Editor’s Note: This article was originally a facebook note written by Stephanie Chok. It was published here at TOC’s request.
Stephanie Chok
Looking at it makes me sick. Sick with rage, disbelief, and sadness.
I arrived in Geylang yesterday afternoon for a mooncake get-together with some migrant worker friends and volunteers.
Upon arrival, I was shown this receipt, issued by a phone shop just across the road. Song (not his real name), a construction worker from China, had walked across the road to buy a top-up Singtel card. He asked for a receipt and was issued with one that says on the top, ‘F**k U’. At the bottom, it says ‘F**k your Mother’.
Song, who did not understand what it meant, brought it back and showed it to a friend, Eric. ‘What does it say?’ Song asked, ‘I don’t understand.’ Eric was shocked, and returned to the store. The store clerk denied issuing it, and denied that Song had stepped into his store.
So there we were, a team of local volunteers and a group of Chinese nationals, grappling with the spillover of this hate message that I now held in my hand, and which Eric just had the unpleasant task of explaining. I felt polluted just holding on to it.
It was an awkward moment, a moment that made me so furious I took the receipt and promptly marched across the street, back to the store. ‘What are you going to say?’ asked my companion. Say? To be honest, I hardly felt like saying anything. I felt like hammering my fist into something (or someone).
I went into the store, took out the receipt and asked the man whom Song identified as the perpetrator, ‘Was this receipt issued by you?’. He looked at me defiantly and said, ‘No.’ He denied that the store issued the receipt, and refused to acknowledge that he had such a customer. The other man in the store, stony-faced, refused to even look me in the eye, and also denied the receipt was issued from the store.
COWARD.
He had the bile to spew such hateful language, yet lacked the guts to own up to it when confronted.
And the cunning! The store clerk used a ‘generic’ receipt, which wouldn’t identify their store, despite the fact that they also had a receipt book with the shop name printed on it.
So he thought that Song, this ‘hapless’ worker from China, would not understand the message and would not have friends who would alert him to what it meant. Or, at least, not so soon – and certainly not from just across the street. Friends who would return to confront him. The store clerk probably thought that Song would leave with this nasty message in his pocket and give it to someone else to read, oblivious. So, this is funny?
What mirth does one derive in insulting others without provocation? And in such a vile and disgusting manner?
And how does one deal with hatefulness such as this? After the rage has subsided, what is left?
A gaping emptiness, because our soul is momentarily depleted and confused.
A quiet desperation, from not knowing how to comfort someone whose dignity has been trampled on. And for no apparent reason beyond the fact that he is, well, visibly ‘different’.
A bitter aftertaste lines the pit of my stomach.
Dealing with HATE is tough.
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Just wait for the first drop of blood to be shed. This is only the start. Then you can go find one more Mas “Tempang” Selamat to blame.
#96Ω李
Perhaps you should go re-read all the exchanges.
In response to my statement “No demand = No supply” came the comment: “words like this show how rootless & calculative some can be… ”
How on earth did you come to conclude the assertions were: ” free markets are (or are not) rootless and calculative” and “free markets operate in moral vacuum”??
Clearly, the “rootless and calculative” comment was directed at the person instead of the demand & supply theory. I was just being polite by asking for an alternative to the demand & supply theory, instead of retaliating with personal attacks.
no matter how much you dislike a Fw, that nincompoop has gone beyond human
decency.I hope stephanie would be kind enough to accompany this poor china
chinese to a police stn. and make a report on this matter,as vulgarity whether it is
written or verbal is an offense.In addition to that i would like TOC to publish the name
of that company and let us have boycott on that proprietor .If that shop had issued a
fake receipt to that FW,Inland revenue will look into the case for Tax evasion.
Let us do some ass kicking for that Chinese sake.I am fuming mad.
The government continues to advocate racial harmony among the chinese, malays, indians and so called others. Welll it”s about time the emphasis is changedto worry more about the chinese and the foreign chinese from china clashing, the indians clashing with the foreign indians and the malays clashing with the other foreign muslims!
The bubble will burst one day perhaps sooner than the government realises.The others will aslo probably clash with the filipinos also. So it’s time to do a re-think about this foreign talent import.
Not too long ago there was an article written about singapore being made up of foreigners in 11 years time and I replied that when I take the MRT these days I feel that I am the foreigner now in my own country and if you dont believe me take a train ride at anytime of the day more so during the weekends and you will understand what I am saying and see the truth in what I say.
This disharmony between singaporeans will come to a head I kid you not in the not too distant future whenthe born and bred singaporeans find that their life and country is being overwhelmed by foreign talent of which the governmnet so aptly calls them.
So it’s time to come to a realisation that this matter has to be taken seriously and the sooner the better to prevent what has taken place in malaysia and indonesia to anme one or two coutries that has had to deal with this foreign discord recently.
Welcome foreigners we should and rspect them for who they are and what they are lock stock and barrel but singaporeans are also human and time will come to pass when we will forget our own humanities and voice out and woe betide it not be too late.
Preston Loon
It goes to shows that you are one of those who don’t really find out the truth OR find out more before you work-up your emotions. This is highly dangerous and does not served any situations well.
For your information, the shop name was all the while named, but you quite obviously did not read the article in full, but have already made up your mind as to how you would like to interpret the matter.
IRA should pursue the issue? Please go read and take a good look at the photograph, there’s no name of any shop on it, so how do you proof that it was issued by the shop? What makes you think that the Chinese worker is not simply accusing the shop because he wanted to do them good?
It shows that you just jump to conclusions without really understanding the issues and establishing the truth, just like Stephanie Chok did, as from the very beginning, she had already set her prejudice and presumed the Chinese worker is innocent and the concerned shop, GUILTY AS ALLEGED!
Re: Lop
If your idea of politeness is sarcasm, then I suppose you dont work in the customer service line. Contrast my tone with yours.
So are free markets devoid of societal, ethical and moral considerations or not? Your comments indicate you believe that consumers when given a choice would automatically select the cheapest option without any consideration to ethics
Similarly I feel that Singaporeans (as well as MNCs operating in Singapore) are addicted to FT like USA is addicted to Foreign Oil, but in Singapore’s case the PAP government is facilitating that addiction.
Re: Lop
If your idea of politeness is sarcasm, then I suppose you dont work in the customer service line.
So are free markets devoid of societal, ethical and moral considerations or not? Your comments indicate you believe that consumers when given a choice would automatically select the cheapest option without any consideration to what would appeal to their values, which is untrue.
I have a similar opinion that Singaporeans (as well as MNCs operating in Singapore) are addicted to FT, but the PAP government is facilitating that addiction instead of thinking of solutions to mitigate the problem, thus the blame should be at least be shouldered partially by the government.
Moreover, the civil servants and their iron rice bowls who are sheltered from any competition whatsover are adding fuel to the flames by taunting Singaporeans who work (or used to be employed) in the private sector. IMO it is the result of voting in a government that fosters such a culture of entitled arrogance despite proven incompetence.
“But you know simply not voting is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Didn’t you hear about the walk-over? Instead of being passive, why not form your party and make a difference”
Or I could vote for the opposition, which is much simpler or join an opposition party if I were so inclined.
P.S I think in some people’s minds they are so deluded to think they are smarter than Warren Buffet / Ben Bernake and shrewder businessmen than Bill Gates / Lee Kah Shing. One thing that is Good about PAP “elite” is their excellent command of the English language (regardless of their race) but apart from that, nothing much.
a full blown race riot is just a decade away.
Any way judging by the name of the store, its a malay run shop.
If the owner is not happy, he can always close his shop, renounce his singapore citizenship and join his fellow kawang in malaysia.
#79 kopitiamapek
nice. :)
Hi Lop,
There are a few notions in your comment that are wrong:
1. Do you classify construction workers as foreign talents? Most do not even know what a packet of cement looks like before they arrived here.
2. Is the current immigration due to Singaporeans’ laziness, like the Australians you mentioned? Over the years, election after election, we have been told that we were doing well; and each time we did well, we were rewarded with goodies depending on how well we did. No one told us we were lazy. No one complained we were unproductive. On the contrary, we were applauded for being smart, supportive, hardworking and adaptable to changes.
All of a sudden, in defending its immigration policy, the government has gone out of it way to deride the contributions of Singaporeans, calling us lazy, unskilled, unproductive and narrow- not global-minded. Overnight, we become a people that we do not know we are.
3. You questioned whether being Singaporean should have its perks. Surely you are not implying, with such line of questioning, that we shouldn’t have any?
4. Agree that the votes we possess in our hands can be the telling factor to give this government a clear and loud message on how we feel about them. But you must not forget that the result of this collective will to vote them out does not mean that, in the event that if we fail to do so, the government is free to do as it pleases.
A government that governs must always look to the well-being of both winners and losers. This is something this government finds it hard to do. It takes delight in punishing those who do not vote for them – examples are aplenty.
5. Many have expressed their frustrations and directing their anger toward this government, and even though there have been calls to kick them out at the next election, do keep in mind that most Singaporeans would rather prefer to have the PAP looking at itself, acknowledging its shortcoming, and adopt some changes in the way it governs and runs the country – so that its citizens can truly benefit from its policies.
In its drive to meet the demands of the global economy, it must not forget those who are not as adaptable as it wants them to be. These have to be looked after too; not replaced.
In another post, you related your better education and command of English and these jobs that are being taken by these construction talents do not affect you – well, good for you. Do you realize that for every one of you, there might be another 100 who are not as fortunate? Even another ten would be too much. So, please give some consideration toward this end.
I agree that there are many things we can do, within our personal capacity, but do you not agree also that if the government is bent on being deaf, these things that we do will amount to nothing? Is it for this reason that we are calling, with our thoughts, our views and our opinions here, that we have to do something more telling – i.e. getting ourselves ready to tell this government once and for all, how we truly feel about them?
Some will use their votes when the next election is called for. Some cannot wait that long and choose to express their frustrations at the people that these policies have been good to. By and by, it is the message that these frustrations carry that is the essential focal point.
Hi TOC, my earlier post have exceeded the 500 word count. I am reposting it in two parts. You may remove the one under moderation. Thanks.
Hi Lop,
There are a few notions in your comment that are wrong:
1. Do you classify construction workers as foreign talents? Most do not even know what a packet of cement looks like before they arrived here.
2. Is the current immigration due to Singaporeans’ laziness, like the Australians you mentioned? Over the years, election after election, we have been told that we were doing well; and each time we did well, we were rewarded with goodies depending on how well we did. No one told us we were lazy. No one complained we were unproductive. On the contrary, we were applauded for being smart, supportive, hardworking and adaptable to changes.
All of a sudden, in defending its immigration policy, the government has gone out of it way to deride the contributions of Singaporeans, calling us lazy, unskilled, unproductive and narrow- not global-minded. Overnight, we become a people that we do not know we are.
3. You questioned whether being Singaporean should have its perks. Surely you are not implying, with such line of questioning, that we shouldn’t have any?
4. Agree that the votes we possess in our hands can be the telling factor to give this government a clear and loud message on how we feel about them. But you must not forget that the result of this collective will to vote them out does not mean that, in the event that if we fail to do so, the government is free to do as it pleases.
A government that governs must always look to the well-being of both winners and losers. This is something this government finds it hard to do. It takes delight in punishing those who do not vote for them – examples are aplenty.
5. Many have expressed their frustrations and directing their anger toward this government, and even though there have been calls to kick them out at the next election, do keep in mind that most Singaporeans would rather prefer to have the PAP looking at itself, acknowledging its shortcoming, and adopt some changes in the way it governs and runs the country – so that its citizens can truly benefit from its policies.
In its drive to meet the demands of the global economy, it must not forget those who are not as adaptable as it wants them to be. These have to be looked after too; not replaced.
Hi Lop (again),
In another post, you related your better education and command of English and these jobs that are being taken by these construction talents do not affect you – well, good for you. Do you realize that for every one of you, there might be another 100 who are not as fortunate? Even another ten would be too much. So, please give some consideration toward this end.
I agree that there are many things we can do, within our personal capacity, but do you not agree also that if the government is bent on being deaf, these things that we do will amount to nothing? Is it for this reason that we are calling, with our thoughts, our views and our opinions here, that we have to do something more telling – i.e. getting ourselves ready to tell this government once and for all, how we truly feel about them?
Some will use their votes when the next election is called for. Some cannot wait that long and choose to express their frustrations at the people that these policies have been good to. By and by, it is the message that these frustrations carry that is the essential focal point.
isnt Singapore a country with significant number of cases of
1. physical abuse of domestic maids
2. physical torture of domestic maids
3. non-physical torture and abuse of domestic maids
4. unfair and cruel wage practices against lowly literate foreign workers
5. cruel and harsh working conditions for lowly literate foreign workers
6. physical abuse of foreign workers during employer-employee conflicts
so whats the surprise if this is indeed a true case? why the denial and pretence by those who want to imagine the average Singaporean is a civilised person.
just give him/her a maid, a foreign worker, a supervisor role, a management position, a leadership role in community or politics and you can bring out the worst in him/her with a good chance of 50%.
There are lots of discrimination, bully, killings, sufferings all around us. We need to take things a little easier, as life is very very short. If someone hit you on the left side of your face, offer your right. Never mind – things will come to pass. Enjoy your day, and take things in their stride. There are lots of other bread and butter issues to contend with – this is such a petty (non existent issue).
Whatever it is, it is so rude. From business point of view, shop employee should respect customer. Customer is paying salary to him. Not the shop owner. IT IS TOO RUDE.
Cheers!
/// 16) KS on October 5th, 2009 11.22 am
lolx, No company name nor any person name . face it. no case ///
KS – I think it can be proved. How many receipt books are there with “Explaination” instead of “Explanation”? Do a search of the shop if one is serious about getting at the truth – there might be more such receipt books. Check against the stubs – the tear along the receipt should match. Do a handwriting analysis of the alleged culprit.
Having said that, I think I can understand what drives the alleged writer to such an action. Perhaps we should really slow down our immigration policy, or even repatriate most of the non talents. What kind of foreign talents are we getting when they compete with our karung guni men?
I totally agree with posts #112 & #113. The comments here have spiraled into an destructive conversation instead of constructive.
Like I have said the reality is that FTs, PRs and mainland chinese are here to stay.
The government needs to take steps and make sure that they are here for OUR own benefit not theirs.
Take steps to educate everyone who ply their trade in any industry to the Singapore way of life. the cultures, the main spoken language so on so forth. This should be done by the government as all employers are paying the levies to have them here. Put that money to good use.
If the labour cost for these people are cheaper, we should demand that the public houses and facilities build by them should be more affordable. At the moment they are not. So if everyone wants the benefits from the contribution of the foreign workers, ask the government why there isn’t any. It’s simple logic, materials get more expensive balanced with cheaper labour should equate to affordable living.
That is putting it in simplistic manner.
Finally for Singaporeans to be a first world citizen we cannot act like a third world citizen. Rise above the hatred and spite, only then can we succeed.
If you guys want to vent your frustrations and dissatisfactions about Fws,why don’t
you all throw those sh*ts at the PAP.Or maybe,help the opposition parties in
campaigning for the coming election.PLEASE do not pick on foreign workers.They are the ones who build HDB flats for us to live in and infrastructures to travel on.
This incident reminds me of those mean spirited comments,verbal abuses
I encountered when I went to N. America to further my education 30 yrs ago.I was called by those angmohs all kinds of names like,Chingy,Fu mun chu without a pig
tail,f**king Chinese,Chinaman from the gutter.Ironically,some of you guys want to
migrate to anglo-sphere,so better think twice,you may get the same treatment which
you are giving to those FWs/PRs.Sad,very sad.
Singaporean Manifesto: A message to the World
1> If you support immigration and the idea that a man should be able to make an honest living anywhere in the world, you are a pro-PAP anti-Singaporean traitor.
2> If you think FTs here are for the most part, simply human beings trying to make the best for themselves and their families, you are a cold callous person who is in favour of depriving Singaporeans of their jobs. All FTs are evil money-grabbing scumbags.
3> Foreigners in Singapore will be treated like crap, both by the government and by the people. (Unless you are from a Western superpower, in which case the government and the people will treat you like royalty, but spit on your food when your back is turned).
4> We hate (yes HATE) people from other countries and are quick to only see the negative in them, despite claiming that we are an all inclusive society.
5> We will refer to groups of people in derogatory terms and tell them to go back to their country, and then when they do, we call them selfish opportunists.
6> We will cry and cry about government being too willing to let subpoverty level workers to come to clean our sewage and build our monuments, but instead of taking it up with the government we will make the lives of the workers hell because they can’t fight back and the abused always kick downwards.
7> We will keep dehumanising other people from other parts of the world, and instead of just hating people from other races, we will hate people from our own race as well, who were simply born in another country.
8> We will make them build our multimillion dollar condominiums and make them stay in hovels unfit for livestock.
9> We will make them clean our sewage drains for $2 an hour and complain that they are stealing our jobs.
10> We will not solve this problem by campaigning for minimum wage which will make hiring of foreigners as expensive as hiring locals, but will keep hurling verbal abuse at the foreigners, and accuse them of stealing our jobs (all those who want to be sewage cleaners, raise your hand)
This is our manifesto.
I believe the first street demonstration in Singapore will happen very soon – by
the PRC !
It just need to trigger a situation of patroitism for the motherland to cause this.
Hope they wake up soon to their unfriendly policies toward local or they may get
what they wish for !
What REALLY saddens me is this “Stephanie Chok” feels sick with rage just for a stupid receipt with no discerning origin and seemingly so noble fighting for foreigners while ignoring the plight of Singaporeans who suffered because of the massive influx of foreigners due to our government’s leg-open-wide policy.
It makes ME feels sick with rage that we have such traitors in our midst who would fight for the cause of a foreigner and not our own people. No wonder our society is going downhill everyday.
I guess it doesn’t surprise me since back in the Japanese Occupation, we already have traitors who would sell out locals to foreign invaders.
My message to Stephanie Chok is : if you feel so righteous, please stand up and fight for our own people.
I am surprised that PAP dispatched their lowliest minions and offered truncated rebuttals instead of their usual full page prolix blowhard opinion article in the S*** Times.
Are they not worried that a diplomatic incident will occur with China? What if the Fen Qing (google the term) manages to come cross this very public article and institutes a boycott of Singapore.
IF (and this is a big IF) the above incident really occurred without ANY provocation, the behavior exhibited is deplorable and should be condemned, even if it is a release of pent up frustration. But keep in mind that at no point violence occurred. I feel a lot of sympathy for the shop owner though, having his shop’s name dragged through the mud.
Please do not use the straw man argument by implying that Singaporeans are xenophobic and would like stop ALL immigration, when what Singaporeans want is a genuine “calibration” of FT policy in an island of 700 sqkm denser than Hong Kong. If the government continues the status quo of ignoring the people’s concerns, we know what to do.
This argument again?!? Singapore needs foreign workers to do the jobs that no singaporean wants to do. Judging by the sorry state of our void decks its apparent that the majority of singaporeans are incapable of cleaning up after themselves, and they certainly don’t want to wait tables, work in construction or drive buses. so its simple. stop complaining, or
1. pick up your own trash
2. live in a tent
3. walk to work
4. stay home and eat.
5. fire your maid and do your own laundry, cooking etc.
There’s absolutely NO excuse for this receipt.
I find most chinese nationals are most irritating like asking for a receipt when most locals don’t ask like topup card. And more use chinese direction for taxi driver though all road names are in english. They are just stubborn thinking that we have to oblige to their chinese heritage only chinese don’t english or don’t bother to pick up english. Eg. some chinese road name even the chinese educated in singapore don’t know about it. In short the lessen is don’t expect the host (singapore) to follow the guest way of life (in China, the chinese nationals). I really hope we wouldn’t be giving PR or citizenship to these chinese nationals who refuse to except our way of life here indeed that is our culture! different from china.
btan,
Have you fought for the cause of anybody, locals or otherwise recently?
is this for real ??
what’s the name / address of the shop?
No sympathies from me!
These foreigners come here take our jobs, our flats, and want us to do NS to protect them some more.
Go to the wet markets, you can see how irritating these Chinese PRs are. They pester and pester the poor stall owners for 10-20% discounts until I can’t even bear to watch
Give me the receipt. I have more things to write!
i think we need to differentiate between FTs (who are skilled professionals and managers) and foreign workers (who are largely unskilled manual labourers).
one group is economically and culturally privileged while the latter group is vulnerable to the whims and fancies of their employers and MOM (read: political and economic interests of powerful groups in $ingapore).
racism and nationalism is utterly disgusting. is there no other way of redressing our problems without reverting to arbitrary divisions of “race” and the accident of birth which determines the colour of our passports?
the state has moulded us into “race-d” singaporeans so that we may be disciplined to do their bidding in the interest of constant economic expansion which doesn’t really benefit most of us anyway (unless we are big taukeh).
unskilled foreign workers are convenient for the singapore state and their global business partners (neo-liberal capital). they facilitate more economic expansion keeping the labour regime flexible (don’t want FW, can return them to where they came from. can’t do the same for singaporeans what.) not only that, they are a perfect outlet for politically-repressed and debt-ladden singaporeans to vent their frustrations in the form of nationalism and racism (some of which can be seen on the comments above).
after u slag off the PRC worker and the stephanie chok, then what? nothing changes right? economy keeps expanding, PAP still in power….
eh singapore, lu tio pian liao ah, knn.
Sigh, so much frustration and so much anger; and this discussion beginning to look like a “STOMP” forum.
@125) Zefly (aka Joshua Chiang) on October 6th, 2009 12.28 pm
[[btan,
Have you fought for the cause of anybody, locals or otherwise recently?]]
Yes, I have been clamouring for opposition unity and voters to vote in for more oppositions to check on our government. I regularly bring to attention to TOC and TR opposition news and wrote letters to opposition parties to urge them to unite. I donate to opposition parties and ask them to contest in my ward and I subscribe to their newsletters to read up on their happenings.
Now, what about YOU?
then you will know that standing up for not just singaporeans but anybody who is unkindly treated makes for a kinder gentler more compassionate country.
@131) zefly on October 6th, 2009 3.21 pm
How do you expect Singaporeans to be kinder and gentler when we ourselves are abused by our government?
Before you guys complain about the “rude Singaporean”, please find out why the Singaporean are rude, if it is at all done by Singaporeans in the first place.
Why is our society so full of negativity, criticism and self-loathing? Just look at the top.
We are like chickens trapped in a coop expected to lay eggs all day, no wonder we are pecking any one another and at anyone who comes within range of us.
To cure this illness, our society needs to reform and to do so, we need to have strong opposition to check on our government and help to introduce a genuine kinder and gentler society, one that is not bent on economic advancement at all costs.
What we are seeing is just a symptom. Instead of supporting such trivial concerns, we should instead look into the root of the problem and solve it at there. It is best to channel our efforts in getting opposition into parliament rather than write articles showing indignation when there are greater injustices done to our own citizens.
Like I said, fight for Singaporeans first. Once Singaporeans are taken care off, happy and contend, not placed as 2nd class citizens below foreigners, we will naturally become friendly and accepting to foreigners. The rest will attends to itself.
Wow,
Instead of examining the actual issue of the intolerance and lack of civility by the receipt, some of us here are targeting the ‘unsavory’ habits of these foreign workers.
Look a bit deeper, when we are abroad. Didnt we generate enough negative sentiments (from our famous Kiasu and Kiasi attitude?)
Dont muddle both issues of nationalistic sentiment and bad manners.
There’s simply no excuse for supposedly first world country like SG to have its citizen behaving likewise regardless of issue at hand.
Hi Everyone,
Please refrain from personal attacks against anyone.
TOC will not hesitate to remove comments that violate our moderation policy.
Cheers
Donald
Deputy Editor
Quoting from Secret:
“In a country where maids are derided not only for their profession but because of where they’re from, and for the color of their skin… in a country where personal value is more often based on the size of a person’s bankroll rather than on real worth…
I am so totally not surprised.”
=======
I would like to add, in a country where campaigns are required to make its citizens behave in what we in Europe would call “human” (romance, smiling, laughing, courteous and general human civility).
I am also not surprised. People here are not human because they need to be socialized to be human.
Our country had lost it moral bearing. Obviously the store do not want to issue receipt and had retorted to this uncalled for insult. There is more to it then insult. Maybe the store is cheating on GST and under reporting on cash sales . What is this country turning into? It is constant reminder we are rotting from within starting from the top and we had to wonder who is responsible for turning our country into a jungle? The strongest take all. There is no integrity and trust and simple human dignity in our dairy life. We must change starting from the top and reverse all these FT/FW policies. To do this we need to vote OUT PAP. We must not build a wall of reasons why we could not trust the new opposition party. Once there in power there will be more capable Sinkaporean willing to join them. We must have enough of PAP after 50 years. To ask us to trust them again, is just to much. I will vote for anyone else except the PAP. It is time for change while there is still time!.
hi Omega Lee
post #104 on October 6th, 2009 6.15 am
post #105 on October 6th, 2009 6.35 am
post #106 on October 6th, 2009 6.51 am
thank you for speaking on my behalf. an alternative voice so so very much needed.
i would prefer to wait for Stephanie Chok to clarify things before further jumping into conclusion. too many folks here are assuming things.
& to TOC, i hope there will not be anymore such articles with critical facts omitted. it does not bode well with the reputation you people have build over time. are you people doing what Straits Times is doing all this time- selective reporting?
Omega Lee #104, #105 & #106
Well, like it or not sarcasm is just another form of expression and it does not necessarily equate to being rude. And why, I happen to have worked in frontline customer service and it’s really an art to use a healthy dose of sarcasm to manage unreasonable customers. Then again I think we are digressing because we really shouldn’t expect to be treated like customers in this forum, don’t you agree? If you happen to be a champion of customer service, then would you say writing such a insulting receipt was in the spirit of going the extra mile for your customers?
I don’t wish to go into the debate with you on whether free markets are devoid of any societal, ethical and moral considerations, because I think it’s going too far off topic. Would consumers automatically select the cheapest option without any consideration of ethics? Like I say, I have more than 10 years of retailing experience, let me provide an anecdotal account – A customer came to ask you for detailed product information and also demonstration. After spending 20 minutes with him, he gave you a compliment: he said you gave such good service, in contrast to your competitor next door. He thanked you and decided to buy the product from your competitor because it was $0.99 cheaper.
The problem with FT is GLOBALISATION. If you haven’t had an inkling, the world is getting smaller, so these FT will either come to your country to compete for you or go to another country to compete against you. Like it or not, this is a reality.
Lastly, I’m apolitical – I don’t care for PAP or otherwise. I’m not a PAP sympathizer, if you have an issue with PAP use your vote to make a difference. But why take it out on another human being who is just here to make an honest living? It’s like your boss gives you hell and you decide to take it out on your subordinates.
Where is the proof that this receipt is real?
How can it be proven beyond reasonable doubt this receipt, even if real, is written and issued by the company?
I am waiting for response.
sincerely,
the lovely Miss Vivian.
#109
Hi Gemami
1. The term FT has been used loosely throughout this thread, don’t issue with me please. Anyway it’s totally irrelevant from my perspective: a human being should be treated as a human being regardless whether he has talent or not.
2. I didn’t use the Australian example to say that Singaporeans are lazy. (And my apologies to any Australians here, it wasn’t my intention to criticise too.) Hardworking/lazy, productive/unproductive etc. are all subjective terms. You may be good today, but if tomorrow someone else is better, then comparatively you become bad. In mentioning the Australian as an example, I was trying to highlight the similarity that it’s human nature to want to take the easy way out – to eradicate competition – than to look inward and ask how we can be more competitive. I mentioned Globalisation in another post, I’m you can fully appreciate what that means.
3. It really depends on how you see “perks” and what purpose does these “perks” serve. It’s highly debatable. Let me use an analogy. Full-time staff should have more perks than part-time staff, because I believe full-time staff are more productive and I want more people to join and stay as full-time. However, after a certain time I realise my part-time staff are just as productive if not more productive than my full-timer, and these perks are hurting (or will hurt) my bottom line. Then there are only 2 solutions – either remove the perks or the full-timers make themselves better than the part-timers to continue to enjoy the perks. Can you imagine what will happen in a scenario where the full-timers demand for the perks just *because* they are full-time staff?
4. I don’t disagree with you on what a good government should do. However I take issue with people who blame others for their incompetency. I also feel that Singaporeans should learn to be a ‘survivor’ instead of forever waiting for a lifeline from the government. I have had a lot of experience with Hong Kong people and Malaysian Chinese, to me they are real survivors. Nobody takes care of them and yet they survive.
5. Again, I don’t disagree that the small number of the under-privileged among us should be looked after. For a country with such huge reserve, the amount given in Public Assistance is a total disgrace. Then again, where should the line be drawn? Are we advocating a dole system?
#110 Gemami
I don’t know, we pride ourselves as being a developed nation. Our education and exposure are far superior to the so-called third world nations. Then how can we say we are competing with them on the same level? For the minority who are handicapped to begin with, they are still handicapped with or without the influx of FT. For these minority, how about beefing up our social welfare system such as PA for this group?
Yes, take issue with the government if you have one. But I sense too much energy is directing at the innocent FT instead of the government. Because they are much easier targets? What problem does it solve when we vent our frustration on them?
Dear TOC, please consider un-moderating my post #79
Yeah I have 2 posts under moderation too. It seems like whenever I do copy & paste, that post will go into moderation.
Hi Lop,
“Our education and exposure are far superior to the so-called third world nations” : Lop.
Two issues here: firstly, this is what we have been led to believe. We have to ask ourselves what we mean when we speak of ‘education’. In Singapore’s context, superior education means exceedingly good academic results by global standard. In other parts of the world, superior education could well mean an all-rounded and balanced approach to life, based on the choices made by each individual.
Secondly; our exceedingly excellent education has resulted in a big hole that needs to be filled. Most of today’s younger Singaporeans are degree holders, so much so that there are now too many qualified Indian Chiefs and too few Indians.
We have the talents to drive our own economy, yet we are looking elsewhere, why? Because this government cannot find it in them to care enough for these local talents? On the other hand, because of the shortage of Indians, we too have to look elsewhere to fill this gaping hole.
Now, put all these together and what do we have? The uncontrollable influx of foreigners – never mind which category they fall into – whether talented or cheap labour.
“ For the minority who are handicapped to begin with, they are still handicapped with or without the influx of FT. ” : Lop.
This is a very sad statement if you really mean it. Are you suggesting that we leave them be since they will live to die the handicaps they are? Are you saying we turn a blind eye to them and pretend not to see them struggling to hold on to the limited types of jobs their handicap nature can fit into? Are we going to turn our backs on them and open our arms instead, to embrace the foreigners, who are taking away their job and only mean of livelihood?
One point I agree with you, that we should not direct our anger and frustration at the foreign worker. But what is a handicap to do when his own life and the lives of his family members are thus threatened – and with the government continuing to purposely turn a deaf ear to their cries for help?
#142 Gemami
On your first point. Can I sum it up to a simple statement that ‘ A Singaporean average joe is no better than an average joe from say, India or China in terms of education and exposure’?
The way I look at it, the original intention of bringing in these FT was so that, Singaporeans were supposed to be the Indian Cheifs while the FT were the Indians. However if what you said is true, then it is indeed worrying that the quality of our people is not superior over those from the third world nations. We have no resources except human resource, how do we compete globally if our only resource is not far superior than others?
If what you said is indeed true, how did we end up in the current situation? Might I hazard a guess – complacency and always waiting for the government to do something for us?
On your second point. Please don’t forget to read the last sentence of the paragaph in my previous post. I ended with saying we should have a better social welfare for those who are less privileged. If you like, this should really be the perks for being a Singaporean – the state will take care of you if you are unable to take care of yourself. (The post that I wrote in response your ‘perks’ question is still under moderation, I might just re-type it later)
#109 Gemami (Original post stuck in moderation, repost)
1. The term FT is used loosely throughout this thread, don’t take issue with me please. Anyway from my perspective, a human being should be treated like a human being regardless whether he has talent or not.
2. I didn’t use the Australian example to say that Singaporeans are lazy. And my apologies to any Australian reading this as the intention was not to criticise. Hardworking/Lazy, Productive/Unproductive are all relative terms. We may be good now, but the moment someone else is better, we become bad comparatively. In mentioning the Australian example, I was trying to highlight the common human nature of wanting to take the easy way out – to eradicate competition instead of looking inward and ask how we can improve and be more competitive. I’m sure you can fully appreicate the term Globalisation and its implication.
-con’t next post-
OK i give up, I shorten and re-type the post, didn’t do any copy&paste, it still goes into moderation.
#122 Ahkong
The reason why the worker asked for a receipt is because he was given money by a volunteer to buy the phone card. He gave the change to the volunteer and the receipt.
And to everyone else:
This is not meant to be a TOC article. The writer wrote it as a Facebook note. It was TOC who asked for it to be printed here.
And the issue here is not whether the worker is a foreigner or not. It could well happen to a Singaporean (someone’s father or grandfather) who does not understand English, who needs a receipt for some valid reason.