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Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Independent Singapore
SM Lee vs Jamus Lim on COE and the ‘best way to meet people's needs and take care of them'
Photos from Facebook SINGAPORE: In a social media post on Wednesday (Jul 16), Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim described Senior Minister (SM) Lee Hsien Loong as 'a mighty fine economist.' He explained, however, that he does not share the former Prime Minister's perspectives on everything, giving the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) and access to car ownership in Singapore as an example of where their beliefs differ. Car ownership in the city-state is arguably the most expensive in the world, and the COE, the document allowing someone to own and operate a private vehicle for ten years, starts at around S$100,000. SM Lee had acknowledged in a dialogue at the Economic Society of Singapore 's annual dinner, which the WP MP, an Associate Professor of Economics, had attended, that certain households may have a greater need for a car than others, such as those with elderly or disabled family members. Assoc Prof Lim wrote, 'But instead of saying that there was a reasonable way to adjudicate between these competing needs, he then pivoted to how competitive bidding represented the best way to allocate between these claims.' His post received a lot of attention on Facebook, including a comment from SM Lee himself, who provided further clarification of the remarks he had made, saying that the government has ensured that Singaporeans have an efficient public transport system, and that there are possibilities for families who need a vehicle to apply for grants to help them pay for a COE. SM Lee put it this way in his comment: 'Where we disagree is not over who cares more for our fellow Singaporeans, but what is the best way to meet people's needs and take care of them.' In response, Assoc Prof Lim thanked SM Lee for his comment, but added that he favours 'a more targeted mechanism, because it would not only better channel behaviour toward a specific social objective, but also signal more directly as to how the government is helping certain groups out (while also blunting the transactional nature of the system).' He then reiterated SM Lee's point regarding the difference between them, which speaks to their divergent views on the 'behaviour of people and the efficacy of markets.' Many other Facebook users have since also commented on Assoc Prof Lim's post, with some saying they agree with him, and others seeming to side with SM Lee. Some commenters, however, expressed their appreciation for the exchange between the two. 'I see this as a respectful dialogue between two fine economist-minded gentlemen who both have put in their best to serve the nation. Genuinely grateful for this!' one wrote. /TISG Read also: Jamus Lim: COE system is broken; time to implement changes () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Independent Singapore
4 days ago
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
Pritam Singh announces Community Grocery Truck at Eunos to help residents with living costs
SINGAPORE: In a Facebook post on Tuesday (Jul 15), Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh wrote about a new cost-of-living support programme launched recently at Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), which his party has represented in Parliament since 2011. The Community Grocery Truck began operations at Eunos, Mr Singh's ward, on Saturday (Jul 12), with residents signing up for a S$10 package of items. Mr Singh wrote that the initiative will be held monthly and has been made possible with the help of generous donors. FB screengrab/ Aljunied GRC He explained that the Community Grocery Truck is 'prioritised for Eunos residents who are Blue CHAS (Community Health Assist Scheme) card holders (one per household). Residents pay S$10 in exchange for a range of day-to-day groceries, including fruit, eggs, rice, biscuits, bread, etc., and more, all of which cost far more than S$10 in total.' FB screengrab/ Aljunied GRC Blue CHAS cardholders are from households with a monthly income of S$1,500 or less per person, or from households with no income that own a home with an annual value of S$21,000 or less. The initiative is next scheduled for Aug 30 at 10:00 a.m., specifically for residents living at Blocks 122 to 151. Over the next 12 months, the Community Grocery Truck will go to a new precinct. 'Do keep a lookout for details which will be posted at your block noticeboards about two weeks before the truck comes around! If you are a Blue CHAS holder in Eunos, do email Team Eunos at [email protected] to register your interest!' Mr Singh — Singapore's first officially designated Leader of the Opposition — added in his post. A poster featured on the Aljunied GRC Facebook account states that recipients will receive up to 18 grocery items and canned goods, all of which are Halal-certified. The poster also asked participants to bring their own reusable bags and trolleys. FB screengrab/ Aljunied GRC The initiative can serve 100 households on a first-come, first-served basis. 'Another ground-up initiative by MP Pritam Singh and his grassroots volunteers in helping residents to address # costofliving concerns received during community events' engagements,' the post from Aljunied GRC, which showed photos of the WP team and its volunteers working on putting the goods together, noted. Many Facebook users thanked Mr Singh and the WP for the initiative, saying it would be helpful to the families in the area. 'Great Initiative. No Vouchers needed. #workingforthepeople,' wrote one. 'That's a great help to low-income households. God bless you and your team, Mr Pritam,' another added. 'Like this Community Grocery Truck. It's a great idea,' a Facebook user commented. /TISG Read also: Better support system needed for Serangoon seniors for accessing public services, says WP MP Kenneth Tiong
CNA
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Govt has ensured access to affordable transport instead of overcomplicating COE scheme: SM Lee to Jamus Lim
SINGAPORE: Singapore's government has ensured that everyone has access to affordable and efficient transport options without needing to own a car, rather than complicating the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system to account for the needs of different groups, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Wednesday (Jul 16). He made the comment in response to a Facebook post by Workers' Party Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim, who wrote that the car allocation system does not consider that those with genuine needs to own a vehicle may still be unable to afford a COE. Mr Lee said the government provides direct help to those who may need more support, such as families with young children, who can use the grants to pay for a COE if they wish to do so. "Therefore where we disagree is not over who cares more for our fellow Singaporeans, but what is the best way to meet people's needs and take care of them," he said. Associate Professor Jamus Lim made his Facebook post after attending the Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner on Tuesday, where Mr Lee participated in a wide-ranging dialogue with the society's president Euston Quah. At one point, Mr Lee was asked about calls to allow certain groups to pay less for the COE. He said that there were "so many good arguments" that it is difficult for the government to design a system that accounts for all the factors – such as whether a family has children, how young they are, whether someone has a disability or is elderly, or works a job that requires a car. Assoc Prof Lim, however, took issue with Mr Lee's position, saying that while the government acknowledges the needs of different groups, it ultimately defaults to a market-based auction system. "But instead of saying that there was a reasonable way to adjudicate between these competing needs, (Mr Lee) then pivoted to how competitive bidding represented the best way to allocate between these claims," wrote Assoc Prof Lim. "What's sorely missing, however, is how those with genuine needs may not have the purchasing power to meet those needs, even if their needs may have more merit." During the dialogue, Mr Lee said, "I think if you want to design a scheme which worries about all those things, it will fail." There is no easy way, Mr Lee said, to fairly distribute something valuable and make it cheap. Road space is scarce in Singapore, and the COE system means that buyers pay the fair market value for the right to own a car, he added. Assoc Prof Lim said people do not want every aspect of their lives to be determined in a transactional way. "Society has values – about compassion, equity, respect, and loyalty – (that) are poorly valued by impersonal markets." That is why people teach children to share, spend money on their parents' health and devote their energy to causes they believe in, he said. "That's why, for all our economic successes, there are ways that Singapore, Inc. operates that (rub) many people the wrong way." Mr Lee said during the dialogue that while he cannot promise every Singaporean an affordable car, he can guarantee affordable and convenient transportation. "Cars, no. Transportation, yes," he said. He added that for families, instead of giving them cheaper COEs, the government provides more support through initiatives like the baby bonus. "Directly help the group you need to help in cash, rather than make complicated schemes, which then end up with all kinds of contradictions and wrong incentives." Assoc Prof Lim said, for him, the bottom line is that "we are not mindless slaves to the prevailing structures and institutions present in the society we live in". He said Singaporeans have inherited a prosperous nation that was built based on the constraints and prevailing wisdom of the past, and must be active participants and shapers of the future they want. "If we want to head in a different direction, toward a more empathetic and just economy and society, then it is on us to seize that vision and make it real," said Assoc Prof Lim.
Independent Singapore
5 days ago
- Health
- Independent Singapore
Alexis Dang delves deeper into the health scare that changed her life in new interview
FB screengrab/ Alexis Dang SINGAPORE: Alexis Dang, who contested under the Worker's Party (WP) banner in the May 3 polls and was one of the candidates who received a lot of attention from Singaporeans, talked at greater length on the health scare that changed her life last year in a Jul 13 interview in the luxury lifestyle publication August Man. Ms Dang, 39, together with the WP candidates, did very well in the General Election at Punggol GRC, but the ruling party slate headed by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong proved to be too formidable an opponent. Her life leading a group of business development professionals has gone back to normal, and on Jun 25, the WP team at Punggol had gone back on the ground, although this is no guarantee that she will contest again the next time the elections come around. Ms Dang had first talked about her health scare in late April, after she had been announced as a candidate, but went into depth about it in the August Man interview. In April 2024, she went for a regular check-up, which showed that she had high levels of CA 19-9, a tumour marker. This meant a strong chance that Ms Dang might have pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer is very often incurable, especially because by the time it is detected, it's too late for it to be addressed with surgery, and even with an operation, there's still a chance of the cancer's recurrence. Little wonder, then, that Ms Dang 'freaked out,' as she said in the interview. After a second blood test showed even higher levels, she went for a CT scan. The results of the scan were scheduled to come out at 4:30 p.m. on the same day, and the hours when she did not hear from her doctors were the scariest in her life, she said in the interview. Luckily, everything turned out well. To make a long story short, further testing revealed that a bacterial infection was responsible for her high levels of CA 19-9, which was fortunately treatable with antibiotics. While there appear to be no lasting effects on her health, her life was changed forever. 'After the health scare, I started thinking about the meaning of life and why we are here. The messaging might be different across different spiritual philosophies, but they all return to the same message… that it's important to be who you are and to follow your highest excitement, which means taking actions based on what brings you the most joy, passion, and enthusiasm. There is no objective reality, in the sense that you apply your perspective to any life event,' she told August Man. /TISG Read also: 'Chio pro max,' WP Punggol candidate Alexis Dang makes waves online () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Free Malaysia Today
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Pritam Singh's appeal against conviction for lying to Parliament set for Nov 4
Pritam Singh was fined S$14,000 on Feb 17 after being found guilty of two charges of wilfully lying to Singapore Parliament's Committee of Privileges. (EPA Images pic) PETALING JAYA : The appeal hearing for Singapore's Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh, who was convicted earlier this year of lying under oath to a parliamentary committee, has been scheduled for Nov 4. Pritam's lawyer, Andre Jumabhoy, confirmed the date, The Straits Times reported. On Feb 17, the Aljunied GRC MP was fined S$14,000 after being found guilty of two charges of wilfully lying to the Committee of Privileges, making him Singapore's first sitting opposition MP in nearly four decades to be convicted of a criminal offence. The opposition leader received the maximum fine of S$7,000 for each charge and said at the time that he would appeal both the conviction and sentence. In his ruling, deputy principal district judge Luke Tan found that Pritam had lied about how he handled the false claims made by former WP MP Raeesah Khan in Parliament on Aug 3, 2021. Raeesah falsely told the House she had accompanied a sexual assault victim to a police station. She repeated the claim on Oct 4 that year before eventually admitting it was untrue. The 13-day trial began on Oct 14, 2024, with Pritam, Raeesah and other former WP officials taking the stand. While the defence portrayed Raeesah as a habitual liar, prosecutors led by then deputy attorney-general Ang Cheng Hock argued that Pritam had attempted to cover up his own role in the matter. Despite the conviction, Pritam retained his seat in Parliament after the recent general election, in which WP held on to Aljunied GRC with 59.68% of the vote, defeating PAP, which received 40.32%. Following the election, prime minister Lawrence Wong said Pritam would remain as leader of the opposition and continue to receive staff and resources to carry out his responsibilities.
