by: Leong Sze Hian/
I refer to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Employment Situation in Second Quarter 2011 report, released on 29 July.
Unemployment rate rise to 4%
It states that “On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the overall and resident unemployment rate in June 2011 were 2.7% and 4.0 respectively”.
The increase is quite large compared to March’s 1.8% and 2.6%, respectively.
81,300 unemployed?
“An estimated 81,300 residents were unemployed in June 2011” and “Unemployed persons” include those who “were actively looking for a job during the survey reference period”.
Hence, those who were not actively looking for a job were excluded.
The last time this figure was available – it was 10,900.
So, if we add this 10,900 to the 81,300 unemployed, the total may be around 92,200.
Also, those on training programmes are also excluded.
Singaporeans unknown?
Since the unemployment data is never broken down into Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs), although occasionally and selectively (but rarely), some other labour data like wages, have ever been broken down (but only for very limited time periods), the perennial question is how many are Singaporeans?
Since it has been said very often after the recent general elections, that the Government will transform itself and will listen to the people more, when will Singaporeans unemployment and jobs data be “un-secretised”, if there is such a word?
Given that PRs who cannot find a job, may be more likely to return to their home country or move to another one, I believe the percentage of unemployed Singaporeans may be much higher than the ratio of citizens to PRs in the population statistics.
1 in 12 unemployed?
On this basis, I estimate the Singaporeans’ unemployment rate to be about double the resident rate of 4.0%, i.e. around 8.0%.
If this estimate is correct, it may mean that about one in 12 Singaporeans may be unemployed.
Whilst on this subject, why do ordinary citizens like me, have to guess what is the statistic?
Are there any other countries in the world that do this?
More jobs good?
As to total employment grew by 22,800 in the second quarter of the year, lower than the 28,300 in the preceding quarter, looking at this figure alone may be quite meaningless, as what we also need to know is how many new Singaporeans entered the work force, how many new foreign workers and PRs entered the work force, less those from the above three categories who left the workforce due to death, retirement, migration, voluntary departure from Singapore, re-training, etc.
For example, what’s the point of growing total employment, if most of the new jobs are $5 an hour jobs, or most of it went to foreigners or PRs?
So many things up?
With inflation in June having risen to 5.2 per cent year-on-year, higher than the 4.5 per cent rise in May, and several global surveys citing Singapore, as one of the most expensive cities to live in, the financial stress on the unemployed, may be rising too.
At the same time, basic necessities like electricity and food have gone up, and possibly public transport fares as well.
Perhaps the people in the MOM need their jobs to be changed, in order to get more transparency and accountability!
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Even at 4%, our unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the world. This is the result of constant job creation by our government over the years. Job market remains tight and employees have a lot of say in negotiating wages. Wages have been increasing steadily at 4-5% per annum, outpacing the rise in inflation.
It’s also pointless to differentiate between PRs & citizens. Ultimately, we are all Singaporeans. Constant upgrading of our skills will ensure we don’t have to worry about getting a job.
and things are getting expensive because of imported inflations. I think the govt has done a pretty good job in keeping our SGD strong to surpress the inflation.
(1)The unemployment rate of Singapore citizens is definitely higher than 8% due mainly to MOM definition and other factors.
(2)PR are citizens of other countries,so it must be,according to Dr Tony Tan,Singapore citizens first,as the situation might get to be very difficult due to economic problems of USA,Europe,Japan and China.
(3)Wage increament with the exception of government sector has been very slow
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it”
Albert Einstein
i am starving…
PAP must stop lying to the people. This is dishonesty and corruption.
Quote:It’s also pointless to differentiate between PRs & citizens. Ultimately, we are all Singaporeans. Unquote:
Are you a Singapore who had served National Service or PR converted to Singaporean. Yes, we all are Singaporeans then asked the government to treat us equally or is it foreigners better than Singaporeans.
Quote:
Constant upgrading of our skills will ensure we don’t have to worry about getting a job.
Unquote:.
Yes, we should all upgrade, but does our Minister upgrade themselves thru their own effort.
We have Minister George Yeo went for his master in Havard – or MP given full scholarship to study overseas for their masters. Could you advise who is paying during their period of studies.
Vote for right President, and dont complain for the next 6 years or like our Singaporean (Steven Kho) says – upgrade and upgrade and jobs would be plenty.
@Steven Kho, U must be a Pappy blue eye boy because u gloss over everything and see blue oceans and sunny skies even when everything is being torn and destroyed around u. Hello…wake up and smell the kopi. 4% unemployment rate…how many are local Singaporeans? How many got retrenched or suffer pay cuts?? Wage increases?? How many got wage increase this year? Compare that to how much prices has risen? Please don’t tell me inflation is 2,3,4%. Just compare prices u paid for your house, your car, your taxi, your kopi, your makan..2-3% my foot!!
@Derek Long
Keeping SGD high to combat inflation cost MAS $10.1 billion. If our brilliant leaders need to incur this huge loss to SLOW inflation (not solve it), I say these people are not so brilliant after all.
The bulk of our inlation are not imported but at home. Housing and transport cost increase are the main culprit so a stronger SGD has little impact. The $10.1 billion should have been used as subsidy to lower HDB flat prices.
I agrees with Leong’s analysis. The local breed and born unemployment rate is definitely much higher thus MOM dare not disclose despite WE have been asking for it. For one simple reason; they are not going to do anything to help this lot or the forgotten lot. Also if they open up the true figures, the anti-sentiment towards foreign workers were be 10X higher then now.
I hope Tharma can look at improving the jobless Singaporean and many are chronically jobless above 40. Many can fill the PMET position now occupied by S pass and E-pass holders. These jobs/pay should give Singaporean a decent living.
@Fabregas
You don’t have to believe me. Just look around you. Do you see the mad rush for every condo launch? Immediately sold out, with the majority of buyers being Singaporean. Look at all the restaurants at shopping centres, full every night. Look at the job market, I see people changing jobs so easily and getting 20-30% increments. Look at the COE prices so high, yet Singaporeans rushing to buy cars. Look at all the Singaproeans splurging to go on holiday etc…
There may be a few unfortuante cases, but really few & far between. We have a really high standard of living.
Steven kho is not papie lah, he is just inciting hatred against papies.
@William li
You are wrong. In fact, I’m very grateful to PAP for what I have. I’m not saying PAP is perfect, but they’re much better than most governments you find in the world today. There are too many false rumours against PAP that I felt it right to come and defend them here.
I would like to see employment data on singaporeans above 40 years of age. But will I get to see them? definitely not when pap is in power.
does the 4% reflects the total population which includes those on passes? Citizens and PRs make up about maybe large part of the population but consider that if the survey includes those on passes and got unemployed. is it fair?
the creation of jobs is dubious as they have never said that how many percent of these jobs goes to and what kind of jobs? if the top tier all goes to FTs while the $5 per hour jobs goes to the locals. what is the point of creation? create for others while the locals are been oppressed? is this what LKY wants? to punish the other 40%?
I think what TOC is saying is that there need to be further breakdowns in the data given out by MOM.
Otherwise there cannot be a full analysis of the labor market.
However, I don’t think our labor situation is as bad as depicted. The rise in unemployment coincides with the uncertainty regarding US debt, this is not something anybody can control.
Furthermore Singapore has managed to control core inflation with a high exchange rate(unless you are in the market for cars and condos, even HDB is projected to drop).
The issue of inflation should not be rehased and recycled. Singapore is an importing country, we do not manufacture anything. Our primary products will always be more expensive because we have to import. However because we have no import duty, and our VAT is less than other countries, we beat almost everyone else when it comes to import prices.
It is getting tougher to find a local job as Singaporean as it seems Singapore prefer Foreign Talent. Strange, Foreign Companies in China are looking for me. I am becoming foreign talent in other countries. Since there is NO LOCAL jobs for me, I will be a FT for foreign countries. Bye Singapore.. Don’t Count On me Singapore.
Sad Singaporean.
@Stephen Kho…
Care to share what “false rumours” did you see in Leong Sze Hian’s analysis that warrant your defense?
Do you consider asking for more transparency in MOM data a rumour that is to be quashed just because you see Singaporeans filling up restaurants, buying condos and go on holidays?
You offered nothing objective, just personal perspectives which I argue can also be considered rumours originated from you.
Though your views should be respected, you have no right to label others’ perspectives as rumours and not those of your own. For example, you have just created a perception that only Singaporeans visit condo launches, dine, shop and splurge on holidays.
Black Hei 29 July 2011
Furthermore Singapore has managed to control core inflation with a high exchange rate(unless you are in the market for cars and condos, even HDB is projected to drop).
________________________________________________
Even if imported inflation was really contained by the strong Sing$, the high cost of land in Singapore contributes even more to inflation via higher rentals, wages, and prices of final products.
And no, strong Sing$ don’t help against inflation when the privatisation of essential services like transport, utilities, hospitals etc. lead to abusive pricing practices by monopolistic operators.
im one of e 4%… jus got replaced by indian national jus cos he was willing to settle for a lower pay… im a computer analyst by the way… and im sure the figure is much higher than reported. many of my counterparts hv been replaced recently by these foreigners who settle for lower pay altho they hv lower paper qualifications than us. maybe they are easier to bully, but e situation is gettin out of hand…
I m one of those replaced too.
Is sad that we have to tell the immigrants. At the end, they replaced us.
I will like to teach them what I have learnt in SAF, so they can waste THEIR 2.5 YEARS TOO.
Situation is GETTING OUT OF HAND. Idiots from China, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam are brought in like NOBODY business.
WHY WE NEED TO SERVE NATIONAL SERVICE.
WHY WE KEEP ON TELLING OTHERS HOW GOOD OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IS but WE ARE UNEMPLOYED.
PAP is covering up the truth and try to fudge the numbers. They are using creative accounting and portraying a false picture to the public. Government Lies should exposed. The Minister should take proper actions to prevent intellectual dishonesty.
@ Steven Kho
It’s also pointless to differentiate between PRs & citizens. Ultimately, we are all Singaporeans.
—————————————–
Really? Why don’t you call the S pass holders Singaporeans as well? After all, they are also squeezing into the MRT trains with us citizens.
All a PR needs to do if he wants to leave is to give up his blue IC, go back to his home country and after 1 year, he can withdraw his CPF. He doesn’t have to serve NS either.
I don’t know when I can ever have a sniff at MY CPF savings what with the draw-down age creeping up year on year. And I still have to serve NS up to 40 days a year till SAF no longer needs me.
If a PR wants to call himself a Singaporean, I challenge him to put down roots early, have the guts to serve his NS liability and not wait till he is overage. Park his CPF monies with CPF board until our good government decides to return it to him.
@andrew leung
I agree with you about fudging the numbers. Maybe I should rephrase it as spinning the numbers. If MOM has the guts they should reveal the unemployment figures for citizens, plain and simple.
I can draw a parallel with the recent MOH statement about the salary of nurses. They take the median salary of a wide range of nurses of varying seniority and years of experience, and match it with that of a new grad and make the nurse’s salary seem competitive. This is blatant misleading of the public. Ask a new staff nurse in any of the public hospitals with up to 5 years’ experience. They may even be advance diploma trained or have obtained nursing degrees on their own via correspondence courses. I will be surprised if you can find a single one with a monthly gross salary matching the new grad’s salary without significant overtime work. And this is just for the locals.
Maybe 30 years ago we could have been mislead by all this pulling-wool-over-the-eyes. But now we know better. If they don’t give more realistic and representative information, heads of MOM and MOH can find themselves jobs in the private sector or GLC in the next election.
Steven Kho 29 July 2011
Even at 4%, our unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the world. This is the result of constant job creation by our government over the years
…………..
umployed meant unmployed
why else would leekingyou become senoir emule advisor to temasick inc?
upgrade to what?
even a jumbuan engineer’s job hav to be snatched by inside loban…
you do need to consut the jumbuan engineers..
they av to stick that plunger into your anus hole to pump the s h i t in you
its blockin your braincells
Black Hei
we beat almost everyone else when it comes to import prices.
………………
when we IMPORT..we don’t create jobs
just wealth for the lees familLEE
do you know in europe..the nipponese car industries must also assembled cars in europe in order to create mployment or else the nippones branded cars will not be allowed to import above a certain quotas..
so DEEPAK ole boi..if you are readin this..try usn your brain..butt removed your turban..try to contribute..don’t says i am HOGGIN just to hav nice avater on me ratins
If the jobless rate of Spore citizens was low, you can bet your a.s.s. that the PAP govt would have trumpeted it every single day. This govt is notorious for hiding bad statistics from ordinary Sporeans. This is why we badly need a Freedom of Information Act that what most developed countries have!
Steven Kho,
PRs are NOT S’poreans!!!! They are effectively foreigners because S’pore PR status are given out by our govt like toilet paper
Keep two points in mind regarding foreigners:
1. They pay at least twice what PRs and Singaporean citizens pay in taxes, duties, and fees to live here.
2. National Service is a privilege. It is one of the greatest business networking/connection making tools created by the Singaporean government.
Thank you.
How many more unemployed?
I do not Expect to know.
1 thing for sure, Singaporeans will continue to Accept not knowing many things.
1st world. Well-travelled. Well-Regugitated.
Don’t Blame the authorities.
Its the voters who majoritily not Demand for Answers, Transparency and Accountability.
Voters GAVE the mandate.
if anyone should be blamed, FIRST, blame the people.
Thanks to an age old concept called Democracy, Majority rules while the Minority kpkb and suck it up, reluctantly, hard.
Majority’s decision if based on Self-Inerest-Over-Society interest, then would be a disaster for the minority.
Well-Travelled, Well-Educated, 1st world citizens are SCARED to voice up and scared to even think of Questioning. This alone DisQualified them as Well-Educated, 1st world citizens.
As for being well-travelled, well, even an ignorant can be well-travelled. Well-travelled but may not have learnt Anything.
knn! we are all fuxxed!
Government is trying to help business going by bringing FT at low cost at the expense of Singaporean. FT is more than happy as our currency is stronger and they get more in exchange. Likewise to transportation, business must go on, fare have to increase at the expense of Singaporean.
prez hopeful DR TT claims he will be a unifying force for the nation;he wants to heal the nation,common singaporeans’ woes.
how to as DR TT is openly pro-FT in so many various ways including granting free education to foreign sovereigns’ kids but not to our very own?
it is unwise to compare current FT/immigrants to our forefathers;they are of opposite make-up.
OUR FOEFATHERS were not as mobile as todays’ foreign guest-workers who can come here in a few hours and leave just as quickly whence they find this place a mere bit ‘harsh’ TO MAKE their living.
besides the easy mobility,our forefather,have a different soul,a different spirit and they come here not just to make aliving but to plant roots and ‘grow seeds’.
not so these current waves of FTs who are mostly hawkishly eager to use singapore as a srpingboard to greener pastures.
it will be a major mistake that future generations of our own loyal bona fide singaporeans have to bear when once these MADDENNING FLUX OF FT/PR/NEW CITIZENS sp decide to flee this country; we will belfeft with a HUGE GAP,too big to fill as by then our own SINGAPORE TALENT POOL would have been sunstantailly diminished as many would have been MADE REDUNDANT from prolonged underemployemnt or UNEMPLOYMENT.
I foresee a NETT DECREASE in our OVERALL LOCAL POOL for the future as even now- before their motherlands take the leap – these indian FTS AND OTHER WHO COME HERE have mostly not taken up SINGAPORE CITIZENSHIP.
they are mostly long-term PRs or PERMANENT PRs and willr emain as such for the BENEFITS OF PR-SHIP is too tempting for them to give up???
what a silLY policy this FT one really is!
It says most of the jobs came from construction and service industries. It is not difficult to note such industries always pay the lowest and likely to employ cheap labours. Should Tan Chuan Jin be even proud of it thinking graduates should go for such job? Where is Singapore high tech, high-skill and thus higher-pay slogan? This country seems to be moving backward all the time.
Yet the Public Uni still keeping the s who did not come to work, shake legs cina n stinko nei yet still collecting high salary while local are jobless.
Vivi@n, u lying till u tongue torn apart.
Maybe u all can ask your IT consultants who are PRs, who have not purchased either a leasehold or ec or condo.
6 out of 10 colleagues who are PRs i asked told me they have .
Some saying they have ever sold for a windfall of at least 100k sgd.
Now , remember , money does not get generated from thin air. His profit came from pocket of the buyer, the next one on the musical chair. If this buyer is a citizen, then its this citizen giving him the profit.
Some pool their family tree to fund them in buying condos.
Rumor has it, there are certain private properties for PRs where after owning, even if pr give up prship, they still have ownership and can retire backhome collecting rentals residents here pay and pay to them.
True or fiction? Dont be a lazy bugger, be a man , go and find out!
Reply to @Steven Kho and @Derek Long:
Yes it is true that compared to other countries the unemployment % is lower but with our population at 4/5 million, it translates to higher degree of unemployment relative to population stats. It is good to see higher wages on an average so good for the workers adn economy. Inflation is something we cannot have much control over because of external factors. However the author is correct. It IS important to make the distinction between P.Rs and citizens getting the employment because it shows whether if the foreign workers levy and tighter immigration laws are working to increase Singaporean’s attractions as employees. Without such imformation, how can citizens make informed decisions about whether the recent government moves has been effecttive in promoting local Singaproeans for employment or not. One thing I simply do not understand… How is it that transparency international constantly rank Singapore as amongst the most transparent country in the world when such critical details of important and perenial information such as employment statistics are always withheld from public knowkledge?
My colleague brought in her younger sister to work as IT consultant.
Frankly speaking, her younger sister is not considered a Talent in my view in terms of skills and experience.
Why is she here?
Her position could have been taken up by a citizen also as green. This position will be taken up and citizens DENIED of this position as long as she is there. Some have done so for 10 years and by this time, have become experts. Thanks to singaporeans.
We need to ReStructure, ReOrganize the entire system.
I vote all of you out!
Enuf is Enuf!
I will join opposition to further my objective.
@Steven Kho and @Derek Long,
Singapore’s Employment rate is based on RESIDENT population which , it appear you are an ignorant, means as long as PR population boom, the employment rate will increase. Citizen employment rate can also decrease and yet the so-called employment rate can increase, technically speaking.
knn, i will vote 2 of you out to hoe-larnd.
Dun come and throw smoke screens at citizens.
Steven Kho must be a “stupid ass” to come & comment in this site.
The 40% may soon even resort to “violence” to “overtake” the 60%. ( if the pressure continues to built up )
This has been shown in so many Countries when “things aren’t addressed fairly”.
For Steven’s own sake, if you agree that you oso dn’t 1005 like Fap, then “help” change it lah !
yes, going long on usd,euro and shorting ringgit, baht and all else,
is very “BRILLANT”
no wonder we have nothing back from our cpf, only chicken feed.
better returned the whole lump sum of cpf back to the people, they can managed better !!!
thieves and robbers in white
@Steven Kho,
You are repeating what the pap-controlled mainstream media had been repeating what the pap had been saying. Pardon my poor command of the english language.
If you want to help pap on this issue, I suggest you get them to give us the specific data we are asking for. Other wise, judging by the reactions to with your postings sip far,
Dear Steven Kho, did you get your numbers right? Wages increasing steadily by 4-5% per annum? You must be kidding.
Also PR is Singaporean? I beg to differ.
Before you say something, pls have a heart for your fellow Singaporean unless you are not one.
4% or 8%? 80,000 or 100,000? PAP doing good job or bad job, unemployment rate lowest in the world or the universe….
All these are just hot air to the person who is unemployed, worst to one who have got three hungry mouths waiting at home.
Come on, as the government, as the minister in charge of MOM, even one of us (Singaporeans first please) unemployed should not be acceptable!
@Steven Kho,
Aren’t you the same moron who liken LKY to ‘mortal God’?
Aren’t you the one who ruthlessly insulted the poor girl Inch Chua who is an ideal local talent and not appreciated? Looking at your comments I felt ashamed that you will even dare call yourself a Singaporean.
I agree that PAP does have many strong points and are worth our respect at some point. But there is a stark difference between rational respect and irratioanl ‘worship’.
In fact what you said would have turned ppl away from PAP all the more!!
While the PM is saying that they will start to listen to the people more after GE2011, you went about saying that everyting they did was right, they tried to indicate that the ppl are above the party and you asked our local talent to get lost. They called themselves servants to the people and you ordained LKY as ‘mortal God’. Don’t you think that all you said are nullifying the efforts of the very ppl whom you worship? I may not be pro PAP but even my pro PAP friends were embarrassed by your comments!!!
1) The Minster incharge needs to be replaced
2) The employees of MOM especialy the top ranks need to be removed
3) If the People continue to receive MEANINGLESS DATA and reports…..the Government needs to be changed in the next GE
Unemployment of Singaporeans are much highr than reported…just talk to the peopleat grond level.
PAP stop your lies and cover ups.
@William li 29 July 2011
Steven kho is not papie lah, he is just inciting hatred against papies.
Agree. Stephen kho is actually one of us. In other words, he is a double agent. By appearing to be mindlessly defending PAP, he craftily lifts the veil to many dark issues that we may have missed. This technique is practiced 24/7 on TRE, but at TOC, I believe Stephen is the only skilled practitioner of this dark art. So yes, Stephen is one of us. Thanks, Stephen.
@TT Kwan,
You could be right. But some times he does sound like a commando sent by the major general to try to reclaim the cyberspace from us lunatic fringe. In any case, he is playing a very important role in the open discussions here.
Dear netizens,
Simple Maths. You know ratio right? your papa or mama ever sent you to primary school to learn maths right?
Lets take a look at a hypothetical scenario.
Citizen population size = component A.
PR population size = component B.
note : PR population size can include anyone in the world who is given PR and does not include those PRs who left and given up PR or unable to sustain a PR’s requirement.
A PR needs to be employed to continue having the status of PR. roughly speaking. Am i right or wrong?
So, most of the time, a PR is employed.
The more PR you have, the higher the employment rate can be where Employment rate in Unique singapore is based on a component called PR population.
What a strange thing right? Else, name me a country like this.
Lets believe the 4% unemployment that is based on PR+citizen population.
PR need to be employed to continue his PR.
A citizen could be unemployed and still STUCK in singapore.
A PR without a job could need to exit or if unable to fulfill the requirement.
But have no fear, 1 PR leaving singapore, another 1 or 2 or more could potentially replace him.
What does this freaking mean?
Primary 1 Maths.
Knn, I need to bangsai now. Else my intelligence kenna insulted.