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Heng Swee Keat to partner SGs to design policies for peripheral issues instead of pressing ones

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5 years ago

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Speaking at a REACH-CNA dialogue session today (15 Jun), Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that the Government wants to partner Singaporeans to design and implement policies on 4 areas:

  • Environmental sustainability
  • Housing environment
  • Young Singaporeans
  • Social mobility

For the environment, Heng said this is an issue that many young Singaporeans are passionate about “because they will be inheriting the consequences of our actions today”. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli and his team would be engaging the public to come up with concrete action in this space, he said.

In housing environment, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong and his team will work closely with residents to shape their living environment and build a stronger sense of community.

The country’s young people, meanwhile, are being engaged by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu and her team to create a vision of Singapore 2025 through the Youth Action Plan.

In the matter of social mobility, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung will lead their respective teams to work with community groups to support the disadvantaged and give them a good start in life, Heng elaborated.

He added he has been working closely with Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Ng Chee Meng and Mr Ong to create good jobs for Singaporeans.

“We may have different views but so long as you have the good of Singapore at heart, we can work together,” he said.

He added that the 4G leaders will in the coming months be speaking with Singaporeans on the four themes.

He also said that the 4G leaders will also want to learn how to build a society with more opportunities for all and provide a strong foundation for all Singapore’s children, and how to build on the strong foundation of a multiracial, multi-religious and multicultural society to forge an “even more caring, gracious, kind and cohesive community”.

“We will be frank about the challenges we face, the trade-offs we will have to make, the hard truths confronting us,” Heng said.

“We will listen to your views and explore together what the Government can do, what each of you can do, and how we can create partnerships to take good ideas forward.”

“We need to shift from a Government that focuses primarily on working for you, to a Government that works with you,” he added. “Working with you, for you.”

Creating good jobs but open to “foreign talents” at the same time

However, despite Heng’s assurance, the 4 mentioned themes did not seem to tackle the more pressing issues now faced by Singaporeans everyday.

Even though he did talk about helping to create good jobs for Singaporeans, Heng’s government remains very much open to foreigners. Last year, MAS MD Ravi Menon gave a speech at an IPS conference highlighting the need for Singapore to hire more foreign PMETs.

“There is scope to improve the quality of the foreign workforce,” he said.

“The trend of improving quality in our foreign workforce has already begun,” he commented. “The proportion of work permit holders has declined by about 10 percentage points over last 10 years, while the proportion of S-Pass and employment pass holders has increased by around 10 percentage points.”

He argued that there must be some flexibility in the local-to-foreigner ratio to “match economic cycles, changing circumstances and opportunities”.

Manpower Minister Josephine Teo also agreed, “If the only way in which businesses can grow is by taking employees from other businesses, there will be more friction. So you have to allow for a little bit of growth.” That is, she meant changing the rules to allow for “a little bit” of growth in foreign PMET population.

Hence, given the PAP’s policy of relentlessly importing foreign PMETs into Singapore to work, no matter how many good jobs created would easily be overwhelmed by “foreign talents”, leaving few for Singaporeans. This is especially so since there is no quota set for foreign EP holders under present PAP’s policy for fear of scaring foreign investments away.

Empty promises of HDB values going up

In the area of housing, Heng talked about “shaping” the HDB living environment and “building” a stronger sense of community. He completely avoided talking about the falling value of HDB housing which his party said would go up if Singaporeans continue to vote for PAP.

For example, just before 2011 GE, then National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan promised, “We’re proud of the asset enhancement policy. (It) has given almost all Singaporeans a home of their own… that grows in value over time.”

This turned out to be false. In 2017, the present National Development Minister Lawrence Wong made a public statement saying that only 4% of HDB flats were redeveloped through Sers since 1995. That is, these old flats, typically at very good locations, were bought back by HDB and the flat owners were compensated accordingly.

But the vast majority of flats, Wong warned, will be returned to HDB when their 99-year lease run out without any compensation. “As the leases run down, especially towards the tail-end, the flat prices will come down correspondingly,” he said. “So buyers need to do their due diligence and be realistic when buying flats with short leases.”

CPF not enough

Last month, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) at National University of Singapore (NUS) published a survey revealing for the first time that an older Singaporean above 65 years old would need $1,379 a month to meet his or her basic needs.

For those aged aged 55 to 64 years old, they would need a minimum of $1,721 per month.

Despite a projected increase in Central Provident Fund (CPF) participation and savings with future cohorts, the basic retirement payment of less than $800 under the CPF Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) scheme is only about half of the household budget for a single elderly person, the study noted.

In Feb this year, under questioning, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo was forced to reveal that presently, 74% or about three-quarter of elderly CPF members are receiving monthly payouts of under $500.

Many on the average are receiving about $300-400 a month of payout, which is only about 25% of the needed $1,379.

It’s no wonder many of the elderly have to continue to work, despite their old age and sufferings from age-related ailment. Some work as cleaners in hawker centres while others work as security guards. Still, some work at Changi airport as cleaners or trolley collectors surprising many tourists visiting Singapore, as their own elderly are typically enjoying the sunset years at home.

These are some of the pressing issues facing Singaporeans which, unfortunately, Heng did not talk want to talk about in his 4 themes. Instead, he prefers to talk about peripheral issues.

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Current Affairs

Hotel Properties Limited suspends trading ahead of Ong Beng Seng’s court hearing

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has halted trading ahead of his court appearance today (4 October). The announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at about 7.45am, citing a pending release of an announcement. Mr Ong faces one charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and another charge of obstruction of justice. He is due in court at 2.30pm.

Published

11 hours ago

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4 October 2024

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SINGAPORE: Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), the property and hotel developer co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has requested a trading halt ahead of the Singapore tycoon’s scheduled court appearance today (4 October) afternoon.

This announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at approximately 7.45am, stating that the halt was due to a pending release of an announcement.

Mr Ong, who serves as HPL’s managing director and controlling shareholder, faces one charge under Section 165, accused of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts, as well as one charge of obstruction of justice.

He is set to appear in court at 2.30pm on 4 October.

Ong’s charges stem from his involvement in a high-profile corruption case linked to former Singaporean transport minister S Iswaran.

The 80-year-old businessman was named in Iswaran’s initial graft charges earlier this year.

These charges alleged that Iswaran had corruptly received valuable gifts from Ong, including tickets to the 2022 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, flights, and a hotel stay in Doha.

These gifts were allegedly provided to advance Ong’s business interests, particularly in securing contracts with the Singapore Tourism Board for the Singapore GP and the ABBA Voyage virtual concert.

Although Iswaran no longer faces the original corruption charges, the prosecution amended them to lesser charges under Section 165.

Iswaran pleaded guilty on 24 September, 2024, to four counts under this section, which covered over S$400,000 worth of gifts, including flight tickets, sports event access, and luxury items like whisky and wines.

Additionally, he faced one count of obstructing justice for repaying Ong for a Doha-Singapore flight shortly before the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) became involved.

On 3 October, Iswaran was sentenced to one year in jail by presiding judge Justice Vincent Hoong.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of six to seven months for all charges, while the defence had asked for a significantly reduced sentence of no more than eight weeks.

Ong, a Malaysian national based in Singapore, was arrested by CPIB in July 2023 and released on bail shortly thereafter. Although no charges were initially filed against him, Ong’s involvement in the case intensified following Iswaran’s guilty plea.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had earlier indicated that it would soon make a decision regarding Ong’s legal standing, which has now led to the current charges.

According to the statement of facts read during Iswaran’s conviction, Ong’s case came to light as part of a broader investigation into his associates, which revealed Iswaran’s use of Ong’s private jet for a flight from Singapore to Doha in December 2022.

CPIB investigators uncovered the flight manifest and seized the document.

Upon learning that the flight records had been obtained, Ong contacted Iswaran, advising him to arrange for Singapore GP to bill him for the flight.

Iswaran subsequently paid Singapore GP S$5,700 for the Doha-Singapore business class flight in May 2023, forming the basis of his obstruction of justice charge.

Mr Ong is recognised as the figure who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008, marking the first night race in the sport’s history.

He holds the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix. Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee and acted as the chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters concerning the race.

 

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Current Affairs

Chee Soon Juan questions Shanmugam’s $88 million property sale amid silence from Mainstream Media

Dr Chee Soon Juan of the SDP raised concerns about the S$88 million sale of Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow at Astrid Hill, questioning transparency and the lack of mainstream media coverage. He called for clarity on the buyer, valuation, and potential conflicts of interest.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

23 September 2024

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On Sunday (22 Sep), Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), issued a public statement on Facebook, expressing concerns regarding the sale of Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow (GCB) at Astrid Hill.

Dr Chee questioned the transparency of the S$88 million transaction and the absence of mainstream media coverage despite widespread discussion online.

According to multiple reports cited by Dr Chee, Mr Shanmugam’s property was transferred in August 2023 to UBS Trustees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, which holds the property in trust under the Jasmine Villa Settlement.

Dr Chee’s statement focused on two primary concerns: the lack of response from Mr Shanmugam regarding the transaction and the silence of major media outlets, including Singapore Press Holdings and Mediacorp.

He argued that, given the ongoing public discourse and the relevance of property prices in Singapore, the sale of a high-value asset by a public official warranted further scrutiny.

In his Facebook post, Dr Chee posed several questions directed at Mr Shanmugam and the government:

  1. Who purchased the property, and is the buyer a Singaporean citizen?
  2. Who owns Jasmine Villa Settlement?
  3. Were former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong informed of the transaction, and what were their responses?
  4. How was it ensured that the funds were not linked to money laundering?
  5. How was the property’s valuation determined, and by whom?

The Astrid Hill property, originally purchased by Mr Shanmugam in 2003 for S$7.95 million, saw a significant increase in value, aligning with the high-end status of District 10, where it is located. The 3,170.7 square-meter property was sold for S$88 million in August 2023.

Dr Chee highlighted that, despite Mr Shanmugam’s detailed responses regarding the Ridout Road property, no such transparency had been offered in relation to the Astrid Hill sale.

He argued that the lack of mainstream media coverage was particularly concerning, as public interest in the sale is high. Dr Chee emphasized that property prices and housing affordability are critical issues in Singapore, and transparency from public officials is essential to maintain trust.

Dr Chee emphasized that the Ministerial Code of Conduct unambiguously states: “A Minister must scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests.”

He concluded his statement by reiterating the need for Mr Shanmugam to address the questions raised, as the matter involves not only the Minister himself but also the integrity of the government and its responsibility to the public.

The supposed sale of Mr Shamugam’s Astrid Hill property took place just a month after Mr Shanmugam spoke in Parliament over his rental of a state-owned bungalow at Ridout Road via a ministerial statement addressing potential conflicts of interest.

At that time, Mr Shanmugam explained that his decision to sell his home was due to concerns about over-investment in a single asset, noting that his financial planning prompted him to sell the property and move into rental accommodation.

The Ridout Road saga last year centred on concerns about Mr Shanmugam’s rental of a sprawling black-and-white colonial bungalow, occupying a massive plot of land, managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), which he oversees in his capacity as Minister for Law. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, also rented a similarly expansive property nearby.

Mr Shanmugam is said to have recused himself from the decision-making process, and a subsequent investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) found no wrongdoing while Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean confirmed in Parliament that Mr Shanmugam had removed himself from any decisions involving the property.

As of now, Mr Shanmugam has not commented publicly on the sale of his Astrid Hill property.

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