Update on Gathering of 22 August (1)

1. Donations
I have received donations of $1,300. This includes a generous donation of $500 from an investor. The total is sufficient to meet the expenses of the Gathering, but not sufficient to take an advertisement on the Petition. Any balance, after deducting expenses, will be donated to FISCA (Financial Services Consumer Association). Further donations are welcomed.

2. Volunteers
5 people have volunteered to help with the ground work on 22 August. I need more volunteers. Please send an e-mail to kinlian@gmail.com. You have to report at 4 pm at the cafe outside the Hong Ling CC on 22 August.

3. Petition
730 people have signed the online Petition. We will collect more signatures at the Gathering to reach the target of 1,000 signatures.

Minimum wage jobs

In many countries, an unemployed person is eligible to receive an unemployment benefit for a certain period, e.g. 12 or 18 months. After that, the person is eligible to receive a welfare payment at a lower level.

The unemployment and welfare benefit provides a certain level of minimum income. If a private sector job pays less, the person can decline and receive the state benefit.

Most countries also have a minimum wage policy. All jobs have to pay at least the minimum wage.

This social system is fair. It ensures that everyone can get a job or a benefit that can provide an income to meet the living expenses.

Unemployment and welfare benefits can be abused. People can be lazy. An alternative is to ensure that every person is allowed to get a job, provided by the state, at a minimum wage level. They have to work to receive this payment. There are many useful public services that the state can provide to the people, such as taking care of children, elderly, environment or safety.

These public services are flexible. If there are more unemployment (due to a recession), more public service jobs can be created. When the economy recovers, these services can be reduced.

If people are employed, they do not have to resort to crime or theft to make a living. They have the dignity. The society is more humane.

Tan Kin Lian

Make an honest living

A 21 year old person asked why my blog is against insurance agents making an honest living?

This person is mistaken. My blog wants to encourage insurance agents to make an honest living. I am against dishonest practices that take advantage of the consumers.

Honest living

a. Recommend a product that is useful and gives value to the customer

b. Earn an appropriate remuneration for your time and effort

c. Be efficient, so as to lower your cost to the consumer

d. Disclose your commission

Dishonest living

a. Exaggerate the positive points

b. Hide the negative points

c. Tell lies

d. Offer a bad or expensive product (which you would not buy yourself)

e. Earn high commission at the expense of the customer

As an insurance agent or financial adviser, you have the choice to make an honest living or a dishonest living. I encourage you to be honest. You will earn the lifelong respect and trust of your customers. You can face your conscience and say, "I am an honest person".

Tan Kin Lian

Public Consultation on Human Rights - 22 Aug 2009

Hi Mr Tan,
I hope this e-mail finds you well. I am writing to you on behalf of a group called MARUAH (www.maruah.org), and specifically Braema Mathi who leads MARUAH.

As you may know, MARUAH is a human rights group that has been dialoguing at the regional and national level with governments and other stakeholders on the ASEAN Human Rights Body under the ASEAN Charter.

The ASEAN Human Rights Body, now termed the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights, is here to stay -- you can see the Terms of Reference at http://www.asean.org/DOC-TOR-AHRB.pdf. We feel that a crucial precondition for the AIGCHR to be meaningful (even within the constraints of its TOR) is for all civil society members and other stakeholders to at least know what it is about and how it can impact our work.

Accordingly, MARUAH is organising a public consultation to be held on 22 Aug 2009. We would like to invite you to attend this consultation. The attachments provide more details on this public consultation and also include the registration form. You may also register online at http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEZRMHRvQjhpNXROdDZFRmV4d2k5bHc6MA..

Human rights is only going to gain more significance in the Singapore political landscape. We strongly encourage you to be part of this consultation. We intend to offer a one-stop shop for those who need more information, and we will also seek to gather views (without attribution to any particular group or person, to encourage a more open and frank discussion).

We would also greatly appreciate it if you could forward this email (including the attachments) to others who may be interested in this event, and also publicise this event on your site (e.g. by linking to http://maruah.org/2009/08/07/registration-for-consultation-workshop-on-asean-intergovernmental-commission-on-human-rights/).

We really hope to see you there, to be part of the process of shaping the future for the next generation.

Thank you and we look forward to receiving your positive response.

Best regards,
Kum Hong

Singapore GDP spike 20%

Read the good news here.