Gangasudhan
Recent figures revealed in parliament show that less than 2 in 3 persons on the island hold pink NRICs – but that’s not all…
In response to MP Chiam See Tong’s query on Permanent Resident figures, Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng, offered the following information in Parliament on Monday, 23rd November 2009:
“From 2000 to 2008, an average of about 74,500 foreigners submitted applications for PR each year. For the same period, an average of 46,300 applicants were successful in their PR applications each year. An average of 2,200 PRs renounced their PR status over the same period.”
(Source: Ministry of Home Affairs)
Considering that the Population Brief 2009 prepared by the Singapore Department of Statistics reveals that in “2008, there were 79,167 new PRs and 20,513 new citizens”, it is no secret that the actual increase in recent years has been much more significant as compared to earlier years (note the drastic difference in Wong’s 46,300 average from the reported raw figure of 79,167 for 2008).
With the number of Singapore citizens being 3.16 million out of a total population of 4.84 million as of 2008, this gives us a nice 65.29% – just about the “core, at least 65 per cent of people born and bred who understand this place, who are part of this society and who know how we got here and why we must do these things” that MM Lee Kuan Yew proclaimed last July.
However, this does not paint the complete picture and when we subtract the 20,513 naturalised citizens in 2008 from this figure of 3.16 million we in fact dip below this ‘magic’ 65% figure – to 64.88%. This is just based on the number of naturalised citizens in 2008 alone and does not account for all the foreigners who were issued with pink NRICs over the preceding years. Thus it seems MM Lee is spot on in his observation that “if we have more immigrants than genuine Singaporeans, you become a different people”.
It is also alarming that the rate of increase from 2007 to 2008 in the number of Singapore citizens (even after including the naturalised ones) was a mere 0.98% – yes, that is less than one percent – whilst that of permanent residents was 6.56% and that of foreign workers was a whopping 19.02%. What this translates into is, whilst the number of pink NRIC holders increased by 30,600, the number of blue NRIC holders increased by 29,000 and the number of foreigners by a considerable 191,000.
Assuming these numbers were to be constant over the next few years – in all probability, they are likely to head upwards – Singapore will cross the 6.5 million mark in 2015 where pink NRIC holders will comprise just 51.24% of the population (see table below). However, adjusting for the sizeable number of naturalised citizens by then, the core of ‘born and bred’ Singaporeans at that time will in fact be 48.49% – and that will be the milestone when the minority segment in Singapore becomes Singaporeans.
Population Numbers with Breakdown of Naturalised Citizens
Note: raw figures are in the thousands
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Headline photo from Uncle Yussof blog
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| Year | Population | Non-Residents | Permanent Residents | Naturalised Citizens | ‘Unnaturalised’ Citizens | % of Citizens | % of ‘Unnaturalised’ Citizens | Remarks |
| 1970 | 2,074.50 | 60.90 | 138.80 | unknown | 1,874.80 | 90.37 | 90.37 | Real Figures |
| 1980 | 2,413.90 | 131.80 | 87.80 | unknown | 2,194.30 | 90.90 | 90.90 | Real Figures |
| 1990 | 3,047.10 | 311.30 | 112.10 | unknown | 2,623.70 | 86.10 | 86.10 | Real Figures |
| 2000 | 4,027.90 | 754.50 | 287.50 | unknown | 2,985.90 | 74.13 | 74.13 | Real Figures |
| 2004 | 4,166.70 | 753.40 | 356.20 | unknown | 3,057.10 | 73.37 | 73.37 | Real Figures |
| 2005 | 4,265.80 | 797.90 | 386.80 | unknown | 3,081.00 | 72.23 | 72.23 | Real Figures |
| 2006 | 4,401.40 | 875.50 | 418.00 | unknown | 3,107.90 | 70.61 | 70.61 | Real Figures |
| 2007 | 4,588.60 | 1,005.50 | 449.20 | 17.33 | 3,116.47 | 68.30 | 67.92 | Real Figures |
| 2008 | 4,839.40 | 1,196.70 | 478.20 | 37.85 | 3,126.56 | 65.39 | 64.61 | Real Figures |
| 2009 | 5,089.90 | 1,387.70 | 507.20 | 58.36 | 3,136.64 | 62.77 | 61.62 | Extrapolated |
| 2010 | 5,340.50 | 1,578.70 | 536.20 | 78.87 | 3,146.73 | 60.40 | 58.92 | Extrapolated |
| 2011 | 5,591.10 | 1,769.70 | 565.20 | 99.39 | 3,156.82 | 58.24 | 56.46 | Extrapolated |
| 2012 | 5,841.70 | 1,960.70 | 594.20 | 119.90 | 3,166.91 | 56.26 | 54.21 | Extrapolated |
| 2013 | 6,092.30 | 2,151.70 | 623.20 | 140.41 | 3,176.99 | 54.45 | 52.15 | Extrapolated |
| 2014 | 6,342.90 | 2,342.70 | 652.20 | 160.93 | 3,187.08 | 52.78 | 50.25 | Extrapolated |
| 2015 | 6,593.50 | 2,533.70 | 681.20 | 181.44 | 3,197.17 | 51.24 | 48.49 | Extrapolated |
@ 101
I’m ignoring your irrelevant ad hominem attacks.
quote: “That’s NOT the main issue! It’s all about timing & the crippling relentless rising cost of living and falling employment and median wages.” unquote
The rising cost of living is caused by the expansion of the money supply and credit.
Falling employment — are you sure about that? Maybe in some sectors which might cause some people who have lost their jobs to evaluate (i.e. project) their bad-luck situation and wrongly conclude that their problems are ‘pervasive’ — i.e. economy wide.
You make the claim that median wages are falling. Can you back up your claim by providing some facts — perhaps data from the stats dept or from MAS or Ministry of Labour, EDB… just the facts ma’am.
A good book to read for those who feel in a quandary about employment and career is “What Colour (color) IS Your Parachute” by Richard Bolles. Bolles makes it clear that in today’s world ALL JOBS are TEMPORARY jobs, and I agree with him.
Targeting foreigners and blaming them for employment or rising costs are non sequiturs — logically fallacious. This might be very popular with politicians trying to garner support for themselves by finding a convenient scapegoat, whip up emotions of the masses and then the myth becomes prt of the cultural belief.
Racism and xenophobia are ugly culural aspects. By blaming foreigners for all these unrelated “ills” shows meaness of spirit and takes the country back to tribalism.
Do you really want that? Or would you prefer a society open and tolerant, and welcoming, PLUS allowing private enterprises (the real engines of growth and wealth) to be competitive?
It’s bad enough that there are aspects of ‘tribalism’ (for e.g. homophobia) why add to it? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial in the long-term to embrace change and to welcome those who might be different to you instead of viewing them as ‘threats’?
Your choice. I’ve made mine: Keep the borders open (but well defended) and allow businesses to hire and fire whoever they like for whatever reason.
I’ve made my point #70 ultra clear where the most basic of minds in rehab can understand, bar perhaps, those who CHOOSE to IGNORE the obvious and wage defence for a non existent utopia.
Do make the effort to choose the relevance of argument appropriately. Racism, xenophobia and homophobia are human prejudices that exist in the best and worst of human condition. There is NO connection to what is happening with the problems faced in Singapore brought about by irresponsible man made administrative policies. Amazing what irrelevant things you can find on your plate in a desperate attempt to spice up an already bad tasting ensemble. zzz
When MM made public his regrets on some errors of his earlier policies (eg, the bilingual policy, graduate mother schemes) whilst in “active” office, many just listened and “accepted” that, yes and so it was, and so it was. But like with our docile culture, the damage was/is never really discussed. It just was/is.
Perhaps, we all must strive to be more divine. Throw open our family doors and let the masses of anyone come into our homes to dine and stay whenever and however they choose in the spirit of community, whilst at the same time, let our loved ones compete with these strangers in the name of building up their survival skills. Hey, after all, we are all brothers and sisters in spirit. We must show that we are never tribal, always open, tolerant and welcoming. Keep our doors open I say. Put your youngest and brightest children to stand guard at the OPENED gates and allow these strangers to continue invading our homes. Just make sure the gates stay open and standing no matter what. Throw in a fresh coat of paint if we have to, to look global. Moreover, no worries, we can always kick them out when there is nothing left for our own, when everything we worked so hard for is diluted. Here here, I declare again, we are NOT tribal nor xenophobic and certainly not homo-lingual !
Come come, MM, let’s have a cuppa and reflect on what went wrong again. You know we love your reflections.
PS: Oh, yes, I believed I said animals ARE innocent at the farmer’s house (#70). Some just don’t like picture books much. I just have to ignore irrelevant and hominem attacks then.
PPS: Before I forget, thought I’d share this for posterity;
In 2008, more than a quarter of countries experienced flat or falling monthly wages in real terms. These countries include the U.S.A. (0.0 %), Austria (0.0 %), Costa Rica (0.0 %), South Africa (–0.3 %), Germany (–0.6 %), Switzerland (–0.7 %), Israel (–0.9 %),Japan (–0.9 %), Singapore (–1.0 %), Mauritius (–1.0 %), Kazakhstan (–1.1 %), the Republic of Korea (–1.5 %), Panama (–2.8 %), Mexico (–3.5 %), Ecuador (–4.1 %), Iceland (–4.8 %), and Seychelles (–15.5 %). Declines of 3.6 per cent and 6.2 per cent were recorded in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, China, respectively. The difficult outlook for 2009: The picture on wages is likely to get worse in 2009 – despite the beginning of a possible economic recovery.
PPPS: The New Year is approaching. Remember, have as many guest as possible, it’s only civil. Make sure they are all foreign talented labour. Take out your best china. We can always use our savings to buy new ones if they break them. Have a good life ya? Just don’t forget to have your children and old grandparents stand by the gates. Everyone has to work in this household. ;)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
SIngapore is an island without natural resources – get this simple and cruel fact into your bloody mind before you pass negative remarks about the foreign talents policy or blame the foreigners for taking away your cheese!
It is not easy to up-root one’s family and come all the way here to start life fresh. They took a huge gamble to leave their home town for the sake of Singapore’s economy. Lets be human about it. Without these people’s contributions all these years, would Singapore be able to achieve what it has today?
@104) My Views
You know, the past generations who sank their roots here became citizens here, and their descendants serve NS.. But many of the FTs are not taking up citizenships, but prefer to just hold the PR status, do you know why?
Best of both countries, enjoy the wages here, and plan on going back home when they earned enough..
Don’t keep reminding us singapore has no natural resources, (We do have a deep water harbour), but we do have the world’s best paid president, ministers and high ranking civil servants.. and some of the world’s poorest can be found here, old folks collecting cardboards, empty drink cans..
@104) My Views
“They took a huge gamble to leave their home town for the sake of Singapore’s economy.”
So, they came for the sake of singapore’s economy, and not because they can earn a better wage here.. Thanks for the enlightenment.
So, true blue singaporeans cannot contribute to singapore’s economy, then, what happens to all the past generations’ efforts to bring singapore to first world status? Sure, a lot of them are migrants, but once Singapore gained independance, they became citizens here.
I wonder how many people actually migrated here during the 60s, 70s and 80s? > 1million? But we see population jumps by that much within the last 5 years.
It’s seriously horrifying to have bottomless IDIOCY beat a bloody mind anytime. No wonder we have no choice but to borrow this one word wonder from the MIW;
Be VIGILANT ! of MIW suckups everywhere or have another 50 years of idiotic administration. And that is the BLOODY truth.
Haha. Thank god I’m a soon-to-be ex-Singaporean.
104) My Views on December 7th, 2009 4.15 am
Quote-
“It is not easy to up-root one’s family and come all the way here to start life fresh. They took a huge gamble to leave their home town for the sake of Singapore’s economy.”
Oh please!!!!! u sound as if Foreigner is a saviour to us. In reverse, I would say
all Foreigners here took a gamble to leave their home for the sake of earning better living for themselves. If their so called home country is damn so good, why would they pack ur bag!!!!!!!
Sorry but to say u are crap