Year-on-year statistics reveal 36 per cent increase in non-Singaporeans

December 3, 2011

Posted by theonlinecitizen on December 3, 20111

~by: Leong Sze Hian~

I refer to the Monthly Digest of Statistics (MDS) for Nov 2011 (seeHERE), released by the Department of Statistics on 2 December 2011.

More foreigners?

Singaporeans in the population grew by 0.8 per cent, the lowest rate for the last six years. It was the same 0.8 per cent in 2007 and 2005. The resident population also grew by the lowest rate in the last six years, at 0.5 per cent, compared to the previous low of 1.0 per cent in 2010. In contrast, non-residents (foreigners) grew by 6.9 per cent in 2011, higher than the 4.1 per cent in 2010.

Although the growth rate for permanent residents (PRs) declined by 1.7 per cent in 2011, the huge increase in the number of foreigners by 89,400, more than offset the 9,000 decline in PRs. Compared to the previous year (2010), foreigners grew in that year by only 51,300, and PRs by 7,800.

Therefore, the total number of non-Singaporeans (PRs and foreigners) grew by 80,400 in 2011, compared to 59,100 in 2010. This is a year-on-year increase in the rate of growth of non-Singaporeans of about 36 per cent.

So, on the one hand we reduced PRs, by on the other increased the number of foreigners. What happened to the consistent rhetoric that the number of non-Singaporeans will be curtailed? We should also note that as I understand it, that there were about 20,000 new citizens in the year.

Harder to get jobs?

I analysed the statistics on Employment Services, and found that the ratio of Job Seekers Placed in Employment over Job Seekers Attended to, at the Community Development Councils (CDCs) and e2i, has been falling from 17.8 per cent in 2010 and 16.9 per cent in 2009, to the average of 13.4 per cent for the six-month period from May to October 2011.

Negative real earnings growth?

Although Average Monthly Nominal Earnings Per Employee for 2011 Q3, at $3,856, grew year-on-year by 5.4 per cent, over 2010 Q3’s $3,754, with current inflation at 5.4 per cent, we may end up with negative real earnings for the year.

More pawners?

Pledges at Pawn Shops have been growing steadily from 2.78 to 2.98 million, from 2009 to 2010, and 320,000 in the month of August 2011 alone. The Amount of Loans Given Out by pawn shops increased from $2 to $2.7 billion from 2009 to 2010, and $492 million in Agust 2011 alone. Do the above statistics indicate that perhaps more people are cash-strapped?

CPF

The Central Providend Fund (CPF) Amount Due to Members is now $204 billion, as of August 2011.

Government debt

Government Debt increased from $291 to $321 billion from 2009 to 2010, and to $346 billion in August 2011.

Government revenue

Government Operating Revenue from Property Tax increased from $2 to $2.6 billion from 2009 to 2010. Betting Taxes increased from $1.7 to $2.1 billion. Goods & Services Tax (GST) increased from $6.6 to $7.7 billion.

Electricity & HDB price increase

Price Index of the Electricity Tariff increased from 100 to 131.7 from 2009 to October 2011. The HDB Resale Price Index increased from 161.3 to 187.1 from 2010 Q2 to 2011 Q3.

Public assistance unchanged

The Number of Public Assistance Recipients remained almost unchanged from 2,920 to 2,929 from 2009 to 2010, and to 3,000 in 2011 Q3

 

 

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About the Author

Leong
Leong Sze Hian has served as the president of 4 professional bodies, honorary consul of 2 countries, an alumnus of Harvard University, authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been a radio talkshow host, a newspaper daily columnist, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for theonlinecitizen and Malaysiakini, executive producer of Ilo Ilo (40 international awards), Hotel Mumbai (associate producer), invited to speak more than 200 times in about 40 countries, CIFA advisory board member, founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of 2 countries. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional  qualifications.