“The best way for Singaporeans to prepare for retirement is to use less of their Central Provident Fund (CPF) money when they are young.”
It sounds so perfectly logical until Lim Swee Say insisted he was misquoted, and provided his original intended text:
"... the less you make use of your money when you are young, the more money you will have for retirement."
For the less devious, this may look like a version of the old kids' game of trying to spot the differences in two seemingly identical representations. Lim highlighted his unique mindset when he expanded:
"It is clear in this context that ‘young’ refers to those who are aged 55."
Maybe the minister feels rejuvenated each time he sees his CPF statement, but only a nonagenarian will consider age 55 as "young". Or the Brad Pitt character in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".
But there must be method in his madness. Lim, like the rest of his crowd, seems determined that senior citizens should not be allowed to withdraw their retirement savings at the original promised age of 55 years. Even if Toh Chin Chye had deemed that a breach of contract, and an abuse of the trust placed in a government. Lim also conveniently ignores how many a retirement nest egg has been eroded by the ravages of overpriced public housing, inflated health care costs and ever escalating education charges.
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His "Young" refers to those who are aged 55. He is a labour chief, ask him to tell those employers to employ these "young" true blue singaporeans lah. In S'pore when you hit 50 years old, it will be hard to get a job. He is a joker, sigh.
ReplyDeleteYou're behind time. In Spore now, it is hard to get a job when you hit FORTY!! You're deemed old at that age, even though once, 55 was considered the new 40.
DeleteAt 55, no one deigns to even look at you! You're now part of the great unwashed, only to be considered for driving a taxi, cleaning or becoming a security guard. And yeah it's all on contract.
sigh......with a nitwit like lss as a full minister, it speaks much of the person who appointed and continued to retain him as well as the people he's in charge of. Where are the world class leaders we have been told we have?
DeleteJust ask this Minister a simple question, if 55 is still considered young, how come so many husbands are not fucking their 55-year old wifes ?
DeleteHow can he be paid millions and talk like this? No dictionary in this world describe "young" as age 55. Give me back your pay!
ReplyDeleteWhen a person wants to make a fool of himself pls dont stop him.
ReplyDeleteThis Court Jester in the PMO never fails to amuse . But seriously, his use of the English Language will leave HRH Queen Elizebeth II exclaiming " We are not amused , my dear Mr Lim !"
DeleteHis speeches gets better each time. His clarifications gets even more betterest. We want more.
ReplyDeleteHe is best of the betterest.
ReplyDeleteThere is no difference. He is still the same overpaid idiot. Err...maybe he is a box of toothpick heavier and CPF richer.
ReplyDeleteIs this minister's qualification come from some kind of "mill" like some fake talent in Singapore? I have never regarded him as some real material fit for parliament.
ReplyDeleteI really detest the slimy bastard
ReplyDeleteSo do we. He who once declared he felt rich every time he looks at his CPF statement.
DeleteThat statement riled up many and now with the minimum sum raised, we get a new perspective to the numbers on the CPF statement.
Each review of our CPF statement makes our children happy but not us.
@anon 1.41pm
DeleteI think there are easily a hundred thousand CPF account holders who would love to print a copy of their CPF statement, wipe their arse and make LimSweeSay swallow it.
"... the less you make use of your money when you are young, the more money you will have for retirement."
ReplyDeleteNo fucking shit.
So if i spend less money now, it means I have more money later on.
Wow!
And which $2 CONsultant told you this?
No it doesn't. Your children do only 30 days after you're dead.
Deleteyoung, youngerer & youngerest.
ReplyDeleteGetting curiouser and curiouser
ReplyDeleteOnce a clown always a clown. Confirm and double confirm.
ReplyDeleteHe is the only clown on the planet who can make me laugh by taking a dive from the top of Westin.
DeleteHow did LSS get this job on the first place? His reasoning seems to be someone who just have a concussion.
ReplyDeleteWow, any here gets paid higher than yr so called clown?
ReplyDeleteEnvy alot that he gets paid millions annually for just jibbering. How he got the Job is hard to believe. Born lucky.
He have been a cabinet for decades.
DeleteIncompetent? Clown
How so?
Yes, he has been a wooden cabinet for decades.
DeleteWhat has he contributed to Singapore? Other than dressing up as Zorro, up-turning the down-turn, betterer-cheaper-and fasterer, and other such antics.
I wonder if every morning he wakes up and look at himself in the mirror...and ask this question...am i really a fully functional true human being and a part of man-kind?
ReplyDeleteOr...i am so much lesser...sad.
I'm sure LKY would not have suffered such fools in his cabinet unless LKY has gone senile. Just wonder whether he is an insult to LKY's intelligence or an insult to that kind of obscene pay he is paid ?
ReplyDeleteLim Sweet Say is a pet of LKY's Son though LKY himself appears to have a different pet.
ReplyDeleteHow many differences between the two pictures? I can spot only 5.
ReplyDeleteAs a working Singaporean, I feel that Mr Lim Swee Say is the best minister. He is worker friendly, just like one of us and humble. He acted Zorro to entertain us and encouraged us to work harder to increase productivity.
ReplyDeleteHe is very respectable.
Huk Pui.
DeleteThat's my assessment of Lm Sweet Say.
When watching tv his face appear i immediately change channel otherwise will puke!
ReplyDeleteDr ang yong guan may expect a new patient soon.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Anon 5:28, Mr Lim is cute like a innocent boy, he does have good command of Mandarin though his English is not as good.
ReplyDeleteImportant thing is that most workers are happy with him so joinntuc as workers and members. In fact there are more members now than ever. He makes ntuc popular with workers, this shows that he is well liked. It is also possible that that his constituents voted PAP bcos of him.
Here's my middle finger. When he moved to East Coast GRC the PAP vote dropped like chao nangka. Shhh...don't tell Ah Loong.
DeleteLim Swee Say shall win in any ward, some of his younger colleagues who got into the Cabinet will be wise to ride on him for the next election. All NTUC Members will surely vote for him.
ReplyDeleteI share the same sentiments. Lim Swee Say has been grossly underrated and is the only PAP member who can wrestle Hougang or Aljunied GRC from the WP. PM Lee should make this his top priority for the GE using Lim Swee Say as the PAP's trump card. After that he deserves to be the next DPM, personally mentoring Chan CS, Tan CJ, Heng SK, etc. With this simple but brilliant move, trueblue Sporeans can be rest assured their future is secured. What do you think ?
DeleteI agree with you wholeheartedly.
DeleteHe is honest and sincere albeit not good at the English Language. He speaks straight unlike all his other Cabinet Members who tend to use sweet flowery languages and promise alot but never materialized.
ReplyDeleteIt is much better to have a honest man that speaks wisdom using broken language than those sweet empty loud mouths
Yes. Hope he remains in East Coast GRC. Down the upside, the next GRC to fall, like a ripe durian.
DeleteDon't go overboard with the honesty bit. If 55 is the new 40, the many who have lost their middle management jobs to a cheaper foreigner would not be facing difficulties getting back on their feet.
DeleteAs for the language difficulty, I remember Lee Kuan Yew defending Teh Cheang Wan during the rare occasion Teh spoke up in parliament, "He may not be able to string a complete sentence in grammatical English, but he has a good mind." Soon after, the whole country learnt of how he put that good mind to use.
You feel strong & invincible if you have an idiot to spar and play with
ReplyDeleteThat is why he is minister without portfolio in the Prime minister's office.
Keep him there. He is wonderful... serves the purpose very well.
Only reason y Ah Loong keep LSS around is cos LSS still the only one that can make him laugh without worries....all the others in the PAP ranks only give poor Ah Loong new problem everyday...haiz.
ReplyDeleteOther than able to speak Queen s English, is Ah Loong better than Sweet Say in relating to the people, especially the workers?
ReplyDeleteAh Loong is neither in the class of his father nor is he able to relate to the people like Ah Say. He is aloof and looks too full of himself.
Worst CBL spare minister in PMO. There's enough hot air coming out from his mouth to grill roti but he'd probably charge you for it, with toothpicks offered as a paid option.
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you remember or noted the exact title of the CNA article from which you got this quote? CNA has revamped their site and I can't seem to find it! Eeek.
Thank you!!!
Best,
Sabriena