By: 永久浪客/Forever Vagabond
Speaking before a closed-door dialogue session with his NTUC leaders yesterday, PM Lee told the media that while Singapore’s economic growth has slowed, it is not in a crisis. It does not require the ‘antibiotics’ that were administered during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, he said (‘Singapore’s slowing economy is not in a ‘crisis’: PM Lee‘).
“My analogy is this: In 2008, 2009, it was a crisis. We were sick; we needed medicine. We took an antibiotic, one course of powerful medicine; we recovered. Luckily the germs also stopped coming and so we were ok,” he said.
“But this is not a kind of an infection which we can take a quick medicine to cure. This one, you see the doctor, the doctor says: ‘No, you don’t need me. You need to see a physical trainer; you need to build up your muscles; you need to build up your skills; you need to strengthen yourself; you need to keep at it.’ In a few months, you will see a difference, few years, you will be a different person – and I think we are heading in the right direction.”
He said that the current schemes such as the NTUC Education and Training Fund and SkillsFuture are helping to keep things on an even keel, even as his government restructures the economy to deal with challenges.
He reassured his audience that there are still bright spots in the economy, like information and communications technology, education and health and social services.
He also noted that there are 63,000 jobs available at the National Jobs Bank and 13,000 workers have been placed this year. But workers need to do their part as well by adapting, he added. “(They) have to let old jobs go and get into new jobs.”
Netizens not convinced
Meanwhile, on Yahoo! website, netizens are taking turns to pour cold water onto what PM Lee has said about Singapore’s economy not in crisis.
kay: Now the time is 2:51 AM. Why there is still net citizens making comments?. Maybe they they are unemployed, same with me. No ‘crisis’, My foot!
thethethe: Where got crisis when all those white monkeys are collecting automatic fat salary from our hard earn tax fund, do you think they face crisis? The most they use their best wayang to fool 70% fool and let stupid fool of 70% keep blur blur like sotong, they PAP will no crisis and laugh to their bank and sleep soundly in their golden palace.
Roland: There is no crisis for Singapore. Many faithful servants have booked their holidays overseas, song song with their families. Not sure if they have booked their new cars for CNY.
Duke: (1) Shipping is in Trouble (2) Property is dead (3) Banks in pain (4) Queries of $ coming in and (5) Main board companies not performing. These giants are falling apart. I don’t agree. Switch careers? I will switch your career next term.
HeadortailiWin: Every COST OF LIVING only goes up while the economy is NOT IN CRISIS. So how? Mortgages, child,s education, foods, transport, medical bills….what are the contingency plans government have planned for SINGAPOREAN when we are in CRISIS?
Theforgottongeneration: MediShield Life touted as the best deal (Swiss standard?) for Singaporeans’ healthcare in Nov 2015, but within one year, all agencies are saying even the highly increased premiums forced upon CPF members when MediShield changed to MediShield Life are NOT SUSTAINABLE. Whaa, no crisis hor?
gracious: Mr PM, either you are ill-advised by your scholarly civil servants or you are simply ignorant or worst still, both. Having said, the super rich category like yourself and fellow whites do not share the same experiences like the rest of Singaporeans. Why not you and your whites go without pay until the next election so that you know what is suffering?
‘Hypocritical’ MOE not helping older PMET
With regard to PM Lee’s comment that he would help retrenched PMETs, it looks like his own Ministry of Education now under 2 full ministers, Ong Ye Kung and Ng Chee Meng, is not helping either.
Walter Oon, a teacher with 40 years of experience was recently retrenched by an international school. He labelled the government as hypocritical.
He posted a message on Yahoo! website, “I am a teacher at an international school for 8 years and recently was told that my contract would not be renewed next year due to what they so called ‘restructuring’.”
“I applied to MOE for the post of a relief/flexi-adjunct teacher, but my application was ‘rejected’ without reason given. I am now 68 years old and have many more good years to go. The Government ministers have been calling employers to employ the ‘older workers’, but they are not doing it themselves. This is just plain hypocrisy!” he exclaimed.
“The MOE CANNOT reject my application just because I am ‘old’. I have been teaching for more than 40 years and my qualifications are from Singapore institutions and I have not committed any malpractice, so how can you reject my application?” he asked.
Floodgates opened for foreigners to work in Singapore
Despite PM Lee’s promises of 63,000 jobs available at the National Jobs Bank, many remained unconvinced as advertising on Jobs Bank does not imply job employment for Singaporeans.
Employers are under no obligation to give jobs to Singaporeans. They need to put up advertisements on Jobs Bank for 2 weeks merely to satisfy the requirement for the employment of foreigners on EP. And MOM does not impose any quotas on companies hiring foreign EP holders.
Some of the netizens commented:
goaheadbingostan: LHL noted: “Because PMETs have been more affected than before by retrenchments, the authorities are doing more to help them cope.” Talking nonsense as usual. Are you stupid or simply refuse to see? You and your govt might have garnered 70% votes last year through election boundary gerrymandering, SG50 gifts and tears for your father’s death, but you have lost all moral authority. You have sold out Singapore to foreigners!
Self pity: I understand in 2010, our PM had said welcoming foreign talent and new immigrants benefits Singaporeans. But the government understands Singaporeans’ concerns over the negative impact of immigration and will introduce even more policies to ensure that citizens always come first. We have seen the population increases and more diversified new citizens. It has divided many Singaporeans. Is our PM really cares for Singaporeans! THINK!
关公公: Despite poor economy, you still never stop importing foreigners to replace locals, leading consumer confidence to drop to all time low in 7 years.
Ian: many SINGAPOREANS graduates and non-graduates have LOST their jobs and career in the past 10 years and yet FOOLOSH Govt continues to bring in FOREIGNERS to take over their jobs !!!
If the perception of the netizens is true, it looks like Singapore is way past taking antibiotic – is Singapore already in ICU?
Source -> http://last-cabin.xfer.tk/2016/11/netizens-laugh-at-pms-statement-that-economy-not-in-crisis/
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