Of course we don’t have the drive…you know why we like to complain so much and why we don’t have the drive? We’ve been weaned on the government and drive is something we pursue to get good results, not a drive to do something we want or a drive to simply fit in and just distinguish yourself through results.

Xenophobia is everywhere. Go look at people studying in the UK. How many of them only know people from Singapore/Malaysia? I don’t know but most of my UK friends only know each other. It’s got to do with the Asian mentality as well – there is always a clear divide between us and them. I guess the heart and soul of Singaporeans are still very much Eastern, despite the Government’s effort to Westernise them (via free market, meritocracy)…

we will have desire and goal dont worry

Young PAP?

Or aspiring PAP cadre?

MP aiming for promotion or aspiring MP?

Or aspiring minister?

Or juz not using yr brain?

Hi Sg -PR,

Thank you for the wake up call. Your contribution is truly a timely reminder to Singaporeans.

However to let Singaporeans know you better , if you do not mind, please answer three simple questions:
Have you try volunteering for NS ? Are you invited here ? After writing your views, how come you are still here?

Thank you.

Finally, a decent foreign talent article which does not smack of the usual xenophobic tendencies. As a Singaporean working in a foreign country I have experienced similar xenophobic sentiments directed as myself so I do find it disturbing to see Singaporean taking on positions usually associated with extreme right-wing rebel rousers in my host country. I applause your efforts to correct this point of view.

On the other hand, I disagree with your devotion to “having the drive to excel”. Simply put, this “drive to excel” in the very myopic sense of economic success has greatly skewed work/life balance on the side of work. With the amount of work regular Singaporeans do to stay in the rat race, there is little time for family or frankly even making one.

Society’s insistent on placing the burden of child rearing solely on women (assuming heterosexual household) doesn’t help matters much either when they have to make the choice between full time work and full load of household chores and child rearing. Who would not find the single lifestyle so much sweeter.

As for the regular Singaporeans responsibility for their current unsustainable predicament, in a liberal democracy with appropriate checks and balances, this might be true. In a benign autocracy like Singapore, the responsibility lies mostly at the top. Remember the stop at two campaign?

Singaporeans can take responsibility if they had the choice to decide and make real decisions that they want…. example have a re-election , second have a say about their CPF contribution, and why we need to have pay 3 “BRAINS” for doing one persons job … .PM… SM…MM …. whats next universal minister ?

So if Singaporeans are to take responsibility, then let them make the decisions… not some people who are living in the twilight zone … ivory tower is old school.

Wake up call for Singaporeans is to know that the country can hold only a centain amount of jobs .. and with the very relaxed regulations …. you willl see more foreigners here and this will eventually drive the wages down as Singapore does not have the minimum wage system like other world class countries.

to responsibility ?

I agree with you, good that you mentioned the minimum wage system.hopefully the lower-income class will benefit from it one day instead of multi-million dollar mini-stars saying “wage increase is not the way forward!”

Where do these ppl get their warped logic?

Why doesn’t the writer lead by example, become a citizen instead of listing the downside of being a PR?

Don’t quite understand.

Singaporean males have to serve two years of full time national service and thereafter are disrupted each year for the “reservist training”. This liability puts the Singaporean males at a disadvantage in competing with jobs against foreingers in Singapore.

I hope that this disadvantage can be reduced, so that Singaporean males will have a better chance to get a good job. Here are some ideas:

> reduce the full time national service to 8 to 12 months, like several other countries who still find it necessary to conscript their male citizens

> pay a good income for the compulsory service, similar to a full time soldier’s pay.

After serving national service, completing a university education, finding a good job, saving sufficent money to buy a HDB flat and have adequate income to raise a family, the Singapore male is soon in the mid 30s. Do you need to guess why the birth-rate has been declining over the years?

It is for Singapore to recognise and to correct our problem (and not to blame foreigners). If foreigners have to serve two years of compulsory national service, how many foreigners will come to work in Singapore?

I agree that foreigners have to compete hard in Singapore as well. I welcome them, and hope that they will decide to become permanent residents and make Singapore their permanent home.

“Firstly, PRs do NOT have it easy in this country.”

So you think Singaporeans are having a far off better life?

I may not be very experienced but I believe I can “help you” to think better.
Why not putting you into my shoe? Being a Singaporean, you have to spent 2.5 yrs in the army which pays you as little as $500 a month (pathetic low right?). During these years his FT friends are already gaining experience and earning in thousands. This is not the worse part.

After fulfilling the 2.5 yrs, you have to go back to camp once a year (0 – 40days) for training for the next 10 yrs. If you do manage to pass the physical fitness test (IPPT), you are left untouched. Otherwise, you will have to go back for extra training. (Unfortunately, I believe most of us don’t pass).

Just think of it, for the next 10 years, you have to study, work, look after the family (remember a family living in Singapore – no. of family member (x) your monthly expenses) , return to camp once a year and find time to train yourself up to pass fitness test (IPPT). Do you not think this is too, too much a liability to you? How on earth you can have more babies when you are pre-occupied with so many responsibilities? Bear in mind expenses are increasing.

“If there are more foreigners or PRs taking jobs here, it simply means that the Singaporeans are not taking up those jobs.”

LOL. If the salary which you take is enough to feed a family of four living in Singapore, do you think you would have a chance to get this post? If there isn’t any locals to replace you, probably the problem lies in the education system. If govt gives her people more opportunities, likely you will not be here.

“For all its flaws the Singaporean government DOES take care of its people and its people are usually the main beneficiaries of any policy they come about.”

You think that the compensation for having all the liabilities is adequate. I say it is not. Don’t you know that in Singapore “welfare” is a dirty word?

“Why would any government encourage foreigners to come and settle and work in a country if they have their own people to do the job and make the country prosper??”

Uniquely Singapore.

Fourthly, it’s funny how an article on increasing the population of Singapore turns into a foreigner-bashing session.

Do you know about the “stop at 2” policy implemented in the 80s? 20 years later, it is the people who are bearing the responsibility for not making more babies. Do you know the cost of living is going up and the salary of the low income group remain stagnant for many years? This should be the second reason. Maybe, you are here to make up for the loss of the population due to that policy. So, do you now see the link? If not, maybe you do not want to become a Singaporean.

“Singaporeans should stop blaming others and start taking responsibility for the prosperity of their country. If you don’t want foreigners to be here then make sure there is NO NEED for foreigners to sustain and prosper your economy. Make sure you have enough people and passion to do it yourself”

I see that you feel the importance of your presence. So funny, who is controlling Singapore? Why are you directing the failure to us? So, you think we have a say in the policies. Please direct the above statement to our G.
Base on the way you write I believe that if the population of the foreigners overtakes the local, the possibility for FTs to demand for more incentives will be higher.

One last question: Do you think you are in the position to lecture me?

Sg-PR,

It’s because of reasoning like yours that resentment towards foreigners is higher than it should be. Coming here with a superior-than-thou attitude and thinking that you’re the saviour of Singaporeans only serves to isolate you from the rest of the Singaporeans who don’t really have any major issues with PRs or foreigners.

What we do have a problem with is the government’s stance towards foreigners compared to Singaporeans. We appreciate your contribution to the economy, society and many more. We just don’t appreciate that our contributions aren’t being appreciated better. For many Singaporean families, NS is a major issue. The contribution being made for the security of the country is not compensated fairly enough. And on top of that, it’s turning out to be a disadvantage in searching for employment.

So next time, leave that elite, uncaring attitude at the immigration before stepping on our shores eh?

“Singapore works on a meritocratic basis. One of its major strengths is that it treats people equally regardless of what your background is.”

The big question: Why the f*** do I need to serve NS and reservist while FTs get treated more ‘equally’ than me?

Congatulations!

First we get screwed from S’pore elites.

Now this!

“Get off our elite uncaring FT’s face”

Feel like rape victims yet?

Our Singapore govt must be proud.

feedmetothefish

It’s sad that when anyone writes something that is NOT a vitriolic anti-PAP piece ie. something that is actually BALANCED (now how about that huh…balance in an essay!) he is bound to get at best mocked and at worst flamed to bits and pieces by the fanatical zealots of the anti-establishment brigade.

Now that I’ve said that, I’m sure some budding revolutionary will be rushing to brand my forehead with the words ‘PAP lapdog’ despite my pleas that I am not a PAP supporter.

Reverse elitism anyone?

I thank you for presenting the case from the other side of the fence, and I do agree with you some of the foreigner bashing in SG is really over the top, but I’ll have to correct some of your points.

“Why would any government encourage foreigners to come and settle and work in a country if they have their own people to do the job and make the country prosper??”

The answer is: To depress wages. If you don’t already know, Singapore’s success since independence has been built on a low-cost, business friendly (i.e. obedient workforce) manufacturing base. This served us well up to the early 1990s when standards of living increased here and China/India/Vietnam etc started opening up and the manufacturers started to move to these places. However the PAP government continued to cling on to the low wage model, thus one of its solutions has been to bring in cheaper foreigners by the plane-load. This, despite it being unrealistic to increase costs and standards of living to near 1st world level but trying to depress workers level to as near 3rd world levels as they can get away with. Of course, this policy does not apply to the PAP’s own salaries.

“If you think because of this the education and the employment prospects of being in Singapore are more difficult for a Singaporean then just think. Singapore works on a meritocratic basis. One of its major strengths is that it treats people equally regardless of what your background is. So if foreigners do well in getting jobs and in school, it just means that Singaporeans are not working hard enough.”

Technically you’re right. But in fact that’s the very essence of the problem. By hamstringing Singaporean men with NS commitments every year into their working life, it ensures that we’ll always have it difficult in the workplace, even before we are hired. As an employer, between a foreigner/PR and a male Singaporean employee, assuming all else being equal, would I prefer one who has annual leave + medical leave or one that has annual leave + medical leave + 2 weeks reservist + NS briefings + IPPT + RT and what-have-you? Keep the meritocracy, but do something about a situation that puts your own citizens at a disadvantage.

“Coz like you mentioned, if they really are that good and they just cared about money they would have gone to [the] US”

Maybe they do care only about the money and want, but they’re not good enough so they just go somewhere who gives out PR to all and sundry? Just a thought…

Being a PR in another country, I can empathise with you, but unlike you, I have to compete on a level playing field with the citizens in my host country. And even if it is skewed, you can be sure it will not be skewed in the direction of the PR. I agree that PRs should have equal benefits as citizens except the right to vote. But I had to jump through all sorts of hoops to get my PR, I believe it should be the same for Singapore.

I’m not on a foreigner bashing trip here, because like Sprachen Sie Singlish? I have no time for xenophobic right wing zealots who have a “four legs good two legs bad” mentality about foriegners, but something about SG’s policies are simply not right.

Finally, that being said and done, I do agree with you that most Singaporeans have no drive. In fact I would go so far as to say they have no spine. Because if they had any, they would have thrown out long ago a government that does so much to sacrifice their interests in the name of economic growth, that sees them as nothing more than economic digits and enslaves the males for 2 years in their prime and does so for up to 40 days a year up to when they’re 40. And all this for the occasional hand-out and upgrading for a apartment on a long term lease that they’ve paid an arm and a leg for.

chorus,

Hey yeah, that’s right, that’s what balanced essays usually do… piss people off.
But seriously, what balance?

Did the article state anything that might show that the writer understood anything about being a working class Singaporean? Or was it more of a rant on Singaporeans just being a nation of whiners?

PS: You’re a PAP lapdog :)

The blame for the animosity towards PRs and foreigners lies not so much with them but with those who have crafted the policies and who have continued to ignore and brush off the side-effects, and the people’s concerns about those side-effects, that the policies are having.

A wake-up call is needed, but will it be given?

Chorus, while the writer does have a point in the article, there are also a few factual errors and assumptions that are patently untrue. And it is right that he/she is rebutted on them.

It also doesn’t help that the tone of the article is pretty patronizing in general. We get that enough from the powers-that-be, and it really doesn’t help things.

to be honest, all these foreign talents have great drives and will succeed in any country they are in. i will not try to take a snipe at their talents by suggesting that they try their luck in countries like Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia or some African countries. I am sure they will all be equally successful whether they are here or in the US or Europe.

or is it that they are better than just singaporeans, have more drive than singaporeans and can only find it comfortable here? these may be the reasons since singaporeans are no longer regarded as talents and we need these foreign talents to be here to help them.

The simple truth is that it is much easier to find a job here for so so FTs – they should try Australia, NZ, EU or USA to see for themselves the difference. Top Harvard or other ivy league graduates may find opening in the US.
Culturally it is also a breeze for FTs and english is well used here.

Singaporeans were by and large quite accomodating to foreigners especially Malaysians. I had always regarded Malaysians as us even thought they get the best jobs when we have to serve NS after graduation.

I do not what is really happening that may sadly change the feeling- although I am not influenced, I can hear and sense the street talk. I am getting confused from all the commmunication.

“Firstly, PRs do NOT have it easy in this country.”

Then why are you still here???? You are here because it benefits YOU, not because you wanted to contribute to this nation. Will you or your sons serve NS here? If you find life so tough here, why don’t you pack and leave this miserable place??

You mentioned PRs pay more for education. Yeah sure, PRs pay just $42 more PER YEAR for govt primary school education. I bet you spend that amount in 2 days!! Also, PRs get EQUAL priority as S’pore citizens for Primary 1 admission!! That’s the silliest thing I have ever heard.

Sure, other countries might treat PRs well…..but that’s only because the income tax rates are high (40-50%). How much taxes do PRs pay here?? 5%? 10%? 20%?

“19) redbean on September 8th, 2008 8.36 am

to be honest, all these foreign talents have great drives and will succeed in any country they are in. i will not try to take a snipe at their talents by suggesting that they try their luck in countries like Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia or some African countries. I am sure they will all be equally successful whether they are here or in the US or Europe.”

Mr. Redbean, very funny hoh some FTs in their own countries cannot be so talented in their own countries which have drastically different policy approaches & poliitical systems from ours can out of a sudden be very talented in our countries hoh.

If you open a floodgate, any flood will naturally flow in lah. Talking about drive, the real drive that is missing very badly all these years is the one we must reclaim so that policies are not implemented to the detriment of common Singaporeans.

I hv PR relatives who make no bones abt bolting out of S’pore if any thing goes wrong. All these yrs of education/work in S’pore will not entice them to take up citizenship. Why? because it is better as a fence sitter than having to commit. NS/reservist obligations factor a lot in thier decision. I do not hv to go through obvious reasons, the main thing is after so many yrs in S’pore. the PR is still not swayed into taking up citizenship.

FTs are here mainly coz we are an English speaking country unlike some neighbouring countries that struggles with the language. Everyone is selfish. Do not expect FTs to contribute when anything goes wrong with Singapore. Even Singaporeans may also bolt to another country if they have the means or chance. Singaporeans have to learn to give & take. If not, we should move to another country & become a foreigner in another country.

24) loop on September 8th, 2008 11.17 am

Everyone is selfish. You said it yourself. So does it mean that we can also excercise the use of our selfish genes to protect our place here.

“Even Singaporeans may also bolt to another country if they have the means or chance. ”

So why the need for NS, I love to use this NS stuff as it is THE only powerful weapon left. NS does come in handy these days. And what is the Singapore identity for and the meaning of nationhood.

Have you heard of this famous tagline, membership has its privileges. It also comes with the “privileges” to pay a price.

“Singaporeans have to learn to give & take.”

You are right. The problem is which group of hte Singaporeans is doing much of the giving and which group of Singaporeans is doing much of the taking.

> It’s sad that when anyone writes something that is NOT a vitriolic anti-PAP
> piece ie. something that is actually BALANCED (now how about that huh…
> balance in an essay!) he is bound to get at best mocked and at worst flamed
> to bits and pieces by the fanatical zealots of the anti-establishment brigade.
>
> Now that I’ve said that, I’m sure some budding revolutionary will be rushing
> to brand my forehead with the words ‘PAP lapdog’ despite my pleas that I
> am not a PAP supporter.

This is the result of years living under the state nanny.

Too much instructions, too few political (and also other) decisions to make, little need for individual responsibility. The result: people has only one way to vent their dissatisfaction — complain. And they also refuse to listen to opinions which do not oppose the PAP.

For people who do not bash the PAP and aren’t necessarily supporters, most are too chicken or indifferent to sound off.

The ultimate end-result: a nation of whiners.

Firstly, PRs do NOT have it easy in this country.
Yet they do not complain not because they are happy of just leading a better life, but because they understand that there is a price to pay to enjoy the benefits of a country when you are not a citizen of that country.

Why Torture yourself, go back to your own country and enjoy life better !

Not every PR here has a rosy job or earns millions.

True, even cleaner auntie’s jobs they also wanted to snap it from us, they don’t mind eveyday kana jam at the custom just because even the lowest salary job in Singapore can allow them to buy a condo and a car in Malaysia.

If there are more foreigners or PRs taking jobs here, it simply means that the Singaporeans are not taking up those jobs.

The problem is that all employers will prefer to employ those foreigners or PRs for cheaper wages and Singaporean have no chances to take up those jobs. So many Singaporean age above 40+ can not get a more well pay job, all thanks to the foreigners & PRs.

it just means that Singaporeans are not working hard enough. Singaporeans do NOT have the drive and passion to succeed and excel like the foreigners do.

If you do not have a chance to get job then where got drive and passion, same like you, if you really have that kind of drive and passion why not go back and serve your own country better !

if they really are that good and they just cared about money they would have gone to [the] US.

They are all using Singapore as a stepping stone in order to stand better chance to go to other countries with the Singapore passport or PR status. Otherwise, why just be a PR, why not declare yourself a Singaporean like us ?

If you don’t want foreigners to be here then make sure there is NO NEED for foreigners to sustain and prosper your economy.

Not all the Singapore citizens welcome the foreigners to be here, our government are the one who behind it.

Sg-PR,

to put it very simply, if you are just a normal FT, you will just become a PR and never a Singaporean. the reason is so simple, you earn $$$ here and you build/bring back to your country. whatever “high” salary you perceived you’ve received is for you to build your home/family elsewhere if your low cost country! you’ve come here for a better SGD than your lower home country.

we singaporeans have to compete with you FTs keeping our costs low and accomodate your nonsense about singaporeans having no drive!
wake up, if you are a true talented FT, you might not be a singaporean too, simply because you have plenty of other viable choices too competing for your talents and skills.

for singaporeans, singapore, no matter what happens, is home. for most majority, they can’t go/leave to other “singapore” to enjoy the hospitality that singapore provides.

This has nothing to do with anyone frankly, we are all part of an unfortunate equation that results in disaster to meet our crazy population quota.

Policy you might call it……Policy makers you might call it.

Lets paint this picture together….

Singapore has a minimum wage scheme that is similar to what our highest paid ministers are using… this is of course tied to the current market condition and the current standard of living.

With this in motion, jobs will be taken up by Singaporeans, as Singaporeans can afford a decent standard of living and maybe start a family, might even solve our low birth rate mystery that our puzzled ministers can’t seem to crack

Since most number of jobs go to Singaporeans, the number of PR’s and foreigners will reduce. Hence the reduction of noise from either side.

As for national matters, I think it is only fair that all Singaporeans, PR’s and foreigner who are staying here for a specific period contribute to Singapore’s National Defence force. They can be called up and trained as cooks, logistics,storeman etc. They do not have to be on the front lines, but they have to ensure the needs of the front lines troops are met.

This will be fair for the employer and the employee as they both understand that the countries national matters come first.

With this in mind, the PR’s and Foreigners will have a good dose of being Singaporean.

Next we move onto the issue that is recently raised about foreign workers staying close by so called “prime estates”

With a salary structure that is tied to the miminum wage, I am sure there would be less noise as these jobs that are taken up by foreign workers are now replaced with Singaporeans.

So if you look at the BIG PICTURE, we are all components of a negative formula that was crafted sometime ago.

It has nothing to do with you or me ? we are just mere digits and statistics.

How can we be gracious, when Singapore is starting to look like a sardine can ?

Simple logic tells you that when a place gets crowded, people tend to get frustrated.

If there is a baseline for ministers salary, why is there no baseline for a minimum wage ?

Magnify the effect with the projected population and your guess is as good as mine.

29) Naked Human on September 8th, 2008 9.34 pm

I am sure, based on solid track record of half century, your view is minority view at best.

Wow, what a great article he wrote. After all those babbling, all he did was trying to convince the lion to eat the grass. It will just not happen. Singa-poreans are not buying into that rhetoric that foreigners are here as the saviour of Singaporeans. Please sell that bullshit to your home country. It probably needs you more than Singapore. Don’t these foreigners understand that 3 million Singaporeans are sharing 700sq km of space. And now we have to share it with 1.5 million more. Do emphatise with our feelings before you write another article about this painful issue.

PRs who come here (yes, their children will need to, only if they are stupid enough to register as a PR) don’t need to do spend 2 years serving as free labour in the f**king SAF. And just for that, they should not fight for whatever pathetic benefits this government gives it citizens.

sg-pr
u ar jus passing by. how much u know about us.

While I believe that this stand is unpopular, but I do believe that true-blue Singaporeans are partially to be blamed for underachieving. Yet Sg-PR has done everyone a disfavour by harping only on one point and arguing from a single perspective, backed by his own personal experience. His dualistic approach oversimplies the conundrum that Singapore is facing and make it seem that foreigners are the solution to Singapore’s prosperity.

For every Singaporean student he/she claims to be underachieving, I can think of another foreign student that can fit the similar bill, or Singaporean who obliterates academic competition. However, I am most perturbed by the myth of meritocracy that supports the main line of argument.

I go as far to propose that meritocracy is not fair, even though the principle of meritocracy attempts to award on basis of merit.

The common analogy would be to liken life as a race. Meritocracy would reward the person who can complete it in the shortest possible time. But the biggest loophole is that there is no common starting point.

The educational race would much favour the rich if we assume the stereotypical scenario of excessive tuition and enrichment classes, as opposed to those of lower income levels.

The NS factor is another hurdle that all healthy Singaporean male would have to cross. And no, anyone who thinks that those two years are going to be useful icings on one’s resume, should have a reality check.

Finally, taking on an open-door labour policy, the number of contestants in this race would increase exponentially. While at the end of the day, the race would have clocked record timings, courtesy of increased competition, the unfortunate tradeoff would be that Singaporeans who have been relatively slower would lose out.

Taken to both extremes of labour policy, it would most certainly be detrimental to Singapore. While I admittedly favour a slightly less xenophobic outlook, my chief concern would be to level the competition so that Singaporeans, be it rich or poor, male or female, can start off at roughly the same point in this race of life.

Only then, can we judge whether that Singaporeans are truly underachievers.

[...] resist the urge to comment on a comment that was published on The Online Citizen. Titled “Singaporeans, take responsibility!“, the person “Sg-PR” called on Singaporean to stop blaming others and start taking [...]

I think the main problem is that only women can give birth to child. A easy way to solve the population problem is to lower down the restrictions on research, like clone human. Technology development is always the key factor that push society moving forward.

This is just a no sense complain letter by a PR. Although I can sympathize with this dear PR, but we have many mouths to feed and the salary are simply not enough. And when gov talk about work life balance and child bearing, is gov really sincere in doing their part, I wonder. For goodness sake, can the standard of living be lowered. The high rental and property price is killing everybody here such that cost is passed to the consumer like you and me, but our salary does not increase as much as the PAP Elite does. So what the hack when they have the money enjoying life, managing people like slaves and asking people to take up whatever job is offered and not be picky. How on earth is one gonna live with a average pay of just $1500 in singapore with many mouths to feed and now price is increasing in twice-fold!! Can the gov spare themselves of taking less salary and give to the poor so that there is a balance somewhere. With high rental, people have to work like mad, hire cheap workers (that’s why so many PR and FTs) and why employers can only afford them; becos the rental and cost is expensive for a typical singaporean. So they go the easy way out in business sense, every profit counts. What the gov can do is to de-regulate this model by decreasing the cost of doing business so that singaporean can be bosses themselves. Who like to work for others btw?? Having say that, who increase the price of the property … FTs and PRs. All thanks to them. And why isnt singaporean not working hard, basically they are not motivated by meager pay and peanuts money while the gov is ripping every money out of the people for some worthless investment rather than spending locally. Do they know that in 30 years time, all the ice will melt and those who lives on lower floor will be flooded. Get ready for water ingression!

Those S’poreans who believe that the FT policy is gd, pls read this article. It reports on a report by retired UK ministers of finance on the impact of FTs to UK economy — -ve

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7322825.stm

For those S’poreans who do not believe the govmin’s FT spin, more grist to the mill.

> Those S’poreans who believe that the FT policy is gd, pls read this article.
> It reports on a report by retired UK ministers of finance on the impact of FTs
> to UK economy — -ve
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7322825.stm
> For those S’poreans who do not believe the govmin’s FT spin, more grist to
> the mill.

Hard to say if immigration is working or not as claimed. The EU is also boosting immigration too. So either the policy is trusted to work (like it does in the US), or the economic need is too dire that they are willing to give it a try despite anticipating resentment. Europeans naturally resist change since they preserve their national identity very much, and so there is in much controversy.

The government is monitoring the impact of immigration for sure. But what we can ask for is transparency, and so that everyone can talk it out with less speculation.

The greater need is a social-political system that instills both democratic rights and individual responsibilities. Only when people believe that they have to take care of themselves (not the government), only when people seriously believe that who they vote really make or break their lives, only when people have the ability to project the effects of their words and actions, will they stop whining like a spoilt brat.

not good

Very Good X

Rubbish. There are job Singaporeans are still doing – for example clinic assistant. I have friends working as that and recently in the news one Chinawoman forged her qualifications for an S pass? Do we need a talent to work as a clinic assistant?

Wake up your idea lah~ Spare a thought for those Singaporeans who work blue-collar jobs and the equilibrium pay is being reduced as the supply increases. These foreigners have might only need to feed themselves, or maybe their family who is living back in their home country with a lower cost of living. Hence they are willing to work at a lower wage.

Hey go find out the average wage of a construction worker is being paid in the US. And how much is the average wage of a construction worker paid here. You’ll get your answer.

The person that posted this article never serve NS is it?

To SG-PR:

It is more facinating and interesting to hear a ‘guest’ in our country rebutting us, the masters of this tiny piece of land.
To your statement,
“I can vouch for this personally being in a university and having both foreigners and Singaporeans as my very good friends. Singaporeans just DO NOT have the drive to achieve something like the foreigners have. ”
I think your statement is baseless, and only limited to your own circle.
Well, I have known a dozen more Singaporeans who are great achievers, like MM Lee, Creative CEO, and my primary six only educated uncle who built up his own company(now living in landed properties), and a lot more mediocre PR or foreigner friends or colleagues, who only knows how to go around shaking heads and hands, claiming they are the creme de crops, but when comes to real work, they know nothing next to the ‘non-acheiver’ singaporean.
There are always good and bad people around, so let’s not generalise.

Singaporeans, CAN, and ARE achievers. In just 40 over years, we converted a slump into a developed country! All these are to be attributed to our fore-fathers, My grandfather who died, while building one of our HDB flats in the 1970s, at the age of 70.
Without them, we are nothing! Without these fore-father Singaporeans, you will not even want to be be here.
And the reason why are you here, in this foreign land, if you could be better in your own country? It is exactly for the same reason you had called us. You, or your parents must also be one of the ‘under acheivers’ of your own country. If not, you would not be here fighting with our own group of ‘under achievers’ here, for the same bowl of rice.

So, what is the issue here?
There is a landlord who needs a thousand people to do all the work. For each worker, he gives 1 bowl of rice, but take back 30%.
However, the landlord realised that the working population is dropping, and no locals want to enter into this stressful company. So, to ensure that he keeps his population of 1000 workers, he has to recruit overseas workers. The vacancy is only 300. But ha ha, the CEO has a great idea! To lower down the salary of these workers, and to create competition, he imported 600 of them.
So, what happens next? The workers spent all day fighting and competing with each other for the same bowl of rice. No one has the mood to work like before. Productivity drops, and now, the landlord called the workers “under archievers”.

Solution : If you need only 300, import just 300!!!