MERITOCRATIC EMPLOYMENT 101: FACTS & MYTHS

I have written about "The Gen Y Career Setbacks & FT Policy" in May 2010 and again in Jun 2010. This latest article is yet another affirmation of this phenomenon.

Beware contracting out our young graduates' future

This latest report on polytechnic graduates showed that "among the economically active fresh graduates, 68.5 per cent were in full-time permanent employment" so over 30 per cent had only a contract job or none at all.


MOE's report also says that permanent employment "includes those on contracts of one year or more", so some contract jobs are counted as permanent. And the results vary among faculties, with only 75 per cent of arts graduates from the National University of Singapore (NUS), for example, having found a permanent job.
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EMPLOYMENT FACTS

(1) Around 25% - 30% of our tertiary graduates are not getting permanent jobs.
This has become so common that even our graduates have started to think it's normal.
How is it possible that our population is at its highest educated level ever in the history of Singapore, but we are still not good enough and require foreign talents?

(2) Time lost is Time lost forever. 
It is difficult to get back on the permanent job track, once you have 'fallen behind'. It becomes a vicious cycle.

(3) The ratio of Foreigner vs Local Employed in the 20s age group is likely to be 1:1.
You can't get the Government to release such figures, but it's not difficult to figure out. The act of concealment speaks for itself.


EMPLOYMENT MYTHS

(A) ALL Employers hire based on Meritocracy, and never on other factors, such as Nationality
There is ample evidence to show that foreigners are hiring their own kind in SG. This phenomenon is also known as 'Employment Enclave' and take place in businesses of all sizes, ranging from small businesses to large MNCs.

Also, there are employers who choose to believe that foreigners are better than Singaporeans. Some of these employers are Singaporean.

(B) The Government ENSURES that all hiring decisions are based on Meritocracy, not Nationality
This is definitely a huge myth. In fact, the Government does the opposite. It allows for any employer to hire ZERO Singaporeans at the white collar level. There is NO QUOTA for hiring of foreign TALENTS (white collar).

This means a foreigner or any employer can hire 100% foreigners, even foreigner fresh grads.

Compound this irresponsible policy with the fact that foreigner employers are practising employment enclaves, this directly leads to joblessness and/or impermanent jobs for locals, including fresh grads.

(C) MOM actively filters Foreigners' Eligibility for Employment Pass
In reality, MOM has delegated its gatekeeper role to the employer. As long as an employer is willing to put up an application (by intelligently picking out the right form) to hire an educated foreigner under employment pass, this foreigner becomes a 'foreign talent' in MOM's records and will get the employment pass very easily.

(D) ALL foreign talents in Singapore contribute A LOT to the GDP
A few years after this 'foreign talent' gets into and works in Singapore, he will be offered PR, which in turn means this foreigner no longer requires a job to hang around in Singapore, and can hang around indefinitely. I have witnessed such examples.

An Eastern European in his 30s with an MBA from an unknown university in France gets a job as a consultant with a small-time all-white consultancy firm in Singapore. (Here you see 'Employment Enclave' at work too.)
At that point, he gains entry into Singapore on an Employment Pass. He works with this firm for a couple of years, then quits and becomes an 'entrepreneur'. (Registering a company costs only a few dollars.) As an 'entrepreneur', he applies for an 'entrepreneur pass' to stay on in Singapore, when in fact his 'company' is a one-man show which does not make much. Soon, "when it is time", this 'highly-educated foreign talent' is offered PR. Meanwhile, he speculates in the local property scene and lives off rent from a few properties.

In this year's budget, MOM has tried to show you that it's 'tightening' its policy by increasing the minimum salaries of the foreigners' employment passes, but in effect, it is more like a show. These foreigners may in fact already be earning the increased level of salaries. As such, increasing the minimum salaries on paper does not make a difference to the foreigners, nor to those who are employing them.


POLICY UNKNOWNS

(i) A lot of foreign investment will pull out if Singapore tightens its employment policies. 
So they are only here because they get to hire their own kind?
Singapore has nothing else to offer?

(ii) The average Singaporean will suffer greatly if the foreigner influx is reduced and GDP slows down.
Yes, a significant reduction of foreign talent employed will lead to direct reduction in GDP growth, simply because our GDP is propped up by these people's salaries.

However, does a a reduction in GDP growth lead to 'suffering of the average Singaporeans'?
This is what we have been told. What is the reality?
I think what's not being said is that the rich and powerful Singaporeans who suffer directly. Because fewer foreigners means lower rental income for these rich people's property investments. Lower GDP means reduced number of months of GDP-linked bonuses for top civil servants and politicians.

家有喜事

You see the bird's nest at the top right-hand corner of the picture? A pair of small birds has been using it twice.
The first time, the egg was found smashed on the floor after a stormy night. Blinky got so excited that he went to lick at the smashed eggy mess! YUCKS!
The second time was last week. After yet another stormy night, a dead baby bird was found on the floor. This time, Blinky was not interested at all.

This week, a pair of large green birds (they look like green pigeons) began to visit our bamboos. Here you see the female bird.

'Good Fren' and I found the husband bird aka Mr Bird to be quite boh-chup. He spends most of his time away from Mrs Bird, only bringing back 1 twig a few times per day, while Mrs Bird spends her time roosting in our bamboos.

I must say the lousy husband bird has done a really skimpy job with the nest. It's just a messy gathering of twigs. I'm sure he is currently DOTA-ing in the neighbourhood bird lan-gaming centre.

I spent like 10 minutes taking pics of Mrs Bird this afternoon. She didn't move. I wondered why.

Then, late last afternoon, I realised that Mrs Bird had gone out, and made a crazy discovery!!!

OMG?!! A huge white perfect egg?!!
This explains why she didn't move when I was taking her pics! She was freaking in labour!! I was so invading her private moment!!

Now I am even more worried about the half-fucked nest. The egg looks like it's gonna roll off the nest anytime.

Let's hope this egg will hatch and the baby bird will survive.

The NS Man, the Maid & the Camouflaged Backpack

Most of you would have seen this picture by now.

Many have expressed how 'soft' our NS Men have become. Getting the maid to carry his army backpack for him. Check out how some young parents view this incident.

I don't get it.

Doesn't everyone already know that NS men get their maids, mothers, grandmothers, and wives to wash and iron their uniforms for them? Polish their boots, wash and fold their socks, PT kit, underwear etc? These women also help the NS men to rest before they head back to camp, by cooking for them and cleaning the home, while they get some sleep, watch TV, play DOTA, or go chionging.

All these off-days menial chores could have easily been taken up by the 'tough' NS men. But somehow, everyone, male and female alike, like to be believe that these chores are supposed to be carried out by the NS men's maids, mothers, grandmothers, wives etc to begin with.

So why the hypocritical fuss about this NS man getting a maid (or his mother, or grandmother, or wife) to carry the backpack for him?

The NS man is already serving the nation. The least his females at home can do is to carry his backpack till he gets back to camp.

Desi, the Child Maid

It wrecks me to read this article: Maid threw baby down and smothered her

The maid was only 16 when she was employed by this family as a maid. There are at least 4 family members in this flat. Father, Mother, 2 year old and a baby. It is not clear whether the Grandmother also stays with the family.

So on top doing the chores generated by this family of at least 4, this 16 year old maid is left alone during the day to take care of a baby and a 2 year old.

Even if Desi was indeed 25 years old, it's still too much work for a single person. I know of mothers who cannot cope in such situations and in turn take it out on their own kids and husbands. What is Desi to do when she realises that she cannot cope?
In such a situation, would Desi be allowed to cut corners and do less for some chores? If you notice, the grandmother said Desi was lazy.

If the charges against her are that Desi has ill-treated the kids, then may I ask who is being charged for ill-treating Desi?
At 16 years old, Desi is a child too.

This sucks to the core.
This is a tragedy created by the apathy of the government (namely Ministry of Manpower), the maid agency and the maid employers.

The task of ensuring good care of the kids is that of the parents only. It cannot be simply delegated to a poorly trained stranger. It's too convenient to simply blame the maid and put her in jail for the mess these people, with more information, education, power, but also apathy, have created.

QUICKPICK at Chinatown

'Good Fren' and I made our weekly trip to Chinatown on Saturday afternoon. After the foot reflexology session and an authentic Teochew meal at the very nostalgic and Singaporean Lee Kui (Ah Hoi) Restaurant along Mosque Street, we headed to the Kreta Ayer Pavilion to catch a glimpse of the usual line-dancers.

That evening, the line-dancers were nowhere in sight.

Instead, we thought we were hearing things when we heard this youngster band called QUICKPICK singing in Hokkien.

The large crowd, though highly sedate initially, starting to show signs of enjoyment. Waving of clappers, clapping loudly, and some shouting and singing along.

What did I tell you? They are really young, and do not look like they can manage dialect songs at all.

But QUICKPICK proved to be entertaining. The crowd was happy.

Especially with an accessible name such as QUICKPICK, it's endearing. Check out their Facebook page. It has vids of their performance at Kreta Ayer. Apparently, their first all-Chinese-y performance.

Art by Boon

A reader, Fion, emailed me about a tiny business which her father, Ron, and her have set up. It is a modern art business, named Art by Boon, where the father and daughter team paint and sell their works of art.

By Ron Boon,

By Fion Boon,

I did an interview with Fion over email to find out more about the father and daughter team. It's heart-warming to see a daughter supporting her father, not just with words, but with action. Fion writes so well that I have decided to publish her answers intact.

Why did your father and you start this art business?

My father is a retiree, currently aged 63. The company that he worked in closed down last year, and that was when he stopped working. He has always have a passion for arts and painting, but never had enough time to do something substantial until last year. He started painting at home full-time since he lost his job.

I've set up a website for him to display his works, and I myself added some contributions as well just so he wouldn't be bored doing it alone. But most of the works in the site are mainly his.

What did your dad do for a living? What was your dad educated in?

My dad was a HR personnel in an Indian company (before it closed down) that deals with importing of foreign workers/manpower for the construction industry.

Even though he is born in a Chinese family, my dad chose to take up his education in English and Malay when he was young (he stopped school at O Levels). He was once an interpreter for the New Zealand army camp when they were here in Singapore decades ago, interpreting Malay-English for the army's office.

He developed his interest for arts (esp. painting) since young and has always been self-taught. He has never attended courses or any form of education related to arts. If you ask him about art history, famous artists and works, he would have no idea. He just simply enjoys picking up the brushes and expressing on the canvas in colors, shapes and strokes.

Do you work? Or is this your full-time job? Were you trained in art? What did you study in school?

I'm currently working in a small recruitment firm as a consultant. I too was never trained in art. Even though I very much wanted to enroll into Lasalle or NAFA after my O Levels, my mum wasn't supportive because to her old fashioned thinking, Art education cannot fill up the "rice bowls" in future. Fees was expensive for such courses as well. Therefore I took up Hospitality Management in Temasek Poly and then recently completed a part-time degree in Business Studies by Loughborough University.

Do you have siblings? Are they involved in this project? What does your mother think of your dad's and your 'artly' pursuits?

I have an elder brother who has moved out after he got married 4-5 years ago. He is not involved in this project but he does give us the moral support. So yes, only my dad and I are involved in this.

When my dad got the news of his ex-company closing down, he knew that it would be the end of his working life since he was already in his 60s, it would be tough to get another decent job. He decided to embark on this dream that he always has in mind - Paint.

My mum wasn't supportive of us. She was worried about lack of income. She felt that such a pursuit in life is for the rich and wealthy and not practical. Even though I knew there is relevancy to her negative thoughts, on the other hand, I too wanted my dad to be able to do something he has always wanted to for his life.

So I told him I will do my part in supporting him, by creating a simple site and platform for him to display his works and we shall see how this will lead us to. If it fails, he would just need to look out for a simple job for some basic income. At least we tried. That was our plan.

Do your dad and you paint at home? Can you show us a pic of the 'studio'?

Dad set up a painting corner (mum allowed after much persuasions) at a corner of our living room. There he has a simple work table, with shelves to store his paints, materials, gears and stuff. It is by the windows, so he has natural sun light in the day while he works. Attached to the email is a photo of the corner (I hope it's good enough)

How long does it take to finish 1 piece?

Time taken for a piece really varies. Sometimes he could conjure something in 2 weeks, at times a piece can take more than a month to complete. In some occasions, he complete a piece after spending a few weeks on it, then decided it doesn't look good enough and he would white wash the canvas and start all over again.

For me, I don't paint as often as he do, due to lack of time. But when an idea is conceived in my mind, I would want to put it on canvas fast. In a way, I'm not as patient as my dad when it comes to this. I work much faster because I do not want the inspiration to die off and then I lose the enthusiasm in completing it. The last work I did was a 3 panel floral set for a friend's new home, and that took me less than a week to complete.

Where do you two get inspiration from? What are you two conveying through your art?

My dad usually get his inspirations from his surroundings, the environment around him. He often go out for random walks with his pocket camera in hand. Take a bus/train and alight somewhere and start to walk around the area and take photos. Other times he would go online and look at photos of scenery (Singapore do not have 4 seasons or lots of scenic places), then he will paint something out of his own imagination.
He doesn't have specific messages for his art works, his simple goal/hope is that his works will be pleasing to those who can appreciate what he has created.

As for me, my inspiration comes from various sources, be it something I saw or read, a movie, or just plainly my own imaginations. A lot are spur of randomness. I am partially color blind and honestly, I suck big time in color combination. At times, I would unintentionally mismatch my clothes colors and my friends would have a good laugh at the unbelievable clash of colors I wore. So now I tend to wear things that are of basic colors that wouldn't go too wrong.

In my works, the colors are usually not "conventional" in a sense, like I would paint the sky shimmery purple and red, the tree in silver or blue, the ground in pink, etc. I suppose there's a child in everyone of us, unlimited by the norm or rationality. Maybe I'm also trying to cover up my lack of skills in color combination and being partially color blind by going totally unconventional in colors. :P
I love psychedelic and heavily textured works.

The styles are similar. Your works are a little 'darker'/ moodier. Is this accurate? Why so?

You are right. My works are moodier and "darker".
It could be due to the gloominess I have in my views of life in general. 80% of my works usually give others a "darker" feel. Honestly, I'm not too sure why really.

Has someone commissioned any of you for a painting? Describe the process and how long it takes.

Dad has not been commissioned to paint any yet.

As for me, a friend came to me a couple of months ago and told me he wanted something for his new home. I went to his home, took measurements of the wall he wanted to hang the work on, discussed the concept and colors with his wife and him. After that, I did a rough sketch on paper and showed them. After some minor adjustment to the sketch, I started working on the actual job. It took me about 5 days to complete the 3 panels floral set. The entire process took about 2 weeks (from the first discussion to the completion of work).

Art by Boon Facebook Page

《你是我的花朵》~ 伍佰 & China Blue

Everybody! I'm driving 'Good Fren' nutz by playing this on repeat, and dancing to it while we play Monopoly Deal. =))


留心脚步 看得清楚
有很多可疑的因素
呼喊你让你糊涂
考验我爱的程度

高楼电梯 霓虹深处
舞动在人群很拘束
拉着我不要飘走我在
你背后挡风

*[喔你是我的花朵
我要拥有你插在我心窝
喔你是我的花朵
我要保护你一路都畅通
喔你是我的花朵
就算你身边很多小石头
喔你是我的花朵
我要爱着你不眠也不休]

高楼电梯 霓虹深处
舞动在人群很拘束
拉着我不要飘走
我在你背后挡风

Repeat *

不管你心充满多少困惑
我绝对不会对爱你放松
你是我所有快乐源头
我和你将会到达那开心乐园

Repeat *

막걸리

As you may already know, I've stopped drinking copious amounts of alcohol for a few years now, coz somehow I have developed an allergy to alcohol, at least the usual categories such as wine, beer, the likes of martell etc.

But yesterday... yesterday... yesterday...

My Korean class classmates and I went to this Korean restaurant along Mosque Street called Togi for dinner. Somehow we ended up ordering a kettle of Makgeolli 막걸리.

I was so happy with this newfound chilled beverage that I forget to take pics. It was really served in a kettle and bowls like those you see below.

Because of the kettle and bowls, and the distinct taste of Makgeolli, I remember commenting that I felt like a peasant. I could imagine enjoying this chilled sweet/sour alcoholic drink outside of my farmhouse, sitting on one of those Korean decks, in a warm Korean summer night, while fanning myself.

I was not far off. Makgeolli is a farmer's alcohol.

Mmmm... Wondering if I should bring some to Korean class this coming Wednesday.

Nobody cares about Ah Meng anymore

Finally, Ah Meng's grand-daughter, Chomel, gives birth to Ah Meng's great grandson. This is the first orang utan birth in our zoo in 14 years. Ah Meng managed to give birth to 5 kids, who in turn made 6 kids, i.e. an average TFR of 1.2. *gasp* The TFR is similar that of Singaporean human beings! Must be something in the water.

When I mentioned the birth of Ah Meng's great grandson to a friend, he didn't even realise that Ah Meng had left us in 2008. Nobody cares about Ah Meng anymore. Not in vogue oredi.

Meanwhile, Wildlife Reserves (owner of Singapore Zoo) is building a S$180million 'River Safari' next to the existing Zoo. This will house the foreign talent pandas, newly named as Kai Kai and Jia Jia.

Makes me wonder if Ah Meng's yet-to-be-named grandson will get any upgrade for his family's enclosure. An additional room, maybe? Lift-upgrading programme, maybe?

In a sense, this situation is analogous to the human situation in Singapore.
The locals take a freaking long time to reproduce, and are not even considered cute to look at anymore.

The management shakes its head at the lousy outcome and high costs of maintenance. The sums simply do not work out.

Meanwhile, the management is rich and powerful enough to bring in attractive foreign talent to generate more income and buzz for the establishment. *KA-CHING*

How Much Help is Help?

My friend insisted that I should be informed that:

(A) Singapore Government has donated S$500k to Japan for the recent disaster. HERE.

(B) Daughter of Billionaire Businessman has donated S$1mil to Japan for the same disaster. HERE.

The disparity is shocking.
How can a private individual be donating more than the Government of a wealthy nation?
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But then again, this is probably one of the more generous donations that the Singapore Government has made in recent years to countries suffering from natural disaster.

Remember the Earthquake in Haiti in 2010?
Singapore Government donated US$50k only.

The Sichuan Earthquake in 2008?
Singapore Government donated US$200k, while private SG donations were up to US$8.5mil (with US$7.3mil via the Mediacorp Charity Show).

In addition, Singapore Government sent SCDF into disaster zone and supplies worth more than a few hundred thousand dollars.

(It's quite funny to note that Saudi Arabia did its part by simply donating the largest amount of money, US$60mil. "Nah! US$60mil! Please rebuild your homes.")

So, relatively speaking, the Singapore Government has been really generous with the 2011 Japan Earthquake, even though many feel that it's still overwhelmingly little.
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Now, the key problem I see is why Mediacorp has not reacted to the 2011 Japan Earthquake with a similar charity show.

I think it's because:

1. Misconception that Japan is a wealthy nation and therefore does not require as much help.
2. Japan is not 'related' to main Singaporean races, e.g. not Chinese
3. Japan, being Japanese, has not asked for help like other nations do.
4. Mediacorp is currently halfway through preparing for President Star Charity <<< Aiyah... Cannot switch charitable intention halfway... All the footages, backdrop, logo design and scripts have to change.

Korean Saying of the Day

똥인지 된장인지 먹어봐야 알아?

Must you taste it to know if it's shit or soy-paste?

Blinky thinks. Therefore He Is.

I found Blinky staring out of the window one morning, for more than 15 minutes. He was looking at the stray cat downstairs, cleaning itself.

If Blinky thinks, he will ask these questions:

(A) Why do I stay in an apartment, while that cat sleeps in the open?


(B) Why do I have specially-formulated food and clean water set aside for me everyday, while that cat has to scavenge for the next meal and eat off the ground?

(C) Why do I have access to world-class veterinarian services and am very well-alive at the age of 13, while that cat is likely to die within the first few years of its life?


(D) Why am I special?
Is it because of my colour? Is it because of my breed?
Is because of my past life?
Is it because of luck?

(E) Are all cats equal?
If so, why hasn't my mummy brought that cat home too?

(F) Why do I feel that life is unfair? That there should be a better way/system for all cats to be like me?

The Meaning of the Merlion Hotel

Read this: A first look inside the Merlion Hotel

Isn't the Merlion a piece of public property?

Then why should it be boarded up for the exclusive use and view of the rich and powerful only? Even if it's for a few weeks?

In this so-called artistic attempt, only a very limited circle of people get to enjoy this Merlion hotel installation, such as:

• Those who are considered creative and 'cool' enough to execute this bizarre idea of boarding up the Merlion as a hotel. E.g A foreign artist.
• Those who can afford to stay at this Merlion hotel at a few hundred bucks per night. E.g. Rich expats.
• Those who are powerful and important enough to get to visit this hotel. E.g. the Prime Minister of Singapore
• Those who are in positions to benefit from the extraordinary conversion of Merlion to a temp hotel. E.g. CEO of NHB gets one more sexy feather in his cap.

Indeed, this entire act IS the artistic piece which demonstrates in a lively manner, the power asymmetry in Singapore that is clearly skewed towards the rich + powerful locals and more 'attractive + eligible' foreigners to share the SG platform together, while diminishing the ordinary Singaporeans' access to public goods, amenities, and opportunities.

关公, the Deity

[This entry refers to 关公, the deity, not 关羽, the historical figure.]

Because of the Hong Kong dramas I watched, the people I hang out with, the stuff I notice in Chinatown and Bras Basah Complex, I think 关公 is the perfect alpha male. The ideal man which majority of South and Overseas Chinese like to model themselves after. The core values which 关公 exemplifies are loyalty (忠) and righteousness (义).

Males & 关公
I think at the sub/un-conscious level, the popularity of 关公 reflects the psyche of his male fans. Most males wish to belong in a group where he feels that the other members will look out for him. Hence, loyalty (忠) and righteousness (义) are important, not especially because these are values good for society or afterlife, but because these values keep the group together.

At first, I was amused by the absurdity of policemen, triad members and businessmen, worshipping 关公 alike. But with the above-mentioned explanation, it all makes sense. These are males in groups. And 关公, as a deity with protective powers, is an extension of these males' hopes in their preferred masculine form.

Females & 关公
What I don't get is why females do not worship 关公.
If 关公 is the alpha male, he should be damn attractive to females.
I think again, at sub/un-conscious level, females realise that a male personality like 关公 is likely to place friends/buddies before girlfriend/family. This is against the female grain of protecting herself and her offsprings.

In addition, females do not operate/work in packs or groups in general. While they hang out in groups, these are for social purposes, and their priority is not to maintain the sustainability of these female groups.

Hence, the core values exemplified by 关公 are not relevant to females, and so females do not worship him.

关公 & Me
I like 关公, the deity, because of the values he exemplifies, and the fierce, proud and manly look he has been given by sculptors across Asia.
This definitely speaks volume of me: I have been told that I am in fact male soul, trapped by a female body.

However, it is not in my blood to worship.
If he was a real person, I would definitely fall in love with him on a personal basis coz 关公 好 MAN 啊!

And yes, we have been very tempted to buy huge statues of 关公 for our home. In fact, I am thinking of getting 2. One with him holding his halberd in his right hand (as worshiped by policeman), and the other in his left hand (as worshiped by triads). One in wood, and one in bronze. Stone is good too. Maybe one from Taiwan/China, and the other from Japan.

The Relevance of 关公 Today
I think it will be great fun to make a film/series about 关公 getting trapped in a modern man's body, i.e. a test of his values of loyalty (忠) and righteousness (义) in the contemporary context.

Best to set him amidst different social contexts, e.g. amidst a bunch of investment bankers, a bunch of politicians and civil servants, a bunch of gay men, a bunch of male academics, a bunch of hard laborers, a bunch of male cabbies. =))

Imagine 关公 hanging out at Velvet after a week of 'investment banking' with his competitive colleagues trying to outdo one another in their flashy cars, talking about wine, and scoring with the chicks with plastic faces/hair/nail extensions and wearing almost nothing.

Or 关公 getting hit on by gay men at a bar along Tanjong Pagar Road, while he attempts to explain what brotherhood is.

Or 关公 trying to convince politicians and civil servants that they represent the people, and that because we are all brothers, these leaders cannot only think of themselves, but must take good care of the lower-class brothers too.

Think 关公 will get dulan and kill everyone instead.

Our Singapore

Bought these keychains during one of our weekly trips to Chinatown.

I think they are cute.

Though the major race categories are Chinese (C), Malay (M), Indian (I), and Others (O), the company which produces these keychains did not make 'Others'. I guess it's difficult to generalise what 'Others' look like.

This reminds me of my JC classmate who likes to tell people he is 'Others', as it says so in his NRIC.

Hee Hee... So cute... Finally, well-made souvenirs from Singapore which even locals will buy.

Gonna hang them on my keys, my bag...
Also come in Chinese, Malay, Indian boys keychains.

Remember, this is our Singapore.
It does not belong to the rich+powerful locals only, and/or foreigners.
Take ownership of your own country.

Government Telephone Survey Results

Read about this survey by the Government to find out what Singaporeans think of the recently announced Budget 2011.

• CNA - Budget 2011 boosts Singaporeans' confidence
• ST - 60% support all Budget measures

Do note the tone of the reporting, and the difference in survey findings that media have chosen to report for your consumption.

If you can't be bothered to do that, just take note of these 2 simple points:

(A) FEAR
This is a Government survey by telephone. The Government calls your home line, and asks the person who picks up the phone to tell the Government what he/she thinks of the Government's work.

In other words, "We know where you stay, and we know what you say."

(B) Respondents Profile
Furthermore, if the telephone survey was carried out during office hours for its intended sample size of 900 Singaporeans only, the person answering the phone is likely to be a housewife in a HDB flat.

Think about how (A) + (B) that skews the survey results.
.....................................................

If the Government is serious about getting accurate feedback, such pieces of work should be carried out by reputable third parties such as the universities, non-government-related survey companies etc.

Monopoly DEAL!!!

Ever since a CNY dinner with a few friends, we have been so addicted to Monopoly Deal that:

• We have been challenging each other to best of 5 games just before bedtime every night
• We bring the cards with us everytime we go out, just in case we have some time before the food arrives, or before the dentist calls him in for his wisdom tooth extraction.
• We use Monopoly Deal vocabulary such as "I dealbreak you to wash the dishes."

Monopoly is fun again, after 100 years!!

And this time, it only costs you around S$10, you can bring it anywhere with you, and each game will not take a million years to set up and to finish. 

Read all about it.

Raising Foreigner White Collar Employment Salaries Thresholds means??

It basically means that the entire foreigner vs local employment game remains the SAME.

Check out the pre-election 'good news'!

• TODAYonline - EP, S Pass salary thresholds to be raised
• Business Times - Bar raised for white-collar foreigners - This one especially, sounds really good for locals, right?!

Basically, the minimum salaries of the foreigners on employment pass are raised. Minister of Manpower, Gan Kim Yong, reasons as such:

• This will improve the profile of the local workforce
• This will encourage companies to hire more qualified foreigners 

Hmmm... Sounds somewhat logical... Yet, it's not entirely convincing... Just can't place our finger on what exactly this all means... Wait a minute!!

Employment passes are for tertiary-educated foreigners (e.g. CEOs, middle managers, fresh grad executives etc), while work permits are for the blue collar foreigners (construction workers, maids, factory workers, waitresses etc). In between the Employment Passes and Work Permits, there is a Technician category called 'S Pass' (which is often abused by employers and employees, but that's an entirely different story.)

In the current budget, MOM has basically raised the minimum cost of hiring of foreigners at all levels. For work permits, the levy has been raised. For employment passes and S Pass, the minimum starting pay for each category is raised as follows:

How can nothing much has changed when the government really did raise the salary thresholds for foreigners?

(A) The Impact of Higher Foreigners Salary Bases on Foreigners and Locals
The new increases in minimum Employment Pass salaries range from S$300 to S$1000, or 12% - 14% of the minimum salaries of white collar foreigners.

Does this now mean that employers will now hire a local white collar, instead of a foreigner because the local is 'cheaper'?


Or does it mean that employers will simply pay the foreigners more?

Or do the increases merely reflect the actual increases in these foreigners salaries in Singapore?

We are unable to know for sure, because we do not have access to such information. However, we can be observant about how ever little is made available to us.

Remember earlier that 1 in 2 EXPATS in Singapore makes more than US$200,000 (S$265,000) annually. This is the highest ratio for expats in the world. This means majority of foreigners are not gonna be affected by this latest so-called in Employment Pass policy at all.

In any case, it is logical to assume that the starting pay of a foreigner fresh grad in SG easily crosses the S$2800 mark to begin with. (He has to pay for rent, food, transport etc, while he is in SG.)

This also means that for a local fresh grad to be hired, instead of a foreigner fresh grad, the employer (still subscribing to 'Foreign = Talent' and FTs hire FTs), is incentivised to suppress the starting pay of a local fresh grad.

(B) Lack of Control of QUALITY and QUANTITY of Foreigner Employment
MOM and Minister Gan Kim Yong ensure that there is NO QUOTA on how many FTs can be employed by any employers in Singapore.

Minister Gan does not deny in Parliament that there is "almost unrestricted access" to foreigners on Employment Pass status as long as the company is prepared to hire them.

In other words, MOM and Minister Gan do not decide on the quality of foreigners on employment passes. Instead, the hiring managers in these companies are making the ultimate decision of WHICH and HOW MANY foreigners are coming to work in Singapore. In simple terms, if the hiring manager decides to hire all foreigners only, nothing in our laws/policies will stop him.

Also, even with the raised salary thresholds, if the foreign hire does not meet the new P1 minimum salary, he can simply be employed under P2. If not, just employ him under Q1. These Employment Pass categories are a farce, when there is no limit to the number of foreigners to be hired under any of these categories.

And not forgetting, these Employment Pass holders are offered Permanent Residency soon after working in Singapore (can be within 2 years, I read?). Once they accept PR-ship, they are no longer bound by the minimum salaries of Employment Passes, and can compete with Singaporeans by being cheaper. In fact, these PRs can be jobless in Singapore, living off rental income or savings.

You may ask why MOM is hesitant to openly, decisively and really limit the number of Employment Passes in each category. It's all very simple.

These foreigners' salaries make up about 20% of the Singapore GDP.
Quick estimation:
Conservative average S$200k package per annum for 300k non-Singaporean white collars in Singapore.
These salaries come up to S$60BILLION per annum.
Meanwhile, Singapore GDP 2010 = S$300BILLION.

To further entrench this trend, politicians and top civil servants' bonuses are GDP-linked, i.e. they are incentivised to recommend and make GDP-growing public policy decisions. Therefore, to these decision-makers,

More Foreigners = More Bonuses, More Rental Income etc 

= More Wealth

(C) "FTs hiring FTs"
MOM and Minister Gan Kim Yong are still not doing anything to prevent 'employment enclaves' by foreigners in Singapore.

Of course, there is no mention of SINGAPOREANS FIRST.

Instead, Minister Gan reminds everyone repeatedly of the 'maxim' that More Foreign Talents = Bigger Economic Pie = Everyone will have bigger share.

However, what Minister Gan does not tell everyone is:

• HOW this wonderfully bigger pie is shared amongst Singaporeans, i.e. which class of Singaporeans benefit the most from this bigger pie.
• Similarly, WHO bears the most costs of overcrowding of public facilities (transport, healthcare etc), inflation of everyday products (food, property, tranport etc), lost education/employment/promotion opportunities etc.

Same presentation of half-truths as demonstrated in the 'Our Education System is the best for Social Mobility' argument.
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In summary, the new budget ensures that the foreigners vs locals employment game remains still largely the same.

The Truth about Social Mobility in Singapore

Minister Ng Eng Hen's speech, published in the frontpage and other pages of ST yesterday, cited a full colour 1/3-page example of a boy from low-income family who made it to RJC and eventually bagged a Teaching scholarship, as proof of social mobility in Singapore.

Minister Ng claimed that the current school system is the best way to 'move up', i.e. social mobility.

It's always useful to listen to more than 1 side of the story.
Today, check out what sociologists and social work researchers have to say about Minister Ng's claim, and be horrified by the presentation of obvious half-truths.

By citing even just 1 example such as the RJC boy from low-income RJC boy, everyone has to agree that the current system provides for social mobility. This 1 example means it is POSSIBLE for social mobility. 有希望！

However, the real question is how mobile really is this social mobility for EVERYONE?

The researchers provided the answers very politely and plainly (I love how academics word their stands).

NMP and NUS Sociologist Pauline Straughan

• In every cohort, you will find somebody from an underprivileged background who has made it
• A reality in all developed countries: Mobility declines with development

NUS Sociologist Tan Ern Ser

• "Rags to riches indicate possibility, but possibility is not the same as probability."
• Those from wealthier homes would have higher probability of moving up.
• "I know we live in a meritocracy, but nobody says guanxi doesn't matter in a meritocracy."

NUS Social Work AP Irene Ng

• Study showed that Singaporeans, whose parents were at the bottom, tend to remain at the bottom, while those whose parents were at the top, tend to stay there.

The (in)famous NUS Sociologist Chua Beng Huat, who was fired by HDB from his position as Director of Research in 1984 for being overly critical of the government

• Advice to those who do not make it to university, but want to move up the ladder: 

"If you go to polytechnic, and are smart enough, you can become entrepreneur, do well, start your little business repairing ceiling fans, aircons... these services are not cheap... Buy yourself a van, drive around the country, make a decent living. Your children will have a better opportunity."

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Case in point:

• Some time ago, there was report on the social class of the government scholarship recipients. Majority of scholarship recipients do NOT stay in HDB flats, while majority of Singaporeans stay in HDB flats. 
• How many PAP MPs have ever stayed in HDB flats, were from low-income family background?

Let's not kid ourselves. The social mobility for non-wealthy families is declining, and will continue to worsen.

To further worsen the situation, foreigners, even fresh grads, are being imported to take up jobs in Singapore. As such, even if your kid makes it to university or polytechnic or ITE, his job may be taken away by foreign talents via their 'job enclave' mentality, and/or employers' use cheap foreign labour mentality.

Remember: Meritocracy is merely a concept, not an absolute reality in Singapore.

All About Love《得閒炒飯》

I went to Cathay to catch All About Love《得閒炒飯》.

When I go into the cinema, I did a double take.
The cinema was filled with middle-aged men.

Then I realised what's happening...

1. R21 film
2. Vivian Chow
3. Lesbians kissing

The uncles must have been sorely disappointed as the most sexual scene between Sandra Ng and Vivian Chow was the giggling kissing scene in the lift, which lasted less than a minute.

Did you know that Sandra Ng and Vivian Chow are only 2 years apart? 

46 years old and 44 years old.

Vivian Chow is still as hot as ever.
She is so fair. I wanna touch her.
Her creamy white fingers gently holding on a cigarette... Oh...
She will forever be 玉女掌门人, even when she's no longer in her 20s.

It was a pleasant surprise to see Fung Bo Bo in the film.

The story line is in general kind of lame. The film tries to explore homosexual, bisexual dilemmas, accented with confusion/lack of gender roles, commitment phobia etc.

Nevertheless, it's definitely worth my 'Good Fren's money to see Vivian Chow in action again. Reminds me of her role in 大时代 as 阮梅 aka 慳妹. Sigh...

FTs hiring FTs

RE: Singapore popular with Korean graduates

Read this article about Korean fresh grads getting employed in Singapore.

These are not the only type of foreign fresh grads getting jobs in Singapore. Meanwhile, 1/3 of our own fresh graduates are employed on contract basis. Of the 2/3 of local fresh grads whom are getting permanent jobs, how many % are Singaporeans?

I understand that local talent supply may not be sufficient in terms of numbers + specialisation for all employers in SG. As such, we take in experienced FTs.

BUT the fact that foreigner FRESH grads are taking up jobs in SG, especially in such an open and public manner, is an alarming problem. Usually, by the time you read about something in the news, it's been brewing for a while.

Have Korean firms in SG employed these 67 fresh grads from Konyang University in South Korea ?

If so, then is this proof that FTs are giving preference to and hiring their own kind.

My own experience confirms the "FTs hiring FTs" phenomenon.

In my previous job, 3 out of 4 bosses are from Country X. Only 1 is Singaporean. During a round of hiring for 1 junior position, the bosses from Country X singled out CVs of potential hires from Country X, and repeatedly told the managers (Singaporeans) that they must 'seriously consider' these guys.

Or worse still, are public agencies hiring foreigner FRESH grads, passing over Singaporean fresh grads?
I know of at least one stat board that has done so in the recent years.

There is currently nothing to stop FT employers in SG hiring their own kind only. Ministry of Manpower and its Minister Gan Kim Yong have not done anything to prevent such abuses.

We, Singaporeans, need to take care of SINGAPOREANS FIRST.
It is neither selfish nor shameful for Singaporeans to think 'SINGAPORE FIRST'.

Singapore is so small with limited opportunities. Meanwhile, there are more and more foreigners here, taking up the juicy roles. To make things worse, non-SG nationalities/ethnicities are practising "Our Own Kind FIRST" at their formal (national) and informal (everyday decisions, e.g. hiring, social) levels.

Given this context, it is absurd for any Singaporean to reject the principle of SINGAPOREANS FIRST.

As a Singaporean, you will be utterly stupid to dismiss this issue.
As a Singaporean, it is indeed shameful and selfish if you do NOT think of SINGAPOREANS FIRST.
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See recent letters to ST Forum on this issue:

• Employment enclaves
• Yes, there are job enclaves
• Singaporeans shouldn't be disadvantaged
• 'Foreign' doesn't alway mean 'talent'
• Even this former FT is admitting that his husband's team of almost 30 people is made up of only 2 Singaporeans. Makes me wonder if this former FT and her husband have really pledged their loyalty to Singapore.

Singapore Girl lets her hair down

I don't like it.

The Singapore Girl must keep her hair off her shoulders. Like how she started more than 35 years ago. The gentle Southeast Asian Beauty.

30 years later, she became more polished, with her hair grown out, but neatly tucked away in a low bun.

But in 2011, she totally lost the plot and let her hair down, all the way to the waist.

She's trying too hard to be sexy and starting to look like a tranny.

Very sad indeed.

Loke Wei Sue

If you pay attention to the newscasters on TV, you'd realise that there is 1 intelligent reporter on CNA. (There are more intelligent newscasters on Channel 8, but that channel too has gone down the 'looker' road, importing sweet-looking Chinese from the land of PRCs.)

Loke Wei Sue's news-reading is convincing because she sounds like she understands what she is reading. She also pronounces Chinese names and terms in Mandarin. E.g. She pronounces Wen Jia Bao as Wen Jia Bao, and not 'When Tchia Pow'.

As such, her performance got me very curious, because CNA has been going for lookers, instead of readers, in the past decade.

I found out that she, a Singaporean, used to read for CCTV.

And the reason why she sounds intelligent is very simply because she is intelligent.
She holds a PhD from Selwyn College, University of Cambridge, and used to be an Assistant Professor in NTU, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

She is, effectively, the most educated newscaster in Mediacorp, and probably the most educated employee in Mediacorp too.
................................................

The worst presenter on CNA now has got to be this sweet young thing called Wei Du. PRC?

Yes! On CNA, not Channel 8.

This chick who struggles with her saliva (swallowing often in between words), a rolling American accent, multiple errors in a single read, and knits her eyebrows as she tries to read off the information on her hands as if she was covering an massacre in Libya, when she only reads financial stuff.

She is so distracting that I dunno what she's reporting about.

Maybe they should get her to read the Chinese news instead.

Golden Faith

We are 9 years late, but better late than never.

Golden Faith is an enjoyable drama because:

• Gallen Lo is a good actor.
• Jessica Hsuan is a good actress.
• Deric Wan is a good actor.
• Paul Chun Pui  is a good actor.
• The dilemma of family, self, good, bad, life, death

I did not figure why Raymond Lam has been given so many chances as an actor/singer/entertainer, until I read somewhere that he is a rich man's son (a billionaire).

True Grit

True Grit is gritty and does not sit all-so-well with me because of (i) the unrealistic outcomes of arguments made by a pugnacious 14 year old, and (ii) the dirty protagonists.

If you have time and $6, why not.

Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go is a sad sad story set in bleak bits of England, and is superior to mass-popular films such as the Black Swan and the King's Speech. Takes a Japanese to write something so brilliantly nuanced.

But idiots in the cinema were too stupid to see it. They were too caught up with giggling at kissing and sex scenes. I abhor cinema idiots.

Hope is cruel. So excruciatingly cruel.
The experiences of the protagonists in this film are not too different from your life and mine. That we have no control, and no real choice. That one can only shout/scream in anguish.