Unemployment rate among residents go up to 5.9 per cent
November 30th, 2009 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
The unemployment rate for Singapore residents hit 5.9 per cent in June this year, up from 4 per cent a year ago.
The rise was felt across all occupations and industries, according to the Labour Force Survey carried out in mid-2009 by the Ministry of Manpower’s Research and Statistics Department, which released the key findings on Monday morning.
For some strange reasons, the Ministry has grouped citizens and PRs together under the “resident” category meaning that the figures for unemployment rate among Singapore citizens remains a mystery.
According to Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, there were over 20,000 new citizens and 90,000 PRs last year.
In total, there are about 530,000 PRs in Singapore. It is not known if the inclusion of PRs in the “resident” category has helped to depress the unemployment figures to make it more “respectable”.
If PRs are taken out of the equation, the unemployment rate among Singapore citizens may be higher than 5.9 per cent.
The survey also found that among those in employment, the median income stabilised after rising significantly over the preceding two years.
It was not revealed the if the income of the high or low income group had risen the most.
Singapore has the highest income gap among developed countries after Hong Kong.
While the median wages of ordinary Singaporeans have not increased by much, the cost of living has sky-rocketed in the last few years, particularly that of public housing.
The price of HDB resale flats hit a record high in June this year, fueled partly by the influx of PRs into the market. An Indonesian PR forked out $653,000 for a 4-room HDB flat in Queenstown when he could have easily afforded a condominium.
The Manpower Ministry said the employment rate of older residents aged 55 to 64 remained at the record high of 57.2 per cent reached in 2008.
This may be attributed to the fact that many Singaporeans have to continue working beyond their retirement age in order to support themselves.
The government has provided few social welfare benefits for Singaporeans on the ground that it will create a “crutch” mentality.
Singaporeans are encouraged to work for as long as their health permits and to start their families young so that they will have children to take care of them when the grow old.
For those who are unable to work and have no children or relatives to support them, they are put on “Public Assistance” scheme which pay them a monthly living allowance of $330 a month.
When asked by PAP MP Dr Lily Neo a few years ago to increase the allowance which is then only $290 a month, Minister for Community, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian retorted:
“How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
Dr Vivian has recently unveiled a $10-million dollars mega Community Integration Fund to make the new citizens feel “welcomed” in Singapore.
The Ministry should consider breaking down the national unemployment rate into three categories: locals, new citizens and PRs to better reflect the situation on the ground.
Only then will Singaporeans know if PRs and new citizens are indeed “snatching” away their “rice-bowls” as is widely perceived.
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21 Responses to “Unemployment rate among residents go up to 5.9 per cent”
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Alex Tan Allan Ooi AWARE Chee Soon Juan Chiam See Tong Claire Lee David Widjaja DBS Dr Allan Ooi Dr Silviu Ionescu Dr Vivian Balakrishnan Foyce Le Xuan highnote5 Hong Lim Park Jack Lin Xinli Jack Neo Jack Neo affair Jack Neo scandal Josie Lau Josie Lau Meng Lee Lee Kuan Yew Lehman brothers Lighthouse Evangelism MAS minibonds Miss Singapore World NTU stabbing PAP Pastor Rony Tan Ris Low Romanian diplomat in hit-and-run Rony Tan S-League silviu ionescu Singapore Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games Tan Kin Lian Thio Su Mien Tiger Woods affair Tong Kok Wai Top 8 Vivian Balakrishnan Wendy Chong Y O G Youth Olympic Games
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there are many rich people in singapore who are not interested in your misery !
The only breakdown we need is the stronghold of the PAP.
The honesty and integrity of the PAP is time tested and we all know the answer but who dare to say the truth. You get sued.
Coming to the art of massage, the PRC is no match to the PAP in figures of all types. Once the figures are massaged, they look great through some dressing by the MSM.
That’s the way to do it says the PAP.
The PAP Government spin doctors are at work here.
It is obvious that the unemployment figure of Singapore citizens is more than the reported 5.9 p/c.
O’wise, there is no reason for them to lump the unemployment figure under ‘residents’ and not seperately under ‘citizens’ and ‘foreigners’ as they can easily do.
It is time for the PAP Government to reverse their pro-foreigners policy in favour of Singaporeans who voted for them.
Resentment of Singaporeans against foreigners and the PAP Government is palpable and growing day by day.
Only a fool will deny it.
be grateful. without the PAP, the unemployment rate would have been double at 12%.
also, be prepared for another govt salary hike, else unemployment rate will shoot to 20%.
//Richie
As if we didn’t know.
What a joke:
paid by the govt to regulate the feelings of people on TR…
Go do a serious job for the betterment of society please!
“Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.”
‘Official’ Statistics?
Wonder what the real rate of unemployment is…?
Ps : VB would sell his mother in Geylang for money.
//A P
Actually, if there is another salary hike from the govt, the unemployment rate may or may not increase further but GST and other taxes (direct or indirect) will definitely increase.
The current govt doesn’t reward itself for reducing unemployment.
It rewards itself with taxes (direct + indirect)
The current government is just good at playing with number, as our current leader is a Mathematician by training. So we will continue to see good number but with no improvement, or even deteriorting, in quality of life !!!!
Richie on Mon, 30th Nov 2009 5:14 pm
Another mad dog barking up the wrong tree?
Can you still remember the flavour when you last suck some Pappies ar$eholes?
You obviously enjoying it. Let us all hear it from you.
PRs here without jobs? Would be a wonder of sick joke for ICA to approve them. Most unemployed is Singaporeans. When you take out the PR component, it might be 10%. And if you take in those only in part-time employment, the figure could come to 15% or more.
Of course, it is political dettol to sterilise the truth because they want to add more PRs and recycle Singaporeans out into poverty or out of this country.
Only fools believe in the dog-eat-shit statistics published by MSM in highfalutin slant of course.
If $10 million can be used for the new comers, what is the problem of giving more allowance to the old and needy? As compared to $10 million for the rich new comers, $330 or more given to the old elderly Singaporeans that have contributed so much to the soceity is really not asking too much.
Will Dr Vivian treat me like this someday when I grow old?
there is only one,and only one,way to reduce the wolrd’s
massive unemployment;that is, REDUCE GREED!
How many companies which reportedly claimed that they have no choice but to retrench workers for the company’s basic survival,actually subsequently reported increased profits over previous Financial Years and mind you, those were hefty profits!
i fail to understand why companies need perpetually to make more profits over the previous year’s in order to be “sustainable”?..to me this is just ridiculous especially when profit levels are over and above “maximum”?!
what is long term sustaianable profits is NOT MAXIMUM PROFITS
but i believe a level of OPTIMUM PROFIT where workers could get to keep their jobs and companies still make good money,whilst apllying wisely the other factors of production.
shareholders and CEOs of businesses need to think out-of -the-box of GREED to reverse this world’s common headache and that is unemployment!
no two ways about it,just be less greedy and everyone else will
be happy.
As exemplified by WALLSTREET,GREED,in the long -term,is not
SUSTAINABLE!!!!
I like to throw a question to the smartest in singapore:
Q: Who knows exactly how many citizens are unemployed and how many are employed.
If there is a figure for PR+citizens, can it be deduced that the number for citizens is known? If so, who should i direct this question to?
//puppies are unique. They are ultruistically loyal on Mon, 30th Nov 2009 10:12 pm
Citizen unemployed number is a guess! Estimated 5.9%?
Those retrenched younger and older citizens cannot find a job, are not classified as unemployed. There is a special category.
Its always under declared. But Manpower giving 0.25 months bonus.
Singaporeans! We are finished!
The govt said US crisis, Singapore is the least affected. Now, Dubai defaulted, the Mas said Singapore has less than 1% exposure so we are not affect.
Why Singapore citizens unemployment go up?
How can HDB be affordable?
With Singaporeans unemployment hitting hi 5.9% this time, the Manpower and NTUC will use same strategy (as 2004-2006) to bring it down to 2% within 1 – 1 1/2 years and then call for a GE.
In 2004-2006, they created jobs in areas as security guards, SBS Bus drivers, Comfort taxi drivers, assist teachers, cleaners, and toilet caretakers, and added a GDP growth bonus to everyone just b4 GE.
They will do it this time again, and by using the 2IRs to create employments for Singaporeans to reduce unemployment.
My dear “Richie on mon, 30th nov, 2009″, i fully agreed with your view that rich people here only interested to get richer! Excuse me, even the most powerful person in this world, the president elect of the USA-Mr. Barack Obama also praises lky as the “LENDARY FIGURE OF ASIA”, so, who are we? Just a bunch of feeble singaporeans, to criticize sg by putting on all these statistics to seek redress, and don’t you think we are wasting our time? as the saying go, “A SLAVE IS STILL A SLAVE, EVEN YOU ELECT HIM AS A PRESIDENT, HE IS STILL A SLAVE AS HE HAS A SLAVE’S GEN AND BLOOD IN HIS BODY”, so, when a slave met with a powerful autocrat like lky he has to sing praises, when a slave met a true-blue-blood japanese emperor, he has to bow! So sad, but that’s the reality, my dear!!!!! So, what should we do? Should all of us go and lick lky’s boots before we all can be gainfully employed!!! Who can give me an answer? May be only the god know the answer!!! Hahahahaha…. Heeheeheehee…..
S$ 10 million is provided for PA and grassroots leaders to throw social gatherings and parties for new migrants to integrate.
Have they done anything for those 5.9% unemployed?
Have they thought about you?
Poor Singaporeans!