5/24/2013

The vehemence against Tan Chuan Jin


I was greatly encouraged by Chuan Jin’s talk of taking more measures against companies discriminating Singaporeans in employment. Arrrggghhh, everytime I write these few words, discriminating Singaporeans in Singapore by foreigners or PRs or new citizens, I cannot tahan.  It is so sick, baloney! And when Chuan Jin made his speech on further actions in tackling this uniquely sick Singaporean disease, I thought it is appropriate to say something to encourage him, short of offering him a Nobel Peace Prize first like they did to Obama hoping that he would bring peace instead of indulging the Americans in more wars.

I have no doubt that Chuan Jin is serious about protecting the interest and jobs for Singaporeans. He has just stripped off his uniform and removed a hat from a position that breathes Country, Nation and People. The interest of nation and people must still be vivid in his mind and vocabulary and thinking. He has a huge task ahead of him. I may say the critics are right to say and ask who created this shit and allowed the shit to pile up. And that it is just another wayang to clear the shit and to take credit for it.

I can also understand the anger, the cynicism and the pain of those adversely affected by this discrimination policy that has been allowed to flourish in our midst. Oh sure, it is not a govt sanction policy. It is an unwritten policy, a covert practice, or in some cases, blatant discriminatory practice against Singaporeans in a state like there is no govt. They are spiking the Singaporeans as if they are protected by gods and nothing will happen to them. Maybe the whistle blowers will get the stick instead.

This reminds me of the poor Taiwanese fishermen that were constantly being harassed, robbed, and killed by the Pinoy coast guards and there was no Taiwanese govt out there to protect them. Today the Taiwanese govt of Ma Ying Jiu is putting on a show but the show of force has quickly died down just as fast as it blew up. Two semi colonies bickering, and the Emperor said, stop it, and they dismissively cool down and walk away.

But no, I believe Chuan Jin is not walking away from this problem. It is too big and too obvious and wayanging or walking away will do him and his party real bad. I am not sure about the Govt, but I think Chuan Jin would want to do something good for the Singaporeans under his watch as Minister in MOM. The vehemence against him in social media may be too hasty, too unyielding and unjustified. The Singaporeans must give Chuan Jin some time. This problem has been created over many years and cannot be resolved over two nights. It is not gangrene of the leg where one could just saw it off. It is like lymphoma of the blood, spreading all over the body.

While the social media and the bloggers can hold down their criticisms and harsh remarks, Chuan Jin could help himself by showing some quick results to soothe the nerves. Do something immediate, take some of the culprits to task and show the people that he is moving in the right direction, and more will follow. Make an example like killing chicken to frighten monkeys and blow it up in the media. The main media will have a lot of opportunities to say something good, and seen to do something good for the people as well. I am sure the reporters, journalists and editors will welcome the green light to write about positive actions by MOM to contain the plague that is spreading across the island.

Criticising and condemning Chuan Jin at this point in time is premature and unfair and may hurt him and discourage him from doing more.

‘Relax, say the night man. You can check out any time you like, but you just cannot leave.’ Courtesy of the Eagles.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

The first thing daft Sinkies must realise is that the PAP govt wants to encourage foreign talents and investors to come here because there is simply not enough of Sinkies, talented or not, in order to grow the economy and GDP.

Now, this is the difficult part for Tan Chuan Jin.

How to balance this want of more foreign talents and also at the same time protecting some Sinkies whose jobs may have been unfairly displaced by these foreign talents, some of which are even dubious?

Put bluntly, more and rapid economic growth with more foreign talents, or much less growth by protecting Sinkie interest and talents?

If I were Tan Chuan Jin, of course I will for a start just do some PR exercise to placate Sinkies, like saying action will be taken against job discrimination against Sinkies, and may even include legislation, etc,etc.

But what can be enforceable or actually happen on the ground and make things right is another matter. In fact I am not too worried about that.

Why? As long as WP remain the best opposition in Singapore. This is something which not many Sinkies realise is the reason why PAP can continue to win election after election, never mind losing one or 2 by elections.





Anonymous said...

Well, who control the supply of the employment pass, the s pass and the work permit...or who allows the foreigner to have the permit to work...who ....MOM....and headed by who....So dont talk nicely..just DO IT..ER...what do you think muh..

Anonymous said...

Wp IS JUST Wayanging lah...No action but just try to talk their way out..

Anonymous said...

Anon 11.50am and others are presuming that WP is the best opposition that we have. We will never know. Neither will we know if WP can rise to the occasion as it has when it won a GRC, despite all the PAP efforts to try and trip it up.

Unfortunately, out of the fear that permeates this country, Sporeans have not bothered to give any other opposition a chance - not even as MP; let's not talk of running the govt!

But...but will they do a good job, we ask? They have no experience.

The problem is the current ruling party is not doing a good job - despite all it's so-called years of experience!! All it's years as government!

So what are we actually talking about? We won't vote other parties in because they have no experience and they can't get this experience unless we vote them in.

Looks like Sporeans really do need the spurs dug into them - through even more lousy policies that make our lives harder from the experienced people in govt.

Maybe then, Sporeans will find the guts to VOTE THEM OUT, instead of whining online and sneering at others like Malaysians and Filippinos who dare do what we don't! Meanwhile, we'll continue as a bunch of complaining cowards.

As for Tan Chuan-jin's being open to anti-discrimination laws - yah yah, sure, sure. Pass them, then we talk. And if they do really get passed, the moon will turn green!

patriot said...

Redbean appears to have a soft spot or liking for Tan Chuan Jin.
Maybe he knows the Ex general or find him likeable.

However, one common characteristic of Cabinet Members in Sin is their abilities to make their millions in Sin Dollars by just talking. They all sound sweet, affable and sometimes funny, but what are the Results of akk those talks? Did our livings become good and better?

Singaporeans are very afraid of offers of helps from the Government. They have experienced and tasted the consequence of past aids. The more helps given, the more aids are needed and the Vicious Cycle gets larger and more vicious. It would be much better if the Government concentrates on maintaining Law and Order and the Social Developments in Education and Cultural Areas.

The Government should leave the Commercial Sector to the enterpreneurs and businessmen. It should oversee that transactions are scrupulous and ethical and all malpractices are avoided or punished. This is fundamentally part of Law and Order Administration.

Our Ministers got to yep less and let their actions speak for themselves. Lots ot empty sweet lip services are putting off the People. Fatigue has set in and many even get annoyed with their frequent appearances hogging over all the State Media.

patriot

Anonymous said...

Dear rb
It's all wayang.

What part of Platitudes And Pontifications in PAP don't you understand?

agongkia said...

You never give up any opportunity to claim President Ma Ying Jiu is putting up a show to the Taiwanese huh?I think you have discrimination.

And dun keep thinking Sinkies are discriminated and measures need to be taken.
Any company HR ,less those without brain will discriminate their staff.The shortage of Sinkie talent here make it impossible.
Contrary,Sinkies like to discriminate against local companies and complaint about discrimination when they are counselled for not meeting up the standard or cry race discrimination when they are not offered the job.The list goes on.

Chuan Jin is trying to tell everyone that discrimination will not be tolerated.As a leader,it make sense to say that.If fact anyone can and will say that.

Sinkies,do not cry discrimination like a small baby.No one owes one a living.The door is always open.

Anonymous said...

Agongkia, door is always open? U are not asking sinkies to leave right? Knn

Anonymous said...


Wayang, wayang...

just look at the headers in the news report "....stop job discrimination" they didn't even want to say it as it is "stop job discrimination against Singaporeans". Why ? so then it won't "alarm" anyone : Singapoeans who are sleeping won't be alarmed; foreigners also won't feel hurt. Just say "job discrimination" can mean don't discriminate anyone right ? foreigners or singaporeans same same. When you read into the write-up, your blood boil. It is so obvious that the writer doesn't want to offend foreigners. Gently gently don't hurt them..

If you think of who are the journalists in ST and all the media now, how many are real singaporeans ? you would understand we are already being invaded. who will really stand up and speak up for real singaporeans ? name me one. I can't think of any so far.

Anonymous said...

Already PRs selling their HDB flats to migrate. Locals will be the one again being screwed and to clear the shits created by the current party. How many times already?

People must learn to stop trusting and voting for a party that is never capable of providing affordable housing and good transport, healthcare, education, jobs after 50 years in power. I rate them a big "F".

Anonymous said...

There is talk now in Singapore of enacting anti-discrimination laws to protect Singaporean workers from hiring practices which favour foreigners. Anecdotes circulate about how Filipinos or Indian Nationals in HR, for example, take advantage of their positions to recruit more of their own countrymen. These calls are not new. Except that in the past the concern was over ads which specifically asked for employees who could communicate in Mandarin. And yet the excuse given then was that it was difficult to regulate such employment practices, or that these were justified when the company had 'business dealings with China'.

And yet imagine the outcry if there were job ads asking for those proficient in Hindi, or Tagalog, even if companies had business dealings with India or the Philippines. Jollibee, which advertised for 'Jollibee fans' to send in their CV's, was accused of a 'Pinoys-first' hiring policy and was the target of a boycott. So here's what it looks like to me: anti-discrimination laws are given serious consideration when they affect a certain group, but ignored and dismissed when they affect others (non-Chinese Singaporeans). Which, sadly, sounds like double standards, and yes, on its own, a form of discrimination.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

>> Chuan Jin’s talk of taking more measures against companies discriminating Singaporeans in employment.

Discrimination on the basis of race/ nationality is very hard to prove.

In reality, you make the situation WORSE if govt measures are introduced.

>> positive actions by MOM to contain the plague that is spreading across the island.

Please lah, you are exaggerating. It is not a "plague".

In reality there is nothing which can be done -- the govt themselves are one of the biggest contractors/ employers of foreign labour.

Just leave the bloggers alone to bitch on the internet.

convexset said...

This article comes a year too late. It would have been valid then, but the same problems were present and known of a year ago. Nothing has been done yet.

Why is it that only when the PAP feels a threat to its ricebowl that PAP ministers act?

I too have some "connection" with Tan Chuan Jin. I thought very well of him when he started. But as time passes, I see him more as one of those devious corporate ladder climbers who have mastered the art of having an appropriate face for everything.

Anonymous said...

The government bodies and the gov controlled companies are the ones actually practising all these discrimination. Hiring foreigners or outsourcing jobs to companies that hire foreigners. Just quiz any TH owned companies. This TCJinx is telling a big fat lie.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@353:

>> This TCJinx is telling a big fat lie.

I don't think so. I think he is speaking his mind and his heart.

It's ok to disagree with your colleagues or to point out why they are wrong, or to call them out because your own moral principles don't accord with their policies.

One should not go to "conspiracy theory" immediately just because it is the government or one of their employees.

This aspect of Singaporean culture-originated thinking needs to change, but if it does it won't be anytime soon. It is human nature to prejudge especially if the other party is "out group" i.e. a member of the group to which you harbour a neurotic hatred ;-)

This is the kind of thinking which leads to stereotypes -- we are pattern-seeking bipedal monkeys who wear shoes, whose brains "make stuff up" to confirm our beliefs (which more often than not have no basis in reality). These are cognitive biases.

The tendency to create "patterns" or "evidence" out of the noise in the data is also very much part of human nature. So we immediately conclude, judging from one, two or a few personal encounters (i.e. a very small data set) for example: Indians are are certain way, Chinese are another way, Malays are such and such, foreigners are , America is evil, women who wear short skirts are sluts, guys who drive Ferraris are assholes; and so on.

Of course you have to make judgements, in fact you don't have a choice: you will judge whether you are aware of the process or not. The point then should be to make better judgements by using methods where you can "back track" to find out how you were right -- which is rare, but more importantly why you were wrong -- which is often the case.

Virgo 49 said...

Right bro, Singaporeans scared to ubah!!!

Want status quo thinking do not want to rock the boat and disrupt their lives even it is not ideal

last GE 2012, one opportunity lost when
presented with a group of credible opposition candidates.

See the shit we are having now. If only at least half of the opposition are in parliament, these policies would not be stuffed into our throats

Anonymous said...

If a person does not Entirely reject something, it means he is MUCH more AGAINST than for it. In fact, he can be 99.9% Against it. This leaves a 0.1% sliver of his being for it. If he is 0.1% for it, he is Not Entirely Against...

Still got hope for anti-discrimination laws? If you do, Plse, go take English lessons!

Anonymous said...

ST Forum 25May

[Why HDB should manage town councils]

Paul Chan Poh Hoi


"There are flaws in having MPs run town councils through managing agents.

In reality, MPs are part-time bosses.

Residents have no say and are unable to sack incompetent managing agents.

Unless the MP works full time to direct the day-to-day town council business,
it remains just an expensive outsourcing exercise
and the essence of intimate interactions with voters is lost.

It is also impossible to maintain neutrality and be non-partisan
if MPs are the bosses of town councils.

When it comes to the awarding of multimillion dollar contracts,
how will participating vendors who are party members, grassroots leaders, supporters and friends be differentiated?"


http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/why-hdb-should-manage-town-councils-20130525

Anonymous said...

@ May 25, 2013 3:52 am
Good point bro.

I'm an Opposition supporter.
And I'm not entirely against PAP either.

Anonymous said...

Voices, TODAYonline 25May

[Reveal the actual cost of public housing]

from Raymond Ng


"I recently participated in a session of Our Singapore Conversation on housing,
where questions on cost of the construction of public housing, as well as its pricing, were raised.

Regulators must be mindful that how much Singaporeans spend on public housing has a systemic impact
on how much they have left for their children, professional development, starting a business and retirement."


http://www.todayonline.com/voices/reveal-actual-cost-public-housing

Anonymous said...

Voices, TODAYonline 25May

[Can we keep up with constant hikes in insurance premiums?]

from John Teo


"Recently, I got a rude shock from my insurer when it sent me a letter regarding the adjustment of my family’s health insurance premiums.

My wife’s premium will go up by 60 per cent
and my two children’s premiums will shoot up 57 per cent.

My premium will increase by 67.5 per cent this year
and, next year, when I reach the next age bracket, it will increase 136 per cent from the present amount.

Such rates of increase make me wonder about the health costs my children will face when they become independent adults.

Perhaps this is another one reason some people hold negative views of having children."


http://www.todayonline.com/voices/can-we-keep-constant-hikes-insurance-premiums

Anonymous said...

Ng Kok Lim's latest

[No problem with welfare states]


"I refer to the 21 May 2013 Straits Times letter
'The problem with welfare states' by Mr Tan Keng Soon [1].

Mr Tan was not making an apple to apple comparison
when he compared Singapore’s tax and govt spending with those of Western democracies and Japan...

Finally, although Singapore has lower taxes,
Singaporeans pay the govt a lot more in many other ways through housing, COE, ERP and so on.


http://trulysingapore.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/no-problem-with-welfare-states/

Anonymous said...

Seah Chiang Nee's Saturday column

[Too many graduates]


"A NUMBER of political leaders have appealed to Singaporeans not to place too much faith on university degrees
in an apparent effort to manage public expectations.

This is the clearest sign yet
that the authorities are expecting a sustained period of relatively low economic growth and slower employment opportunities.

Singaporeans, especially parents, who have long regarded the university degree as a key to a good life
will likely be shocked.

It has also thrown more light on a baffling revelation
made earlier by a senior Education Ministry official to American diplomats.

This revelation was that
the global economy embraced by Singapore has made it much less conducive for over-educated societies.

Having a large number of graduates, once thought crucial for Singapore’s prosperity,
is now considered not conducive to the changing manpower market, at least in Singapore.

However, none of the political leaders – the PM and 3 ministers –
has mentioned another reason for the excess of graduates –
the mass intake of foreigners."


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/5/25/focus/13152861&sec

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi convexset, welcome to the blog.

When one is in politics, there is party interest to think of. There will be conflicting forces demanding the conscience of a politician. Here comes the test in the integrity of a man, can one be one's own man when the bigger interest of the nation calls for an override over petty party interest?

There are times when righteousness and national interest demand that a man must make his stand, to go against the flow, against party interest and policies.

Anonymous said...

Is this meant to be a joke?

Singaporeans being discriminated by foreigners in Singapore and foreigners kicking Singaporeans out of their jobs to be replaced by foreigners. And in govt owned companies also happening.

Anonymous said...

I am a foreigner. I like this kind of place. Take the man's job in the day, take their women at night. Love it.

Virgo 49 said...

Fuxk you, bloody trash.

You be begging on the streets in your countries if not for the bloody brain dead policies of the PAP.

Now this Lim Siak Sow said anti discrimination law must be balance.

One Minister said this another said that.

Wayang only.

Vote them out in 2016 and clear the sting if these trashes

Anonymous said...

My gosh MOM raiding little India for illegal workers when the problem is about PMEs is the business parks and the financial centres. Can you believe it?

Anonymous said...

Government want to shown sincere to the citizens Government.

Ministry of Manpower must publish data on how many foreign PME's in each industry.

How many jobs in created for citizens for the PME's in each sectors.

Make a comparison chart and no wayang.