Daily Lessons from Life 24 February 2013 - WP's Population Paper lands new blow to local SMEs: ASME

Today is the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Yuan Xiao Jie as it is known. The final official close of the Chinese LNY celebration. May the rest of the Year of Snake unfold in the way you want it!!

"WP's Population Paper lands new blow to local SMEs: ASME - CNA

SINGAPORE: The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises said it views the Workers' Party's Population Policy Paper as another blow to the local SME community.

The association said it is already facing a severe manpower crunch from the government's tightening of foreigners and now the Workers' Party is proposing an even more drastic deceleration.

The association said the construction industry, the F&B industry and others in the service sector simply cannot recruit enough Singaporeans.

It added that as these SMEs throw in the towel, Singapore Professionals, Managers and Executives will soon find the upward spiralling effect of less manpower to manage, fewer companies to serve, to audit and to provide financial services to and that will lead to reduction in jobs for Singaporeans.

The association said it supports the view that the government should encourage resident workforce growth, however, not at the expense of simply cutting it down to zero foreign workforce growth.

ASME added that increasing resident workforce growth should complement a gradual tightening of the inflow of foreign workers. It said the tightening of inflow of foreign worker should be done progressively, together with more incentives and aid to help SMEs in the face of the current economic transition.

As seen with the recent abrupt changes in foreign worker reduction policy, this has already caused many SMEs to relocate or close down, causing a loss of income and jobs for Singaporeans as well."

ASME issued a statement BEFORE the Population White Paper (PWP) which I thought was reasonable and make senses. I also wrote on the WP Facebook to invite the WP to consider ASME's suggestion. I guessed it was NOT heeded!

Lessons for me are:

1. as I have shared previously in other cyber space comments on politics in Singapore that the PAP is on trial after the GE2011, the 2 losses in the By-Election, and the unhappiness generated by the PWP as Singaporeans are not sure if the government can deliver what it promises given that the current overcrowding due to mismatch in infrastructure build-up and increase in population. At the same time, WP is ALSO on TRIAL as it tries to offer alternative solutions to the nation's challenges;

2. there were MANY good suggestions and comments from various quarters besides those who just tried to DEFEND whatever they have thought of and put up in the PWP. These considerations MUST be taken into the WP's PWP instead of JUST sticking to a SUMMARY of whatever they had presented in the week-long parliamentary debates. They made some good points then. At the same time, it will foolish to behave like PAP, which they described as too arrogant to consider any ideas that is 'NOT INVENTED HERE!'!;

3. since SMEs are SUPPOSEDLY the employers for 75% of Singapore workers, SURELY their views MUST carry a greater weight. Singapore government has been paying lip services, by and large, to helping SMEs vs. really pandering to attract and keep global MNCs and giants to come and stay in Singapore. WP has missed a chance to SHOW that IT understand business and is willing to listen to ASME, which, like I said, finally did make comments that make sense!

Still, it is NOT too late for WP to explain to the SATISFACTION of SMEs WHY its PWP will NOT, as claimed by ASME, ANOTHER blow to the survival of some of their members.

IF it cannot, then it MUST consider the cries from ASME seriously.

I know sometimes we need to swallow 'short term pains' to gain 'long term benefits' BUT when the 'short term pains kill you' there is no 'long term gain' to talk about.

WP beware...