Could you share more about the Fair Consideration Framework that you had lobbied for?

Since August 2011, I have been lobbying for labour market testing (LMT) to ensure that Singaporeans are given due consideration before employers recruit foreign Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs). This was in response to PMEs’ feeback on the excessive numbers of foreign PMEs and hiring malpractices. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) responded by implementing the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) which will be implemented on 1 August 2014. I believe that this form of LMT would translate to greater transparency and more opportunities for local PMEs, and grow the Singaporean Core. To facilitate FCF implementation, MOM established the National Jobs Bank (NJB), which I had also pushed for. This will ensure that foreign manpower will complement rather than undercut the skills of the local PME workforce.

Could you share more about the NJB and how it will impact the hiring landscape for PMEs?

The NJB will be a portal for employers to post their job vacancies and a potential channel for PMEs to find jobs. For the employers, it will be mandatory for them to advertise the positions in NJB for 14 days before they can make an Employment Pass (EP) application. This will increase the transparency of the available PME jobs in the market and Singaporeans can apply for these jobs.

What is NTUC’s role when FCF and NJB are implemented?
The U PME Centres will be equipped to answer PMEs’ queries relating to FCF and assist PMEs who are planning to progress in their careers or who are looking for a job. The NJB will help augment U PME Centres and NTUC’s e2i’s (Employment and Employability Institute) placement services through increasing the level playing field for local PMEs by matching PMEs with the vacancies, tracking employment trends and enabling NTUC to continue to roll out targeted education programmes and initiatives to reflect the market conditions.

What do you like most about your job?
The ability to make a difference in the lives of workers and fellow men. In my various capacities in NTUC, I assist, advise and represent unions, union members and workers, including planning and implementing programmes and initiatives, and lobbying for changes in laws and policies for their benefit.

Describe your leadership style.
I adopt a servant leadership style. My personal credo is to always lead by example.

What do you look for in young leaders?
I look for passion, pro-activeness and dynamism.

How do you balance the demands of work with family/ personal life?
This is a difficult question considering thenumber of ‘hats’ I wear. I seize the day and try to spend every waking hour to its max. I try to spend time with my wife and children whenever I have pockets of time, be it early in the morning or late at night. I endeavour to bring my family away on a holiday every year so that they can have my undivided time and attention.