3/27/2007

ERS/NSS and new citizens

We are now being given ERS/NSS shares as citizens. Does anyone know whether there is a qualifying period for new citizens to be given these shares? Or if one becomes a citizen yesterday one will immediately be qualified for such shares? The payout of ERS/NSS were from revenue made from funds accumulated and contributed by citizens in the past. New citizens or very new citizens, eg those who are less than a year, an arbitrary figure, do not contribute to the cumulative national reserves that generate this revenue and it is unfair that they be given these shares immediately. (To newsgean: this is an issue that questions the right of new citizens to benefit from national reserves which they have not contributed to. It is like some countries that rule out citizens not by birth from holding top govt offices.)

4 comments:

  1. Redbean, how many generations has your family been in Singapore? 1, 2, 3?

    Does it mean that those who have been in Singapore for 5 or 6 generations should have a greater claim to Progress Package, ERS/NSS, subsidies, etc?

    Perhaps you believe in special policy for "old Singaporeans", that they should have special privileges over "new Singaporeans".

    When we have two classes of Singaporeans, "old" and "new", that sounds a lot like some other countries not too far from home...

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  2. hi spartacus,

    welcome to the blog.

    you will see me using the figure '1 year, an arbitrary figure.' there should be a line drawn for the very new. once a new citizen has been here more than a year, there is not much distinction. but if i am not wrong, the usa forbids anyone from taking the office as its president unless he is born and bred in america. such distinctions do exist in some countries.

    what i am concern is the very new citizen, like those less than a year. some may just come in yesterday or last week or last month, and lo behold, big bonus from the govt in the kinds of ers/nss.

    anyway i think there is a line drawn, but not sure how far back.

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  3. Hahahaha.... the dumb people get the govt they deserve, once again!

    This is exactly what a state does. Any policy in any organisation designed to "force" people to be "equal" ("united") actually causes more divisiveness. Groups compete with each other, each one claiming to have a "rightful" larger claim than the other.

    These are not "shares" BTW, so it is *stupid* to be fooled by the LANGUAGE used by the govt. see: Newspeak

    Govts often pull a linguistic trick on the citizens by inventing terms which have totally different meanings.

    Local examples:

    "National Service" — when you are forced to defend your state, that is not service. It is slavery.

    "Central Provident Fund" — It is a TAX. However the word "tax" has negative connotations.

    "ERS/NSS" — Welfare payments. Govt takes with one hand (increased GST) and re-distributes the wealth with the other. Calling it "shares" connotes "ownership" by the recipient of these welfare payments.

    "FT's" or "Foreign Talents" — The term suggests that there is no local talent. If you observe carefully the reaction of most people—perhaps even yourself—you will notice how DIVISIVE this term is.

    Anyway, the bottom line is this: the welfare state just moved up another notch.

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