitting the overall youthful character of the estate—was about the school system, especially early education.
One parent shared with me how she felt that there was a disconnect between when kids complete their kindergarten years, and the sort of expectations parents (and sometimes teachers) have of those enrolling in Primary 1. In principle, kids should have had exposure to the alphabet and numbers, with literacy a skill that is typically acquired over the course of the elementary school years. But often, a “race to the top” (or bottom, depending on your point of view) has emerged, with preschoolers sitting down in structured classrooms from as early as nursery. The upshot is that children who are unable to read by the time they start primary school are deemed to have fallen behind, even though that isn’t officially supposed to be the case.
Some may argue that, in a competitive world, getting a leg up early isn’t a bad thing. Indeed, many parents have come to expect it, and schools that cater to such desires have sprouted up to meet those expectations. What is sometimes neglected is that there is a cost to starting so young, even for kids who can rise to the challenge. When our toddlers and preschoolers give up their playtime and free spirits so early—just to keep up with their peers—they may forgo not only happy childhood memories. Unstructured play builds soft skills, such as empathy and communication, along with fostering creativity and critical thinking. They become more emotionally balanced, and cope better with anxiety and conflict.
So it’s a false dichotomy to think that we are giving up giving our kids a head start in life when we stress academic over nonacademic achievements so early in their development journey. The mismatch becomes especially stark when “better-prepared” kids from families who have attended enrichment and tuition and expensive private preschools are lumped together with those who are from families with more modest means (or who hold different worldviews). This results in a clash of expectations and rising stress—emanating from parents and within children themselves—which is further exacerbated by large classes with very heterogeneous composition.
The way the Ministry of Education has tried to manage this incongruence is to deemphasize exams at an early stage. But many parents—even those who don’t buy into a test-oriented culture—don’t find this useful, because the exams will inevitably come later, and kids who haven’t been prepared to face them struggle even more when those challenges arrive. What may be required is an entire shift away from a mindset of high-stakes testing, to one where students are evaluated continuously, incrementally, and holistically, much like how they will be for the rest of their working lives.

 

[jw5]

Jamus thanks all volunteers, supporters, and sponsors.

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·
Although most regard #SengkangGRC as a young town, in reality, we have many seniors among our midst, either because they live in the elderly flexi blocks or in the older-construction clusters, or (quite frequently) because they live with their children. So over the past weekend, we organized a Sengkang-wide Healthy Aging Day, with the support of The WP Community Fund. In addition to morning exercises, we also had talks on nutrition and healthy eating choices for physical health, and art-as-therapy for mental health.
A key part of #ActiveAging, in my view, is incorporating activity into our daily lifestyle. An ex-colleague of mine, who was in his 60s, used to get asked what his exercise secrets were for staying trim and fit. He would share that he never exercised a day in his life. But every time he saw a flight of stairs, he would take it. It wouldn’t matter if his meeting was on the 10th floor; he would plan to arrive 10 minutes earlier, and take the stairs. Other colleagues (myself included) would commute to work on our bicycles, through the summer and winter, squeezing in a quick shower before starting our workday. Even taking a walk to and from the MRT station, instead of hopping on a feeder, could be a way to get a mini-workout in.
Thanks to all volunteers, supporters, and sponsors who helped make this event possible, including Yee Jenn Jong 余振忠 and Chan Joy Seng for delivering our information talks, Lisa for leading the morning exercise, and various donors for the blood pressure monitors and fruit basket gifts! #TeamSengkang

 

[jw5]

Jamus invites you for a run.

Jamus Lim​

10 h ·
The first Saturday of December starts early this month, and while it’s been raining most evenings, it looks to be clear at half six, so we plan to go ahead with our usual #SengkangGRC #RiverRun. Looking forward to catch up with folks there!

 

[jw5]

Jamus Lim​

3 d ·

He Ting Ru 何廷儒​

3 d ·
SKTC’s full response to media queries can be found on our website:


SKTC.SG
Sengkang Town Council's response to media queries on the Court of Appeal Judgement
SKTC's response to media queries on the Court of Appeal Judgement

 

[jw5]

Jamus and LTK sold newspapers.

Jamus Lim​

9 h ·
Over the weekend, Mr Low Thia Khiang and I took our Hammer newspaper sales to #SengkangGRC, by visiting the newly-opened #Buangkok Food Center. The hawker center—located within Sengkang Grand Mall—will eventually have 38 stalls, although it seemed like around a third were yet to open. Nevertheless, the place was buzzing, not least because a number of the folks we spoke to indicated that they were visiting from other parts of the island. It is nice to finally see a long-awaited hawker center enter into operation. Another hawker center—at #Anchorvale Village—is slated to open in the first quarter of next year, and I’m sure families across the town are looking forward to that, as we

 

[jw5]

Jamus wants our economy to skate to where the puck will be.

Jamus Lim​

1 d ·
Trade is a cornerstone of Singapore’s economic model, from which we have benefited tremendously. Lest we take this for granted, it’s instructive to look around the world and observe how few truly open trading nations there are. Personally, I’ve been impressed by how we’ve embraced openness as a country; this is not just in trade of goods and services, but also in the flow of capital, people, and ideas. It’s made our society more cosmopolitan, more robust, and more plugged in. But the forces of globalization, which had long been a tailwind for our economy, have largely stalled for a decade and a half now. This could well be a long-cycle phenomenon, but to bet heavily on a continuation of this historical trend seems unwise.
I spoke about this concern in the context of a Bill debated in Parliament a few months back. It concerned free trade zones (FTZs), which have been an important building block for our open trading system (in Singapore and elsewhere). I explained how, by all means, we should continually refine our laws on FTZs to ensure that they do not become an inadvertent back door for illicit activities (although it wasn’t always quite clear how the proposed Bill would achieve this goal).
But more fundamentally, we need to keep an eye on the bigger picture. If we think that we should still cast our bets on big, shiny infrastructure projects—premised on an era of globalization that may already be over—we may be in for a rude shock (incidentally, it’s for this reason that I’m somewhat more skeptical about expending significant investment in the Tuas megaport, although I think planned Changi terminals should go ahead, given the resilience and higher-end nature of air travel. But that’s another matter). We should also carefully consider whether the strategy of attracting foreign capital via our tax regime will still be relevant. After all, the accord on a minimum global corporate tax is proceeding apace, leaving less room for attracting finance with low taxes.
Much better to think about durable sources of attraction for global capital: top-notch digital infrastructure, an adaptable and skilled workforce, a sound institutional framework, and an environment that encourages the free exchange of views and ideas.
There’s a saying about how a good hockey player doesn’t just skate to where the puck has been, but where it is going to be. This applies here: our economic model needs to be purposed for emerging future trends, not what has served us well in the past. While I don’t have a crystal ball, my sense is that the more important ingredients for the future lies not in the stuff we traditionally associate with FTZs (like tax holidays), but in elements like how agglomeration facilitates technology transfer and knowledge creation. Our laws need to reflect this understanding, rather than putz around with tweaks that won’t matter much in the future. Our economy needs to skate to where the puck will be. #makingyourvotecount

 

[jw5]

Jamus has an idea for a simple weeknight meal.

Jamus Lim​

10 h ·
Here’s an idea for a simple weeknight meal, which blends Western cuisine with Eastern influences: mentaiko pasta. The sauce is made with melted (slightly browned) butter, but instead of blending with cheese or egg yolk, it is done with a splash of starchy pasta water, spicy pollack roe, and light soy. The trick, as with all emulsified sauces, is to gradually introduce the different components, and to gently fold one into the other, until they marry in a rich, creamy glaze.
To provide a bit more of an interesting mouthfeel, I topped with some pepper-smoked salmon, tobiko, and a nori-dense furikake (which also conveniently introduces some additional protein). All this comes together very quickly; you can strip the mentaiko from their sacs while boiling the water and cooking the pasta (I used linguine—because the store ran out of spaghetti—but I think it works best with a cut thicker than vermicelli or capellini).
Postscipt: the fattiness of the dish also means that it works well to temper cravings that develop when one is a little inebriated (and its ease of preparation often helps in such instances, too).

 

[jw5]

Jamus leaves his calling card.

 

[jw5]

Jamus tries to persuade resident to talk to him.

 

[jw5]

Jamus hosted a Christmas party.

Jamus Lim​

13 h ·
Over the weekend, #Anchorvale hosted our Christmas party. We were delighted to welcome residents from across the division, who got to enjoy carnival games, a magic show, caroling performances (in different languages!), arts and craft, along with the ever-popular cotton candy station.
We even managed to get it to look a little more wintry in Sengkang, with a snow play area (while tiny foamy flakes don’t quite capture the magical silence that accompanies snowfall, but for many kids—including our little one—it was a wonderful treat). On my part, I donned a Santa suit and several dozen pounds to hand out candy, and offer season’s greetings.
Thanks as usual to our dedicated #TeamSengkang volunteers, who tirelessly manned the games and treats stations, the artistes and groups that lent their talents to the performances, the donors for the snow machine and the various Christmas gifts that we handed out, and Annie and Desmond, who went as far as to donate a homemade teddy bear tree!

 

[jw5]

Santa/Jamus gives out goodies.

 

[k1976]

James can be 5g if he 弃暗投明

 

[jw5]

Impressing parents and kids.

 

[jw5]

Parents and kids gather around.