Rilek1Corner

Tag: Speakers’ Corner

  • Protest Against Unjustified 30% Increase In Cost of Water: March 11

    Protest Against Unjustified 30% Increase In Cost of Water: March 11

    When finance minister Mr Heng Swee Kiat went to deliver the budget speech in Parliament, many people were relieved to know that the minister has finally recovered from his horrible stroke and ready to serve the country again.

    But the welcoming relief soon turned to shock as the minister drops a bombshell by announcing a 30% price hike in our water pricing.

    Though the hike will be spread over two years – one in July this year and the other in the same month next year with the assurance that Singaporeans will enjoy rebate subsidies to cushion the hike, nobody is smiling especially when the hike is carried out during the current economic crisis.

    Moreover, we realised that PUB has being enjoying profits from its operation and over the past 7 years, it has generated a massive S1.1 billion in profit. For FY 2015, it has generated $166.8 million profits – an increase of 77.3 per cent compared to FY2010’s profit of $94.1 million.

    The government has also tried to increase train fare few years ago when the transport operators are still reaping handsome profits triggering off a protest in January 2014. Protesters were unhappy with the fact that the two major transport companies, SMRT and SBS Transit, are making $120 million and $18 million in net profits respectively and this is set to increase rapidly with the rise in train ridership as well.

    For the latest 30% increase in water cost, the government has quoted the higher operating cost of treating water and that the reservoir in Malaysia is also drying up as mitigating reasons – factors which do not hold up well as all along PUB is still doing well in the black. The 30% increase in water pricing will probably add billions into the coffers of PUB but will certainly deepen the hardship of our poor and vulnerable who are already struggling with the country’s high cost of living.

    We have the unenviable record of being the world’s costliest city for the third time in a row this year. More shockingly, the water price hike also came on top of a slew of other recent price increases eg town council fee, ERP, electricity among others.

    Many have suggested that instead of increasing water pricing, why not ration water as during LKY’s time water rationing was very popular as it fosters community togetherness and people still value water as a precious commodity instead of having to pay dearly for it to be appreciated.

    The environment minister Mr Masagos did himself no favour by saying that:”The consumer must feel the price of water and realise how valuable water is in Singapore, every time he or she turns on the tap, right from the first drop.”

    It is as if Singaporeans need to be financially punished so we can better treasure our water supply. I am sure that we can look at other cheaper feasible alternatives to better appreciate water.

    It is unknown why the government could not use part of the tens of billions it has collected annually from GST, COE, taxes, ERP, land sales and other tariffs to offset the water hike but prefers to pass the pain directly to the people.

    The timing of the price hike is also damaging as many PMETs are still jobless or under-employed during this economic downturn. There is no social safety net for those who are jobless and such price hike only adds on to their growing frustration as a local Singaporean.

    All these recent utilities’ price hikes reveals a heartless merciless government bent on squeezing every drop of revenue from a struggling populace tired from paying all kinds of bills amidst stagnanting income growth.

    We call on all Singaporeans who are against this unjustified water price hike to turn up for our protest in a defiance show of unity.

    Though we may not be able to change the government’s stance but at least we will show them that we are unhappy and won’t take it laying down!

    Prepared by: Gilbert Goh
    Event Organiser
    3 March 2017

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/131704817353153/

  • MHA: Foreign Companies Need Permit To Sponsor, Promote Or Participate In Speakers’ Corner Events

    MHA: Foreign Companies Need Permit To Sponsor, Promote Or Participate In Speakers’ Corner Events

    Foreign companies will need a permit to sponsor, publicly promote or get its employees to participate in events at the Speakers’ Corner, stated the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday afternoon (Oct 21).

    For the first time, the ministry made clear what a Singapore entity was: those incorporated or registered in Singapore and controlled by a majority of Singapore citizens.

    The entity’s directors must be mostly Singaporean, and the majority of its ownership must be held by Singaporeans or one or more Singapore companies.

    Meanwhile, the ministry is loosening rules for local entities organising events at the Speakers’ Corner. From next month, Singapore companies or non-government organisations no longer need permits to hold events at the Speakers’ Corner. Now, only Singapore citizens are exempted.

    In its news release on the amendments to the rules, the ministry reiterated that the Speakers’ Corner was set up in 2000 for Singaporeans to express their views on issues that concern them.

    “The Government’s position has always been that foreign entities should not interfere in our domestic issues, especially those of a political or controversial nature,” said the MHA. “The amendments reinforce the key principle that the Speakers’ Corner was set up primarily for Singaporeans.”

    MHA is also extending the rules to those who participate at Speakers’ Corner events through remote means. So foreign entities will also need a permit if they speak through teleconferecing or pre-recorded messages at the Speakers’ Corner.

    These changes come on the back of reviews to Speakers’ Corner rules which the MHA started in June. The ministry had wanted to “make it clear that foreign entities should not fund, support or influence” events held at Speakers’ Corner, such as June 4’s Pink Dot – the annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rally.

    This year’s Pink Dot – the eighth such – attracted 18 sponsors including multinational companies such as Google, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Visa and General Electric.

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com

  • Gilber Goh: Third Labour Day Protest Is On!

    Gilber Goh: Third Labour Day Protest Is On!

    My fellow dear Singaporeans,

    We are gathering again on 1st May this year to celebrate our third labour day protest together as ONE voice.

    Much has happened during this period – Lee Kuan Yew has passed on, there was a small cabinet reshuffle, teen actor Amos Yee was arrested for his rant on Youtube on LKY and two men who were protesting at Istana were also arrested.

    Transport cost has risened by 2.8% recently and university fee has also gone up.

    The Tamil community is also unhappy with the recent Thaipusam arrest and our intention to hold a protest event on 14 February was rejected by the police.

    On the job front, foreign workers’ influx continued its ascent without showing any sign of abating and local PMETs were hit hard by unemployment on all levels.

    Manpower Minister Tan Chuan Jin’s retaliation that having more foreign workers do not mean we have less jobs for our local PMETs do not go down well with the many jobless PMETs we saw.

    Moreover, the promise by our Prime Minister in his I-am-sorry speech during the 2011 General Election to look into the foreign worker issue went very quiet after he won the election.

    We continued to see many jobless PMETs in our office but one worrying sign seems glaring – the jobless PMETs we saw are getting younger.

    A Indian PMET wrote in one month ago saying that he could not land a job after searching for more than 6 months in both the private and public sector. He is only 33 years old, has a masters degree and feeling desperate but feels fortunate that he is single as he only needs to take care of his own needs.

    Another Indian PMET also wrote in two weeks ago stating that he is being replaced by a foreign worker after working for only a month. He works as a manager in a bar owned by a Indian investor who later hires a Korean to replace him. He just returned home after working in Vietnam for 2 1/2 years but is beginning to regret this decision.

    He is paid $2800 but to reduce cost, the boss from India hires a foreign worker and of course pay him much lesser.

    The Singaporean is only 32 years old and just receive keys to his BTO flat. He is also getting married in August but is worried if he could gather enough money for the big day.

    Fortunately, a employer from LC Foodcourt spotted his duress and they invited for an interview earlier today for the position of manager. The company will decide his appointment on 23 April.

    A 40-year-old accountant, married with two young kids, also wrote in to us stating that he is jobless for more than 6 months and have never seen the job market so bad with very few interviews despite sending out many job applications. He says that he has sufficient savings to tie him through but looks worried for the future.

    He told me he is looking at a six-figure salary position when I met up with him but doesn’t sound confident he will get one very soon.

    Another jobless single of 40 years ago has a master in economics but job search for close to a year without any avail. We met up at Hans NLB last week and chatted for about 90 minutes.

    We also saw a 29-year-old lady graduate PMET two days ago in our office who is job searching for close to 8 months but is unsure how long her journey will take as jobs seem to be getting scarce nowadays.

    Just today, we saw a 35-year-old married man with a SIM degree who is jobless for close to three months after been retrenched from a SME.

    He has a 2-month-old baby boy and feeling desperate as he receives zero interview even though he applies for a few hundred jobs. His previous salary was $4000.

    He works as a technical sales executive all along and is willing to change field but need coaching advice on what to do next.

    Most of these real-life stories are posted on our website.

    Throughout the recent sessions we have with our local PMETs, we sense desperation, helplessness but most of all hopelessness as the job market is being ravaged by unfair practices that allow employers to hire foreigners easily at the expense of local Singaporeans.

    The employment practices here need to be further tightened so that employers will need to hire Singaporeans first before considering foreigners.

    We also want minimum wage legislation to be set up so our workers have a decent income to get by.

    We urge the government to listen closely to the voices of the people especially in this crucial election year.

    Many will not hesitate to vote against the government if our voices are left unheard especially on bread and butter issues.

    We urge Singaporeans to come together this labour day and speak as ONE voice against the many unfair labour practices that discriminate against our own.

    We are targetting a turn-out of at least a thousand die-hard Singaporeans and will invite relevant speakers for this event.

    If you also want to speak at our event, please email us at [email protected].

    During this labour day, don’t stay at home, let your voice be heard.

    Be brave as now we can only help ourselves.

    Singaporeans helping Singaporeans.

    Gilbert Goh
    Event organiser

    Note: We have just obtained our speakers’ corner permit.

     

    Source: Gilbert Goh

  • “Return Our CPF” Protester Fined $300 For Causing Public Nuisance

    “Return Our CPF” Protester Fined $300 For Causing Public Nuisance

    A 42-year-old woman, the only one to plead guilty of the six charged for causing a public nuisance with the “Return Our CPF” rally last year, was sentenced to a S$300 fine on Monday (Mar 9).

    In sentencing Chua Siew Leng, the district judge noted that her involvement in the incident was minor and that she had pleaded guilty early.

    Speaking to reporters after her sentencing, Chua said she decided to plead guilty to be able to carry on with her personal plans. She did not elaborate.

    Chua and the other five, including activist Han Hui Hui and blogger Roy Ngerng, were charged for disrupting a YMCA Proms@the Park event held at Hong Lim Park on Sep 27 last year. They were holding the “Return Our CPF” rally at the same place at the same time.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Government To Set Up CPF Advisory Panel In Feedback Exercise

    Government To Set Up CPF Advisory Panel In Feedback Exercise

    The government is setting up a CPF Advisory Panel to ask the public about what they feel about the CPF System.

    In a media release, the Ministry of Manpower explained that they want to hold Focus Groups to gather feedback on four main issues. These issues are:

    How the Minimum Sum should be adjusted after 2015, whether members should be allowed to withdraw a lump sum, how to increase the choices of the amount of cash payouts and how to give members more flexibility to get higher returns.

    The CPF Panel will be holding the discussions over the next few months and members can get more information and sign up at www.cpfpanel.sg.

    It seems that the government is finally listening and taking feedback from the public after much public discussion and dissatisfaction.

    The public have organised their own gatherings, spoken up on many occasions at Hong Lim Park through the monthly CPF protests and one activist, blogger Roy Ngerng, is even being sued by the PM for writing about CPF.

    Why is it that now, the government wants to listen but fails to acknowledge that they have only finally decided to do so after citizens made so much noise about it?

    Is this the way the government “gathers feedback” in Singapore – Ignore the people when they speak up and even try to silence them by revoking permits and issuing legal threats only to turn around and open up public dialogues months later and pretend that it is their idea to listen to the public?

     

    Source: wwww.therealsingapore.com