Govt will continue to give support to SMEs

But no U-turn on policies to curb foreign labour inflow, Tan Chuan-Jin reiterates

By Yasmine Yahya, The Straits Times, 26 Oct 2012

WHEN talking to business owners, whether as a minister, customer or friend, Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin says the discussion invariably turns to manpower issues.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are struggling with finding enough workers amid a tight labour market and rising business costs, including high manpower expenses.

Mr Tan told the Singapore Business Federation SME Convention yesterday that the Government is aware of these challenges and will continue to provide support as SMEs are vital to Singapore.

However, he reiterated that there will be no U-turn on policies to restrict the inflow of foreign workers by raising levies and lowering quotas.

The Government will help SMEs cope with these and future moves by managing the pace of manpower tightening carefully, he said.

While Singapore has to keep a steady momentum on this restructuring, the Government will keep a close watch on the global economy and domestic pressures.

When market values rule society

By Willie Cheng, Published The Straits Times, 26 Oct 2012

FORTY years ago, Mr S. Rajaratnam, one of modern Singapore's founding fathers, warned against the "moneytheism" trend of the day. Singaporeans, he said, should not become "a people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing".

Some would say that his concern is still relevant today, if not more so.

If Mr Rajaratnam were alive today, he might remark on the extent to which we have placed a price tag on everything in sight:

- Having a baby. Each baby born can result in a cash bonus of between $4,000 and $6,000, plus matching contributions to the child's savings account of up to $12,000. 

- Citizenship. Singapore citizenship can be accelerated for wealthy and talented foreigners. For example, an entrepreneur with a proven three-year business track record and an investment of at least $2.5 million can apply for immediate permanent residency with citizenship after two years. 

- Sports wins and losses. Singapore athletes stand to receive cash awards of between $5,000 and $1 million for winning medals at international events such as the Asian Games and Olympics. Conversely, the S-League will fine the last two football teams $30,000 and $50,000 for finishing at the bottom of the table. 

- Right to own a car. Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) to own a motor vehicle for 10 years are auctioned twice a month. The most recent winning bids for COEs for cars ranged between $71,000 and $87,000. 

- Queue places. Those who can afford it can get around the first-come-first-served system of long queues for the latest gadgets, property launches, et cetera, by paying others to queue for them. Some attractions such as Universal Studios have "express queues" which have shorter waiting lines for higher-priced tickets.

The number of monetised items adds up when you start listing the various kinds of financial inducements (fees, levies, penalties and rewards) that government agencies, private companies and even social sector organisations have created to influence the behaviour of citizens, employers, employees, customers, suppliers, volunteers, and donors. In other words, just about anyone.

Lim Chong Yah: Renewed call for 'shock therapy' to raise wages

Expert urges NWC to again ask for specific pay rises for low earners

By Janice Heng, The Straits Times, 26 Oct 2012

VETERAN economist Lim Chong Yah has renewed his call for "shock therapy" to raise wages at the bottom.

Rising income inequality and a falling proportion of gross domestic product going to wages "are telltale signs that our inclusive growth policy requires a relook", he said yesterday at the annual Singapore Economic Policy Forum.

The former National Wages Council chairman praised the NWC's recommendation in May to raise pay by at least $50 for those earning less than $1,000 a month. It was the first time in decades that the council had suggested specific figures.

But quantitative recommendations should also be made in the next two years - and wages at the top frozen, said ProfessorLim, as he revisited the subject of "Shock Therapy II".

Shock Therapy I refers to Singapore's economic restructuring from 1979 to 1981.

In April this year, Prof Lim argued for a second round of restructuring, later tagged by the media as his "shock therapy" proposal.

His Shock Therapy II idea involved a three-year plan that included staggered pay rises for those earning less than $1,500 a month: 15 per cent in the first year, 15 per cent the next year, and 20 per cent in the third year.

He also proposed a three-year wage freeze for those earning $15,000 or more a month.



A public debate on his idea led "in the end" to the NWC's recommendation, Prof Lim noted yesterday. If the NWC continues to recommend specific figures, this would not only help workers, but also aid Singapore's effort to reduce its reliance on low-wage labour, he said. "If you have a quantitative increase for one year only, that does not have an effect on economic restructuring."

But if wage hikes are not a one-off, companies will be forced to be more productive, he added.

Raising wages is also preferable to more government transfers, he said, as the latter may require higher taxes.

Businessman's $1m for NKF

Friend's battle with kidney failure spurs $1m donation

It is the biggest gift to NKF by a living individual donor since 1999

By Leslie Kay Lim, The Straits Times, 25 Oct 2012

ALL it took was a brief phone call.

That led to a $1 million donation to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) - the largest sum it has received from a living individual donor since 1999.

The generous gift from Indonesian-Chinese businessman Kasmadi Melati, 68, was announced at a press conference yesterday.

A close friend's battle with kidney failure got him thinking about donating to the cause. His friend went for dialysis this year at a private clinic in Singapore.

"I watched my friend endure that pain - he even lacked the energy to speak," Mr Kasmadi said in Mandarin. "And dialysis is a very expensive treatment."

It costs around $1,800 a month, which covers 13 sessions, but the NKF - which currently treats around 3,000 patients and beneficiaries - subsidises most of the cases, so they pay around $50 a month only.

The donation was also a way to give back to society, said Mr Kasmadi, and to mark his birthday, which he celebrated on Oct 10.

Mr Kasmadi, whose father came from China, hails from the city of Dumai in Riau province, Indonesia. He has been visiting Singapore for more than 20 years and now lives in River Valley. He is a director at a trading firm and holds an employment pass.

WP leaders won't join national conversation

Citizen discussions 'better served' without their presence: Sylvia Lim

By Andrea Ong, The Straits Times, 26 Oct 2012

LEADERS from the Workers' Party (WP) will not take part in the ongoing national conversation dialogues, said party chairman Sylvia Lim yesterday.

These citizen discussions would be "better served" without the presence of WP leaders, who would be linked to the party even if invited in their personal capacity, she said.

Ms Lim noted that the national conversation is meant for citizens to discuss their vision for Singapore and what matters most to Singaporeans.

"It is our view that the citizen dialogue sessions as currently proposed are better served without the presence of WP leaders, who would be assumed to represent the party even if invited as individuals," she said in response to a query from The Straits Times.

Ms Lim confirmed she was invited to the first Our Singapore Conversation dialogue on Oct 13. She said she did not attend because of earlier commitments.

PSLE leave may "feed into fears" of parents: Josephine Teo

By Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia, 24 Oct 2012

Introducing PSLE leave "feeds into the fears" of parents and the exam should not be the "defining moment in a child's development", wrote Minister of State for Transport and Finance, Josephine Teo in her Facebook post on Wednesday.

Her reaction comes as OCBC Bank announced three weeks of leave for staff from next year to help their children prepare for the national examination.

A few people have asked me what I thought of the PSLE Leave, a new scheme which a major bank in Singapore has introduced...
Posted by Josephine Teo on Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Writing on her Facebook page, Mrs Josephine Teo highlighted her experience, having just seen her twins through the PSLE.

She said there are many occasions where parents would need to "be there" for their children.

But it should not be a "default assumption" that parents must take significant time off to help children prepare.

Mrs Teo said OCBC Bank's move may be well-intentioned, but it may result in some parents feeling "unusual" if they don't take such leave.

A child psychologist said this may reinforce Singapore's stressful exam-climate.

"If I put myself in their shoes, I'll be constantly checking 'Did you do your homework? Have you studied? How many hours have you studied? Oh my gosh, why are you watching television? Are you playing your Game Boy when you're supposed to be researching this on the Internet?'," said Dr Carol Balhetchet, a clinical psychologist at Singapore Children's Society.

Singapore link in Xi Jinping's reform agenda?

Many around China's anointed leader urge reform, and Singapore is one possible model for open and progressive one-party rule

By Edward Wong and Jonathan Ansfield, Published The Straits Times, 25 Oct 2012

AFTER it was leaked that Mr Xi Jinping, the man anointed to be the next Communist Party chief of China, had met in private with a well-known supporter of political liberalisation, the capital's elite began to buzz about the import of the encounter.

Mr Hu Deping, the son of a former leader, who went to Mr Xi's home in July, has organised salons where the scions of powerful families have discussed how to keep the party from becoming mired in corruption and losing the trust of ordinary Chinese. People briefed on the meeting said Mr Xi had declared his support for steady reform.

"Hu Deping, through certain channels, sent out the message that he had been meeting with Xi Jinping," said Mr Zhang Lifan, a historian who knows Mr Hu. "I think the two are trying to send a signal."

As China's critical once-a-decade leadership transition approaches next month, Chinese officials, policy advisers and intellectuals are again pushing for what they broadly call "reform" - a further opening up of the economic and political system that the party has constructed through 63 years of authoritarian rule. With the economy slowing, the disconnect between haves and have-nots building, and state-owned businesses exerting even greater influence on policy, advocates for change say the status quo appears increasingly sclerotic.

Sky Greens: First vertical farm to boost supply of local greens

Each tower produces up to 10 times more vegetables than usual methods

By Jessica Lim, The Straits Times, 25 Oct 2012

LAND-SCARCE Singapore has its first vertical farm on a plot of land in Lim Chu Kang the size of about five football fields.

Vegetables - Chinese cabbage, nai bai and xiao bai cai - grow on 120 towers and the harvest is sold at five NTUC FairPrice Finest outlets.

The innovation is also a boost for the country's efforts to widen food-supply sources.

Each 9m-tall tower, made of tiers of planting troughs rotating around an aluminium frame, produces five to 10 times more vegetables than conventional methods in the same land area.

A water-pulley system, using rainwater collected in overhead reservoirs, rotates the troughs so that the plants get a uniform amount of sunlight.

A prototype of the tower was developed in 2010 by private company Sky Greens, which owns the farm, and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority.

The farm, which officially opened yesterday, produces 500kg of greens daily.

At FairPrice Finest, a 200g bag of xiao bai cai from Sky Greens costs $1.25 while a 250g bag of Pasar brand xiao bai cai from Indonesia costs 75 cents.

Although the local greens cost more, the supermarket chain hopes to leverage on their freshness. It takes three hours from harvest for Sky Greens produce to hit the shelves. Imported vegetables take three days to three weeks.

"Terrorist attack" at Suntec City part of exercise

By Sailfulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia, 24 Oct 2012

More than 18,000 people took part in an anti-terror attack exercise on Wednesday.

Exercise Heartbeat Alpha 2012 focuses on security threats at visitor hotspots such as the newly opened Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, and Gardens by the Bay.

It involved various Home Team agencies, the private sector and business community under the Safety and Security Watch Groups.



The first part of the exercise simulated a Mumbai-styled terror attack when four masked gunmen stormed into the Marina Bay Cruise Centre and started shooting randomly.

A similar scenario was also staged at the Flower Dome within the Gardens by the Bay where an international conference was held.

At the Suntec City area, a passenger bus exploded, to simulate the detonation of a bomb.

The exercise tests the readiness of various agencies and partners on how they could work together in a crisis.

Maids can take online course in care-giving

By Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 25 Oct 2012

MAIDS can now pick up care-giving skills during their free time by taking an online course.

It will also help their employers qualify for a monthly government stipend of $120 to help with the cost of hiring a domestic worker to take care of frail, elderly or disabled family members.

The course, developed by Singapore company BH Institute, has been approved by the Centre for Enabled Living (CEL).

There are two parts. The first is a 20-module programme called Medically Informed Minders, which gives the maids basic knowledge of dealing with the elderly, such as spotting warning signs on health problems.

The modules, which each take 20 minutes to cover, can be worked on at any time using smartphones and computers. They are offered in English, Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia.

The second part of the course involves a series of 13 seminars that cover topics such as preventing falls and tending to wounds. Each seminar is about an hour long, and is in English.

The course costs $200, but it can be offset by applying for a Caregivers Training Grant, administered by the Centre for Enabled Living. A spokesman for the centre said the online course provides an alternative method of learning for caregivers who are Web-savvy and who may not be able to leave the side of the person they are caring for.

More help for families of problem gamblers

Free legal and financial advisory services for affected families under NCPG's pilot programme

By Leslie Kay Lim and Janice Tai, The Straits Times, 24 Oct 2012

MORE help is now available for the families of problem gamblers - a group often overlooked.

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has launched a one-year pilot to provide legal and financial advice for affected family members.

This month, the National Addictions Management Service (NAMS) at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) also introduced a programme for this group.

Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Chan Chun Sing outlined some of these measures yesterday at an NCPG conference which looked at the impact of problem gambling on family members.

"Often, we may not be aware, or may forget, that it is usually the families who suffer the effects of an addict's excessive habits," he said.

Financial security and legal woes are some key concerns they face, according to the findings of a study commissioned by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports which were presented at the conference yesterday.

Families of problem gamblers, for instance, usually owe money to the banks or licensed money lenders, Mr Chan pointed out.

"Many of them find it difficult to understand the contractual terms related to their loans. They fear the loss of their homes, their cars and the possibility of facing bankruptcy," he said.

2,000 rental flats to be built for lower-income families, to be ready for occupation progressively from 2014

They will be in Punggol, Sembawang, Yishun, Bukit Batok and Sengkang
By Daryl Chin, The Straits Times, 24 Oct 2012

SOME 2,000 rental flats are being built to meet the housing needs of lower-income families.

These units will be located in Punggol, Sembawang, Yishun, Bukit Batok and Sengkang, and are part of the Government's promise last year to have a total of 57,000 rental flats by 2015.

A Housing Board spokesman yesterday said construction of the 2,000 units will begin by next year.

"These flats are expected to be ready for occupation progressively from 2014," she said.

Public rental flats, meant to be the final housing safety net, cost tenants $26 to $275 monthly, depending on income, and come in one-room and two-room options.

In his National Day Rally speech last year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recognised that there were Singaporean families who could not afford to buy flats, and pledged to increase the rental supply.

The Government had previously said it aims to have 50,000 rental units by this year, and the Housing Board spokesman said the agency was "on track" to meet this target.

Rental flats are typically built specifically for needy families, although some include older converted flats, such as those on Spooner Road in the Tanjong Pagar area.