PAP MP Lee Bee Wah: Paying retiring workers creates “hardship” for employers
January 13th, 2010 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
PAP MP Lee Bee Wah who was famous for her “indiscreet” public remarks, may have hit another raw nerve among Singaporeans again by questioning the Employment Assistance Payment (EAP) to help elderly workers who just left their jobs.
The EAP is intended to help workers tide over the period while they are looking for alternative employment or attending courses. While Mr Gan did not reveal the range of EAP amounts, a previously cited figure was between three and six months.
In a desperate bid to enourage employers to offer re-employment to retiring workers, the Manpower Ministry has come up with a series of guidelines to ensure that they re-hire workers who are medically fit and whose performance is up to mark.
Though Singapore is the second richest country in Asia after Japan and its two sovereign wealth funds can afford to lose billions of dollars of national reserves in risky overseas investments, its citizens enjoy few social welfare benefits from the state.
All Singaporeans have to contribute 20 per cent of their monthly income to a compulsory nationwide pension scheme called Central Provident Fund or CPF in short. However, with their CPF being depleted to pay for over-priced public housing, many of them have hardly sufficient savings left in their twilight years.
As such, elderly Singaporeans have to continue working well beyond their retirement age to support themselves as the ruling party will not help them in anyway. In fact, its leaders have been exhorting Singaporeans to “work as long as they can” (till they drop dead)
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong told parliament yesterday that a minimum and maximum sum will be stipulated for the EAP to ensure “it is not too little or too large”.
He was responding to Ms Lee Bee Wah who “had wondered if such a payment would create financial hardship, especially for smaller firms.”
Ms Lee did not elaborate more on how small firms will be affected by the EAP. It appears she is not too interested if Singapore workers are able to support themselves financially after they retire.
Actually, it is understandable that Ms Lee is unable to empathize with elderly Singaporeans since she is a Malaysian by birth and Malaysians probably have an easier time than Singaporeans due to their relative lower cost of living which explains why quite a number of Malaysians choose to remain as a Singapore PR only and decline to take up citizenship.
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Paying Ministers their millions over the objection of every Singaporean is causing the citizens real hardship.
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Last paragraph destroyed a relatively good read.
“it is understandable that Ms Lee is unable to empathize with elderly Singaporeans since she is a Malaysian by birth”
???!!!!!!
It is sweeping statements like this, narrow mindedness approach like this, that creation of racism was possible, that thoughtless stereotype character discrimination is still rife.
“Malaysians probably have an easier time than Singaporeans due to their relative lower cost of living … ”
???!!!! REALLY???!!!! So it is UNDERSTANDABLE that people born in places where there is relatively lower cost of living may not have empathy with the elderly??
Wow! What revelation!
I suspect the writer has extremely poor intuition, poor social behavioural understanding and definitely do not possess any form of recognition in psychology.
To the writer: You have very poor skills in judgement, satire and tact. So please stick to fact writing, and responsible reporting without adding ’salt’ and your impaired take on circumstances or characters.
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Beside being jiak liao bee MP, ER Lee Bee Wah also wants to be pro-business MP.
Time for the party to sack her, along with Sports Hub fiasco maverick-in-name, but cannot make it minister Vivian.
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13.1.10
This is another arrogrant PAP MP who is definitely out of touch with the people and rakyat who is king when comes to next General Election which is near the corner and it is insane of her to dumb the people and rakyat. Today’s PAP is totally different from the early days PAP, and time for the people and rakyat to call the shot and deny them two third majority in the new parliament.
Regards
Andrew Chuah
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The Singaporean bashing by Singaporean politicians has resumed. Every overpaid MP or minister is vying for media attention with their anti-Singaporean and pro-business/foreigner remarks.
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Can we please remind her to repeat the same AFTER she lose in the coming GE? Tsk Tsk
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Dude, Supposedly FTs come here to create jobs, aka the employers are foreigners.
Creating hardship for foreigners by hiring Singaporeans.
Read between the lines. PAP works for the interest of foreigners.
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They are just playing the “Good Cop, Bad Cop” game
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can’t blame her, she is the boss of LBW consultants pte. ltd.
of course, she will take the side of small employers like her.
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as the mps are hotting up in their support for the govt policies, may the best speaker mps win so as to continue to draw fat salaries. so far i think mah bow tan did a good job in raising the price of our flats and i think pap will continue to employ him to make more money.
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“Though Singapore is the second richest country in Asia after Japan and its two sovereign wealth funds can afford to lose billions of dollars of national reserves in risky overseas investments, its citizens enjoy few social welfare benefits from the state.”
This is something that I feel needs to be rectified right away!
Those money can be put to better use to help the poor and the welfare of true blue sgeans. The govt should curb their urge to gamble away our reserves. Ask them to use their own fat salaries and gamble in our IR please…
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They said NO CASINOs back then in the 70’s when the idea was put forth by soem entreprenuers. And then billions of dollars went into Malaysia’s economy as the trail of Singaporeans going to Genting Highlands continued year in and year out. Finally some smart alec realised that we could put these billions of dollars back into our economic system by getting our Singaporeans to play at the casinos here instead.
Then another smart alec (a smarter alec) suddenly shouted “eureka!” why not have 2 casinos and not one we can suck up more of Singaporeans’ money (and the tourists’ as well). Then some objections were raised that the government shouldn’t be encouraging public gambling. A third even smarter alec came along and said “why don’t we call it Integrated Resort instead?”. And yet one more alec jumped in to start a mini-stop gambling campaign, using it as a reason to impose a $100 entry fee for all Singaporeans entering the casinos. This is the brightest of all the alecs involved. Why? Even before the local casino goers start their gambling, the government already got richer by $100 with each entry at the pikes. And based on the statistics on gambling which they collate from Singapore Pools (which continues to introduce new forms of gambling every once in a while) they know the numbers that are involved. Just a cursory glance at the perpetual long queues at Singapore Pool outlets everyday and it wouldn’t be difficult to calculate each day how much $100 the government would be collecting from the 2 IRs once they become operational.
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M/s Lee,have you ever wondered if paying the ministers $million salaries (including some dead woods) would create
financial strain to Singapore taxpayers???
Get real man, sorry, woman!!
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All countries would need to invest like anyone on the street does to generate wealth within the country. And there’s no problem in making loss in investment as well as it’s part and parcel of the game.
BUT (and no, pls dun bash me yet) i would say that we need social welfare irregardless of the outcome of the investment.
and do note that welfare always => loss while investment MAY incur loss OR may generate wealth. the only problem is whether the wealth generated is translated to any tom, dick along the street. If the wealth generated is used to help us, and we need to help the gov when there’s losses, i would say it’s fair. BUT IF when they earn, they up their salaries, up the HDB, up the cost of living, and when their incur losses, THEY FURTHER UP the HDB, up the cost of living, up your tax to cover their losses, then SOMETHING is VERY VERY WRONG
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//wui
It is the MP LEE who is supposed to explain herself well.
That was like the 1st most important quality to be an MP in Singapore.
If you cannot even explain yourself well, then how are you going to defend your citizen’s interest internationally.
Of course, in singapore, there is an unwritten rule: suck up to LHL and you will get somewhere.
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Lee Bee Wah for PAP MPs retirement on Wed, 13th Jan 2010 11:23 am
Bee Wah represents the people in her constituency and has a duty to them. She is not aware of the island-wide disgust with the PAP allowing semi-skilled and unskilled foreign workers into Singapore?
We are talking about Singaporean workers that -
a. older workers unable to compete with foreign non-talents coming here to work
b. retrenched workers not being able to find employment – let alone suitable employment
c. workers unable to make ends meet
d. re-trained workers unable to get employment
This dud is talking about employers.
Dr. Vivian Balakrisnan should have sacked her over the table tennis fiasco but he did not have the testicles as she “works” for the PM LSL in Ang Mo Kio GRC.
Anyway, I agree with you that this Bala fellow has got to go as well.
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MBT is spinning a new story again.
//He noted that about 8 in 10 new flat buyers service their housing loans entirely using CPF monies without any cash outlay
New flat buyers are those who are married. i.e. 2 persons.
HE didn’t tell us how long their loan duration last.
Of course, it will be embarrassing for him.
Also, he didn’t tell us about the resale+new flats figures.
This is the type of skills you need to learn to make a million as a minister.
sigh.
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“Paying retiring workers creates “hardship” for employers”
Well said Lee Bee Wah, please help all Singaporean said this words infront of our MM & 2 SM. They are creating “hardship” for all Singaporeans taking millions in salary a year at their age that auppose to be retired too.
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Why do I suddenly smell an awful stench?Oh, that woman opened her mouth again.
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Paying idiots like Er Lee Bee Wah creates hardship for citizens.
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Thanks her once more. Any point to whack MIW during election period . The more the MIW talk , the more trouble they get .Hurry
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She has to get up and say something, anything, to remind PM that she still exists because rumours has it that she’s gonna be dumped by PAP in the next general elections. She has become a liability to them after the table tennis saga.
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Temasek Review may want to update Singapore’s wealth ranking as World Bank data in 2008 shows Singapore ranking No 2 after Norway in the world! [Luxembourg being more or less as a principality don't really count.] World Bank ranked Japan as 17 (after discounting Luxembourg).
UBS (Union Bank of Switzerland) 2009 Prices and Earnings Report had very interesting statistical comparisons. But our mainstream media did not give it full play.
From the UBS report, I extracted some comparative data (pls scroll down to PARA 9):
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JN4UuBmwdSM/SsyshLEPk_I/AAAAAAAAA64/8P0Kux_r2eU/s1600-h/UBS2009.jpg
Then it would put MP Tan Bee Wah’s comments meaningfully in context for thinking Singaporeans.
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hi there
1. aiyoh! such wayang wayang at such sitting.
2. a total waste of resources.
3. well, you tickle me, i scratch your rear between the piggy faced and big mouther.
4. pretty common and just for show.
5. nothing concrete shall emerge, talk or question for the sake of talking.
6. what’s the contingency if the eap fails or hinders sme?
7. pay elites millions and get no answers.
8. sinkies boleh!
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MBT is spinning a new story again.
//He noted that about 8 in 10 new flat buyers service their housing loans entirely using CPF monies without any cash outlay
MBT didn’t tell us the data started from when when he counted.
If he does the counting from 2 years back, he won’t be getting 8/10. More like 5/10.
What happens when ministers try to spin the story with apparently non sensical data?
Trouble.
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I assume this must be one of the so-called talented ones from the ‘pool of talent’ that some minister has been bragging about or is he simply misleading Singaporeans.
Honestly, most the the MPS are the same – in Singlish it is ‘talk cock’ rubbish.
Watching our parliamentary proceedings – a sham and a shame!
Singaporeans – wake up lar and understand this: we have morons and self-serving people in the incumbent govt and for the ridiculous salaries that they pay themselves – Singaporeans have been relegated to the bin. U think i m insulting locals – no the truth is there for all to see
All that matters is how much they can squeeze from the public. Why the FT policy? – my guess- to garner votes. Is not this prostituting oneslef for short-term gains.
I am disgusted and ashamed that these are the type of leaders who go around preaching about ethics,principles, honesty, responsibility, integrity. Hogwash lar!
Till we change and vote in oppostion parties, we are stuck we this one-party dictatorship and mind u all that you are going to get is convoluted answers which is no answer but rather half-truths over many issues that directly and indirectly affect Singaporeans.
Yes, be angry, be bitter and hopefully be wise and translate them into votes – not for the incumbent party or at least deny them a majority. They are redundant and clutching at straws. They are spent and a bane to the nation.
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After voicing our displeasure over important issues, ie F/ts, Jobs,HDB….etc
All i heard are “peanuts” reponses..ie one extra polling for schools and electricity rebate…..what an insult.
To add further injury….you have hordes of relative unknown MPs, scrambling to ” carry balls” and gain political points.
Well…….I hve definitely made up my mind in voting “out” the current ruling party.
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I am not sure if LBW is spouting nonsense in her capacity as MP or Employer (LBW Consultant P/L). Does she really know that Singapore greying population is growing, on one hand the PAP government keeps extending the CPF withdrawal to retirees, expects old folks to work after retirement to contribute to economy.
Yet this so called MP claims “paying retiring workers creates Hardship for employers”, see the contradicting messages and the insentivity demonstrated by the so called leaders?
You can imagine the impact to current & future retired workers in years to come with increasing cost of living and inflation. Unless of course you draw million dollars salary, everyone else will eventually “face the music”.
Vote for change.
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PM Lee will probably say to Lee Bee Wah, “keeping you in my GRC team will create hardship for me in the coming election”,
“and if I keep Wee Siew Kim as well, it will be the mother of all disaster for me !”
PM Lee will probably also say ” I know many Sporeans think I am a moron, but what to do, at least by offloading you Bee Wah together with Siew Kim, I may evade being the biggest moron ever!”
“So Bee Wah, can you do me and the PAP a favour, go join the opposition or at least be their most vocal supporter, okay ?”
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The Papaya should nominate her to be the chairwomen of Spore Toilet Association!
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“due to their relative lower cost of living which explains why quite a number of Malaysians choose to remain as a Singapore PR only and decline to take up citizenship.”
do not say so fast. else those scumbags from the nether world will counter you with why-not-you-stay-in-malaysia-then. those scumbags are trained to put down singaporeans. they will proudly spew any sewage from any part of their orifice just to propagate or lend support for their master’s agenda.
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So sad, as a true blue Singaporean, the though of working still old and yet cannot really enjoy retirement make me think hard should I want to stay in Singapore as its citizen…. The most obvious on is the raising of the age of being a senior citizen; from 55 to 60 and now to 62.
Other country such as S Korea, senior travel for free in their subway and yet our MRT seniors only enjoy “discounted” travel on off peak period.
It is liked telling Singaporeans, work hard till you die. No rest! I believed that those “Ah Tiongs” and other who became “new citizens” will regretted it when they reached their “expiry” date and wish that they were back to their old countries…
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while the MP Lee, elected by the citizen, expressed concern about creating “hardship” for employers, why she is silent on the escalating cost of living here that creates hardship for the ordinary citizen. PAP MP are mostly jia liao bee because they don’t even know why they are elected in the first place!!!
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Aiyoh! This LBW really should go… cannot make it la!!!
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We are staring at the obvious solution for all the poor governance of this admistration for a long time. This year I beg all fellow citizens to do the right thing! Vote opposition! We must put adequate numbers of opposition MPs in the parliament to create a crtical mass to start the inevitable democratization process of our sorry political system! LKY says that democracy would never work. He is right! With democratic process in place there will be institutionalised checks and balances, which will never allow his complete control of our social, political, economic and cultural lives! Singaporeans! If you still want our children to have a better life and not become slaves of the citizens and PRC new citizens, vote opposition! Vote for a better future for ourselves and children! Vote for a dignified retirement life and Bring down one of the last cult of personality of Asia!
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I say let’s adopt the American social security system and convert the CPF into a social security fund where contributors get a monthly cheque for lifen instead of one lump sum.
The American system works this way. The social security fund is built up by tax of 26%, contributed evenly by employer and employee. Self employed persons would have to pay the full amount of 26% of his/her income. At age 62 1/2, a contributor could opt to withdraw 80% of the 100% h/she would get if h/she has waited to retirement age 66 1/2 currently.
If you think about it, the American system would at least prevent the retirees from getting conned or from squandering the large sum away and it would help very much especially the fact that most of us are living a longer life now.
If we follow the American system, then there is no need for the annuity program which one has to start at age 55 and could only withdraw at age 85 when most of us would be dead then.
Then the Americans also have another program known as Employment Benefits. This program helps those people who got laid off but not those that got fired or resigned on their own accord for six months which lately has been extended by a couple of months. The fund for this program comes from employers. No doubt, our govt. is not in favor of this program because it might scare away foreign investors. It shouldn’t for most of our industries are no longer low cost labor intensive industries anymore.
Recently, our govt also started an agency for buyers and sellers of properties to have money deposited for safe keeping instead of letting their lawyers hold their money after so many cases of them absconding with their clients’ money. I had been advocating this for a long time but I was suggesting that it should follow the American system by using private bonded companies. We all know that private companies are more efficient when compared to one run by the govt.
If you read American history, you would note that they also had gone through what we are going through now. We don’t necessary have to follow them blindly, we can adopt those that will benefit us and avoid those mistakes that they made.
Many of you might criticized me for being too Americanized but look at our landscaped city which is being praised and admired by the visitors. Was it our idea or did we copy it from the Americans, Hawaii to be exact?
Majulah Singapura!
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Concerned Citizen on Thu, 14th Jan 2010 3:02 am
BEWARE LKY will call in the army…
LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!
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Gosh
The Army is for the defence of Singapore against external aggressions. If LKY wants to use the Army against it people it will not work.
Firstly the Army in the charge of the President (although the president is elected he is still beholden to the PAP). Therefore we must abolish the Elected Presidency at the earliest opportunity.
Secondly, I do not expect our soldiers to shoot their brothers and sisters, uncles and aunties and mothers and fathers. We are family.
Thirdly, if this happens, I think there will be a coup. The Army leaders are educated and a sensible lot. They will not allow this. There will be a coup and in the end they will return power back to the people. Ours is a People’s Army. This is why the PAP leaders and Government always tries to cultivate the Army. At the earliest opportunity we should de-coup the Army, the PA and NTUC from the PAP and Government so that future generations will have comfort that these 3 nationally important bodies are independent and fulfill only their designated roles.
LKY should think before he makes such crazy statements. As usual he threats, instills fear, assumes Singaporeans are stupid and in his old age talks rubbish.
He forecasts wrongly this time.
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““Malaysians probably have an easier time than Singaporeans due to their relative lower cost of living … ”
???!!!! REALLY???!!!! So it is UNDERSTANDABLE that people born in places where there is relatively lower cost of living may not have empathy with the elderly??”
Wui, the writer is talking about Malaysians who are working here in Singapore. They earn in S$ but they think in terms of MYR. Most Malaysians view Singapore just a temporary place to make money.
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