Leong Sze Hian / Columnist
I refer to the report “About 1,000 give up citizenship annually” (My Paper, Jul 22).
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, emigrate means “to leave one’s place of residence or country to live elsewhere”. So, I think Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Sylvia Lim’s question may not have been answered adequately.
The foreign missions in Singapore have statistics on the number of Singaporeans who emigrate. For example, I understand that about 4,000 Singaporeans migrate to Australia in a year. The majority of emigrants may not show up in the “surrender citizenship” statistics, because the CPF board will only allow emigrants to withdraw their CPF, when they have obtained citizenship from another country. I have friends who have emigrated to Canada and Australia, and are still waiting to be granted citizenship after many years.
I believe in countries like Thailand and Malaysia, Singaporean emigrants generally are never given citizenship. As many countries allow dual citizenship, unlike Singapore, some emigrants may never surrender their Singapore citizenship.
Does the CPF board have statistics of enquiries that it receives from Singaporeans abroad regarding their CPF withdrawal ?
I would like to suggest that we compile the emigration statistics from the foreign missions, as well as the CPF statistics, so that we have a more realistic estimate of emigration. I feel that we should not in a sense, be complacent, by assuming that only those who give up their citizenship have emigrated. From my experience as the Honorary Consul of a foreign country in Singapore, I believe a simple diplomatic note to the foreign missions requesting for this statistic may suffice.
According to the Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU), there are 150,000 Singaporeans residing overseas.
How many of these are emigrants ?
According to a Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) survey in 2006, 53 per cent of Singaporean teens want to leave Singapore permanently. The Prime Minister also said in April 2008, that 1 in 4 top A-level students settles abroad every year. Our former PM also said in October 1999 that 2,000 emigrate each year.
In the 1990 population census, the Singapore diaspora was 36,000. What is this statistic in the most recent population census?
More accurate and comprehensive data may also be helpful to the OSU in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) set up in August last year, to do analysis and planning to woo and help Singaporeans return to reside in Singapore.
Since Singapore has been ranked as the best place in the world to live in by expatriates, does it not beg the question as to why so many Singaporeans are emigrating, and more than half our teens want to leave too – if they could?
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Nothing surprising to hear that youths feel like leaving the country.
One other point which I might wish to bring up here with regards to citizenship, is the number of people that actually gave up SG citizenships for another at the age of 21.
I do have a few friends who actually gave up their Singapore citizenship at the age of 21, some in University, while some even decided so before they come to age. Even their parents ask them to give up SG citizenship. Some reasons I heard were, stressful workplace, stressful living, no need to go NS and to just to name a few.
Can we ask, why are parents even asking their kids to do this?
Does country loyalty still commands a place in youths today?
How do we define citizenships in the years to come?
Many young people want to emigrate because they find the price of car and housing to be too high.
At one time, it was car that was too expensive. In recent years, the cost of housing has also become too costly. Even HDB flat can take away more than five years of the family income.
Sze Han
We should ask, Is Singapore a great place to live for our own citizens? If the survey shows that half our teens want to leave then something is terribly wrong with the whole system and the difficulty of keeping people here.
Is Singapore turning / made into a place for expatriates only. I think it is, look at the numbers coming here to work and eventually settling permanently.
One of my sisters is living in the US for 10 years and the youngest brother and wife has got PR status to live in Australia while another brother is making plans to leave too. Are they quitters? No I do not think so, the system has made them quit. Mind you they are qualified with jobs here.
it good to emigrate and travel to whole worlds where i got moneys i will support opposition party where it will give me more money to gamble and place bets in 4d ,toto ,big sweeps ,car ,horse racing ,stock market!!
Do you really feel what I’ve posted require’s moderation, censorship perhaps?
I’ve printed out the pages with and without the caution remark. Perhaps we should leave it to netizens to pass judgement.
Maybe test is not whether Singaporeans give up the citizenship but whether their hearts are still with Singapore. Many Singaporeans I know of will not give up the Singapore citizenship initially because they want to hedge the risk. Anything wrong with other countries, they can at least return to Singapore and moreover, their parents and friends are in Singapore. This is pragmatic approach that many Singaporeans take. So they actually prefer PR status in other countries and will continue to live as long as other country does not force them to make a choice to take up citizenship. But it can be said that the person is already considered brought over as citizen if he stay in other countries for more than 3 years.In a matter of years, majority will choose to give up citizenship since they already adapted to life of freedom, lifestyle and culture.
pap 杀人放火 let boycott pap ok
Just found out the price increased by 25%!
pap 杀人放火！
i think i better stick to opposition partys 。
let’s boycott pap ok ， shall we?
“Just found out the price increased by 25%!”
What price ?
once chose pap everything increases like that it like a daylight robbery when choose opposition party it might decrease ? and opposition partys will increase the salary
hope opposition party will decrease it in everythings !!
daniel i mean the things that i brought
The system made them quit? Well, in that case we must have a better system then to make them stay. A system whereby are comfortable and friendly, with a lot of space to maneuver and not threatened and pressurized by the influx of expatriates squeezing in the same space and make it so suffocated for the local to breath.
For talented Singaporean, they should be encouraged to stay or else we will lose the good one and left with the inferior and minnows. On top of that skilled and unskilled foreign workers and also domestic maids are in the thousands in Singapore already. So indirectly the demographic population had shifted tremendously by the increase numbers of these foreign workers. Now you go anywhere in Singapore you can see these alien everywhere taking up the same spaces sharing with Singaporeans.
I think Singapore is too small to cater for a large number of aliens and the government should keep track with the situation to avoid over flooding with people like a ‘Packed Sardine’.in a tin can.
Sze Hian,
You asked, “In the 1990 population census, the Singapore diaspora was 36,000. What is this statistic in the most recent population census?”
A clue may be found here: In February 2008, the Dept of Statistics issued a press release saying that they had “refined” the population statistics to exclude Singaporeans who have spent more than 12 months living abroad, in line with international statistical standards.
I picked up that bit of news then and refered to it in my article Daydreams of a Way Station (www.yawningbread.org/arch_2008/yax-843.htm).
Looking at the article I wrote, you’ll find a paragraph saying,
QUOTE:
As if to underscore this demographic nightmare, the Department of Statistics announced earlier this month that they had shaved 90,000 people off the figure for Singapore’s population of citizens and permanent residents, about 2.5 percent of the total. These 90,000 were those who had been away for 12 months or more, and thus were no longer considered ordinarily resident in Singapore.
ENDQUOTE
Thus, we have 90,000 citizens and PRs who have not lived in Singapore for more than 12 months. I suppose you could call them the diaspora.
Now, what’s interesting is this. My February 2008 essay referenced and hyperlinked to the Press Statement from the Dept of Statistics. That hyperlink (http://www.singstat.gov.sg/news/news/respopest.pdf) is still active.
However, nowhere in that Press Statement do you now see the figure of 90,000. You only see the total resident population after adjustment. Not the total before adjustment, not the quantum of adjustment.
I didn’t imagine the figure of 90,000 out of thin air. I got it from the original Press Statement. But now the Statement has been surreptitiously amended and the figure has been hidden. Why?
Moby – We Are All Made Of Stars
We Are All Made Of Stars
Growing in numbers
Growing in speed
Can’t fight the future
Can’t fight what I see
People they come together
People they fall apart
No one can stop us now
‘Cos we are all made of stars
Efforts of lovers
Left in my mind
I sing in the reaches
We’ll see what we find
People they come together
People they fall apart
No one can stop us now
‘Cos we are all made of stars
People they come together
And people they fall apart
No one can stop us now
‘Cos we are all made of stars
Slow so slow come come
Someone come come come
Even love is a goin’ ’round
Bad noise goin’ round
Slowly rebuilding
I feel it in me
Growing in numbers
Growing in peace
People they come together
And people they fall apart
No one can stop us now
‘Cos we are all made of stars
People they come together
People they fall apart
No one can stop us now
‘Cos we are all made of stars
People they come together
(People they come together)
People they fall apart
(People they fall apart)
No one can stop us now
(No one can stop us now)
‘Cos we are all made of stars
(We are all made of stars)
We are all made of stars
(People they come together)
We are all made of stars
(People they fall apart)
We are all made of stars
(No one can stop us now)
We are all made of stars
(We are all made of stars)
opposition party hip hip huarry 3 cheer for reform party
not realizing it, they feel insecure in a city well known for its security. but can you blame them for not wanting to be part of a growing number of workaholics( no retirement to live meaningful lives) in such a small piece of tightly reigned land?
all the nice buildings and facilities and little clever touches to little spaces will not contain the insecurity brought on and created by the rulers.
we are the undoing of our clever successes.
despite all the progress and wealth, this country people just do not know how to connect with each other.
many factors, from social engineering to political hegemony, have led to our superficiality as a people.
naturally, a thirsty soul seeks after distant oasis.
seeking for a more humane existence where people are cherished, respected and value for who they are and not be measured by grades, performance index, awards and your bank account.
i seriously doubt you can be a humane society with a price tag/grade on someone’s soul.
somehow, even the compassion/generosity that trickles down the upper echelon of society is so…..staged if not, degrading.
and why not in a city where the religion of wealth justifies the standing of the enterprising ministers of the word or rather, world?
I kept thinking about this post. See, as long as the outflow is less than the inflow our population will continue to grow, and this isnt necessarily a bad thing I guess. But there is more to it than just the meritorious numbers. When disappointed, disillusioned emigrees give up their citizenships, they not only surrender their birth rights but likely their dissenting votes as well. That could be a plus or minus, depending on where one stands. The new immigrants however, come in with feelings of gratitude, indebtedness and hearts that are likely placed in the “right place”. This means that those with the strategy in place to embrace and extend their influence early in the fast growing segment of potential new voters has the first mover advantage to gain their votes lateron. It also meant that the oppositions will have to examine this issue closely and possibly sing the same tune somewhere down the line..
“See, as long as the outflow is less than the inflow our population will continue to grow, ”
What is the quality of inflow ? Is the quality of outflow higher than inflow ?
” The new immigrants however, come in with feelings of gratitude, indebtedness and hearts that are likely placed in the “right place”.
REally ? You should have to spoken to those immigrants. The immigrants are likely to tell you good things about our gov but their action speak otherwise. To them, what they speak is more important than their action. The immigrants are not stupid as the gov think. These immigrants know what in store of them. They are just as pragmatic as our gov. Remember the offspring of these immigrants who become citizen in Singapore will become the nemesis for the gov. It is foolish of gov to think that foreigners are lot easier to control than subservient Singaporean. Of course, gov don’t really care after all money speak louder than words. In a few years when the foreigners pose a threat, those ministers and gahmen are just likely to disappear from Singaporean as well. After all why will one risk his life if he can’t enjoy his wealth.
Dear Alex
Thanks a million for another discovery of Disappearing Statictics
Maybe we should pen an article together on Disappear Statistics
So, unlike your last article in TOC – that I gobble up statistics – you are great at it too!
Ha Ha
With warmest regards
Leong Sze Hian
Singapore is a safe place and it has a solid education system. but the relentless need to “have more”, “be perfect” and drive to make everything better is just driving everybody crazy. we cannot sit down and smell the flowers, because good is not enough, better can still get better, there is no best!
so we ask, where are we going? and we see the bloated paychecks of CEOs and ministers, PM/SMs who tag their paychecks to these CEOs. is there any wonder why we are building a society that is more capitalistic than US? we have a worse gini ratio than US, just imagine.
we have seen the market failures in US, and the economy tumbling. In Singapore, some of our GLC/Temasek losses cannot be seen and felt, because they do not have the obligation of normal listed companies to come clean. What they can do is to get more capital, which can be easily achieved by raising prices all across the boards. Temasek is the parent company of so many essential goods and services in Singapore, just imagine collecting that money to boost their capital…..
I have been very proud of being a Singapore citizen, I do not hesitate to educate people about the achievements of Singapore. But on the other hand, can i identify with the country that i grew up in, but now being so foreign to me? I always feel like i’m a tourist in Singapore, because of the sheer number of foreigners. Buildings that I identified with are torn down and made way for “economic reasons”. (i really liked that red brick architecture of the central library)
I have not thought about going as far as renouncing citizenship, but I will try to stay away as long as I can. Yes, I miss my friends and family and the food here, but my soul feels more rested elsewhere.
I cannot tahan to feel like 2nd class citizen in my own country, in that case, i might as well be 2nd class elsewhere, at least that’s justified. Also, if I were made to feel like a foreigner in my own country, kthxbye, I can feel that anywhere anyways.
Every day, when you open the papers, you generally get bombarded by reports or news of two kinds of people.
One kind is your stereotypical successful people(businessmen, academics, sportsmen, celebrities etc ) including such preachers as your esteem leaders.
The other extreme type covers your regular crooks or law breakers and stories of losers.
Well you say, what so unusual about that?
Nothing really except for the subtle and constant battling of the minds with ‘carrot and stick’.
After some time, consciously or unconsciously, the people will form two dimensional views about life and themselves which is…..either one should behave like donkeys or one should swing like monkeys from place to place!
And you know what, those in between the two stereotypical types of people will eventually fit into either one of these extreme molds.
In other words, anything between the two molds has no economic significance and is to be discarded!
It is a tough act to leave; I have seen friends go and then return.
But with some 90,000 away yearly, something must be amiss and it is a serious matter for Singapore’s future.
If it is let it be, then Singapore will very soon be swamped with hordes of hungry people, (Philip Yeo will smile) caucasians and FTs at all levels of the workforce.
I have asked some “FT “- why come here ? They say “Singapore is cheaper compared to their home countries in Australia, EU, etc, and they are treated first class here, and they get the girls”………………..
A tribute to Dr Tan Cheng Bock come to mind.
For the 90,000 or so, being second class elsewhere seems not to be an issue as some say “second class is already here for most Singaporeans”
Don’t mean to be a spoilsport, but I think the author has misrepresented Ms Sylvia Lim by calling her an MP and not an NMP.
lee kuan yew and his fellow member of pap is going down hahahahhehehhhoho
The truth is the Singapore Police Force already has the statistics.
Every country requires some form of police clearance when granting long term visas. In Singapore, CID issues a Certificate of no criminal conduct. Practically every person trying to get a long term visa in another country will have to apply for one and that includes the family members as well.
The numbers are there. If the minister of home affairs doesn’t know about this, then he truly is clueless about the affairs of the departments in his ministry. If he does, then he’s just a liar.
Mr Tan Kin LIan,
I think that there is more to just the high prices of cars and houses that are driving the young and capable away from Singapore.
I wonder why no statistics are available about the exodus and self-imposed exiles of SIN-ans and the inflow of foreigners. The charges levied on immigrant applications to most western countries including Australia and NZ are increasing steeply and the entry door isn’t that open as a couple of decades ago. I wonder how much does the SIN government collect from each would-be immigrant application?
I recalled prior to 1989 there was some understanding between governments, in particular with developed countries, not to tap SIN talents and highly skilled professionals and academics as SIN was then a relatively developing nation. The year 1989 was an unprecedented year for the Canadian Embassy in SIN to receive such a high volume of applications for immigration to Canada. That was perhaps the turning point for the exodus to take place and hence, the labelling of “quitters” and “stayers” came about. Then came the big bang of TWP, PYK, FS, DVN, and a number of academics and professionals, the beginning of the self-imposed SIN exiles.
I do not see the return of the Diaspora until either the current government makes a radical change to its Constitution for a true democracy, the separation of powers of the Executive and the Judiciary, its political ideology of Meritocracy creating a Mandarin Class of Elites, a Culture of unprecedented Monetary Entitlements for public office and public servants, a social Class Divide among the different levels of society as a whole OR a new people-powered, people-centered government comes into power.
Globalization and the status quo adopted by the present PAP’s virtually one-party government system will not sustain the foreseeable future of SIN for long. It takes years for a civilization to develop from one world to another depending on a host of factors, educational, social, cultural, political, economic, religious, etc conducive for human development and progress.
Hopefully, a NEW CHANGE in SIN will take place prior to the proposed change by the rogue regime in Burma in 2010 so that it will eclpse the rising moon of the Burmese military junta.
Let’s phrase it the other way round. Assuming you (including your related ones)have the ability to choose where you want to reside.
What do you find interesting or worthy in Singapore that makes you stay on?
For some of us, it is clear at moment, the choice is not there to be made. So, meanwhile just have to bit the bullet and hope for things to change for the better.
On the other hand, most who emigrated or planning to had reasons that I think will not deviate from some the following values:
1) Total freedom to express and speak without a tint of fear attached (i.e. politically speaking)
2) Life is more than just paper and money chasing.
3) For betterment of future generation. Birth Rights of a person is largely depending on their parent’s choice. Most would be asking, would I want my future generation to follow my foot steps since now I have the ability to make that change for them?
4) How much more effort do I need to put in to achieve a meaningful living (on each personal value) when it is time to retire?
Last but not least. Do I feel it’s worth to continuing contributing to the progress of the country where I choose to reside?
There are obviously other minor reasons, the nice to have and like in all things, it cuts both ways. However, when the positives out weigh the negatives it is not too hard to decide when you had your values written down and when you are at a position to decide.
3) ACACIA on August 3rd, 2008 10.59 pm
I concur.
“Best place to live” ?
For who and polled by who ? on which day (opinions change with time)?
Now, I know there is such thing as Dual-Citizenship.
Could someone here let me know if that term means
a country can grant a migrant a citizenship even when he never gives up the citizenship of his birthplace so that he can still vote for his country of birth?
Is that not a concern for some people? ha ha ha.
Exactly how many have applied for citizenship overseas, that means, including those who have applied but not approval yet received? Is it more than 1000 per year? Being kia su, kia si and kia sai, I do not want to loose out on whats happening. trends and opportunities.
A very very happy nday for all. ha ha ha.
The reason why Singaporeans want to leave is very simple: they don’t want to feel like second-class citizens in a first-class city. Why second-class? Because every Singaporeans have to sacrifice so much to earn their breads and butter and have a roof over their head and at the end of the day, all these are taken away from you (your HDB home after 95 years, your CPF money sooner of later goes to the state) without you having recourse and with the constant refrain: this is all for your own good. Meanwhile, the Permanent Residents remain PR forever, enjoying all the benefits of the place without the responsibilities (NS, etc) and then they conveniently send their kids overseas (maybe at the govt’s expense and break contract, thus depriving others of scholarships). Squeeze in a few millions foreign talents from all walks of life, squeeze every cents from your hard -earned wages and ask you not to squeeze the employer any increments least it leads to wage-price spiral. It is all very sad, a sad sad situation.
DPM Wong: Singapore crimes statistics lower than HK, New York
DPM Wong: Singapore crimes statistics lower than HK, New York
3 August 2008
Cities like Hong Kong and New York have more police officers per 100,000 people of its population compared to Singapore. Yet the Republic fared better when it comes to keeping crime rate down last year, said Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng at a community event.
And that’s because Singaporeans have played their part to deter criminals.
Speaking to some 300 Raffles Junior College students and grassroots leaders on Sunday, Mr Wong urged the community to be proactive in fighting crime.
DPM Wong also said: “We sometimes give opportunity for criminals to commit a crime….A lot of these crimes, if you see in the data, are opportunistic crimes. We need the cooperation of citizens and since we cannot put police officers around every block and patrol the street, we need you to take an active part in it.”
In 2007, Singapore has 239 police officers per 100,000 people. In Hong Kong, the ratio was 393 to 100,000 and in New York 430 per 100,000.
Yet, Singapore’s crime rate was the lowest among the three cities, at 696 cases per 100,000 population. For Hong Kong, it was 1,167 cases, while for New York, it was 2,432.
Hi Leong,
U r comment on the local migrating to other countries is ineed
outstanding. When 1000 locals gave up their citizeship for the past three years
it seemed there is something fundamentally wrong somewhere.
Part of these 1000 locals gave up their citizenship for the neighbouring ASEAN
countries where the standard of living is generally lower than this country, this
is something that is shocking.
Apart from the reasons mentioned above, there is an overwhelming reason to emigrate : racial discrimination.
Thousands of Singaporeans have left due to this reason.
The authorities know this very very wel.
Those who ask for police clearance cerificate have to indicate why they need it.
Many indicate frivilous reasons but none mention it.
For the simple reason, why risk the denial of the certificate.
But oine day the truth will come out.
To : 33)Policeman and Woman
Crime rate is a function of the no. of Reported Crime.
If people are advised to not lodge a report, it won’t count in the statistics.
Hi DC
Thanks very much for pointing out my error
I stand corrected – Sylvia Lim is an NCMP, not MP or NMP
Is there any country in the world that has
Members of Parliament,
Non-Constituency Member of Parment
Nominated Members of Parliament?
How has this system of different types of MPs contributed to the development of democracy and the Parliamentary system in Singapore?
Cheers
Leong Sze Hian
I was watching the new X-Files movie and I found one weird almost surreal moment when the camera panned to the photo of George Dubya Bush in the FBI office and then, as if on cue, the first few bars of the X-Files theme played in the background and both Scully and Mulder gave each other quizzical looks.
I know that local shows like Money No Enough have been more vocal abt the dissent/dissatisfaction the people feel, but I wonder if we’ll ever have such free reign to be able to even make a joke abt the Men in White. Or is it still a taboo/OB market subject, that is liable to get us sued out of our pants :)
We have, over a short period of time, developed a successful system which has become self-rejuvenating in that dead skin will give way to new skin so as to maintain an upright and incorruptible society for the discerning and the quiet appreciators.
I guessed those who left have figured out that there are more caring government in developed countries and those who left for some less developed countries have found they do not have to face the grind of feeding the faces of overpaid ministers and president not forgetting croonies.
It is either you are a mere digit working for a mafia system feeding the machinery of a well oiled efficient advanced payment collecting syndicate contributing to the undeserving spineless fat cats while you serve the enslavement drugery of working pass your seventies or you chose to migrate for a better quality of life.
The down and out are left to fend for themselves resorting to collection of cans or cardboards to erk out a miserable existence. The young educated are put through the severe competition of competing with foreign talent for a low paying job. Even established countries like Australia or Britain have guidelines in protecting the jobs of their citizens unlike here.
The singles are also discriminated against for public housing.
If nobody has a sense of belonging here it is the policy makers who have failed miserably as it will lead to the downfall of this island
It is very clear that if Singapore will sink, the fault lies squarely with the PAP’s inability to move beyond party politics to real inclusive nation building.
The IT division of many foreign banks setting up operations in Singapore has the environment of an IT body shop in India – packed full with foreign talent being paid good salaries.
Having worked in the IT division of these foreign banks, I noted that most of these foreign talents do not necessarily have better skills or are cheaper than local talents.
A lot of these well paying IT jobs in banks can be filled by Singaporeans who graduate from Poly or our SG grads. Our SG people after going through a demanding education system will get frustrated when they enter the market place as they end up competing for jobs and feel that they are treated like 2nd class citizens in their own country when they embark on their job search.
Why do these jobs tend to go to so called foreign talent? The government has spent a lot of money and given many incentives to foreign investment banks to set up their regional operations in Singapore but how many of these back office jobs in IT really generate jobs for the Singaporeans – which are what the SG government always claims benefit Singaporeans?
Why can’t the government make it more difficult for these MNCs and foreign banks to hire these so called foreigners (who might not even be talents) like in the Scandinavian countries?
Did these banks or MNCs even make the effort to recruit local Singaporean after taking and enjoying all these wonderful government perks and incentives?
It’s not only the poor who have to compete with foreign talent for low paying jobs, even our well educated Singaporeans are finding that competition is stiff and feeling like they are being treated like ’2nd class’ citizens in Singapore compared to foreign talent when it comes to employment opportunities.
Why wouldn’t those Singaporeans who have the ability, migrate to another country where they have to pay more taxes but will be entitled to better healthcare, social security, education for their kids, opportunity for work life balance etc and might be treated as ’2nd class’ citizens rather than stay in SG , enjoy none of these benefits as SG ’2nd class’ citizens
If one correlates the house price vs wage, one would notice that house prices have gone up at a far faster rate than wages.
This means more loans for housing and wages to pay housing interest. An average HDB flat requires far more than the 5 years stated by Kin Lian. I would guess average loan rates are between 15 to 25 years for a couple just entering the work force.
My prediction is that house ownership will go the same way as Britain. In London today, people buy shares in their houses because they can’t afford to buy the whole house. In other words, buy part rent the rest.
At the rate house prices go up, that will become a reality soon.
dun worry, remember the promise? THEY will ensure that housing will remain affordable. What is affordable? who knows. Affordable – the catch (may need 2 generations of working adults in the family line to finish servicing the loan in future).
Should be good bcause that will foster family cohensiveness. (the 2 or 3 generations under 1 roof thingy)
Haha
Lynn,
I fully agreed with you. In my company, they employed many from the Philippine, supposedly qualified professionals, but clearly their skills and knowledge is highly questionable. They were not in my division, but I understand from colleagues, these so-called FTs know very little and were in fact, taught and guided by our experience locals. One thing for sure, they were paid less and possess impressive degree from the Philippine. Who knows are they really as skillful and knowledeable as their papers claimed to be. But surely, our poly students are more hands on and could do a better job. Another thing for sure, the Spore immigration is opening the flood gate wide and freely to these so-called FTs, and they are flocking to this tiny red dot in droves.
When Singapore citizens choose to leave by the scores to settle overseas to live (even if they have not withdrawn their cpf which evidenced their giving up of Singaporean citizenship), it does goes to show SIMPLY that the grass in Singapore is not greener. ONLY for the expats, Singapore is ‘a’ good place – one of the many good places (please dont think that there are not others).
Something tells me this is a case of ‘the grass is greener on the other side’. For all the good points that one can rattle off regarding emigrating to countries like Australia, there is really only one point that we need to consider: why go somewhere else and be treated as 2nd class citizens?
Best place? What’s the definition – materially? Who’s definition is it?
The newly arrived immigrants would be grateful but many probably use Singapore as a stepping stone to greener pastures.
The 1,000 Singapore who gave up citizenship are likely to be those who want to withdraw their CPF What about the huge known number Singaporeans who have taken up foreign citizenship but did not want to give up Singapore citizenship? The disadvantages of not taking up citizenship in another country are forgoing study grants, public service jobs and the right to vote, most of which people may be prepared to live with.
Most statistics are probably available to MHA but may be too sensitive to be released to the public. Perhaps some of the grievances such as the education system, cost of living, lack of freedom, etc, are not to be made known and there’s little the government could / would do to redress the problem.
#47 jw,
The answer is simple. Why stay in Singapore and become a 2nd/3rd class citizen of your own country while sacrificing 2 + 10 years of your time, be rated lower economically than your foreign counterparts when you can go over to a “greener” country and be a 2nd class citizen, but yet have equal opportunities and the freedom to do things that you couldn’t do in Singapore.
Like voicing your opinion, organizing peaceful protests and have the freedom to explore things like Arts without being looked upon as a social outcast, or fear.
Sometimes, the grass is indeed greener on the other side depending on who’s perspective.
I work in an MNC that has restaffed the whole IT dept of 5-8 pple (excluding managers and above) from pure SGers to a complete Pinoy outfit.
Ironically, during the handing over period, it was the SGers who had to teach these supremely qualified (on paper) FTs who knew jack to fit into the role. As knowledge and experience can never be gained in such a short period, the expectations could not be met and they are now performing below expectations. FT? Talent is definitely very foreign to them.
To add insult to injury, some of these jocks are now asking for the ‘expat’ package that SG is so famous for.
Not surprising why so many of my S’porean friends are so fed up with this whole mess and BS.
Seeing all these ‘FT’s coming here, trying their luck to get the best deal really does not make the workplace productive at all.
Also, if the manager is an FT, it is also likely that he will look for or recommend his fellow country men to staff his department.
FT creates jobs for us locals?
BS.
If it is true that about a half of teenagers here want to leave ‘permanently’, then I guess that they, like teenagers anywhere, want to leave in the prospect of better life experiences elsewhere. Maybe experiences here have not been exciting enough, or maybe it is the usual about not having freedom to be themselves, or what they want to be. It is usually about freedom from figures of authority like parents or teachers, so they would want to go some place where young people of like mind mingle, without having to be under the watchful eye of the ‘authorities’. Teenagers in Singapore do perceive lower standards regarding personal freedom here; when they compare themselves with peers elsewhere they do think that more freedom can be sought elsewhere. You cannot blame them for that.