The PAP is bent on having less university graduates in the workforce. Last year, Khaw Boon Wan, MND minister turned ‘nutritionist’, advised against having a degree because “you can’t eat it”. The PAP is saying it is unable to create sufficient jobs requiring a degree in the next few years.
All the motherhood statements given by the PAP culminated in PM Lee reinforcing the message during his 2014 NDR speech. PM Lee highlighted a few successful Singaporeans who had started their career without a degree instead of stating the real number of Singaporeans who had made it without a degree.
Singaporeans should be wary because the PAP does not lead by example. Questions:
- Are there any non-degree holder civil servants who have been promoted to top management?
– Any PAP MPs encourage their children with the same advice?
– How many PAP MPs do not have a degree (to eat)?
The answer to the three questions above is ‘ZERO’.
But what’s really troubling is PAP’s advice is likely another quick fix shortcut. It has proven to be incompetent with its upside-down planning, such as constructing infrastructures after the population has exploded and creating jobs for foreigners instead of citizens. Its policies have been detrimental to Singaporeans and the PAP is really way behind the planning curve. It has been able to use shortcuts to create our ‘economic miracle’ because there has been no accountability.
One quick-fix policy with disastrous consequences is our ‘Stop-At-Two’ to discourage (penalise) Singaporeans from giving birth. The PAP government started the policy in 1969, targeting “lowly educated and low-income women in an experiment with eugenics policies to solve social concerns”.
In view of the already falling TFR globally, PAP’s Stop-At-Two policy directly contributed to the precipitous fall in our TFR.
TFR already falling globally so why did PAP insisted on ‘Stop-At-Two’ policy?
Link to the above chart and article here
The human being who had tried to play God was none other than Lee Kuan Yew who has now rejected “absurd” suggestions that his policy had contributed to the decline of current fertility rate.
Lee: “I cannot solve the problem, and I have given up.” Say what?! You mean you can simply kick the can down the road? But it shouldn’t surprise anyone as PAP record speaks for itself ie PAP has never taken ownership of any problem.
But the issue is not really about Lee playing god or PAP’s irresponsibility.
In 1987, the PAP made a belated U-turn and replaced its failed policy with “Have Three or More”. Look at the chart above and you can see the TFR had already hit rock bottom! It’s a fact the PAP has always been behind the curve in planning; it does not anticipate problems and needs to experience them first hand.
PAP’s upside-down planning is real and can be experienced by ordinary Singaporeans ie public housing, public transportation, education, healthcare, etc What about our huge retirement shortfall? No problem, just lock up our CPF till we die.
Most of our issues could have been prevented if only the PAP had not been focused on squeezing profits from citizens.
In short, by the time the PAP acknowledges an issue, it is usually too late and it really does not have any foresight because its focus is not on governance.
PAP’s policies openly favour foreigners. By accepting PAP’s advice blindly, PAP will likely hire even more foreigners with degrees in future and blame Singaporeans for not ‘studying hard’.
If degrees are not required, why does the PAP guarantee jobs for foreigners who are funded by taxpayers at our universities?
Without a degree, how are Singaporeans to compete globally? The PAP has given crap advice which no other government would. The PAP is no longer trusted by an increasing number of Singaporeans.
Singaporeans must be wary of PAP politicians when politicians themselves are not exemplary. With all the epic screw up, PAP has already proven it does not have much foresight and planning.
PAP’s advice against having a degree goes against common sense. When PAP says there’s no need for a degree, one will most likely be needed.
Phillip Ang
*The writer blogs at http://likedatosocanmeh.wordpress.com/