On my visits to Chinatown Complex, I have observed that the ground floor is occupied by many shopping stalls in the passageways meant for shoppers. They are cluttered with goods that impede movement and compromise shoppers’ safety. Even the shops are doing the same. Such a situation is also evident in many Housing and Development Board shopping malls.
I understand that stalls need to display their wares to attract customers, but this should be kept within limits so that shoppers’ movement and safety are not compromised. They should think rationally, and not selfishly.
Clearing obstruction in walkways and passageways in shopping malls is for the common good, and rules should be strictly enforced by the authorities.
Monday, 8 June 2015
[Today] SEA Games ceremony a welcome treat for SG50
Watching the “live” telecast of the SEA Games opening ceremony reminded me of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s foresight in promoting unity among the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN).
It was also heart-warming to watch. Singaporeans, foreigners, visitors, dignitaries and athletes from ASEAN were hosted at a colourful, spectacular event, which has also energised us for the Golden Jubilee celebrations this year, with a holiday stretching from August 7 to August 10.
This year is a chance for the Singapore spirit to be further strengthened. Let us inspire the younger generation to greater success and motivate them to accept social responsibility, such as in caring for the aged. In 15 years, some 900,000 pioneers would require love, assistance and home care.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong and the organising committee of the SEA Games must be commended for their outstanding contributions to the nation.
The multiculturalism we witnessed is one of Singapore’s core values, and with it we can ensure that vibrant, cosmopolitan Singapore will prevail in the years to come.
It was also heart-warming to watch. Singaporeans, foreigners, visitors, dignitaries and athletes from ASEAN were hosted at a colourful, spectacular event, which has also energised us for the Golden Jubilee celebrations this year, with a holiday stretching from August 7 to August 10.
This year is a chance for the Singapore spirit to be further strengthened. Let us inspire the younger generation to greater success and motivate them to accept social responsibility, such as in caring for the aged. In 15 years, some 900,000 pioneers would require love, assistance and home care.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong and the organising committee of the SEA Games must be commended for their outstanding contributions to the nation.
The multiculturalism we witnessed is one of Singapore’s core values, and with it we can ensure that vibrant, cosmopolitan Singapore will prevail in the years to come.
[Today] Govt should take note of employers biased against older workers
Age discrimination is indeed a weapon against older professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) aged 50 to 60 from securing meaningful employment (“Ageism is biggest obstacle to employability of older S’poreans”, May 22; “Agencies’ mindset about seniors a barrier”, May 23).
With the mushrooming of recruitment agencies, this industry certainly needs a shake-up so older job seekers do not waste their time sending resumes and attending unfruitful interviews. Recruiters today, mostly aged in their 20s and without certification in human resources, are not up to the task of professional job-matching.
They conduct cursory job interviews and fail to see the value in older candidates — skills, attitude, resourcefulness, commitment, insight and networks. These are amassed from life and work experience, and come with age.
Regardless of how much training and skills-upgrading mature workers undergo or the grants offered by the Government to entice employers to hire mature PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians) age discrimination has, and looks set to, stubbornly persist. Letters are frequently published in the media detailing accounts of age discrimination. The Government ought to take note.
With the mushrooming of recruitment agencies, this industry certainly needs a shake-up so older job seekers do not waste their time sending resumes and attending unfruitful interviews. Recruiters today, mostly aged in their 20s and without certification in human resources, are not up to the task of professional job-matching.
They conduct cursory job interviews and fail to see the value in older candidates — skills, attitude, resourcefulness, commitment, insight and networks. These are amassed from life and work experience, and come with age.
Regardless of how much training and skills-upgrading mature workers undergo or the grants offered by the Government to entice employers to hire mature PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians) age discrimination has, and looks set to, stubbornly persist. Letters are frequently published in the media detailing accounts of age discrimination. The Government ought to take note.
[Today] Better to restore biodiversity than create green areas
I refer to the letter “Conduct audit of wildlife in Boon Lay Way” (June 6).
It is all very well designating more green areas, but what we should be concerned about is how much we have lost in terms of flora and fauna, and how we can bring it back.
Such loss is not just physical, but also concerns the way of life around it. Have studies been done to examine how we can bring back some of the flora and fauna, if not all? In the process, we could create a unique city that blends old and new, with intertwining green corridors.
Such efforts are also good for tourism, specifically ecotourism, in contrast to the artificial attractions we have come to rely on, and which leave some cold. These efforts could lift the number of arrivals, bringing in those who respect such achievements in preservation despite our constraints. Experts could also show us how we can enhance what we now have. There is much to be proud of, such as the Botanic Gardens and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
It is all very well designating more green areas, but what we should be concerned about is how much we have lost in terms of flora and fauna, and how we can bring it back.
Such loss is not just physical, but also concerns the way of life around it. Have studies been done to examine how we can bring back some of the flora and fauna, if not all? In the process, we could create a unique city that blends old and new, with intertwining green corridors.
Such efforts are also good for tourism, specifically ecotourism, in contrast to the artificial attractions we have come to rely on, and which leave some cold. These efforts could lift the number of arrivals, bringing in those who respect such achievements in preservation despite our constraints. Experts could also show us how we can enhance what we now have. There is much to be proud of, such as the Botanic Gardens and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
Saturday, 6 June 2015
[Today] Real estate projects consuming S’pore’s limited labour supply
The timing of the Manpower Minister’s message on our labour immigration policy is welcome (“No U-turn on foreign manpower policy: Swee Say”; June 3).
The current action taken (and communicated) by the Government seems to be about reducing the incremental intake of foreign workers.
Some see it as populist, more politically motivated than economically rational, and wonder whether it will be sustained.
What is missing is a convincing rationale for why a foreign workforce of 1.3 million to service a local population of 3.3 million is inadequate to move our economy forward.
The ongoing proliferation of new shopping centres, as Ms Caroline Chung lamented in “Remake Republic into one with strong S’porean core” (June 4), and private housing is possible only through land release.
These real estate projects consume our limited land resources and limited labour supply, for the construction and staffing of these malls. Why the urgency for these rapid developments?
We need a more considered policy to allocate labour resources to support targeted business sectors with the actual potential to generate GDP growth and, just as importantly, jobs for locals supplemented by workers from outside sources where necessary.
Singapore has become a developed, wealthy country with a world-class education system and a highly literate citizenry.
It is ironic that our manpower-shortage dilemma can in no small way be attributed to the inadequate worker skills required by business sectors, intertwined with the low disposable income some local workers command.
Low wages translate into lower costs and potentially higher profits for employers.
That is not necessarily a bad thing, even with wide income inequality, if employees can earn a living wage enough for retirement and commensurate with the country’s per capita wealth.
Singapore has a high-cost environment with limited local labour and land resources.
It cannot provide a competitive advantage for all local and foreign businesses that compete mainly on low cost margins.
We should concentrate on attracting foreign investors in sunrise businesses that derive sustainable benefits from what we already have, such as an educated and trainable workforce, efficient infrastructure, and a stable environment.
For them, we could moderate our worker immigration policy and phase out other foreign operators dependent on low costs/taxes in time.
Also, the educational curriculum in secondary schools should be tweaked to include practical subjects such as customer service and relations, time management, decision-making and economics.
These, together with a more moderate pace of real estate development in the long run, may resolve our tight labour market and low-wage, low-productivity situation in time.
The current action taken (and communicated) by the Government seems to be about reducing the incremental intake of foreign workers.
Some see it as populist, more politically motivated than economically rational, and wonder whether it will be sustained.
What is missing is a convincing rationale for why a foreign workforce of 1.3 million to service a local population of 3.3 million is inadequate to move our economy forward.
The ongoing proliferation of new shopping centres, as Ms Caroline Chung lamented in “Remake Republic into one with strong S’porean core” (June 4), and private housing is possible only through land release.
These real estate projects consume our limited land resources and limited labour supply, for the construction and staffing of these malls. Why the urgency for these rapid developments?
We need a more considered policy to allocate labour resources to support targeted business sectors with the actual potential to generate GDP growth and, just as importantly, jobs for locals supplemented by workers from outside sources where necessary.
Singapore has become a developed, wealthy country with a world-class education system and a highly literate citizenry.
It is ironic that our manpower-shortage dilemma can in no small way be attributed to the inadequate worker skills required by business sectors, intertwined with the low disposable income some local workers command.
Low wages translate into lower costs and potentially higher profits for employers.
That is not necessarily a bad thing, even with wide income inequality, if employees can earn a living wage enough for retirement and commensurate with the country’s per capita wealth.
Singapore has a high-cost environment with limited local labour and land resources.
It cannot provide a competitive advantage for all local and foreign businesses that compete mainly on low cost margins.
We should concentrate on attracting foreign investors in sunrise businesses that derive sustainable benefits from what we already have, such as an educated and trainable workforce, efficient infrastructure, and a stable environment.
For them, we could moderate our worker immigration policy and phase out other foreign operators dependent on low costs/taxes in time.
Also, the educational curriculum in secondary schools should be tweaked to include practical subjects such as customer service and relations, time management, decision-making and economics.
These, together with a more moderate pace of real estate development in the long run, may resolve our tight labour market and low-wage, low-productivity situation in time.
[Today] Conduct audit of wildlife in Boon Lay Way
A patch of mature woodland next to International Business Park along Boon Lay Way will be cleared soon (“New depot for 500 buses to be built in Ulu Pandan”; April 3).
As a nature lover and a citizen concerned about the loss of wild areas in Singapore, I wish to ask the agencies involved to do an audit of the wildlife there. From my office, I can see the nest of a pair of Changeable Hawk Eagles. Last year, they fledged a chick and have been using this nest for some years now. This Hawk Eagle is nationally threatened.
I have also come across Grey-headed Fish Eagles foraging in the canal at the southern boundary of this forest. It would be a pity and a loss if the trees were cleared without finding ways to accommodate the fauna there.
The agencies should work with nature groups to conduct a flora and fauna survey, and come up with some recommendations to keep as many of the important parts of the forest as possible when designing the depot.
As a nature lover and a citizen concerned about the loss of wild areas in Singapore, I wish to ask the agencies involved to do an audit of the wildlife there. From my office, I can see the nest of a pair of Changeable Hawk Eagles. Last year, they fledged a chick and have been using this nest for some years now. This Hawk Eagle is nationally threatened.
I have also come across Grey-headed Fish Eagles foraging in the canal at the southern boundary of this forest. It would be a pity and a loss if the trees were cleared without finding ways to accommodate the fauna there.
The agencies should work with nature groups to conduct a flora and fauna survey, and come up with some recommendations to keep as many of the important parts of the forest as possible when designing the depot.
[Today] Wider smoking ban in S’pore is imperative
I echo the writer’s sentiments in “Youth must know link between smoking, disease” (June 4).
Smoking causes a myriad of problems for an individual, his loved ones, and members of the public.
Moreover, second-hand smoke is hazardous, containing more nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, ammonia and benzopyrene than the smoke inhaled by the smoker.
It aggravates allergies, triggers asthma attacks and migraines, and increases vulnerability to colds and other respiratory infections.
Separate smoking areas, such as a designated room, are hardly effective because of the risks associated with third-hand smoke — the residual chemicals left on indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke, which react with common indoor pollutants to create a toxic mix.
Besides health problems, social issues develop together with cigarette addiction. Cigarettes burn a hole in people’s pockets, which compromises their families’ economic well-being and may even contribute to income inequality.
A parent’s smoking habit may also create an unsafe home environment, where the urge to smoke may override familial duties or influence children to start the habit themselves.
Hence, besides health education in schools and workplace talks on preventing or kicking the habit, a wider smoking ban is imperative.
This can be done by reducing the number of cigarette suppliers here, if not eradicating supply, and by restricting the number of places where smoking is allowed. For example, smoking should be illegal in public places such as car parks, outside shopping centres, and park connectors.
Even though cigarette taxes were raised last year, such tax increments would hardly deter smokers because of the addiction. Smoking prevention centres or help services should be more widely available.
Let us work towards creating a smoke-free Singapore, and may the irony of allowing the most preventable cause of death be resolved.
Smoking causes a myriad of problems for an individual, his loved ones, and members of the public.
Moreover, second-hand smoke is hazardous, containing more nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, ammonia and benzopyrene than the smoke inhaled by the smoker.
It aggravates allergies, triggers asthma attacks and migraines, and increases vulnerability to colds and other respiratory infections.
Separate smoking areas, such as a designated room, are hardly effective because of the risks associated with third-hand smoke — the residual chemicals left on indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke, which react with common indoor pollutants to create a toxic mix.
Besides health problems, social issues develop together with cigarette addiction. Cigarettes burn a hole in people’s pockets, which compromises their families’ economic well-being and may even contribute to income inequality.
A parent’s smoking habit may also create an unsafe home environment, where the urge to smoke may override familial duties or influence children to start the habit themselves.
Hence, besides health education in schools and workplace talks on preventing or kicking the habit, a wider smoking ban is imperative.
This can be done by reducing the number of cigarette suppliers here, if not eradicating supply, and by restricting the number of places where smoking is allowed. For example, smoking should be illegal in public places such as car parks, outside shopping centres, and park connectors.
Even though cigarette taxes were raised last year, such tax increments would hardly deter smokers because of the addiction. Smoking prevention centres or help services should be more widely available.
Let us work towards creating a smoke-free Singapore, and may the irony of allowing the most preventable cause of death be resolved.
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