The Reform Party‘s May Day Message:
The Reform Party wishes all Singaporean workers and their families a happy May Day 2010. We would like to take this opportunity to remind people that the Reform Party’s objective is to raise the living standards of all Singaporeans rather than just maximising the size of our GDP by allowing the import of foreign workers at Third World wage rates. The impact of these policies has been adverse for median real incomes, which have stagnated over the past decade and disastrous for those in the bottom 20% who have seen a fall in real incomes of the order of 20%.
The Reform Party has always emphasised productivity growth rather than GDP growth on its own as the key to higher living standards and pointed out Singapore’s abysmal record in this regard over the last decade. In the last Budget we forced an apparent U-turn by the PAP who made measures to improve productivity the cornerstone of the Budget. However with the fragile recovery in the US economy, as well as China’s switch to domestic demand-led expansion driven by enormous state-directed growth in bank lending, the emphasis on productivity seems to be being quietly forgotten in favour of a return to the old growth model fuelled by abundant supplies of cheap labour from abroad.
These are some of the policies the Reform Party would adopt, with the aim both of raising productivity and improving the position of our workers, when it is in government:
1. A minimum wage applicable to all workers except those in certain sectors, like domestic workers and possibly construction, where few Singaporeans work. This would force employers to use labour more productively and reduce the incentive to bring in foreign labour to replace Singaporeans
2. Allowing independent trade unions and removing some of the restrictions on industrial action provided appropriate democratic safeguards are in place to prevent damage to companies and the interests of the majority of workers caused by a small minority. The Reform Party believes that free trade unions and empowerment of the workforce are vital to raising productivity.
3. A tightening of the current very liberal foreign worker policy, particularly the S-pass, where the foreign workers compete directly with semi-skilled Singaporean workers for jobs. Requirement for employers to demonstrate that they are unable to get Singaporean workers at the prevailing wage rate rather than being able to sack their Singaporean workforce and bring in cheaper workers from abroad.
4. Anti-discrimination legislation to cover sex, race, and age discrimination.
5. Increased investment in education and training, particularly for workers laid off as a result of technological change and for women seeking to re-enter the labour force.
6. Introduction of limited paternity leave as well as greater rights to flexible working.
7. Tax rebates and other benefits for Singaporeans who have served NS on a much more substantial scale than the token amounts currently provided.
However without your help and support we will never get a chance to introduce policies that will directly benefit you and the majority of working Singaporeans. We will never even get seats in Parliament unless you vote for us. And you may not even get a chance to vote unless we get enough candidates and the donations necessary to finance them. The PAP would like you to believe that their expansion of the NCMP scheme will provide you with sufficient alternative voices in Parliament. However NCMPs are toothless and cannot vote on most matters of substance including the Budget. If you don’t want another ten years of income stagnation and being forced to take lower-skilled jobs or work part-time because of competition from cheaper, younger foreign workers (many of whose education has been subsidised by your taxes) who haven’t had to do NS or pay CPF contributions then you need to come forward now. The link below will take you to the various options for Getting Involved on the website:
http://www.thereformparty.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=49&lang=en
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Picture from Reform Party’s website.
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RP stated that the NCMPs are “toothless and cannot vote on most matters of substance including the Budget”.
However, it conveniently does not confirm whether any of its politicians will accept the offer of NCMP seats if offered.
We should hold this remark about “toothlessness” in abeyance until the time comes for RP to make a decision after the coming election.
Then we will see how much teeth and principles it has, or it will allow its member to be toothless NCMPs in parliament.
BryanT
I find the 7 points brought up by RP interesting and should be further studied for the well-being of S’poreans.
With regards to minimum wage,everyone should be entitled to it regardless of the job. They should not be discriminated due to the job they do. Having minimum wage in the domestic maid sector and the cnstructionindustry wold actually encorage more Singaporeans to work in these industries.
RP has the right mindset to think for Singaporeans unlike PAP who think of their own obscene salaries before the people. Vivian is completely out of the radar when we really want to see compassion coming from the ruling party. Anyway, it is too late for PAP to wayang to buy vote. Nobody is going to trust the existing govt.
//Critic
LKY once declared he will not accept legalising gambling in S’pore.
He endorse it now.
Even his son LHL made the same remark and changed his mind.
Every thing is therefore possible.
“A minimum wage applicable to all workers except those in certain sectors, like domestic workers and possibly construction, where few Singaporeans work.”… pretty shocking statement. Can you explain the logic behind that except being populist? Cry because pay is $2.8K instead of $3K but would cry even harder to pay the maid $50 more while she lives like a virtual slave.
Minimum wage should only applies to Singaporeans– another differentiation between foreigners, PR and singaporeans to encourage foreigners and PR to convert to singaporeans.
If all foreign workers and PRs are made to become temporary citizens, then employers got no choice but to employ anybody since minimum wage applys to all of them.
In fact minimum wages are in existence in communist China even now. However, minimum wages varies from province to province depending on the cost of livings in individual province. Their minimum wages are calculated to include minimum three meals per day, cost of housing/rental, cost of utilities,cost of basic medical bills etc that means to maintain a decent live without any luxury.
Citizens of China are much better of, without all the anxieties of not having enough to feed themselves or homelessness.
Why TOC left out SDP’s May Day message? You have featured messages from WP and RP but not from SDP.
Is TOC part of PAP’s propaganda tool to black out SDP?
It is here George: http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/04/sdps-may-day-message/
in singapore, in your monthly cpf contribution, more than 50% of the total sum goes to your medisave and special account (what is special account? no one knows???) on top of that you still have to pay up your personal income tax yearly (and that’s robbery)in the end with your balance sum in your OA, they sell you their hdb flats with sky rocketed pricing (as a matter of fact, its leasing for 99 years only)and to sum up all these, every single dollar you made, the ruling party took away almost 70cts and leaving you with that mere 30cts to rot till you die while they happily rewarding themselves with millions of the taxpayers contribution. Now, do you still want to vote for the papies?
how about making proposing a law that all ministers are required to declare one’s assets before coming into gov and declaring assets yearly.
it’ll make better sense and we can dismember some incompetent gov depart, like the CPIB, ISD, etc etc and cut our cost/budget as it has always showed in the past, that gov’s are the ones that eventually brings down a country, look at greece, and europe, dubai, uk, with false financial numbers, data’s and inflated gdp numbers.
I still felt the opposition parties need to work together and even form a coalition party altogether for the good of Singapore.
If a freak eelction result occurs, I shudder to think of the consequences if the PAP is voted out of governance.
Anything can happen these days and this can’t be discounted.
I remember those days when I served the National Service. They pay us only 90 dollars a month. For the entire 2.5 years, I earned a total of 2700 dollars. What is 2.7K right now for all the so called scholars. They paid the immigrants like nobody business but look at the locally born what do we have in returned? LHL was paid 10K a day. Are they blind, deaf to what we have contributed? Or they chose 2b blinded n deaf or being retard.
NUS was given 900 millions to spurge last year. Yet they loses 600++ millions.
PSA spent their entire year to earn 968 millions. So what is happening now in Singapore? Some one is trying to tell us, we spent a lot but we cannot create jobs for Singaporean bcos Singaporeans are all daft.
I suspect papayaman is really to pack and go with all their income. Vote wisely.
RP need no wewak coalition govt, somemore will let PAPPY dogs attack! We don’t need other substandard opposition. RP can stand on its on thank you. RP with KJ at its helm will be the one that will win many seats in parliament, and we need no “Freak elections results”, we will win a landslide victory on the upcoming elections, trust me!
Ravi,
Your link http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/04/sdps-may-day-message/ is a link to another link. Whereas the messages of other parties are published in full by TOC.
RP likely will be revealing their stand at the appropriate time. Please know that timing IS CRUCIAL as this will be their FIRST foray in a GE! and the gravely unfair pap hairy as always leaves GE boundaries to the LAST MINUTE right! Isn’t that “conveniently” too!!!!!!!!!!!!
How’s that for MOST DIRTY “Punch & WALLOP below belt” at the last minute”??????????
PAP are gentlemen and ladies of MIW & WIW???????????????????????????????????
Think again and hard too!
Dear Critic,
If PAP uses cunning and sly tactics, why not opposition? Why should we hold opposition at an even moral high ground than PAP, which is what PAP wants you to do!
PAP will then tell you: We are the best of the lot, like it or not!
Gilbert,
why should you shudder when the gov is gone one fine day, is that because you think singapore will sink.
Don’t have so little faith in your people, as long as the civil service don’t fall apart, things will be as normal. Give 6 months and stability, all will be fine. Investors only have faith when all things are stable. NO riots and fighting and demonstration, protest, which i would say is good for the “new world politics here”
What a joke! Going by the clarification letter from their ex-Chairman and ex-VC, both co-founding fathers, that appeared in the afternoon edition of the April 19th issue of “Today”, to which there is no reply, the party has an illegitimate SG and an invalid executive council. So, how can it ever represent or even speak for you folks in such a circumstance???
If the leaders of the Reformed Party is focussed, passionate and truly believe ardently their political beliefs and care for all Singaporeans, in particular, the disenfranchised, down and out Singaporeans (by way of the setting up of political walls in the GRCs), start writing articles and make speeches that discuss in detail your 7 points.
Make sure you publish these articles in your Party’s website in at least English and Mandarin.
If you aspire to be the No.1 Opposition Party or the Government in the Singapore landscape and in Parliament, your leaders must speak and write your speeches in Mandarin. Period.
Why?
The perennial and never-ending battles for the votes of Singaporeans is fought in the heartlands of Singapore and the overwhelming majority of the heartlanders are Mandarin-speaking.
Regardless how objective, pragmatic and convincing your arguments are, so long as they are written and spoken in English, Malay and Tamil, your thoughts and plans are fluff in the air of the heartlands.
Finally, do not bank on the foreign Western media to publicise your speeches and thoughts. They are totally impotent and ineffective in the heartlands. They are your Achilles’ Heel in this battle in the heartlands. The heartlanders do not read, see, hear or believe the foreign media. Heartlanders rather share opinions and hopes over a cup of “kopi or teh”, in particular, during the week-ends.
Fight your battles decisively in the open and influential kopi-tiams daily. Your “political soldiers” (your supporters) must be seen and heard, and your testimonies of having helped down-and-out Singaporeans must be repeatedly spoken of in the kopi-tiams. Get your supporters who are small businessmen and businesswoman to employ only the desperately, unemployed older Singaporean men and women regardless whether they are Malay, Indian or Chinese Singaporeans, and not the “cheaper by the dozen” “Made in China” and “Made in India” employment pass workers.
Finally, I repeat “Speak and write your speeches and articles in Mandarin,….Mandarin,…..Mandarin…..”
Let the battle begin. God Bless My Singapore!
Die-hard Singaporean!
Kenneth Jeyaratnam seems to have what it takes to be the next Prime Minister. While I disagree that construction workers and maids should not have a minimum wage (they should be paid well, and their numbers controlled by other means other than hefty levies), the NCMP scheme is rather useless unless such ‘MPs’ can be regarded equally by the entire cabinet. (Read: NOT going to happen.)
So I do agree with most of the RP’s points and hope that more parties will stand for the rights of Singaporeans above all else. And yes, I kinda get what Balasingam is saying. It is important fr speeches to be in good succinct English and of course Mandarin.
To Trident
Why are you “judge, jury and executioner” to the Reformed Party (RP) which is getting its act together after the premature loss of its Founder, Mr J B Jeyaretnam. Every political party from time will have differences amongst its leaders, and amongst its rank and file. Let its leaders and members resolve their problems. If you are a member or leader of RP by all means be actively engaged to resolve the intra-politics difficulties but do it in the chamber of RP. If you are not a member, it is none of your business. If you are not a member and wish to help, then join the RP. Otherwise, shut up!
T A Balasingam says:
Finally, I repeat “Speak and write your speeches and articles in Mandarin,….Mandarin,…..Mandarin…..”
For your information, Francis Seow when contesting the Eunos GRC spoke only in perfect English. Nad yet, he was the biggest crowd puller and came close to winning the GRC by getting 49.7 per cent votes.
Don’t forget that the bilingual policy has helped people in Singapore to speak or at least understand two languages, including English.
To george,
The Singapore today is different from the Singapore of Francis Seow’s time.
Firstly, today, though many Chinese Singaporeans are bilingual, the majority of them are still more comfortable speaking “heartland Mandarin” to speaking “heartland English”.
Secondly, the current “swing voters”, in particular, the retrenched and still unemployed late 40′s to 50′s ex-factory workers, both male and female workers, are more accustomed to read Chinese newspapers, watch Channel 8 (definitely not Channel News Asia, BBC and CNN), and speak “heartland Mandarin” 18 hours, perhaps 1 hour conversational “heartland English” to a non-Chinese friend) and sleep 5 hours daily.
Thirdly, the “heartlander Chinese” who belongs to the lower income and middle-lower income groups” have an innate preference and understanding of the puns, innuendos, other figures of speech, etc., which normally lace any political speech to be in a language that is his mother tongue, i.e. Mandarin.
Finally, do not forget the wifes of these groups of “heartlander Chinese” are in reality, monolingual in communications. In reality, their language of communications is indeed their mother tongue which is Mandarin undoubtedly.
So Mr KJ and all RP members and supporters, have a prevailing presence in the heartlands and listen, speak and write in Mandarin…Mandarin….Mandarin. if you want win decisively in the next GE.
@ T A Balasingam
My gosh, Mr Singam, you are unable to understand simple English so you misconstrue the theme of my message. And you talk about Malay, Indian, Mandarin, etcetera! I did a thorough research into the history of the RP before positing my comments.
Whether it is the PAP or the opposition, when it comes to leading fellow men, a political society must possess the ‘badge of authority’ in order to be taken seriously by the majority. After the happening in your “chamber of RP” on 26/4/09, the party lost its authoritative badge. This was implicit in the ‘Setting the Record Straight’ letter from their ex-Chairman and ex-Vice Chairman that appeared in 19/4/10 issue of Today. It was their response to the criticism Kenneth levelled at the party’s earlier management, in an interview he gave to the Today paper which appeared in its 8/4/10 issue, when he twisted the facts from your “chamber of RP!”
Go and take an in-depth study of his interview and their response letter. Reflect them upon your research, if you dare to conduct one, into the party’s formation, who constituted its pro-tem committee, what constituted its frontal politics and how it was salvaged after Mr JBJ passed away. Then catch up with me and we can ‘dibble-dabble’ about Truth and the right of decent human beings to reflect it upon the inherent quality of the few who are professing to lead them. You will then know how fundamental it is to be acquainted with “intra-politics difficulties” and especially with what actually happened within the “chamber of RP” on 26/4/09.
The late John Lennon intoned “you can go to church and sing the hymn, judge them by the colour of the skin, you can live a life till you die, but one thing you can’t hide is when you’re crippled inside”. In simple term “there is nothing hidden that shall not be known.” For the future of Singapore’s politics, I hope it will be all for the ultimate good of mankind!
To: TA Balasingam– Reading your posts,
Are U trying to ster up racial emotion. Talking about Malay-Indian etc. Your comment seem very sacrastic.Beware you are treading the wrong line. Warning—–Warning——-Warning—–!!!
To Political SalesMaN
Kindly read and study carefully my Comment dated 4 May 2010. Pay particular attention to the context of each of my views expressed.
Then review your Comment dated 6 May 2010 and question yourself whether each of your criticisms is addressed within the context of my view which you are criticising. A criticism that is made which is not in context of the point being criticised is faulty criticism. Then only can we discuss a point rationally, objectively and respectfully.