Read the case of a 43 year old Singaporean with a BA from NUS and a MBA
from a UK university. He was forced to leave his job and had 19 years of
corporate experience. He has a family to feed. He sent out many resumes
but still unable to get a job. He had an A for Economics at A level and
at MBA level. He even tried to be a tuition teacher to teach A level
Economics but no one wants him. He is desperate and suffering from
depression.
Another 42 year old with a B of Commerce degree also could not find a
decent job in the banking industry. This is a man who tried to upgrade
himself, a lot of fight, and got a degree at 39. This is not a man who
gives up. But nobody wants him. Recruitment agencies recommended him to
work as an operator in a call centre. Is this what a Singaporean with a
degree is fit for? His may not be the normal degree but he worked hard
for it.
How many Singaporeans in their 40s and 50s are caught in such dire
situations? The sickening thing is that this country is providing PME
jobs to at least half a million foreigners. This is becoming like a
country that has no place for its own citizens.
Would MOM and Tan Chuan Jin start to do something seriously to see that
young Singaporeans in their 40s and 50s who are willing to work get a
decent job? They have heavy family responsibilities, children and
mortgages. This is very serious matters and may drive them to suicide.
They have no dignity, losing their confidence and self respect, and
unable to put food on the table or money in their children’s pockets.
What kind of country is Singapore becoming when its own citizens cannot
find decent jobs and foreigners keep flooding in with jobs ready for
them? Can someone tell the jobless Singaporeans what is happening? I am
puzzled that things are still so peaceful in the streets.
I hope Singaporeans do not talk nonsense to rubbish these Singaporeans
in trouble over getting a job. Please have a heart, no nasty silly
remarks. The problem in Singaporean getting a decent job is a very
serious matter. Please don’t ask them to go and eat shit. They deserve
some respect for trying very hard and desperately wanting to get a job.
But the millionaires would probably have more important things to do,
like where is the best place to take their families for a holiday. You
can see them everywhere with their smiles of contentment written all
over their rich faces and not a worry to care. Even if you tell them
that Singaporeans are desperately seeking for jobs, they would just
smile as if they were non events.
Gilbert Goh’s Transitioning.org has many such cases pleading for help.
This is not politics but survival. The cost of living here is one of the
highest in the world and not having a decent income is frightening and a
death threatening thing. These Singaporeans need help urgently. MOM
must set up a team or unit to help them quickly. Stop wasting time and
resources on the good to have things like kindness movements, save the
dogs and cats, more parks and bicycle lanes. These people need a job
urgently. They are not asking for charity or subsidies. What is the
point of bragging about full employment when our citizens are going to
starve while foreigners are having a party here?
Kopi Level - Green
It is a capitalist trap to ask for jobs. A government simply cannot provide jobs.
ReplyDeleteWhat we should ask for is entitlement Give me welfare. That, a government can easily provide. Especially when the government is overflowing with money. $1 billion garden, $1 billion river, $1 billion thrown anywhere. Why not throw to us?
"A government simply cannot provide jobs."
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:57 am
Tiok. Unless these are civil service jobs.
PAP govt only create conditions for private sector to flourish so that there is GDP growth.
And only then will jobs be created by the private sector.
But what happen if these jobs don't go to Sinkies, eg those in their 40s?
And so these Sinkies will be unhappy and will not vote PAP, tio bo?
And that's where I think PAP will decide whether it really matters or not.
And if these Sinkies are a minority, say 40% or less, do u think PAP think it matters, u tell me lah?
The 43 and 42 year old loser Sinkies mentioned in RB post simply do not have the clout even as a group to vote PAP out.
ReplyDeleteSimply because there are many more 43 and 42 year old Sinkies who have jobs than those who do not.
Furthermore 60% above voting age, and regardless of their age, are happy enough to vote for PAP.
RB, I was one of the few lucky ones in the sense that I was out only at 50 not 40. Luckily we live within our means and I started to plan for retirement when I started working. So my plan was cut short for 5 years as originally I plan to retire at 55. The job was taken by FT.
ReplyDeleteThough at my level I could have earn more then one to two million extra but it was not to be.
I am lucky to be comfortable, brought up my kids with uni education. But my concern is for kids whether they can secure good jobs. Now they are struggling and fighting with FT for internships. It is really tough.
I think the PAP, through IRAS records, and maybe even at any time, know exactly how many Sinkies have jobs and earn decent pay and own properties.
ReplyDeleteAnd this of course RB or Gilbert doesn't know lah, do they?
RB, I really pity the two guys but fact is it only involves may be 1 to 2% of the population as it's not a concern to government at the macro level. At the individual level may be few hundreds to a thousand may kill themselves or ended with broken families, it's still not a concern and the government would mitigate through ministry of community development. That is why they still get 60% support.
ReplyDeleteThe govt is the biggest employer, civil service, stats boards and GLCs. Jobs in these organisations should give priorities to citizens, not locals. The Govt owes it to the citizens. If not the citizens shall just vote them out.
ReplyDeleteIf Sinkies cannot emphatise with the plight of fellow Sinkies, if they cannot feel the pain when fellow Sinkies are suffering, when they would not bother to help, esp the govt, we are no longer worth to be called a nation.
ReplyDeleteIt is better to call Sinkies daft, stupid, silly, idiotic and deserve to perish.
Right right, many sinkies think these happenings would not happen to me.
DeleteJust saw news flash on CNA, unemployment rates inches UP.
Every time just inches up, how many inches must be penetrated before feeling the pain??
Ministers honed the most hated word "restructuring" of those who had lost their jobs.
TEMASEK AND OTHER GICS WITH OUR CPF MONIES SHOULD CREATE JOBS FOR SINGAPOREANS INSTEAD OF THROWING THEM INTO DRAINS INVESTING ON JUNKS.
You cannot change PAP government policies.
ReplyDeleteThese policies are cast in stone.
Why?
You think LKY will change his mind?
You think he will revise all his books?
You never heard of pride?
Which is more important?
LKY's pride or your suffering?
If LKY does not change his mind, who in PAP dare to say different?
After LKY dies.
Who in PAP dare to change policies while LHL is in charge?
You want change?
Only choice is to change government.
Talk or CONversation no use.
I do the necessary for my children.
It's their only chance for a job against the aliens.
10.15am I agreed with u but unfortunately we are only the 40%!
ReplyDeleteIs the 40% cast in stone also?
ReplyDeleteVirgo 49, up by 0.2% only affects few thousands and from macro sense it's not significant to government for policy shifts lar unless it's like 5% then it has wider implications as it will affects like 20% of the population that can cause a votes swing of 20%.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise tough luck just suck thumb lor
One unemployed Singaporean is one too many.
ReplyDeleteThe gov and their outsource partners also spent a lot of monies training foreigners to replace sinkies. They will not hestitate to send foreigners for overseas training while sinkies have to have to stay in the office and cover their duties while they are away training and upgrading and eventually replacing sinkies. You can check with any gov owned ST related companies here. This heartless government has to be replaced. This is no way to treat the people who paid them.
ReplyDeleteFunny leh. None of the boys and girls in parliament is talking about jobs for our dear Sinkies but always jobs for FTs.
ReplyDelete