SINGAPORE: Singapore is in a recession, but Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Singaporeans must not sit idle and wait for things to get better.
He urged Singaporeans to seize opportunities to learn new skills to keep their jobs.
Mr Lee was speaking while celebrating Lunar New Year with some 1,000 residents in Yio Chu Kang.
He said: "Even in this downturn, let us focus on the future. We cannot sit idle, and just wait for the storm to hit us."
Mr Lee said the government is already using the downtime to upgrade Singapore’s infrastructure.
He also defended the government’s Jobs Credit scheme in response to those who say it benefits companies more than workers.
Mr Lee said: "The government pays part of the CPF for every worker, on behalf of employers. The company pays less, but the worker gets the same pay as before.
"This way, we want companies to find it less expensive to keep the workers, so that they’ll keep the workers instead of retrenching them."
Mr Lee said that the Jobs Credit scheme also reduces the cost of employing Singaporean workers so that companies find it "more attractive to hire Singaporeans than foreign workers".
But Prime Minister Lee cautioned against pushing out foreigners "because that would harm businesses, and also Singaporean workers."
Prime Minister Lee also gave residents an update on Yio Chu Kang MP Seng Han Thong who was set on fire at a community event about a month ago.
Mr Lee said he visited Mr Seng before he was discharged from hospital.
"He was in good spirits, much better than when I first saw him after the incident," said Mr Lee.
"And he asked me to tell you that even in this downturn, let us press on in the Year of the Ox and as Mr Seng says ’upturn the downturn’."
Mr Lee also gave some examples of how community groups are helping the less fortunate during this downturn.
He said one grassroots organisation even started a "Rice Party" in June last year where volunteers give out free meals, food vouchers and rations to low income families.
— CNA/ir
so?
慢慢啦. Dunno when SG will make a recovery from the recession. Juz have to see through and wait.
gong jiao wei.
cannot even handle present still wanna focus on future.
this incapable jerk should just shut up. the more he speaks the more people dislike/hate him. NO PM calibre. Not down to earth so not qualified to be in public service.
"Mr Lee"? I guess a reporter just got retrenched.
What's with speeches and policy announcements during walkabouts etc on Sundays? Much props to the media for capturing those impromtu chats!
we pay for their propaganda by paying TV licence fee
ok la, that time i heard him speak in 3 different languages (english, bahasa, mandarin), i was very impressed. how many of us can do that ?
The voiceover on SMRT can speak four languages. Beat that!
got ! i went to this $1.99 shop or something in boon keng, can't remember the name. the recorder was playing '' best discount you can find in whole of sgp ''... blah blah blah sales talk.
in bloody dunno how many languages + dialects. got eng, chi, cantonese, hokkien, thai even ! hahaha ...
he does not make sense, he has no common sense. With this crisis, many are already thinking how to face it when is there mood for people to focus on future. If cannot offer sensible, useful, encouraging words, he better shut up.
For him, he can focus on future, everything is provided for for him, no worry for this crisis. It is a liability to Singaporeans to have such hopeless, not down to earth bloody pm.
Originally posted by Fantagf:he does not make sense, he has no common sense. With this crisis, many are already thinking how to face it when is there mood for people to focus on future. If cannot offer sensible, useful, encouraging words, he better shut up.
For him, he can focus on future, everything is provided for for him, no worry for this crisis. It is a liability to Singaporeans to have such hopeless, not down to earth bloody pm.
His paid is so high and you ask him to shut up, like this, he more good life lor..let him do some wayang better than nothing lah.
Originally posted by angel7030:His paid is so high and you ask him to shut up, like this, he more good life lor..let him do some wayang better than nothing lah.
If he can't provide any consolation, encouragement, good words, he better shut up. Better still, get lost and resign.
ha ha ha this is call distraction.....to day dream.....
any way, he further proves that he is hopeless as a pm
Mr Lee said: "The government pays part of the CPF for every worker, on behalf of employers. The company pays less, but the worker gets the same pay as before.
Can someone tell me how the government pays? Governement either prints money and pays or uses taxes. SO he is telling me I pay the companies to pay myself?
Originally posted by Skiranger:Mr Lee said: "The government pays part of the CPF for every worker, on behalf of employers. The company pays less, but the worker gets the same pay as before.
Can someone tell me how the government pays? Governement either prints money and pays or uses taxes. SO he is telling me I pay the companies to pay myself?
They pay now, when recession ends they take back everything. mentioned that govt pay money to pay.
"And he asked me to tell you that even in this downturn, let us press on in the Year of the Ox and as Mr Seng says ’upturn the downturn’."
another TS that just paste without expressing own thoughts.
maybe Mr seng doesnt know the structure of our economy is not depending on us but depending on when USA and rest of the world recover.
get well soon, so that we can hear a much better motivation speech.
His paid is so high and you ask him to shut up, like this, he more good life lor..let him do some wayang better than nothing lah.
SS recruit angel,
well said. i tink you have the calibre to be colonel of my SS. your dream to get iron cross is not far.
Originally posted by Skiranger:Mr Lee said: "The government pays part of the CPF for every worker, on behalf of employers. The company pays less, but the worker gets the same pay as before.
Can someone tell me how the government pays? Governement either prints money and pays or uses taxes. SO he is telling me I pay the companies to pay myself?
He is talk about SPUR, not SPERM hor, a new initiative by WDA, NTUC and e2i or whatever, the logic here is that during this down turn, companies can send their workers to upgrade or retrain their skills under SPUR, govt will foot the course fees and the complete 80 to 90% of the worker salary (which included CPF). So instead of retrenching, companies can opts to send workers to train, paid about 10 to 20% of their salaries and when the good times come around, these trained workers will be plough back into the companies.
Originally posted by reyes:SS recruit angel,
well said. i tink you have the calibre to be colonel of my SS. your dream to get iron cross is not far.
Hell Hitler, thanks for your praising,
But hor, iron no value leh, can i request for a gold cross with a singapore signia of two tigers and a crest in the middle. Mahjullah Singapura
Originally posted by gerrykoh:Upgrade but no jobs also no use. Many companies incl GIC retrenching.
The jobs avail. now are mostly retail, cleaning, security- all low paying, after paying for food, transport & CPF, not enough to survive!
they the pap like the foreigners. one or two of them said with foreigners our locals will be employed.
Dear PM Lee,
I can't focus becos my future looks grey and my bond ending soon. To stay is killing me to go means lots of uncertainty.