Samsui Women Not Eligible for Workfare Bonus

Some thoughts on Singapore
(Part I)
Consider this: if the "permanent" Workfare Bonus (to be announced in detail February 15 2007) requires the worker to "provide for Medisave" in order to be eligible, then Samsui Women who collect cardboard will not qualify. Samsui Women form a powerful and celebrated image of some early Singapore immigrants - risk-taking, industrious and resilient. More importantly, they literally built Singapore, constructing landmark buildings like the Capitol Cinema and buildings along Shenton way. Chingay processions and National Day Parades pretentiously remind us of their importance, but ironically a real Samsui Women couldn't get a ticket to the NDP.

The crucial question is then, what is the Singapore Dream - can Singapore promise material well-being/returns to all those who "built up Singapore?" Note that we weren't promised Workfare Bonuses or other material well-being in the Constitution.

'I know that some older Singaporeans have made this argument, that we were the generation who built up Singapore...now if you put the GST, you are actually making my nest egg shrink a little bit, so please be fair to me, give me something,' he noted.

'I think that's a fair argument and we will see to it.'

PM Lee Hsien Loong quoted on Straits Times Jan 25th 2007

Are we fulfilling our promise of material well-being by shifting from free markets to greater government intervention and welfare? Looking at America, a recent opinion piece on the Wall Street Journal argues that the real difference between Democrats and Republicans with regards to the growing income disparity is not that the former decided to raise minimum wage. The author argues the difference is that Republicans are more optimistic and believe that a smaller, more efficient government is the solution. In Singapore, by making Workfare Bonus "permanent," is the ruling party moving too far towards market intervention in return for popularity votes?

With whom does the promise end? Do we consider the current "unskilled" laborers (who actually have the skill of construction) from countries like India, China and Sri Lanka people who "built up Singapore?" Should the earlier immigrants deny the entry and contributions of later immigrants, the way some conservatives in the United States are trying to keep Mexicans out? Will our new inclusive society include our laborers and maids, or are they forever foreign?

(Part II)
Does the promise end with material well-being? Is the government also responsible for making sure Singapore isn't boring, isn't stifling, that happiness falls on our laps and 19 year old drug traffickers no longer get hanged? No. We as Singaporeans have to pursue our own un-boringness, our own media freedom, our own happiness, and if we believe so strongly - the abolishment of our death penalty. The way a woman decided to take care of single Samsui Women.

Dr. Chee has long tried to portray the government as hypocritical by alleging that the government trades with Burmese drug lords but hangs traffickers. But he offered no better solution. Had he attained office, he might have ended trade with Burma but that wouldn't have ended Burma's drug trade. He might have abolished the death penalty, but that wouldn't resolve the drug trafficking complications in Singapore. The critics of the death penalty have yet to offer an attractive alternative. (related HoViVo post: Singapore/Burma)

Singaporeans know that the death penalty is cruel and inhumane, we definitely don't rejoice in killing. Yet why do so many Singaporeans appear passive accomplices to the acts? Is it possible that Singaporeans are actually pro-death penalty because we think it is the best solution? We didn't promise any drug traffickers they won't be hanged. Our anti-death penalty activists may be better off changing the opinions of Singapore voters with more enlightened alternatives, instead of picking a fight with other "intelligent" Singaporeans.

Disclaimer: I'm expressing my own opinion, not the PAP's, not the Straits Times', not Intelligent Singaporean's.