Singapore People’s Party (SPP) member Khan Osman Sulaiman took to his Facebook on Tuesday (23 June), saying that the lack of social safety net and the absence of minimum wages law make Singapore look more like a third world country.

In a video that was posted on his Facebook, Mr Osman questioned the capability of the People’s Action Party (PAP) in tackling the issues brought up by globalisation.

Although Singapore has “transformed from a third world country into a first world nation” during the PAP’s over 60 years of ruling, he pointed out that the label of first world nation “seems hollow” due to the country’s lack of social safety net and absence of minimum wages law.

“It’s nice to be associated as a First World Nation, but this label seems…hollow when a moment…. Because for a develop nation like us, the lack of social safety net and the absence of minimum wages law make us looking more like a third world country,” Mr Osman remarked.

Highlighting that the PAP has refused to set the country’s poverty line, he noted that it has caused the public assistance funds to continue being below the level of subsistence and thus cannot provide adequately to those in need.

“Our elderly generation is forced to selling tissue paper and cardboard boxes to put food on their table. So how can we – as one of the richest countries in the world, treat our elderly people in this manner? I think this is the biggest failure of this PAP government,” Mr Osman added.

Speaking about the local wages, he mentioned that the problem of wages’ stagnation was compounded further by the labour immigration policy as well as the refusal to implement minimum wages.

Mr Osman asserted that the PAP has failed to strengthen the labour law to protect local workforce, adding that the people can only depend on the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), which seemingly shows higher priority in setting up “more mini mart and collecting more membership fees rather than protecting the employees’ right”.

Other than that, he also addressed the issue on high cost of public housing, where houses are now smaller in size but the cost of flat “has gone through the roof”.

“As an example, in 90s, 3-room-flat will cost us average hundred thousand dollars, but now it’s three times amount, and our wages are not keeping up in line with the price increase. This is why we have to work a lifetime to finish paying our mortgage,” Mr Osman uttered in the video.

He went on to say that the PAP is “woefully inept to handle” the problems that are brought up by globalisation, while hinting the need for more alternative parties in Parliament to discuss the policy gaps robustly.

“The PAP has always speech globalization as a strategy that will raise the living standard in Singapore, and I believe so. But with globalization, comes different sets of problems that this current government is woefully inept to handle. We have waited many long years for this problem to be addressed, yet time and again, this government has failed us all.

“Until we vote for more opposition parties in Parliament to discuss policy robustly, I’m afraid nothing much will probably change. Policy gap robust stand without vigorously debated, and in the end, we suffer,” Mr Osman remarked.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

AGC says camera installed outside toilet of police station; Stolen tap costs more than almost all of IKEA's

It was reported yesterday (15 Aug) that a man who stole a…

ELEMENT Magazine celebrates LGBT rights heroes

Launched a year ago, ELEMENT magazine, the organizer behind Asia Pink Awards,…

【冠状病毒19】测试盒校准出问题 33人被误列为确诊

根据卫生部文告,卫生部对实验室测试进行定期检查,最近却发现因为其中一套测试盒出现校准问题,有33人被误列为对冠状病毒19 呈阳性反应。 国家公共卫生实验室再次为他们进行检测,确认上述33人都对冠病呈阴性。 卫生部也表示,当局已立即采取行动纠正问题,有关实验室也暂停检测工作,以解决问题。 不过,当局也表示审查也未发现有出现误判为阴性的测试结果。 另一方面,有鉴于有两名病患的检测结果模棱两可,当局暂时把他们 列为”阳性“并隔离。不过较后进行重新检测,已确认他们都对冠病呈阴性反应。 上述两名病例,分别是博览中心隔离设施服务的20岁男护士,以及52岁女义工。

Pwee Foundation's 1st year Anniversary: Helping NGOs and social enterprises to stand on their own

(Photo: Benjamin Pwee address the guests of the foundation’s 1st Anniversary dinner)…