Leong Sze Hian /
I refer to the reports of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s speech on 21 April on the launch of IM Flash Singapore, a joint venture memory chip facility between US tech giants Intel and Micron.
The reports cited PM Lee thus:
“In his speech, Mr Lee noted that six in 10 of the employees (in IM Flash) are ‘Singaporeans and permanent residents’. Singapore residents also take up two-thirds of the managerial and professional positions, he added.”
I find it somewhat strange that even at the eleventh hour before the elections, the Prime Minister was still using “Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs)” statistics. This is especially curious given that “the Government’s foreign worker policy could emerge as a hot-button issue this election as some believe that it has hurt residents’ job prospects and depressed wages.”
This brings about some questions, as the numbers quoted are open to interpretation and do not really tell us the full picture. For example, exactly how many Singaporeans work at IM Flash?
Saying that “six in 10 of the employees are “Singaporeans and permanent residents” could mean just one Singaporean and five PRs.
Another example of ambiguous and dubious statistics: “Singapore residents also take up two-thirds of the managerial and professional positions.” This could mean one-third Singaporeans and one-third PRs.
Also, according to the CNA report which said, “In the technician and manufacturing jobs, two-thirds are foreign workers”, this could mean that as little as one per cent of the one-third are Singaporeans, and the remaining 99 per cent of the one-third are PRs.
So are these merely meaningless statistics?
The bottom line is that the PM’s statistics do not tell us much about jobs for Singaporeans because of the 1,200 workers in IMFlash, 480 are foreigners, and as many as 716 could be PRs, with just one Singaporean manager, one Singaporean professional, one Singaporean technician and one Singaporean in a manufacturing job.
To further illustrate the frivolity of the data, if half the locals are PRs, it may mean that only 30 per cent of the total work force are Singaporeans, with one-third of the managers and professional positions and one-sixth of the technicians and manufacturing jobs being Singaporeans, respectively.
Surely, the data breaking down the locals into Singaporeans and PRs is available?
If the Finance Minister can present “Singaporean-only” workers’ incomes and “Singaporean-only” households incomes in the Budget statement in Parliament, why is it that the PM is unable to the same now?
Well, your guess is as good as mine!
Can Singapore employers hire 100 per cent foreigners?
Under the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) employment policies, an employer may be able to hire entirely non-Singaporeans, because under the foreign worker quota rules, a company can have unlimited employment of permanent residents and employment pass holders, up to 25 per cent of S-pass workers and 50 per cent of Malaysian work permit holders in certain sectors like the services sector. For non-Malaysian work permit holders like those from China or India, the quota is much lower at generally 10 per cent.
To illustrate the above with some examples, a company have hire:
- 100 per cent PRs,
- 100 per cent employment pass holders,
- 100 per cent mixture of PRs and employment pass,
- 50 per cent PRs and employment pass, with 25 per cent S-pass, 15 per cent Malaysian work permit holders and 10 per cent China/India work permit holders, etc,
- as well as an unlimited number of foreign university interns on typically six-months stay in Singapore, who do not need to be subject to any of the foreign worker quotas.
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References:
ST Breaking News, Apr 21: http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_659474.html
Channel News Asia, Apr 21: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1124072/1/.html
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Statistic makes sense or not not important.
Face the fact.Important is that you people must be willing to work hard.
How to see more local Singaporean in the manufacturing sectors?
Local shun these lower ends job.Its only fair to have more FTs.for these industries.
My towkay want to hire only local singaporean and there is no FT or FW in his company payroll.Whats the result?He kenna work everyday and night.Local suka suka awol,mc ,last minute grandmother get married ,cannot help OT,claim their children working in the SPF,MOM,CPF ..etc….Go lunch oso no time,not to say sleep.No rest,no pleasure.How to blame him if he decides to take in FT?
I dont mind if all the jobs are taken up by PRs or employment pass holders.
Its ok, but then, as a citizen, let me have free healthcare, free education on a very wide range of subjects from primary to tertiary.Free housing.
Free transport and an allowance of $5000 per family of 4 people.
Then, I say, get as many people here as you can !! Love it!
Truly singaporean!
In Singapore, PR = Singaporeans
In fact, Singaporeans are viewed as 2nd class citizens after PRs.
Foreigners come here to study, no need to do NS 2 yrs, go U, go work, offered PR, offered same salary as Singaporeans.
No wonder NS guy ask: “Who am I defending for?”
Defending for a country of foreigners.
In this case, I want to be PR not Singaporean.
Foreigners & PRs are the first to leave in any crisis.
Singaporeans are the ones who truly love the country and will defend for the country.
we, SINGAPOREAN now become the MINORITY RACES in a MNC factory in SINGAPORE.
WORSE STILL!
1st class FT/PR and we now 2nd class citizen…
They have never provided the true picture of employment situation here. Why combine singapore citizens and PR? The fact that we have big number of PRs in PMET ranks for a long time already. Now they can’t even give us a true picture.
Let’s face the Hard Truth. The ruling party is only concerned with GDP numbers. To keep this numbers up, both manufacturing and services sectors have to keep producing more. So, more factories, more hotels, more rig-buildings, more shopping centres, more restaurants, more tourist arrivals, etc. Since Singaporeans are getting older and the younger ones are not producing babies, where do you get workers? Moreover, Singaporeans shun jobs like toilet cleaner, factory operator, chambermaid, waiter, cook, how is PAP going to keep the GDP numbers up?
When I walked down Orchard Rd on Sunday, I am not sure whether I am in Singapore or in another country. Soon the Singapore Girls would also disappear into thin air. The kopi ah peks are gone. In place are chinamen. Beer ah sohs no longer attract drinkers. One day, teochew fried kwayteow, hokkien prawn me, mee siam and indian rojak will be cook by foreigners with Sichuan or Hunan taste!
Is this a Singapore made problems or something alien? What are the solutions apart from forming a panel to review Statistics!
“In his speech, Mr Lee noted that six in 10 of the employees (in IM Flash) are ‘Singaporeans and permanent residents’. Singapore residents also take up two-thirds of the managerial and professional positions, he added.”
All these while we accept info like the above.
Mr Leong rightly pointed out what is questionable .
Why singaporeans cannot be as wise as Mr Leong?
So, singaporeans, why you so like that?
Cambridge standard ah?
Other countries their citizen not the same wor.
kuku
just curious :
if before giving out the PR status to foreign talents, these FT compulsory must serve 2yr National Service, do you think these FT will still want the PR?
this society is really absurd!
treat FT so nice, why not treat local citizen better?
omg – another sad story..
Immigration in any form is good for Singapore. However, it must be ADDED not in the manner that it has been implemented and policed. It is so bad that even in some instances prostitutes, pimps, masseuses are holding PR!
It seems like greed,avarice seems to the the motivation for such a lax policy.
It unfairly disadvantages Singapoeraens cos there is no minimum-wage policy and the employers are leveraging on this anomaly (loop-hole) and not only exploiting foreginers for cheap labour and poor conditions but deny Singaporeans a decent job and salary.
This practice is not spasmodic but rather endemic and to allow these state of affairs to persist is certainly to the detriment of Singaporeans.
I surmise this policy is adopted with the connivance of MOM and its taciturn stance with regards to such unfair employment practices.
As for giving PR, do so, but not to those who are simply here to use Singapore as a stepping stone or simply here for economic reasons. If the latter is the case then they ought to be levied a certain sum (SSS) before leaving the country.
Also, HDb should end this practice of allwoing PRs to buy HDB flat and even if and when they are allowed the ”terms” ought to equitable and not in the manner as it is now. It is the consequence of such poor policing that the prices have skyrocketed to such ridiculous proportions for a 99-year leasehold that sadly does not devolve to the purported owner (actually, in reality, a mere tenant) but HDB.
ps – THIS BULLSHIT ABOUT UPGRADING TO FACE COMPETITION IS UNTRUE. It is GDP growth and saving employers. Winners are the incumbents and employers.
Just to highlight that a PR of same age as a singaporean is not earning the same pay, why. Just for my case, we were paid $90~S120 during NS time then and serving 2.5yrs means total income of S$3150 for this 2.5yrs. Plus 0.5 yrs of waiting time which no employer will employ you for a good job means over the 3yrs we only earned S$3150. When I started to work, my starting pay was S$800/mth then but a PR of my age earned S$1000++ as he had 3 yrs of experience (of course increment also higher each year due to yearly increment) On top of that dun’t forget over the 3yrs,
the PRs has earned S$30,000 and hence can start to buy HDB earlier than me.
(PRs sibling can apply HDB then not sure now).
Though this was more than 15yrs ago but the situation is almost the same now or even worst there are many more PRs since then, therefore are we not 2nd class citizen?
Why must the singapore government provide measures of anything to safe guard permanent residents employments, it should only be bother to have policies to safeguard singaporeans jobs,this the government should get clear. Singaporean is one and the rest non singaporeans.
ALWAYS MAKING THOSE COMMENT WITHOUT PROUF.
HE CAN SAY WHAT HE LIKE,HE SAY FT CAN BRING US LOT OF MONEY.HE SAY,WHO DARE TO SAY BACK?ALL STUPID YES MAN IN THE PARLIAMENT.WE ARE THE ONE WHO FIND OUT ALL THE TRUE,WHY NOT PAY US MILLION,WE CAN THINK WHAT U CANNOT THINK.COME TO INCREASE SALARY…..VERY CLEVER…COME TO HELP IT OWN PEOPLE,NO LA…U GIVE THEM THIS,THEY WANT THAT.NEVER ENOUGH…
WE KEEP GIVING U TAX,HUGE PROFIT FROM HDB,CAR ETC CAN….WE KEEP PAYING GIVING PAYING CAN.U WIN..NEVER CAN SEE US GD.
The govt didn’t devote so much attention to this foreign worker issue post elections. I half wonder whether the govt underestimates the level of angst Singaporeans feel towards the foreign worker policy.
Many of us acknowledge we need foreigners. And there have always been foreigners in Singapore in significant numbers. But what is of paramount importance is that there must be greater level of restrictions on who can hire these foreigners and for what kind of jobs. And there must be enforcement of restrictions for these rules to mean anything.
What would it take for the PAP to take heed?!
@agongkia
Do u think ft will want to work Ot with no rest if their family arrives in Singapore? Also, no rest don’t not meNtion they are capable as genius don’t work Ot unless it is menial job
If overwork who pays for mc and medical liabilities an family work life balance
i think it is more likely only foreign rich and not foreign talent create more job opportunities for singaporean
The FT issue is still conveniently swept under the carpet by PAP. Looks like the issue is not in govt’s priorities will not be reversed in the foreseeable future judging by Tharman’s comment that he will not subcumb to populist sentiments. He think ppl kao peh for fun izzit? And what makes him so cocksure that “Doing what’s best for Singaporean in the long term” is right? Nobody know what will be right but letting your fellow citizens (who built up the First World Singapore before FT invasion) suffer by bring in so many foreigners to compete for PMET jobs can’t be right! Grandpa said that this generation has forgotten, in fact he is the one who has forgotten that it’s Singaporeans who carried out his From third world to first world plan, not the FTs. 40% voted for Opposition Parties to the parliament. I hope WP can help to bring this FT issue in the parliament.
Ss
Helping out on OT for one or two hours due to unforeseen circumstances for the operaton to run smoothly will not make one fall sick.Your willingness to help out will benefit you when come to annual appraisal.
I know of FTs who,after becoming PRs, take up 2 jobs.They know how to manaqe their times.Even capable of flying with their family back twice a year.
Preference for FTs over locals does not necessary mean FTs are cheaper.
If the FT are the like of Bill gate, Steve Job, etc, I will be happy because they will be here to create more jobs for local.
My IT dept in a local company is populated with Indians, sometime I just feel that I’m working for a Indian company. Travsing the company lift, I’m always sardines by all Indians, as if I’m in India.
These IT FT really give local a hard time to find a job. Their pay so low, how to compete? What we can do, they can do at lower price. You work so hard, train yourself with better knowledge, they also can at lower price.
This gahmen got planning problem, 20 years back, they said engineering good for Singaporean, Singapore needs engineers, but now, they import these FT to kill Singaporean’s rice bowl. WTF!
Where is the balance? We need FT to lower the companies’ operating cost, but it should not be at the expense of Singaporean.
I voted for opposition without knowing who the oppostion candidates are. You can say that I have not voted wisely, but who cares! PAP don’t care either!
call me daft or sheep or whatever,it really doesn’t matter,afterall i am a mere ‘lesser mortal; CITIZEN?
honestly,i want to believe in the words and ‘promises’ of those whom i elected to form the govt.
as such,i am still ‘trustingly’ waiting for PM LEE to bring in his 900,000 FTs who ‘ will help create jobs for singaporeans’!
wow! that will be hell of a number of jobs that are going to be created by these 900,000 FRESH TALENTS the govt will,in due course, be importing as part of an FTA obligation?
@agongkia
“Local shun these lower ends job.Its only fair to have more FTs.for these industries.”
You really live up to your name agongkia!
PMET are not lower end job and you don’t call them Talents if the job is of lower end. Those jobs that can’t find locals to perform can be done by FW, whereas those for PMET should be prioritised for Singaporean unless you really can’t find anyone better locally, not by just looking for cheaper alternative because Singaporean will be price out.
@local foreigner
Me same smae as u, haha, I don’t know my opposition, I only know PAP has not implemented policies wisely, sucking our blood with COE,ERP,HDB,GST,etc etc. How to vote for them to continue sucking me?
@agongkia
Doing OT once in a while is perfectly fine. but do you want Singaporeans with wife and kids take up two jobs? i grew up in such family where i hardly saw my parents growing up and thus my relationship with them are not very close. I so much envy my american friends, many of them had great relationship with their parents.
i certainly do not wish the next generation of Singaporean kids having same experience as mine. People should alway put their family before work. Yes, money is important but so is the quality time with your kids. Our parents’ generation had done what some of these FTs are doing now, our generations should not have to repeat it just to stay competitive with the FTs. Sacrificing family for $$ just not worth it…
Singaporeans don’t want to start at the bottom, must be manager straight away, problem is that they have no practical experience as they haven’t climbed through the ranks. So who to promote to manager? the FT who worked hard, did the shifts and gain the experience to manage or a Singaporean who come in and straightaway wants to be manager? This is the case in all F&B and service business. Gahmen needs to spend time educating Singaporeans that you have to start small then you can be big.
@Boliao
PMETs is just a title.Can forget about title. They can still find job if they are not choosy.The difference is that they must be willing to accept a pay that may be lesser than their previous job if there is a need.Start as an operator if they do not have a post of technician.Private sector is not public sector and your pay come from the companies profits and not from taxpayers where there are many ways to collect revenue.If you are productive,company will not like to lose you.If company A cannot afford to pay you,go to comapny B,you still have a choice.If no choice,better to change profession.
As I say,FT may not necessay be cheaper.
@dms
This one I definately agree with you .
We should treasure every moment with our love one .Money cannot buy those precious moment with them.
What I mean is Fts ,compare to locals,are more willing to take up 2 jobs or help out in OT.This is an advantage to our local employers.
We should totally discourage local employers taking advantage of FTs (frequent OTs or low wages) as this will hurt SG’s image internationally in the long run.
On the issue of FTs, why can’t the govt give incentives to encourage local employers to hire the FTs on a contract basis like the maids and construction worker situation. That way there is only competition for rental properties among the FTs and they will leave when their contracts end? this is a win-win for the country and FTs- FTs get to make big bucks and SG gets the labour help it needs without the long term social issues associated with it.
Come to think of it, SG ‘s immigration policies is quite discriminatory as well. Maids, who benefits most Singaporean households, do not get to become PRs but those who compete with Singaporeans for jobs and housing, get to stay. So unfair.
Sarcastically, we the local are ruled by Monarch who believe more trash the merrier.
I sense hatred on immigrants ISLANDWIDE.
From Malaysia, China, India, Phi, Myan, Indo. U named it, we have it.
Damn s up there is FLOODING the entire country with trashes that WE THE LOCAL DO NOT APPRECIATE. These immigrants are taking advantages of all locally born Singaporean. We need an end to this.
Yes, PAP must show the true statistics. They are lying to the public and themselves. People don’t like liars. PAP will lose the trust of the people. You can say bye bye to your mandate. No use to say sorry or cry anymore. We had enough.
To agongkia, in many instances, SMEs and small companies simply employ foreigners for cheap labour and to make SUPER profits.
i have seen it happened many times when i visited the SMEs.
They do NOT make any attempt to recruit locals. The govt is aware of it but allowed it to happen because they need the GDP to grow and showed to the people the economy is growing. However, it backfired because GDP= sales number but not the bottom line which is net profit. The people did NOT feel the same growth personally and therefore resented the GDP nbrs.
So please do not belittle Sporeans. Check before you jump to conclusion. maybe you are planted here by PAP.
wait till you reach 40 yrs old and find difficulty in getting a job. Then you know what life is about.
”I find it somewhat strange that even at the eleventh hour before the elections, the Prime Minister was still using “Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs)” statistics.”
if you have access to the real numbers, you will see why despite all this, they continue to mask the figures.
they are unpublishable, even AFTER the elections.
@citizen.
Hehe…You will be giving a wrong picture to those on their S$500+
comfortable chair and will not be fair to our employers for saying that.
I would not dare to give a different view here on this subject for fun.
You ,another one who thought that I am planted by PAP.I dun have their standard and the honour lah.
I think it is high time for the government to scrap the policy for PRS because it seems that they are everywhere for a job interview they have become cheap and as for singaporeans we also have to match to their starting salary,all because of cheaper faster and better …idiots.
This PAP government is never transparent. They demand transparency from others except themselves. They do not practise what they preach. They do not walk the talk.
If the statistics shows that more Singapore Citizens are truly employed the PAP would be quick to grab credit. The fact that the numbers are not published can only reinforced our suspicion that more PRs than Citizens are employed.
Don’t forget it is a PAP = Pro Alien Party.
So many people have been sacrificed by the PAP while we slumbered over 50 years. It may be unbelief that this son of Singapore LKY could do us any harm. It may be the Asian mind to respect their leaders. It may be taboo. It may be a deep seated avoidance of a terrifying question: Has the PAP committed crimes against the Singapore citizenry over a period of 50 years? against individuals whom they locked up without trial on some pretext and others whom they destroyed and wasted by libel Laws wielded by compliant judges who bend over backwards for their masters.
Has the PAP done the above crimes so as to be the sole effective power in the country continuously, so as to be able to arrogate to themselves and their connected persons the role of managing the country’s wealth and enterprises at mind blowing remuneration, so that the Ministers here receive salaries as if they are on another planet?- a planet where Singapore is the top country. Just the thought is absurd but you have it now as calibrated by their current salaries.
If the answers to the above are Yes, then I suggest you make a complaint to the UN Human Rights Council. You can Google it, and follow the instructions to make your complaint. When there is a critical mass of the citizenry complaining then the UN may be persuaded to get the PAP to speak up on our accusations. Fifty years of criminal activities will be difficult to explain away in the face of the largesse they brought to an almost unchanging select group of elites.
The Committee to review the Ministerial Salaries is a big Conflict of Interest exercise like a lot of things the PAP does in Singapore. Each and every member has earned or is earning his or her keep through the Government as in Government- linked companies or Government work. Especially deleterious is the choice of the Lawyer from Allen and Gledhill. This is one of the firms that handled the libel cases of the PAP and out of this firm also arose a champion, our present Minister for Law. Can you tell me that a man from a firm who is fed so well by the PAP can be unbiased and that his interests does not conflict?
My fellow citizens, reject the Commitee. I suggest to use international business consutants to determine the Ministerial Salaries. Each political party including the Ruling Party can appoint one consultant and then we shall have the results from about 4 or 5 consultants which shall indicate the level of Ministerial salary for each Parliamentarian including the President. The average of the result sould give the actual salary payable to each office holder.
The PAP worships the foreign talent. In this crucial matter, I am sure that they cannot object to the appointment of international business consultants to determine the Ministerial Salaries- unless they want that conflict of interest lurking in each committee member to work positively for them.
“Saying that “six in 10 of the employees are “Singaporeans and permanent residents” could mean just one Singaporean and five PRs.”
And that one Singaporean COULD BE a new (3 mths to 3 yrs) citizen from either China, Malaysia, India or dangerous Manila who took the fast lane to success skipping NS and possibly on bond free no strings attached scholarship paid by daft Sgporeans. Pls tell me that is impossible, publish the immigration datas in full details.
Beware of the increased risk of corruption once the ministerial salaries are reduced! There was a UN investigation on the purchase of 100 new fighter planes by MOD which was suddenly abandoned without any reasons given.
Do we need so many planes especially when most of them would be stationed overseas, so far away that many would not arrive quick enough to protect our airspace if we are threatened?
@ Unrealistic
Are you sure that FT worked hard, did the shifts and gain the experience to get a manager position in all F&B and service business?
BULLSHIT!!!
I’m working in a six star hotel and I can tell you exactly what happen now in this Industrial. So, please don’t just write and confused others if you are not sure!
F&B and Service business employed mostly Foreigners especially Hotels in Singapore.
FT from where? Come to any of the hotel and you can have the answer if you are not BLIND!
@Citizen
The day we start flaming our own people is the day our country falls apart.
You visit SMEs? How do you visit SMEs? What kind of SMEs are you talking about? Hair saloon you mean? Food Court? Or you some kind of consultant.
Many SMEs in Singapore are trading companies. They are traditional and will hire locals first. If they can’t it is becoz they can no longer find locals to do the job! Just listen to talk-back on 93.8 LIVE and listen to what some of the employers have to say.
Also regarding the 40 issue, Gov pass a law to err “encourage” companies to remploy people after 55. I guess in that case the 40s are the “Sandwich” generation.
However I 100% agree with you that Gov objective cannot be just GDP growth. The current policies are skewed towards business owners but only a fraction of the benefits run down to the general poplulace.
Read through all the articles but i could not understand this – our country Foreign Policy is dictated by our Foreign Minister or the PM.
Who then dictate our Foreign Workers policy? should that minister or person be held accountable or even to enlighten us on the ‘facts’ of what had happened?
Accountability now, would probably stop less ‘ half- bake ideas or policy ‘ from surfacing in future.
many of the pap mp hold directorship in private companies.
there are conflict of interest-on one hand representing the citizen, on the other hand representing the companies shareholders.
in parliament sitting,these pap mp abuse their mp position by advocating for more FT and PR so they themselves can receive more fees and retain their directorship.
INSTEAD OF SERVING THE CITIZEN WHOLEHEARTED AND UNRESERVEDLY, THEY SERVE THEIR SELF INTEREST!!
THAT IS WHY THIS COUNTRY IS INFESTED OF FAKE TALENTS AND PERMANENT RUBBISH!
you know what?we have been taken for a ride,and make a fool by the PR,this is a real fact,i have many working friends in my line of works and there are many PRs,i used to be curious as to why they don want to become a citizen,so i ask them one day while we were chatting,oh my god,i am dumbfounded by what they had to say,they are mostly malaysians.They tell me,why would they want to be citizen when they have the best of both worlds,they make quite a tidy sum from their salary here,and they have force savings(CPF),which they collect when they decide to go back,in the mean time they invested in properties back home using the monies earn here,one of my friends told me she have 2 condos back home which she rented out,ow!!!plus a car,she also have a 5 room hdb flat in sg,she also told me that if things don work out here she can go back anytime she wishes,what a irony,we are fools are”nt we.Another tells me after working for 15 years she is ready to go back to kl for good,she will sell off her 5 room flat collect all her monies tatal about $600k,retire back home,and start a hairdressing buisiness,i don know what to say?Pity those singaporeans like me have to slog entire life at the end still no silver lining,better be a PR than being a citizen.