Jamus Lim says Singapore should do more to help the poorest nations of the world

SINGAPORE: In a recent speech in Parliament, Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim argued that Singapore “absolutely should contribute our share to help some of the poorest countries in the world.”

This, he said, would not only be an “act of morality,” but would also demonstrate Singapore’s soft power, or the ability to influence the decisions and actions of other countries through attraction, persuasion, and other similar means.

While he delivered this speech on Feb 4, Assoc Prof Lim wrote about the topic in a Facebook post earlier this week, where he also harked back to the time he worked at the World Bank, an institution he described as ”fundamentally well-meaning.”

The Sengkang MP called this stint a formative time in his development as an economist, and quoted a mural on the World Bank wall that reads, “Our dream is a world free from poverty.”

Assoc Prof Lim added that this dream represents a common desire for all of humanity, regardless of where someone comes from, to no longer worry about their basic needs being met.

Recalling his time at the World Bank, he wrote, “We went to work with a deep sense of purpose every day, to try to make the world a better place.”

Although many years have passed, Assoc Prof Lim, 50, continues to believe that people’s lives are connected, which is one reason why he entered public service when he returned to Singapore.

“Since the election of the #Sengkang4, I’ve tried to bring this spirit of caring for others into my work. This is most directly manifested in helping and speaking up for the less fortunate in our midst, whether in #SengkangGRC or Singapore, more generally,” he added.

However, for him, this generosity of spirit should not just be directed toward Singapore, but also toward other countries.

In addition to explaining why, he also wrote that he hopes Singapore will have a formal aid agency in the future “to extend our helping hand to other citizens of the world we all share.”

The MP’s speech can be viewed here or read in its entirety here.

While many commenters applauded the MP’s “lofty ideals,” some seemed reluctant to adopt the same attitudes, arguing that it would be better to first extend help to Singaporeans who are in need.

“Help our own first. Many are struggling, bro,” wrote one. /TISG

Read also: Jamus Lim welcomes move to tighten foreign vehicle entry rules