Apparently, this FT Policy will have to go the way of Stop at Two for them to realize only too late, when they then have a ‘Low Citizenship Rate’, atop of ‘Low Birth Rates’… and of course, a new population of more vocal new citizens to contend with… it has to hit the fan for this government to see their faults.. there’s no other way about it, So be it…

I am not sure if the PR problem is really a problem. There are some jobs at the moment, which are still left for the citizens. A good example are government sector jobs, eg. Ministry of Defence has made a new ranks for both officers and warrant officers.

These are certain jobs that are exclusively for citizens that are not on a level playing field for PRs, and we will never see these PRs complaining. I mean, if only we could hire PRs for the Defense industry like we are able to do so in outsourcing the cleaning jobs. We know that we could save ungodly amounts of resources but it would not be wise to do so, in the name of national security. But it may beg the question when those who are inquisitive in nature ask what is it that they are protecting in the first place.

Then there’s also the bogey job, the one which most of us had the unnecessary fear of experiencing. How many of us are familiar with this “If you don’t study hard and pass your exams, you will be a Road Sweeper/Cleaner/Trash Collector”. (*Disclaimer: There is no intention to disparage persons who are currently in this line, being in those jobs does not necessitate that those persons are not academically inclined or are doing poorly financially)This job has been reserved for those who are not academically inclined, though most of whom had performed badly academically give it a miss. This job though dirty and pays one insufficiently, is necessary, so as to keep Singapore a Clean and Green City. It is an irony, that most of these jobs are subcontracted to cleaning companies that employ the necessary talent to do it.

Not to be contrasted with, but i believe politicians are also a field of industry that is starting to pay well and solely available to citizens only. However, it should be noted that the entry to an elite ruling party does have a criteria and a selection process. Though it does not pay well in terms of monetary as compared to the head honchos of the private sectors, the intangible benefits are almost comparable. eg, getting to be a director in a company. It might be riskier to join an opposition party, as there is a chance that should one fail in a GE, there are no chances to enjoy the remuneration as an opposition MP. But if one does not try, there is simply no logical probability that one should succeed.

There are many more examples to quote, examples of people turning away well paying jobs to go into other fields of worth (be it charity or politics). These jobs are turned down by the citizens for various reasons and thus the vortex is usually filled by PRs. In my opinion and this idea was generated through mainstream propaganda; it is the fault of globalization and the need for businesses to be competitive. Businesses need to be highly efficient and productive and as such these operations should be mechanized. In so far as possible, to increase the shareholders benefit, to reduce cost so as to increase their profit margins. That is why to combat China’s prevalence as a cheaper alternative manufacturing giant, our workers need to be better and faster as a value added service. It is inevitable that China might have to outsource to Singapore, in the event we are better and faster.

There are many other jobs that are necessary and are not filled by citizens, jobs that are of importance, although not strategic. It would also help if in the end, the public relations could improve the image of these jobs as well.

At the end, the economist might be right, it might be a PR problem after all, albeit a different take on the PR.

From what i see & observe,Singapore will become a nation of wanderers n gypsies…what do we have left?

1) Foreign legions are sprouting up everywhere,what does the govt calls it?Integration & tolerance!yeah,right!

2) What has happened to One People,One Nation,One Singapore???!!

3) Our dear PM has not clue what on earth is happening in the heartlands,does he really care??!!

4) A whopping 36% are not Singaporeans…the highest in the world,are we number 1?yeah,coz Singapore wants to be no 1 for Changi Airport,no 1 for PSA,no 1 for tourist destinations,no 1 for media n financial hub,no 1 for medical development,no 1 for defense technology….

5) We need a foreign news correspondence to indicate our sorry state!

6) Why on earth must i keep my pink ic,when i went thru hell in NS,could not get a place in local uni,jobs here are one of the lowest paid in the world,i still have to do my reservist,what am i defending n protecting??

7) Our ministers are the highest paid in the world,what are they?Hollywood wannabe celebrities or football stars?Nope,they are what you call “PAP 84 – The Usual Suspects!” Produced n directed by The Old Timer!!

Lee Kuan Yew once said, in 2007, that as long as S’pore has economic growth, all problems can be resolved. He is wrong. One of the biggest problems we have here right now is one of national identity.

Even the govt itself seems confused by this. Shanmugam says we’re not a country. LKY says we are not a nation.

So, what’re we?

The influx of foreigners has thrown up the question of: WHO AM I AS A SINGAPOREAN?

What is it that makes me S’porean? How is my country mine? What does that mean? My job is never secure. My retirement is never secure. My future looks like one where I continue to work till I drop dead.

And I have to commit to 2 years of National Service and more years of reservist – protecting “my country” and making it safe and secure for foreigners who do not have to do crap to make “my country” secure. Foreigners seem to now have better prospects than me, a S’porean. They can buy HDB flats and cause prices to rise. They are given scholarships to study at our schools. Even foreign students are given pocket money to spend.

Who am I as a S’porean? All I get is constantly asked to be “cheaper, faster, better”, to “not think of retirement”, that the word “retirement” should not be in our vocabulary.

I am convinced that we have a govt which does not know what it is doing except making money – and in the process, erasing our identity as S’poreans.

All in the pursuit of worshipping the money god.

..this is a company.. a large corporation if you will..
forget country lah…
if you want one… move out.
this is what on average, 7 out of 10 young people have in mind.
even those who have enough to retire are thinking of retiring elsewhere.

i would have been indifferent to this foreign policy if I had not wasted 2 years of my life defending “this country”

Yep, just look at all the 7Eleven and Cheers outlet. Talk to the cashiers and you’ll realise many of them have foreign accents.

2) curious citizen

“That is why to combat China’s prevalence as a cheaper alternative manufacturing giant, our workers need to be better and faster as a value added service.”

Woa, that’s what LSS is also saying…but CC, you have forgotten something….yes, a cheaper workforce will be attractive to entice companies to come here instead of china….and singaporean has been enduring that since the bitter pills was prescribe…however, there is a limit to it, how low it can go that which is needed for basic comfort…

And you are only focusing on workers aspect, seems that you may have forgotten or don’t even know one thing…the barrier to entry….look at the cost of rental here, that’s a telltale evidence…gahmen and people like you has been saying “cheaper workforce etc etc” but when they are been charged at a crazy rate for land/space, do you still think they want to come in here?

and do not say that those jobs displace by PRs are not wanted by singaporeans…there are singaporeans who will want to work in that job….since people can’t be choosey in this situation

2) curious citizen

“It is inevitable that China might have to outsource to Singapore, in the event we are better and faster.”

Ingenious….now let me ask you this question, it only cost a fraction of a singaporean wages to employ a china worker in china…so even if we are faster and better….by stacking up human resource, which still won’t cost as much as a singaporean, they may still be able to catch up using quantity

And that’s in the event…look at Sony and other electronics giant outsourcing to China…even the PS3 is make in china…how do you propose to make it better and faster? when the companies itself have policies and stringent check to ensure that work done in china is as good as else where?

@9 Yamamoto
It is not in my portfolio to be able to think up a proposal on how to make workers work cheaper, better and faster. That is a task for the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Secretary-General, NTUC. A citizen might i add, who had told workers to be cheaper, better and faster. He is well qualified to be able to give a uniquely singaporean solution to the problem. How to get there is nothing short of a miracle, and rest assured we will get there.

There’s no doubt that work done in China could be flawless and cheaper, but will China be able to SPUR its workers on to be cheaper, better and faster? Do their workers get the kind of support that only our union is able to give them? I think they will catch on soon enough, but in the interim, we are going to excel in that aspect. And in the event, that the chinese workers catch on (since the music video of cheaper, better and faster is on youtube), I am confident there will be another policy to keep things in check. That is the infalible wisdom of our leaders.

@8
I am sure the cost of entry for the big manufacturing companies are high, but it is high everywhere. In addition to rent, there are other overheads as well, the purchase of equipment, the administrative costs etc. Over here in Singapore, we have a union that is pro business and pro worker, also we boast of the unique tripartite relationship which is the icing on the cake. According to a recent article on the ST, it had shown the effectiveness of our labor union in getting the strong message across to errant employers to toe the line when coming to the welfare of their employees. Do I need to mention the ease of starting businesses in Singapore and that there is no corruption (due to the pegging of salaries of ministers to the private sector). I am not sure if it is easier to start a business in China than in Singapore.

We can go on debating about the differences between China and Singapore, but it should be left for the historians to decide which of the factors led to the one to progress over the other.

Lastly, I did not post saying that a job that a citizen whose job was taken over by a PR or FT was a job that was not wanted. But to show up examples of jobs that were solely exclusive to citizens. Some of those exclusive jobs for citizens might be jobs that we do not want to do, but cannot turn it over to FT or PR to do. And also to assure people that there are still jobs for Singaporeans.

10) curious citizen

“but will China be able to SPUR its workers on to be cheaper, better and faster?”

Curious citizen, china doesn’t have to spur its workers to be cheaper, better and faster…in their case, with cheaper manpower…if one person can’t finish the job…hey, make 2 person do it…in that sense, it is way cheaper, Better and Faster…can you Mr Curious Citizen beat 2 person in doing work? however, that’s a “it all depends situation”

and if you think our dear leaders can really stay ahead of china, perhaps you should need to rethink again…

“I am sure the cost of entry for the big manufacturing companies are high, but it is high everywhere.”

Oh…right, sure… Mr Curious Citizen, it is high everywhere…but hey, you have forgotten that it is not the same Everywhere dude…But equipment, logistics and manpower aside…which may be a constant or even cheap abroad, rental in other countries tends to be cheaper, unless you are talking about HK and Taipei eastern district.

yes, it is easy to start up a business in singapore, but hey wait…mmm….where are the local start-up? Ahh…i guess you mean how easy it is to apply and register a company. but hey, CC, Do i need to mention that you seems to have forgotten again that high start–up and overhead cost prevents local from starting up easily…

“I am not sure if it is easier to start a business in China than in Singapore.”

Oh yes, I can tell you the answer right now, go alibaba.com and check out the amount of new start-up companies looking for distributor, and that really will tell us how easy/hard it is to set up a business there….and If it is not easy to start up a business there, why will people want to go over there? China welcomes you to create job for their people…

Mr CC, having a cheaper, better, faster workforce is good….no one can deny that logic, i mean which country doesn’t want that right? But thinking and talking is cheaper…but how do you maintain the motivation for your workforce? Let’s say you are a company HR, how will you get a cheaper, better and faster employees…if you can’t satisfy them on their psychological needs, satisfy their sense of equity, satisfy their expectancy…how will your employees be motivated to provide a decent output?

CC, increasing pay doesn’t increase motivation, but decreasing pay decreases motivation unless you are so in love with your job…

Oh, and curious citizen, if you are working….do you see that chinese companies are outsourcing here? or do we see local companies outsourcing services to overseas?