LKY say we need more foreigners

[Sosaria]

It is real talent that we need in this country, and we welcome real talents.

 

Not all foreigners are talents. They open the floodgate wide and did not do a good job during the screening process.

Look at our local university, there are so many foreign PhD students and research personnel who speak and write English as though they had not passed the primary school English exams. It is so embarrassing. Do I have to specifically mention where do they come from?

 

Exactly. A friend working at local univ just laughed at me the other day when I mentioned my fear of delving into PhD studies - because of worry about being unable to write/publish any research work of real value.

 

He told me that there are boat-loads of these people who can't speak or write English well - and they are so daring as to go into PhD studies (very likely fully sponsored by our taxes, mind you), and further on into research careers... and they can survive the "publish-or-perish" lifestyle - though their English is like non-existent, so why should I fear?

 

Then again, let's be reminded that they were able to launch manned space missions with that standard of English, so...

[Albeniz]

Exactly. A friend working at local univ just laughed at me the other day when I mentioned my fear of delving into PhD studies - because of worry about being unable to write/publish any research work of real value.

 

He told me that there are boat-loads of these people who can't speak or write English well - and they are so daring as to go into PhD studies (very likely fully sponsored by our taxes, mind you), and further on into research careers... and they can survive the "publish-or-perish" lifestyle - though their English is like non-existent, so why should I fear?

 

Then again, let's be reminded that they were able to launch manned space missions with that standard of English, so...

 

Not to worry, my friend. Judging from the standard of postings you have contributed in MCF over these few years, you can easily qualify to be their mentor, really. Not to mention merely pursuing a PhD study.

 

I am very sure you can.

Edited September 29, 2012 by Albeniz

[Zanter]

Is your company in manufacturing, then your boss should seriously consider moving the factory elsewhere and keep only sales, admin and logistics in Singapore. In 1989, when LKY was still the PM, supporting industries are encouraged to move out under the Growth Triangle. If Singapore has not make the move that time, the disk drive industry would have probably wipe out overnight in mid 90s due to cost.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia%E2%...Growth_Triangle

 

I think we have to thank the foresight of our leaders at that time. It is kind of strange that after 20 years, now we want to keep everything in Singapore so that we have a good report card (GDP) for the world to see.

 

 

Yes this is a possibility. Most of the factory supervisors, managers, engineering and maintenance support staff which are locals approx 200 pax will lose their jobs. The support staff like admins, accounts, logistics, IT comprising approx 100-150 pax will cut. Sales staff head count be reduced. Management will not be spared for sure cos there is no sense in having duplicate positions in Malaysia & SG.

 

Ours is a home grown industry and we have survived many recessions but like many SME's it is not easy to survive with the double whammy of high cost structure and restricted manpower issues. It is no doubt we have to rely on foreign workers as the locals are not prepared to work the shift and long hours, but the result is that it generates employment for 3-4x the number of locals, which will be lost when our factory decommissions. So for us its not a question of showing a good report card but survival. For the bosses, they will move where the conditions are favorable. I guess the point is that its not easy to see beyond your own difficulties like see too many foreigner crowding the mall or blaming foreigners for increases of property price or competing for your job. Its all me, myself and I these days. Other people lost their jobs is their problem right?

[JazzaTeo]

Hmm... shouldn't he say we need more Singaporeans first before foreigners...?

[Alpha78]

Yes this is a possibility. Most of the factory supervisors, managers, engineering and maintenance support staff which are locals approx 200 pax will lose their jobs. The support staff like admins, accounts, logistics, IT comprising approx 100-150 pax will cut. Sales staff head count be reduced. Management will not be spared for sure cos there is no sense in having duplicate positions in Malaysia & SG.

 

Ours is a home grown industry and we have survived many recessions but like many SME's it is not easy to survive with the double whammy of high cost structure and restricted manpower issues. It is no doubt we have to rely on foreign workers as the locals are not prepared to work the shift and long hours, but the result is that it generates employment for 3-4x the number of locals, which will be lost when our factory decommissions. So for us its not a question of showing a good report card but survival. For the bosses, they will move where the conditions are favorable. I guess the point is that its not easy to see beyond your own difficulties like see too many foreigner crowding the mall or blaming foreigners for increases of property price or competing for your job. Its all me, myself and I these days. Other people lost their jobs is their problem right?

 

The equilibrium is starting to shift. I am hearing of foreign PMETs who have quit and decided to go home, simply because the "Singapore Dream" is not panning out like what they thought, where earning a strong currency and sending money home, while having a more competitive wage than locals. To them, the cost of living is so high, they aren't able to send much money home at all.

 

As long as businesses are addicted to cheap labour, while cost of living escalates, affecting locals and foreigners alike, the "cheap FT" pool will start to shrink.

[Windwaver]

Oh, and lastly but very importantly, we have a proper structure regulating levy attracting foreign workers, and few of them are genuinely competing with Singaporeans. Levy attracting foreign workers do not buy cars or flats. They dont have kids here. They dont drive up a lot of costs of living. In fact, they reduce it.

 

It is the EP level foreign "talents" who will buy flats/condos and cars. This is the strata that expanded the most since 2007. They dont contribute CPF and does not attract levy.

 

Well said but I guess our top brains should know right?

[Windwaver]

The equilibrium is starting to shift. I am hearing of foreign PMETs who have quit and decided to go home, simply because the "Singapore Dream" is not panning out like what they thought, where earning a strong currency and sending money home, while having a more competitive wage than locals. To them, the cost of living is so high, they aren't able to send much money home at all.

 

As long as businesses are addicted to cheap labour, while cost of living escalates, affecting locals and foreigners alike, the "cheap FT" pool will start to shrink.

 

Good. I suppose "their dream" comes at an expense of all fellow Singapore brothers and sisters

[Scion]

latest population figures are out : 5,312,400 of which 3,818,200 are residents

 

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/themes/pe.../hist/popn.html

 

 

RESIDENTS, not citizens

 

Singaporeans (including new citizens) are 3.2m+

[Zanter]

Good. I suppose "their dream" comes at an expense of all fellow Singapore brothers and sisters

 

The are two ways of looking at things. The short sighted way, which is simply "I lose out" or larger perspective which is as a multi-national organization, you can set up business in many Countries. Some countries offer tax incentives, reasonable cost structure and educated manpower base. You also want to bring in key personnel so that your culture and ideas are imported and don't wish to be restricted in your choice of talent in running your organization.

 

Lucas Arts will not be able to open their studio here if they are told they can only use local talents as really in this field there are very few people here if any able to do specialized type of animation work in SG. So if everybody think that foreigners are not welcomed then the local employees of Lucas Arts will never have been employed and the trickle down effect of their industry eg computers required for these animations and support staff etc , will not exist. So the local programmer in Lucas Arts who complain why so many FTs in his company and angry he got overlooked for a promotion in place of a foreigner is really shooting his own foot, I'd say.

[Tom_kkh]

Lucas Arts will not be able to open their studio here if they are told they can only use local talents as really in this field there are very few people here if any able to do specialized type of animation work in SG.

 

this statement is so true

 

just watching all the local movie production's special effects can vomit blood

[Acemundo]

latest population figures are out : 5,312,400 of which 3,818,200 are residents

 

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/themes/pe.../hist/popn.html

 

today is my boy's first day at infant care center. they keep the 5 newcomers together seperate from others. guess what?

 

among the 5 newcomers, 3 are from prc (judging from the accent of their mother). coincidental or telling of the immigration policy our govt has in place?

[Tom_kkh]

today is my boy's first day at infant care center. they keep the 5 newcomers together seperate from others. guess what?

 

among the 5 newcomers, 3 are from prc (judging from the accent of their mother). coincidental or telling of the immigration policy our govt has in place?

 

maybe papa is singaporean lei....

 

in a few more years, we shall see more viet kids with sing papa.

[Acemundo]

maybe papa is singaporean lei....

 

in a few more years, we shall see more viet kids with sing papa.

 

i know there is such possiblity. but are there lots of singaporean men marrying PRC women? not that many i know of. most singaporean men marry malaysian, viet ladies ladies. to have three prc mum parenting the new infants enrol there somehow struck me as telling on the wave of prc coming in.

 

 

[13177]

today is my boy's first day at infant care center. they keep the 5 newcomers together seperate from others. guess what?

 

among the 5 newcomers, 3 are from prc (judging from the accent of their mother). coincidental or telling of the immigration policy our govt has in place?

Nowadays it will be funny and like strike TOTO if you see s'porean. Like some people have mentioned before, s'poreans have become the minority people here.

[Nightkids]

today is my boy's first day at infant care center. they keep the 5 newcomers together seperate from others. guess what?

 

among the 5 newcomers, 3 are from prc (judging from the accent of their mother). coincidental or telling of the immigration policy our govt has in place?

 

 

5 toddlers, 3 prc, 1 in singaporean whom is your boy boy.....another one? pinoy, indian or wat?

 

 

 

[Acemundo]

Nowadays it will be funny and like strike TOTO if you see s'porean. Like some people have mentioned before, s'poreans have become the minority people here.

on paper singaporean still majority as our govt will say. because in their statistics singaporeans include those prc, malaysia born that have already taken up singapore citizenship. they can change their citizenship but not their accent.

 

that's why for the case i mention, i not surprised if the boys' father are already citizen but quite likely they were prc until recently.

[Acemundo]

another one sounds singaproean enough but of course we can't be sure.

 

so likely 2 singaporeans vs 3 prcs

[Kyrios]

Nearly choked on my dinner when I read the newspapers....latest MOM statistics show that out of 10 jobs..only 4 went to locals...6 went to foreigners...

 

And for 'locals' also did not clarify whether it was citizen, newly converted citizens or PRs...Does that mean after bringing in truckloads of foreigners over the years maybe only 2 or 3 jobs go to natural citizens?