LKY:SG citizens' GDP lower than JP if FT highSalary excluded

• lionnoisy

  10 Jul 08, 22:55

  Every leader will be happy to see GDP of his country

  is higher than other countries,especially Japan.

  But not LKY.

  In the recent Nomura Asia Equity Forum held in SG on

  10 mar 2008,he pointed out that,excluding high salary

  of foreign talents (FT),GDP of Singaporeans may

  not be higher than Japan,as reported by IMF.

  Growing gap in income also is a problem.

  GDP as reported by IMF:

  Singapore 新加�是以3万4153美元（约4万6100新元），US$34,153

  之���是Japan 日本（3万4023美元）�US$34,023

  文莱（3万2501美元）�BruneiUS$32,501

  香港（2万9149美元）和HK$US 29,149

  韩国（1万9624美元）。S KOREA US$ 19,624

  The first step of improvement is to identify the problems

  and hot hide the heads inside sands.

  Very few leaders in the world tell u the truths.

  Very few leaders dare to tell you bad news.

  I paste below from zaobao to supplement STimes.

  very interesting info.use internet to translate.

   

   

  野��券亚洲股本论�邀�资政对�
  人�GDP高 未能�映国人�济�件

  （2008-07-10）

  � 周殊钦�游润�

  （蔡家增摄）

  尽管新加�的人�国内生产总值最近超越日本，�为亚洲之首，但是由于这个�济指标在计算时也把在我国赚�高薪的外国人包括在内，因此并�能正确�映国人真正的�济�件。

  内�资政�光耀指出，如果�把高薪的外国人包括在内，新加�的人�国内生产总值未必高于日本，而且因为�到全�化的影�，衡�社会收入分�情况��映贫富差�的基尼系数（Gini Coefficient）正在增加，也是个现实的问题。

  他表示如果�以国人的人�国内生产总值计算，新加�人民的收入情况就�会如国际货�基金组织所公布的�济数�所显示般�想。

  根�国际货�基金组织所�表的报告，新加�是以3万4153美元（约4万6100新元）的人�产值排在亚洲首�，之���是日本（3万4023美元）�文莱（3万2501美元）�香港（2万9149美元）和韩国（1万9624美元）。

  �资政昨天是应邀在第五届野��券亚洲股本论�（Nomura Asia Equity Forum）上�1000多�商界和�领域代表进行一个�时对�。主�对�会的是东京大学教授伊藤隆�。由于�加对�会的人数超出主办者估计，整个会场座 无虚席，有很多与会者都是站��完整场对�。

  他在回答与会者的�问时指出，本地低技术工人�对�自中国�越���度等所输出的廉价劳工 的激烈竞争问题，短期内无法解决，因为�解决这个问题，就�等这些国家的薪金��至一定的水平，但这�需一段时间。因此，新加�政府所能�的就是在房屋� 教育�水电费等多方�，为人民�供津贴。

  �统计局的报告显示，由于收入增幅�平�，技术熟练工人和专业人员的工资增幅显然超越低技术工人，使得我国去年的基尼系数攀�至0.485，达到当局自2000年开始计算基尼系数以�最高水平。

  针对与会者æ��出如果æ�Žèµ„政是日本首相，将如何ç�€æ‰‹è§£å†³è¿™ä¸ªå›½å®¶é—®é¢˜ï¼Œæ�Žèµ„政表示那是个é�žå¸¸éš¾ä»¥å¤„ç�†çš„问题。ä¸�过，他指出日本é�¢å¯¹çš„问题的关键之一，在于 这个国家太过富有，因为有数以万亿元计的储备，因此政府é�¢å¯¹ç»�济问题时总有这笔资金作为缓冲，而缺ä¹�大刀阔斧进行改é�©çš„决心。“如果日本人åƒ�å�°å°¼äººé‚£æ ·æ„Ÿåˆ°é¥¥é¥¿ï¼Œè€Œä¸”因食物价格高涨而å�—到冲击，那你就会å�šäº›äº‹æƒ…æ�¥è§£å†³é—®é¢˜ã€‚但是，你们å�´å�ªæ˜¯ï¼ˆåˆ©ç”¨å‚¨å¤‡ï¼‰æŠŠé—®é¢˜æŽ©ç›–，å�ªè¦�æ��供津贴，就一切如常。你们还是å�¯ä»¥åˆ°é¡¶çº§çš„é¤�馆用é¤�，å�¯èƒ½æ¬¡æ•°å‡�少，但生活还是很舒æœ�。”

  2　他说：“任何人è¦�改å�˜æ—¥æœ¬è¿™æ ·çš„体制，就必须具备é�žå¸¸å¼ºçš„说æœ�力去让人民和国会相信这个国家目å‰�所é�¢å¯¹çš„是个完全ä¸�å�Œçš„å‰�景。过去那个旧的世界格局已éš�ç�€å†·æˆ˜ç»“æ�Ÿè€Œæ¶ˆå¤±äº†ï¼ŒçŽ°åœ¨çš„世界是个新纪元，一个包括中国和å�°åº¦çš„å�Žå†·æˆ˜æ—¶ä»£ã€‚”

  �资政也回顾了日本当年决定解决已泡沫化的�济问题的手法，并认为它当时急于刺破�济泡沫，使得许多银行倒闭，因而出现严�的�账问题。相比之下，美国 �邦储备局主席伯�克在应付目�世界所�临的金��机时所采�的方案，�是慢慢地让风从泡沫中�出，好让大家能有足够的时间与空间去适应�化。

  他也认为日本应�步改�社会�闭情况，以解决人��龄化�生育率�年下�的问题。�时，这也是它�已全�化的世界接轨，以�为真正的国际社会一员的�二法门。

  谈石油价格：人们消费石油的行为影�油价涨跌

  内�资政�光耀指出，国际原油价格是�世界主�消费国针对石油消费的政策�市场供求�决定，就算�止石油期货交易，也将无法解决油价高居�下的问题。

  他在对�会上回答与会者所�出的是�应�许石油期货交易的问题时，指出油价问题的关键�在于石油期货买�，而是在于世界究竟�如何去消费石油。

  他引述曾担任美国å‰�总统里根顾问ã€�有ç�€ä¾›åº”学派ç»�济学之父美称的著å��ç»�济学家马ä¸�·è´¹å°”å¾·æ–¯å�¦ï¼ˆMartin Feldstein）所å�‘表的一篇题为《当美元é�­é�‡æµ®æ²¹ã€‹çš„时评，指出真正影å“�油价涨跌的因素是人们当å‰�的行为，以å�Šè¿™äº›è¡Œä¸ºå°†å¦‚何影å“�未æ�¥çš„石油消费。

  �资政解释如果产油国和油商都相信这�天然资�的价格未�将上涨，那它们暂且按���，以争�更高的价格是很自然的。�之，如果它们察觉人类的消费行为会因��因素而出现�化，使得它们相信石油需求将下跌，它们将会开始生产和售�更多石油，进而把油价拉低。

  他进一步指出，如果美国�欧洲�中国��度�日本都表示将规定所有的汽车在2020年之�改为油电混�型汽车（hybrid car）或电池驱动汽车，�把石油用于飞机这�除了石油，就�能使用其他燃料的交通工具，一旦它们认真这么�，石油供应方必定会立�按这个新形势�新计 算，并得出最好是现在就把石油�出以�未�价值下跌的结论。

  “这将立å�³äº§ç”Ÿç›¸å��的效果。而对冲基金之类的交易活动，其实对油价的影å“�是相当有é™�的。”

  3　他分æž�é�“：“真正的考验是这个世界是å�¦è®¤çœŸçœ‹å¾…问题。世界å�„国政府ã€�大国的政府，从美国这个最大石油消费国开始，你们是å�¦çœŸä¼šè®¤çœŸåŽ»å®žçŽ°å�–得能æº�独立的目标？大家谈了许多，但它们是认真的å�—？”

  �资政强调人们其实是有能力将油价拉回一个��的水平，然而由于少了这么�的决心，促使油商看准人们的消费心�，选择将石油储备起�，以在未��个更高的价格。

  �样的，在�碳问题上，八国峰会针对�少温室气体排放所�表的公报，也因为中国��度�巴西等�展中国家维�以往的立场，��达国家和�展中国家在�排课题上必须有所区别，而无法列出明确的�排目标。

  �资政说，尽管气候�化问题造�诸如冰��化，进而使到河�截�等环境问题确实在�生，然而这些问题还未对人类的生活造�直接冲击，�有当濒水的居民因河��化而被迫集体��时，�影�的国家�会正视这个问题。

  4　“除é�žé—®é¢˜çœŸå®žåœ°åœ¨äººä»¬é�¢å‰�出现，å�¦åˆ™äººä»¬è¿˜æ˜¯ä¼šå°†å®ƒå½“æˆ�ç�†è®ºæˆ–学术问题æ�¥è®¨è®ºã€‚”

  谈人�：国家核心须是新加�人　土生土长国民至少须�65％

  金�阿兵哥。这是怎么一回事？

  原�这��年是�父�亲从乌克兰移民�新加�，在本地念完书��加国民�务，以履行国民义务。

  内é˜�资政æ�Žå…‰è€€è¯´ï¼š“我们打算å�ŒåŒ–ä»–å�—？这没有必è¦�。我们å�ªéœ€è¦�包容他。他若è¦�把乌克兰妻å­�娶到新加å�¡ï¼Œæˆ‘们也无所谓。”

  他用这个例�说明��东欧等国的外国人的加入，新加�人民的�貌正在改�，但基本的新加�元素�决�会�。

  5“新加å�¡ä»Žå‰�是个纯亚洲社会，å�ªæœ‰å�Žäººã€�马æ�¥äººå’Œå�°åº¦äººã€‚现在我们的社会å�´å¦‚彩虹般绽放五颜六色的光彩。”

  �过，他也指出如果外国人比在本地土生土长的人多，新加�的��特质将起�化，我们将失去原�的身份。

  “因此，国家的核心必须是新加å�¡äººï¼Œè‡³å°‘65％的国民必须是土生土长ã€�了解这å�—土地的人。他们是新加å�¡ç¤¾ä¼šçš„一部分，知é�“我们是如何奋斗，以å�–得今天的æˆ�就。”

  为解决人��龄化问题，我国政府�管�下，除了积�引进外国人加入劳动队�，也推出鼓励生育的政策，如在工作场所�供托儿�务。

  瑞典和法国等欧洲国家在这方�颇有心得。例如瑞典就�出��政策，包括�许父亲申请陪产��津贴�亲把孩��入托儿所等。�资政表示新加�研究鼓励生育政策时，�考了这些欧洲国家的�法。

  6　他是在回答一�日本与会者的�问时，谈到我国应付人��龄化的政策。这�日本人问他，如果他是日本首相，将如何治国？

  �资政回答说，日本人最清楚国家正�对人��龄化和生育率下�的问题，并建议日本开放劳动市场。

  “如果我是你们，我会选择å�¸æ”¶å®¹æ˜“èž�入当地社会的新移民，他们的å�Žä»£å¤šå¤šå°‘少会åƒ�日本人。至于哪里的移民最适å�ˆï¼Œæˆ‘想你们心里有数。”

  他指出，欧美跨国�业多数�请当地人担任海外办事处的主管，但日本�业的海外办事处主管�清一色是日本人。

  “日本å�‘æ�¥æ˜¯ä¸ªæ°‘æ—�性很强的国家，这ç§�特性在全ç�ƒåŒ–的现今社会，已ä¸�å†�是优势。”

  看邻国政治：

  政治问题将影��济增长与投资

  马�西亚和泰国所�对的政治问题造�两国股市�挫，将影�到它们的�济增长与投资。

  内�资政�光耀认为这两个邻国的现况令人感到�惜。

  “这些都是很有潜能的国家，原å�¯åœ¨ç»�济方é�¢å¤§å±•é¸¿å›¾ï¼Œä½†çŽ°åœ¨å�´ç¢°åˆ°äº†é�žå¸¸ä¸¥é‡�的问题。”

  他指出，泰国为消除贪污而�生政�然�举行选举，并为了铲除�首相达信的势力而推出��新�例，但是最终�使泰国股市大跌。

  “ç»�济原本是å�¥å…¨çš„。问题就出在政治方é�¢ã€‚”

  他�举马�西亚为例，指出马国是本区域最富有的国家之一，有石油�天然气和棕油等天然资�，也有蓬勃的制造业。

  7“但是çª�然之间，马国政治人物被政治或å�„人之间的互相指责所困扰，这对ç»�济百害而无一利。”æ�Žèµ„政认为周边国家的股市表现差劲，正å��映出政治体系缺ä¹�诚信，所以一切的问题“都ä¸�å…³ç»�济的事，都是人为的”。他å†�举越å�—ã€�寮国和柬埔寨为例，指出这三 个国家都有得天独厚的æ�¡ä»¶ï¼Œå�¯ä»¥ç”¨æ°´åŠ›å�‘电或在海上开采石油，所以都ä¸�å�—ç›®å‰�笼罩全ç�ƒçš„石油å�±æœºæ‰€å¨�èƒ�，然而这些国家还未善加拓展本身的优势，原因正是它 们过去都没有好的政府。

  他强调政府必须è¦�有诚信，国家æ‰�能稳å�¥å�‘展。“ä½ å�¯ä»¥è¯´æ–°åŠ å�¡ä¸�民主ã€�打击å��对党云云，这我管ä¸�ç�€ã€‚但是，你如果说政府贪污或滥用国家资æº�，我一定会告你ï¼�”

  他说：“西方媒体支æŒ�那些指我们贪污的人，因为它们是希望看到新加å�¡åž®æŽ‰ã€‚但是，因为我们一å†�起诉他们，新加å�¡äººéƒ½çŸ¥é�“政府官员没有å�šé�žæ³•ã€�贪污或ä¸�当的勾当。所以，我们å�¯ä»¥çŠ¯é”™ï¼Œè°�都明白没有人能够100ï¼…å�šå¯¹ï¼Œä½†è‡³å°‘他们知é�“没有人会从这些错误中获利。”

  end of quote fr zaobao internet 10 mar 2008

  http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp080710_521_5.shtml

  So.How to tackle the problems?

   

   

   

• SingaporeTyrannosaur

  11 Jul 08, 04:03

   Singapore economic and consumer outlook worsens

  While Singapore government spokesman have been generally upfront over the past 2 years that consumer spending power will decline in the immediate future in the wake of global financial problems and increased competitiveness from their neighbours and China, many privately express heightened concerns and concerns that span more distant horizons.

  In terms of strategic industries, biotech and high value IT are targeted, but these are also the targets of others - like New Zealand and Malaysia, as well as China to name just a few. Competitive advantage is becoming a harder betel nut to crack..

  In short a Singapore economy that weathered the Asian financial crisis with some aplomb, riding on their higher inter-connectedness with a healthier global economy than their regional neighbours at the time, has been brought down to earth as the global economy began to fracture since 2000. But more significant has been the moribund, or indeed falling Singapore economic prospects during the nascent upturn in US (and to a lesser extent European) economies in the last 6 weeks. In short, Singapore's economy has not caught on to the coat-tails of signs of global recovery as it has in the past.

  Singapore has only a few million consumers, yet their spending power and affection for consumerism has made them a relatively strong consumer market for targeted products and services compared to the much larger (in terms of population) consumer markets in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Yet there are few pragmatists that now believe that Singapore can ever attain the heights of economic and consumer spending growth achieved in the latter quarter of the previous century.

  At the time of writing, unemployment in Singapore is a major concern, and while social security in Singapore has always been delivered from family networks (all of Chinese, Malay and Indian) stresses are starting to show. Layoffs and decreased corporate profits have seen salaries decrease as well. If you have ever marvelled at the communication skills of your Singapore taxi driver of late, it's probably because he was originally a small entrepreneur or a recently laid-off middle manager of a large MNC or Singapore company. The cash liquidity in families which has allowed them to support temporarily unemployed family members, and at high levels to ensure the clan does not lose face, is gradually drying up as well.

• SingaporeTyrannosaur

  11 Jul 08, 04:05

   Singapore's unemployment rate rises to 2 per cent

  Singapore - Singapore's unemployment rate climbed to a seasonally adjusted 2 per cent in the first quarter amid greater economic uncertainties in the global economy, preliminary data from the Manpower Ministry said Wednesday.

  About 2,000 people lost their jobs as a downturn hit the United States and Europe, where the export-dependent city-state exports nearly a third of its goods and services.

  *snip*

  The city-state's economy grew by 7.7 per cent last year, but inflation is now at a 26-year high. The consumer price index in March was 6.7 per cent higher than a year earlier.

• SingaporeTyrannosaur

  11 Jul 08, 04:06

  Singapore Dengue Cases Return to Epidemic Level
  

  Dengue cases in affluent singapore have reached 'epidemic' levels for the second time in the past month, health ministry data monitored Tuesday said.
  
  The Ministry of Health said 381 cases were reported between June 24 and 30, above the 'epidemic threshold' of 378 cases per week.
  
  Dengue cases crossed the threshold for the first time since 2005 earlier in June, when 401 cases were reported in the week of June 10 to 16, the ministry said.
  
  Singapore experienced its worst dengue fever outbreak in 2005 when 19 people died from the disease and more than 13,000 were infected.
  
  Three people have died from dengue and there have been 3,597 cases in the first 26 weeks of the year, the ministry said.
  
  Singapore has launched a massive publicity campaign to educate residents about dengue.
  
  It has also stepped up efforts to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds in the island-state, which has a reputation as one of the world's cleanest cities.
  
  Dengue is traditionally associated with poorer tropical countries. The disease leads to a sudden onset of fever with severe headaches, muscle and joint pains, and rashes.
  

• SingaporeTyrannosaur

  11 Jul 08, 04:08

  Singapore takes on dengue fever, but victory is not assured

  SINGAPORE: Under the sink, behind the cleaning detergents, Thurainadan Govindarajoo shined his flashlight into the shadows, searching for telltale signs of the enemy.

  "People only think of the obvious places. We're looking for what I call the hidden habitats," he said. Under leaking sinks, in disused toilets, beneath potted plants: wherever a few drops of water can linger, mosquitoes can breed.

  Govindarajoo is one of roughly 500 inspectors from Singapore's National Environment Agency specially trained to conduct house-to-house, search-and-destroy missions against Aedes mosquitoes, which transmit the potentially deadly dengue virus. Despite their best efforts, though, the mosquitoes appear to be winning, abetted by the boom in international travel, global warming and their own adaptability.

   

• SingaporeTyrannosaur

  11 Jul 08, 04:09

  So lionnoisy.How to tackle the problems?

• jojobeach

  11 Jul 08, 04:45

  A solution against the war on Dengue fever found.

  Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Show Resistance To Dengue Fever Virus

   

• Atobe

  11 Jul 08, 05:39

  Originally posted by lionnoisy:

  Every leader will be happy to see GDP of his country

  is higher than other countries,especially Japan.

  But not LKY.

  In the recent Nomura Asia Equity Forum held in SG on

  10 mar 2008,he pointed out that,excluding high salary

  of foreign talents (FT),GDP of Singaporeans may

  not be higher than Japan,as reported by IMF.

  Growing gap in income also is a problem.

  GDP as reported by IMF:

  Was this an early hint from LKY that was not picked up ?

  Was Singapore's GDP decline already known as early as March 2008 ?

  This is surely a lesson in "how to climb down with a smile on a straight face" - considering the forceful efforts that LKY made to convince Singaporeans in  “The Case for Higher Salaries for Government Ministers”  

  Was it not a fact that this inspiration to increase Ministerial wages was due to LKY's strong conviction that the high growth in GDP was a result of good management through the foresignt by his Ministers, and justify his plan for Ministers to be paid their million dollar wages ?

  Now that the Singapore economy will be sputtering along to reach a poor annual growth, should Singaporeans be seeing the minister's salary being docked ?

   

• AndrewPKYap

  11 Jul 08, 08:20

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  
  

  Another clear indication that the despots enjoy licking foreign as-holes even as the dogs here enjoy licking the despot's as-holes.
  

  
  

   

   

   

   

   

• Gutentaginator

  13 Jul 08, 12:07

  FT HIGH SALARY ?

  I thought FT helps MNCs spend less on Labor to help them survive?

  Very contradicting to me.