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Civil Service Perceives Private Degree Qualifications As Second Class

I share the sentiments in Mr Max Leong’s letter “Look beyond job applicants’ schools” (Nov 18) and agree with Mr Jeffrey Law in the letter “Use employment aptitude test to measure job suitability” (Nov 19).

I graduated from a foreign university via a tie-up programme with one of the largest private tertiary education institutions in Singapore. It was a three-year part-time degree programme.

But after working hard to obtain my degree while having to work full-time, I found that my graduate qualification was not well received by some employers. I had more than eight years of relevant working experience when I graduated and was registered with several professional specialist bodies. However, I still faced prejudice and discrimination for being a graduate of a private university here. I made multiple applications to relevant graduate postings for four years, but met no success.

Even my current employer, whom I have been working for over the past five years, was cold to my request when I asked to be placed on a graduate scheme after I obtained my degree. Instead, my employer has continued to put me on a diploma-holder scheme, citing reasons such as no available space under the degree-holder scheme, my degree’s lack of relevance to the job, my university not being among the world’s top 200 universities and so on.

As highlighted by Mr Leong and Mr Law, a good attitude, passion and working experience are important attributes that employers should look for in potential job applicants. The recognition of these attributes in our employment and human resource best practices, whether in the public or private sector, should be the way forward, rather than a preference for graduates from certain higher institutions.

I sincerely hope there will be a paradigm shift that will allow equal opportunity to all qualified graduates and I urge all stakeholders to work towards this goal.

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

November 25, 2014
The Online Citizen Appeals For Funds

Dear readers,

Starting this week, expect less content to be posted on The Online Citizen, as the directors of The Opinion Collaborative Ltd focus our attention on securing funding for the website.

Our funds are extremely low, as subscriptions have not been forthcoming and donations have dwindled. Whatever funds we have left now would be directed towards maintaining our web server, to keep the website online.

The budget crunch has affected the editorial operations in TOC. The full-time editorial team is living on fumes and passion to keep the website operational. While we attempt to secure the budget required for the smooth continuation and maintenance of an efficient news outfit, you may see a reduction of postings in the coming weeks.

Please bear with us with the slow down in content production. Meanwhile, you can help us by:

1) Subscribing to TOC – by downloading the form, here, completing it and sending it to us; or

2) Donating to TOC by cheque – made payable to “The Opinion Collaborative Ltd” and sent to The Online Citizen, 20 Maxwell Road #09-17, Maxwell House, Singapore 069113; or

3) Donating to TOC by bank or ATM transfer – to DBS current account, bank code 7171, account number 04890-4435-7.

Please note that, under the Media Development Authority’s regulations for TOC Ltd, all donations to TOC must be accompanied by your name and identification number. Donations without these details will be reserved for TOC Ltd’s future projects.

Thank you.

The TOC editorial team

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

November 25, 2014
Gilbert Goh: 10 Ministers To Ship Out Of The Cebiner After The Next Elections

Ten ministers we want to see out of the cabinet after the next election:-

1. Lim Swee Say – a minister without portfolio, Mr Lim is in charge of the labour department here but is seldom seen advocating for our workers.

In fact, he earns his million-dollar salary by discouraging the implementation of minimum wage as he says that wage increase should be accompanied by higher productivity.

Termed the tooth-pick minister because he is only concerned about the lack of tooth pick when he visited a Dai Tai Fong restaurant two years ago, Singapore will not miss him at all if he is out of the cabinet after the next election as he is seldom saying anything useful for the people.

Certainly not deserving of his million-dollar salary.

2. Admiral Lui Tuck Yew – in his first term as transport minister, Admiral Lui mishandled the many train mishaps that occurred the past few years by simply brushing them off as ordinary occurrences and seldom spoke out convincingly against any annual PTC fare hike even though SMRT made millions in profits for many years.

When he tried to travel in public transport to get a real personal feel of the daily grind of average Singporeans, he was jeered at by many as trying to score cheap political points.

He was also the first minister in Singapore to almost have a effigy burnt in his name at Hong Lim park early this year during the transport fare hike protest.

A minister that is best left to manage ships than trains and buses.

Deserve a pay-cut if he continues to perform this manner.

3. Gan Kim Yong – Mr Gan was transferred to take care of the health ministry after the 2011 election when he couldn’t manage the problematic manpower ministry during his first term.

An average minister at best, Mr Gan could not inspire in his parliamentary speeches and lack the charisma and leadership to helm a ministry.

Singaporeans will not miss him if he is taken out as a minister after the next election.

He probably only has the capacity to be a state minister.

Singapore can get someone to replace him as minister after the next election.

4. MG Chan Chun Sing – he led the social work ministry of the country even though he is an army officer for the best part of his career.

Parachuted in by the prime minister when the party lost its first-ever GRC after the 2011 GE, MG Chan quickly established himself and became the kee-chu minister.

In many of his speeches to the constituents, he asked people to raise their hands in hokkein “kee-chu” if they agreed with his points.

Since taking over the social work ministry, MG Chan has not really introduced any policies that deserve mention so far.

Touted as the next prime minister material, MG Chan is labelled a hardliner and prefer to use the rod than spoil the child type.

If he does eventually take over as prime minister, Singaporeans will have many sleepless nights and human rights activists will be busy trying to escape lawsuits.

5. BG Tan Chuan Jin – helming the massive heavyweight manpower ministry, BG Tan quickly established himself as a good communicator and used his fast oratory wit alot to side-step important issues.

Seldom wanting to take side on any matter, he generalises alot in his speeches and sometimes one could not really tell what he is trying to communicate to the people.

He has charming baby-face look and could be a poster boy for the government.

Many people speculated that he didn’t do a good job as manpower minister when they didn’t confirm him as a full-fledged minister like they have done for MG Chan – he was acting minister for another 6 months before turning permanent.

Also seen as best left to serve in the army than helming a complicated ministry that requires alot of private sector and industrial experience, BG Tan is seen lacking as the manpower minister. He seldom speaks as if he truly understand what is happening on the ground.

He has really done nothing much during his term as manpower minister to remedy the serious flaw in our manpower dilemma right now. People get terminated easily without proper redress and foreigners on social tourist visas could look for work without repercussion.

So far, besides Mr Gan, none of the minister could boast of any solid private sector experience that is vital in many portfolio ministry and this is seriously exposed through BG Tan.

This lack of private sector experience is a serious flaw in our current cabinet make-up right now and Singaporeans are paying the price.

6. Dr Vivian Balaikrishnan – taken out from the heavyweight MCYS social work ministry after the 2011 GE after his massive controversial remark on our poor – three hot meals and hotel stay, Mr Balaikrishnan now helms the public works department.

He also says that there is no homeless people staying in Singapore and thus ridiculed the intelligence of Singaporeans.

Often seen as speaking arrogantly and completely out of line with the ground, he will remain minister for the minor ministry for the rest of his political career and public works suits him best.

Singaporeans won’t miss him if he is taken out of the cabinet altogether.

7. Admiral DPM Teo Chee Hean – DPM Teo is also seen as a hardliner and often took on duties that our prime minister shrink from.

He was the man who handled the two top civil servant corruption cases and also got embroiled in the Michael Palmer disgraced exit as Speaker of Parliament.

Lacking charisma and hardnosed, DPM Teo lacks empathy and seldom inspires with his speeches.

He is also dull looking and has sleepy eyes that hardly could wake up.

A deputy prime minister that Singapore could do without.

8. Khaw Boon Wan – Mr Khaw shone in his ministerial term as health minister but is seen lacking as national development minister after taking over in 2011. He could not pacify a population that is crying for transparency in the actual costing of our HDB flats.

Cost of new HDB flats have rose considerably but the build-in size has shrank much.

However, to his credit, he manages to speed up the building of new HDB flats and the waiting time has being slashed by almost one-third from the tenure under previous minister Mah Bow Tan.

Mr Khaw has performed ordinarily as housing minister and we expect more from him as he is capable of doing much more like when he helmed the health ministry.

9.Dr Yaacob Ibrahim – deemed the minister for Malay affairs, he seldom however speaks up for the plight of Malays and is the much-hated mouthpiece for the government.

He also helms the ministry for communication and information.

Caught in the unenviable position of having to speak up for the Malays and yet not trampling on the tail-coat of our government, Dr Yacob could not function well in his role except to collect his million-dollar paycheck every year.

Singaporeans, especially the Malay community, will not miss him if he is out of the cabinet either by the loss of his GRC or a downgrade in portfolio duties.

10. Ng Eng Hen – the surgeon minister is now handling defence after trying out education in his first term.

Not many people know of his ministerial effort as he is often soft-spoken and stay in the shadow.

The best thing he has done is to reduce national service to 24 months from 30 months and he seldom inspires with his speeches.

Its also strange a surgeon led the defence portfolio when we have more than seven generals in the cabinet team.

A minister that will not be missed if he is gone after the next election as so far his contribution is really very minimal.

He can then get back his 5-million dollar job as a top private surgeon.

Gilbert Goh

*Article first appeared on https://www.facebook.com/goh.gilbert/posts/10153402207138975

Source: www.therealsingapore.com

November 25, 2014
Straits Times Forum Writer Urges Locals To Learn The Malay Language

WHILE I was on an exchange programme at the Lycee Francais de Singapour in Ang Mo Kio, I realised that most of the students learnt at least three languages.

In fact, many people around the world are now trilingual in English, Mandarin and a language used by their neighbouring country.

Singaporeans, however, study only two languages in school – English and our mother tongue.

With Malay being a common language used by our neighbours such as Malaysia and Indonesia, and with many Singaporeans travelling to these countries for short trips, perhaps it would be useful to offer lessons in conversational Malay to students.

In my school, everyone had to learn conversational Malay for two years. During that time, we had the chance to taste Malay cuisine and experience eating using our hands.

Learning another language is useful as, in doing so, we can better understand its culture, something that is important in a multiracial society like Singapore.

Whether we use it in the future or not, it is always better to be able to know the gist of the language, so we can apply it if necessary.

Jong Ching Yee (Ms)

Source: www.straitstimes.com

November 24, 2014
Topless Korean Man Beaten, Asks For Help From 7-11 Cashier

Stomper Chris said that this man entered a 7-Eleven store at River Valley at 6am this morning (Nov 23), claiming to have been attacked and asking the cashier to call the police.

The man had apparently been beaten up, judging from the marks on his body, said the Stomper.

Chris wrote in his email:

“This topless guy came into the 7-Eleven store at River Valley, claiming that he had been attacked by some guys.

“He asked the 7-Eleven cashier to call the police.

“He had marks on his body. I think he got beaten up.

“We asked him where was he from and he said he was from Korea.”

Source: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg

November 24, 2014