The thing is the issue was never about "Most Singaporeans earn
high salaries because we are more efficient, more hard working,
than any foreign talents. We have needed no bumi policy to protect
our jobs. That is our pride!!"
At the higher spectrum "skills in demand/educated professionals
or the rich", singapore has to compete with the world to keep them
in singapore simply becus they are mobile "many countries want
them" and it has nothing to do with them being singaporeans or not.
Whilst it is good that you harbour such pride.... the world really
cudnt care less.
In countries where you say the tax is 40%-50%. I cannot say for
the other western nations but for australia this only occurs to the
rich. The lower your salary the lower your tax. In a way its
similar to "taking $ from the rich to give to the poor".
In singapore it is different.... they want the rich to come to
singapore....so they say we will tax you less.....similar to
"taking less $ from the rich to give to the poor." So the poor has
to shoulder a bigger burden.
On another front you have industries/companies that depend on
cheap labour to subsist. So labour is imported to keep wages lower
or "to stay competitive with china" (more supply... pull factor of
wages goes down).
Therefore a) poor has to shoulder more tax since the rich is
taxed less + b) wages on the lower spectrum have to stay
coompetitive/cheap + c) cost of living in singapore as charlize wud
say "chaipng veli asspensive" of cos i noe she baydeh lar
= very unhappy lower spectrum + widening income gap
And really.... don't you find it farnee that here we are trying
to emulate 1st world countries there we are trying to compete with
others to be cheaper/competitive and more efficient?
you a Singaporean, living in OZ? you obviously are out of touch
with what is happening here!!
Singapore has long gone pass competing on cheap labour!! we are
not in the traditional labour industries such as textile, shoes,
toys or electronic anymore, for such industries, even China
sometimes lose out to Vietnam and Bangladesh. We import cheap
labour from China "to stay competitive with china" ? What
economic theory is that?
If you talk about the people "At the higher spectrum" with
"skills in demand/educated professionals or the rich", the fact is
that many singaporeans are already in this catogory and are also
present in many countries especially in the Asian region. We are
proud not because we are Singaporean, but we are who we are today,
because of what we did. If you need to have the government to
ensure you are employed, you are pathetic and the world really
don't give a shit.
You know what is the tax system in Singapore? you should read
about it first before you compare your australian system with
anywhere in the world. sometimes I think oz is too far and you need
to swim a long way before you see the world.
Singapore do not attract foreigners by taxing them less..."since
the rich is taxed less and as a result the poor has to shoulder a
bigger burden"...you know what are you talking about?
In Singapore we still can pay S$2.50 for a plate of wanton
noodle, $0.6 for a cup of soya bean drink, we can also pay $S8.50
for a bowl of ramen, $2.5 for a soft drink, we can also pay $S15
for a pasta and $4 for a drink. you pay $2.8 for chaipng with
one vegie and one meat, Charlize want 2 vegie 2 meat and 1 fish
chaipng of course it costs more lah...how much you need to pay in
Australia for chaipng?
"And really.... don't you find it farnee that here we are trying
to emulate 1st world countries there we are trying to compete with
others to be cheaper/competitive and more efficient?" I find it
farnee you ask question like this, we are 1st world country, not
trying to emulate, and what is wrong with competing to be more cost
effective and efficient?
good day, maid.