No doubt they had spent the last five yeras creating new jobs and attracting quality investments, like what he said in the May Day rally... but to whose benefit?
6 in 10 jobs went to foreigners last year and the year before.
It's clear that the beneficiaries are not Singaporeans.
Also, it is one thing to create jobs and another to create quality jobs.
Would you rather have 30,000 more casino dealers than 30,000 teachers?
PM Lee, your party's policy of mass importation of foreign labour has inevitably depressed the wages of many Singaporeans.
According to the Ministry of Manpower’s Singapore Yearbook of Manpower Statistics 2010 – Active CPF Members By Monthly Wage Level, there were, in 2009:
- 65,141 people earnings less than $400
- 146,080 earning less than $800
- 74,568 less than $1,000
- 128,611 less than $1,500.
Taken together, this means that there were a total of 464,400 or almost 30 per cent of all active CPF members, earning less than $1,500!
That by all accounts, is surely not reflective of a first world government or Swiss standard of living!
With your current policies PM Lee, do you really think ordinary Singaporeans can cope with rising costs?
SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said Singapore's best long-term response to cope with rising costs is to ensure workers have jobs and enjoy steady increase in real wages.
He added that the government's strategy of creating new jobs and attracting quality investments here has worked.
Mr Lee was speaking to 8,500 participants at the May Day Rally on Sunday.
The increasing cost of living is a concern the government is keeping a close watch on.
That is why Mr Lee said the government will continue to invest in the people and continue to make Singapore attractive to businesses.
He said: "Ensuring good jobs, whether for present or future workers, is the first responsibility of any government, and this is what the PAP (People's Action Party) has delivered and will continue to deliver. And this is what voters must ask any political party seeking your support.
"How will you create growth and jobs for Singaporeans? Do not just say you will have prosperity. The civil servants will know how to do it. Permanent secretaries know what to do. If the ministers do not know what to do, you can be sure things will mess up and with the PAP, we make sure that ministers know what to do and we make sure we have a successful formula which provides good solution, good pay, and good jobs over the long term."
Aside from long-term plans, Mr Lee said the government also has short-term measures to help Singaporeans.
These include keeping the Singapore dollar strong, and targeting help to specific areas for groups who need it.
He added that the government is also making special efforts to help low-income workers through initiatives like Workfare, to top up salaries for older employees.
Mr Lee said: "Nobody knows what the world will be like. It will be a different world, full of challenges but also opportunities. It will be a bright future for us, provided we work hard together. So let us cooperate to strive for better jobs, better pay and better lives for our workers and for all the workers of Singapore."
Prime Minister Lee said Parliament has a significant number of MPs from the labour movement. They make important contributions like looking after the interest of workers and ensuring that government policies are pro-workers and pro-Singapore. He said the current slate of PAP candidates includes a good number from NTUC and he called on participants to support them.
To ensure that NTUC remains relevant and effective, Mr Lee announced the a development fund to raise S$50 million for the NTUC50 Development Fund.
This is to build a three generation membership base of 1 million and to develop future generation leaders in the labour movement.
Mr Lee said the labour movement needs to raise S$12.5 million and the PAP government will give a grant of S$37.5 million.
He added that this shows the government's support for the union movement and Singapore workers.
Meanwhile, in his speech in Malay at the May Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee noted that the Malay-Muslim community is benefiting from the country's success.
He said Malay workers are doing well and many have gone for upgrading.
They have also taken up better-paying jobs.
Mr Lee said growing number of Malay students are going to the university.
Many are in the polytechnics and in the ITEs picking up strong technical skills.
Mr Lee believes they will be able to achieve better lives for themselves and help uplift the community and take Singapore to even greater heights.
- CNA/ms
He added that the government's strategy of creating new jobs and attracting quality investments here has worked.
Mr Lee was speaking to 8,500 participants at the May Day Rally on Sunday.
The increasing cost of living is a concern the government is keeping a close watch on.
That is why Mr Lee said the government will continue to invest in the people and continue to make Singapore attractive to businesses.
He said: "Ensuring good jobs, whether for present or future workers, is the first responsibility of any government, and this is what the PAP (People's Action Party) has delivered and will continue to deliver. And this is what voters must ask any political party seeking your support.
"How will you create growth and jobs for Singaporeans? Do not just say you will have prosperity. The civil servants will know how to do it. Permanent secretaries know what to do. If the ministers do not know what to do, you can be sure things will mess up and with the PAP, we make sure that ministers know what to do and we make sure we have a successful formula which provides good solution, good pay, and good jobs over the long term."
Aside from long-term plans, Mr Lee said the government also has short-term measures to help Singaporeans.
These include keeping the Singapore dollar strong, and targeting help to specific areas for groups who need it.
He added that the government is also making special efforts to help low-income workers through initiatives like Workfare, to top up salaries for older employees.
Mr Lee said: "Nobody knows what the world will be like. It will be a different world, full of challenges but also opportunities. It will be a bright future for us, provided we work hard together. So let us cooperate to strive for better jobs, better pay and better lives for our workers and for all the workers of Singapore."
Prime Minister Lee said Parliament has a significant number of MPs from the labour movement. They make important contributions like looking after the interest of workers and ensuring that government policies are pro-workers and pro-Singapore. He said the current slate of PAP candidates includes a good number from NTUC and he called on participants to support them.
To ensure that NTUC remains relevant and effective, Mr Lee announced the a development fund to raise S$50 million for the NTUC50 Development Fund.
This is to build a three generation membership base of 1 million and to develop future generation leaders in the labour movement.
Mr Lee said the labour movement needs to raise S$12.5 million and the PAP government will give a grant of S$37.5 million.
He added that this shows the government's support for the union movement and Singapore workers.
Meanwhile, in his speech in Malay at the May Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee noted that the Malay-Muslim community is benefiting from the country's success.
He said Malay workers are doing well and many have gone for upgrading.
They have also taken up better-paying jobs.
Mr Lee said growing number of Malay students are going to the university.
Many are in the polytechnics and in the ITEs picking up strong technical skills.
Mr Lee believes they will be able to achieve better lives for themselves and help uplift the community and take Singapore to even greater heights.
- CNA/ms
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