SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) has been an outspoken proponent of the minimum wage, and the WP has long called for one to be implemented in Singapore.
Last year, in a Facebook post, Assoc Prof Lim recalled that he had wanted to be a garbage collector when he was a young boy, commenting that in other countries such as Australia, garbage truck drivers can earn as much as $60,000 a year because of minimum wage.
While being a guest on The Daily Ketchup Podcast earlier this year, Assoc Prof Lim was asked if his stance on the issue of the minimum wage has changed.
In his reply, he talked about the Local Qualifying Salary scheme, which says that firms that want to hire foreigners need to pay Singaporeans “a certain minimum, ” which effectively gives Singaporeans a minimum wage.
Assoc Prof Lim added, “I hope we can one day evolve into a universal minimum wage regardless of whether you’re a Singaporean or not,” speaking specifically of domestic helpers and construction workers.
And while the podcast was aired in late January, it was more recently shared over TikTok by @sgprimememesters, which in turn was shared on Reddit on Tuesday (April 11).
@sgprimememesters Do you agree with Jamus Lim? (Source: Daily Ketchup Podcast)
“Do you agree with Jamus Lim?” sgprimememesters captioned the clip.
Reactions from netizens have been mixed.
“We need more guys like him, with more humane and gracious thinking akin to the Europeans in Singapore,” wrote one Reddit user.
Others disagreed with the Sengkang GRC MP.
“Minimum wage doesn’t work. It will never be enough. Market wage is much better. Business owner actually love minimum wage. You just pay them the minimum. But market wage is harder because if your competitors pay more you have to raise it so someone willing to work for you. If we have minimum wage for our dw. We just pay them the minimum no other benefits need it. Market wage is better for the dw.”
/TISG