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Everything About the Argument Between Jamus Lim & Other MPs on Minimum Wage

2020-09-04 , 11:47 am

“What we’re trying to deny the PAP is a blank cheque”.

It’s almost impossible to read these words in any voice other than that of Jamus Lim’s, master debater and star of the hit reality show General Elections 2020.

Lim won the hearts of Singaporeans with his lively performance in a televised political debate with veterans such as Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

My own girlfriend doesn’t look at me like that – Image: YouTube

On Thursday (3 Sept), fans of Jamus Lim and the Worker’s Party finally got what they’ve been craving since the results of the election were announced; Jamus Lim in parliament.

Lim’s maiden speech in parliament certainly did not put his opposing MPs to sleep, as several of them took to the podium to engage in a polite but fiery verbal joust.

What set these PAP MPs off was Lim’s suggestion for a universal minimum wage for Singaporeans, a policy which was outlined in his party’s GE2020 manifesto.

But before we dive into the debate, what exactly is minimum wage?

Protection Against Inordinately Low Pay

Simply put, minimum wage is the the minimum wage or remuneration that an employer is required to pay employees for the work they do.

This amount cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract.

So, for example, if Singapore had implemented a minimum wage, my boss wouldn’t be able to slash 5% off my salary every time I go to the bathroom.

Boss: Toilet time is for the lazy.

But I’m working from home. How do you even know when I use the restroom?

Boss: I have my methods.

The purpose of a minimum wage, according to the International Labour Organization, is to “protect workers against unduly low pay”.

It can also be used as part of a broader policy to overcome poverty and reduce inequality, including those between men and women.

This approach dictates that if two people do the same kind and amount of work, they should receive equal remuneration.

Okay, back to the debate.

Jamus Lim vs PAP MPs Round 1 – Gan Siow Huang

In his speech, Lim urged the government to be more compassionate when developing policies, saying that while we’ve made progress as a nation, the “gains from this progress have not been equally shared across society.”

He acknowledged that the government has implemented the Progressive Wage Model, which Manpower Minister Josephine Teo described as “minimum wage plus”, but suggested introducing a more universal minimum wage across all sectors.

The first PAP MP to take issue with Lim’s proposal was Gan Siow Huang, the fiercest MP in the country’s history.

Gan objected to the introduction of a minimum wage, saying there’d be a real risk of low wage workers losing their jobs.

“And from low wage, they become no wage”, she said.

Gan said there’s “good intent” behind Lim’s proposal of a minimum wage, but it could end up having “unintended consequences”.

Round 2 – Zaqy Mohamad

Next up was Minister Zaqy Mohamad, who seemed to take exception to Lim’s implication that the government wasn’t compassionate enough, bringing up the four budgets introduced to combat the economic impact of Covid-19.

Zaqy also defended the progressive wage model (PWM), explaining that the differentiated approach to raising wages is more suitable to address the different needs of every sector.

Round 3 – Vikram Nair

Like Zaqy, PAP MP Vikram Nair quizzed Lim on specifics for his suggested minimum wage model.

“What is the level of minimum wage that (Lim) proposes is appropriate for Singapore?”, he asked.

Lim Responds

Responding to Gan, Lim said that considering the crisis we’re in, rolling out “such a policy may not be ideal” at this very moment.

“But let us come together and agree that this is a principle we want to roll out”, he said.

As for Zaqy’s insistence that the PWM is more appropriate because it caters to the different needs of different sectors, Lim countered saying the system could end up being “gamed”.

He said that employers could simply manipulate the system, and that workers could be substituted between sectors.

Lim was also honest in the fact that he had no answer to Nair’s question on an appropriate level of minimum wage, but added that this is precisely why we need a national commission to study and understand this matter.

Round 4 – Tin Pei Ling

The verbal sparring was far from over, however, as MacPherson MP walked up to the podium soon after Lim’s rebuttal.

Ling echoed Gan’s admonition that implementing a minimum wage at such a trying time could have unintended adverse consequences on our economy.

In response, Lim once again conceded that now may not be the right time to introduce a minimum wage, but disagreed that it would have adverse consequences.

Round 5 – SM Tharman

WP MP Leon Perera then stepped up to the podium and asked several MPs including Gan for clarifications to certain points they made.

But Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam intervened instead, and that’s when you know things are getting particularly spicy.

Tharman maintained the government believes in raising the wages of its low wage workers, and that they’ve made “significant progress” in the last decade.

The senior minister also urged MPs not to “exaggerate the differences” between the PWM and minimum wage model, saying the PWM is simply a “minimum wage plus”.

He added that no one has a “monopoly on compassion”, and that PAP MPs have impressed him over the last few days with the “force of their conviction”.

The debate, which went on for quite a while, is likely a sign of things to come.

So much has been said, and it was only after Lim’s first speech. It certainly seems like no one will be napping in parliament for quite a while.

You can watch the lively exchange here: