The Singapore government issued an announcement today (Nov 23) saying that security guards will see a S$75 monthly pay raise only in 2019. There is no recommendation for next year 2018, hinting that there is no need for a salary increment.
According to the government, security guards will get a pathetic S$75 monthly pay raise to the existing minimum S$1,100 monthly salary two years later, for 2019, 2020 and 2021. Thereafter, security guards are to get only 3% salary increment for 2022, 2023 and 2024. There is no transparency how did the government came out with the figures as inflation figures is likely to increase more than 3% following an impending GST hike in 2019.
The Singapore government also announced that they will limit the earning power of security guards by cutting their overtime hours limit to only 72 hours a month. According to the official figure, security guards clock as much as 95 overtime hours a month. Such a reduction will mean security guards will take home S$300 lesser each month.
The out of touch government is also unaware that many elderly security guards are also homeless, and this group worked extra hours so they could sleep over at their workplace.
The Singapore government also ludicrously claimed that with a higher basic wage, more younger Singaporeans will be “attracted” to becoming security guards.
Most security guards are elderly Singaporeans who struggle to make a living, and are unable to retire due to the broken CPF retirement fund system. Their retirement money are locked up by the government for dictator Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching to gamble in overseas investments.