Sunday, August 2, 2009 13:18
Unemployment – important statistics missing from media reports
In Main Stories, Our Columnists, Top Story, Uncle Leong • 3,308 views • 32 Comments
Leong Sze Hian
The unemployment rate is of concern to many Singaporeans. Thus, it is important not only for the government to release accurate data on it but also for our news media to report such data accurately.
However, in their latest reports, the Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia and Today have failed to do so. Their selective reporting of important statistics on the unemployment rate leaves much to be desired.
The Straits Times Online Breaking News Online article, “Job losses double in Q2” on July 31, said:
“An estimated 116,600 residents were jobless in June. The seasonally adjusted figure was 91,800.”
And:
“Among the resident labour force, the non-adjusted unemployment rate was 6 per cent in June, higher than the 4.4 per cent in the previous quarter.”
However, in the same article in the print edition on August 1, (“More layoffs likely later in the year”) there was no mention of the 116,600 unemployed or the 6 per cent unemployment rate.
What happened to this important piece of information?
Instead, all it said was:
“They (the Jobs Credit wage subsidy scheme and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur) were particularly instrumental in lowering the jobless rate among residents from 4.8 per cent in March to 4.6 per cent in June.”
The Channel News Asia report, “Retrenchments down sharply, unemployment stabilises in Q2” on July 31, said:
“An estimated 91,800 residents were unemployed in June.”
And:
“Among the resident labour force, the unemployment rate declined from 4.8 per cent in March to 4.6 per cent in June.”
So, similar to the ST print edition, there was no mention of the 116,600 unemployed or 6 per cent unemployment rate.
These two statistics are also not mentioned in the Today newspaper of August 1, “Productivity concerns: Job losses double in Q2 as foreigners’ services terminated“.
It seems to be quite a coincidence that all three news medium omitted these two statistics, which are in the Ministry of Manpower’s report, “Employment Situation In Second Quarter 2009“, from which the reports were derived.
Apparently it was decided that only the “better” seasonally adjusted figures be reported, and the non-seasonally adjusted figures were dropped altogether.
In any case, it is perhaps arguable to say that “unemployment has stabilised in the second quarter”, when the number of unemployed residents (Singaporeans and PRs) increased from 95,600 in March to 116,600 in June, and the resident unemployment rate increased from 4.4 to 6 per cent.
Anyone who reads the ST Breaking News Online version on July 31, compared to the 1 August print version, the Channel NewsAsia and Today articles, may come to a very different perception of whether unemployment has gotten better or worse.
Bus companies to Malaysia were recently fined for fixing prices. Perhaps we may need to consider action for “fixing the news statistics” too!
The Manpower Minister was quoted as saying, “The most important message is to remind all of us that the worst is not yet over”. Well, I think it also depends on what statistics we “choose” to compare with – in the news.
By the way, how many of those undergoing training under Spur may be people who are actually unemployed, who may not be counted in the unemployment statistics?
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32 Comments
Not crucial
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Watch on… … Who move who die…
Unemployment is about to pass 10% and some areas, where I live for example, are higher than that. My county is at 12%. It will get better but not any time soon. I wrote an article about how to file for unemployment. My wife works for jobs and family services and deals with the unemployed each day. It’s sad to hear stories of good, hard working people who are victims of the economy.
Not Say I wanna Say ...
a few days back, while lunching, i came across a Korean gal of around 20++ years old. I started to chat as she was sitting infront of me and taking photos of food she bought.
She told me her SKorean government had a scheme facilitating SKorean citizens to come to singapore for a around half year arrangement or something such that citizens who apply could work here for this period.
She said she had quited her job to go into this scheme and she is here looking for job meaning she come here then look for job wan.
She said in SKorea many are jobless so they are encouraged to come here.
Oblivous to her, her words made me feel sad that so many are coming here to compete headon with citizens many who also are struggling.
So, now I see China nationals, Taiwanese (casino), HongKongers, Koreans, Philipinos, Bangladeshies, Indians and Indonesians as well as Mynmar people and Thai as well as Malaysians all competing here for jobs.
Tell me , how many are there?
Any control on the quota? If so, seems like many are here EVEN IN THIS CRISIS.
So, juz to let Mr Leong know about this. I, his greatest fan.
Maybe he or other TOC members or readers could do a research on schemes allowing foreign citizens to come here look for job IN THIS CRISIS. and it would be enlightening to know does the foreign governments have any agreements with singapore gov on such schemes, if really this scheme is real. I mean, I only heard this scheme from a gal who claims and appears to be a SKorean.
peace
when will new holiday be installed?
Assuming it is true that Employment rate is based inclusively of PRs, I wonder, give the at least hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals working here ( or at least last year or around then), IF many of these ACCEPT to be PR or if ‘invited’ to be PRs, and remain employed, AND if these are more than the citizen-unemployed, would this have a ‘positive’ effect on the unemployment rate EVEN IF citizen employment rate decreases?
The above is a hypothetical question for technical discussion.
get the drift?
ihavelobangs
our unemployment rates is gettin to the extend of the same british system almost 2 decades ago
first it was reported only 300,000 british unemployed
coal mines shut down
car industries shut down
british original manufacturin factories closed 1 by 1
till the unemployment hit almost 3 millions
the new tories party replaced the labour party
1st move
they stopped issusin work permits
regardless of professional levels
whether doctor nurses nanny(maids) or the hotel industries
(i was 1 of them) i came in under the labour government
life was hell for ALL foreign talents
every cases were secrutised for fault nor matter how minor
and if unexplainable
their work permits would be cancelled and deported
in singapoor?
the british government would had laughed
why british cannot cleaned table or serve kopi mey?
off course
unions( which i mentioned early today)
fought hard for EVERY union workers foreign or local
limsiasuayed you also fight right but for foreign towkays…………
now britain unemployment is nothin to be alarm @ all
jobs are availiable
social welfares has been trimmed to an acceptable levels
perhaps our prince the prime minister should lower his dark vader cape and learnt a few tricks from dame thatcher the ex-first woman prime minister
pancake
wonder why those under SPUR are considered ‘employed’.
mice is nice
hi Pancake,
“wonder why those under SPUR are considered ‘employed’.”
maybe its understood (to those who compile the stats) students not = workers, so in theory cannot be considered under the stats as unemployed?
citizen
It is obvious, for many years, the government use to give figures like “Local”. By that they mean Singapore Citizens and PRs to make the statistics look good. They will say something like “500 jobs go to local”, but nobody knows how many jobs really go to Singaporeans.
The is certainly one of the ways the Singapore government treats others much better than its citizens,
Why should the Singapore government short change its citizens, ultimately it is the citizens who vote for them and not the foreigners,
If they don’t value Singaporeans they are the ultimate loosers.
citizen
It is a know fact that the Singapore government give out PRs liberally in the past and that has also contributed to a loose of jobs to Singaporeans since employers prefer to employ younger PRs.
Even PRs themselves say that they are first class citizens in Singapore, anyway should anything go wrong here they can always fly back to their own country and have an added credential that they have worked in Singapore and has achieved PR status. Not forgetting the monetary rewards they bring back.
frank speaks
I think the PAP will allow PRs and FTs to vote. Otherwise, sure to lose plenty of seats in next election.
David
I have just cancelled my Straits Times subscription. Pointless to read all sort of msm reports nowadays. Who would want to read reports that chose only to report the good stuff in order to put pap in good light? If the truth continue to be hiddened than Singapore is a defeated country and national day is nothing worth my celebration.
crazyman
Worst, when u c so many Malaysian, Myanmese, Flipinos, China Hookers, Indians etc are working yet the local are jobless or end up having to setup shops to benefit the so call GLC. Everyone will be pissed off like me.
Everywhere I go, retrenchment, retrenchment. The only one that is safe is the gov job. Look at the millionaires we have had. They have heart for SIngaporeans at large? I leave this to the forumers to decide.
I too have heard ppl applaud to burning and punching of someone.
Now, I understand why someone celebrated when this happen.
Hopefully this someone can celebrate more often.
kf
I agree with the writer that numbers attending SPUR program should be released. Data should not be provided on piecemeal basis. Why not show a month by month trend on how the figures stack up from the time the program started till now ? Either that or it gives the impression policy makers aren’t capable or comfortable to scale up for meaningful exchanges. It’s already not the first time this question has been raised, but the local news and policy makers seemed to side-step them so far.
will4
I cannot understand when showing the employment figure, it tend to show the local n the PR together.
Pessimist
SINGAPORE. WORK HARD. DIE POOR.
Too bad you’re not FT lor!
shenshi.c
different form of slavery,no other alternative still got to survive,cross my finger to get a job soon
Crystalline
Dear Folks,
Do you know that the public hospitals just increased their prices for medicine from 1 August 2009?
I cannot in my logic and intelligence comprehend the rationale. Everything is down but medicine in public hospitals are up.
TOC you may want to flag this up to readers attention and discussion.
MM
Hi 4 points to ponder
1. No job is secure. Govt ask you to train harder and more productive.
2. If you dont save Govt will add more and more schemes to save on your behalf
3. You lose your job. Govt ask you to go back to the classroom for retraining.
4. Job opportunity. If you are above 30 better start your own business ,this time
my own personal advice not anyone else. Then again no money ask the Govt.
www
Hush do you know what you want to ask why so many foreigners
come to Singapore. Money and better source of jobs of course,
ask why they dont like to look for work in their own country, is it not
stating the obvious.
They do contribute to our country but the same applies to Singaporean.
How can they feel a sense of nationhood when they are out of job
especially it is not their fault that they should be out of work or favour.
cancelled
You can take your frustration out and air your views but blog is
for everyone to give irresponsible comments.
I thank the bloggers who give their view appropriate and accurate.
So let the government do likewise in return.
cancelled
Sorry the statement is not to give irresponsible comments. Do not be misled.
G.I.Joe
Why do they need to adjust according to the seasons?
loop
They probably only take in the figures for locals. Foreigners being unemployed her are non of our business.
smart-foreigner
The Singapore pledge is no longer “We the citizens of Singapore…”. It is becoming more like “We the locals of Singapore…” Locals meaning the PRs, the employment -pass holders, the S pass-holders, the Foreign Talents, the Business Pass holders, work-permit holders, the road-side workers, the short term Malaysian visit/work travellers, the the Geylang sisters, the studying mothers.
They even accept those without any jobs and let them stay for a year to look for a job. Which country on earth can you find that.
The label “We the citizens of Singapore” has none meaning left. Its only a joke and a political statement. Sad.
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 32
[...] – TOC: Unemployment – important statistics missing from media reports – Singaporean Skeptic: Our Multi-Millionaire Minister makes a few ‘insightful’ [...]
noname
Bus companies to Malaysia were recently fined for fixing prices.
Why our SBS and SMRT are not fined for fixing prices also?
BS
Why SIA is not fine for price fixing to asia route.
Know why, as long as u r Singaporean, u can be easily bully.
If this is our gayman mindset, there is no end to it.
All Ministers, please come out and contest one to one and feel the
ground.
If u continue to do this to our country, someone is going to get
hurt.
aiyah! with the current batch of “politicans”, nothing good will come out of it. mostly “yes” men. think anyone dare to stand up to the old man?
anyway u guys voted for them by your inaction, so suffer the consequences and dun complain. dun like? either fight or leave……………………
I am loyal to Money n my Master aka MM (double Ms)
Whether the important statistics are missing from the Media Reports or not is Secondary COMPARED! to
the issue of whether the MAJORITY wants this info or not or know how to interprete this info or not.
I mean,
IF
statistics are missing
THEN
IF
media happens to miss out these stats
THEN
question is does the Majority people Want To Have this info
ELSE
the question is So What if it is missed out
ENDIF
ELSE
ENDIF
The PRIMARY of concern is the PEOPLE’s mentality and awareness of the situation.
orderofthecouncil
Pathetic. Now we are all living in misery because of those fools. Put it this way, some Minister are so incompetent, just simply don’t understand why they are there.
“Why won’t they give me an opportunity?” | The Online Citizen
[...] An estimated 116,600 residents were jobless in June. [...]
Whether unemployment at 4%, 6% or even 10% is not as crucial as the following statistics and happenings.
1. Property prices up and queues again for condo launches.
2. Stock market up and up.
3. COE prices up and up.
4. Everything as per normal at street level, just like in boom times.
5. As long as consistently 66% or more are still employed, recession or not.
6. The opposition parties are not getting any stronger. In fact weaker due to members leaving etc, etc and no obvious successor to Chiam See Tong.
7. Chee Soon Juan dare not protest or demonstrate any more after being charged for a less than 20 person (including children) protest early last year.