Worker's Party proposal will hurt Singaporeans....

[theblackhole]

SINGAPORE: Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin has said that the opposition Workers' Party's proposal for a zero foreign manpower growth in this decade, when put in practice, will hurt Singaporeans.

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday on the Population White Paper, Mr Tan noted that in fact, the strategies outlined in the paper has opted for slower growth and a significant reduction in the foreign labour force numbers.

He said Singapore cannot continue on the same growth trajectory as before, but what it needs to decide on is the pace of growth that will bring benefits to citizens.

And in achieving this, Mr Tan said the country will need to transit carefully.

He said the Workers' Party's proposal to freeze the foreign labour force growth rate immediately is an "alarming" one.

He also asked for details on how the opposition party proposes to keep the foreign workforce growth rate at 1 per cent for the next decade, especially when there are limits to how much the resident labour force participation rate can grow with an ageing population.

Mr Tan also rejected the Workers' Party's proposal that the government could dip into the country's reserves to help fund the productivity efforts of businesses.

He said the government needs to be careful when dealing with the reserves and that this "is not a rainy day".

"Singaporeans have also indicated a desire to slow down because they feel that pace of growth, because we have crossed that physical and social threshold. We cannot continue on as before. We can't.

"And we are also at a stage, from a profile perspective, different stage of economic development. This is where we need to change in terms of the direction we are going. So the White Paper is the product of this desire to get it right and chart the course for the future," Mr Tan said.

- CNA/ck

 

[theblackhole]

Worker's Party's proposal very risky!!!

SINGAPORE: Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran has criticised the Worker's Party's proposal to immediately stop the growth of the foreign workforce until 2020 and capping it at current levels - as being "extreme" and "inherently very risky".

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday during the debate on the White Paper on Population, Mr Iswaran said such a move will exacerbate uncertainty in the economic environment, accelerate business closures and the off-shoring of activities.

Mr Iswaran said Singaporeans will lose their jobs and instead of productivity-led growth, the move could easily tip the economy into a downward spiral.

Such a precipitous move will also send the completely wrong signal to the business and investor community, be it local or international.

He said: "It will damage Singapore's reputation and severely impair our efforts to attract new and different businesses which can offer precisely the kind of diverse job opportunities that better educated Singapore seek.

"In short, the Workers' Party's proposal will have a chilling affect on our economy. It is a "freeze" scenario under which we might well contain the number of foreign workers but the Workers' Party is taking an extreme risk with the livelihoods of Singaporeans and the survival of our businesses."

In contrast, Mr Iswaran said the government is seeking a balanced and measured approach to bring about transformation to the economy.

The government is also not fixated on growth as some have suggested. It wants to have quality growth so as to create the best possible opportunities for Singaporeans.

"Government will prepare every Singaporean to reach their fullest potential to stand them in good stead to fill the good jobs that have been created. It is painstaking work and we will do this sector by sector to cater to diverse needs.

"Government will also train Singaporeans so that we can take on, either from the very beginning or over time, more of the jobs that are being created in exciting new sectors," Mr Iswaran said.

He said the economic aspects in the White Paper are a sharp and significant departure from the past and will by no means be business as usual.

He said the government is hoping for a GDP growth of 3 to 5 per cent per year this decade. And this will drop even further to 2 to 3 per cent from 2020 to 2030.

He said productivity projections of about 2 to 3 per cent in this decade and 1 to 2 per cent in the next decade are also a stretch.

Mr Iswaran said: "Mr Low has accused as continuing to drive at the same speed. Let me say this categorically - we are slowing down, we are stepping on the brake so that we can achieve a smooth landing.

"But the Workers' Party is proposing to "to jam brake" and put our economy in a tailspin. And our businesses and workers risk a "hard landing".

Mr Iswaran stressed there's still a need to maintain a certain vibrancy in the economy.

Without it, Singapore cannot attract the new activities or companies that can create the types of jobs that better educated and qualified Singaporeans aspire for.

"In the past, when making investment decisions, companies asked 'Why not Singapore?' We had a certain mindshare. As our circumstances are changing, they are now beginning to ask, 'Why Singapore?' and if we're not careful, and make abrupt or precipitous policy moves, companies will soon say, 'Not Singapore' and if too many companies start saying 'Not Singapore', we will not be able to deliver the opportunities that Singaporeans want, and we will lose them to greener pastures," he said.

- CNA/ck

 

[SixthColumn]

Re: Worker's Party's proposal very risky!!!

wah blackhole, how much you paid by PAP Ib to carry their story here huh?

 

[theblackhole]

Immigration the main problem - LTK

BUT...PAP MPs are whacking him for sabotaging the Singapore's economy by STOPPING the foreign workers!!!!

200,000 families will blame WP for stopping foreign workers
businessess will slow down and even collapse if there is no foreign workers

oh dear...parliamentary debate on The White Paper is getting a new twist.....out of focus.

 

[theblackhole]

Re: Worker's Party's proposal very risky!!!

wah blackhole, how much you paid by PAP Ib to carry their story here huh?

aiyah u also out of focus liao...no wonder singapore is dead

 

[Confuseous]

Re: Worker's Party's proposal very risky!!!

SINGAPORE: Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran has criticised the Worker's Party's proposal to immediately stop the growth of the foreign workforce until 2020 and capping it at current levels - as being "extreme" and "inherently very risky".

"In short, the Workers' Party's proposal will have a chilling affect on our economy. It is a "freeze" scenario under which we might well contain the number of foreign workers but the Workers' Party is taking an extreme risk with the livelihoods of Singaporeans and the survival of our businesses."

This is yet another statement from yet another Clown in the PM's office making a lot of motherhood statements without substantiation, without quoting any facts or data. Just the kind of statements that one hears in the wet market.

In contrast, Mr Iswaran said the government is seeking a balanced and measured approach to bring about transformation to the economy.

The government is also not fixated on growth as some have suggested. It wants to have quality growth so as to create the best possible opportunities for Singaporeans.

"Government will prepare every Singaporean to reach their fullest potential to stand them in good stead to fill the good jobs that have been created. It is painstaking work and we will do this sector by sector to cater to diverse needs.

"Government will also train Singaporeans so that we can take on, either from the very beginning or over time, more of the jobs that are being created in exciting new sectors," Mr Iswaran said. "Exciting new sectors"? And he cannot even name one of them, that his how shallow this Clown is, and for whom we are paying millions each year!

He said the economic aspects in the White Paper are a sharp and significant departure from the past and will by no means be business as usual.

"In the past, when making investment decisions, companies asked 'Why not Singapore?' We had a certain mindshare. As our circumstances are changing, they are now beginning to ask, 'Why Singapore?' and if we're not careful, and make abrupt or precipitous policy moves, companies will soon say, 'Not Singapore' and if too many companies start saying 'Not Singapore', we will not be able to deliver the opportunities that Singaporeans want, and we will lose them to greener pastures," he said.
This Clown in the PM's office is talking through his hat. NOVARTIS the giant Swiss pharmaceutical giant continues to see Singapore as an ideal location and is setting up a US$500 million biotechnology facility here. He should also know what the EDB MD said yesterday: "We don't think it is an issue for companies like Novartis and AMGEN to hire people."

 

[theblackhole]

Re: Worker's Party's proposal very risky!!!

OMG! The debate is getting more and more twisted...69 upset down liao..

Now hit the WP's proposal as much as possible and blame the WP !!!

The WHITE PAPER will be passed....

 

[Brightkid]

Re: Worker's Party's proposal very risky!!!

From the many excuses given by every PAP MP, it is very clear that 6.9M target WILL BE met an very likely exceeded!

Just a forecast, worst case scenario? Who are the liars???

 

[kopiuncle]

Re: Worker's Party's proposal very risky!!!

Madam Tang has already made an estimation....we have already reached it liao!!! no need to wait until 2030..

I could even feel that there are far too many people here in Singapore right now this very moment!!!

Worst scenario would be 20 million!!!!

 

[kopiuncle]

if the growth slows down, blame the wp
if there is a housing shortage, blame the wp
if there is poor business, blame the wp
if companies move out of singapore,blame the wp

now wp is the whipping boy - the bogeyman

 

[winnipegjets]

Economic growth from low-cost labour does not benefit most sinkees. What's the point of 10 percent growth when 80 percent of the benefits go to the top 20 percent?
The existing development model used for the past 5 decades is no longer working, most evidently in the last 5 years. Real wages for most sinkees have suffered while prices for essential continue to spiral out of control. All because of the embrace-foreigners policy.
A developed country with third world wages - is that the sinkapore we want?

 

[Kinana]

Economic growth from low-cost labour does not benefit most sinkees. What's the point of 10 percent growth when 80 percent of the benefits go to the top 20 percent?
The existing development model used for the past 5 decades is no longer working, most evidently in the last 5 years. Real wages for most sinkees have suffered while prices for essential continue to spiral out of control. All because of the embrace-foreigners policy.
A developed country with third world wages - is that the sinkapore we want?

The truth is, the low paid jobs are done by foreigners. they do a lot of jobs locals won't want to do and without them, we will face low investments and inflation.

Another truth is real income rose for all, including the lower incomes.

Where have you been my fren? Living overseas?

 

[Fook Seng]

if the growth slows down, blame the wp
if there is a housing shortage, blame the wp
if there is poor business, blame the wp
if companies move out of singapore,blame the wp

now wp is the whipping boy - the bogeyman

If the government does a bad job, blame the WP.

 

[Kinana]

If the government does a bad job, blame the WP.

Did anyone blame WP? Where?

blame yousrelf bro, your productivity too low.

 

[Fook Seng]

The truth is, the low paid jobs are done by foreigners. they do a lot of jobs locals won't want to do and without them, we will face low investments and inflation.

Another truth is real income rose for all, including the lower incomes.

Where have you been my fren? Living overseas?

Some of the best paying jobs with housing in Orchard Road paid by the company are filled by foreigners.

 

[Kinana]

Some of the best paying jobs with housing in Orchard Road paid by the company are filled by foreigners.

Yes, why are they paid to do the job if locals can fill those jobs?

 

[peppertail]

Some of the best paying jobs with housing in Orchard Road paid by the company are filled by foreigners.

Whats the percantage in relation to the overall population?

Just another "I heard that" statement...

 

[Fook Seng]

Yes, why are they paid to do the job if locals can fill those jobs?

No two ways about it. The locals can definitely fill those jobs. As to why they pay such good salaries to foreigners for such jobs, you have to ask the government why they bring in such employers.

 

[Kinana]

No two ways about it. The locals can definitely fill those jobs. As to why they pay such good salaries to foreigners for such jobs, you have to ask the government why they bring in such employers.

You ask the companies that hire them lo. Why would they want to spend more money to hire expats to add to business cost?

 

[Fook Seng]

Whats the percantage in relation to the overall population?

Just another "I heard that" statement...

It is not just "I heard that". I actually know. They are sufficient such workers that can fill many of high end properties in Singapore. How many local elites share the same level if salaries?