Government determined to increase population to 7 mil in 2030.

[Temperament]

Prime Minister says "make babies" but LTA says "pay up"

Ha! Ha!
The above is just one of the example of:-

"Talk one thing
Action another
Right hand gives
Left hand takes
Mouth says
Heart never says"

[Contrarian]

http://www.misstamchiak.com/genki-sushi/

Genki Sushi is truly amazing... From ordering to making sushi to receiving food to sending used trays to billing , all automated.

No wastage - make to order vs putting trays and trays of prepared sushi...

I wonder how much they need to invest in 1 outlet, how much tax offset they get and how fast they breakeven...

Whoever said F&B restaurants (esp Japanese) cannot automate...?

[pianist]

Financial institutions discriminate singaporeans recruiting in favor from India



FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS DISCRIMINATE SINGAPOREANS RECRUITING IN FAVOR FROM ONE SINGLE COUNTRY (PRATA LAND)
http://therealsingapore.com/content/fina...le-country

Today, there is an article Lianhe Zaobao admits that Singaporeans are discriminated in job market. What particular striking is a part of the article showing rampant discrimination against Singaporeans job seeker…

Last year, TAFEP ( Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices) received feedback that foreign managers in some financial institution hire in favor of their own country people, rather than hiring Singaporeans.

TAFEP contacted these financial institutions. The senior managements agreed that certain departments do have many employees from one single country. The senior managements claim that they will hire more Singaporeans.....

The above article by Veritas is reposted in TRE. It is a terrible state of affair for Singaporeans to be discriminated in their own country. This is possibly another first that Singapore has achieved. There used to be policies that favoured foreigners but these have been watered down after anger flared in the social media. Now this. How could it happen? What is the Govt going to do about it?

Article by Chua Chin Leng AKA RedBean on his blog My Singapore News.

---

Malaysians stealing cars from Singapore carparks and drive back to Malaysia



Malaysia's foreign talent steal Volvo from Singapore condo and drives back to Ipoh
Man faces jail time, driving ban for stealing SUV
By Claire Huang | Posted: 05 March 2013 1258 hrs


SINGAPORE: A man who stole a luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) and drove it to Ipoh, Malaysia was sentenced to 14 months' jail and banned from driving for 18 months.

Philip Lim Chee Shong, a Malaysian, was convicted of stealing a Volvo XC90 valued at S$76,000 on 10 January 2012.

Before he stole the SUV, Lim had become upset after a tiff with his wife.

Lim had sent his friend home at Southaven condominium and noticed the SUV at the condominium's basement car park.

He realised that the keys were in the driver's armrest and decided to drive it to Malaysia for fun.

Lim drove for about six hours to his house in Ipoh.

On his way there, he threw away two child car seats and documents that were in the vehicle.

Lim continued to drive the SUV in Ipoh until some time in February when he got into an accident in the stolen car.

He then sent it for repair at a car workshop in Ipoh.

A few days later, in late February, Lim took a bus back to Singapore to retrieve his own car which was still parked at the condominium car park.

In delivering his judgement, District Judge Eddy Tham said this was more than a joy ride.

He said the accused did not learn from his previous antecedent which was also theft.

While the judge noted that it was a spur of the moment act and not premeditated, he dismissed the mitigation that Lim committed his offence as he had an argument with his wife prior to incident.

Lim could have been jailed a maximum of seven years and fined.

[Contrarian]

Here is another PAP MP talking sense... MP Liang Eng Hwa, thank you for echoing the public commuter's voice...

Making the call during the second day of the Budget debate in Parliament was Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency Liang Eng Hwa, who said operating costs may well have gone up for the public transport operators (PTOs) but that was justifying it from the company's perspective.

From the public and commuter standpoint, he felt that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the public transport operators have not delivered their duty in providing reliable and convenient public transport.

Mr Liang said commuters felt they have been let down and are disappointed by the current under provision of services and the series of disruptions in trains, LRTs and buses.

He said LTA and the PTOs have to restore public confidence before even talking about a fare increase.

Mr Liang recounted that it has a trying experience working with the PTO on the ground.

He said each request submitted to improve bus services would often end up as long drawn-out discussions.

Often, the final answer from the PTO was that they had no drivers to increase bus services.

Mr Liang hoped that the Transport Ministry would move away from the two-PTO model and use more private operators to help expand the bus capacity.

He added that the privately-run bus operators were very entrepreneurial and resourceful and this was evident from the way they scaled up their bus fleet in 2010 when they provided the island-wide free shuttle bus service to Resorts World Sentosa.

Mr Liang said that if the two public transport operators are incapable of increasing the bus capacity fast enough, the government should not waste time with them and quickly look to other private operators to do the job.

[pianist]

from the way this article wrote, it seems to me that he is not a labor chief at all

My Paper
Thursday, Mar 07, 2013

THE key to breaking the manpower bottleneck is to make the best use of every worker, said labour chief Lim Swee Say yesterday. Mr Lim, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, said that this could mean giving every worker the best opportunities.

Firms should also make full use of the Government's three-year transition support package, which includes the Wage Credit Scheme, he said. Under the scheme announced in this year's Budget, the Government will subsidise 40 per cent of wage increases for Singaporeans who earn up to $4,000.

Mr Lim also refuted the need for a minimum-wage scheme, saying that it can be a "zero-sum game". He said that Singapore's wage model comprising the Workfare Income Supplement, Workfare Training Support and a progressive wage system is "more than a minimum-wage model".

He said: "(With this,) we can actually maximise the upside for the low-wage workers and, at the same time, minimise the downside".

SINGAPORE: With on-going calls for Singapore to have a minimum wage concept, the labour movement believes the Republic's own model of minimum wage is taking shape.

Speaking during the Budget debate in Parliament on Wednesday, NTUC secretary-general Lim Swee Say said the Singapore model is made up of three components.

The first component is the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) for all workers earning below $1,900.

Hence, WIS is a way of topping up the salaries of these workers.

The second is the Workfare Training Support (WTS) scheme where low-wage workers' skills are upgraded quickly.

The third component is the labour movement's progressive wage system where four factors are pulled together to improve the workers' well-being.

These are skills, productivity, career path and the workers' wages.

"With the WIS, WTS and Progressive Wage Model, we believe we now have a minimum wage model. In fact, it's more than a minimum wage model whereby we can maximise the upside of low-wage workers and at the same time minimise the downside," said Mr Lim.

The labour chief also said that the labour movement is encouraged by the government's three-year transition support package for companies to restructure.

He said he is more confident this time round that productivity will take place because the government has decided to tighten on the increase of foreign manpower.

Mr Lim said: "It is important for companies to recognise that as we enter this new phase of development...the limiting factor of the Singapore economy...is actually manpower. Given that situation, the wise thing to do is to try to break this manpower bottleneck by making best use of every worker and every person, by giving every worker the best opportunity and do the best to reward them."

Weighing in on the hotly discussed Wage Credit Scheme, Mr Lim said companies have at least three options to choose from.

The first - to not increase wages and risk losing workers in the current tight labour market.

The second - to increase wages without making any changes to their operations.

Mr Lim said if companies were to use the Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) to lower wage costs, they would return to square one in three years when the scheme is up.

He warned that is when companies would face even greater challenges.

Mr Lim said the third option is for companies to take full advantage of not just the Wage Credit Scheme but the total offerings in the three-year transition support package.

He said this is the preferred option for the labour movement.

"We really hope that more companies will make full use of the PIC (Productivity and Innovation Credit), WCS and all the programmes to invest in productivity gain and share the gain," said Mr Lim.

Parliament also discussed efforts to help Singaporeans keep costs down through the cooperatives.

On Tuesday, opposition MP Png Eng Huat said that while NTUC Foodfare was touted as a social cooperative, it was a members-only organisation as one needs to be a union member to enjoy special prices.

Mr Png had referred to the decision to appoint NTUC Foodfare to run the first new hawker centre in Bukit Panjang and said if the co-operative was enjoying subsidised rental, then it must benefit all consumers.

MP for Marine Parade GRC, Seah Kian Peng, who is also the CEO of NTUC FairPrice, said NTUC Foodfare does not receive subsidised rental.

"NTUC Foodfare does not enjoy any subsidised rental from government or NEA in any of the premises they occupy. (Foodfare) still has to make an offer and if successful, pay market rates for the premises, like anyone else," said Mr Seah.

"So I find some of the comments made yesterday a bit incorrect...they also cast a slur on our efforts and demean the work of the many people who work in and for co-operatives."

Mr Seah stressed that co-operatives are a check on pure market forces and they have social, not political ends.

- CNA/ir

[Contrarian]

> the way this article wrote, it seems to me that he is not a labor chief at all

I hope someone peg the labour chief to the sustainable rise in salaries of the lowest 20%

And the MOM minister to the rise in employment rates of PMET, rise in local PMET taking senior positions over the next 3 years...

[pianist]

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said Singapore is not prepared to allow dual citizenship, as it would not strengthen the nation.

He said foreigners are granted Singapore citizenship only if they are committed to making Singapore their home in the long-term.

As such, they should be prepared to give up their foreign nationality.

Nominated MP Assistant Professor Eugene Tan had asked in Parliament if the country should keep an open mind with regards to dual citizenship, given the increase in international marriages.

Mr Teo said: "As Singaporeans, we count on one another to be loyal and if need be, to defend Singapore and fellow Singaporeans in our hour of need. We work together to build a brighter future for Singapore and Singaporeans. Singapore is a small and young nation. It is all the more important that we are clear that our citizens have a long-term commitment to building a future together here. Allowing Singaporeans to retain or acquire a second citizenship is unlikely to enhance that commitment but could dilute it."

[pianist]

Singapore's former president SR Nathan has said the city state is set to become a hub for the Indian diaspora.

"Singapore is set to be a hub for the Indian diaspora. It is a springboard for these businessmen to venture into the region," he said on Tuesday night at the curtain raiser to the Global Business Leaders Conference of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to be held here next month.


"We have benefited from them," said Nathan, referring to the IIM Alumni working around the world and contributing to the global economy.

International chief executives and heads of corporations, who had graduated from the IIMs, would be addressing the two-day conference to be held from April 5.

Nathan is the patron of the conference themed IIMPact 2013: New Frontiers, which will be attended by some 700 delegates from India, South East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

Key speakers, who are likely to participate in the event, are Raghuram G Rajan, chief economic advisor; Akhil Kumar, MD and CEO of GS Caltex India; Ravi Uppal, MD and CEO of the Naveen Jindal Group and Ajoy Kumar, member of parliament, among others.

The conference is organised by the Pan-IIM Alumni Association, which has over 1,000 IIM Alumni leading Singapore-based businesses and supported by the Singapore Management University, Economic Development Board and the Institute of South Asian Studies.

Over 4,500 Indian-owned companies operate out of Singapore, making them the largest business community here.

Some 100 major Indian corporations have set up their Asian headquarters in the city state.

[Bibi]

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said Singapore is not prepared to allow dual citizenship, as it would not strengthen the nation.

Dont talk abt dual citizenship. My workplace which is govt related does not allow employees to have PR of another country. These employees either give up their foreign PR or leave the company. To be fair, i think all MPs should also give up whatever PRs they holding.

[Muck]

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said Singapore is not prepared to allow dual citizenship, as it would not strengthen the nation.

Dont talk abt dual citizenship. My workplace which is govt related does not allow employees to have PR of another country. These employees either give up their foreign PR or leave the company. To be fair, i think all MPs should also give up whatever PRs they holding.

I suppose ur coy must deal with nationally strategic products/ services.