Government determined to increase population to 7 mil in 2030.

[sgd]

Whither PAP, whither the elite, whither Singapore?

Former foreign minister George Yeo is a man of many words. Many remember him for his banyan tree speech which, in a round-about way, was telling leaders to let light shine through their over-protective shoulders and let those under them blossom.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore...28226.html

So what or rather why is BG Yeo ex-cabinet minister working as a foreign talent in other countries for other corporations?

For all the past decades of meritorious service they unable to find a suitable place or position somewhere among the thousands of companies in MIW hmmm strange no ....

[pianist]

An good article from Yahoo by Linda Lim, a professor of strategy at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. No wonder Yahoo sg kanna sue by SPH.
How land and people fit in Singapore's Economy
"In Singapore’s case, this is because the addition of more and more people to an essentially fixed and extremely scarce complementary resource, land, inevitably raises other costs. These include rising residential housing and commercial rental costs, and congestion costs especially in transportation.

Also, both higher housing costs and lengthening commute times effectively lower the real wage of workers (e.g. because it now takes them 10 or 11 hours to earn an 8-hour daily wage).

In a closed labour market, the rising cost of living eventually translates into higher nominal wages. But in an open labour market like Singapore’s, wage increases held down by the increased supply of foreign labour discourages the substitution of capital, higher technology and sophisticated management processes, for labour."

well said.

[2V.]

George Yeo is in HK for a reason , I believe he is still a strong representative of our govt. only time will tell if his tasks are successful...

Whither PAP, whither the elite, whither Singapore?

Former foreign minister George Yeo is a man of many words. Many remember him for his banyan tree speech which, in a round-about way, was telling leaders to let light shine through their over-protective shoulders and let those under them blossom.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore...28226.html

So what or rather why is BG Yeo ex-cabinet minister working as a foreign talent in other countries for other corporations?

For all the past decades of meritorious service they unable to find a suitable place or position somewhere among the thousands of companies in MIW hmmm strange no ....

[Contrarian]

> So what or rather why is BG Yeo ex-cabinet minister working as a
> foreign talent in other countries for other corporations?

For all the past decades of meritorious service they unable to find a suitable place or position somewhere among the thousands of companies in MIW hmmm strange no ....
[/quote]

1. His network of connections with many foreign ministers is a tremendous asset. That's why Robert Kwok snapped him. He can open doors to markets for the kwok group... who else so easily can?

2. It's not that the GLCs dont want him. He chose to leave politics. If Keppel Corp can hire that NTUC guy, BG George Yeo is anytime more valuable.

[zhangwuji]

The white paper is one of the biggest LIE the PAP government has ever come out with since they were in power! Its only purpose is to steer the electorates in their favor.

Actually the floodgate was opened many years ago without people realising it. After the loss of Aljunied GRC, they see the need to open it even much wider. However by then, people like us are getting more and more uncomfortable with so many trash in our neighborhood. So in order to make the ground sweeter they came out with national conversations on the pretense getting feedback. Just look back and see what the ministers said during the sessions. They all sing the same old song that FT/immigration is the only way to go. The sessions focus more on what we should do to accept or integrate them instead of exploring alternate solution. So the national conversation was not an conversation at all. Just another propaganda no less. After the numerous sessions, they threw out the white paper on the table and fooled us that it was the feedback gathered from the "conversation".

Think again, the PAPies had to go all the way out to bring forward PE BE before pushing white paper through as they knew very well that this will have great impact on the BE result.

All the events seemed to sync like an symphony orchestra with the PAP holding the baton.

Just wish all the oppositions would challenge PAP hidden agenda behind the white paper.

[specuvestor]

An good article from Yahoo by Linda Lim, a professor of strategy at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. No wonder Yahoo sg kanna sue by SPH.
How land and people fit in Singapore's Economy
"In Singapore’s case, this is because the addition of more and more people to an essentially fixed and extremely scarce complementary resource, land, inevitably raises other costs. These include rising residential housing and commercial rental costs, and congestion costs especially in transportation.

Also, both higher housing costs and lengthening commute times effectively lower the real wage of workers (e.g. because it now takes them 10 or 11 hours to earn an 8-hour daily wage).

In a closed labour market, the rising cost of living eventually translates into higher nominal wages. But in an open labour market like Singapore’s, wage increases held down by the increased supply of foreign labour discourages the substitution of capital, higher technology and sophisticated management processes, for labour."

well said.

Finally a professor that makes sense The labour issue is the growth by perspiration concept I had been referring to.

The article engages on the 2nd order effect on fertility and national identity which is more in depth than many others I read that just looks prima facie

[zhangwuji]

Reading Linda Lim article to me is like reading Warrent Buffet's annual report. Unlike the white paper which is clouded with all the confusing statistic and chart, this article is straight forward, sharp and easy for people like me with limited linguistic capability like to understand. It contrast people who is sincere with a concise in mind against those out there to confuse with ulterior motive.

I read somewhere that "If you can't explain things simple enough for ordinary people to understand, then you do not understand it fully yourself"

[Behappyalways]

Frontline Connects《前线开讲》: Whitepaper on Population/ 人口白皮书 - 23Feb2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viNv2fCscvk

(Happened to read from this week The Edge Pg 18, a Philippino woman and his Ang Mo husband also cannot tahan the over population and move to Johor two years ago after more than 20 years in Singapore.....to quote from the Paper.....The reason was simply they had grown weary of the overcrowdedness of Singapore and longed for more space.....foreigners themselves also cannot tahan...lol)

[pianist]

That why mental illness , dementia on the rise

[arthur]

Reading Linda Lim article to me is like reading Warrent Buffet's annual report. Unlike the white paper which is clouded with all the confusing statistic and chart, this article is straight forward, sharp and easy for people like me with limited linguistic capability like to understand. It contrast people who is sincere with a concise in mind against those out there to confuse with ulterior motive.

I read somewhere that "If you can't explain things simple enough for ordinary people to understand, then you do not understand it fully yourself"

The final paragraphs send a reminder to the financial and political elites that ever increasing property prices will only line their pockets up to a certain point.
Beyond that, the biz profit margins will diminish.
This was also the reason why i kept harping increasing property prices will only drive Singapore as a whole rushing headlong over the cliff. The elites who have vested here will be happily accelerating till the end, dragging the middle and lower classes behind to valley beneath.

"But asset appreciations based on increased land scarcity are essentially rents that transfer income from buyers to sellers, thus contributing also to rising inequality.

From a long-term growth perspective, they distort incentives to work, save and invest in value-creating activities in favor of rentier wealth or income from property “investments” (or speculation).

Asset inflation also hurts growth by raising the cost of doing business and discouraging entrepreneurship especially by SMEs and local businesses which cannot afford to compete with global multinationals for commercial and retail space.

We should not forget that a major factor in the downfall of the medieval Italian city-state of Venice was the diversion of entrepreneurial capital and energy into property as the small land-area drove rising rentals and land prices, leaving the city with beautiful buildings that today are but a shell for visiting spectators to admire."

---

The Workers’ Party’s Population Policy Paper: “A Dynamic Population for a Sustainable Singapore”


The Population White Paper released by the Government recently is by far the most widely debated White Paper in Singapore politics — not only in Parliament, but also by the people of Singapore. This is understandably so as it has wide ranging implications for our nations’s future.

For five days, Parliament debated a Motion to endorse the White Paper. It was then passed following an amendment by an MP from the Government backbench.

After careful consideration of the proposal, the Workers’ Party (WP) opposed the White Paper and presented our alternative proposals in Parliament during the debate on the Motion.

The population issue is a major challenge confronting our nation and it affects each and every one of us and our future generations. It is not only a ‘numbers’ issue but also one that lies at the heart of our nation and our children. The debate continues in public even after the debate in Parliament has ended.

We would probably not be experiencing the current degree of angst over overcrowding if the Government had presented the White Paper to the people much earlier, instead of allowing population growth to surpass their planning target and failing to ensure that infrastructural development kept in tandem with population growth.

In view of the importance and complexity of the subject, as well as the fundamental differences between WP and the Government on the approach to tackle the population challenges ahead, we have decided to publish our Population Policy Paper. We hope this will enable Singaporeans to better understand the rationale and computations behind WP’s proposals. WP believes it is important to encourage further debate so that Singaporeans can make informed judgments on the population issue.

I would like to thank all the WP members and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make the publication of this WP Population Policy Paper possible. I would also like to thank all Singaporeans who have given us their support; your encouragement and engagement continues to spur WP on to serve the nation.



LOW THIA KHIANG
Secretary-General


WP Population Policy Paper