[BicCherry]

$50 daily emergency accommodation subsidy for Malaysian workers reveals serious deficiencies in Singapore's socioeconomic architecture instead.

Firstly, the Singapore government was primarily only concerned with selling blue collar (work permit) jobs indescriminately, whilst perpetuating this pernicious myth that 'Singaporeans shun these jobs' to legitimise keeping the salary levels low and work conditions poor, as well as allowing foreigners to enmass in such roles to the extent that we must now desperately house Malaysian workers in hotels to ensure that our fragile economy doesn't falter from their being quarantined inside Malaysia (as a consequence the Malaysian border lockdown to stem the COVID-19 spread within) .

The lack of bicycle lanes, excessively voluminous road network, easy and very cheap accessibility of maids has turned out a soft and materialistic generation, unable to even care for themselves yet very demanding of efficiency from others, and personally stressed out over fighting for positions in hightech industries where studies have revealed that Singaporeans are the most disengaged workers https://sbr.com.sg/hr-education/news/si ... rk-in-asia , whose occupational choice was chosen more on social stereotypes ('high SES job') than on genuine interest nor temperament for doing such jobs. As a result, the Singapore government also opened the flood gates to foreign PMET labour (and requires zero levy payment as attraction to corporates employing foreigners doing PMET jobs above a certain low salary level, which is pegged to new graduates pay (currently is $3,600 onwards)) . Such structural mismatch in jobs has resulted in stress and job dissatisfaction amongst Singaporeans and also displeasure and shock that the government is now sponsoring employers with $50/malaysian worker/day to entice them to stay on which amounts for many to a hotel or dormitory stay with living allowance for the duration for which Malaysian borders remain in lockdown for now.

The lack of sufficient tree cover and bicycle paths mean an over reliance on public transportation (PT) as well as excessive PT quality demands from commuters since roads are already congested and it is very difficult to predict public transportation commuter load, let alone maintain high service quality standards where ample seating is always available for commuter convenience and comfort but at the expense of an excessively large and disproportionate foreign bus driver labour force and bus assets allocation. For many years now, government has been encouraging people to use maids and drive cars, building carparks within public housing establishments and charging inordinately low property taxes in part to invite the billionaires of the world to make Singapore their home. Consequently, we are trying to become like a Las Vegas (a playground for the rich) but with very serious unbalance and wealth divisions within society and excessive reliance on cheap labour and in as much, populist pork barrel politics.

The movie 'Crazy Rich Asians'

is both evidence and consequence of PAP Singapore socio-economic design and the social tensions as portrayed in the move just the tip of the iceberg with protest and questions about the legitimacy of the $50/pax/day housing subsidy revealing widespread dissatisfaction and distrust of PAP socio-economic policies, especially in the light of the PAP plans to increase GST to 9% between 2021 and 2025.

In short, the PAP should stop perpetuating the myth that Singaporeans don't want blue collar jobs by in the first instance improving the safety record significantly for these jobs alongside mandating high insurance coverage. Work permits should be issued COE style with no discrimination based upon salary level so mid career Singaporean PMET are not discouraged by foreign competition nor feel shortchanged since PAP government current policies seem to encourage replacement of citizens with PMET at salary level above $3,600 if it makes the company bottom line appear stronger. Singaporeans will also be more realistic and down to earth in their expectations and perhaps even more humane employers when the access to cheap maids is removed with a one size fits all foreign worker levy so those who wish to employ maids would have to either pay a levy similar to what a professional foreigner would pay or just hire other citizens to do the domestic chores part time, for a much higher fee of course. A more robust and less exploitative citizenry will make the economy more robust in the long run.

A single type COE for foreign employees will make Singaporeans less dependent on government for specific jobs roles since government would be more hands off for job creation in any particular (specific/ micromanaging) sense. The government cannot predict what jobs will be in demand, less insulate citizens from world wide job trends. Only in the context of dire national security would the government operate schools or training centres such as that which is military based, but only in critical national security sectors.

Foreigners who wish to make themselves more attractive to employers should strive to accept Singapore citizenship and by law, renounce their existing foreign citizenship since no Singaporean can hold any other concurrent citizenship after 21 years of age.

It is time for Singapore to operate as a sovereign and democratic Republic and to do so, PAP will have to reform many of its methods of political control which were merely copied/ continued from British colonial rule.

And Singaporeans will have to abandon their colonial subject mindset and find their new place in the world.

Perhaps now with the COVID-19 scare, it is time to reform the socio-economic landscape and serve the international demand for true health and fitness as insurance against sudden pandemics like the current COVID-19 scare, where most mortality is amongst the old and those with pre existing lifestyle disease like diabetes and cholesterol problems. And we could also combat climate change and realise Lee Kuan Yew dream of air-conditioning the whole country but with technology beyond LKY wildest dreams: by managing ground water and growing many more trees. At that point, our nation will be truly resilient and self sufficient and we wouldn't have to wait hand and foot on Malaysian foreign workers whenever the next pandemic strikes again.