Besides inflicting bad breath upon one’s own nose rather than other innocent people, nothing good has come out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lives have been lost, businesses have crumbled, and unemployment has soared.
But one minister has observed something positive that has happened as a result of the outbreak: some workers are getting more respect.
Tharman: People Not in ‘Top’ Jobs Are Now Getting A lot More Respect
Speaking at a virtual discussion organised by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that ordinary essential workers are now getting more recognition.
“Those who are doing some of the toughest jobs are now getting a lot more respect. There’s a sense in society that we have many silent heroes among us, and they’re not always the people with the best qualifications or ‘top’ jobs,” he said.
“Sometimes you need a crisis to refocus on the fundamentals. Social compacts make for a better future for everyone.”
Many of us may think of doctors and nurses, but food delivery riders have also become a key part of essential services.
With people staying home now more than ever, riders play an essential role in delivering food to residents so they can avoid making unnecessary trips outdoors where they might contract or spread the coronavirus.
Besides braving the Singapore sun all day, they also have to deal with difficult customers, many of whom we’ve written about.
As Tharman said, these workers are getting a lot more recognition during the pandemic even though it’s not always perceived to be a “top” job.
And the sad thing is that many riders are actually earning less than before the Covid-19 pandemic, contrary to what many might think.
This is because there’s been a huge influx of new riders which leads to increasing competition for customers.
Abandoning Old Ways of Thinking
Ultimately, however, the pandemic has been devastating for businesses and employees.
As CNA reported, Singapore’s unemployment rate climbed to its highest in a decade in the first quarter.
At such a time, when many are losing their jobs, aid from the government is more important than ever.
In addition to reskilling people, Tharman believes the government might have to abandon old ways of thinking – such as the belief that those who are in a financially poor state are being ‘lazy’ or not doing enough for themselves, or that the state is not helping.
“Both those ways of looking at society are getting very tired and have also lost their appeal. Certainly, we haven’t seen a sudden surge of irresponsibility on the part of people that can explain why wages have been stagnant for three decades,” he said.
This might also mean more contributions from the wealthy and those who are better off:
“Everyone should contribute something more as societies get older, but fairness dictates that things have to stack up in favour of the poor and middle income.”
Hopefully, this means that DPM Heng Swee Keat will announce more Budgets and cash payouts, instead of talking about his East Coast plan.
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
