In response to an earlier forum letter that argued that the Government should not need to ensure employability for Singaporeans, another forum letter writer has asserted that the Government absolutely has a role in ensuring citizens are gainfully employed.
In the wake of the recent parliamentary clash between Pritam Singh and Chan Chun Sing over the availability of citizen employment data, Johann Loh Runming had said in a forum letter published by the Straits Times that he was deeply disappointed to discover the “apparent need for the Government to reassure Singaporeans about their employability.”
Praising the Government’s efforts in attracting foreign talent to Singapore, Johann said that Singaporeans should be responsible for securing their own employment and not rely on the Government and added that it is an “abdication of personal responsibility” to demand that the Government guarantees employability for Singaporeans.
Responding to Johann’s views, Faisal Maricar wrote his own letter and explained why the Government has a role to play in ensuring Singaporeans’ employability.
In a letter published by the newspaper on Thursday (15 Jan), Faisal said that Johann’s views reason that personal responsibility takes precedence over governmental responsibilities but this reasoning may falter if it was applied to other areas of public administration.
Faisal asked: “If we were to extend his line of reasoning to other areas of public administration, say, national defence, are we then to say that we should do away with conscription and leave it entirely to one’s responsibility to sign up for national service?”
Pointing out that Singapore has made Singapore attractive to foreigners so that citizens can benefit and that it has a quality education system and initiatives to help Singaporean workers, Faisal called on the Government to work closely with society in ensuring citizens’ employability.
Calling on the Government to “take an even bolder step and make it mandatory for all to acquire relevant skills to stay employable,” Faisal asserted that when it comes to employment issues, “the community and the Government have important roles to play.”
Read his letter in full HERE.
Forum letter writer says Govt shouldn’t need to ensure employability for Singaporeans