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Throughout GE2020 and in its aftermath, the minimum wage and the Progressive Wage Model – or the PWM – have emerged as key policy proposals, even if the discourse is not new. At least five opposition parties have proposed a minimum wage or a living wage, and in response the ruling party promised to extend the PWM to more industries, beyond the cleaning, security, and landscape sectors. A central concern, nevertheless, is the persistence of poor wages for low-income Singaporeans.

Today, we speak to economist Professor Linda Lim of the University of Michigan, understanding and comparing the minimum wage and Singapore’s PWM (both described as “second-best policies”), addressing common objections to the minimum wage, as well as concluding on the challenge of low-wage labour. Prof. Lim’s research focuses on the political economy of multinational and local business in South East Asia. She is also one of the editors of Academia.SG, a website maintained by a group of Singaporean academics to promote Singapore studies and to encourage critical debate about the state of intellectual life in Singapore.

Singapore's opposition parties: The WP, PSP, SDP, and coalitions of electoral losers (with author Loke Hoe-Yeong) – socialservice.sg presents: "Before the Ballot"

1. Singapore's opposition parties: The WP, PSP, SDP, and coalitions of electoral losers (with author Loke Hoe-Yeong) 36:44
2. “It’s the economy, stupid?”: Inflation, incomes, inequality, and Singapore’s general elections (with Dr. Linda Lim) 51:05
3. GE2024? GE2025? "Before the Ballot" preview 09:41

Click here to listen to the episode. A transcript is also available on Academia.SG.