6/13/2014

Is this the Singapore for Singaporeans

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

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is a capitalist trap to ask for jobs. A government simply cannot provide jobs.

What 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?

Anonymous said...

"A government simply cannot provide jobs."
Anon 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?

Anonymous said...

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.

Simply 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.

Anonymous said...

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.

Though 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.

Anonymous said...

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.

And this of course RB or Gilbert doesn't know lah, do they?

Anonymous said...

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.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The 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.

Anonymous said...

If 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.

It is better to call Sinkies daft, stupid, silly, idiotic and deserve to perish.

Anonymous said...

You cannot change PAP government policies.
These 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.

Anonymous said...

10.15am I agreed with u but unfortunately we are only the 40%!

Virgo 49 said...

Right right, many sinkies think these happenings would not happen to me.

Just 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.

Anonymous said...

Is the 40% cast in stone also?

Anonymous said...

Virgo 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%.

Otherwise tough luck just suck thumb lor

Anonymous said...

One unemployed Singaporean is one too many.

b said...

The 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.

Anonymous said...

Funny leh. None of the boys and girls in parliament is talking about jobs for our dear Sinkies but always jobs for FTs.