“Group Representation Constituencies can be chopped and changed;
Member Constituencies can be created and dissolved with a stroke of a pen.”
WP Chairman Sylvia Lim, in parliament
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
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//My Views
I had a friend who bought an insurance policy of 50K paying only 20 dollars a month (you cannot find that anymore).
He paid 5 years of premium and died in his mission.
his parents made 50K out of a premium of (1000 dollars).
Should they thank the insurance company?
mmmmm…..lst option essentially is one in which everyone in Singapore becomes tenants of their houses and pay rent via CPF ??.
That will certainly cuts off any property speculation of any kind…. mmmm… The Government must then take on the responsibility of building the flats….. But looking at the trend nowadays, even HDB flats are sold under the Design Build Sell Scheme by private developers…. Sadly, the gahment is slowly relinquishing her role of providing housing flats and leaving it to the fat cats of private developers to become fatter and fatter…
Gahment / HDB needs to seriously relook its role…
Hi Economic Fact,
I can understand why your alternative recommendations get bashed up at TR. It has to do with your wordings, imho.
Singaporeans have come to believe and accept that the flats they own are theirs to call their own. They believe that they are really buying a piece of investment that will see them and their children for posterity, forgetting that either they or their children will have to hand it over to HDB after the ‘purchase’ lease of 99 years.
Now, to try and tell them that they now have to ‘rent’ in place of ‘buy’ is like telling a rabbit that it has elephant ears. The question of financial leverage is thrown out the window and it is clear this is one of the fundamental reasons why your alternative idea is so hard to accept, even as it speaks the truth about the true value of the flats that we temporarily possess.
I like your idea because it gives the government the control to ensure that ‘rent’ is kept truly affordable and that no one is running away with exorbitant and ridiculous flat prices. It sort of kills two birds with one stone. The ordinary Singaporean is assured of a home while the foreigners cannot mess with flat prices by off-the market-value offers.
It is also good for the above-ordinary Singaporeans, the higher earners, to have the option to purchase the flat to stimulate home-ownership.
In other word, the ordinary Singaporean is assured of the roof over their heads without having to worry over out-of-this-world mortgage payments, while those who can afford it, can choose to purchase the flat of their choice, without any lease cap.
I do not see why it is so outrageous except perhaps the word ‘rent’, which makes one compares with ‘buy’ could be the underlying reason. But hey, these are brainless people if they think they have purchase a flat they can call their own, indefinitely.
//My views
//Met one chap who bought his 5-room flat from the government for $70,000. If he sells it now, he could probably get about $500,000!
//Choose whichever phrase you prefer, the fact remains he has a generous government :
//(a). the government gave to him ….
//(b). the government gifted him ….
//(c). he stole from the government ….
12 points:
1.did the govt gave 500K or 70K to those people who didn’t buy the flat at those time?
2.did the govt benefit from selling land near the area where his flat is?
3.there are flats which did not increase in “value” as high, did the govt compensate those residents? then why single him out?
4.Did the govt made monies at the time the flat was sold?
5.we have private developers in Taiwan, HK, South Korea developing properties/housing for their people. During their boom time, all made monies, should they thank the developers? Would you thank the developers? When the market crashed, should they curse the developers then?
6. 70K to 500K, this fellow must be staying in a mature housing estate. his children will have to stay in Sengkang or Sembawang to get a 4 room at 240K. that’s if we imagine MBT will build them overnight. So, for this old man to benefit from the price increase, he needs to be able to live with his children, live far from the center, take out all the 500K which is unlikely because there is the minimum sum…. the list goes on…
7. did this fellow slog to pay 70K which is a lot of monies even by today’s standard?
8. did hdb charge extra interest from those people who went arrear buying flats at approximately the same price? Did HDB force people to downgrade or sell their flats if these people cannot pay? if they cannot afford it, why did hdb lend them in the first place? Could it be because these people can afford it then but cannot later because they lost their job?
9. most importantly, when flat prices go down and people who bought it at a high price, did the govt compensate these people? Sengkang have many such owners. Well actually, the govt didn’t do that.
10. at 500/70 ~ almost 7 times increase. the people who bought the flat at 500K, should they expect 7 times increase as well? if they didn’t get that would the govt compensate them?
11. if he had invested in sph at $1 a share then, he would have 2.5 million with his 70K investment. Should he get 2 million compensation from the govt? of course, if he had invested in IPC, he wouldn’t get that amount.
12. if he had bought the private estate in bishan at 20K, it would have been worth 3 million now. should he feel bad?
Conclusion:
it is his own good fortunate, to have chosen to buy, to slog for the loan and to think that it is good for him.
for all we know he would not be happy because his children have to pay 4 times more than he did for the same floor space far away from the center?
//“…The GRC system is implemented to ensure there is minority representation…”: My Views.
<My views> thinks minorities cannot get themselves elected.
JBJ got himself elected.
and MBT, a person from the majority race failed to get himself elected under the old system.
what a joke!
GRC is a system to ensure the pigs continue winning elections.
The question then is what have they done materially to singaporeans after they won?
nothing.
//My Views
as if the son could get a 5 room flat at 250K when his father 5 room cost 500K – all in the same estate?
Why not you say his son bought bishan private estate when it was 20K?
unless the fellow got a time travelling machine.
…zzzz……….
//my views
you just allow the s’poreans to stick with the old cpf rules of 20:20 contribution.
and allow him to work for 30 years.
he would have a million too in his cpf account when he retires.
doesn’t need to depend on a flat.
Firstly, to “My Views”, how much are you paid per post? You have posted a lot, must have made some money ;D
Secondly what you have posted are news everyday other day in the newspaper, TV and radio, there’s not much point repeating those here.
Thirdly, referring to your argument:
“How could people be so blind to the good deeds their government is doing for them? It is unbelievable! The current HDB pricing system is creating so much wealth for Singaporeans and yet you guys are screaming for it to be abolished! You sure you are not mad?”
I conclude that you are the 66.6% of the blind mice which voted in the papayas. You are so naive to think that you can cash out of this “increase in HDB flat value”? You ever heard of ever increasing min sum in CPF? Are you going in live in the streets after you sold your house? ONLY your house increase to 500k whereas any other properties remain at 50k value?
So simple-minded, unless you are
1. Paid to post
2. Super rich (which the papayas are protecting) who owns more than 1 property
3. Blind mice like I said, brain washed by propaganda, then I suggest you better wake up now, not when you grow old and try to live on your 500k housing or 500k cpf (which you will NEVER get to touch)
fpc
Mar 17, 2010 22:35
//Ler Kan Neo
nobody accepted it.
neither does anyone accept the frequent changes in electoral boundary.
much in the same way nobody accepts the sudden influx of immigrants and administration mess up.
Ok, the influx became a real issue only , to me, after the last election.
Electoral boundaries kept changing and people kept voting for them. this has been happening since long ago.
The people is unique in more ways than 1.
I am migrating.
Economic Fact
Mar 18, 2010 10:47
@ lobo76
Err…but that’s why we have a market where buying and selling take place.
Not sure what has this got to do with my point… which is essentially what tiredSingaporean brought up. The govt only talks about the good part (perspective) as if it is the ONLY part.
the fact is that public housing was designed more towards housing as many citizens as possible, rather than giving them an asset to sell for $$$.
Frankly, that ‘design’ seems to have been … lost. If that were the case, I don’t see why asset inflation should be a goal for our dear Minister.
It will be great if anyone out there can propose alternatives.
First off, I would not consider any scheme that touches CPF as the payment source. It was DESIGNED for old age and retirement, and now we are depleting it to the extent that the scheme is constantly adjusted so that most are not likely to ‘touch’ it in their lifetime. I do not wish it to lose it’s original design (though it may already be lost) like HDB losing its way.
Housing can be rental model as you have suggested. Since CPF is no longer accessible, prices can and will fall, simply because the alternative is that no one can afford it. The challenge for our million dollar Minister is to make sure it is still ‘affordable’ using only disposable income to pay for it. He’ll definitely have to work at it, since there may be lots of things to adjust if this were to happen.
e.g CPF contribution may go down since we don’t have to use it to pay for housing. maybe from the employer side, so that they can now afford to give higher salaries, and with higher salaries, more people can be taxed, and this can be a source of monies to build the flats. As I said, MANY things need to do. Maybe finally, they would be stress enough to not sleep during parliaments.
With this so called hdb asset appreciation, one thing for sure will increase is property tax, even under the new tiered system..
Imagine paying so much for it, and then still having to pay tax for it, ridiculous, right? even for owner-occupier who are not renting the flat out.. If you rent the flat out, you have to pay income tax for the rental collected, so just imagine all those taxes that you are paying..
Same for cars, pay coe, parf, road tax, petrol tax and then still need to pay erp….
@ gemami
Finally, I get some objective agreement on ideas which are unpalatable, but nonetheless worth considering because the rental concept (all of Singapore can debate on the language till the cows come home, but it is still rental) is one easy way to get as many citizens housed as possible, so long as they are willing to accept that they do not own the place that they stay in as you rightly pointed out.
I will also stress that the rental concept means that the scenario of downgrading to a smaller flat due to bad family decisions will not get the “larger sum” such families may be searching for to solve their financial problems. This is because if, for example, the family stayed in a 5 room flat for $1,500 and now wishes to downgrade to a 3 room flat that has a rental of $700, they will only get to save $800 in the following month (assuming they are desperate for money). There will be no more C.O.V. (which means more $$$ in the short-term) for selling their flats which drove up prices of HDB housing today in the open market.
Unfortunately, there are hard truths that need to be told sometimes.
B.F.
E.F.
//Ler Kan Neo
influx was an issue all along just that there was no internet site like tr to voice it out in the open.
btw, most of us didn’t get to vote.
if lhl is so interested to know what people is really thinking, ensure that every constituency is contested.
There was more competition in the past than a decade ago politically.
Instead LHL wants to implement fake survey to confuse our thinking.
My Views
March 18 2010, 04:35
“Both casinos give priority to employing Singaporeans.”
that is what most if not all employers say, they try very hard to find locals to fill positions. but there are fundamental reasons why S’poreans shun certain jobs.
for the 2 IRs, it could very well be that its not most S’poreans aspirations to be card dealers, security guards or mascots in fancy costums.
“If, despite this preferential treatment, there are less Singaporeans working in both casinos, then the problems laid with Singaporeans. You guys should know Singaporeans’ working attitudes better than the Government!”
why does the govt lways treat S’poreans like cogs of the economy? i give you job, you dun take, you are choosey… what are personal aspirations? what does it mean to do 1′s job with pride? how can attitude towards a job/profession instill the intrinsic motivation to excel? can buckets of $$ do it?
when the idea of having the IRs were still in conception, did the govt find out how S’poreans will take to it? what was the public reaction back then? since when did S’poreans say we wanted casinos? i surely didn’t read it in the papers. it was a gamble to go ahead, & if it fails, dun hold S’poreans accountable!
with the 2 casinos up & running, S’pore went from Uniquely S’pore to Your S’pore. the image of a family-friendly city state went out of the window!
rofl…
[myviewarestillbetter ]
Mar 18, 2010 8:22
and
[gemami ]
Mar 18, 2010 9:08
—————————————————————————————————-
If Mr. Lucky wished to sell his flat, he need not live in a jungle. He could live with his son or buy a smaller flat.
And why should he sell his flat? He had enough money in his CPF to see him through his retirement! Please read my example again.
T
Mar 18, 2010 10:38
Wow, your views are totally blinkered. So, Sylvia Lim teaches in a polytechnic, there she studied in a polytechnic.
—————————————————————————————————
Go back to read what I had written.
I was explaining to those who might not know what is a polytechnic. Of course we do know Sylvia Lim’s background, where she came from, what she stands for and what she can’t do!
chiper
Mar 18, 2010 12:12
Hey My Views, how about answering my very simple question: Is it ok for foreigners to make death threats against Singaporeans?
———————————————————————————————————
Leave it to the judge. Do not interfere the judges in their jobs!
chiper
Mar 18, 2010 12:44
And you actually think anyone (and by anyone I mean anyone who is a true Singaporean, not a foreigner or a lackey of foreigners) would be concerned why foreigners are not represented in Parliament? What a joke! Foreigners are not supposed to have representation in Parliament because they’re foreigners, they have NO role in Singaporean politics!
—————————————————————————————————-
With so many foreigners and PRs in Singapore, you think it is unwise that their interests are not addressed in Parliament? Only fools would share your view!
As a whole, these people could grind the Singapore’s economy to a halt!
You seemed to possess a biased view against foreigners and PRs, don’t you? My friend, for your information, there are many PRs volunteering their services to your schools, grassroots organizations and helping your Members of Parliament – without being paid a single cent!! Get this fact straight into your bloody mind before you make your anti-foreigners comments!
It is politically incorrect to give these foreigners and PRs a vote each. However, if the Singapore Government is willing to adopt a long term view and do what is in the interest of the country, it should seriously consider to be the first and only country in the world that gives votes to foreigners and PRs who have lived in Singapore for a certain period of time, say 5 years. It is a very powerful message to talented foreigners that they are welcomed and cherished in Singapore.
fpc
Mar 18, 2010 13:47
you just allow the s’poreans to stick with the old cpf rules of 20:20 contribution.
and allow him to work for 30 years.
he would have a million too in his cpf account when he retires.
doesn’t need to depend on a flat.
—————————————————————————————————
No investor would come to Singapore. Companies in Singapore would relocate to places like China, India and Vietnam.
//my views
parliament in singapore to address foreigners’ interest?
what a joke!
mice is nice
Mar 19, 2010 1:16
for the 2 IRs, it could very well be that its not most S’poreans aspirations to be card dealers, security guards or mascots in fancy costums.
—————————————————————————————————-
Well, they can remain jobless and continue to look for a job that meets their aspiration. The integrated resorts have targets to achieve.
//My views
//No investor would come to Singapore. Companies in Singapore would relocate to places like China, India and Vietnam.
why wouldn’t investors come invest in Singapore?
The CPF contribution limit was 6000 (now at 4500) and 20:20 and they were making a lot of monies here. How is that possible?
As if labour cost is the predominant factor.
productivity is more important. This is what you think of the kind of investment S’pore is attracting? Same level as China and Vietnam?
Another self proclaimed investment expert…zzz…
fpc
Mar 19, 2010 4:25
parliament in singapore to address foreigners’ interest?
what a joke!
————————————————————————–
You know nothing about the importance of foreign talents!
@My View,
Your remark on “With so many foreigners and PRs in Singapore, you think it is unwise that their interests are not addressed in Parliament? Only fools would share your view!”
Honestly speaking, you sound more like a fool. If they converted their nationality to Singapore, they are one of us. However, if they are still PR, their heart and interest is still with their origin country. China’s chinese will not want to see us pro-US. Malaysian and our neighbouring countries will not want to see us military stronger than them. Many neighbouring countries actually don’t want to see a us successful than them…..remember what Mahathir criticizing us and also Habibie remark on little red dot! You are trying to destroy Singapore! You must be daft.
//my views
//If Mr. Lucky wished to sell his flat, he need not live in a jungle. He could live with his son or //buy a smaller flat.
//And why should he sell his flat? He had enough money in his CPF to see him through his //retirement! Please read my example again.
How did he have enough monies in his CPF?
The govt gifted to him again?
He don’t need to work?
What a joke!
If he had worked to slog for the flat and his retirement, it is the fruits of his labour.
citizens of Countries where there isn’t PAP, people managed to do both things by working.
Taiwan and HKers for example.
Even Malaysians managed to do that.
Their properties also appreciated in value and PAP isn’t there. HDB isn’t there as well.
//My Views
you know nuts about the importance of local talent.
They build this country first over the last 40 years.
Our RIs couldn’t even attract investments in R&D because of the lack of local talent.
Self pretentious!
@My View
Mar 19, 2010 4:35
You know nothing about the importance of foreign talents!
—————————————————————————————-
So do you need a foreigner to teach you how to make baby :)
//my views
//Well, they can remain jobless and continue to look for a job that meets their aspiration. The
//integrated resorts have targets to achieve.
Well, Singaporeans have targets to achieve too.
They don’t like incompetent govt, slow traffic, packed MRT, slow MRT, high subsidy to foreigners etc.
don’t believe.
start an election now.
Make everyone vote.
We will see.
LHL knows this.
that’s why he isn’t starting the election soon.
Hey fpc, I am sure My View doesn’t know what is local talent, from his remark, you should know…
//My views
//Do you mean to say that men in the street have the ability to decide whether the nation
//should build an integrated resort? You mean to tell me that ordinary Singaporeans are able
//to know whether a casino is good or bad for the economy? Naïve! Then, what the hell you
//need a Government for?
My answer is yes. Reasons:
1. it affects his/her lives.
2. it affects his families lives.
3. this is democracy. People gets to vote.
4. if a politician cannot explain the economy impact of the IRs, he probably doesn’t know. Warren Buffett said that before.
5. when it comes to investment acrumen, men in the streets or in the office do not have much superiority over the other.
Case in point: MS. Ho Ching – graduate – wife of a supposedly smart man. She lost more monies than the entire wealth of UOB chairman in a few months. The man on the street who bet against her probably made some monies.
I didn’t even want to bring out the old pig example. It has been used countless times.
It is a fact: talent like Warren Buffett is rare and we need to be humble about this.
//My Views
//Go back to read what I had written.
//I was explaining to those who might not know what is a polytechnic. Of course we do know
//Sylvia Lim’s background, where she came from, what she stands for and what she
//can’t do!
Tell that to MBT and LHL, they claimed they cannot control HDB prices.
Tell that to Hen, he agreed he cannot control oil prices.
All are ministers, graduates and PAID millions and they cannot do anything.
Just talk only.
You might think Teo is worse coz he couldn’t even stay awake during parliamentary sessions.
For god sake, if you need to sleep, sleep at home. Don’t sleep during parliamentary session.
Is it that difficult to know/learn this?
//No investor would come to Singapore. Companies in Singapore would relocate to places like //China, India and Vietnam.
Yeah right and use the “first world” infrastructure in INDIA and understand the “first rate English” from the Vietnamese and “breeze through” the Chinese administration.
Even LKY messed up investments in China with all his political connections.
Ok ok , I know, LKY was exaggerating his political connections over there but still such a spectacular failure is difficult to forget.
“If Mr. Lucky wished to sell his flat, he need not live in a jungle. He could live with his son or buy a smaller flat….”:My Views.
So then, we should all follow Mr Lucky’s footstep and seel our flats and move in with our children? When our children become old, they too will sell their flats and move in with their children? What size flat do you think our children will have to buy?
Let’s not sidetrack your own points. In such a situation, where is the wealth increment and the increase in asset value which you mentioned?
“With so many foreigners and PRs in Singapore, you think it is unwise that their interests are not addressed in Parliament? Only fools would share your view!”
Shouldn’t our representatives in Parliament address the Singaporeans’ concerns that there are too many foreigners and PRs in Singapore? I am really a fool as with all my degrees and Mensa IQ, I not understand why our politicians seem more concern about foreigners than Singaporeans. I am just glad that I am fool with a vote.
fpc siao liao
*Still looking out of the dark. Still blinded by how shiny My Views is.*
I would really join in if I had more time, but really, thanks, you 3 are really entertaining me.
@ My Views
I thought I had seen so many extreme postings from The Temasek Review which it so anti-PAP and government that their conversation simply drove me away to The Online Citizen (which is alright so far…I can “tahan” some of the alternative, but nonetheless independent views). Imagine my surprise to witness some of your very extreme, and frankly, not-very-civil (already very diplomatic put across…some others may have more colorful descriptions about you) views about the housing, foreigners and a variety of socio-political issues. I’ll just take on the foreign workers issue for this posting which you described on Mar 13, 2010 4:34.
Look, I am of the view that there are indeed SOME Singaporeans who really don’t want to work in some industries because of the low pay (and possibly other reasons which they know best themselves) and the bosses of these industries have to resort to hiring foreign workers to get the job done. I would assume that that these industries operate on low profit margins, have to compete with companies in China or other countries with low-cost labour and maybe (just maybe) take advantage of the fact that by staying in Singapore (instead of moving out of the country and setting up similar operations in China), can qualify for tax breaks and laws that protect contracts (can’t say about other countries, right?).
But there is a growing community frustration over the increasing number of low-skilled foreign workers (remember, these foreigners are not associated with the word “talent”, and even that term is subjective) being hired by industries who could have hired Singaporeans in the first place. We have heard so many horror stories about some of these foreign workers screwing up the service industries with their “un-Singaporean” approach to serving customers that they make it on Youtube, STOMP and other video-sharing sites. It’s not about bullying as you mentioned. It’s pure frustrations coming from the community, and the Singaporean government is now taking notice about this sentiment.
If this were to continue, then Singapore run the risk of using foreign workers front-line industries whoose behaviour is not in line with Singaporeans (I suppose you are one of us) who grew up in this country. We have specific approaches to dealing with people, how we converse with one another, and the decency and civility to treat others fairly in a Singaporean manner. These behaviour can only be learned after immersing oneself in the heartlands, schools and other social activities which involves Singaporeans. Foreigners who choose to stay within their enclaves, or congregate by themselves will not be able to integrate with the unique culture of this country.
Herein lies the problem: I can give discount to industries like ship building who needs lots of workers and maybe we simply don’t have enough Singaporeans to build ships. So, we need to import foreign workers to do it. But I am concerned over the continued complaints by bosses in service industries who keep harping that they cannot hire Singaporeans because they don’t want to do the job. The fact is: these bosses do not want to pay for quality service to their customers. Quality service that Singaporeans come to appreciate when the aunties serve food or drink, etc. By sacrificing quality by paying lower rates for foreign workers, these bosses are implicitly telling their customers that because I need to keep prices low, I “bor pian” have to hire foreign workers because Singaporeans are too expensive.
So, my question to you (and maybe to others in The Online Citizen): Are Singaporeans ready to pay for service that are delivered by Singaporeans? Or are we ready to compromise on our standards and just like the boss, “bor pian” and accept that foreign workers are here to stay because customers are not willing to pay more $$$? For instance: I am pro Ya-Kun, rather than Toast Box, simply because the former hires more Singaporeans. But the cost of enjoying my kopi in Ya Kun is more expensive than Toast Box. But I am willing to spend at Ya Kun. That’s a small example of voting with our wallets.
And these are fundamental questions which Singaporeans need to answer. Take time to understand why there are frustrations from the community. Simply dismissing their views without seeing it from their perspective is frankly too one-sided for me.
B.F.
E.F.
//Piso
Crazy?
no, it is just that <My Views> provided a lot of opportunities for me to refute govt ideas/tricks and I use it.
It didn’t take me a long time to post as you can see.
//Ya-Kun, rather than Toast Box
your Ya-Kun is a bad example.
Ya-Kun tastes better than Toast box, that’s why people go.
Many of the Chinese cooks employed by local chain cannot cook.
I had a bar cho mee twice. Once to try and find out that it was horrible. Second time to confirm my 1st impression – well actually the store serves another local dish very well and it was sold out by the time I go (cooked by a local – the boss)… the 2nd attempt confirms everything – the Chinese cook doesn’t know how to cook.
//My views
As if we don’t know what a Polytechnic is and we don’t know how to google that in this forum?
…z…
Keep your elementary knowledge to yourself.
//my views
//Both casinos give priority to employing Singaporeans. If, despite this preferential treatment, there are less Singaporeans working in both casinos,
I wonder where he has the confidence to say that there are preferential treatments for Singaporeans. I would say there are preferential treatments for FT/PR because they get to work in a country that is not their own.
//then the problems laid with Singaporeans. You guys should know Singaporeans’ working attitudes better than the Government!
Yeah, we all know that Singaporeans work ethnics is superior to most Asian countries.
Why there are less Singaporeans (which you acknowledgeD) I would have to say that PR/FT got a better treatment there.
@ fpc
Alamak! I made the example of Toast Box and Ya Kun because of the front line crew lah. Better taste or not, I rather not go into that area because taste is like beauty in the eye of the beholder.
But seriously, I support Ya Kun on the basis of local staff who serve me and the comfortable feeling of being served by fellow Singaporeans is an experience that is unique to me.
Chinese cooks? The Fei Siong in Junction 8 have a natural PRC who cook same quality bak chor mee as the local cooks. So, that is also “heng sway” (another poor attempt to use English to describe the Hokkien phrase of whether lucky or not).
But I will “siam” stalls that’s manned solely by Chinese cooks that sell local food (unless free food tasting….I typical Singaporean also)…
But that’s another subject…
B.F.
E. F.
//My views
//Leave it to the judge. Do not interfere the judges in their jobs!
<my views> have a lot of difficulty answering a direct question.
Why is that?
And he has the guts to go around pretending to be a know all here…
pretentious!!
// Economic Fact
You go check out the stores in Geylang cooked by PRC people.
Yeah, luck plays a part where the ratio is 5:5 or 9:1 or 8:2.
I think it is 9:1.
The ones they get here are bad cooks.
Economic Fact
March 19, 2010 11:22
Are Singaporeans ready to pay for service that are delivered by Singaporeans? Or are we ready to compromise on our standards and just like the boss, “bor pian” and accept that foreign workers are here to stay because customers are not willing to pay more $$$?
that is an attitude that bosses need to change. if all businesses think likewise, why is the govt complaining that S’poreans are not producing enough to replace themselves? why not just import foreigners? they are cheaper (most of them) & this solution is faster since govt can choose to bring in only economically productive foreigners, no need to wait 10+ years for kids to grow up.
on compromising standards, what good is it on the whole to our service industry that caters to foreigners (tourists & business travellers)? so you do admit to some extent that these foreigners are cheap but no good (& that S’poreans are indeed better)? heh…
as a customer (boss) who pays, when you decide to have a cuppa at Ya-Kun over Toast Box, did it ever occur to you there will always be a cheaper option? :p
@ mice is nice
Yes, bosses must believe in giving quality service and that starts by hiring Singaporeans! Don’t use cost as the only criteria. If like that, then you’re right…must as well import foreigners as workers instead.
As for the Ya Kun choice, I really made that choice out of being served by Singaporean crew. While I am the first to admit that I make the odd trip to Toastbox and service is ok lah (cannot complain), I am more biased towards Ya Kun and it will remain to be the case because I enjoy the service by Singaporeans. It is a personal choice for me.
B.F.
E. F.
My Views,
March 19, 2010 04:27
Well, they can remain jobless and continue to look for a job that meets their aspiration.
this is the type of “holier than thou” attitude officialdom have? if govt wants subservient population, S’pore will never develope creatively & intellectually. how does S’pore compete globally if people do not have it in them to improve, innovate & push the boundaries?
also, if people are so accepting of their place in society defined by officialdom, will officialdom be ready to take responsibility when things go wrong? what has MSK, toxic investments, the current unhappiness about the influx of foreigners reveal abou their responses?
The integrated resorts have targets to achieve.
that is a corporate issue. besides the 2 IRs are not run be newbies to the scene, must our govt babysit them?
fpc
March 19, 2010 04:59
All are ministers, graduates and PAID millions and they cannot do anything.
Just talk only.
maybe to some, the saliva is like bird nest? very precious. lolz…
Economic Fact,
March 19 2010, 19:32
in any F&B business (since you mentioned Ya-Kun), staffing costs is just 1 of the many costs of doing business. & if businesses are serious about survival or even market expansion plans in future, they need to develope more novel ways to improve on workflow, retaining staff (ever see how old people who make difficult kitchen work look like a walk in the park? inexperienced staff are not as quick?), seek new opportunities, so on…
this is why i do not see why its always the people who are not the decision makers gettiung blamed for pushing up business costs. does SIA do that? i believe not.
@ mice is nice
I don’t have in-depth knowledge of F&B business, so I can comment only on quality of service which I prefer Singaporeans. I like your ideas on improving business workflow through innovation, but sadly, most businesses prefer to run on lowest cost, rather than improving quality service.
B.F.
E. F.