8/07/2014

First generation PRs no need to serve NS, but second generation…


Many people have raised the issue of first generation PRs not serving NS. Some even deliberately opt to become citizens after a certain age to avoid NS. But if I am not mistaken, the often repeated defence to this policy is that the second generation of PRs or citizens would have to serve NS. This took away some of the vehemence of NSmen for the time being. Finally their children would have to serve NS.
 

This is what I have believed, rightly or wrongly. Now there is an article in TRE that told a different story. Maybe I have been mistaken all the time. According to this article, ‘PRs who fail to serve NS face serious consequences’, the children of PRs can opt not to be PRs and stay here under student passes. I swear this is new to me. Blame me for being ignorant. I quote an elaboration of what this means in the same article.
‘Foreign expats’ sons go for Student Pass instead
 

Due to the stringent tightening of NS policy especially after the PAP Govt suffered a GRC loss in the last election, foreign expats will now tend not to apply PR for their sons. Their sons are put on student pass so as to avoid NS and work or study issues later.
 

A good example is former Indian national and now new Singaporean citizen, Raj. During an interview with TOC [Link], Raj revealed that only he in the family has converted to Singaporean citizenship. His wife and daughter remain as PRs and his son is on a student pass.
 

Raj said that if his son was a PR, he would need to serve NS. He preferred to “let his son decide if he wanted to put his roots down in Singapore or go back to India when he turns 21″.
 

The benefit of having his son on a student pass is that his son can always work in Singapore later as a “foreign talent” and eventually become a PR himself. He will not be considered a second-generation PR since he was not sponsored by his parents in the first place. A second-generation PR who gives up his PR is barred from working or studying in Singapore.
 

Raj said, “We have friends who are from India as well as Singapore. My kids must grow up knowing their roots and our Indian culture, so we purposely go out of the way to stay connected with our friends from India, especially those from our own hometown.”
 

“Living and adjusting to so many different races of people is a very big challenge,” he added.
Raj chose to let his children study in the Global Indian International School instead of a local school.’
 

There are two points to this quote. One, PRs indeed had the option for their children not to serve NS. Another point is that they do not think our policies of having the four major races learning their own languages and roots are good enough to retain their own culture and need to go back to absorb their own culture in their mother land. Also, they are not going to sink roots here as their children would not be one of us.
 

Does this not defeat the objective of having immigrants to be one of us, to be rooted here? We would end up with transient families and more old folks problems if their children would not want to be citizens.
Why like that one?


Kopi Level - Green

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

This sounds like having the cake and eat it. Best of both worlds. Leave it to the Indians, they sure know what is best for them. Do not blame these people. If I were in his position I would probably do exactly the same. Get the best out of the system and when the time comes for them to leave they would probably renounce the Singaporean citizenship and become the citizen of their motherland again. I would do the same. After all one must look after one self and the family.

Anonymous said...

"We would end up with a transient families and more old folks problems if their children would not want to be citizens."
RB

Not really lah. Old folks will die sooner or later what so their numbers will eventually diminish lah. And there will always be a ready supply of younger ones for the future from the whole, wide world, tio bo?

So where got no enough young ones, u tell me lah? And the experts are saying 6.9 million not enough even suggesting $10 million population, u know?

So I think PAP knows what theya re doing, although what they are doing may be unpleasant for some Sinkies who cannot make enough money, feel overcrowded and cannot migrate out of Sinkieland or domiciled elsewhere.

Anonymous said...


If like that. What can you do?
If like that. What can you do?
If like that. What can you do?
If like that. What can you do?

Anonymous said...


There is another interesting article in TRE on: Abolish Permanent Residency once and for all.

Happy reading.

Anonymous said...

I say abolish National Service once and for all.
Why wayang anymore?
- Is PAP government serving Singaporeans best interest?
- Are Singaporeans angry enough nit to want to defend Singapore anymore?

Anonymous said...

"I say abolish National Service once and for all."
Anon 10:23 am

U say? Even Teochew Ah Hia, despite being the leader of the strongest opposition party, also dare not say.

So to really matter, please at least be politically stronger than Teochew Ah Hia before u say.

Virgo49 said...

They have now a so called Volunteer Corps.

You can volunteer to serve for four to six weeks in camp training.

After which, you are considered to have served.

If the daft Singaporeans kpkb where no serve???

Tell them, they have already served in the Volunteer Corps.

Also served what?, what more you want them to do??

Chee!!!

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Life is not fair, and everybody's situation is different.

If you don't have to serve NS, enjoy your good fortune and exploit the "free kick".

If you have a choice of living and working legally in more than one cuntree, enjoy it and exploit it.

When govt makes policy, there are winners and losers. If you stand to lose, suck it up and take it or do whatever you can to minimise your loss.

However if govt policy works in your favour: go for it and exploit it to it's last drop.

Got good luck?

Anonymous said...

From the Various ways of people trying to avoid and escape National Service and those in service 'keng'(fake reasons) to escape duties, it all goes to show NS is extremely unpopular with the Citizenry. It is forced labour and deserves to be outlawed.

Protecting and defending the land can be done by professional soldiers. It provides those who love fighting or like war game an avenue to pursue their interests and carreer.

Compulsory military service is by itself an exploitation. It is also against basic human right. National Service is not commonly practice by most countries. It should be abolished.

Anonymous said...

What about the local born pianist who went AWOL to England but was only slapped with a small fine on his return? A real insult to thousands who wasted their time serving NS. Do not believe what you read.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Do you know that I did my NS when I was still a student in Pre U?

Anonymous said...

What to defend
and
protect who?
Or
who need to
be protected?

Anonymous said...

This is arguably one of the "worst" national day settings ever happened.

Seems like getting worst every year.

The mood is almost non-existent as far as ordinary citizens are concerned whether in housing estates, on the roads etc. People could have mostly GIVEN UP hope and waiting to leave atvthe EARLIEST opportune time.

agongkia said...

Please lah.NS is good and is a special privilege for Sinkies.Why do you people like to see PR serving NS?I very blur.

Anonymous said...

Is what I write below true?

Vote PAP and sell 2 years of your son's life in national service for peanuts or a derisory amount of money.
- after NS, your son will have to compete with alien students on free PAP scholarships for a place in university
- after that, your son will have to compete with alien talents to work for peanut salary.
- then at age 40 years, your son will be sacked & replaced by alien talent in his job

Are you daft?
Still want to vote for PAP?

Anonymous said...

Mati talk cawk IMH escapee?

Quiter still talked so much?

Boast and boast to boost ego? Mati needs a kangaroo for his incest obsession.

Anonymous said...

When 3m are sinkies and 7m ah tiongs, pinoy, nehs, why would sinkies young men and even women sacrifice 2 years and a lifetime of disruptive ICT, mobilisation exercises etc etc to ensure the 7m can work with peace of mind and at their expense?

Would it make any sense for young boys and gals and their parents?

Is it an exaggeration to hear some voicing "NS for sinkies. JOBS FOR ALIENS"?

What is the reality on the ground?

Is it far from the truth?

Or IS IT THE HARDTRUTH?

Anonymous said...

what about the tens of thousands students crossing into Spore from JB to study and eventually to work and compete with our sons, daughters nieces and nephews?

They have to be pr to compete with Spore citiznes

No forced forced military service, police or scdf service

no 'reservist training' for them something that even south korea military don't think is necessary

Anonymous said...

Oh course they don't need to be a PR to compete with the locals. Any Tom, Dick & Harry can come & snatch jobs away from locals.

Anonymous said...

The rationale for ns-army: if only regular not enough numbers right ?

Then why the govt is forcing 18- years men into police and scdf when there is a shortage in the army to make for the shortfall of regular in army?

It should be enough since they say women not needed for now in the army.

then why die die must forced people to scdf/police conscription also come with reservist/ippt

Why do policemen/scdf/firemen need reservist training and ippt?

Which country in the world got such thing lol??



Anonymous said...

If we can't get rid of ns-army, we should get rid of ns-police, ns-scdf and rely on regular policemen/women and outsource scdf to private sector for ambulance svs, let cisco's malaysians do the firefighting instead of us, who should be concentrating other more important things !!

It is really unfair for Sporeans to go for that laughable scdf reservist training when the country is flooded with permits holders without such burden imposed by the govt