12/01/2012

When ‘resident’ is becoming a hideous word





A front page article in the ST today has a heading ‘Singapore residents’ employment rate up’. The article went on to provide figures on the employment rate of residents in various age group and how many oldies and housewives are returning to the job market. I combed through the article and found two words missing, as if it was a deliberate effort not to have them mentioned. Not a word was mentioned of Singaporeans and citizens. What does this mean or what implications are there when it is all about residents and not citizens or Singaporeans? After all the hue and cry over PRs being treated like citizens or getting better privileges than citizens, many new policies were churned out to differentiate the differences between being citizens and non citizens. The citizens were angry that they were taken for granted, like step children and being ill treated. Some of the measures have placated the emotional strain and the lesser economic and social opportunities caused by the presence of residents or primarily PRs.

From the content of the article written and the primacy of the term residents, what is the message? Is this a country where residents and citizens are indistinguishable, to be treated in the same light again? Why is there no mention of the word citizens in the whole article? Is there something about citizens that is unmentionable or unpleasant to be mentioned? Or is it that the people must not know the difference between citizens and residents, that statistics may tell the truth of a picture that the citizens may not be happy about?

The refrain from providing statistics about the welfare and well being of citizens, and the lumping of everything under the cover of ‘residents’ is screaming out loud a message louder than intended. By not saying it has the reverse effect of saying too much. There must be a difference between citizens and residents and in favour of citizens, not the other way. Check out the statistics dished out and figure out why citizens or Singaporeans were never identified separately. A country is primarily for its citizens and not residents only.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

To the PAP dog, citizen and PR are the same because they are both paying tax. They only interested on who is paying money and who is paying more. They only have $$$ in their eye.

Anonymous said...

i've given up on singapore. i admire your indefatigable spirit mr redbean.

Anonymous said...

Even if there is $100 trillion dollars in the Singapore Reserves;
Do you think the money will be used to better the lives of ordinary Singaporeans?

Vote Opposition.
To benefit yourself & your family.

Anonymous said...

Stil readin or listenin to the MSM

The said...

///‘Singapore residents’ employment rate up’. The article went on to provide figures on the employment rate of residents in various age group and how many oldies and housewives are returning to the job market. I combed through the article and found two words missing, as if it was a deliberate effort not to have them mentioned. Not a word was mentioned of Singaporeans and citizens.///

I think the answer is obvious. Without even having to look at the raw data (assuming they are publicly available in the first place), we can safely assume that employment rate for Singapore citizens is down and that for PRs is up. Hence this creative labeling - the MSM's usual trick of using such tactic to obsfucate and create that "feel good" factor.

Shiok sendiri...

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

The idea of "cuntry" is becoming less significant. As is the idea of "citizen" because people are incredibly nomadic these days, many reside in territories other than their own places of birth.

So using the term "residents" is apt.

Anyway the mix of Singapore society is changing. As is the culture. In 10-20 years most of the whining dead-shits you find on blogs like this would have died off, or fucked off...taking their imbecility, lack of motivation, victimhood-entitlement-mentality, bad manners and hopeless comunication skills, and most importantly their poisonous, negative baggage... taken all of this with them. Then the genetic stock of Singapore society would be extremely DIVERSE and ROBUST.

I don't approve of social engineering, but it is happening and there is no stopping it.

Anonymous said...

Vote Opposition.
If you want a transparent breakdown of Singapore Residents into citizens and PRs.

Anonymous said...

Many things are supposed to be upfront and above board, but many things are also just conveniently swept under the carpet and unmentionable under threat of persecution by the law, hoping that it will just go away.

The strike by Chinese bus drivers recently is just a start of what is to come if we just continue to depend that much on foreigners. Why do these foreigners care since they are just on two year contracts? They have no roots here, no sense of belonging, no caring two hoots what happens to this rock.

Many other problems are just simmering underneath, though all appear calm on the surface just because people are forbidden to talk about them. For how long can they keep the lid on is anybody's guess.

virgo49 said...


Now on flights landed at changi airport, you hear the announcements by the flight stewardess or capitains saying "welcome back Singapore residents" no more citizens.


Anonymous said...

This is the modus operandi of the Govt and its compliant MSMs in delivering the news if it doesn't look good
They give you the goods news that employment is up.
The hide the bad news that jobs created are mainly taken by the PRs.
Now we know why citizens are going to the social media for the 'complete news' and cirulation of the MSMs falling