12/06/2006
expats, no obligations. it's an unwritten contract
Robyn Speed, an expat foreign talent, wrote in the Today paper asking the govt to give expats equal dues. His argument is that the expats are here to help Singapore and raise the competitive standard of Singapore and we owe them a debt to treat them equally.
The argument is true in some aspects. They are here to help Singapore. They also contribute to our growth and competitiveness. We agree. And our govt have been singing this song for a very long time that even Singaporeans believe so. And definitely the expats also believe that Singapore lacks talent.
The real foreign talents are here on very exclusive packages. The little cost in schools, public transport and medical will not affect them at all. Not only that they can well afford them. These cost are normally paid by their companies. Further, they don't patronise govt hospitals nor local schools. Neither would they take public transports.
The expats that will be affected are the average talent expats that Singapore have plentiful. In fact they even take the jobs from Singaporeans. What this group can do, any average Singapore talent can too. If they are that good, they would have gone somewhere else. If Singapore is that bad, they too would have gone. But there will be hungrier expats the world over to fill up their places. No need to worry too much about this group.
And it is misleading to say that Singapore is discriminating against them. The country has in a way been discriminating against Singaporeans in favour of expats. Now the natural order of things is just going to be restored. Actually it is the country that is going back to treat its own citizens better.
No country treats its citizens worst off than foreigners except for real talents. Not the run of the mill average graduates who came telling us that they are talents and need special treatment from us.
Anyone earning lest than $20k a month is not a special talent that deserves to be treated exceptionally. It is high time that this message gets through to all the 'so called' foreign talents here. You are just an average talent that we have plentiful. You are here competing with our local talents. The least the govt should do is to level the playing field in favour of local talents. And it is only right that the citizens enjoy more benefits than foreigners.
And if these average talents think that they have a raw deal, please find a better country that treats them better, preferentially. All expats know their own worth and which country will pay them better. They are constantly weighing their options and will go at any moment. There is no loyalty nor obligations for an expat to any country, nor to us. They don't do us a favour but to themselves.
There is an unwritten contract that they are paid their worth or else... Those who are here know that they have a good deal.
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14 comments:
Oh, come on Reddie, forcing PRs to pay another 10% more than citizens for education and healthcare is considered levelling the field for citizens ? They still don't have to do NS or reservist so what level field are you talking about ? It's all one bloody wayang show.
i agree it is a small token compare to the huge sacrifice that national service demands from the male citizens. they really pay you peanuts and expect you to give your life when the nation calls.
can non citizens appreciate this burden? i doubt so. even the policy makers can't appreciate this.
We have wasted 2 precious years to do NS. Hey, foreign talent, you are here to enjoy the good life as an expatriate and take advantage of the govt. system!
Average talent ? Can't be what ? If the MNC and local employers choose them over Singaporeans, surely that means they are better than Singaporeans.
you got a point. the mncs will pay for someone cheaper but can do the same job. relatively the cheaper guy must be more talented, value wise.
effort or contributions per dollar is higher.
Or it just means they are more efficient at allocating resources, such that they are able to survive on less pay and yet even save some money too. Singaporeans should take a good hard look at themselves and ask why they can't do the same thing.
after allocating for all the basic necessities and essentials and a little pocket money for pa and ma, and nights out with girl friend or boy friend, nothing much left.
and don't forget that there is a flat to service for the next 30 years, and the children along the way.
can send them to live in timbuctoo or to a school in some little villages with very little civilisation or to live in wooden or mud huts right?
singaporean children cannot get use to the stench of human waste left in holes dug into mother earth or to bath by the river side. they rather pay for organic water like newater than muddy river water.
life is tough for singaporeans.
Why do you need to buy a flat ? If you can't afford to buy one, then jolly well rent.
Singaporeans have gone soft. It's got nothing to do with foreigners taking your jobs. You guys just can't cut it. Years of prosperity have weakened your resolve such that you now expect everything to be handed to you on a silver platter. That sort of mentality is no different from your northern cousins with their affirmative action programme.
in singapore there is no wooden hut to live in. the cheapest is govt flat. the choice is limited.
they can't live in pig sty even if they want to. nothing to do with being soft. it is just the environment.
Well, you can always pitch a tent at East Coast beach or Changi Point.
cannot lah. pitch tent also must pay or be chased away.
you think singapore is a third world country huh. we are first world ok. damn efficient in collecting revenue.
from where you are from, probably can get away with pitching tents on hill sides or sea sides for free. here very costly lah. that's why you foreigners cannot understand why singaporeans need money to live.
i agree that it is a serious issue when singaporeans got bashed overseas. but i am looking at it from another angle, that singaporeans no longer think as singaporeans. some will now call themselves earthians. so it is ok if another earthians is being bashed up by another earthians.
when we reach such a stage, we will lose our identity as a nation. but some think this is the right trend as a result of globalisation. this type of animal will be the first to be put under the knife and be extinguished first by countries that don't buy their international citizen concept.
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