Extracting a bit from this source:
http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/E...,-says-Tharman
Bread-and-butter issues - jobs, the prices of property and car ownership - were also on the minds of the undergraduates at the ministerial forum.
Responding to a question on housing prices,
Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam (picture) acknowledged that "we are not in a very happy part of the cycle ... because prices have risen faster than income in the last four years".
But Mr Tharman reiterated that, compared to other countries, Singapore has done more to intervene in the market. Apart from cooling measures, the Government is also ramping up the supply of Build-to-Order flats. "It takes a bit of time ... My advice to you is, wait a little bit," Mr Tharman told the undergraduates.
Another student expressed concern on the rising Certificate of Entitlement premiums, arguing that the high cost of car ownership has not alleviated the traffic situation.
Mr Tharman replied that the congestion will be "far worse if we didn't have COE and ERP". The challenge is to improve the public transport system over the long term, he added.
On concerns about competition with foreigners in the job market, Mr Tharman reiterated that "whether we have foreigners here with us or not, we are still competing with them" - many companies, including those in the finance, hospitality and manufacturing sectors, are competing on the global stage, he added.
In response to a question, Mr Tharman also spoke of the need to "treat blue-collar workers with respect". Raising the quality and productivity of such jobs will change people's perception, he added.
"We cannot just be a society of insurance agents, real estate agents and bankers and office workers," Mr Tharman said. AMANDA LEE
Here're my views:
There is no implication for the housing question in red text, the Minister simply means BTOs are now under launch and constructions and will be ready in a few years' time. With regards to the public transport issue in blue text, it means the government will be pumping in money (from tax payers) into the MRT and buses (despite being private companies). With regards to the foreign workers issue text in green, the question was deflected, showing the government will maintain the policy of importing foreign workers.