ChannelNewsAsia ran this story on 20 July 2009:
Parliament passes new CPF Life plan with aim of celebrating longevity
By S.Ramesh
SINGAPORE: Celebrating greater longevity with CPF Life is the aim of changes to the CPF Act passed by Parliament on Monday to ensure members have an income for the rest of their lives.
But several MPs expressed concern over those who have less than S$40,000 in accounts to fully benefit from the scheme.
It started with 12 different plans for CPF Life and now it's down to just four - Life Plus Plan, Life Basic Plan, Life Income Plan and Life Balanced Plan.
Members with at least S$40,000 in their Retirement Account will be automatically included, while those with lower cash balances can opt-in.
LIFE Plus Plan offers higher monthly income but leaves behind less for beneficiaries.
For the LIFE Basic Plan, members accept a lower monthly income for higher bequest amount.
The LIFE Income Plan offers the highest monthly income but members would leave nothing behind when they pass away.
The default plan is the LIFE Balanced Plan which will provide a balance between a level of retirement income and some bequest amount if they pass away early.
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, said: "Over the years our CPF policies have evolved to better address our changing needs and they will continue to evolve.
CPF Life is our unique response to address the challenges of our ageing population and it marks an important milestone in the evolution of the CPF."
This was a major concern for trade unionist Halimah Yacob as the number of Singaporeans working part time or on contract work has increased.
She said: "Our low-wage workers are the ones who need such a scheme the most as they are not likely to have discretionary savings or other assets. I would like to ask the Minister to study this issue carefully, so that we can have a truly inclusive CPF Life scheme."
In her maiden speech in Parliament, Nominated MP Pauline Straughan, suggested programmes for the vulnerable poor.
She said: "As we move towards a more comprehensive coverage for Singaporeans, it is even more critical for us to ensure that no group is omitted from the lifelong income fund. If we failed to do so, we may inadvertently entrench social inequality."
The CPF Board estimates that at least 70 per cent of members turning 55-years- old in 2013, will have at least S$40,000 in their retirement accounts.
Mr Gan said: "There is no minimum balance required to participate in CPF Life. All members, regardless of their CPF balances, can opt-in into the scheme.
“However, members with a very low balance may not be in a position to maximise the benefits from CPF Life."
For them, schemes like Workfare will come in handy where older, low-wage workers receive an income supplement, of which a portion is credited into the recipient's CPF to shore up his retirement savings.
Changes to the CPF Act also address the issue of members who are mentally incapacitated.
Currently, under the Mental Capacity Act, a court ruling cannot affect a CPF nomination.
So, rules dealing with nominations will also be amended to allow the courts to do this, in the best interest of the member.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Four Prosecuted in Kickback Employment Scam
AsiaOne ran this story on 16 July 2009:
Four prosecuted in kickback employment scam
Three employers and one agent have been prosecuted for kickback offences.
This is the first prosecution since new regulations were introduced by the Ministry of Manpower in July 2008.
The employers - Ong Gim Chua, manager of Meeting Point Pub & Lounge, Ke Koon Seng, director of Seng System Engineering Pte Ltd, and Wong Seng Kiong of Guo Tai Mei Trading - were charged for recovering employment-related costs from their foreign workers.
Meanwhile, the agent, Sun Bao Hua of Starseas Consulting Services Pte Ltd, was charged for abetting representatives of four bus companies to receive benefits by paying them to hire foreign workers through her agency.. The for cases involved 22 workers.
Under the new regulations, Work Permit and S Pass conditions prohibit employers from receiving payment as consideration for employing foreign workers, and recovering employment-related costs from foreign workers.
Similarly, the Employment Agency Licence Condition also prohibits employment agencies from offering payment (whether monetary or in kind) to employers, in exchange for hiring foreign workers through them.
Aw Kum Cheong, Divisional Director, Foreign Manpower Management Division, MOM, said, "Kickbacks undermine the integrity of the employment agency industry, and distorts the market for foreign labour. Our foreign worker policies are intended to help companies to meet their legitimate need for foreign workers. Foreign workers should not be brought into Singapore in order to collect fees from them. Such exploitative behaviour will not be tolerated."
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, employers who breach Work Permit conditions can be fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to six months. They will also be barred from employing foreign workers in the future. Employment agencies that breach the Employment Agency licence conditions will have their licenses revoked and security deposit of $20,000 forfeited.
Four prosecuted in kickback employment scam
Three employers and one agent have been prosecuted for kickback offences.
This is the first prosecution since new regulations were introduced by the Ministry of Manpower in July 2008.
The employers - Ong Gim Chua, manager of Meeting Point Pub & Lounge, Ke Koon Seng, director of Seng System Engineering Pte Ltd, and Wong Seng Kiong of Guo Tai Mei Trading - were charged for recovering employment-related costs from their foreign workers.
Meanwhile, the agent, Sun Bao Hua of Starseas Consulting Services Pte Ltd, was charged for abetting representatives of four bus companies to receive benefits by paying them to hire foreign workers through her agency.. The for cases involved 22 workers.
Under the new regulations, Work Permit and S Pass conditions prohibit employers from receiving payment as consideration for employing foreign workers, and recovering employment-related costs from foreign workers.
Similarly, the Employment Agency Licence Condition also prohibits employment agencies from offering payment (whether monetary or in kind) to employers, in exchange for hiring foreign workers through them.
Aw Kum Cheong, Divisional Director, Foreign Manpower Management Division, MOM, said, "Kickbacks undermine the integrity of the employment agency industry, and distorts the market for foreign labour. Our foreign worker policies are intended to help companies to meet their legitimate need for foreign workers. Foreign workers should not be brought into Singapore in order to collect fees from them. Such exploitative behaviour will not be tolerated."
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, employers who breach Work Permit conditions can be fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to six months. They will also be barred from employing foreign workers in the future. Employment agencies that breach the Employment Agency licence conditions will have their licenses revoked and security deposit of $20,000 forfeited.
Fake Degree Peddler's Second School to Close Too
The Straits Times ran this story on 16 July 2009:
Fake degree peddler's second school to close too
By Amelia Tan & Corrie Tan
A SECOND private school run by a man who peddled fake degrees has been ordered to close.
In a statement yesterday, the Education Ministry (MOE) said it had revoked the registration of Stamford Global Learning Centre, which has about 40 students and is also operated by Mr Benny Yap Chee Mun.
The order came a day after another school owned by Mr Yap, Brookes Business School, was ordered to close.
----------------
Students lured by attractive deal
BROOKES Business School offered something which many students found too good to refuse - a degree in a year for $12,000, and from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) no less.
But the scam was exposed by The Straits Times in a report last month.
Students were lured by the fact that the school was registered with the Education Ministry and had the CaseTrust quality mark.
In addition to RMIT degrees, it offered bachelor of business qualifications from a Brookes University - which students said they were told was based in Truro city in Cornwall, Britain - the University of Wales and the University of Ballarat in Australia.
Fake degree peddler's second school to close too
By Amelia Tan & Corrie Tan
A SECOND private school run by a man who peddled fake degrees has been ordered to close.
In a statement yesterday, the Education Ministry (MOE) said it had revoked the registration of Stamford Global Learning Centre, which has about 40 students and is also operated by Mr Benny Yap Chee Mun.
The order came a day after another school owned by Mr Yap, Brookes Business School, was ordered to close.
Students lured by attractive deal
BROOKES Business School offered something which many students found too good to refuse - a degree in a year for $12,000, and from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) no less.
But the scam was exposed by The Straits Times in a report last month.
Students were lured by the fact that the school was registered with the Education Ministry and had the CaseTrust quality mark.
In addition to RMIT degrees, it offered bachelor of business qualifications from a Brookes University - which students said they were told was based in Truro city in Cornwall, Britain - the University of Wales and the University of Ballarat in Australia.
Brookes Business School Registration Cancelled
AsiaOne ran this story on 15 July 2009:
Brookes Business School Registration Cancelled
Ministry of Education will cancel the registration of Brookes Business School effective today.
This follows the outcomes of investigations by the secretariat of the pro-tem Council for Private Education (CPE) on Brookes Business Schools for contraventions of the Education Act.
All affected students may approach the Association of Private Schools and Colleges (APSC) to seek assistance to be placed in another private education institution.
Students must be prepared to show proof that they are currently enrolled at the school, and must bring their student contracts, payment receipts, course schedules and assignments completed, and any past tests scripts and results.
International students holding student passes issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) should first approach the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) to get advice on fees return under the Student Protection Scheme.
Students may also contact Students may also contact pro-tem CPE via the MOE Customer Service at
(email) MOE_CPE_Contact@moe.gov.sg or (Telephone) 68722220 for clarifications.
The secretariat of the pro-tem CPE is working with various agencies and the private education industry players to put in place measures to ensure that affected students have other avenues to complete their studies.
Brookes Business School Registration Cancelled
Ministry of Education will cancel the registration of Brookes Business School effective today.
This follows the outcomes of investigations by the secretariat of the pro-tem Council for Private Education (CPE) on Brookes Business Schools for contraventions of the Education Act.
All affected students may approach the Association of Private Schools and Colleges (APSC) to seek assistance to be placed in another private education institution.
Students must be prepared to show proof that they are currently enrolled at the school, and must bring their student contracts, payment receipts, course schedules and assignments completed, and any past tests scripts and results.
International students holding student passes issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) should first approach the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) to get advice on fees return under the Student Protection Scheme.
Students may also contact Students may also contact pro-tem CPE via the MOE Customer Service at
(email) MOE_CPE_Contact@moe.gov.sg or (Telephone) 68722220 for clarifications.
The secretariat of the pro-tem CPE is working with various agencies and the private education industry players to put in place measures to ensure that affected students have other avenues to complete their studies.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Siew Kum Hong Not Re-Appointed as NMP
From Siew Kum Hong's blog entry on 6 July 2009:
I received a notice from Parliament a couple of hours ago -- it was the Second Report of the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament, which I've reproduced below. In short, I was not re-appointed, and the new NMPs (who will be sworn in on 20 July) are:
1. Mr Calvin Cheng Ern Lee
2. Mr Terry Lee Kok Hua
3. Mrs Mildred Tan-Sim Beng Mei
4. Assoc Prof Paulin Tay Straughan
5. Mr Teo Siong Seng
6. Mr Viswaroopan s/o Sadasivan
7. Mr Laurence Wee Yoke Thong
8. Ms Audrey Wong Wai Yen
9. Ms Joscelin Yeo Wei Ling
I am of course disappointed that I was not re-appointed; I felt and continue to feel that I could contribute meaningfully to Parliament for a second term, which is why I applied for it in the first place. Having said that, I am glad that I had the opportunity to serve, and I hope that I had contributed to Parliamentary debate (as the NMP scheme was intended to). Beyond that, it is really for Singaporeans to judge my time in Parliament for themselves.
Please visit Kum Hong's blog to read the full entry @ http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2009/07/nmp-results-are-out.html.
I received a notice from Parliament a couple of hours ago -- it was the Second Report of the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament, which I've reproduced below. In short, I was not re-appointed, and the new NMPs (who will be sworn in on 20 July) are:
1. Mr Calvin Cheng Ern Lee
2. Mr Terry Lee Kok Hua
3. Mrs Mildred Tan-Sim Beng Mei
4. Assoc Prof Paulin Tay Straughan
5. Mr Teo Siong Seng
6. Mr Viswaroopan s/o Sadasivan
7. Mr Laurence Wee Yoke Thong
8. Ms Audrey Wong Wai Yen
9. Ms Joscelin Yeo Wei Ling
I am of course disappointed that I was not re-appointed; I felt and continue to feel that I could contribute meaningfully to Parliament for a second term, which is why I applied for it in the first place. Having said that, I am glad that I had the opportunity to serve, and I hope that I had contributed to Parliamentary debate (as the NMP scheme was intended to). Beyond that, it is really for Singaporeans to judge my time in Parliament for themselves.
Please visit Kum Hong's blog to read the full entry @ http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2009/07/nmp-results-are-out.html.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Video: Plight of Migrant Workers
TWC2 has produced two videos on the case involving the unfavourable housing and employment conditions of migrant workers in the dormitory at Tagore Lane. This is one of them titled "Plight of Migrant Workers".
Video: Migrant Workers Left In The Lurch
Another video produced by TWC2 titled "Migrant Workers Left in the Lurch".
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