Comrade Joseph Tan, President, SMMWU
Comrade John de Payva, President, NTUC
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Thank you for inviting me to join you in your year-end celebrations! I believe this year most of you are really celebrating because it has been a better year, and employers have paid out better bonuses!
Civil servants this year received half a month more than last year. With one month AWS, half-month Annual Variable Component in July and half-month Annual Variable Component in December, and a quarter-month special ex-gratia payment, civil servants received a total of 2.25 months compared to 1.75 months last year.
What about the private sector? So far, the Industrial Relations Department of the NTUC has received information that 80 companies have settled their annual bonuses with their unions. The lowest was zero, and the highest was 7.2 months. The average is about 2.46 months, somewhat similar to last year. Generally speaking, bonus payments in the private sector are not controversial as the unions and managements have worked out profit-sharing formulas. Quite a number of companies have turned in better results this year.
So, I expect that most of you would enjoy better bonuses this year, and are raring to party. But allow me a serious moment before you let your hair down!
Tonight I wish to talk about self-reliance.
Let’s go back in history briefly. The older ones among you will remember that we became an independent country under rather tough and unpromising circumstances. We were cut off from the hinterland that everyone thought necessary for our survival. The unemployment rate was then 9.2%, or almost three times what it is today. Soon after, the withdrawal of the British bases would mean wiping out over 20% of the economy of Singapore, with more people being thrown out of their jobs.
Our leaders then embarked on a do-or-die programme of industrialization. Singapore did not go to other countries for aid, but sought investments instead. With no hinterland in the classical sense, the world became our hinterland. This was bold, out-of-the-box thinking. We relied on ourselves, and it worked.
The truth that shone through the annals of our economic history is that no one owes Singapore a living. To ensure our survival, Singapore depended on no-one but itself. It relied on the vision of our leaders and resilience of our people. We made do with what we had, relied on our wits, sometimes good fortune. With determination, hard work and thorough preparation for challenges, we become what we are today because we relied on ourselves.
What did it mean on the ground then? Singaporeans received no housing subsidies, or rebates on utilities from the Government: the Government had no money in the treasury then! Trade unions could not give out FairPrice vouchers, or public transport vouchers, because the unions also had no money!
Singaporeans at the time simply wanted opportunities to earn a living. That was what they wanted of the Government. They relied on themselves. Some of them did not know about rules and regulations. For example, some bought old cars, and started running taxi services! And they provided good personal service, taking passengers to as close as they could to their destinations, though the cars were not properly insured and so passengers were not properly covered! As far as the drivers were concerned, they worked honestly for a living. So the Government did not prosecute them, but asked the NTUC to organize a co-operative so that the taxi service could be safe for drivers and passengers.
Other Singaporeans prepared nasi lemak, curry puffs, or nonya kueh and sold them to earn something to supplement the family income.
What about the young people then? Most helped out in their families. If there was nasi lemak or kueh to make, they did their share. Educational opportunities were also limited. Few made it to tertiary education. But some did not allow that to stop them.
For example, some went to work in the shipyards as apprentices, learning on-the-job and by self-study. They took the HND (Higher National Diploma) programme that the British offered at the time. One of them was the late Chua Chor Teck, who worked in the then Harbour Board Dockyards. He obtained a scholarship to study Naval Architecture at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, graduating with first class honours. He came back, and quickly became the first local chief executive of Keppel Shipyard. Unfortunately he died far too young.
There was another group of young Singaporeans who went to sea, either as deck officers or engineers on board ships. By working and learning, they made it to good professional jobs. Many of them hold senior positions in the marine industry today.
Such people were highly resilient. They took the knocks early, and became hardy and practical people.
Is the same spirit of self-reliance still present in Singapore today? I think it is true to say that many have become somewhat reliant on the Government or their parents. But I think most Singaporeans are still practical, and resilient. There are examples of widows who worked hard and save enough to send their children to university.
There are also young men and women who work themselves through universities overseas.
We must preserve this spirit of self-reliance.
In the future, we must expect to change jobs more frequently. The two underlying forces are globalization and technological change. With globalization, there will be constant restructuring as companies take advantage of cost advantages of other locations. With technological change, new products replace old ones, and new skills are needed for new products.
To be self-reliant, we have to do the following:
First, save for the rainy day. Do not just depend on CPF savings. CPF savings do not help you when you are out of a job. So make saving a habit.
Second, keep employable by acquiring new, relevant skills.
Third, be aware of what is happening around you, in the region and in the world. In spite of our newspapers providing more today, it appears that many people do not keep up with current affairs, and are more interested in entertainment. Enjoy yourself by all means, but take the time to update yourself on developments, and know the trends.
Fourth, be adaptable. Be willing to try new things. It helps, if you know the trends.
In conclusion, I would say that to be self-reliant, we need to save, to train, be aware and be ready to respond. Last, but not least, to be self-reliant does not mean to be selfish. Individuals should help not only themselves, but also others around them who are less fortunate. In our past, in the kampongs, Singaporeans had the ‘gotong royong’ spirit. People living in the community reach out to help others in need. We should maintain the same spirit in our high-rise environment.
Thank you for listening, and enjoy the rest of the evening.
