Shit Statistics

Another reason why Statistics reported in the news is shit.

Compare:

Employment in Singapore rose to an all-time high last year, with about 2.3 million people employed.
The unemployment rate fell to 2.5 percent, the lowest rate recorded in more than four years.

[link] Channel New Asia

Vs

The government decided last year to revise the measurement of unemployment to include foreign workers who have temporary work permits, including construction workers living on site and those who commute to Singapore from Malaysia.

[link] Financial Times

Do you think there's no Google? Do you think the citizens are stupid?

Come on. If you count foreign construction workers and maids, of course the numbers will improve!

So what if its the lowest in the last four years, if you change the basis of measument?

So what if you win the match, if you shift the goalpost midway through?