11/04/2013

Would Singapore lose its unique identity?

In an article titled, ‘Get ready for a formidable, rising China’ by Han Fook Kwang, in the Sunday Times, he laid out a possible scenario of what Singapore could become in the wake of a rising China. Han Fook Kwang talked about the three phases of China’s development as an economic and world power. The first phase is about economic expansion through trade and development. Unless Asean and the world could produce goods that are cheaper and value for money than the Chinese, their products will be sought after by everyone wanting value and utility. This will be followed by a second phase of soft power in culture through movies and the arts.

The third phase would be the use of Mandarin for communication. This is seen as a natural development when economic and social interactions with China are so widespread and pervasive that people, including Sinkies, would just use the language as a convenient and necessary tool. Then there will be no need for Speak Mandarin Campaign. Singapore will ‘lose its unique identity and become more like another Chinese city, not much different from the many cities in the mainland.’

Han Fook Kwan hoped that it would not happen but this cannot be ruled out. His theory is based on external forces and the rise of a new economic power that has such an overpowering presence to change the world and the Singapore’s identity. I have another theory based on internal forces that could change Singapore’s identity into another form.

The govt has put in place, top priority policies, to fill the islands with foreigners in the name of lower birth rate, ageing population and economic growth, and in the process, instead of replacement, to increase the population to 6.9m. We are seeing the influx of foreigners in great numbers over the last decade or so and will gain momentum in the coming years.

The foreigners are coming, the westerners, the Chinese, the Indians and those from Asean countries. The westerners are unlikely to make any impact. The three biggest groups are likely to be the Chinese, the Indians and the Pinoys. The Pinoys have grown to several hundred thousands from a handful overnight. But with the tightening of employment passes, their numbers are going to slow down a bit. The large bulk of the Pinoy maids would not turn them into stayers and changing of our demography less of a problem.

As for the Chinese, many would return to China like the Hongkies when their home country is growing in riches and opportunities. Singapore is not really their cup of tea except for a small group that are very wealthy and have reasons to want to stay away from China. The rest will return to China when they find making money there easier than here. China will draw them back.

The next biggest group of migrants is the Indians. They see Singapore as a paradise, a land of opportunities, many times better than India. They are coming here in swarms, especially the rich and the PMETs. They brought their families to stay, buying up properties in large numbers. And there is this Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, CECA, which provides a legal framework for the mass migration of Indians into the island. Their numbers have already outnumbered the local Indians and growing rapidly. The attraction of India for the near future is not looking that much attractive than Singapore for them to return. Singapore is the idea place to live and do business.

With both govts abiding closely to the CECA terms, the influx of Indians will become a dominant factor that will change the social economic fabric and the demography of the island. When the Indians become a majority in the island, Singapore is likely to take on a more Indian outlook and English will remain the dominant language for social and business activities. Mandarin would then become of lesser importance despite the growing presence of China in the international scene.

Would the external forces of a rising China over shadow the influx of Indians into the island provided by CECA, or would the latter be so domineering that it will change the demography of the island and prevent Singapore from becoming just another Chinese city? Anyway, both scenarios would definitely change the unique identity of the island, one becoming more Chinese and the other becoming more Indian. The probability of external factors to alter the identity of a country is less likely to happen than an internal factor that is a govt initiative and supported by two govts with an official agreement to see it through.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

RB, why you so scared of the apunehneh? don't worry lah. chinese will always be a bit more than 76% of s'pore's population, the miw's will ensure that. if we cannot import good quality ah tiongs, we can always get the sinkehs to come here. sure will come one.

Anonymous said...

I think PAP knows better than Han Fook Kwang or RB lah.

For instance PAP knows:

1. How many real Sinkies are rich, happy and satisfied and how many are not.

2. How many India Indians, PRCs and Pinoys are already here and in what ratio to locals.

3. How many more to take without upsetting the ratios and also maintain economic growth.

4. No Sinkie opposition party can ever contest 100% of seats in a GE and hence 60% majority Sinkies will never respect and vote for them.

5. How many foreign talents to convert some more into new citizens so that they can add to PAP votes.

So you see, like that how can PAP lose? How can Sinkieland change from what PAP want, you tell me lah?

So no worry, Sinkieland will remain as such for a long, long time.




Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

It is not a matter of being afraid. There is an article in TRE questioning the reduction of the percentage of Malays vis a vis the other racial groups. All the racial groups would not want their numbers to be reduced. The Malays are angry, and rightly so.

We should maintain the status quo at the time we became a nation in 1965. Any racial group trying to usurp this balance by increasing their numbers would undermine the delicate balance and understanding among the original citizens. It is best not to rock this boat.

Changing this balance will be seen as unfair and undermining the interest of whichever group that is affected.

It would be seen as treason to do so and may create a time bomb for the future.

Veritas said...

Even Indian Goa, 100% Indians hate Indian. You want us to wait another one hundred years and make these FT Indians assimilate? Forget it!

Goa was portuguese colony, and Goan get Christianize. From Christianity, they found what life is all about and repent their shit ways. Suddenly, they realize how shit India Inian was.

Goan hate Indian so much that it is not uncommon to see Goan begging China to invade India-- in blogs and forum, so that Goa regain independence. So is resenting FT Indian racist?

NO.

There are real problem in India culture. Below are more articles by Goan.

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Western governments and Western news media are targeting Islamic radicals because Islamic radicals are targeting White people. If Hindu radicals had also targeted White people be 100% sure that Western governments and Western news media would have also targeted Hindu radicals.

US Pastor Terry Jones has no problem with Hindu radicals burning Bibles in India. Hillary Clinton has no problem with Hindu radicals vandalizing churches and graveyards in India. Barack Obama has no problem with Hindu radicals encroaching land belonging to Christians in India. Ban-Ki-Moon has no problem with Hindu radicals preventing Christians from getting government jobs and facilities. The United Nations Security Council has no problem with Hindu radicals threatening and attacking Christians in India.

Hindu radicals not only have a large number of sympathizers in the police, army, judiciary, intelligence, Ias/Ips, administration but also have a very large number of sympathizers among middle/upper class Hindus, Brahmins and OBC Hindus.

The only three states in India where the Christians have not experienced the VENOM of Hindu radicals are Goa, Kerala and Nagaland but not for long, as Hindu radicals are expanding their networks in Goa, Kerala, Nagaland.

The only state in India where Hindu radicals don’t dare to spread their venomous tentacles is Kashmir. Even the Indian Government does not allow people from other parts of India to encroach on land in Kashmir because the angry Kashmiri youth will not tolerate migrants. If the natives of Kashmir succeed in getting independence from New Delhi, then the natives of Goa, Konkani, Assam, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and the northeastern states will also start agitating for independence from New Delhi. This explains why the Indian government is doing whatever it can to prevent the Kashmiris from getting freedom from New Delhi.

Veritas said...

The Indian government, armed forces, the police forces, intelligence agencies, judiciary, IAS/IPS officers, and local administration – among all of these, nobody is prepared to crush Hindu radicals. Under such circumstances what are the options left for Christians in India?

Should Christians migrate to Christian countries as suggested by Hindu radicals? Should Christians convert to Hinduism to avoid persecution from Hindu radicals? Should Christians in India undergo commando training and arm themselves with guns and bombs for self-defense purposes? Should Christians continue suffering at the hands of Hindu radicals?

The Indian Prime Minister, President and Supreme Court need to advise Christians in India on which option is best to choose.

The secularization of the church by the clergy and the separation of the church and the state are the two main reasons why 90% of White people have removed Christianity from their lives and have become atheists. And obviously these atheists will not bother with what Dan Brown writes or what Hindu radicals do to Christians in India, etc.

Wealthy Hindus in America donate millions of dollars to the Vishwa Hindu Parishads Branch in America, which is registered in the United States as a charitable organization in the 1970′s, where it has, and continues to receive funds from a variety of individuals and corporate organizations run by Hindus. The VHP also has registered charitable branches in Canada, UK, Australia and various other Christian nations.

The VHP transfers the foreign funds to the various Hindu radical organizations in India which are involved in various Hindutva missions including attacking Christians and bringing down churches in India. Hindus left India to earn big money in the USA, UK, Europe, Canada, and Australia and yet, while enjoying the relative tolerance of their new countries, they fund hate campaigns in India against minorities, including Christians.

Due to fear of Hindu radicals, some Christian parents who had Christian names have given their children Hindu names in order to protect their children’s Christian identity.

In the last two decades there has also been a deep infiltration of Hindu radicals into the press, as well as other institutions — political, military, bureaucratic, civic, business, educational and law and order — of India.

All senior leaders and Chief Ministers of BJP are selected by the people at the RSS headquarters at Nagpur. These senior BJP people in front of the media may talk of secularism but officially they do exactly the opposite. They give away government land for building temples and training camps to Rashtriya Swamyamsevak Sangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and other right wing Hindu organizations. They authorize the Hinduization of school textbooks. They select Hindutva sympathizers in the administration, bureaucracy, police, and judiciary. They do whatever is necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of making India a Hindu Rashtra.

Veritas said...

When one Congress Minister talks of banning Hindu radical organizations other Congress Ministers talk of losing Hindu votes if Hindu radical organizations are banned. Hindu radicals are absolutely right when they say that no party in India can come to power without the votes of Hindus, and of course a vast majority of Hindus in India sympathize with Hindu radicals, especially the middle class and OBC Hindus. Whether Hindus vote for Congress or BJP is irrelevant because both the parties are two sides of the same coin.

Governments have failed to create infrastructure/industries/job opportunities in rural/backward districts due to which millions of people from rural/backward districts will continue to pour into cities and towns of India for jobs with the resulting growth of slums and illegal construction.

Governments have failed to strictly enforce the two-child policy due to which the Indian population will continue to increase and with a corresponding increase in the stock of poor and unemployed people.

Governments have failed to setup fast-track courts to deal with divisive politicians, rioters, arsonists, black marketers, scammers, hoarders, marauders, female aborting doctors, slumlords, black money Swiss account holders, slumlords, unscrupulous builders, money launderers, Hawala operators, corrupt IAS/IPS officials, corrupt bureaucrats, corrupt government servants, politicians, and municipality ward officers, etc. due to which these unscrupulous people who should have been behind bars are instead out on bail and living a luxurious lifestyle and are also carrying on with their unscrupulous activities without any fear.

Hindu radicals are absolutely right when they say that Christianity and Islam are foreign religions on Indian soil, but when Hindu radicals are reminded that Hinduism is also a foreign religion on Indian soil brought from Persia some 2,500 years ago by the Indo-Aryans (ancestors of present day Brahmins and Upper Caste Hindus) Hindu radicals go into a defensive mode.

Some Tribal/Dalit Christians have formed an association by the name Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) and are demanding that the Christian missionaries stop conversions in India for the next 100 years and utilize the foreign funds for the benefit of the Tribal/Dalit Christians. The PCLM also wants the Christians/Catholic institutions in India to reserve seats for Tribal/Dalit Christians. Because of the various demands of the PCLM, the bishops, cardinals, and priests are at loggerheads with the PCLM. The PCLM has also urged the government that no clergy (bishops, priests and nuns) be appointed in government committees, commissions, etc.

It has been observed that due to such appointments, bishops, priests, and nuns are deviating from their original work of the church and misusing their positions and funds. Instead, the government should appoint ordinary Christians as the members in such committees and commissions. The PCLM also wants Dalit/Tribal Christians appointed in the various committees of the Church and its institutions (schools, colleges, hospitals, etc).

Veritas said...

The PCLM has also urged the Union government to institute a law allowing the Christian minority institutions to admit 50% of students who are Christians. Any Christian educational institute claiming minority status will be punished if they refuse admission to a Christian child. Currently, there is no such provision, therefore the church educational institutions ignore poor Christians. Those not following the directive should be declassified and put under the Income Tax Act as commercial ventures.

The PCLM has also claimed that due to the illegal sale of church properties in various dioceses, the Union government should set up national/state boards similar like the Waqf Board to protect church properties.

The PCLM has also urged the church leaders to prepare the laity for more responsibilities so that the real message of Christ becomes acceptable to all without offending any other religions. The key concept is to respect all religions equally.

The PCLM has made allegations that foreign funds coming into India are being misused by a section of church. The PCLM wants the church to use these foreign funds properly for the development and uplifting of Dalit/Tribal Christians.

St. Peter has two keys. One for Heaven and other one for the Treasury. The Treasury key must be handed over to the laity for transparency. Economic committees should be formed to oversee the fund’s expenditure. In every diocese, the Treasurer must be a layperson appointed on rotational basis – for two years. After that term is up, it must be changed.

Hindu fundamentalists have brainwashed the Hindu majority with a five-decade campaign that portrayed Muslims and Christians as disloyal, anti-national or criminal. Militant nationalists always need an enemy in order to grow. Hitler had the Jews. In India there are the minority enemies within along enemies on the outside in Pakistan, China and the West. Hindu fundamentalists pack all the national parties with their people so that they will be in command no matter which party comes to power. This explains why the Congress led UPA has not banned any of Hindu fundamentalist groups (RSS, VHP, BAJRANG DAL, SHIV SENA, etc).

Hindu fundamentalists are evolving new ways of humiliating, marginalizing and crushing their opponents (Muslims, Christians, Tribals, Dalits, etc ). They humiliate and disarm their critics by accusing them of being foreigners and anti-nationals. They provoke them beyond endurance and any self-defense is described as violent. They keep spreading misinformation in a studied and systematic way so that at least half of it will be believed. For this, they take inspiration from the manuals of the Nazis whom they greatly admire. They harass minorities with court cases so as to wear them down.

Hindu fundamentalists use the print, celluloid, audio and video media to further their cause, especially during elections. One cannot underestimate the vastness of their designs. If you send a Christian or Muslim explanation to the press against false accusations, it is ignored.

The organs of the state bureaucracy, judiciary, police and armed forces are polarized…when one officer takes action, another rushes to the rescue of Hindu fundamentalists.

Anti-democratic attitudes are today widespread in the same urban middle class in India that was the backbone of democracy…Gone are the days of slogans like “Unity in Diversity”.

Hindu Fundamentalists’ (Sangh Parivar, RSS, VHP, BAJRANG DAL, SHIV SENA, etc) clear-sighted aim is to establish Aryan rule in India, and impose the Manu Code with its caste norms. Just as for the Nazis, the Jews were a great threat, so Hindu Fundamentalists considers the Muslims, Christians, Dalits, Tribals, Socialists, Communists and Modern Hindus a great threat.

Veritas said...

Hindu Fundamentalists definition of nation is not acceptable. It is monocultural, negating other religions and people. The struggle between the Brahminical forces under the disguise of Hindu nationalism on the one hand and the dream of an egalitarian, pluralistic and democratic Indian state and society on the other hand will determine the direction and destiny of the Indian state and society.

Why the Christians? Have Hindus run out of Muslims and Sikhs, that a small and insignificant minority should be threatened, attacked, and burned at will by right wing Hindutva forces? This may sound strange, but in a real sense, the saffron mob has indeed if not in words run out of options. This is why they have now turned against Christians. They are the last soft target.

The Sikhs set the retaliation game in motion. They hit out, often randomly, at designated targets making it known to Hindu sectarians that taking on a Sikh will not be a picnic any longer. This stopped further attacks against the Sikhs. The Muslims picked up this lead and set their own pace by orchestrating the Mumbai blasts of 1993, and several after that in quick succession. So the Muslims can no longer be hunted down either for casual Hindu amusement. This only leaves the Christians.

It must be borne in mind that Hindutva activists are at their predatory best when the kill is easy and their own safety assured in advance. This is why where Christians are in sizable numbers, such as in Nagaland, Kerala or even Goa, Hindutva sectarians dare not touch them. Instead they turn to areas like the Dangs in Gujarat or Kandmahal in Orissa where Christians are scattered and isolated. In these places it is easy to kill without the fear of being killed.

Hindu extremist parties and organizations, all the way to the BJP, can encourage, condone and organize mobs to kill for Hindutva, but none of them are willing to die for it. Muslim terrorism in India has nothing to do with Al Qaeda, Taliban, Palestine, or even Iraq. These terrorists are home bred and are direct outcomes of Babri Masjid and Godhra.

Why don’t Hindutva activists go to Nagaland or somewhere else where Christians are a majority? Why is it that Hindutva activists are active only where their safety is guaranteed, like BJP ruled states? In places where there is no administrative encouragement, sanction or connivance, Hindutva activists of whatever description, dare not strike any minority community.

Wherever Hindutva presence is built into the state administrative system, saffron forces are assured that every ethnic attack will be a picnic.

When it comes to linguistic and caste wars there is social science involved, as jobs are to be won or lost on these grounds. But when Muslims or Christians are killed, nobody wants their income or livelihood. They are attacked only to make Hindutva organizations look good and nothing else. This is why, in such contexts, social science of any kind is irrelevant.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

There is a very real chance that China's and India's influence will extend beyond economic matters and into the very fabric of culture -- especially in Asia, and especially when the ChIndian diaspora is growing rapidly.

The Chinese internet, for example --- the internet being an "extension" of real world culture -- is HUGE, and growing rapidly. And the people won't be silenced, especially if they are out of China and in "freer" cuntrees. even in China, they don't give a shit about the govt's attempt to censor the net -- millions of Chinese netizens simply bypass The Great Firewall.

India has a growing cadre of really tech savvy youths. And of course English is spoken widely.

So yeah, Singapore culture, which underpins identity is going to change, and become richer and more dynamic.

I think it is a good thing.

Veritas said...

I just visited Beijing Office of my company recently. The junior engineer of 3 years old experience already draw about SGD2K. Mine is not a prestigious company. Imagine how much those googler and microsofter draw?

PAP always think they can develop an engineering culture by flooding us with cheap engineers. In the end, not even talents from the worst slump of China will come.

Only Indian will come because they run their country into shit, and they are going to feed on us parasitically. PRC will not come. PRC government in my opinion in becoming better and better, ever improving themselves.

Eventually, we are going to be a low wage countries. Even SG Chinese will flee to PRC. Then Indian will take over.

Fuck PAP.

Anonymous said...

Would we level up or level down with so many foreigners coming in?

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 11.21 am : " Would we level up or level down with so many foreigners coming in? "


In many areas, from empirical observations, it may be the negative level DOWN ........ :((((( sign


Anonymous said...

Too late lah. Singaporean identity has been lost years ago.

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 11.21 am: " Would we level up or level down with so many foreigners coming in? "


Recently was passing by a number of hdb housing estates.

Few months ago, observed that many blocks were due for fresh coat of paint as the exteriors were getting " crummy " and deteriorating paint works make the neighbourhood a few years away from turning into slumps and public housing ghettos.

Upon passing by recently, some blocks were newly repainted but " already looked like being painted 2 years ago ". The worst part was instead of progressing with time, the colour combination and quality looks more like the first satellite tpy town 1970s standard than 2013. OMG!

Some of these blocks are located in the western areas where voters gave huge support during the last GE.

Either somebody is " sleeping ", getting " complacent", " taking voters support for granted ", " cutting corners ", " QC problem " or " relying on some sub standard employees to oversee and supervise the exterior uplifting work ".

Having so many generals in the govt but more like arm chair type than anything else .......

Have the proactive spirit to go to the ground to check?

Anonymous said...

Singapore will become a great cosmopolitan place for nationals from different countries.
The future for everyone staying in this island will be very rosy.

Anonymous said...

Singapore is only a 700km2 island

long long ago, it had already lost its unique identity when this part of world was ruled by the Europeans, the whole of South east Asia except Siam was controlled by the British French Dutch
empires

that time when China was suffering like hell fighting wars after wars with the Europeans power;

India already colonised up by England

many Qing subjects came to work in Malaya as cheap labourers for the trading posts controlled by the english









Anonymous said...

british Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under british control between the 18th and the 20th centuries.

From the 17th to the early 19th century, Malacca was a Dutch possession. During the Napoleonic Wars, between 1811 and 1815, Malacca, like other Dutch holdings in Southeast Asia, was under the occupation of the British. This was to prevent the French from claiming the Dutch possessions. When the war ended in 1815, Malacca was returned to the Dutch. In 1824 the British and the Dutch signed a treaty known as the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824. The treaty, among other things, legally transferred Malacca to British administration. The treaty also officially divided the Malay world into two separate entities and laid the basis for the current Indonesian-Malaysian boundary.

Anonymous said...

In 1946, after the Second World War, the colony was dissolved. Malacca and Penang were absorbed into the Malayan Union, while Singapore was separated from the Union and made into a new crown colony on its own.

Singapore like Malaysia, Myanmar are still like a british colony in many respects.

see, we type in english, not like immigrants from China and India our great grand parents who came to this colonial singapura, who could only use Chinese dialects, and Tamil language to communicate with the local Malays and the english adminstrator/ colonial master