9/06/2008

The numbers are numbing

A recent indication of the scope of the dilemma was the rising number of Singaporeans who asked for a document needed to apply for permanent residency overseas. It has exceeded 1,000 a month to reach 12,707 last year from 4,996 in 1998, or a rise of 170% over 10 years, said Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng. These people, over the age of 16, could be leaving for good, but they also included students and businessmen, who may eventually return. In 10 years, they totalled 97,990 Singaporeans (a far greater number if children were included).... By Seah Chiang Nee in the Star online News on Sep 06. These numbers are worrying to some but not to everyone. The more they leave, the more we replaced them with new citizens. What is the problem? Our intake is so big that we have a net gain. Good riddance. This a statement of truth. Singapore is just a social political construct. The citizens are just people given a piece of paper. If all the Singaporeans leaves Singapore, they can be easily replaced by more new Singaporeans. It is a non issue. So no need to cry over spilled milk. And for those who have been saying, if you are not happy here, please leave. I must admit that they have a point. I can read the message clearly. This is the Singapore that I have created. And this is the way it is. You like it, good. If you don't like it, also good. Just go.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

It would be interesting to know the voting patterns of these new citizens. But...silly me!

Anonymous said...

Hormone replacement therapy keeps the body forever young by adding new vitality to the system. As long as the outgoing is less than the incoming, and we keep importing young studs to solve our ageing population, I dont see why this should be numbing.

Anonymous said...

Renewal of the population is a good thing. I do not see the problem. As long as the newcomers are loyal, can contribute to the state and vote for PAP, things will work out for the better. Those who leave are probably those who cannot stand the heat and the competition. If so then they are no great loss. If the newcomers ae better than the quitters, we are gaining. That is the painful truth, like it or not.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, in the rebalancing process, must make sure our young ones are not exported elsewhere with the oldies. Keep them engaged, allow them open spaces, give them the perception of freedom and fulfillment. Look after these assets well.

Anonymous said...

The problem is those leaving are really well educated and seasoned professionals - real talent. Those coming in are 2nd or 3rd rated who can't make it to other 1st world countries. In short, incoming talents are of inferior quality and they can't match or replace those outgoing talents. Singapore is losing in the talent game - not in quantity but quality.

Anonymous said...

To anon 7.18

Please do not be ridiculous. Singapore quitters are those that are inferior. They go because they cannot make it in Singapore. Those incoming talents are top of the range and very capable and good for the country. Just say thank you and be grateful that FTs come to your pathetic island to help you become a first world country!!

Anonymous said...

"You like it, good. If you don't like it, also good. Just go..

Good riddance.."

beano's words of wisdom in quote.

Anonymous said...

anon 7:55 PM

Haha, S'pore "inferior" talents can make it to 1st world countries in North America, Western Europe and australia while Fallen Trash losers who can't get a job back home comes to S'pore.

Anonymous said...

What we have here so far, from my encounters are mainly hankerchiefs covered roughnecks on scooters from the likes of skudai and taman university johore, hotel trainees from chongqing, stragglers from the mekong basin.. they may not be the top of the range but they are not inferior to our boys either. These are capable and talented workers, that's where they got the name anyway.

Anonymous said...

anon 7:55 PM

If S'pore is a pathetic island, why come? The answer is simple - Fallen Trash can't make it to any other 1st world countries.

Anonymous said...

When uncle sam's money printing business runs out of paper in a short while, container loads of fabangs clutching ivy leagues cvs could be sailing here to hunt for sweet work. For that top of the range, the best is yet to be.

Anonymous said...

Waiting eagerly for uncle sam to go out of business.

Anonymous said...

anon 10:02 PM

If these fabangs clutching ivy leagues cvs are any good, they wouldn't be losing their jobs, would they?

Anonymous said...

Talent is an abused word. Terribly abused by our supertalent - anyone coming to red dot is a talent. If local talents leaving can make it to other 1st world countries while incoming talents can't, what does it say about the quality of incoming talent?

Anonymous said...

We have become a registry organisation. That all..say no more.. Have you seen those falang woman aged? Wonder how to stay erect. What can you do when the falang wives bring more falang to add to their numbers. Our many VIP married falang. Soon SIN will marry more falang. might as well let falang control SIN . That will be the day when our loyal sayers will be holidaying in Switzerland.Money taken out of SIN. This is my scenario of what you call numbling.

Anonymous said...

VIP had been giving jobs to falang outside SIN.. what to do when our VIP married falang wives.. They need to create opportunities for half outside families to show they care too for their falang wives. Our many overseas student will return with their falang halves. This was the vision..

Those poorer Indian construction workers and China kopi girls are no threats. It is the falang controlling our economy and holding positions of power. Noticed they kept to their own bars while you asking them to integrate.

Anonymous said...

anon 10:33

I dun know about that. I do know that you could be fired too if our economy falters that badly.

Use your blain my dear.

Anonymous said...

anon 1:09 AM

I see you have no blain either. You think the world would let the US drown?

Anonymous said...

dear noblainer 1:09 AM

If they are any good, they wouldn't be looking for a job. They would be CREATING jobs.

Anonymous said...

i will wait and see who next us president is. It could be a revealation. I sincerely hope not . ItS aCrazy World.

Anonymous said...

anon 2.41, 2.53 AM

I dun know about that. I do know you are speculating widely and not focussed with your tots.

I reckon, that may be becos your brain is stucked somewhere between your ding dong balls.

Go see a doctor pal ;)

Anonymous said...

Two interesting points brought up above:

As long as the newcomers are LOYAL, can contribute to the STATE and VOTE for PAP.

If they are any good they wouldn't be looking for a job. They would be CREATING jobs.

Well said.

Anonymous said...

anon 4:04 AM

I see you know nothing. Enough said.

Anonymous said...

You like it, good. If you don't like it, also good. Just go.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

hi guys and gals,

i was out whole day so could not post anything today. but you people are having a great discussion going.

there are many levels of talents coming onto our shores. there are the very rich and successful. there are the second and third rate talents that we idolised like gods.

then you have the inbetween that are nothing better than our locals but competing with us in every little jobs and getting them by cheaper pay and easier to manage.

at the lower end you have the workers. these are needed to fill a vacuum, jobs that singaporeans did not want to do.

most singaporeans would not have any problem with the very rich and successful. for the second and third rate, not too bad until they misfired and we found ourselves having duds and paying them millions, even golden parachutes to let them go.

the lowest level, the workers are a problem only because there are too many of them around and turning what we have built into something else. and in numbers, they could become real problems and threats to our social security. ok, many of them are decent workers. you only need 1% of that mass of humanity to turn bad and we have a hand full of trouble.

the in between groups is, i think, the most threatening as they are non talents but taking away jobs from our children.

and we can make everyone of them a singaporean by issuing them the pink ic. and they will fight with us for every right a citizen has.

do we want to be selective and go for quality?

Anonymous said...

and we can make everyone of them a singaporean by issuing them the pink ic. and they will fight with us for every right a citizen has.

No need for that. Already one PR is arguing in the press for that. Apparently that PR, who did not see it necessary to take up local citizenship, wanted everything that the locals are entitled to, the rights to purchase resale flats and subsidised medical benefits for example, except the right to vote, while retaining the benefits in his own country. Which meant the best of two countries for him, a priviledge that we locals dun even have. Fierce hah?

Anonymous said...

"the in between groups is, i think, the most threatening as they are non talents but taking away jobs from our children.

and we can make everyone of them a singaporean by issuing them the pink ic. and they will fight with us for every right a citizen has."

Right average Joes.

What about national service our children(sons) have to serve.

Be very selective keep the ESSENTIAL Workers ONLY, NONessential kick them out.

Contract the work to keep the Joes on toes ... no ic, blue or pink they must earn it... not free gift.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

ya right. make them all singaporeans. i have just posted something along this line in 'sizzling debate.'

Anonymous said...

From 2000 census, born and bred S'poreans numbered 2.6 million. Since S'poreans are not reproducing themselves, in 2007, born and bred S'poreans numbered at most 2.6 million and with a total population of 4.7 million, born and bred S'porean account for only 55% of the total population. Comes 2010, born and bred S'poreans could become the minority.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

do we have a choice? oh they are asking for feedback!

after all these years, nobody bothers to tell them anything or they simply refused to listen?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

As one who has been consistently encouraging S'poreans to forsake their country — which once belonged to them — I must say I am pleased with the reported statistics.

The propagandists of the PAP like to highlight the "failed emigres" for the purpose of scaring would-be "individualists" out of the idea of "quitting" the country of their birth.

Another tactic is to make "quitters" feel "guilty" for abandoning their fellow Singaporeans. It would be wise to bear this in mind when one is considering emigrating — don't fall for these lame-ass attempts at trying to manipulate your mind.

In fact, it is wise to treat everything which comes out from the mouth of the government (or anyone who is a government ball-licker) as TOTAL BULLSHIT, and find the answers for yourself instead of being told what they are, how to be, how to behave, how to think, how to vote ad naseum.

BTW, not everyone succeeds in every endeavour they choose, but as a broad generalisation, ex-S'poreans do alright in their new homes.

For that, and in my own experience, I'll have to thank the PAP. IMO if you can survive the BULLSHIT that they feed you from the time you are born, decide for yourself how your life is to be, and then go and do what is necessary...then that alone will prepare you for flipping the bird to the State of Singapore.

To all those who are going to leave, or are considering it, best of luck. May you succeed.

Anonymous said...

'After all these years, nobody bothers to tell them anything or they simply refused to listen'

Simply put, they listen only to what they like to hear, not otherwise. And those things that they do not want to hear, well, Singaporeans do not hear them either because they never see the light of day, or should I say 'hear' the light of day. It is different now. This is not the good old days of the slanted old media.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

one thing that i have been suggesting all these while. sell the whole island, lock, stock and barrel to the highest bidder. we are prime land. can definitely fetch a good price. then share the loot and everyone can migrate to australia to start life again.

those who want to stay can stay as well, as prs, if the next owner is generous enough to welcome them to stay on.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

You can't sell what you don't own.

Since S'poreans no longer own their country, any sale of the island will bring sweet fuck-all benefit to the average Joe and Jane.

The only people to benefit from such a sale are the elite tax-eating class.

Therefore the best bet is still to emigrate, and use S'pore as a tax-haven, quan-xi hub, and a place to come and enjoy makan, boozing, sarong-party gals -- and now the F1 Grand Prix and soon the casinos.

This is to me the wisest of choices: enjoy that which you can choose and have some control over, and disregard and dissociate from that which you cannot — i.e. The State.