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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To add,
the chances that a PR is employed is perceived higher than a citizen since a PR needs to fulfill the requirement of having a job in order to continue having the PRship, generally speaking.
Even if a PR loses his job, he can exit and may not become a statistic of unemployment. When he exit, another 10 could enter with employment offer letters.
See the point?
So, I am on the side of Mr Leong that its perceivable that 4% unemployment based on PR+Citizen could mean Citizens unemployment rate is higher.
Some may be confused because they are poor in maths.
Its like this.
Component A is based on more or less fixed population size within a short time frame used for measurement of employment rate.
Component B has a requirement of being employed. So, in order to be PR , these usually would need to be employed. IF not they could exit. When they exit are they not out of the statistics? Is the PR population fixed? It can keep growing faster than population could replace itself. A new baby takes 20 years or so to before joining the workforce.
Are soldiers considered as employed?
So, assuming PR unemployment rate, if we can calculate it, is PR’s out of job / total PR population, and it is high overall compared to citizen employment rate, then the 4% could mean the unemployment rate is higher than 4%.
Those weak in maths may never understand basic maths.
pui!
4% is considered HIGH unemployment rate in economics. Even more so, in tiny Singapore. But the media is often playing down even the serious of matters. At the rate, our government is going, they would be creating more resentment and anger among the younger generation of voters. Wages are NOT gone up. Only the ministers’ salaries have. Even civil servants don’t get pay rises, what’s more to say for those in the private sectors. They are many Singaporeans suffering quietly and biting their fingers inside their HDB rooms.
The government wants us to trust them. The question is: do you? And for that matter, do you serious think that our government trust its people? Why raise mrt and bus fares 2 months after the May elections? Why not before that? Are the 60% still ignoramus?
So if we were to look at the employment data separately, they could be:
PR- 0% unemployment
Singapore citizens- 8% unemployment
Sorry, my maths is pretty weak, in fact I was humiliated by my maths teacher in front of the class when he said I would get an F for my A level a few decades ago.
Buy I think my guesstimate is not too far off
Which smart alec in this world knows is singapore’s unemployment rate excluding of PRs who are here as Dependents of another PR? As a dependent MUST he or she be employed to continue to have the PR status?
So, we need to know who is Excluded , who is Included in the statistics.
We should not Insult our intelligence our parents give to us.
We must Question Everything.
Leave no stones unturned.
Scrutinise everything.
We must know the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the entire Truth and not just mini-Truths, half-Truths, some Truths out of all Truths.
This , is a mini Truth : a Gun can save your Life.
A Naive may not know : Guns have Taken away many innocent lives as well.
This, is another truth out of the full set of Truths.
English is fun and flexible. Many have prospered using english, a langauge, a tool.
But TOC, how can the 400K per million know about this article?
How about forming a club called the Alternative nation?
Use it as the Notice Board to get their feedback on national issues.
Despite everything and perceived fears, there are already 400K per million who cast votes wanting them out of power.
This speaks a lot how they feel.
We need a LEADER to lead this lot. Someone not endorsed by any political party.
The fact of the matter is life in Singapore is like living on tenderhooks. You may be employed today but gone tomorrow. This has led to high stress of living and other social problems. The PaP has exerabate this problem by opening the immigration floodgates. Scenes of people going to condo launches, restaurants..etc are NOT scenes of a well adjusted happy society.Rather they are scenes of a mad mad rat race. One day you could be living in a condo, next day you could be out in the streets!
Because greed is very real, many would take risk and commit to 30 year loans. Many never die before thinking they are not expendable.
The next crisis will see more understanding how greedy they have become.
The profit you get from selling property did not come from thin air. You have forced another human to commit to 30 year loan and if he lose his high pay job, he may never get it back again.
People are playing musical chair.
The vicious cycle of greed continues.
Moral decay.
Will Singaporeans who are unemployed make a big noise when the Ministerial salaries review committee come out with a cosmetic shaving of their salaries. This is the least we can do considering the fact that their level of salaries is a shameful testament to their greed. In fact the whole Nation should roar when it turns out that the Committee has wasted our time.It is a fact that life is becoming harder by the day in Singapore because of the high cost of Government services and job scarcity caused by indiscriminate immigration policy.So while we sink, it is not right that these noble personages cook up stories to tell us why they must be paid 5 to 6 times the salaries of office holders in other lands and even in Superpower countries. This ridiculous lie to Singaporeans must stop now.Take courage from the Arab Spring.
The economic growth that the govt would want us to believe is dangerously deceptive.
The high COE demands, the flocking of potential buyers to home launches, and the so-called low unemployment figures is sometthing we need to be wary about.
One big financial crisis (e.g. if China goes into an economic tailspin or the US unable to repay itself)and we are all dead ducks. Those who are retrenched will not be able to pay off the mortgage, and more depression cases will follow.
We need to prepare ourselves, and not be deluded by all the figures that are put out by the authorities.
@Why am I here
Sometimes, our parents do not want us to question or know the real truth.
Isn’t that the tenet of “paternalistic democracy”?
America and Europe are tottering on the edge of disaster. China’s growth has slowed down. In the worst case scenario the West collapses and China stalls. In such a case, even if you beg foreign talent to come they will not come. Instead they will give up their citizenship en masse and run. Property prices will drop with a big sound. Even HDB flats will be vacant and its price evaporate. The PAP or indeed any Government will not be able to do anything to save Singapore. Instead I think even the Ministers themselves would resign and run away to other countries in which they have bought properties during the years of their million dollar largesse. My point is, there is no one smart enough, no not one who is able to fend off global crisis of such magnitude that is now hovering on the horizen. So no need to pay these Ministers and President such millions as if they can do something to save us when the crunch comes. Let us pay them a reasonable amount commensurate with other office holders in the world. In this way, they are stuck in Singapore just as much as we are and will probably make more effort to solve problems and do things for the local population now when the catastrophe has not come upon us. The Ruling Party can then use their brains to see that only necessary foreigners are allowed in, so that the jobs which Singaporeans can do will be earmarked for Singaporeans. If disaster then strikes, at least Singaporeans will not be left in the lurch with minus equity in their homes because they are jobless for decades even during the good times. Other things which the Ruling party can avoid is to give University scholarshipa to foreigners, spend millions in effort to have them speak English, build massive economic structures like the gambling resorts only to employ foreigners in the bulk etc. Instead spend on our own people because we are the sons of the soil ( of course we are not the indigeneous inhabitants ) and too poor to leave even if a finacial and economic Tsunami were to hit our land.
@ doppelganger
what shall we do?
Can someone predict when will the music stop?
Also, do u guys feel PRs are benefitting from citizen financed system more than citizens?
Consider:
1. We earning sgd they earn sgd X currency exhange rate.
2. They sell leasehold condos or flats and can cashout entirely to retire backhome as millionaires. Citizens if sell need to pay n pay another very overpriced leasehold. Leasing only.
PRs live for free in the leasehold effectively speaking and still earn interest higher than most investments.
Citizens if buy from them r the ones who are paying them these.
3. They are lower cost to employer just on the cpf alone making citizens by default less competitive unfairly.
4. We serve ns while they spend the time the like.
5. They welcomed by employers.
I feel that there is overflooding of PRs.
Solution i copyright to opposition:
1. Really filter out true talents from cheaper labor.
2. Citizens to pay reasonable price and not overpriced price for roof over their heads.
3. President must not be political party member 5yrs before election.
4. Grassroots organization should be non-partisan
5. Every citizen must question policies at least once a year. Failing to submit an official question must go for tea party.
6. Moral education to teach ppl to earn an honest living, be honest and understand that CRONISM , COLLUSION and CORRUPTION is immoral and pest to society.
6.
@oms. Be braver.
TOC, well done..
Pls also do articles on unfair treatments of property agents and exploiting and also high amount collected for license fees and also renewal from agents and agencies and also nice office of Cea. Double standard of giving licenses of agents where degree holders cant given licenses and yet criminal and fraud cases can be given licenses. Giving agent biased and unfair treatments using case by case excuse as usual. MEDIA bias favourably toward certain agencies..
Huge reserves of fees collected from agencies and agents unused and not sure if accounted for..
Using top down styles to rule agencies and unfair bias towards agents
Using courses and exams to make lots of money… and also using ntuc as training centre and also informatics which is favourtism…
Suspend without trial. guilty first unless proven otherwise.. Using media to glorify top 5percent agents and using medias to make use of bad agents which is less than 1 percent to penalize and make money from the rest of the agents and agencies.
The rest of majority of agents are struggling also don’t have protection from unfair bias from consumers
CEA commission forms, procedures are lengthy(not going green), ambigious, biased, CEA procedures are biased towards consumers…
agents that are experienced but not qualified not given licenses when they need to feed their family..
a) Room Rental – exploring the possibility of minimum room rental commission to be minimum 50% more than standard commission or minimum 500 dollars or can collect two sides(PLEASE make it fine for room rental as it is bread and butter for some agents….)
b) unit rental – to be able to collect from tenant standard commission without cap, as tenants often bypass with tenant’s agent after viewing the unit to go directly to landlord agent or landlord, which is very fair, life have become harder and harder… Agents NEED respect… We are professionals… There needs to be minimum comms for even landlord to be paid.. No doubt.
c) GST be paid by all customers… compulsory
d) agents/REALTORS should not be judged biased manner and also be allowed to continue to practise for certain classifications of minor offences…
e) do not collect 50 dollars admin fees for bi yearly for CEA admin fees, also drop 230 dollars renewal fees, account for fees collected from agents as it is our rights to make sure our money paid is really put to reasonable use…
f) Have discussion channel for agent matters when implementing or changing policies instead of top down implemention for further matter, to have a voting system…
g) Whole idea is not to challenge anyone or any system.. But to provide a
constructive discussion way so that Cea is really recognized
internationally for making a fair and yet every consumer including
agents are not pre-judged and yet given fair trial or evaluation.
h) Cea can then help agencies to expand overseas structurally,
economically and commercially with agencies and focus on greater
growth and really help national GDP, making money together on common
frontline yet win win with other overseas property developers and also
other countries benefitted, including transferring certain knowledge
or frame work at certain cost or through education if need to sustain
Cea body through healthier financing means…… This will allow
agencies and agents to branch out to overseas even better. Cea, agents
and agencies and government agencies can work to make money from
overseas with other nations. Work globally!! :)
Etc etc etc
TOC, well done..
Pls also do articles on unfair treatments of property agents and exploiting and also high amount collected for license fees and also renewal from agents and agencies and also nice office of Cea. Double standard of giving licenses of agents where degree holders cant given licenses and yet criminal and fraud cases can be given licenses. Giving agent biased and unfair treatments using case by case excuse as usual. MEDIA bias favourably toward certain agencies..
Huge reserves of fees collected from agencies and agents unused and not sure if accounted for..
Using top down styles to rule agencies and unfair bias towards agents
Using courses and exams to make lots of money… and also using ntuc as training centre and also informatics which is favourtism…
Suspend without trial. guilty first unless proven otherwise.. Using media to glorify top 5percent agents and using medias to make use of bad agents which is less than 1 percent to penalize and make money from the rest of the agents and agencies.
The rest of majority of agents are struggling also don’t have protection from unfair bias from consumers
CEA commission forms, procedures are lengthy(not going green), ambigious, biased, CEA procedures are biased towards consumers…
agents that are experienced but not qualified not given licenses when they need to feed their family..
a) Room Rental – exploring the possibility of minimum room rental commission to be minimum 50% more than standard commission or minimum 500 dollars or can collect two sides(PLEASE make it fine for room rental as it is bread and butter for some agents….)
b) unit rental – to be able to collect from tenant standard commission without cap, as tenants often bypass with tenant’s agent after viewing the unit to go directly to landlord agent or landlord, which is very fair, life have become harder and harder… Agents NEED respect… We are professionals… There needs to be minimum comms for even landlord to be paid.. No doubt.
c) GST be paid by all customers… compulsory
d) agents/REALTORS should not be judged biased manner and also be allowed to continue to practise for certain classifications of minor offences…
e) do not collect 50 dollars admin fees for bi yearly for CEA admin fees, also drop 230 dollars renewal fees, account for fees collected from agents as it is our rights to make sure our money paid is really put to reasonable use…
f) Have discussion channel for agent matters when implementing or changing policies instead of top down implemention for further matter, to have a voting system…
g) Whole idea is not to challenge anyone or any system.. But to provide a
constructive discussion way so that Cea is really recognized
internationally for making a fair and yet every consumer including
agents are not pre-judged and yet given fair trial or evaluation.
h) Cea can then help agencies to expand overseas structurally,
economically and commercially with agencies and focus on greater
growth and really help national GDP, making money together on common
frontline yet win win with other overseas property developers and also
other countries benefitted, including transferring certain knowledge
or frame work at certain cost or through education if need to sustain
Cea body through healthier financing means…… This will allow
agencies and agents to branch out to overseas even better. Cea, agents
and agencies and government agencies can work to make money from
overseas with other nations. Work globally!! :)
Etc etc etc
well done toc,
please use some portion of funds collected to distribute flyers, promotions events, etc to promote toc..
make sph the alternative media…
Assuming 2 million votes were casted, abt 800,000.00 voted for PAP to be thrown out of power.
This CRITICAL MASS are the best advertisers for CHANGE AND TRANSPARENCY N ACCOUNTABILITY.
Overnight ‘preas’ release.
We each need to seek out 1 of the 60% and challenge their thinking.
DIVIDE N CONQUER.