Prize winners for the Wisdom website

13 people won the prize for submitting 5 votes at the Wisdom website on the first day. They received an email to download the book prize.

It is easy to win the prize. Just go to the website.
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg.

You can access the website with the browser of your mobile phone. It is easy to vote using the mobile phone.

Wisdom of the Crowd - revamped website

The revamped website is now running at www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg.

It is now easy for you to vote on the issues. You can login with your Facebook or Google Account.

When you vote on 5 issues, you will receive a prize - the PDF copy of the Intelligence Quiz book.

The vote is now based on multiple choices.

The issue for you to vote are:

1. Who do you like to see as the next prime minster of Singapore?
2. What is the future prospect for Singapore?
3. Which country will have the strongest economy over the next 10 years?

And more.

You can also view the votes for issues that have closed. I show you an example for "What is your favorite pet". The results are simulated.

Take the road less travelled

I like to opt for "the road less travelled".

If most people wants to join the bank, I prefer to join another industry. If most people want to get a degree, I prefer to work and gain experience and skills.

When I take "the road less travelled", I get less competition and better opportunities. THis is how the labor market works, right?

The sceptics say, "The road less travelled is less travelled for a reason". This is how most people in Singapore think anyway.

This is why most things in Singapore never change. We are not willing to take risk. Even if we want to change, we try to take the "road often travelled". We will fail to make that change.

Basically, we are NOT innovative, right? To be innovate, we have to "take the road less travelled" and "be willing to get lost". Don't worry, we will find out way back.

This is to INNOVATION.

Encourage some young people to opt for skill training

The government is now working hard to encourage young people to consider taking a skilled job, rather than go to university.

I agree with the goal.

But the government will find it very difficult to achieve this goal, if they do not look into the root cause of the problem.

Basically, the young people will still want to go to university because they perceive that their options will be better with a degree. Their parents will also support them.

There is one thing that the government can do to change the perception.

Someone like Dr Goh Keng Swee will probably think "out of the box" and get the perception to be changed. Sadly, Dr Goh is not with us.

But he has asked me to give this suggestion ..... (You have to wait for the answer in my next posting). He has not completed sending his full message yet.

Provide option to rent a property

Minister Lawrence Wong is working hard to ensure that young people can get their HDB flats earlier and faster.

I hope that he will think "out of the box" and consider the following:

1. Allow young people to rent their HDB flats.
2. Allow them to pay the rental from the CPF, or allow them to reduce their CPF contribution (this has to be decided by the cabinet).

We should not force everyone to buy a property. We should encourage rental of property, like in Germany and Switzerland. This will give flexibility to young people to take their time to buy a property. In the meantime, they should rent a property to be close to their place of work, and reduce the strain on public transport.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/…/young-couple…/3574932.html…

Difficult to know the exact bus stop

I took a bus from Bukit Timah Road to my home. The app said to take 151/154 and change at St Andrew's Jnr College to bus 857 after walking a short distance. It turned out to be a nightmare.

As I was not familar with the route, I asked the driver if we are approached CTE (where St Andrew's Jnr College was. He was not sure. He then confirmed that the next stop is where I should get down.

I spent the next 15 minutes looking for the next bus stop. I could not find it. Google Map was not accurate, so I could not rely on it.

I asked several people at the bus stop and walking by. They also did not kow. Apparently, I had alighted one stop earlier.

For several years, I have asked for the buses to display the name of the next bus stop, or just the sequence number. The Land Transport Authority did not bother to consider this suggestion.

It is very difficult to travel at night, if there is no display or announcement of the stop.

Finally, I took a taxi home. I am disappointed at the LTA and the transport minister.

Tilt the balance in favor of local workers

Employers will continue to discriminate against local employees until the root causes are eliminated.

Here are the reasons why employers prefer foreigners.

1. They do not need to be called up for NS reservist duty or cannot claim for maternity benefit.
2. They do not need to contribute to CPF. Although employers have to pay a levy for certain categories of foreign workers, there is no levy on employment pass holders and dependent pass holders.
3. Foreign workers are willing to work for lower salaries and to work for long hours.
4. Foreign workers do not job hop.

To remove the discrimination against local employees, the following measures should be taken:

1. Stop call up for reservist duty. They can be called up for retraining at time of hostility.
2. All maternity benefit should be borne by the government and not the employee. The government can fund maternity benefit and retrenchment benefit through payroll tax of 1% of salaries (or less).
3. Implement a minimum wage that applies to local and foreign workers.
4 Give local employees and their employers the option to contribute a lower rate of CPF. Some local workers may want to use the money to rent a property rather than to buy a property.
5. Require employees to pay a levy for all categories of foreign workers, including employment and dependent pass holders.

These changes are likely to tilt the balance in favor of local workers.

Tutorials for you and your children

These tutorials can make a difference for you and for the future of your children.

http://tklcloud.com/Event/whats_on.aspx

More help for PMET, mature workers

The government tries to help the mature workers and PMET by sending them for training and providing salary support.

They have been trying this approach in the past. I wonder what is the level of success.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/…/more-support…/3571384.html…

Perhaps the root cause of the problem is that employers prefer foreign workers. If the government continues the same strategy, without address the root cause, they may not succeed.

Attend 3 talks for FREE

Here is an event that you should not miss.

You get the following 3 talks
1. Health screening
2. Dealing with cancer
3. Financial health

And it is FREE.

More details can be found at:
http://fisca.sg/event_det.aspx?id=14

Tutorial on Intelligence Quiz

Want to know why Vera, 10 years old, is fascinated with the Intelligence Quiz?

You can watch the video of Vera solving the puzzle. The PDF shows you the kind of puzzle that has captivated her attention.

You can register to attend the tutorial here:
http://tklcloud.com/Event/event_det.aspx?ID=39

Medical leave

The employment law allows a worker to get up to 14 days of medical leave in a year, when they fall sick.

Some employers or HR officers find certain employees are inclined to abuse this privilege. Talking to the employees may help in some cases, but does not work with others. What can they do about these employees?

1. Accept that this is part of the system and close both eyes.
2. Introduce a reward system for employees with low MC
3. Find some reasons to terminate the employees
4. Give all employees 4 extra days of leave and do not grant MC (but the law has to be changed).

I learned 20 years ago, that companies in America practiced option 4. Many companies in Singapore (e.g. SIA) practiced option 2, but was criticised for it.

Medical and compassionate leave

There is a suspicion that some workers are abusing the MC system in Singapore.

I wish to share this joke, which is relevent to the UK context.

Boss - Jim, you are asking for compassionate leave to visit your sick grandmother. Why is it that she falls sick whenever there is an important football match?

Jim - I also wonder, boss. Do you think that she is faking her illness?