SINGAPORE: Amid the global uncertainties, it is a challenging time for Singapore which is trying to find an economic strategy that will work for the nation – not only for companies but also for the population and Singaporeans, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. 

He was speaking on Friday (Feb 24) at a closed-door dialogue at Camp Sequoia, an annual technology summit of venture capital firm Sequoia Capital India. The event was attended by over 100 leading innovators and disrupters from more than 10 countries.

“We are doing our own think exercise,” said Mr Lee, referring to the recent report by the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) and the Budget that was announced last Monday which sets out strategies for Singapore’s economy and society.

“None of them are rocket science. The key is whether or not you can make it happen. And to make it happen faster than others, execute and bring everybody on board and see that this is the right strategy, which will work and which will benefit everybody,” said Mr Lee.

This is Singapore’s approach as it navigates unchartered waters, said the Prime Minister, when asked about the veil of protectionism around the world, following Brexit and new policies in the United States.

“There is no alternative, we have to connect to the world,” said Mr Lee. “Why not build a wall around Singapore? It will be cheaper than a wall along the southern border (of the United States) but it would be more disastrous for us … We will starve to death … So we have to be open.”

Commenting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which the US pulled out of under the administration of President Donald Trump, Mr Lee said “it is a great pity and it is a setback,” adding that Singapore will continue to pursue free trade with the other partners. He expressed hope that “in time, the mood in America will change, become again more confident and more open.”

Mr Lee also highlighted the recommendation by the CFE to set up a Global Innovation Alliance that would push for more young Singaporeans to gain exposure overseas, especially in key regional markets, with the aim of establishing more start-ups here.

He acknowledged that the start-up scene “has livened up” over the years. “There are also a fair number of young people who have gone into the Valley in California, who have been caught the bug and the enthusiasm and are not only working in tech companies but come out and are doing their own start-ups in Silicon Valley,” said Mr Lee. “I think that is a very good sign, we would like more to do that.”

PM Lee and Mr Shailendra Singh, managing director of Sequoia Capital India. (Photo: MCI)

SINGAPORE’S SMART NATION DRIVE

Prime Minister Lee explained that start-ups and technology play an important role in Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative but “we really are not going as fast as we ought to,” he said. “We are looking at major projects which will make a big difference to the way Singapore is able to operate.”

For instance, he cited efforts to build a national sensor network which is able to pull various kinds of data into one integrated source for the country. There are also ideas for a national digital identity system through which Singaporeans can access services securely. “We have one for the Government services, SingPass, but it really does not do all the things we need it to do and it does not extend to private sector services. It does not even extend to hospitals which are restructured, semi-privatised,” said Mr Lee.

“We can use information technology, data and the whole system to apply that intelligence to our transport system – to be responsive, to adapt to demand, to cut down on empty routes and unnecessary services. We have not done that enough, the incentives have not been brought together,” he added.

SINGAPORE IN 20 YEARS

When asked what he thinks Singapore would look like 20 years from now, Mr Lee said there is still a lot of potential for the country to rebuild its physical landscape. He cited the example of Singapore’s ports in the south moving to the Tuas mega-port in the south-western side of the country. This would would free up space “six or seven times the size of the Marina Bay area” to develop a new city there.

In terms of society, he noted that the population will be completely be post-independence. “For them, if we are lucky and we have peace, the experience will have been stability and progress for all of their lives. The challenge would be for them to still have that drive to want to make things better, to want to be at the leading edge,” said Mr Lee.

One big worry for Singapore is the birth rate which is “too low”, said Mr Lee. “We can top up to a certain extent with new citizens, with permanent residents from overseas. But you must have a core which is transmitted from generation to generation, and transmitted by birth. It cannot all be somebody naturalised. Otherwise the essence of the country somehow disappears.”

But he acknowledged that the issue is one with no easy solution, despite continued efforts to boost the birth rate like introducing tax incentives, more paternity leave and pre-school facilities. “We are doing all the things which seem sensible to do,” he told the audience.

Ultimately, Mr Lee said it is the responsibility of the Government to make sure its people remain united. When asked about the “great amount of trust” among its citizens, Mr Lee said: “We have trust because the growth has benefited most people and people accept that this is something which is for them.”

He cautioned, however, that it is going to be harder to win trust now because growth will be slower. “We have to convince people, let us work together, at least we get this 2 to 3 per cent growth, it is good by any international standard.”

If Singaporeans were at odds, then the country would become a very unhappy and much less successful place, said Mr Lee. “It is our responsibility as a Government to have policies which will not let that happen.” 

SINGAPORE: Bobby*, a former professional footballer who spent close to 20 years in the S.League, considers himself lucky compared with current players.

While representing many clubs, he pulled in a salary ranging from about S$4,000 to S$9,000 per month at various points of his playing career. While this is a tiny amount compared with footballers’ salaries in Europe or even other parts of Asia, his long career allowed him to plan for a future after he retired.

“As a player, if you’re still playing professionally but have not thought about what you want to do after your playing days are over, then life will be difficult,” said the former Suzuki Cup champion, who is in his late-30s.

However, many professionals are not so fortunate.

“You have players who are working part-time outside playing hours and I can understand that, because they are not earning much,” said Bobby.

After spending time on the ground speaking to 10 current S.League players, Channel NewsAsia understands that average squad members earn less than S$3,000 a month, while players who regularly feature in the national team can pull in S$5,000 to S$8,000. There are instances where an elite local player can earn up to S$10,000 a month, but the players who Channel NewsAsia spoke to said such cases are rare.

Passion rather than financial rewards is a key reason why many S.League players continue playing. (Photo: Noor Farhan)

Bobby added that he can understand why clubs are not happy when players seek to top up their wages by taking on another job, but “if you look at it from their point of view, most have a family to feed and are struggling to make ends meet.”

The financial challenges are a key issue for many players, but the players that Channel NewsAsia spoke to said that even more important is the uncertainty about whether they will have a job at all after their contracts expire.

“In the past, the national players would secure their contracts at the latest by August or September,” Bobby explained. This would give players some clarity about their job well ahead of the following season, which usually kicks off by February. This year, the new season kicks off on Sunday (Feb 26) with 2016 champions Albirex Niigata facing Tampines Rovers.

“I know this because I’ve done it myself, although you’re not supposed to sign for any club until your contract expires. But all the other clubs were doing it, where they would have a pre-contract agreement with the player that they’d sign for the club for X amount of money for that year.”

But as match attendance stays low and interest in the S.League remains in the doldrums, clubs are adopting a more conservative approach to signing players.

Balestier Khalsa players training at Toa Payoh Stadium. (Photo: Noor Farhan)

“When you look at things now, even the national players are struggling to secure their contracts because clubs are talking to them late in October or November and even then, clubs will not make up their minds until December,” said Bobby.

Bobby added that it is the uncertainty of securing new contracts which is proving to be a significant barrier for players who want to continue their professional career in the S.League. “It’s not so bad when you’re single. But if you have a family to feed, it is quite scary to know that you won’t have a secure future until only the last week of the year.”

MONEY WOES THE CAUSE OF FALLING STANDARDS?

Salary and contract concerns have a spillover effect onto the playing field, according to current S.League player Carl*, who told Channel NewsAsia that there are some professionals who simply go through the motions on match days.

“Honestly, I can’t find a worse word than to describe (the S.League) as a graveyard for footballers. We are just denying the truth, no matter how hard we try. Everybody knows it and you can’t hide it,” said the player, who is on the books of one of the former S.League champions.

Despite previously being at the upper-end of the wage scale, he is unconvinced that the S.League offers a viable career for aspiring professional players. “I won’t encourage my son to play in the S.League in the future, but I won’t stop him if he chooses to do so.”

While the S.League used to offer five-figure salaries when it started in 1996, those days are long gone, he said. “Now, it’s the neighbouring countries which are the ones paying those amounts of money.”

The net result is that many players in Singapore do not feel motivated to perform at their best: “Players here have come to a conclusion that they’d rather live out their careers as something to enjoy, collect their salaries at the end of the month, and then forget about the game once it’s all over.”

S.League clubs do not own their home ground stadiums. They instead liaise with Sports Singapore for pitch bookings for training and games. (Photo: Noor Farhan)

He added: “There also used to be good bonuses to help motivate players, such as the ones you’ll get playing big games. But now, club bonuses have been cut to as low as just S$100 to S$200, and when you minus CPF and so on, what is left, you tell me? Just peanuts, I say.”

According to Carl, it is the poor rewards combined with the cost of living which make it hard for professional football to thrive in Singapore.

“They used to tell us ‘Just play football for the passion’. I strongly disagree, as the reality is that there is (economic) inflation now and there is always something for you to pay for,” he said.

In comparison, if a Singapore player secures a contract in the Malaysian Super League (MSL), he will be paid much more. “In the MSL, the minimum pay for foreign imports is US$30,000 (S$42,000) per month. But I do know that (richer) clubs like Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) pay some of their players a premium amount of US$100,000 (S$140,000) a month,” said Shahrazad Sani, a sports reporter at Malaysian pay-TV channel Astro Arena.

“Even for top local players in the MSL, they are paid anything from RM30,000 (S$9,500) to RM100,000 (S$31,600).”

CLUBS DOING THE BEST THEY CAN

While players might feel shortchanged, S.League clubs are limited in what they can do to address such concerns.

The amount of money they have available for players’ wages is mostly dependent on the yearly stipend they receive from the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), according to club chairmen Channel NewsAsia spoke to.

Their financial support package comes in the form of the FAS’ distribution of their annual funding derived from yearly grants by the Tote Board, explained Tampines Rovers chairman Krishna Ramachandra.

“You can call it subsidies or their commercial rights, but you have to know that there isn’t any certainty whether it will come through every year,” he said.

It is believed that each S.League club operates on a yearly budget of between S$1.2 million and S$1.5 million, with the Tote Board’s annual subsidy contributing about S$800,000 to that amount.

Uncertainty also surrounds other income streams, with long-term sponsorship deals hard to come by, and that places further constraints on the ability of clubs to plan and build for the future.

“Most sponsorship contracts or revenue streams are on a yearly (deal). If they were on a much longer term basis, then it would be easier to predict cash flow and revenues for that year and so for budgeting purposes it would be easier for us,” said Ramachandra.

S.League club Balestier Khalsa favours youth development over signing marquee players. (Photo: Noor Farhan)

He added that many clubs see jackpot gambling machines as a major source of revenue, although Tampines does not rely on it. “Who’s to say how those revenue streams will go in the next few years, and how those (gambling) licences will be issued in the future?”

As a club that almost went bankrupt ago eight years, Hougang United has now managed to turn its situation around via revenue from jackpot operations. But even so, chairman Bill Ng said that balancing the books remains a major challenge. “The reason why players are on short-term contracts is because of the uncertainty of cash.

“For Hougang, we used to sign most of our players for just six months. I even suggested a three-month contract back then,” said Ng. “We came from a position of near-bankruptcy where we were indebted to the tune of almost S$1.5 million when we started. All the suppliers and vendors were asking us for money before we could even do anything.”

While the situation has improved, Hougang still has to wrestle with the challenges of uncertainty about finances.

FOOTBALL THE BEST PAYING PROFESSIONAL SPORT IN SINGAPORE?

As a veteran sports administrator, Singapore National Olympic Council vice-president Low Teo Ping thinks money should not be the sole reason for sportsmen and women to pursue their chosen game. “I think when you are pursuing sports, money should not be the key element in your motivation,” he said.

“The element of success must be the pursuance of excellence in terms of going beyond what you can achieve. That should be what sports is all about, in that it is about achieving milestones that are beyond what you normally deliver.”

Mr Low believes it is feasible for a young sportsman to earn a living here: “I think there are ways for one to pursue sports as a career in Singapore, but perhaps it is not a matured activity here and more in its infancy. I think one should look beyond just a career, and chase their passion and enjoy what they are doing.”

A number of players at Geylang International are on 2-year contracts compared to many of their S.League peers on 1-year deals. (Photo: Noor Farhan)

Former national goalkeeper Lionel Lewis agrees, and thinks that footballers actually have it good financially. “Compared to other sports in Singapore, I think football is still the number one sport in which you can still earn at least S$2,500 a month while professionally playing the game that you love,” said Lewis, who hung up his boots five years ago.

“If you want to talk about other sports in the country, there isn’t a sport which can get you that same amount. You earn even as you train, and not just for playing on match day. I would say, it’s a good amount to earn on the side.

“In some sports, you don’t even earn match bonuses or even cash rewards for winning a gold medal for your country.”

But current player Carl believes that passion for the game combined with a basic financial reward is not nearly enough.

“Even when we sleep, there’s still something for us to pay for. Yes, (football) is our career choice. But if we’ve been shortchanged … we’d then have to pursue other things to earn a living,” he said.

“We’re in Singapore, my friend, where everything is about money.” 

*The former and current players spoke to Channel NewsAsia on condition of anonymity.

SINGAPORE: A new programme to educate cyclists and users of personal mobility devices on safe riding practices will be launched by July this year, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a news release on Sunday (Feb 26).

It will take participants through the new code of conduct under the Active Mobility Act that was passed in Parliament last month, which sets out where personal mobility devices can be used, rules for cycling on paths and on the roads, as well as penalties for riding recklessly.

The Safe Riding Programme will include a practical component carried out in a training circuit, which simulates various scenarios that cyclists and riders may encounter when using public paths. For instance, there are straight and S-line courses “to help participants build up their skills and confidence in handling their devices at various speeds and situations,” said LTA.

Participants will also be taught safe riding practices like riding at low speeds, giving way to pedestrians at bus stops and zebra crossings as well as learning how to respond when encountering blind spots.

The programme, which will be available at selected community centres, schools and migrant worker dormitories, will be fully subsidised and free of charge for a start, to encourage the public to sign up.

In the coming weeks, LTA said it will be calling a tender to appoint training providers to develop a pool of trainers to conduct the Safe Riding Programme.

(Source: LTA) 

Pilot sessions have already been conducted by LTA and the Singapore Road Safety Council since last May, involving close to a hundred participants including students and migrant workers.

While the pilot involved only cyclists, the upcoming Safe Riding Programme will be expanded to cater to users of personal mobility devices and power-assisted bicycles as well.

Based on the feedback received, the original half-day programme has also been condensed into a 90-minute session, including the circuit training. 

In addition, LTA said the theory modules have been made available on its website “for easy access”.