<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><b><b><u><u>Teachers’ parking fees kept by schools, irate Singaporeans question if monetizing was the aim<br /><br /></u></u></b></b><br />In a written reply by Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, the estimated revenue from charging teachers for parking was be $8 million to $10 million a year.<br /><br />Mr Ong responded to a parliamentary question by Workers’ Party Non-Constituency MP Leon Perera, who had asked how much revenue will be collected from teachers’s parking fees in schools.<br /><br />He also said that the revenue will be retained by the schools.<br /><br />Amongst the 360 primary schools, secondary schools and junior colleges in Singapore, teachers of schools like Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), that owns the land it sits on, still have to pay for their parking just like everyone else.<br /><br />Many netizens were shocked and angered to learn that the revenue from teachers’ parking will be kept by the schools.<br /><br />President of Maruah Leong Sze Hian was one of them, who said, “Singaporeans are unhappy about the latest revelation that the revenue will be kept by the individual schools”.<br /><br />He added, “when was it decided that the revenue will go to the individual schools – in March or later or only now?”<br /><br />Mr Leong also questioned, “By the way, as to “All five polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education started charging for parking on their premises in October last year” – have these six institutions been getting the revenues individually from the parking charges?<br /><br />Like what my friends said – what may make Singaporeans even angrier than the subject “revelation” is that the reply in Parliament may have conveniently ignored the question of MPs paying just $365 a year to park in any HDB car park in Singapore and Parliament.<br /><br />More at <a href="http://theindependent.sg/teachers-parking-fees-kept-by-schools-irate-singaporeans-question-if-monetizing-was-the-aim/">http://theindependent.sg/teachers-parking-fees-kept-by-schools-irate-singaporeans-question-if-monetizing-was-the-aim/</a></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/90912/teachers-to-pay-for-parking-at-schools-from-aug-1</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 22:16:17 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/90912.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><pubDate>Wed, 11 Jul 2018 17:10:27 GMT</pubDate><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Wed, 27 Jun 2018 01:23:31 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>private:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black">On average, if 1 teacher gives 4hr of private tuition a day at $60 per hour, extra tax-free income per month is $7200. $70 for carpark is nothing. Some people don’t even earn $7000 a month in their full time job!</blockquote></blockquote><br />if teachers have the time to give private tuition that is. <br />not all teachers have the time nor energy to do so. <br /><br /><i><i>Come August, teachers will have to pay a uniform parking rate. Teachers will have to pay $100 monthly during school terms to park at sheltered carparks, while it’s $20 monthly during school holidays in June, November, and December. Non-sheltered carparks are cheaper — it’s $75 a month during school terms and $15 a month during school holidays.<br /><br />So! On top of the stresses of the classroom, long working hours, and overwhelming administrative workloads, Singapore’s car-dependant teachers will have to fork out between $720 to $960 a year to park at their workplaces.<br /><br />Not passing judgment here, but it is a fact that most of Singapore’s teachers aren’t taking home an MP’s annual salary of $192,500. </i></i><br /><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-sg/news/singapore/parking-fee-woes-for-teachers-revived-amidst-revelation-that-elected-mps-are-only-charged-dollar1-a-day/ar-AAzb01g?ocid=ientp">http://www.msn.com/en-sg/news/singapore/parking-fee-woes-for-teachers-revived-amidst-revelation-that-elected-mps-are-only-charged-dollar1-a-day/ar-AAzb01g?ocid=ientp</a><p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1853870</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1853870</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[janet88]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 27 Jun 2018 01:23:31 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Wed, 13 Jun 2018 09:18:11 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p dir="auto">On average, if 1 teacher gives 4hr of private tuition a day at $60 per hour, extra tax-free income per month is $7200. $70 for carpark is nothing. Some people don’t even earn $7000 a month in their full time job!</p>
]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1852172</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1852172</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[private]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 13 Jun 2018 09:18:11 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Wed, 13 Jun 2018 03:33:47 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p dir="auto">it’s $70 per month for non sheltered lots.</p>
]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1852117</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1852117</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[janet88]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 13 Jun 2018 03:33:47 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Tue, 12 Jun 2018 10:20:04 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>private:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black"><blockquote><b>janet88:</b><p><br /><br />teachers are given rating A to D.<br />some are happy D...just do the minimum and give tuition.<br />son told me his primary school FT marked tuition stuff in class! don't know if he is still there or doing the same thing. MC king.</p></blockquote></blockquote>Yes, happy D-grade Teachers! Very thick skin and bo-chap Teachers doing the bare minimum in school! Teaching in school is just a sideline, part-time job. Full time job is giving tuition! Especially so for those teaching in branded well-known schools. They just need to keep their job for “advertising” purpose and can also give tutees his school notes and materials, all FOC. Teaching in branded school so higher chance of getting more tutees! MOE should really consider rotating the Teachers, cannot be teaching in the same branded school for more than a certain number of years to prevent more corruption of such!<p></p></blockquote>I think there are black sheep for every industry. My hubby is teaching in a popular school and by and large, his colleagues will go the extra mile for their students. They are more than willing to coach the weaker ones after school hours. <br /><br />My hubby discourages his students to go for extra tuition outside school. He said  some of these tuition centres teach students the wrong techniques for their essays and he has to \"re-teach\" them in class. He always tells his students to approach him when in doubt rather than to rely on tuition centres. Some of his students, who attend tuition centres, argued with him that they were taught such and such a technique in the tuition centre. <br /><br />He wonders why these students would rather believe their tuition teacher rather than their own school teacher. Funny, right?<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1852056</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1852056</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Han Seo]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 12 Jun 2018 10:20:04 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:15:56 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>private:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black"><br />Yes, happy D-grade Teachers! Very thick skin and bo-chap Teachers doing the bare minimum in school! Teaching in school is just a sideline, part-time job. Full time job is giving tuition! Especially so for those teaching in branded well-known schools. They just need to keep their job for “advertising” purpose and can also give tutees his school notes and materials, all FOC. Teaching in branded school so higher chance of getting more tutees! MOE should really consider rotating the Teachers, cannot be teaching in the same branded school for more than a certain number of years to prevent more corruption of such!</blockquote></blockquote>these Happy D teachers are using their 'MOE teacher' status to get students. son was shocked to see his FT marking tuition scripts during curriculum time! that teacher assigned them work and started marking...son approached him for help and was shooed away.<br />when these teachers tell potential parents they are from branded schools, they get many chances of getting more students.<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851607</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851607</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[janet88]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:15:56 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:06:53 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>janet88:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black"><br /><br />teachers are given rating A to D.<br />some are happy D...just do the minimum and give tuition.<br />son told me his primary school FT marked tuition stuff in class! don't know if he is still there or doing the same thing. MC king.</blockquote></blockquote>Yes, happy D-grade Teachers! Very thick skin and bo-chap Teachers doing the bare minimum in school! Teaching in school is just a sideline, part-time job. Full time job is giving tuition! Especially so for those teaching in branded well-known schools. They just need to keep their job for “advertising” purpose and can also give tutees his school notes and materials, all FOC. Teaching in branded school so higher chance of getting more tutees! MOE should really consider rotating the Teachers, cannot be teaching in the same branded school for more than a certain number of years to prevent more corruption of such!<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851605</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851605</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[private]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:06:53 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Thu, 07 Jun 2018 12:15:49 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>Cloud Cloud:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black"><blockquote><b>Estéema:</b><p>Teachers are subjected to a lot of pressure fr MOE &amp; Principals.  So, fair &amp; good leadership is impt.<br /><br /><br />I've seen how some teachers get ostracized &amp; a whole school hv diff camps - those of P's pets always getting privileges of good proj to score the grade A even tho parents' complain of incompetence &amp; those always not getting the plum &amp; visible role in spite of being very giving of their extra time to coach kids, or motivating/nurturing type.<br /><br />Just so sad.  Good tt MOE rotates P &amp; teachers.</p></blockquote></blockquote> <br /><br />Corporate also same same. Bosses will give projects to staff they like for them to shine. Feel that high EQ is more important to climb up the corporate ladder.<p></p></blockquote>Agree with you wholeheartedly.  It's the negative aspect of human nature. But really sad that the leaders of education do not model non-discriminatory behaviour or fairness to cascade appropriate learning environment.<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851594</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851594</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Estéema]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 07 Jun 2018 12:15:49 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Thu, 07 Jun 2018 11:48:32 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>Estéema:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black">Teachers are subjected to a lot of pressure fr MOE &amp; Principals.  So, fair &amp; good leadership is impt.<br /><br /><br />I've seen how some teachers get ostracized &amp; a whole school hv diff camps - those of P's pets always getting privileges of good proj to score the grade A even tho parents' complain of incompetence &amp; those always not getting the plum &amp; visible role in spite of being very giving of their extra time to coach kids, or motivating/nurturing type.<br /><br />Just so sad.  Good tt MOE rotates P &amp; teachers.</blockquote></blockquote> <br /><br />Corporate also same same. Bosses will give projects to staff they like for them to shine. Feel that high EQ is more important to climb up the corporate ladder.<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851593</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851593</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Cloud Cloud]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 07 Jun 2018 11:48:32 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Thu, 07 Jun 2018 10:36:14 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p dir="auto">Teachers are subjected to a lot of pressure fr MOE &amp; Principals.  So, fair &amp; good leadership is impt.<br /><br /><br />I’ve seen how some teachers get ostracized &amp; a whole school hv diff camps - those of P’s pets always getting privileges of good proj to score the grade A even tho parents’ complain of incompetence &amp; those always not getting the plum &amp; visible role in spite of being very giving of their extra time to coach kids, or motivating/nurturing type.<br /><br />Just so sad.  Good tt MOE rotates P &amp; teachers.</p>
]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851589</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851589</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Estéema]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 07 Jun 2018 10:36:14 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Thu, 07 Jun 2018 05:26:37 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>private:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black">Teachers work hard for our kids? Sure or not? Working hard in the school or outside school? <img src="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/assets/plugins/nodebb-plugin-emoji/emoji/android/1f606.png?v=f4f27f6278e" class="not-responsive emoji emoji-android emoji--laughing" style="height:23px;width:auto;vertical-align:middle" title=":laughing:" alt="😆" /></blockquote></blockquote><br />teachers are stressed out...daughter tells me her teachers teach like 6 classes. imagine the scripts they have to mark, esp for compositions. <br /><br />teachers are given rating A to D.<br />some are happy D...just do the minimum and give tuition.<br />son told me his primary school FT marked tuition stuff in class! don't know if he is still there or doing the same thing. MC king.<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851523</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851523</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[janet88]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 07 Jun 2018 05:26:37 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Thu, 07 Jun 2018 05:03:34 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://berthahenson.wordpress.com/2018/06/06/theres-no-humility-nor-respect/">https://berthahenson.wordpress.com/2018/06/06/theres-no-humility-nor-respect/</a><br /><br /><br />Ouch! Actually, they are quite thick-skinned. Oh wait... she said \"prickly and thin-skinned.\" Never mind.<br /><br />I would also like to buy an annual parking permit that allows me to park at HDB carparks, and is deemed to cover occasions when I park at Parliament House. Know where I can get one? The Parliament House gift shop, perchance?</p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851518</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851518</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[pirate]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 07 Jun 2018 05:03:34 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Tue, 05 Jun 2018 06:49:22 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><img src="\&quot;https://imgur.com/GXbwNQJ.png\&quot;" /><img src="\&quot;&lt;a" />https://imgur.com/GXbwNQJ.png\"&gt;</p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851287</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851287</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Saplings]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 05 Jun 2018 06:49:22 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Tue, 05 Jun 2018 02:21:45 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>private:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black">Teachers work hard for our kids? Sure or not? Working hard in the school or outside school? <img src="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/assets/plugins/nodebb-plugin-emoji/emoji/android/1f606.png?v=f4f27f6278e" class="not-responsive emoji emoji-android emoji--laughing" style="height:23px;width:auto;vertical-align:middle" title=":laughing:" alt="😆" /></blockquote></blockquote><br />Pretty sure. I have come across a lot of teachers in my kids schools who go the extra mile for the students ( with and without the car  <img src="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/assets/plugins/nodebb-plugin-emoji/emoji/android/1f604.png?v=f4f27f6278e" class="not-responsive emoji emoji-android emoji--smile" style="height:23px;width:auto;vertical-align:middle" title=":smile:" alt="😄" /> ) . <br /><br />Sure there are some slack ones but most of then go beyond the call of duty. And I think the children in the current generation are blessed that they have some really good teachers.<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851214</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851214</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sun_2010]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 05 Jun 2018 02:21:45 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Tue, 05 Jun 2018 02:18:10 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>wendielee24:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black">Hi.. I am new here.. Teachers should not be charged with parking fees, they work hard for our kids and some even go out of their way to buy presents for our kids... This is ridiculous.</blockquote></blockquote><br />There are plenty of teachers who work hard and go out of their way to buy presents for our kids - but they do not drive. So how do we show our appreciation for those teachers? Too bad they should get a car ?<br /><br />Wont it be better if MOE has a fund per teacher or per dept or per school which they can use to buy small appreciative stuff for our kids?<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851211</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851211</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sun_2010]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 05 Jun 2018 02:18:10 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Mon, 04 Jun 2018 14:40:41 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Teachers work hard for our kids? Sure or not? Working hard in the school or outside school? <img src="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/assets/plugins/nodebb-plugin-emoji/emoji/android/1f606.png?v=f4f27f6278e" class="not-responsive emoji emoji-android emoji--laughing" style="height:23px;width:auto;vertical-align:middle" title=":laughing:" alt="😆" /></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851175</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851175</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[private]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 04 Jun 2018 14:40:41 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Mon, 04 Jun 2018 10:05:00 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p dir="auto">Hi… I am new here… Teachers should not be charged with parking fees, they work hard for our kids and some even go out of their way to buy presents for our kids… This is ridiculous.</p>
]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851135</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851135</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[wendielee24]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 04 Jun 2018 10:05:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Sun, 03 Jun 2018 12:10:29 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>pirate:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black">You don't know MPs are special meh? You don't know when it is called an 'allowance' it is no longer money meh? It is called a clean wage policy, not a clean allowance policy. So simple also dun understand. :razz:</blockquote></blockquote><br /> :shock: <br /><br />No lah. Likely govt will remove the free parking perk for MPs.. but much, much, much later ba.<br /><br />Taking the pension scheme as an example, civil servants - including teachers - who joined after 1986 were no longer eligible for pension, but ministers (office holders) and MPs continued to be eligible. It was ultimately scrapped for minister/MP appointed after 2011, 25 years after govt scrapped the pension scheme for civil servants.  <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/parliament-abolishes-parliamentary-pensions-act-8361006">https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/parliament-abolishes-parliamentary-pensions-act-8361006</a><br /><br />However, considering that the pension scheme for minister/MP was scrapped not long after ruling party lost a GRC in GE2011, perhaps the removal of minister/MP's parking perk need not take as long as 25 years, but as soon as ruling party were to lose another GRC?  :evil:<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850952</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850952</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[mum_sugoku]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 03 Jun 2018 12:10:29 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Sun, 03 Jun 2018 06:43:16 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>You don't know MPs are special meh? You don't know when it is called an 'allowance' it is no longer money meh? It is called a clean wage policy, not a clean allowance policy. So simple also dun understand. :razz:</p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850926</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850926</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[pirate]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 03 Jun 2018 06:43:16 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Sun, 03 Jun 2018 05:11:37 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/8o5fgr/do_mps_and_grassroots_volunteers_pay_for_parking/">https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/8o5fgr/do_mps_and_grassroots_volunteers_pay_for_parking/</a><br /><br /><br />(Original article: <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/do-mps-and-grassroots-volunteers-pay-for-parking">https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/do-mps-and-grassroots-volunteers-pay-for-parking</a>)<br />[quote]Do MPs and grassroots volunteers pay for parking?<br /><br />First, a news bulletin to clarify some of the information and misinformation swirling on social media about parking for civil servants, MPs and grassroots volunteers. Do civil servants pay for parking at work premises? In general, yes. If they didn't before, their ministry or the agency they work for is likely to change the rules so they do.<br /><br />That's one reason why the Ministry of Education decided to start charging teachers for parking in schools. Most other ministries charge staff for parking, and MOE should do likewise, the Auditor-General's Office said.The decision makes sense when you consider that Singapore maintains a \"clean wage\" system for public servants - a wage system with no or minimal hidden perks or benefits in kind. But the decision drew much public attention and flak - from people who felt that making teachers pay for parking somehow devalued their contributions to society. That debate continues to roil online, but the Government is holding fast to its stand that a clean wage policy means civil servants pay for parking at their workplaces. So that’s clear for civil servants.<br /><br />PARKING FOR MPS<br /><br />Online, there was also much chatter and questions about MPs. Is it true that they get to park for free at Parliament House? Intrigued, I asked the Clerk of Parliament. Answer: <b><b>Yes. MPs - elected MPs as well as Non-Constituency and Nominated MPs - get to park at the restricted staff carpark at Parliament House, which is not open to the public, but only for staff and authorised visitors and persons</b></b>. Staff pay $139.10 for a monthly season parldng ticket Like other civil servants, they pay for parking at their work premises. In contrast, MPs park for free. The rationale is this: \"Members of Parliament (MPs) do not have offices in Parliament House and do not require full-time parking here. As authorised persons to Parliament House on sitting days or when they are here for meetings to perform their official duties, MPs park their vehicles at the restricted carpark at no charge.\"<br /><br />Can they park overnight or, say, when they are going to the theatre or a private dinner at Boat Quay nearby? The answer: No. The official version: “They are allowed to use the restricted carpark without charges for the duration of their official business in Parliament House. Generally, no overnight parking is allowed for security reasons.\" Is it fair for MPs to park for free at Parliament House? First one can argue that MPs aren't full-time staff at Parliament, so the civil service clean wage policy need not apply to them. Many of them have full-time jobs elsewhere. When they attend Parliament sittings they do so as public elected officials.<br /><br />Next, we should consider how to view an MP's work. Should we see it through the lens of the marketplace (to be valued commercially and paid for) or through the social lens (as some kind of volunteer work whose value goes beyond its market price?) Are MPs paid workers or volunteers? The answer is not so simple. MPs get an allowance of about $210,000 a year - which is probably lower than what many of them can earn in the marketplace. Society may then decide that MPs deserve some additional psychic income or satisfaction, to \"compensate\" them for their below-marketplace allowance. If so, MPs' work is a hybrid, valued using both market and social norms. That might explain why MPs are given free parking at Parliament House - in recognition of their social contributions to society as elected representatives of the people, for the periods when they attend Parliament sittings or are on official business at Parliament.<br /><br />If they were seen as purely paid employees, they would be expected to pay for parking, like Parliament staff. By that same token, though, their pay packet as MPs would likely be higher. In this sense, their free parking is a perk akin to that for directors of companies, or volunteers who sit on organisations' boards. They get a small allowance but not full market compensation for their time. But the flip side of this argument is that<b><b> MPs' $210,000 allowance is meant to compensate them for expenses related to their constituency work, and they should be expected to pay for their parking at Parliament House from it.</b></b><br /><br />Also,<b><b> the cost of maintaining carpark space for about 100 MPs in the Central Business District must be rather prohibitive. Consider too that the space is likely to be unused most times, as Parliament sittings take place only about once a month. From a public accounting point of view, one can say there is wastage in keeping permanent free parking for MPs who need the space only a few days or less a month. It might be more equitable to have MPs to pay for hourly parking at Parliament House.</b></b><br /><br />PARKING FOR GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS<br /><br />Next, grassroots volunteers who work with People's Association-related grassroots organisations. There has always been much talk about how they get to park for free at Housing Board carparks. Not quite trusting what I read online, I went to the official channel. Is it true that grassroots volunteers get free parking? Answer: Not quite true. The PA's official version: \"Our grassroots volunteers play an important role in our community outreach efforts. They regularly help out in house visits, especially to the old and vulnerable who need assistance, as well as in organising community activities and dialogues to strengthen neighbourly ties. Our core volunteers often help out in the evenings and during weekends. \"To facilitate them in their community work, volunteers who drive may apply for a monthly HDB special parking label. This special parking label allows them to park only in designated carparks within the area they serve, up to 11pm.”<br /><br />\"To qualify for the special parking label, grassroots volunteers who live in HDB estates must first buy a residential season parldng label. Those who do not live in HDB estates must pay for the special parking label. This scheme has been in place since 1978.\" Currently, about 20 per cent of our grassroots volunteers have the special parking label to facilitate their community work. These include those appointed to the CCC, CCMC and its sub-committees.\" That's the Citizens' Consultative Committee and the Community Centre/Club Management Committee. Translated into plain English, the policy is this:<b><b> Grassroots volunteers who live in HDB estates and already have an HDB season parking label can get a special label that allows them to park for free in the areas they serve in. </b></b>Say, you live in Tampines and you serve in Serangoon North. You pay about $100 for your monthly parking in Tampines. You get an additional free special label that lets you park in HDB carparks in Serangoon North.<br /><br /><b><b>Grassroots volunteers who don't have an HDB season parking label need to pay a small monthly fee to get that special label to park in the constituency they work in. No overnight parking is allowed under that label. A PA official said it costs about $22 a month</b></b>. In that sense, it isn't entirely true that grassroots volunteers get to park for free. In any case, since this bunch of people are not civil servants, nor paid staff of PA, and don't get an allowance, they are not bound by the clean wage policy of the civil service. They should fall under the category of volunteers, whose work should be viewed through the social, not marketplace lens. By that rubric, the parking perk is justified...[/quote]</p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850919</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850919</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[mum_sugoku]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 03 Jun 2018 05:11:37 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Thu, 31 May 2018 08:12:49 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><b><b>Ong Ye Kung’s stance on parking in schools reflect everything wrong with 4G leadership</b></b><br /><br /><br />Defending his Ministry’s policy to impose parking charges for teachers, Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung said that the decision had to do with “self-discipline”.<br /><br />Earlier, an AGO report said that free parking for teachers is akin to a hidden subsidy that contravenes the “clean wage policy” set by the public service division. The clean wage policy makes it a point to make sure that every single penny in salaries are accounted for and there are no hidden perks.<br /><br />Making reference to the AGO report, the 4G Minister said that the government has to “respect our internal system of checks and balances” and “cannot pick and choose which finding to address or comply with – we take them all seriously”.<br /><br />For someone who has some experience working with Government-linked companies, it is surprising that the Minister would not know how to deal with an audit report.<br /><br />In the corporate world, there are numerous instances where the management disagree with the findings of their auditors and would defend their decision in the audit response. The final decision would then be decided by the audit committee.<br /><br />Should his ministry not have to bring this up to the President or Prime Minister for them to decide on this issue? Shouldn’t there be more comprehensive consultation on this matter, given the backlash it has produced?<br /><br />More at <a href="https://www.domainofexperts.com/2018/05/ong-ye-kungs-stance-on-parking-in.html">https://www.domainofexperts.com/2018/05/ong-ye-kungs-stance-on-parking-in.html</a></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850532</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850532</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Saplings]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 31 May 2018 08:12:49 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Tue, 22 May 2018 06:02:17 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>tutormum:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black"><blockquote><b>Angelsdontexist:</b><p>oh dear will he get fixed????</p></blockquote></blockquote><br />I am more skeptical of why he only voice his opinion now.  Seems like Malaysian election has an impact on our ruling party; these ministers starting to wake up with a few of them babbling unintelligently?  :siam: <br /><a href="http://theindependent.sg/the-chan-chun-sing-puzzles/">http://theindependent.sg/the-chan-chun-sing-puzzles/</a><br /><a href="http://theindependent.sg/khaw-boon-wan-draws-immense-flak-for-suggesting-that-linking-public-transport-fares-to-reliability-could-worsen-situation/">http://theindependent.sg/khaw-boon-wan-draws-immense-flak-for-suggesting-that-linking-public-transport-fares-to-reliability-could-worsen-situation/</a><br /><a href="http://theindependent.sg/cost-of-living-and-healthcare-costs-brought-up-in-parliament-ng-chee-meng/">http://theindependent.sg/cost-of-living-and-healthcare-costs-brought-up-in-parliament-ng-chee-meng/</a><p></p></blockquote>You don't say, it definitely has, possibly gotten the inept PM and his cronies running scared. Else why would HSK suddenly want to engage us citizens in public consultations and Pinky wanting to seriously explain things concerning the raising of GST?<p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849000</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849000</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Saplings]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 22 May 2018 06:02:17 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Sun, 20 May 2018 02:52:31 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p dir="auto">MOE staff attending training at Grange road (former RI) have to pay for parking too. <br /><br /><br />seriously, is there a need? teachers have been parking for free all these years in the school compound. <br /><br />i’m going to be flamed but just voicing my opinion. is there is need to charge for everything? I know employees of some companies have to pay for parking. for doctors who work in restructured hospitals…do they need to pay for parking?</p>
]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1848679</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1848679</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[janet88]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 20 May 2018 02:52:31 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Teachers to pay for parking at schools from Aug 1 on Sat, 19 May 2018 15:44:44 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><blockquote><b>Angelsdontexist:</b><blockquote style="border:1px solid black">oh dear will he get fixed????</blockquote></blockquote><br />I am more skeptical of why he only voice his opinion now.  Seems like Malaysian election has an impact on our ruling party; these ministers starting to wake up with a few of them babbling unintelligently?  :siam: <br /><a href="http://theindependent.sg/the-chan-chun-sing-puzzles/">http://theindependent.sg/the-chan-chun-sing-puzzles/</a><br /><a href="http://theindependent.sg/khaw-boon-wan-draws-immense-flak-for-suggesting-that-linking-public-transport-fares-to-reliability-could-worsen-situation/">http://theindependent.sg/khaw-boon-wan-draws-immense-flak-for-suggesting-that-linking-public-transport-fares-to-reliability-could-worsen-situation/</a><br /><a href="http://theindependent.sg/cost-of-living-and-healthcare-costs-brought-up-in-parliament-ng-chee-meng/">http://theindependent.sg/cost-of-living-and-healthcare-costs-brought-up-in-parliament-ng-chee-meng/</a><p></p>]]></description><link>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1848649</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1848649</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[tutormum]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 19 May 2018 15:44:44 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>