My Little Voice
My little voice may not be heard by many. Nonetheless I will have it blogged. Hopefully to be read and commented; may it be only one or two.Friday, January 06, 2006
Singapore's New Pledge
We, the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one selfish people
Biasing on race, language or religion
To build a self-centred societyBased on unfairness and bias
So as to achieve the poor to be poorer and rich to be richer
Pledge ourselves as one selfish people
Biasing on race, language or religion
To build a self-centred societyBased on unfairness and bias
So as to achieve the poor to be poorer and rich to be richer
Friday, August 26, 2005
Baby Blues
It’s once again National Day. I love watching the rally. I noticed that recently the rally never fails to evolve around the topic of baby bonus. I have nothing much against it; just that I don’t get to enjoy such privileges. All these perks are for babies born within wedlock.
I always feel it is unfair. Is it to say that babies born out of wedlock are not humans? And eventually when these baby boys grow up they are not require to serve national service? Or these kids will not be contributing to the country economy?
Maybe extending the baby bonus to single mother will send a wrong message to the public. Nevertheless, I strongly believe there are ways and means to explore this matter and not just a total rejection. It’s like slamming the door right on single mums’ face. In addition, tax relief may come into the picture.
Think it is high time Government re-look and re-address this issue. How hard they try to ignore it, it is still going to be there. It will not just disappear into the think air over time.
I always feel it is unfair. Is it to say that babies born out of wedlock are not humans? And eventually when these baby boys grow up they are not require to serve national service? Or these kids will not be contributing to the country economy?
Maybe extending the baby bonus to single mother will send a wrong message to the public. Nevertheless, I strongly believe there are ways and means to explore this matter and not just a total rejection. It’s like slamming the door right on single mums’ face. In addition, tax relief may come into the picture.
Think it is high time Government re-look and re-address this issue. How hard they try to ignore it, it is still going to be there. It will not just disappear into the think air over time.
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Fair OR Unfair?
Yesterday papers I read about the foreign workers with valid work permits been caught for doing jobs which they are not hired for. The penalty they going to face is serving jail term. After which, I strongly believe they are not able to come back here and work. In addition, with such ‘criminal record”, I doubt they will be able to apply for any work permits in any other countries. They have to be once again stuck in their country and suffer in poverty. It is not just going to be them to suffer only but also their family.
It’s so unfair! They are here to earn themselves 1 meal per day; the other 2 meals they saved them and send home. Who are they to decide their destiny in Singapore? They have to listen to their supervisors or foremen. If they refused, they face the fate of been send back to their counties. Even if the companies do not do so, they will just leave these workers idle for a few days and these workers have no choice but to oblige to them. This is because they have loaned a lot of money back in their country just to come here and work in hope they are able to provide better for their families. Stop work will mean no income for them. Nobody is able to endure it.
From another angle, do they really know what sort of works they are been employed for to work in Singapore? I will assume that many do not know. When told to work they will just work. So why when there a breech in of working laws they are been punished?
So are these unscrupulous business man been penalised? If they are, to them, the fines are just peanuts compared to the monies they are able to “squeeze” from these poor foreigners. Even if anyone has to face the music and be thrown in the jail, there is bound to be a scapegoat.
It is time to ponder if there is really justice in Singapore. If there is, who is it protecting? I think we mustn’t forget these foreign workers are going through what our forefathers had gone through in building this so call beautiful country.
It’s so unfair! They are here to earn themselves 1 meal per day; the other 2 meals they saved them and send home. Who are they to decide their destiny in Singapore? They have to listen to their supervisors or foremen. If they refused, they face the fate of been send back to their counties. Even if the companies do not do so, they will just leave these workers idle for a few days and these workers have no choice but to oblige to them. This is because they have loaned a lot of money back in their country just to come here and work in hope they are able to provide better for their families. Stop work will mean no income for them. Nobody is able to endure it.
From another angle, do they really know what sort of works they are been employed for to work in Singapore? I will assume that many do not know. When told to work they will just work. So why when there a breech in of working laws they are been punished?
So are these unscrupulous business man been penalised? If they are, to them, the fines are just peanuts compared to the monies they are able to “squeeze” from these poor foreigners. Even if anyone has to face the music and be thrown in the jail, there is bound to be a scapegoat.
It is time to ponder if there is really justice in Singapore. If there is, who is it protecting? I think we mustn’t forget these foreign workers are going through what our forefathers had gone through in building this so call beautiful country.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Jobs Re-Designing
Referring to the article "How Singapore can stem jobless tide" which was published on Straits Times on 8 July 2005.
I have to agree that over the years we put in an effort to “repackage” many jobs. As mentioned, waste management and cleaning jobs have re-designed themselves successfully. Now work is carried out with the aid of new machinery. Despite so, re-designing may not succeed for some industries; especially construction.
For many decades, it is an accepted fact that in construction line it is still very labour intensive trade. Also, we are very dependent on foreign workers as no Singaporean would like to take up these jobs. Quoting one example is recently my company which specialising in sewer rehabilitation works was recruiting General Worker. Though most of our works are carried out using special equipment, labour is required. One interviewee after been told scope of works, he said that this kind of job is suitable for only Thais. Going through his qualification, he is neither educated nor has any other skills. Perhaps some of my present NTS (non-traditional source) workers are more academically or skills qualified than him. Yet he declined the job offer on the spot.
I think we should not just only re-design jobs but also change the mindset of Singaporeans.
I have to agree that over the years we put in an effort to “repackage” many jobs. As mentioned, waste management and cleaning jobs have re-designed themselves successfully. Now work is carried out with the aid of new machinery. Despite so, re-designing may not succeed for some industries; especially construction.
For many decades, it is an accepted fact that in construction line it is still very labour intensive trade. Also, we are very dependent on foreign workers as no Singaporean would like to take up these jobs. Quoting one example is recently my company which specialising in sewer rehabilitation works was recruiting General Worker. Though most of our works are carried out using special equipment, labour is required. One interviewee after been told scope of works, he said that this kind of job is suitable for only Thais. Going through his qualification, he is neither educated nor has any other skills. Perhaps some of my present NTS (non-traditional source) workers are more academically or skills qualified than him. Yet he declined the job offer on the spot.
I think we should not just only re-design jobs but also change the mindset of Singaporeans.
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