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They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

All around us, there are hard-luck stories of Singaporeans who cannot make a decent living or live only for today fearing what tomorrow brings.

The elderly in their twilight years are still collecting cardboard and cleaning tables. People who get laid off find it tough to get back on their own two feet. A food delivery rider turns hawker – and still ends up throwing in the towel.

Every so often, we get incredible numbers and motherhood stuff flung at us – 180,000 people trained in tech skills! 100,000 jobs and training opportunities created! 3.5 million jobs for 2.5 million locals! More upskilling! More reskilling! Be future ready for the digital economy!

Sounds impressive! But what do they mean to the ones like the food delivery rider turned hawker and so many others like him?

Shortly before the last general election, Minister Heng Swee Keat promised: “The effort to grow our economy is not just to create jobs, but to create better jobs for Singaporeans.”

So where are the “better jobs for Singaporeans”? How many Singaporeans and how many Permanent Residents (PRs) get them? Ask till the cows come home and we are none the wiser. The data and statistics presented – like navigating through a maze – do not give us the picture.

Pressed in Parliament for a breakdown on jobs going to Singaporeans and PRs, Minister Chan Chun Sing said: “We can get you the numbers. But let me say this: what is the point behind the question?”

He answered a question with a question. Job done.

However, Minister Vivian Balakrishnan did utter comforting words on the jobs front: “We should not have to apologise that we are tilting the playing field in favour of our own citizens.”

But then, we have been told time and time again that Singapore has an open economy and having fewer foreigners will deprive Singaporeans of jobs and career opportunities.

So which is which?

To compound the mystery and the confusion, Minister Chan Chun Sing said that the ultimate competition is “Team Singapore, comprising Singaporeans, the PRs and even the foreign workforce … competing to give Singaporeans the best chance possible.”

Most remarkably, the Minister’s version of Team Singapore comprises foreign workers! Is that why any breakdown of local and foreign workers for jobs created is deemed not meaningful?

Minister Chan also pledged (before the last election): “We will work hard to make sure everyone who wants a job can get a job.”

Words come easy, don’t they?

The Ministry of Manpower yesterday warned of easing momentum in the labour market in the year ahead, noting: “With the recent uptick in retrenchments, unemployment rates could also trend higher.”

If everyone who wants a job can get a job, why would unemployment trend higher? Why are people remaining jobless despite their best efforts?

Which reminds us of what then Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong told us about the employment situation: “Retrenchment is good for Singapore. If there is no retrenchments, then I worry.”

In that case, we should all be rejoicing now because retrenchments – especially by tech companies – have become commonplace.

 

Augustine Low

 

 

yyy
READER COMMENTS BELOW

36 Responses to “They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation”

  • #$%^&*:

    Constant lying disguised as confusion.
    9 or 10 PAP ministers are NOT talented at all.
    That is how they consider everything else talent except the locals – that would make them look more disgusting than they already are.

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  • #$%^&*:

    Meant 9 of 10 ministers etc

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  • only stupid people vote pap:

    we always tell sinkies. buy that car. sinkies say coe too high. hahaha.

    then, who is driving up the coe?

    sinkies say, in self justification, the pap government knows what it is doing. if coe is too high, it means less traffic congestion.

    so stupid these sinkies.

    the coe is high is because of more aliens with the S$ that the pap likes are allowed into the place.

    the main points are, sinkies waste their lives in NSF NSR so that the aliens can come in and buy up the houses and the cars so much so sinkies are paying more and more for smaller and smaller HDB and squeezing themselves every time they travel on BUS MRT.

    a few more things. zero pap leaders BUS MRT. not even one day a week. zero pap leaders have no degrees. they all get to eat very well with their degrees. zero pap leaders think their jobs can be done by aliens. only sinkie jobs can be done by aliens.

    if sinkies are truly suffering now, good. stop the suffering by voting OPPO. if sinkies are still voting pap, then, too bad, they suffer 5 more years. there are no two ways about the suffering which is self caused.

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  • CPF is tax under disguise:

    The theme of competing against each other, turning the citizens against each other ect has always been their hallmark. A united society means they will be ousted out out long ago.

    To keep u from united , they create these scenarios where u are busy competing with each other and less time to think about them and their rule and politics. Diversion of attention . Singaporean better wake up. This is third world system

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  • Singaporeans R Free Riders:

    Dear Augustine,

    Everyone has their own time zone. Do you understand or not ?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxTMdbobGKA

    As long as you work hard towards your goal and not give up, you will reach your goal.

    Work hard, don’t screw around, take responsibility of your action.

    Many Parents screw around and never take responsibility.
    Wife caught husband cheating with mistress-Chua soon ho (Jackie Chua)
    https://bit.ly/3PMVWB3

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  • Singaporeans R Free Riders:

    Thanks to our great PAP FTA with CECA / RCEP.

    Singaporeans can now look forward to work in India / China.

    Hon Hai India Factory “Bollywood Song and Dance Show” celebrates the New Year!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sldelDH4haA

    And Singaporeans can be like fellow forumer “Tax is 40% in singapore” married a foreign wife and be a free rider on foreign soil.

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  • opposition dude:

    Isn’t it well known by now that the PAP says one thing and then does the opposite? We can see for ourselves that there are far, far too many aliens in our workplaces and a good number of locals delivering food or driving for Grab. What we read in the papers about x numbers of jobs being created is just wayang advertising and we have already let PAP know how we felt back in 2020.

    Just ignore the “good news” printed in the papers and let your votes do the talking in the next election.

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  • Plenty Of Jobs:

    The PAP tries to convince Singaporeans that they are creating a lot of jobs. If that is correct, why are there many Singaporeans downgrading to become food deliverer or private hire drivers ?

    Sorry we cannot be fooled easily.

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  • I_am_AMDK_angmophiles'_favorit:

    This discussion is really like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

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  • Light The Way:

    By the same token, competition creates a better Parliament.

    But contrary to their claims that competition creates better opportunities for Singapore, the incumbent party hates the Opposition like hell and is adamant in taking them out.

    So which is which?

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  • MarBowling:

    CPF is tax under disguise:
    February 3, 2023 at 8:59 pm (Quote)
    The theme of competing against each other, turning the citizens against each other ect has always been their hallmark. A united society means they will be ousted out out long ago.

    To keep u from united , they create these scenarios where u are busy competing with each other and less time to think about them and their rule and politics. Diversion of attention . Singaporean better wake up. This is third world system

    Response: Great and insightful comments. His Big Daddy had mentioned before: SinKapore should have ONLY about 3.5 population or slightly more for OPTIMUM benefits. But his Sunny Boy and his “TALENTED” Wifey Holee Jinx have BETTER IDEA: 6.9 or 10 millions population with hundreds if not thousands of billionaires willingly to become citizens and park their fortunes here! That’s WHY both their farking theme and schemes of thingy are “COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER, TURNING THE LOCAL CITIZENS AGAINST EACH OTHER ETC HAS ALWAYS BEEN THEIR HALLMARK. A UNITED SOCIETY MEANS THEY BE OUSTED OUT LOONG AGO”! If all those HDB pigeon holes and cars are CHEAP CHEAP, and if those flats “OWNERS” and cars owners are ALLOWED and managed to pay within a short period of time and NOT the current FORCED LOONG TERM PAYMENT PERIOD, very soon and no time most citizens WILL HAVE TIME and ENERGY TO THINK OF LOCAL POLITICS AND BY EXTENSION ABLE TO ANALYZE THAT FOR A VERY LOONG TIME THEY HAVE BEEN LED BY THE NOSE IN EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR LIVES BY THE PAPIGS UNDER MAI HUM!

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  • Light The Way:

    This is called ‘From White Collar to Blue Collar’ re-skilling programme for the daft masses.

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  • I am curious about CECA:

    Does CECA mandate SG must give jobs to ceceans? Which sectors? Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% ceceans! The productivity of that department for sure is the lowest or one of the lowest in that company. Do we want to self destruct our economy in long term in that way?

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  • DeBarge:

    opposition dude:
    Isn’t it well known by now that the PAP says one thing and then does the opposite? We can see for ourselves that there are far, far too many aliens in our workplaces and a good number of locals delivering food or driving for Grab. What we read in the papers about x numbers of jobs being created is just wayang advertising and we have already let PAP know how we felt back in 2020.

    Just ignore the “good news” printed in the papers and let your votes do the talking in the next election.

    The PAP does what is convenient for them. Whatever makes their position easier and continues their control. I think any party in power long enough does the same. The fact that Singaporeans benefit on occasion is incidental. It only means that instance control to the overall PAP plan namely control and domination. Singaporeans have not caught on it seems. Talk to the man in the street. They are unable to think for themselves. They only wake up when they see their kids suffering. Well, maybe.

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  • Billy ma:

    Next GE do we expect to see a big swing from PAP by the 20s-30s?

    And will there be a swing from the 50s & 60s age-group because their 20s-30s children can’t get jobs or a decent one?

    Another group is the 60s & above who are probably hardest hit by the insane inflation. Their retirement fund is sinking & likely to evaporate faster than their aging.

    Maybe the coming President election,if there is one, can be a shadow of the next GE.

    But PAP is very confident of the president & next GE.
    first, PAP will disqualified everyone except its own.
    Second, PAP had issued out more than enough new citizenship to cover the expected vote losses of native Singaporeans.

    They win all again.

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  • Just Saying:

    Agustine, the worthless shepherd has traits that’ll prevent him from doing his job.

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  • Singaporeans R Free Riders:

    I am curious about CECA:
    Does CECA mandate SG must give jobs to ceceans? Which sectors? Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% ceceans! The productivity of that department for sure is the lowest or one of the lowest in that company. Do we want to self destruct our economy in long term in that way?

    My great PAP is right, Oppositions are racist.

    Oppositions are racist as shown by moniker “I am curious about CECA” post “Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% ceceans!”

    You will never see Opposition complaining “”Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% RCEPian!”

    Our great PAP is correct to TIGHTLY CONTROL all Mainlander Triad linked activities.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9-Co-4E8gU

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  • Observer:

    In the working world, we use only a portion the knowledge from our studies. So we should focus on our strengths.

    Maybe we can tweak the algorithm behind our meritocracy model. Maybe we give stronger weightage to the student’s best subject. Maybe we can reduce the weightage of 2nd language.

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  • UltraRich Tiong Invasion:

    “.China’s mega-rich move their wealth, and partying, to Singapore”
    ”Other Chinese tycoons fear the Communist Party could apply similar pressure or even take over their businesses at low prices, an accountant familiar with the situation told AFP.

    “Moving to Singapore is about making sure the family wealth is kept safe and can last for several generations,” the accountant said.
    ..’At least when I’m here, I know my money is mine.”
    I KNOW MY MONEY IS MINE.
    Tiongland ultra-rich moving billions out of the reach of CCP.
    Emperor-Forever and CCP should sent a memo to Pinkie to stop the outflow.
    Unless, of course, these tycoons are tightly connected to CCP.
    Tiong tycoons moving the wealth equality problem from Tiongland to Sinkieland.
    Pinkie says all AliBaba Jack Ma[s] are very welcome in Sinkieland.

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  • Trust only myself:

    #$%^&*:
    Constant lying disguised as confusion.
    9 or 10 PAP ministers are NOT talented at all.
    That is how they consider everything else talent except the locals – that would make them look more disgusting than they already are.

    9 or 10 only……….? Should be all……..are liars.

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  • Singaporeans R Free Riders:

    CPF is tax under disguise:
    The theme of competing against each other, turning the citizens against each other ect has always been their hallmark. A united society means they will be ousted out out long ago.

    To keep u from united , they create these scenarios where u are busy competing with each other and less time to think about them and their rule and politics. Diversion of attention . Singaporean better wake up. This is third world system

    Again blame our great PAP ?

    Did our great PAP make you buy more and end up with huge loan debts ?

    No right?

    It was the individual whose vanity (keeping up with the Jones) cause them to buy bigger house and car and get themselves caught in huge loan debts.

    If the individual live within their means, they will not have huge loan debts.

    知足常乐 (one who is contented is always happy)

    If you are always not contented, Blame your OWN GREED lah.

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  • Want to catch or not?:

    …..’Another one? ‘Vacant’ Jurong East flat listed for sale raises eyebrows”’
    …’
    ””the minister said that HDB detects infringements to their rules through methods such as random inspections – 500 every month ”
    ASIAONE
    If you have to do 500 inspections per month, the problem is RAMPANT and widespread.
    A lot of resources are being deployed to ‘catch’ these criminals.
    Do not seem to be working.
    HDB—are you serious in wanting to catch these criminals???
    Are there not a million other ways to catch them by using data mining with data that govt bodies and stat board have???

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  • I am Free Rider:

    Singaporeans R Free Riders: My great PAP is right, Oppositions are racist.

    Oppositions are racist as shown by moniker “I am curious about CECA” post “Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% ceceans!”

    You will never see Opposition complaining “”Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% RCEPian!”

    Our great PAP is correct to TIGHTLY CONTROL all Mainlander Triad linked activities.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9-Co-4E8gU

    Cock. When pap said it needed a malay president and proceeded to select an INDIAN pap has shown everyone, sinkies especially, that pap is RACIST.

    You are so stupid. Better burn away your sunway degree if you really have one which I doubt. Because you are so stupid that even sunway would have not accepted you to prevent you tarnishing its name.

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  • I am Free Rider:

    Singaporeans R Free Riders: Again blame our great PAP ?

    Did our great PAP make you buy more and end up with huge loan debts ?

    No right?

    It was the individual whose vanity (keeping up with the Jones) cause them to buy bigger house and car and get themselves caught in huge loan debts.

    If the individual live within their means, they will not have huge loan debts.

    知足常乐 (one who is contented is always happy)

    If you are always not contented, Blame your OWN GREED lah.

    You are the typical heartless c**k talking pap balls carrier.

    You talk without coherence. You are so stupid no medicine can cure.

    Suggest you spend some time in London and get a PhD. Then maybe you are same level as anyone here to talk wisely.

    Even Dr Tsai Ing-Wen has a PhD from London. You useless piece of shit masquerading a sunway degree.

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  • Edison - Anti Free Rider:

    Free riders are PAP MPs who enter Parliament on the coattails of others.
    Free riders are the sons and daughters of top dogs who get a free ride and free pass in life.
    Free riders are paper generals who never have to fight a war but know only how to fight the opposition and say things like “cotton comes from sheep”
    Free riders are those who calls opposition voters free riders.
    Free riders are losers who come to sites like TRE and call Singaporeans free riders.
    Free riders say the PAP is great but have no friends and envy those with the guts to vote for the opposition.
    Free riders are PAP supporters who think and behave like sheep — baaa baaa!!

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  • Light The Way:

    “Why China’s ‘crazy’ mega-rich are moving their wealth, and partying, to Singapore” – SCMP, 4 Feb 2023

    https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3209102/why-chinas-crazy-mega-rich-are-moving-their-wealth-and-partying-singapore?module=lead_hero_story&pgtype=homepage

    The gracious host here often serves conditional warnings despite an apparent zero tolerance for corruption. To some people, that’s a big plus.

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  • Singaporeans R Free Riders:

    Edison - Anti Free Rider:
    Free riders are PAP MPs who enter Parliament on the coattails of others.
    Free riders are the sons and daughters of top dogs who get a free ride and free pass in life.
    Free riders are paper generals who never have to fight a war but know only how to fight the opposition and say things like “cotton comes from sheep”
    Free riders are those who calls opposition voters free riders.
    Free riders are losers who come to sites like TRE and call Singaporeans free riders.
    Free riders say the PAP is great but have no friends and envy those with the guts to vote for the opposition.
    Free riders are PAP supporters who think and behave like sheep — baaa baaa!!

    My answer to you. See below.

    Singaporeans R Free Rider: Not only Trump,
    Biden also hire family members like what the CCP did.

    Children and family members of Biden’s top aides land government jobs
    https://www.axios.com/2021/06/18/biden-administration-hiring-family

    Democratic anyone?
    Only poke backside LGBT and stupid Hong Kees canon fodders will believe it.

    Can you educate yourselves that your great Democratic Americunt ma$ter In God We Tru$t also do the same. Can you condemn them FIRST too ?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cronyism
    Cronyism is the practice of partiality in awarding jobs and other advantages to friends or trusted colleagues……….

    11 US presidents have appointed family members to executive branch positions.
    https://ballotpedia.org/Fact_check/Have_presidents_before_Donald_Trump_appointed_family_members_to_White_House_positions

    Crony Capitalism, American Style
    https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/15-025_c6fbbbf7-1519-4c94-8c02-4f971cf8a054.pdf

    Yes, it’s legal for Trump to hire his family as White House staff
    https://qz.com/1496272/yes-its-legal-for-trump-to-hire-his-family-as-white-house-staff/

    IF YOU HAVE POOR INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, DON’T BLAME OTHERS FOR YOUR WOES.

    EITHER YOU SWIM OR YOU SINK. PERIOD.

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  • Singaporeans R Free Riders:

    I am Free Rider: You are the typical heartless c**k talking pap balls carrier.

    You talk without coherence. You are so stupid no medicine can cure.

    Suggest you spend some time in London and get a PhD. Then maybe you are same level as anyone here to talk wisely.

    Even Dr Tsai Ing-Wen has a PhD from London. You useless piece of shit masquerading a sunway degree.

    Confirmed you are “illiterate PAP Voters” masquerading as “I am Free Rider”

    Dr ? Hahahaha..This is fact:
    “the LSE” denied holding the requested information..read it yourselves
    https://bit.ly/3OVRPD3

    Tsai is now at the end of her term (power) and many real PHD holders no longer afraid of her.

    Watch Many real PHD holders now dare to tell the truth.
    『蔡英文博士論文 存在與否』學術研討會 高雄場 (2月4日、週六下午) 辦理
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpLX3O5Vyxg

    I am looking forward to them holding it in Singapore.
    新加坡場 (3月4日、週六下午) 辦理

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  • @Free Riders:

    “You will never see Opposition complaining “”Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% RCEPian!”

    I truly love it when the department is >90% RECPian. With CECians drop to below 10% the productivity is now guaranteed much better, talkers greatly reduced, lot more genuine work delivered.,

    See I not really opposition but helping PAP to think how to improve the national economy productivity and quality.

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  • Singaporeans R Free Riders:

    @Free Riders:
    “You will never see Opposition complaining “”Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% RCEPian!”

    I truly love it when the department is >90% RECPian. With CECians drop to below 10% the productivity is now guaranteed much better, talkers greatly reduced, lot more genuine work delivered.,

    See I not really opposition but helping PAP to think how to improve the national economy productivity and quality.

    Research and Think critically before you open your mouth.

    Do you know that India is part of RCEP ?

    Do you even know who are the RCEP FTA members state ?
    Member states of Asean and their FTA partners are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

    RCEP, World’s Biggest Trade Deal
    https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/05/rcep-world-biggest-trade-deal/

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  • @Free Riders:

    I know many Asian countries are in the RCEP.

    When you have >90 Recpian workers, it’s no longer >90% CECians.

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  • knn:

    Singaporeans R Free Riders: My great PAP is right, Oppositions are racist.

    Oppositions are racist as shown by moniker “I am curious about CECA” post “Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% ceceans!”

    You will never see Opposition complaining “”Sometimes I see the whole department is >90% RCEPian!”

    Our great PAP is correct to TIGHTLY CONTROL all Mainlander Triad linked activities.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9-Co-4E8gU

    Ah neh, keep attacking mainlanders.

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  • knn:

    Singaporeans R Free Riders: Research and Think critically before you open your mouth.

    Do you know that India is part of RCEP ?

    Do you even know who are the RCEP FTA members state ?
    Member states of Asean and their FTA partners are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

    RCEP, World’s Biggest Trade Deal
    https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/05/rcep-world-biggest-trade-deal/

    India in RCEP? Go and take your medicine.

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  • moving the chess pieces:

    //Research and Think critically before you open your mouth.

    Do you know that India is part of RCEP ?//

    hahaha. Research and Think critically ?? aiyoh, are you sure you have done your research and think critically yourself ???

    this recap thingy sticks in saya memory lar ? india smart lar for her own country people and did not want to be part hor – at least they understood what are their advantages / disadvantages if signed ??

    https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-out-of-rcep-china-economy-trade-angle-7053877/

    sinkie land white idiots and gang are too comfortable (to have ownself-check-ownself long term staying power ???) to be moving the chess pieces as they are not the chess pieces of being moved lar ??

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  • Why Taiwan is a better country:

    The “retirement fund” in Sinchiapor Incorporated has been cannibalized via the outrageously expensive public flats and the obscenely exorbitant health savings plan – HDB and MOH have been corporatized by Papa’s Pappies The fund management are all opaque and unaccounted for – to the contributing citizens…into the twilight zone.

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  • Modern Slavery:

    https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/02/877797/anwar-stop-using-agents-recruit-foreign-labour

    Leaders nowadays are hardly empathic except for a very few. They reward themselves and their cronies either corruptly or by means of legalized corruption, inventing laws to suit their undesirable desires and safeguard themselves from public scrutiny.

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