Roy Ngerng 鄞義林
@royngerng.bsky.social
1.3K followers 2.7K following 750 posts
Wage advocate. Work in labor rights. Activist sued by Singapore prime minister. Based in Taiwan. Threads & Twitter/X: @royngerng Facebook: Roy Ngerng My articles: https://justicefortaiwan.wordpress.com/about/
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royngerng.bsky.social
What is the Taiwan Tourism Administration trying to do here though? Help to promote Bangkok's BTS station?
royngerng.bsky.social
Taiwan ah, if you are just going to spend good money to put these little, little stickers on top of a station control at a Bangkok BTS station, or next to a clock or station name signage, maybe don't bother? No context, no excitement—what waves are you creating here?
royngerng.bsky.social
Taiwan ah, if you are just going to spend good money to put these little, little stickers on top of a station control at a Bangkok BTS station, or next to a clock or station name signage, maybe don't bother? No context, no excitement—what waves are you creating here?
royngerng.bsky.social
I think I've lost hope that Taiwan's government will grow its minimum wage in alignment with its democratic principles of enshrining human and labor rights—when it keeps growing wages so slowly while allowing excessive profit accumulation for the rich.

www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/a...
Minimum wage is to rise 3.2 percent to NT$29,500 - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
royngerng.bsky.social
7/ Most of us respect businesses' right to operate. The problem arises when some firms believe that protecting workers diminishes them, even as data shows the economy will expand and benefit all; and there isn't a system to curtail such beliefs, so our world will keep faltering.
royngerng.bsky.social
6/ Unfortunately, our world will continue to descend into conflict, until such time those with power recognize the folly of their actions & come together to rebuild equality—if we survive this descend. Otherwise, we'll l have to wait a few more decades for this next era of peace.
royngerng.bsky.social
5/ But the rich and politicians with power are too selfish to see beyond their immediate and individual needs. As they refuse to acknowledge the folly of their selfishness and the negative impacts, the world order of peace is thus unrivaling as we face increasing chaos.
royngerng.bsky.social
4/ What is more worrying is how this economic divide leads to greater polarization and extremism in advanced democracies, and the resultant conflict leads to societal collapse among poorer societies. Our zero-sum thinking is causing our world to descend and become ungovernable.
royngerng.bsky.social
3/ In rich societies, places are better built and more liveable, people are happier & at ease. In most societies in poverty, life is stressed and pockets of liveable spaces have to be created among decrepit places. Zero-sum thinking means the rich sabotage their lived spaces too.
royngerng.bsky.social
2/ Ironically, as politicians in many countries ally themselves with the rich to get rich, their countries are stuck in poverty, where workers cannot earn enough to consumer and grow profits, and there isn't enough revenue to build infrastructure and invest in social protection.
royngerng.bsky.social
1/ After researching and writing several articles on wages, you see that it's possible for a system where everyone gets rich and businesses will benefit too. Unfortunately, we've been told a zero-sum mentality where if others get richer, those at the top will become poorer.
royngerng.bsky.social
It's outrageous that consumer prices in shopping malls, restaurants/cafes & supermarkets in many developing nations are as expensive as developed ones, but wages are way lower. How can developing country governments in good conscience claim that wages cannot grow faster as it would hurt businesses?
royngerng.bsky.social
The problem with how many organizations recommend growth is via a top-down approach, such as by building institutions, but how can you build them without building capacity, without raising wages faster? The middle-income trap isn't just a problem of institutions, it's fundamentally about low wages.
royngerng.bsky.social
Everytime I travel to an Asian city for work, I think it's such a pity the elites don't realize that when everyone are paid better wages & their livelihoods are uplifted, this can make their city much more liveable, safer & happier. Such potential sacrificed by short-sightedness.
Reposted by Roy Ngerng 鄞義林
royngerng.bsky.social
The problem with how many organizations recommend growth is via a top-down approach, such as by building institutions, but how can you build them without building capacity, without raising wages faster? The middle-income trap isn't just a problem of institutions, it's fundamentally about low wages.
royngerng.bsky.social
Everytime I travel to an Asian city for work, I think it's such a pity the elites don't realize that when everyone are paid better wages & their livelihoods are uplifted, this can make their city much more liveable, safer & happier. Such potential sacrificed by short-sightedness.
royngerng.bsky.social
The problem with how many organizations recommend growth is via a top-down approach, such as by building institutions, but how can you build them without building capacity, without raising wages faster? The middle-income trap isn't just a problem of institutions, it's fundamentally about low wages.
royngerng.bsky.social
Everytime I travel to an Asian city for work, I think it's such a pity the elites don't realize that when everyone are paid better wages & their livelihoods are uplifted, this can make their city much more liveable, safer & happier. Such potential sacrificed by short-sightedness.
royngerng.bsky.social
Everytime I travel to an Asian city for work, I think it's such a pity the elites don't realize that when everyone are paid better wages & their livelihoods are uplifted, this can make their city much more liveable, safer & happier. Such potential sacrificed by short-sightedness.
royngerng.bsky.social
The recall has awakened the anxieties of many DPP supporters, but it's also an opportunity for the DPP government to review the vision for Taiwan.

How can Taiwan's democracy enable a more equal economy, and to allow Taiwan's economy to protect the rights of as many as possible?
Reposted by Roy Ngerng 鄞義林
royngerng.bsky.social
台灣執政政府能否從困住其核心支持者的恐懼與意識形態中走出來?

當台灣選民變得越來越恐懼和焦慮時,政府能創造一個怎樣的願景,來凝聚更多人,並盡可能地減少更多人的焦慮?

罷免喚醒了許多民進黨支持者的恐懼與焦慮,但這同時也是民進黨政府重新檢視、審思台灣願景的契機。

政府能有多大的覺悟?
royngerng.bsky.social
台灣執政政府能否從困住其核心支持者的恐懼與意識形態中走出來?

當台灣選民變得越來越恐懼和焦慮時,政府能創造一個怎樣的願景,來凝聚更多人,並盡可能地減少更多人的焦慮?

罷免喚醒了許多民進黨支持者的恐懼與焦慮,但這同時也是民進黨政府重新檢視、審思台灣願景的契機。

政府能有多大的覺悟?
Reposted by Roy Ngerng 鄞義林
royngerng.bsky.social
In this new article, I write that middle-ground voters did not come out to vote for Taiwan's recall, and this reminds the DPP and President Lai Ching-te that they need to do more to address the livelihood needs of voters (wages and housing) to regain their trust.

ketagalanmedia.com/2025/09/03/t...
Taiwan Needs to Raise Wages Faster to Protect Its Democracy - Ketagalan Media
Until Taiwan acknowledges that it needs major reforms to dramatically raise wages and reduce housing prices instead of only piecemeal improvements, Taiwan will continue to be too severely divided to g...
ketagalanmedia.com
Reposted by Roy Ngerng 鄞義林
royngerng.bsky.social
如果台灣民主的主要支持者同時也是那些想要以他人為代價來保護自身財富的人,那麼台灣就正面臨一個巨大的問題。民主不可能在一方面要強化民主、另一方面卻又要為富人累積過多財富,這兩個目標是互不相容的。如果台灣民主的支持者無法將台灣的經濟議程與民主相結合,那麼強化民主的目標終將註定失敗。
royngerng.bsky.social
新文章的結論:台灣需要重新理解民主與資本主義,及其與平等與勞工權益的關係

文章全文: www.thenewslens.com/article/257722
royngerng.bsky.social
如果台灣民主的主要支持者同時也是那些想要以他人為代價來保護自身財富的人,那麼台灣就正面臨一個巨大的問題。民主不可能在一方面要強化民主、另一方面卻又要為富人累積過多財富,這兩個目標是互不相容的。如果台灣民主的支持者無法將台灣的經濟議程與民主相結合,那麼強化民主的目標終將註定失敗。
royngerng.bsky.social
新文章的結論:台灣需要重新理解民主與資本主義,及其與平等與勞工權益的關係

文章全文: www.thenewslens.com/article/257722
royngerng.bsky.social
In this new article, I write that middle-ground voters did not come out to vote for Taiwan's recall, and this reminds the DPP and President Lai Ching-te that they need to do more to address the livelihood needs of voters (wages and housing) to regain their trust.

ketagalanmedia.com/2025/09/03/t...
Taiwan Needs to Raise Wages Faster to Protect Its Democracy - Ketagalan Media
Until Taiwan acknowledges that it needs major reforms to dramatically raise wages and reduce housing prices instead of only piecemeal improvements, Taiwan will continue to be too severely divided to g...
ketagalanmedia.com
Reposted by Roy Ngerng 鄞義林
royngerng.bsky.social
新文章的結論:台灣需要重新理解民主與資本主義,及其與平等與勞工權益的關係

文章全文: www.thenewslens.com/article/257722
royngerng.bsky.social
新文章的結論:台灣需要重新理解民主與資本主義,及其與平等與勞工權益的關係

文章全文: www.thenewslens.com/article/257722
Reposted by Roy Ngerng 鄞義林
royngerng.bsky.social
相較於多數OECD國家,台灣的工資相對於其人均GDP過低,且房價過高。若台灣要與其他國家相當,工資應提高約50%,房價則應降低50%;若工資要與生活成本相符,則工資應翻倍。相較於台灣的民主指數,台灣工資也過低,顯示台灣的民主並未被充分運用來保障勞工的權益並提高工資。

www.thenewslens.com/article/257722
royngerng.bsky.social
相較於多數OECD國家,台灣的工資相對於其人均GDP過低,且房價過高。若台灣要與其他國家相當,工資應提高約50%,房價則應降低50%;若工資要與生活成本相符,則工資應翻倍。相較於台灣的民主指數,台灣工資也過低,顯示台灣的民主並未被充分運用來保障勞工的權益並提高工資。

www.thenewslens.com/article/257722