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Update 22 Jun 2021: High Court dismisses Parti Liyani's bid against AGC for $10,000 compensation
Ms Parti Liyani and her lawyer Anil Balchandani at the Supreme Court on Oct 27 last year.PHOTO: ST FILE
The High Court judge who acquitted former domestic worker Parti Liyani last year of stealing from her employer has dismissed her application seeking compensation of $10,000 from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
Justice Chan Seng Onn said on Monday (June 21) that Ms Parti has not succeeded in proving on a balance of probability that her prosecution was “frivolous or vexatious”.
The judge said in a 102-page judgment: “The decision to bring the charges against Parti was based on sufficient evidence such that there is a case fit to bring before the court.
Former domestic worker Parti Liyani seeks disciplinary action against prosecutors who handled her theft trial
The former domestic worker of businessman Liew Mun Leong has taken legal action in a bid to begin disciplinary proceedings against two public prosecutors who handled her case.
Ms Parti Liyani’s lawyer, Mr Anil Balchandani from Red Lion Circle, attended a pre-trial conference in the High Court on Wednesday (Sept 23).
The Indonesian worker’s case was thrust into the spotlight three weeks ago when a High Court judge overturned her conviction for stealing more than S$34,000 worth of items from Mr Liew’s household.
Liew Mun Leong steps down as chairman of CAG, Surbana Jurong after ex-maid acquitted of stealing
Mr Liew Mun Leong's former Indonesian maid Parti Liyani has been cleared of all criminal charges.PHOTOS: ST FILE
Mr Liew Mun Leong has stepped down as chairman of Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong, days after the High Court acquitted his former maid of theft and raised questions about his motivations in lodging a police report against her.
He has also resigned from his positions as senior international business adviser at Singapore investment company Temasek and as a board member of Temasek Foundation.
In a statement on Thursday (Sept 10), Mr Liew, 74, said he had decided to bring forward his retirement from these roles.
read more Shanmugam cautions against prejudging acquitted ex-maid case
Meanwhile, a survey by the Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau (SCCB) revealed that employment expectations among businesses in Singapore have taken a turn for the worse, with overall business sentiment remaining negative.
read more PSP’s Tan Cheng Bock calls for independent review of lapses in acquitted maid’s case
Ms Parti Liyani leaving the State Courts with her lawyer Anil Balchandani on Sept 8
Progress Singapore Party secretary-general Tan Cheng Bock on Sunday (Sept 13) called for an independent review into whether there were any “underlying systemic faults” in the case of foreign domestic worker Parti Liyani.
“Proper accountability demands that we find the root causes for these lapses. Not just whether mistakes were caused by individual human errors. Scapegoating or witch hunts will do us no good,” wrote Dr Tan in a Facebook post, weighing in on the case for the first time.
The solution has to go further than blaming or removing personnel in question, he added. “We must examine if there are underlying systemic faults — whether there are any failures in safety processes, protocols, checks and balances. If not, we risk repeating the same mistakes again,” said Dr Tan.
read more CAG chairman Liew Mun Leong has contributed to S’pore, public should hear his side of the story: Temasek executive
Mr Liew Mun Leong (pictured), a senior international adviser at Temasek, was CEO of CapitaLand before becoming chairman of Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong
Changi Airport Group (CAG) chairman Liew Mun Leong has contributed to Singapore and its people, and the public should hear his side of the story regarding the case involving his former domestic worker and not be too quick to judge, a top executive of state investment firm Temasek Holdings said on Tuesday (Sept 8).
Mr Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, chief executive officer of Temasek International, said during the firm’s year-in-review briefing: “There are many individuals who have contributed to both public service and for the private sector in Singapore for the benefit of Singapore and our population. Liew Mun Leong is one of those persons and his track record at CapitaLand, CAG and Surbana Jurong will attest to that.”
Mr Pillay was asked about a recent high-profile case involving Mr Liew’s family and their former domestic worker, Ms Parti Liyani.
It is not surprising that the saga of Changi Airport Group Chairman Liew Mun Leong has attracted such prominent attraction not only in Singapore but maybe outside. This is no doubt one of the most iniquitious injustices that could be imposed on a defenceless Indonesian maid who had given eight years of conscientious service to the Liew family.
The process of the police investigations and the District Court judgement for the alleged theft by this unfortunate victim were so full of unimaginables and unconventionals that they boggle the common mind of the people completely. It was by the grace of God (or Allah in this case) that the appeal was heard by such a courageus and perceptive High Court Judge as Justice Chan Seng Onn who minced no words in his highly critical judgement of the judicial proceedings of the district court and his unbridled contempt of the iniquitious conduct of Liew Mun Leong and his son Karl Liew in trumping up theft charges against the defenceless maid.
Justice Chan laid bare the inexcusable inadequacies of the police investigations under the direction of the Attorney-General Department and the unbelievable blunder of the District Judge in convicting the accused on the questionable evidence before her.
read more Singapore to study judge’s findings after acquittal of Indonesian domestic worker
Singapore authorities will assess if further actions are needed after a judge acquitted Parti Liyani. Photo: Twitter
The findings of a Singapore High Court judge, who recently acquitted a foreign domestic worker accused of theft by her former employer Liew Mun Leong, raise questions which warrant further investigations, according to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).
In a media statement on Sunday, the AGC said it will study the judgment of Justice Chan Seng Onn to assess whether there are any further actions that should be taken in light of Justice Chan’s comments about Parti Liyani’s case.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) also said in a statement that it is consulting the AGC to see whether it should further look into the matter. It had earlier issued a warning to Liew’s wife and an advisory to his son in May 2018, for making Parti work illegally at other premises, including the son’s home and office. The police said on Sunday that they noted the High Court’s judgment on the case, and that several observations about the investigation had been raised, which they are looking into.
Courts Drop Ex-Helper’s 5th & Final Charge, Now Her Name Is Cleared
A dramatic trial involving Parti Liyani, a former domestic worker under Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong, ended with her full acquittal on Tuesday (8 Sep).
The 46-year-old Indonesian was cleared of her 5th and last charge in the State Courts today. Previously the High Court had dropped 4 other charges, after she was initially found guilty. For the 5th charge, she was found with several items which she was accused of obtaining fraudulently, according to Channel NewsAsia.
Ms Parti was cleared of her 5th charge, for fraudulent possession of property. The Straits Times reports that she was found with a total of 18 items on Dec 2016 at the airport, which she allegedly couldn’t account for on her possession.
read more Timeline: How a maid was acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman's family
Parti Liyani with her lawyer Anil Balchandani outside the High Court on Sep 4, 2020. She was acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family. (Photo: Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics)
An Indonesian maid was acquitted last Friday (Sep 4) of stealing from the family of Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong, nearly four years after she was fired by her former employer.
In March 2019, Ms Parti Liyani was convicted of four charges of stealing, before the convictions were overturned in the High Court by Justice Chan Seng Onn. In his judgment last Friday, Justice Chan laid out the reasons for Ms Parti's acquittal.
Here is a timeline of events related to the case:
MARCH 2007: MS PARTI STARTS WORK IN LIEW HOUSEHOLD
OCT 28, 2016: MS PARTI’S EMPLOYMENT TERMINATED
OCT 29 TO OCT 30, 2016: THE LIEWS FILE A POLICE REPORT
DEC 2, 2016: MS PARTI ARRESTED
DEC 3, 2016: POLICE VISIT THE LIEWS
DEC 2016: MS PARTI QUESTIONED BY POLICE
AUGUST 2017: MS PARTI CHARGED
OCTOBER 2017: MS PARTI LODGES REPORT TO MOM
APR 23, 2018: MS PARTI CLAIMS TRIAL
AUGUST 2018: MR LIEW MUN LEONG TESTIFIES DURING TRIAL
MAR 20, 2019: MS PARTI FOUND GUILTY
SEP 4, 2020: MS PARTI ACQUITTED
SEP 6, 2020: AGC, MOM, POLICE ISSUE STATEMENTS
read more Acquittal of Liew Mun Leong's former maid prompts AGC to look further into case
Ms Parti, who worked for Mr Liew (above) and his family for nine years, was cleared by the High Court following an appeal against her conviction and sentence. BT FILE PHOTO
THE Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) is studying whether any further action is needed following the acquittal of Parti Liyani - the Indonesian maid whom corporate bigwig Liew Mun Leong and members of his family falsely accused of stealing items from their homes.
read more Maid accused of theft at CAG chief's house, then acquitted: Judge notes serious risk of evidence contamination
Justice Chan Seng Onn said Mr Karl Liew's testimony against Ms Parti Liyani at trial was internally inconsistent.PHOTO: ST FILE, WONG KWAI CHOW
The bulk of the items that Ms Parti Liyani was accused of stealing allegedly belonged to Mr Karl Liew.
These included over 100 pieces of clothing, two wallets, bed linen, kitchen utensils, a damaged luxury watch and two iPhone 4 phones.
At the end of the trial, the district judge removed the wallets - a Gucci and a Braun Buffel - and some women's clothing from the charge as there was doubt over whether they were his.
read more Accused of theft, then acquitted: Police report by CAG chief's family was to stop maid from complaining to MOM, says judge
Once Ms Parti Liyani made clear - upon being fired - her desire to complain to MOM, the Liew family "followed up with the police report to ensure her return would be prevented", said Justice Chan Seng Onn
For the nine years from 2007 that she worked for Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family, Indonesian Parti Liyani had a relatively harmonious relationship with its members.
They gave her generous red packets and raised her monthly salary from $300 to $600. However, from time to time, she clashed with her employer's son, Karl, over her household chores at the Chancery Lane family home.
Things got more heated when Mr Karl Liew moved out with his family in March 2016 to a house nearby.
read more Agencies looking into issues judge raised in case of ex-maid acquitted of stealing from CAG chief
Miss Parti Liyani and her lawyer Anil Balchandani leaving the Supreme Court building on Sept 4, 2020.PHOTO: HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATION FOR MIGRATION ECONOMICS
The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), the police and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) are looking into the case of a former domestic worker acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family.
This comes after Justice Chan Seng Onn, in his 100-page judgment on the case last Friday, found the trial judge's conviction against her to be unsafe.
He cited the handling of the evidence by the police, the recording of the allegedly stolen items and the improper motive behind the allegations of some family members.
CAG chairman's wife cautioned, son given advisory in 2018 after maid complained about illegal deployment: MOM
Parti Liyani with her lawyer Anil Balchandani and his intern Ajay Singh outside the High Court on Sep 4, 2020. She was acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family. (Photo: Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics)
The wife of Changi Airport Group (CAG) chairman Liew Mun Leong was issued a caution and his son issued an advisory by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in 2018 after their former maid Parti Liyani complained of being illegally deployed.
Ms Parti was acquitted on Friday (Sep 4) of stealing about S$34,000 worth of items from Mr Liew Mun Leong and his family, after she was sentenced to jail in March 2019 for four counts of theft.
Justice Chan Seng Onn overturned her convictions on Friday and said in his judgment that the Liew family had taken a "pre-emptive first step" to terminate her employment suddenly on Oct 28, 2016 and given her insufficient time to pack, in hope that she would not use the time to make a complaint to MOM.
read more Acquitted Indonesian domestic worker receives donations of S$28,000 in less than a day
On Sept 4, 2020, the High Court acquitted Ms Parti Liyani (front row, third from right) of all four charges of theft that had been levelled against her
A fundraiser for an Indonesian domestic worker who was recently acquitted of theft has raised its target of S$28,000 less than a day after it was launched.
The money will help Ms Parti Liyani, who was accused by her former employer Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong of theft, set up a food business in Indonesia.
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) set up the fundraiser. Its spokesperson said on Monday (Sept 7): “We are very encouraged by the many kind-hearted Singaporeans who are concerned for Parti Liyani and stepped forward to offer help.”
read more Ho Ching lambasted by netizens for praising former CapitaLand’s chief executive Liew Mun Leong of “building people”, after the case of Parti Liyani
The CEO of Temasek Holdings, Ho Ching, has once again lambasted by netizens over her support towards the former chief executive of CapitaLand, Liew Mun Leong, who was involved in the convictions of his former Indonesian domestic worker, Parti Liyani.
In a Facebook post on 7 August, Madam Ho cited a quote from an American author Zig Ziglar and praised Mr Liew’s belief in “building people”.
“I remember Liew Mun Leong saying the mission of CapitaLand is to build people to build for people. That was why he was chosen to be the founding CEO of CapitaLand,” the Prime Minister’s wife wrote. Mr Liew had left CapitaLand in 2012 and is currently the Chairman of Changi Airport Group.
read more Accused of theft, then acquitted: Police report by CAG chief's family was to stop maid from complaining to MOM, says judge
Once Ms Parti Liyani made clear - upon being fired - her desire to complain to MOM, the Liew family "followed up with the police report to ensure her return would be prevented", said Justice Chan Seng Onn.
For the nine years from 2007 that she worked for Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family, Indonesian Parti Liyani had a relatively harmonious relationship with its members. They gave her generous red packets and raised her monthly salary from $300 to $600.
However, from time to time, she clashed with her employer's son, Karl, over her household chores at the Chancery Lane family home.
read more Law firm says it ‘only played a very small part’ in surprise acquittal of Changi Airport chief’s ex-maid
Parti Liyani with her defense lawyer, Anil Balchandani, and the HOME team. Image: HOME: Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics/Facebook
The Singapore law firm gaining widespread recognition for helping a domestic helper win a case against her former employers is redirecting their success to the hard work of migrant worker activists.
The Red Lion Circle law firm and its lawyer Anil Balchandani had defended Indonesian domestic helper Parti Liyani, 46, from the state to the high court, after she was accused by former employer, Changi Airport chief Liew Mun Leong, of stealing S$34,000 worth of items.
“A lot has been said regarding counsel’s participation at the trial and at the appeal. Red Lion Circle wishes to state that counsel for Parti Liyani only played a very small part in her acquittal,” the firm said in a statement.
Mr LIEW Mun Leong is the Chairman of Surbana Jurong Private Limited and also the Chairman of Changi Airport Group.
Mr Liew has spent 22 years in the public service developing Singapore’s Changi Airport, military airports and establishments. He was involved with the construction of Changi Airport Phase I and II from day one in 1975. He was also the CEO of two government statutory bodies, the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research (SISIR) and concurrently the National Science and Technology Board (NSTB), the forerunner of A*STAR. He was the Registrar of the Professional Engineers Board, granting engineers’ licenses to practise in Singapore and regulating engineering practices in Singapore. He has also served the Executive Board of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for which he was later elected and served as its President for one term.
In the private sector, he has another 24 years of experience leading 10 public listed companies in four countries. In 2000, he was appointed as the founding CEO of CapitaLand Limited, a public listed real estate company, which has become the largest real estate group (by market capitalization) in South East Asia, operating in over 20 countries with more than 12,000 staff. He is a Senior International Business Advisor appointed by Temasek to advise the Group on long term real estate investments in New York, London and Tokyo. Currently he also sits on the boards of Singapore Exchange, NUS Business School, Human Capital Leadership Institute, Chinese Development Assistance Council and the Singapore China Foundation. He also chairs Dymon Asia Real Estate Limited, a private equity fund investing in real estate in several key Asian cities and Temasek Foundation Nurtures CLG Ltd.
Liew Mun Leong (born June 1946) is the chairman of Changi Airport Group (CAG) and Surbana Jurong Private Limited, an urban and infrastructure consulting firm. A decorated civil engineer and businessman who has had experience in the real estate and aviation industries, Liew Mun Leong was conferred the Meritorious Service Medal by the President of Singapore in 2011. He was also bestowed the rank of Knight (Chevalier) in the French National Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur) in recognition of his contributions to France’s economy
Liew Mun Leong is married to Ng Lai Peng. Together they have a son, Karl Liew and a daughter, Liew Cheng May.
Liew Mun Loong was a student of Queenstown Technical School. He then went to the University of Singapore where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1970. Liew Mun Leong has held various positions in Singapore’s public and private sectors. With professional beginnings in the 1970s as a civil engineer with the Ministry of Defence,[9] he then forayed into the private sector in the 1990s.
Hitting the gym is great for both your physical and mental health. However, the gym is also full of germs.
Though sweat itself does not carry germs, exercise machines are hotbeds of bacteria. But there are some places in the gym that are more infested than others. These are the dirtiest, germiest places in the gym and how to keep yourself safe from infection.
Gym equipment can harbor germs that may cause infection:
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong crossed swords with Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh on the issue of encouraging Singaporeans to vote for the opposition.PHOTOS: GOV.SG In a charged debate on Wednesday (Sept 2), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong crossed swords with Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh on the issue of encouraging Singaporeans to vote for the opposition, with the assurance that the People's Action Party would still form the government of the day. Any political party that does so is a "free rider" and this tactic will eventually result in the system failing, PM Lee said. Stressing that elections are about voting for who will run the government, he added that the country's political system can only work if people vote "sincerely, honestly, in accordance with what they really want". read more
Ho Ching on PM Lee-Pritam Singh debate: A free rider is not a free loader
Ms Ho Ching, the CEO of Temasek Holdings and wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has taken to social media to weigh in on a term over which Mr Lee and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh had crossed swords in Parliament on Wednesday (Sept 2).
In the debate on the President’s Address to Parliament last week, Mr Lee touched on the issue of Singaporeans being encouraged to vote for the opposition, with the assurance that the People’s Action Party would still form the government of the day. He said that any political party that does so is a “free rider” and this tactic will eventually result in the system failing.
Mr Lee said: “If you say vote against the Government because somebody else will look after getting the PAP Government and you just become a free rider, and you vote opposition, no harm, the PAP will still be there, then I think the system must fail.”
read more A free ride: Singapore’s prime minister in a muddle
Often when Singaporean politicians stray from the script, they produce gems, phrases for the ages, words destined for internet meme stardom. Yesterday I was on my way home from town when four buddies messaged me on separate chats: “Did you hear what he just said?”; “Did you see the exchange?”; “Free riders? Hmm.”
Like the fan who is late to the game and has missed the opening goal, I scoured YouTube as soon as I got home. I watched Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s prime minister, describing a segment of opposition voters as “free riders”, in a parliamentary exchange with Pritam Singh, the leader of the opposition. Mr Lee was specifically referring to Singaporean voters who voted for the opposition even though they expected the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) to win the election. “But if you say, vote for for me, somebody else will vote for the PAP, and therefore the PAP will be the government, that, the economists will call a free rider. It means that you’re taking advantage of somebody else who’s doing their duty of electing a government for the nation.” (Video)
This is an awful thing for a country’s leader to say about its voters. Here are five reasons why:
Economics 101 FAIL
Why do Singaporeans vote for the opposition?
By that logic, are PAP voters free riders too?
You are not a free rider if you believe you may be penalised
Are immigrants and others also free riders in terms of national defence?
read more PAP has been enjoying the mother of all free rides – until GE2020
Life is no longer a free ride for the People’s Action Party. If last week’s Parliamentary proceedings are any indication, it will get tougher for the ruling party and it has to seriously up its act in the battle for the hearts and minds of Singaporeans.
The party seems anxious to put on an appearance of accepting Singaporeans’ growing desire for checks and balance and diversity of political voices. Even before PM Lee Hsien Loong’s NDP Rally replacement speech in Parliament, it allowed a number of its MPs to sound more like Opposition MPs than PAP ones.
For example, Patrick Tay (Pioneer), an NTUC assistant secretary-general, in an earlier session debating the President’s address, noted the many MPs had argued that more had to be done to strengthen the Singaporean core – a big issue during GE2020. “In fact, I was doing a count as we progressed through the speeches – and the phrase ‘Singaporean core’ has been mentioned over 40 times in the last four days alone,” he said. Well, what do you know, good for him.
read more PM Lee, Pritam Singh spar over ‘free rider’ opposition voters, use of reserves and what happens if PAP is voted out
Rising to speak after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s hour-long speech on Wednesday (Sept 2), Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh sought to clarify statements in the address that had referred to the Workers’ Party (WP)
What followed was a robust 40-minute exchange on day three of the parliamentary debate on the President’s Address between the chiefs of the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the WP on governance and politics.
Broadcast live on television and the internet, the exchange covered the WP’s position on the use of reserves, the role of public servants in a government takeover, and voters who had voted tactically against the PAP, whom PM Lee called “free riders”.
It veered into issues arising from the recent General Election in July, with PM Lee cautioning Mr Singh on the “moral danger” of campaigning on the platform that the WP would not be able to form the government.
Fiery exchange between PM Lee & WP's Pritam Singh reveals each leader's fundamental beliefs
PM Lee chokes up in Parliament
Parliament was the scene of a fiery showdown between Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong and Leader of the Opposition (LO) Pritam Singh on Sep. 2, during the debate on the President's Address.
PM Lee had just finished his more than an hour-long speech, which touched upon issues like Singapore's Covid-19 response, strengthening social safety nets while keeping them sustainable, and how to manage the inflow of foreign workers into Singapore.
He also covered local politics, and made several references to the Singh's Workers' Party (WP).
read more PM Lee Calls Opposition Voters ‘Free Riders’ Who May End Up With Govt They Don’t Want
Meet-The-People (MTP) sessions are one example, where opposition MPs have to conduct them in void decks, while PAP MPs can use dedicated offices
Voters Are “Free Riders” If They Don’t Vote For Who Forms Government, Says PM Lee
During GE2020, there were shots fired on every side of the political spectrum. On one hand, the opposition, like the Workers’ Party, campaigned on the premise that voters should make their vote count. These parties called on voters to use their vote to bring more diversity to Parliament.
On the other hand, the People’s Action Party warned that voters must vote for the party they wish to govern. This issue came to a head again on Wednesday (2 Sep), as PM Lee brought up something he heard from Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean. PM Lee was making a speech on Singapore’s Covid-19 response in Parliament today.
A middle-aged voter had asked Senior Minister Teo on the 2nd last day of the GE2020 campaigning about something that concerned her, PM Lee said. She’d heard from others that it’s okay to vote for opposition candidates as the PAP will remain in charge. The voter also heard upgrading programmes promised by the PAP would come to fruition even if voters voted for the opposition, shared PM Lee. This way, they could have 2 sets of people serving them, instead of 1.
By calling non PAP voters “free riders”, is PM Lee suggesting that non PAP voters do not contribute to state coffers?
In a lengthy speech delivered by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament on Wednesday (2 Sept), he called people who did not vote for the Peoples’ Action Party (PAP) “free riders“. This rightly incited the ire of Pritam Singh, who as Leader of the Opposition refuted Lee’s assertions.
A day after the general election of July 2020, Lee had said :“My team and I will serve all Singaporeans, whichever party you vote for……Whether or not you voted for the PAP, we will listen to you, do our best to address your concerns and try to win your support.” In just two months, it seems that Lee has changed his tone where non PAP voters are concerned.
How can he pledge to “listen” if in his mind, he has already labelled them “free riders”? How can he do his best to address concerns and win support if he has already dismissed them as some how lesser than PAP voters? Lee’s statements yesterday were disappointing and makes his July pledges seem completely disingenuous.
We thank the Prime Minister for alerting us to the presence of free riders in our midst
Although Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has been saying that the People’s Action Party won a clear mandate for GE2020, it is clear that he has been stung and shaken at the loss of 10 seats to the Workers’ Party. In calling the WP and opposition voters “free riders” in Parliament yesterday, PM Lee showed his true colours.
Not many of us are familiar with the term “free riders.” PM Lee mentioned that economists use it – in that context, free riders are people who benefit from something without expending effort or paying for it. PM Lee was referring to those who voted for the opposition while wanting the benefit of having the PAP as the ruling party.
The WP’s Pritam Singh took exception to the labelling of opposition voters as “free riders,” saying: “I don’t think the residents in Aljunied, in Hougang for 30 years now, and even Sengkang, as a result of the last election, will appreciate being called free riders. They are not free riders.” Are the 39% of Singaporeans who voted for the opposition free riders?
read more Writer asks: By PM Lee’s logic, aren’t PAP voters free riders, too?
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s remarks in Parliament earlier this week about free riders have ruffled more than a few feathers. On Wednesday (Sept 2), he referred to Singaporeans who voted for the opposition while expecting the People’s Action Party (PAP) to remain in power as “free riders”.
“But if you say, vote for for me, somebody else will vote for the PAP, and therefore the PAP will be the Government, that, the economists will call a free rider. It means that you’re taking advantage of somebody else who’s doing their duty of electing a government for the nation,” Mr Lee said.
Workers’ Party (WP) head and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh responded by saying: “I don’t think the residents of Aljunied, Hougang for 30 years now, and even Sengkang, as a result of the results of the last election, would appreciate being called free riders.”
read more Who's the Real Free Rider? Singapore’s Government Reserve Racket
A dispute broke out yesterday in Singapore’s parliament over how Singapore’s reserves should be spent.
Opposition Leader Pritam Singh said yesterday that more of Singapore’s reserves should be used for “healthcare, aging, the same Singaporeans who have worked hard, have toiled hard, and who are now in their retirement years.” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong swatted this idea aside. He said that his “fundamental mindset” is that “we do not depend on another little bit from the reserves,” because it will only lead to “getting a little bit more pregnant,” and “that is not the way we should think.”
Lee, ever eloquent, made his point most clear when he said, “You have to be able to spend what you are able to earn.”
read more WP Sengkang MP & trained economist Jamus Lim: Opposition voters can't be defined as 'free riders'
However, the buzzword of the day, which managed to seize the Singapore public's attention, was "free-riders" -- a concept thrown into the fiery exchange and igniting some impassioned arguments across the political divide.
Following the marathon seven-hour session on Wednesday, Workers' Party (WP) Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim took to his various social media accounts to explain why he felt opposition voters cannot be classified as free riders in Singapore's political system, just because they did not pick PAP candidates to represent them.
Jamus Lim Says WP Voters Aren’t ‘Free Riders’, Know Costs & Value Alternative Voices
Jamus Lim Debunks PM Lee’s Comment On WP Voters In Parliament
It’s only been a few days since the Parliament sessions began, but already we’re catching some noteworthy moments.
One particularly memorable one was when Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong called opposition party voters ‘free riders‘, which provoked a strong response from WP Chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh.
Not one to miss the action is fellow party member Jamus Lim, who later shared his two cents’ worth on Facebook.
The free rider problem is the burden on a shared resource that is created by its use or overuse by people who aren't paying their fair share for it or aren't paying anything at all.
The free rider problem can occur in any community, large or small. In an urban area, a city council may debate whether and how to force suburban commuters to contribute to the upkeep of its roads and sidewalks or the protection of its police and fire services. A public radio or broadcast station devotes airtime to fundraising in hopes of coaxing donations from listeners who aren't contributing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Free riding is considered a failure of the conventional free market system.
The problem occurs when some members of a community fail to contribute their fair share to the costs of a shared resource.
Their failure to contribute makes the resource economically infeasible to produce.
The social science term "free riding" refers to a wide range of situations in which users of services do not pay for them, including fare evasion. When people become "free riders" on the metro, this lowers revenues needed to run the train service
In the social sciences, the free-rider problem is a type of market failure that occurs when those who benefit from resources, public goods (such as public roads or hospitals), or services of a communal nature do not pay for them or under-pay. Free riders are a problem because while not paying for the good (either directly through fees or tolls or indirectly through taxes), they may continue to access or use it. Thus, the good may be under-produced, overused or degraded.
The free-rider problem in social science is the question of how to limit free riding and its negative effects in these situations. The free-rider problem may occur when property rights are not clearly defined and imposed. The free-rider problem is common with goods which are non-excludable (meaning that non-payers cannot be stopped from getting use of or benefits from the good), including public goods and situations of the tragedy of the commons. A free rider may enjoy a non-excludable good such as a government-provided road system without contributing to paying for it. For another example, if a coastal town builds a lighthouse, ships from many regions and countries will benefit from it, even though they are not contributing to its costs, and are thus "free riding" on the navigation aid.
Although the term "free rider" was first used in economic theory of public goods, similar concepts have been applied to other contexts, including collective bargaining, antitrust law, psychology and political science. For example, some individuals in a team or community may reduce their contributions or performance if they believe that one or more other members of the group may free ride.
Atas interpretations of hawker food are nothing new, but now, you can enjoy artisanal versions of your favourite dishes atop one of Singapore’s most iconic locations.
Sky High Hawker, an event held by CÉ LA VI Singapore, debuted during the National Day period and will continue to run every first weekend of the month.
This month’s event is an all-women edition with food prepared by none other than Singapore’s most renowned chefs and local hawkers, such as Aisha Hashim, a fifth generation hawker and the owner of Haig Road Putu Piring; Janice Wong, World Gourmet Summits Awards winner and owner of 2am:dessertbar; Petrina Loh, owner of Morsels restaurant; Jasmine Tan from Mui Siong Minced Meat Noodle, a stall run by three siblings who named their business after a stall their mother started; Cookoh Project, a home-based business started by stay-at-home-mums during the circuit breaker, and more local talents.
