From Gerald Giam’s blog:
After a drop of just 4,200 foreigner numbers last year due to the downturn, the PAP’s “open-the-floodgates” immigration policy is back with a vengeance. So much for all their promises of “moderating” the inflow of foreigners.
Since we have this “fantastic” rebound in the economy, isn’t it the best time to ramp up our nation’s productivity drive, by forcing businesses to innovate and come up with better ways to achieve the same output without the over-reliance of cheap foreign labour? This “bitter medicine” seems to have been postponed. The government has reverted back to it’s habit of feeding our businesses steroids in the form of cheap labour, so they can generate more output and help boost economic growth.
Why does the PAP government have such an obsession for GDP growth? Don’t they realise that GDP growth does not necessarily indicate a healthy economy? Isn’t it more important to have equitable growth—where all citizens, especially the poor, benefit from growth?
Read the rest of the article on geraldgiam.sg.
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want to brin in foreign talents..don’t want to help the workers in time of trouble..endofthemonths demanded a ransome levies almost 1/2 their salaries
Jialat, they probably thought they could massage the GDP growth just in time for the next election.
Then the Dr. Lim Hock Siew ban by MDA will probably set the election back by at least 6 months to let the controvery die a natural death.
Meantime our PM will probably have to resort to other tricks to fix the opposition.
The second half is forecast by MTI to be slower and LHL even said the sustainable long term growth is just 3% to 5%. So bring in surplus for foreigners AFTER THE ECONOMIC has peaked in 2010 from a crisis bottom recovery of no durability?
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1069265/1/.html
Wonder if it was politics or the insanity of economic or the illusion of reality at work?
LHL attributed the rebound mainly to the success of the two integrated resorts and a sharp increase in pharmaceutical output. He said the two resorts, which opened early this year, “made a significant difference” this year and boosted tourism to Singapore.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1069265/1/.html
When did the second resort opened to be of such huge impact before June 2010? But retail sales in May (latest available statistics) went down compared to April. Where is the boom in tourism to lift the “fantastic” GDP numbers if it was really fantastic???.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1069508/1/.html
I am still thinking considering phamaceutical is so puny a sub-sector within manufacturing which merely account for 25% of our total economy in good times.
Hot-money seems to be flowing in freely.
The casinos proberbly picked the GDP up tremendously. Most people know that.
I don’t see such a last minute
need (prior to election) to wipe out Singaporeans with a vengeance. It is like sending a strong message telling anti-pap Singaporeans to vote or die. Cruel!
paying civil servants market rate may prevent corruption, but not greed!
MAY only hor….
Why dont Singaporeans get it lah? All these is happening cos the system, ie, one-party rule is susceptible to corruption, abuse and … all claims made by the incumbents cannot be trusted or even verified lah. Is there transaprency? Is there responsibility? Is there equity in their policies or what-have-you? The incumbents are exploiting citizens but using the system and who is actually benefiting? Is there a need to elaborate and enumerate with statistics and what-not.
Who is going to check and who is checking on them? No Omudsmen, No independent courts … one can go on and on till the cows come home lor.
The solution is not to simply whine and gripe or simply rely on the mainstream media (which is merely a propaganda vehicle for PAP) but be intelligent, discerning.
Just hope the next elections we can do away with this charade of a one-party rule and only then is there a possibility of gaining back the dignity of being Singaporean.
PS – Any Singaporean who assumes a position of power and who compromises for political power and financial rewards esp to foreigners is no longer serving the people or the n ation – but self-serving and a blight on the nation.
Singaporeans need to wake up and not simply hope. Unlearn the 50 years of Pap and vote wisely!
even a 3 yo kid knows the low income have no excuse to justify a pay rise
Stop pointing out the problems.. show us the solutions
I believe that they want a pay rise. Doing this out of their own interest.
i wonder if civil servants’ pay rise can be put on hold, citing uncertainty ahead. just like private sector employers always say, cannot see too far ahead, future very cloudy…
I wonder whether he knows that a lot of our graduates and those above 50 years still without a job for a long time. Still want to flood this place with FTs. Hope this great flood flushes him down into the marine barrage.
Growth is good – growth is good for us and our gang.
Who really cares about the hoi-paloi?
Inflated GDP determines their high pay increment. No brainer!
pap got no idea how to grow the economy, so take the shortcut to bring in Foreigners to inject more $. True singaporeans would suffer the backslash of rising living standards, properties prices, job competitions with FT.
@doctorwho,
I disagree. Native Singaporeans are the ones who elected these people who come up the policies since 50 years ago.
Why blame those you tasked to do the job when you are the one who gave them the jobs?
No more blaming.
Singaporeans are retards that constantly vote in those jackass…same goes for the chinese after 40 yes of communist rule finally decide they like capitalism top…worst still learn from Singapore..old Harry is going to destroy them all
These so-called “leaders” of the country previously claimed they are the best people to run the country. If opening the floodgate to allow foreigners to enter the country by the tens and hundreds of thousand is the solution to running the country, then a bunch of secondary school or junior college students can run the country.
@Lee Swee Say,
I think somehow, even as people kpkb , they somehow learn to accept. 50 years of evidence cannot be overlooked, right?
But lets look at things positively.
Do you still have a childish wishful thinking to expect native citizens to Change singapore? Even when so many newbies have entered? Even as so many more shall be coming in?
50 years is a long enough time for any country past and present for change.
The Natives have proven beyond reasonable doubt in this consecutive 50 years. There is nothing more to discuss or expect. They have spoken.
I think its easier and more productive to focus on getting votes from the new citizens by educating them what they need to know than to wishfully hope that the native citizens will swing votes over to opposition.
50 years = half a CENTURY.
That, is a loooong looong looong time my frens.
Game Over.
Floods or no floods.
Train or no train.
COE or no COE.
min sum or no min sum.
wage or no wage.
job security or no security
MRT security or the lack of it.
Its really the natives.
Agree with Lee Chee Hiam.
Its already proven the main bulk of native citizens would not swing votes regardless of anything.
Its wiser to focus on winning votes from the new citizens who are now substantial in numbers even enough to win a few seats.
I am not proud of a certain native mentality and am hoping for change to come from new citizens who mostly do not possess the native singaporean mentality because they grew up in a different system.
So, Change will come with new citizens rather than relying on native citizens.
Enough time had been spent on trying to win over native citizens.
This, however, is my personal view.
We believe they think its easier to tame the new foreigners than the existing citizens who are borned,and staying here and developed an individual mind of their own.
To achieve their purpose with a win assurance, it is only wise to give these foreigners ,a job, a place to stay ,let them bring in their extended families, and then remind them who gave them these good things.
Some conveniently like to cite GRC system as reason the opposition cannot win, and i mean just a mere few seats.
But based on 50 years of historical evidence, it is clear that its not so much the SMC but the native citizens. See, my thinking is, if these native citizens disapprove of the GRC system, they would have known the only way is to show disapproval. They Have Not. Never as in never with a strong message. only a few opposition supporters expressed so.
This is understandable.
In a democracy, its the majority’s decision that matters the most. I do not expect citizens to change in this aspect. they prolly have adapted and accepted.
Some say this is unique mentality. But that is just what it may be.
Game Over.
never underestimate the uniqueness of mentality.
go for opposition. do not give the pap the mandate to continue their obsession of exploiting the people.
For 50 years, the ‘game’ is played one way.
Now, the game has changed.
Public Perception is new citizens would not likely support opposition. Personally, my gut feeling is no new citizen would cast a vote to the opposition.
I pitty the opposition.
In the last election, there was some hope left.
Now, the game is changed.
Rather than relying on native citizens, who have not changed despite 50 years given to them, the opposition must now rely on new citizen votes in order to win.
Its means, to me, mission impossible.
I like to applaud native citizens for being adaptive and acceptive and cooperative to policy changes. With this mentality, they can accept all the great policies without ever need to change parties.
If i am a politician, i would adore these citizens. They can help me realise my plans. and i am just their humble servant.
50 years ago PAP was helmed by a different team, there is the old guards who are vastly different from today’s team.
for those making the 50 years comparison, how many from that time are still in the running now? heading which ministry har?
@mice is nice,
I not sure which old guard is left. LKY? But then again, the people have spoken. Out of those given the chance to vote, only a minority wanted change.
So, again, even if we talk about how few old guards are left, the native citizens still gave them the mandate. Is this not a fact? Even if you throw in GRC system as reason, they people still had spoken. They did not vote for opposition.
So, its proven, these native citizens cannot be changed. They had plenty of years during the last 50 years to consider and they never changed, generally.
So, my point is, its now a pathetic situation for the opposition. They have no choice but to find a way to be attractive to the new citizens whose population size is growing day by day.
This is assuming they still aspire to rule the country one day.
If only top talents join them instead of do other thingies…. sigh….
Other than these newbies, who have the opposition not tried to reach?
Again, the people have spoken.
And yes, many have migrated as well.
And yes, native citizens are unique. Just my views.
Ho Kan Seng, 18 July 2010
eh, are the ministries are still headed by the very same people as 40-50 years ago? (o.O)
people cannot change, that may be true for people 30-50 years ago. how many who voted for PAP at that time are still around? how many were born after 1970s-1980s & are eligible voters now? for the elderly who voted for PAP 40 years ago, how many are still around now?
the ALTernative parties were never on equal footing to the ruling, just like when S’pore 1st became independent, but the will to succeed drove people to push forth to face challenges head on.
dear fellow poster, never let the great odds de-moralise you. what the ALTernative political parties are facing is what S’pore faced in the early days.
ALTernative parties do not need to reach out, they should now reach within- inner strength. if they do not have robust policies, no point reaching out. so their policies, vision, message to the people, & ultimately what they stand for must be clear.
there is no longer the need to find the flaws of the current administration, many are now public knowledge. time should be spent working on righting the wrong. & solutions cannot be too hasty, that the electorate will do well to let things take it course.
i respect your views even if i largely disagree with them. thank you for sharing them.
Cheers! ;)
Excuse me folks…
I will like to re-interate this…
please note only abt 43% singaporean citizens get to vote in the last GE….
Please note AP/Opposition did not challenge all GRC/SMC/wards…
I think it is unfair to put down singaporean citizens who did not get the chance to vote thru no fault of their own..
Please re-think and re-ponder on this…AP/Opposition should challenge all GRC/SMC/Wards…this is singapore and the people of singapore last chance to set things right by the people and for the people of singapore.
AP/Opposition plans to challenge Tampines with multiple parties is really a no-brainer…there are just diluting the votes…and the incumbent MBT will again somehow win a slight majority and continue his you die your business ways due to diluted votes going to this or that opposition/AP party by the voters…and so…who are the dumb ones and retards here. The voters…or the way AP/Opposition challenge the incumbent PAP.
Please prove PAP wrong…and for the rest of us too.
Xianz.
Perhaps the recent influx of FT (or Foreign workers) may not be a matter of the economy at all.
With falling popularity from the last election, general disgruntlement from the people, and the fact that many FT are getting their PR (and thus being able to vote) so quickly with lesser restrictions now… It may be that PAP may be desperately importing them for a favorable GE VOTE to overwhelm the angry locals
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin
The PAP has been in power since 1959. Despite record turnouts at opposition rallies, our population keeps voting the same jokers in every elections, and then sits back and complains. You know what? People get the government they deserve, and Singaporeans deserve the PAP. Singaporeans are too scared to vote opposition, and have traded their liberty for a false sense of security. No wonder the current leaders are so bad. They are a reflection of society.
PAP is obsession with GDP growth, the main reason is due to their salaries is pegged to GDP, as long as the GDP keep on growing, so are their salaries, they will enjoy endless money pouring into their pockets like water falls. They claim that Singapore economy is good so they deserve windfall rewards. Yes, GDP doesn’t mean anything to many of the ordinary folks in Singapore, it just a figure to show that the Singapore economy is very good, that is the perception PAP wanted to project to the ordinary folks, but in reality, is it what we really perceived?? Majority of the Singaporean are still low pay and tried to make end meet day by day, with the influx of many foreigner coming to Singapore to complete job with Singaporean, many of us were forced to accept low pay job offered by bosses in order to compete with the foreigner, whom most bosses delighted to hire because of
very low pay offered by foreigner.
I agree whole heartedly , the government and its services think only GDP , mainly because bonusus and parts of the salaries are based on it.
Forgotten is quality of life , very good education , real ecology and descent wages for all . There is excessive consumption and use of cheap foreign uneducated labour.One day western countries will tax singapore goods because of unfair competition.
If the education system was that good , would the government need to look for talent all the time , and would not the school classes be smaller .
Singapore is becoming one of the few countries to still have no minimum wage , maximum working hours , and its showing , efficiency and creativity are going down .
As far as immigration goes , have a look at countries with past excessive immigration and see the problems those countries have today , most of the immigrants do not and don’t know how to integrate . Foreign workers only benifit big Singapore and foreign companies , and the government income , not Singaporeans.
I think that by the time Singaporeans react to what is going on , it will be too late to do anything , they like their government do not seem to learn from other peoples mistakes.