2/04/2007

invite foreigners to insult us

Do we invite foreigners to our homes and allow them to insult us and tell us to get out? This seems to be the latest development in the game of foreign talents and welcoming more people to our shores, as citizens. Many well meaning people have been singing praises of foreigners and how important they are to our survival in the future. And this message has sunk into the heads of many foreigners and Singaporeans alike, that we need them to save us. And they believe so. Some Singaporeans also believe so. And foreigners are even telling us that if we are uncompetitive, want high salaries and less work, then we should ship out. They are willing to come here to work harder and for less. The remarkable thing is that some Singaporeans do agree wholeheartedly to this kind of argument. There are Singaporeans who are working overseas as foreign talents and understand how tough it is competing against the locals. And they have achieved some success in doing so and can empathise with the foreigners working here. They understand the logic that more work and less pay is the only way to fight the competition. Singaporeans can no longer rely on the stupid idea that they must be paid first world salaries when others are willing to work for less. Admittedly this reasoning is logical and true. There is no pleasant alternative in a globalised world. Singaporeans must work more and be prepared to earn less. Would there be any profession where the incumbents dare to say they are over worked? Or after being given more perks and increments, have the audacity to ask for less work and responsibilities? Now that this new living mantra is the accepted conventional truth, it can only be expected that life will be a bit tougher for the lazy or less talented Singaporeans. So what can we expect them to do? Are they expected to tighten their belts and fight with foreigners for jobs here, asking for lesser pay? Is this a fair equation? Foreigners are hungry, have no stake or responsibilities here. They can live with less. Should we allow them to proceed to compete with our own people for jobs on unequal terms?

The other alternative is for talented Singaporeans to rough it out like our foreign talents. Go forth and seek for new pastures. And there are jobs galores overseas. Singaporeans are in high demand as foreign talents and logically will be getting better pay in foreign lands. Strange isn't it? Why are Singaporeans in great demand overseas but not wanted in their homeland? Or is this a game of musical chairs? We export our unappreciated talents overseas and welcome foreigners to take their places. Would we reach a stage that the more able Singaporeans will be found living overseas and their homes rented and occupied by foreigners? If this is the likely development, what kind of nation or society will we become? Citizens of the world? The Filipino and Indonesian maids went overseas to earn foreign exchange and left behind an empty nest. Some returned to find their nests occupied by strangers and they were no longer wanted or could not fit into the new equation. Would we pay the same price if this happens to us? And very likely the price will be much higher. For instead of the women folks being abroad, our able men folks are the one that are missing from home. A home without a man or a nation without its men or talented men can have unimaginable consequences. This is our home. This is our land. What would it be like if our homes are now overseas and our land becomes the homes of foreigners?

16 comments:

  1. Let's view the issue of venturing overseas to work with an open mind and as long as our heartstrings are attached to Singapore we will be ok.

    Japanese are venturing out to the whole world much earlier and successful than us. I say much successful because for those who did so did it for their companies and their country idealistically and in return, their companies usually provide a return post for them after a few years. Unfortunately, singaporean companies expect you to work out of the posted country indefinitely.

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  2. actually if there is a good offer, i don't mind working overseas for a long stint. what many singaporeans faced is the young family and how to bring them up.

    for older cocks, long term posting is not a problem as their children have grown and they are starting a new life, independent from family commitments.

    putting younger families overseas is a big sacrifice for young families. short term is ok.

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  3. Unimaginable consequences ? Don't be ridiculous. The only consequence for me when I ventured overseas was that I found out how truly shortchanged I was by remaining in Singapore, and made me resolve never to return again :) That cannot be so bad now, can it ?

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  4. hi finally free,

    welcome to tbe blog. i think no one is talking about unimaginable consequences. to many, overseas posting is a feather in the cap and a good experience. for some, they are concern about the children and their education. there are some postings that are not accompanied by families or family are not encouraged. this will put some strains in a young family.

    i will enjoy a foreign stint. how each one takes such a posting depends on one's circumstances. and yes, some will find it very demanding socially while some will welcome it with open arms and in glee.

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  5. I believe you just have to make the most of whatever situation you're in. What's the point of having your family by your side in your own country if you are going to be unemployed or under-employed ? Having a better job overseas even if the family cannot follow suit is many times better because then at least you have money flowing in.

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  6. Redbean, you still talking about the FT policy ? Come on lah, this policy is already cast in stone, and has become a sacred cow that can never be slaughtered. They already planning to bring in another $200K PRs int he next 5 years. You talk until no more saliva also no use. Let's face it lah, FTs are going to be a unique facet of life in Singapore just like COE, ERP and CPF.

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  7. hi am i talented,

    welcome to the blog. please forgive me for belabouring the point. the problem with singaporeans is that after banging their heads on the wall a few times they will give up and move on. but some fundamental issues must be repeated and repeated and repeated until some miracles happen.

    like the cpf money. we must keep shouting and screaming that it is our money. IT IS OUR MONEY. not negotiable, not to be legislated away. but if singaporeans just give up, then their cpf money will give up on them.

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  8. Redbean, sooner or later you probably be replaced by Greenbean, a FT blog too.
    Fear for yourself and blog's future.

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  9. Redbean, keep banging your head on the wall and sooner or later you'll end up with a cracked head while we are no closer to getting access to our own money locked up in the CPF or booting these ingrate FTs out. Sometimes you just have to know when to quit and accept defeat, man.

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  10. when fts take over this island, i will change this blog to www.ftsingaporenews.com.

    then i will sell myself to the fts and call them master.

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  11. we were colonised by the british against our wishes. now in a way we willingly let ourselves be colonised by the fts.

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  12. just a little drama on head banging. seriously, singaporeans must know their rights esp what is theirs and what belongs to the public or the govt.

    signing an opt out form or else your internal organs will go to the state. this is a violation but i have no real problem with it unless they are asking for the head as well.

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  13. FTs have already taken over. We only have ourselves to blame, well at least those of us who elected a government which then adopted the FT-friendly policy thereby allowing these FTs to colonise us.

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  14. Redbean, in Singapore the peasants rights are determined by the gahmen. You only own what they tell you that you own. Other than that, everything else belongs to the gahmen. That is the way things work here.

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  15. I've been working overseas for more than half my adult life — and experienced every conceivable form of "treatment of aliens" from immigration and labour departments ("the authorities") all over. In fact, I'm in the process of renewing my work permit right now.

    All this fuss about "foreigners" is extremely narrow minded. Most of us in Singapore come from immigrant stock. Human beings have been a nomadic species since Adam and Eve got kicked out of Eden.

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  16. thank you matilah.

    sometimes i am very liberal. sometimes i am very narrow minded. and often i am full of contradictions.

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