2/26/2017

Contact Singapore closing down on April 1



Contact Singapore, Singapore’s on line portal to attract overseas Singaporeans to return home will be closing down on April 1 claiming that it has succeeded in its mission. The statestimesreview has another take, that is if closing down due to its failure to attract Singaporeans home. Which is the truth?

This is Contact Singapore’s mission posted in the statestimesreview, “When the Contact Singapore alliance was formed in 2008, we wanted to make Singapore a place where global talent would call home, from which they could flourish and contribute. Nine years on, we think Contact Singapore has succeeded in its mission.”

I think by reading the above mission statement, Contact Singapore has indeed succeeded in its mission ‘to make Singapore a place where global talent would call home.’ The mission statement is not about attracting overseas Singaporeans to come home but about global talent to make Singapore home. And if you look around Singapore, when more than half of the population is foreigners, new citizens, PRs and EP holders, indeed Contact Singapore has succeeded in what it set out to do.
The notion that it is set up to attract Singaporeans home is not the primary mission. If that is the case, it would be said so specifically. What it said is global talent, not overseas Singaporean talent.

I am sure many overseas Singaporeans would want to come home, after all Singapore is home, where they grew up and all the memories, friends and relatives are. Why would they choose to stay overseas and not wanting to return home? Is it that the good jobs are given to foreigners and Singaporeans were sidelined in favour of foreigners? Looking at the tertiary institutions and many GLCs this is apparently so. When talented Singaporeans find themselves bypassed for top jobs, even terminated or not offered these positions, why should they stay at home?  If Contact Singapore is really serious in attracting overseas Singaporeans home, just offer them equivalent jobs that have been given to foreigners with dubious track records and there would be many willing to come home.

Has Singapore done something wrong to drive Singaporeans away from home? Or Singapore is encouraging Singaporeans to work overseas so that it can replace them with funny FTs to work in Singapore? Which is which?  No one would want to leave the comfort of home behind, to uproot and work overseas unless the offer is so attractive or they are being forced out by the deplorable employment scene at home where foreigners became the first choice to Singaporeans.

What is or was Contact Singapore’s real mission? Did it succeed or did it fail?

46 comments:

  1. What it said is global talent, not overseas Singaporean talent.
    RB

    Tiok. That's why they said Contact Singapore succeeded, and may I add, beyond expectations. Hahahaha.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Contact Sinkies had in fact failed miserably to attract migrated Sinkies who worked in foreign land to return home. Contact Sinkies had in fact done successfully to attract 2nd or 3tier foreigners rejects to relocate & work in Sinkieland. Why Contact Sinkies wouldn't reveal the real truth? For again, it's the white garmen motto not to reveal everything to Sinkies cos its 'too obscene' just like the minion-sters' real wealth & GLC s real investments return nobody knows it, the garman may say it's not to the benefits of Sinkies to know it Lah..

    ReplyDelete
  3. Has Singapore done something wrong to drive Singaporeans away from home?
    RB

    Not at all. On the contrary, it is wrong and even stupid of Singaporeans who have the talent and also dare or able to emigrate not to do so.

    And it is not wrong for daft, untalented and expensive Singaporeans who still remain here to be replaced in their jobs by cheaper and talented foreigners.

    And luckily for PAP, such Singaporeans are a minority, or else PAP would have been voted out. This one I think Hsien Loong also knows or else he would not dare to give jobs to foreigners and NS only for male Singaporeans.

    ReplyDelete
  4. And luckily for PAP, such Singaporeans are a minority, or else PAP would have been voted out.
    10:17 am

    Tiok. Very logical reasoning, even without the data. In fact no need data.

    That's why things are not as bad as those PAP critics had portrayed.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Contact Sinkies had in fact done successfully to attract 2nd or 3tier foreigners rejects to relocate & work in Sinkieland.
    10:08 am

    It's only logical what. Boh heur hei ya hor mah. No fish prawn also good.

    And what's wrong with your so called 2nd or 3tier foreigners rejects to supplement numbers and talents no enough and some more expensive Sinkies? And they also can do their work, u know.

    If you were a Sinkie boss like me, you will appreciate what I said. That's why I have yet to emigrate.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What is or was Contact Singapore’s real mission?
    Did it succeed or did it fail?
    .......................
    Questions like these should also be raised in parliament.

    Also "How much money was spent?"
    - what were the key performance indicators?

    ReplyDelete
  7. “When the Contact Singapore alliance was formed in 2008, we wanted to make Singapore a place where global talent would call home, from which they could flourish and contribute. Nine years on, we think Contact Singapore has succeeded in its mission.”
    ---------------

    Where do you guys ever get the idea that "Contact Singapore" was to bring overseas Singaporeans home?

    Where do you guys get the idea that PAP is working hard to give Singaporeans a good life?

    No wonder the old fart called you daft.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Questions like these should also be raised in parliament.
    10:36 am

    Aiyo, if WP MPs do not raise such questions, nobody will raise lah.

    And too bad lah, Sinkie Aung Juan Soon Chee who can raise such questions was not able to get elected into Parliament. So sad.

    ReplyDelete
  9. //If you were a Sinkie boss like me, you will appreciate what I said. That's why I have yet to emigrate.//

    Another 'lame duck' mentality of a typie Sinkies mindsets, the miws garmen have encourage bziness owners to explore overseas as the Sinkieland's market to small, a frog in a well attitude ( similar as be a small fish in a pond rather than a big fish in a ocean & get eaten up kind of mindsets)...no local brand would be able to make it to global or reginal market, gradually become obsolete..

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  10. Do you think we have an elitist PAP government?

    Do you think they set up Contact Singapore to bring Tan Ah Beng home from USA (where he is making a good living as a car mechanic) ??

    Or is it more likely the targets are the children of our Millionaire Ministers who don't want to come back to Singapore?

    ReplyDelete
  11. It is very easy to judge whether Contact Singapore was a success or a failure. Just reveal the number of Overseas Singaporeans who have returned to Singapore since the start of this project.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Agree with 10:49, Singapore too small for Singaporeans but big enough for all the millions of foreigners they are bringing in. Jobs for foreigners, NS for Singaporeans.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Instead of Contact Singapore overseas .... maybe they should set up office in Singapore called "Contact Ivory Tower"

    - earth calling PAP ivory tower ... come in please
    - anybody home?
    - Space Cadet Lee ... are you home?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Last heard even Hsien Loong's son work in Google USA. Did he came back to Singapore?

    ReplyDelete
  15. To stop this negative speculation why doesn't the government just reveal the number of Singaporeans and families that have returned?

    ReplyDelete
  16. To stop this negative speculation why doesn't the government just reveal the number of Singaporeans and families that have returned?
    10:57 am

    I think Singaporeans will only know the number, among other things, when the opposition is elected as govt.

    So your question will not be answered till then.


    ReplyDelete
  17. Why would Ah Long San son doing so well in US wan to return to Sinkieland?

    Even the golden young man butterfly swim king of Sinkieland wouldn't wan to come back home ( except visiting his patents during off seasons period). He already said it would be 'super hard' to train in Sinkieland, & his swimming compatriots Ah Qua man also follow suit..who in the right frame of mind would wanna return to Sinkieland & be enslave to the system?

    ReplyDelete
  18. "Singapore is encouraging Singaporeans to work overseas so that it can replace them with funny FTs to work in Singapore? "

    This is the key sentence. The pinpoint of the state policy of using talents. Hey they use talents not employ talents. U want to be used, by all means come back thro the Contact point. Few will need this to comeback. We can see neighbors. Used to talk loud about the elite being bright. Now quietly keeping to themselves. The sons who served NS left them for Au, and one Canada. The remaining siblings are unhappy to share costs. When the old folks sold the properties for distribution, the son flew back from Canada to take the share and left.

    Which singaporean NS men want to come back to "serve" singapore? Even they see old folks who have had spent so much on them, they still ran off as quick as possible from these elites controlled land. Its just a city in Canada. As a policeman, he can easily earn %50k in Canada. U want jobs in singapore? That was what another guy who used to come back from Canada to serve incamp shared with me. If you can leave, u wanna be back?

    Who will want to be in singapore. I read a harri case. Some guys promised to be paid $2300pm but when landed in singapore, he was paid $900pm. These were the guys want jobs here. Not only getting $900pm, but also staying at the promised rooms to share body heat. Share body heat? 42 people staying in one commercial converted house/hostel with 2 toilets and bath rooms. This is what talents can get. Wanna come back to backward 3rd world as talents, do contact anybully. No need Contact any more, so close down lah. A land has little hope for the properly trained locally born citizens.

    Do not blame the elites. Blame the voters who vote for these elites to make these kind of policies. Do the right cross on 2020GE, life will be far brighter to be bothered with these unneeded unproductive policies to help the 3rd world immigrants to be rich before citizens earn a dollar. Trump s policy gives instant fortune to Stock prices in NY. Not to the local stocks, no IPO, no similar hope of breaking 24k points like hk Hang Seng index. Singapore need an overhaul.

    Vote for another team is a must do in 2020GE.

    ReplyDelete
  19. /// Which singaporean NS men want to come back to "serve" singapore? ///

    Come back to serve PAP or to serve Singapore?
    PAP does not equal Singapore.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong has said he understands the concerns that many people have over the water price increase, but "there is never an ideal time" for a rise.
    .....................

    Dear 70%.
    There is never an ideal time to vote Opposition.
    But this is the time to deliver a tight slap to this PAP government.

    ReplyDelete
  21. The Madness in the Political Leadership of Singapore - Part 10

    The Madness of Displacing, Misplacing and Replacing Local Talents with Foreigners

    'Contact Singapore', congratulations for a job well done! You have accomplished your mission. The PM should reward you guys handsomely. Or, is it you have failed miserably but pretended to say otherwise? I guess the reverse is true in these days of fake news and false hopes, isn't it?

    "Has Singapore done something wrong to drive Singaporeans away from home? Or Singapore is encouraging Singaporeans to work overseas so that it can replace them with funny FTs to work in Singapore? Which is which? No one would want to leave the comfort of home behind, to uproot and work overseas unless the offer is so attractive or they are being forced out by the deplorable employment scene at home where foreigners became the first choice to Singaporeans."-- Redbean.

    First, Singapore can never do anything wrong. So are the Singapore political leaders. They can only go mad. Anything that really went wrong, if any, must be attributed to the daft Sinkies and their kiasu, kiasi, subservient, accept-any-shit-poured-unto-them-idiotic-mentality, lazy-to-think-for-themselves brain and small cowardly heart.

    Second, there is no doubt whatsoever, by now, there are much much more Foreigners (talents and con-men alike) now in Singapore occupying most of the lucrative, highly-paid, easy jobs and top positions than do Singaporeans, as a matter of fact, than ever before.

    Third, Yes, Singaporeans have been encouraged to work overseas by not only the Junior Multi-Millionaire Ministers, Senior Multi-Millionaire Ministers, but also the Super Multi-Millionaire Prime Minister himself in his yearly National Day Rally speeches. Read them again closely and examine in depth and between the lines. The biggest encouragers, instigators and motivators to get rid of Singapore's brainy, independent-thinking, hard-working local talents is none other than the Labor Chiefs, because such talents would be a pain-in-their-necks if hanging around. To make these incompetent pretentious cronies' job easier, one such independent-thinker (the minions would prefer the term "trouble-maker") is one too many already. They simply cannot handle them. Can remember what Hsein Loong said in May 2006? He openly told Singaporean voters: "If the opposition were to win 10 to 20 seats in Parliament, instead of spending my time thinking of what is the right policy for Singapore, I have to spend all my time thinking what is the right way to fix them, what's the right way to buy my own supporters over!"

    Fourth, Right on! No one would want to leave the comfort of home behind, to uproot and work overseas unless the offer is so attractive or they are being forced out by the deplorable employment scene at home. When your motherland/fatherland is in chaos and there is no comfort in your heart, would you uproot and leave? Most of the first generation, and pioneers, of Singapore left China and India for greener pastures in Singapore, Malaya, Indonesia, Philippines, even Australia, depending on which way the wind blew their "Tongkang" and "Junk" to. In those days, they left their countries in order to survive. Today, they left in order to seek a comfortable and freer lifestyle.

    Moral of the story: If you have to jump ship, jump early before it starts to sink, while there are plenty of life-boats around. Even the unsinkable Titanic sank miserably!

    ReplyDelete
  22. "PAP does not equal Singapore.
    February 26, 2017 11:31 am"

    Pap is singapore, they are the same until opposition takes over.
    How many NS men left and living overseas want to come back to "serve" when singapore sinks, ie attacked or self implodes?

    Those i know will not likely and probable. The biggest fear in my mind is when singapore is attacked. Similar to Little India riots in 2015 December, no uniform groups would show up on time to curb the spread of rioters.

    U talk about defense for singapore at cny gathering? U will hear talking about this singapore is not NS time lah, 50% are foreigners. They asked: will the foreigners sabo u before your move?

    Its true. Ordinary rank NS men already know. What army are doing will be known. U want to defend what? More than half are Malaysians PR and Malsysian turned citizens.

    If NS men can run overseas, they will not want to die here at war. Likely enemies are who?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Yes. I stand corrected.

    PAP is Singapore.
    And Singapore is PAP.

    Stand Up.
    Stand Up for PAP (not Singapore).

    Is Singapore Inc. the same as PAP Inc. ??

    ReplyDelete
  24. What do rich American Billionaires do that Singaporean Millionaire Ministers do not do ??

    https://www.gatesnotes.com/2017-Annual-Letter

    ReplyDelete
  25. "Yes. Stand Up for PAP."
    February 26, 2017 2:17 pm

    U guess the biggest group of 5th column to welcome enemies are from where? 5th column in warfare are important enemies helpers inside the attack territories.

    I rate the risk will be higher when Najib loses and umno loses. But Pap are still as cocky and voted in with majority of 55%.

    U watch the escalating of risk when singapore is pap or pap is singapore. Investors will run if they know the politics.

    ReplyDelete
  26. @ RB

    >> I am sure many overseas Singaporeans would want to come home, after all Singapore is home, where they grew up and all the memories, friends and relatives are. <<

    You are joking. Most fuckers who fucked off don't want shit to do with Singapore anymore.

    Of course there are people like myself who've maintained strong connection to the Mother Cuntry...but all for selfish reasons I can assure you. (I consider selfishness to be a VIRTUE 🤠) Singapore, without doubt is an AWESOME HOTEL for many of us. 😜

    >> What is or was Contact Singapore’s real mission? Did it succeed or did it fail? <<

    Since I have had a few lunches with CS in Perth over the years (when they used to be in Perth), I'll share my opinion. Also bear in mind, I have helped 30-40 foreigners relocate to Singapore myself:

    Yes, I think they had reasonable success. They attracted many foreigners when the govt had the open borders policy and a "economic growth" oriented model---i.e. the hated (by the asshole xenophobes, spurred on by people like redbean) policies open borders, get in foreigners and crank up the economic growth, and expose the locals to spur in the behind toe-to-toe competition.

    And it worked. So Contact Singapore IMO, played a small but important part in taking Singapore to the next, more international level.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Video: Ang moh beat up Singaporean driver and attempt to steal car in road rage incident

    http://statestimesreview.com/2017/02/26/video-ang-moh-beat-up-singaporean-driver-and-attempt-to-steal-car-in-road-rage-incident/
    -------------------------------------

    Thank you PAP for your Foreign Talents.

    ReplyDelete
  28. @ February 26, 2017 3:22 pm

    Contact Singapore or Hantam Singaporeans ??

    ReplyDelete

  29. Matilah, you be surprised.

    My nephew with his three sons left for Canada three years ago.

    Thought they gone for good.I said good choice or else one by one your three sons gonna go National Slavery.

    You dont belong to their inner circle or clique, your sons gonna chiong suai.

    Unlike their por lam pars stooges their sons wear tetron uniforms.

    Knn, his eldest son returned to go into National Slavery just.

    I said, you and your children got acceptance there and you come back for fark.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Knn, his eldest son returned to go into National Slavery just.
    February 26, 2017 4:37 pm

    Same here.
    My friend emigrated to Australia.
    Work like fuck to get Aussie citizenship for whole family.

    Now two of his sons want to come back to Singapore.
    One went to join the air force.
    Luckily ... one son like Australia and continues to stay with parents in Oz.

    Slaves are slaves.
    I think it's in the genes.
    Singapore attracts a certain type of people.

    You can take a slave out of Singapore.
    But you can't take the Singapore out of the slave.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Virgo49,

    There are nine main categories of people:

    1. People who are stupidly stupid.
    2. People who are cleverly stupid.
    3. People who are wisely stupid.

    4. People who are stupidly clever.
    5. People who are cleverly clever.
    6. People who are wisely clever.

    7. People who are stupidly wise.
    8. People who are cleverly wise.
    9. People who are wisely wise.

    So, your friend belongs to which category?

    Dragon Fly.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Migrant worker wins salary dispute in Singapore’s High Court

    http://www.theindependent.sg/migrant-worker-wins-salary-dispute-in-singapores-high-court/
    ---------------------

    Very lucky this PRC worker is not like a typical Singaporean voter.
    Everything lan lan bo pian lor.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Dudes, these kids must do NS first, so they came back to finish NS, then declare they want to be foreigners, Oz or Canadaians.

    This is the legal way to prevent being sue in later part of life when accidentally enter into sin city and being caught at custom.

    It is an unfair laws. Read foreigners getting jobs here do not need to do NS. PR can keep sons at sunny land and continue to work here for more than 30yrs till retirement and brought back 100% cpf to chennai as raja. Syonan is a very unequal world.
    Try to get job, pinky called sense of entitlement. Try to avoid being sinkies at young age, get sue, when grows up for not taking the "entitlement NS".

    NS entitlement is not up to anyone to decide. A born rights knn.

    ReplyDelete
  34. NS = National Slavery

    I must vote Opposition to save my sons.

    ReplyDelete

  35. Fark, just give you 100 dollah vouchers and they said recognition.

    Lau Goh one time even gave current serving NSFs more than reserved ORD personnel.

    One eye big one eye small. Last time GKS gave NSFs jobs in silver serpents service and guaranteed allocations of HDB flats.

    Think what bro said is true. My nephew must have put up monetary guarantee to ensure his sons come back or else become deserters.

    After which can denounce citizenship.

    Or else cannot see grandparents.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Reasons for voting Opposition
    ----------------------------
    1. Abolish National Service
    2. Return our CPF money back at age 55 years old as promised
    3. HDB flats do not belong to Singaporeans.

    Please help me add to the list.

    ReplyDelete
  37. "Fark, just give you 100 dollah vouchers and they said recognition. "

    How many NS men did not bother to use the vouchers. Many thro away, u must use it at safra, out of the way and useless.

    Ntuc vouchers $100 will have more meaning. I will bother to take it.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Does Science Advance One Funeral at a Time?
    --------------------------------------------
    " The central argument of the paper is that “rock star” thought leaders dominate a field, but when they die, new thought leaders are able to emerge.

    In summary, there seems to be a cost and a benefit attached to a powerful intellectual:
    On one hand, powerful leaders drive ideas forward and other researchers can stand on the shoulders of these giants, however, these same giants may leverage their clout to stymie progress and new ideas — especially those ideas that are counter to their own.

    http://blog.alphaarchitect.com/2016/01/13/does-science-advance-one-funeral-at-a-time/#gs.o8NgKsQ

    What about democracy and politics?
    - does it also advance one funeral at a time?

    ReplyDelete
  39. The Mental Masturbation (What they say)
    ---------------------------------------------
    “The most important philosophy that a leader must have is not to take yourself or your philosophy too seriously.
    The need for a leader of a nation to be close to the ground and not surround himself with yes-men.
    In addition, he must be able to accept differing views and criticism, as well as acknowledge his mistakes and change decisions when merited.
    You have to see the world, you have to talk to people, ordinary people.
    You have to have a sense of what it looks like not from the point of view of the policymaker, but from the point of view of those who are at the receiving end of your policies. "

    http://statestimesreview.com/2017/02/26/lee-hsien-loong-leaders-must-accept-criticisms-reject-yes-men-like-me/

    The Reality (What They do)
    --------------------------------
    Amnesty International: Conviction of activists must be overturned

    http://www.tremeritus.com/2017/02/26/amnesty-international-conviction-of-activists-must-be-overturned/

    ReplyDelete
  40. If the country is well managed with a pro Singaporean govt, I bet many Singaporeans would want to return home. They are only waiting for a change of govt and policies. I will post one article titled 'We need a new govt' tomorrow. This is a phrase that I have been hearing many times over and over again.

    Not to worry, what must come down must come down. It is a natural law of nature, like gravity.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Do you think we have a pro PAP government rather than a pro Singaporean government?

    What is a pro PAP government?
    A government that wants PAP to stay in power forever?

    ReplyDelete
  42. @ February 26, 2017 7:57 pm

    4. More jobs for Singaporeans
    5. Stop Immigration

    ReplyDelete
  43. Likely they closed it down cause already attracted too many talents but not enough jobs to go around already. The media reported that now Uni graduates prefer to work part time or contract jobs cause the survey shows a large percentage of graduates hold those jobs. But another way to interpreted the data is that they got those jobs because they are unable to secure permanent jobs. It's the same that state sinkies prefer small apartment cause the trend is for sinkies buying the shoe box units. Another way to interpreted the data is that sinkies can't afford the larger units so they buying the small units, it's like a cup filled with half water type of interpretation.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Perharps sg will really

    B given answers in 56 man yrs.

    ReplyDelete
  45. @ Virgo:

    Yes, of course there are folks want to return...as I've stated before. The majority however, stay away once they leave....especially those who leave Singapore with a "bad taste" in their mouth.

    If I was 40 years younger and just starting a family as a Singaporean immigrant to Canada/ Aust etc. , I would be making plans to have my kids do Sec and HSC education IN SINGAPORE.

    If they have to do NS, so be it.

    Singapore has changed lah. It's really much much more international and cosmopolitan now. NEVER give up your pink IC. You too can enjoy Singapore as an AWESOME HOTEL. (free advice from Matilah)

    ReplyDelete