The 13th post-independence general election held last month on 10 July marked a remarkable and historic milestone in Singapore’s political development. Remarkable as it was held amid an ongoing global pandemic, historic for the largest voter turnout, the largest number of political parties contesting, and a respectable number of votes for alternate parties…. Singaporeans need to re-think about the adequacy of our current political system and prepare for discussions for reforms that will enable us to build a “new normal” that respects human rights and democratic participation… We should revert to single constituencies to allow each individual MP to achieve the mandate required to make it into the legislature… The welfare of workers both local and foreign which once had taken a backseat to the interests of shareholders and business owners became so bad that it could no longer be ignored. Migrant workers residing, or more correctly now, trapped, in dormitories were the hardest hit… The neglected segment of the workforce now contributes more than 94% of the total number of infections… The calls for electoral and political reforms are not made in a vacuum. Better political institutions and practices will almost always lead to better decisions that affects the daily socio-economic pressures Singaporeans face.
Keep Reading →The four recent reported instances of migrant workers who endangered their own lives, and in one case who was found dead, is an alarm that the authorities should heed and respond to accordingly... Many of them still live in crowded conditions, face prolonged uncertainty over employment and income, risk of infection, it would be inevitable that their mental health would suffer. Furthermore, current conditions also risk exacerbating pre-existing health issues, disability and disease among these workers... Think Centre reminds the government that Singapore is a signatory to the recent ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers which obliges Singapore as a Receiving State to "protect the fundamental human rights, promote the welfare and uphold the human dignity of migrant workers through appropriate measures that ensure fair treatment towards migrant workers and prevent abuses, exploitation and violence towards them"...
Keep Reading →The pandemic has also exposed some old myths. With the Circuit Breaker in place, Work-From-Home has become the default norm. Services workers are now seen as very important to upkeep the sanitation and essential to keep the operations of supermarkets running. Even as cheers and claps for health care workers are replicated here, heroes being made out of food delivery workers and cleaners, there is a lag and gap in the national conversation to redress them through better wage structures and policies.
Keep Reading →Currently, the Singapore’s Constitution forbids discrimination only on grounds of religion, race, descent or place of birth. To align itself with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on achieving gender equality, Singapore should 1. End all forms of discrimination against women and girls everywhere. 2. Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation. 3. Eliminate all harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriages. 4. Recognise and value unpaid care and domestic work. 5. Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. 6. Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.
Keep Reading →Our island state was founded more than 50 years ago on the basis of “one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation”. .. Half a century later, these very ideals have been eroded to the point where the livelihood of citizens are threatened ... wealth inequality has not improved in the last 5 years and income growth has slowed across the board except for the wealthiest. No matter how much assistance the government gives, there will always remain a segment of the population that cannot catch up. This is when social expenditure of the government must increase. .. The current exploitative nature of work is unsustainable where its workers clocked 2,371.2 hours in 2016, the longest in the world. .. It is ironic that the hardworking and old Singaporean workers cannot afford to retire even after a lifetime contributing to the nation’s economy. .. what then is the social contract of Singaporeans with regard to its employers and government?
Keep Reading →Think Centre is concerned about the prolonged detention of two Singaporean females, Ms. Quek Chin Fern and Ms. Cheryl Lim, in Johor’s Kluang Prison. They were arrested earlier this month on 19 June 2017 for shoplifting offences and were both sentenced to serve one day of imprisonment on 22 June 2017. However, despite completing their sentence, they have yet to be released by the prison authorities due to the Immigration Department of Malaysia’s intervening to extend their detention. Ms. Quek has reportedly suffered a dislocated arm since her detention however no adequate medical attention has been provided by the Malaysian authorities. It is also disturbing to learn that the Singapore’s High Commission has reportedly expressed reluctance to provide the necessary consular assistance to Ms. Quek and Ms. Lim on the basis of non-interference with another country’s matters.
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