3/06/2023

Fake qualifications - Why the fuss after more than 20 years? And why wait till 1 Sep and not now?

SINGAPORE: Companies that want to hire foreigners on an Employment Pass (EP) from Sep 1 will have to ensure their educational qualifications are authentic.

Employers will have to submit third-party verification proof for applicants with diploma-level qualifications and above, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said....

Last October, a man was sentenced to seven weeks' jail after making false statements in his declaration for an EP. His EP was approved based on the false statements that were made in February 2019.

In 2021, MOM investigated 23 foreigners who had declared qualifications from Manav Bharti University in India. Two people were jailed for submitting false qualifications in their work pass applications, while 19 were permanently barred from working in Singapore.

The probe in Singapore began after MOM was alerted that India's government was investigating the university for selling fake degrees.  CNA

Is there really a problem? After tons and tons of complaints in the social media, nothing substantial was done to curb this problem, as if it is a fake problem. And this could really be the case, no problem, because after more than 20 years of importing all the foreign talents, there are so few cases discovered or caught. In terms of percentages over millions that were imported, it is likely to be 0.00001 percent. The problem is so small, why go through all the fuss of enforcing checks and now third party checks? Is this not a case of the benefits outweigh the problem?

If this is a serious problem, why wait till now, and still have to wait till Sep to implement this? Would the cheats use this window to come in quickly to avoid the checks? Actually the foreign talents are all very honest type. That is why so few were discovered. And you see how nice they dressed up, and the strings of straight A qualifications, they all look like excellent material, very talented.  If only 0.00001 per cent is the problem, can always ignore this insignificant problem and benefit from the foreign talents to replace our no talent Singaporeans.

What do you think? Got problem or no problem? We have no problem for more than 20 years. Everything was just fine. Why so much fuss? GE coming?

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not GE but presidential election lar in sept

Anonymous said...

About the coming Presidential Election. There was a piece asking about who will make a better President, with someone's name being thrown in. That probably created some hysteria for some people in power. We know how the system works. It does not surprise me that this is taking place, looking at what they have been doing against the opposition, nickpicking on issues and hyping it up using the media, the law and the enforcement agencies.

Nothing surprising about what is happening now, with character assassination in full swing, with the Presidential election and GE not far off.

Anonymous said...

See no up the PAP 4G clique . . .

Anonymous said...

Hsien Yang's chance to stand for PE is as good as Tan Cheng Bock. He would not have the chance to even submit the nomination paper.

We are a rule of law country. And the law would disqualify him.

Rules based order.

Anonymous said...

What racial requirement is in line for the next President I wonder?

Anonymous said...

Trying to close the stable doors after the horses have bolted.

Anonymous said...

Foreign talents are all very honest.

Singapore has the best system to detect cheats and fake qualifications.

Not to worry. On record, a few million foreign talents have come and gone, and many are now citizens and in top jobs. These are proof that all is fine. No cheating, no fake qualifications, very very little cheating and very few fake qualifications.

All can sleep well at night.

The PMETs that have lost their jobs or replaced by foreign talents are due to their lack of talents and qualifications. They deserved to be sacked and replaced. Tiok boh?

Anonymous said...

And they would vote for PAP again and again.

Anonymous said...

Not me please! I live in Hougang and I beg to differ.

Virgo49 said...

Hi Anon 9.09

Like what's those commentators in the West used to laugh and critise the Elephants and Donkeys of the UAss Senate and CON-gress that they are vomiting and diarrhoea in the Rest rooms when something adverse is going to be happened to them


Likewise the Papies especially the older ones who are still parasiting even though they are dann over the hills.

When Hsien Yang were to be the President when elected hell would break loose on them.

That time Elder Bro would have the new PeeAyam in charge. He may be still will be parasiting as Senior or Mental Minister like that Lau Goh who ploughed the riches for so long.

Then this Yang would be worse that ex President Ong.

He would definitely raise Hell by inquiring and demanding many issues and the past donkey years.

They would them said it takes 100 years to furnish the details and demands that he wanted.

So they have to cull him before Hell break loose.

Cheers

Anonymous said...

They are serious in checking for fake qualifications. Maybe one or two would be caught this time.

Virgo49 said...

Just to add that's where our LKY said that maybe one fine day the PAP would br replaced by another party and so be it.

When things started revealing the house of cards start falling then the daft Sinkies would then start yapping Oh never thought of that.

And those Sinkies who said I loved Singapore would flush their faces in the shits bowls.

Why you losers complained for what? You so well taken care of with the Cash Bonuses and CDC vouchers.

2250 for seniors and may be 1K for others compared to their just one month allowance for their MPs at 25K and a term of 4 to 5 years nearly half a million.

That's excluding the Ministers ones hoh and don't forget their MPs other diarrhea ships at hundreds over thousands.

Virgo49 said...

The Papies supposed to be very efficient ones.

Yet, this be implemented only in Sept? Why only in Sept? Pang Chance ah?

Also election ploys lah. Said coffin, oops coffee shops will have economic food by 2026?

Why in 2026? After their erections?

Just to con you and after that left to be seen.
By then many old uncles and aunties would only can eat rice with gravey and many would br in heavens and hell liao.

Anonymous said...

"In 2021, MOM investigated 23 foreigners who had declared qualifications from Manav Bharti University in India."

"The probe in Singapore began after MOM was alerted that India's government was investigating the university for selling fake degrees. CNA"

Manav Bharti University Ranking
country rank: 769
world rank: * 11408 *

If SG is located in Timbuktu, it is understandable to process applicants from universities world ranked 11,408 or even 457
PS : the top uni in India is world ranked 457

This begs the question, "how come there are thousands of applicants trying their luck in SG using uni qualifications that are world ranked 457 to 11,408?"... "with many even resorting to fake degrees?"

Btw, I have yet to hear of any singkie using fake NUS, NTU or SMU degree to apply for jobs in EU, US, Australia, NZ, Jpn, HK, China, etc








Anonymous said...

Mark Mobius issues warning to investors: 'I can't get my money out' of China

Mark Mobius has cautioned investors to be “very, very careful” in China as the emerging markets veteran expert has had trouble making withdrawals from the country.

“I have an account with HSBC in Shanghai. I can’t get my money out,” Mobius, founder of Mobius Capital Partners, told Fox Business last week, Reuters reports.. “The government is restricting flow of money out of the country.”

Mobius is blaming the government’s capital controls, with his comments being shared on social media platform WeChat over the weekend. The former Franklin Templeton Investments emerging markets guru and once China bull is weary of touting the country as a solid play.

“I can’t get an explanation of why they’re doing this... They’re putting all kinds of barriers,” he said. “They don’t say: 'No, you can’t get your money out'. But they say: 'Give us all the records from 20 years of how you made this money...This is crazy.”

Mobius, who left Franklin Templeton in January 2018 and founded Mobius Capital Partners shortly after, cited President Xi Jinping’s predecessor in making the case that the country is losing its appeal to investors.

“The bottom line is that China is moving in a completely different direction than what Deng Xiaoping instituted when they started the big reform programme,” he said.

“Now you have a government which is taking golden shares in companies all over China,” Mobius added. “That means they’re going to try to control all of these companies... So I don’t think it’s a very good picture when you see the government becoming more and more control-oriented in the economy.”

Reuters could not reach Mobius and HSBC for comment.

Mobius noted that Hong Kong “seems to be a little more open” and that he had no problem with taking his money “in and out” of the territory, Business Today reports, citing the same Fox Business report. Investors should give serious consideration to India as an alternative to the mainland, he said.

“You’ve got a billion people (Indians), they can do the same thing that the Chinese do,” he said. “They can do the same kind of manufacturing and so forth.”

Anonymous said...

Despite Mobius’ concerns about China, foreign investor have been pouring money back into China at record rates this year on the hopes of a lasting economic rebound in the country.

The total asset size of China’s public funds has also jumped back above Rmb27 trillion (US$3.88 trillion) at end-January after many months of fluctuations and net redemptions last year.

The Rmb27.25 trillion of assets managed by China’s fund firms represented an increase of 4.7% from the Rmb26.03 trillion at the end of 2022, data from the Asset Management Association of China show.

The growth in industry assets came as investors cautiously returned to equities and mixed-asset funds in January, turning more optimistic on a rapid rebound for China’s economy reopening after the relaxation of its strict zero-Covid policies at the end of last year.

In October, Mobius said he believed China would have to relax its zero-Covid policy by the end of 2022 to stimulate the country’s struggling economy and support a government that needs money “badly”.

“I don’t think Covid is an issue going forward,” Mobius then told Bloomberg News. “China has no choice but to open up to ensure the economy can function.”

“Lip service will be given to it but the reality on the ground will be different,” he added.

Mobius did express concerns about China in 2021, noting then the he believed the country's increased scrutiny on its tech and education sectors had caused investors to redirect flows to India, as well as the U.S. and other markets, Reuters reported. But he also sounded an optimistic tone that the government’s interventions could have a positive impact.

“I would say half the money has just left... But I think that is temporary, it will not last," Mobius, said at the Reuters Global Markets Forum in August 2021.

Mobius said then that his firm was “heavily concentrated in India”, with holdings from the country comprising about 20% of his portfolio. He was optimistic about numerous sectors in India, including medical testing and industrial equipment.

“It’s a pretty wide scope that we have in India,” Mobius noted. “Lots of opportunities.”

Negative impacts from Chinese regulators’ crackdown, however, would not last long, Mobius said in 2021, noting that the government’s efforts to rein in monopolies would help small and mid-size enterprises to grow. He cited medical equipment manufacturers, health care and higher-level education firms that had not been impacted by regulators as solid bets, as well as consumer products and fast food.

“We feel that it’s good where we are,” Mobius said. “There are opportunities now in China as a result of this panic following the government intervention.”

Anonymous said...

As someone said, PE and GE is coming, so must do something. But not about family feud getting mixed up in the fray. But diversion is always a good tactic.

Anonymous said...

Who cares about Mobius going big in India. Certainly not me!

Anonymous said...

Yes Mobius, go and park all your money in India. Good luck.

Anonymous said...

India is a country where angels fear to thread. The wise pour their money into China.

Clear eyed said...

The love affair with India is still sizzling hot after 20 odd years, with no sign of waning. Whatever "action" they are going to take in September to check for fake degrees is just pulling more wool over eyes.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, sure to catch a few ikan bilis.

That is the best they can do. Because the rest of foreign talents are honest and don't cheat and use genuine degrees printed in high quality papers.

Anonymous said...

After a few cases, all will be fine as the rest would have genuine degrees and qualifications from the best universities in India, all with straight As. And these best universities would rank in the 600, 800 or 1,000 in the world.

And they will definitely be better than our local talents, the PMETs from lowly ranked Singapore universities, in the low 100, or low 20s. It is therefore natural for them to replace our no talent citizens.

Anonymous said...

Even if they got caught, so what? The benefits outweigh the risk. When they get through, it is like striking lottery for the rest of their lives.

If caught, the most a few months of first class medical care, free food and lodging and then repatriated, get a new passport, come trying again.

Anonymous said...

I don't think it is a problem. 23 out of 200 000 EPs from India is not a big number. The problem is with the employers who never check.
Even have fake degrees. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/yeoh-keng-swee-fake-university-degrees-top-dollar-jobs-busted-construction-firm-checks-ntu-3098231

Anonymous said...

Actually there is no need to have fake degrees. So many have said, can work good enough. No need degrees.

Maybe now they will come without producing any degrees. Just tell their employers that they can do the job and will be employed. So no need to fake or cheat anymore.

All employed as natural talents, can work but no degrees.

Anonymous said...

23/200000 = 0.000115. Very, very small problem. Not a problem at all.

Anonymous said...

0.0001 should not be called a problem. Not meaningful to talk about it or to waste resources to deal with 0.0001 problem.

Natural Born SInkie said...

How many here have degrees? You mean sinkie with no degrees cannot work ah

Anonymous said...

Normally the people expect government policies to protect citizens. This big fuzz about foreigners' qualification is looking like protecting foreigners more than Singaporeans.

In the interest of Singaporeans, all the measures must be put into effect immediately when Singaporeans are suffering from the misconducts of foreigners. The delay in implementation is like protecting the interest of the foreigners are more important than protecting Singaporean interests.

Anonymous said...

The Mantra of the Day: Whether black cat or white cat, can catch mouse is a good cat.
Catch phrase: Who cares about Real or Fake degrees ? The one can do the job eh sai liow lah!
So all these checks or regulations change here n there to please the residents locals r All Wayang Lah Ho Boh?! Wake Up Lah!!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Natural Born SInkie, welcome to the blog.

Anonymous said...

Understand now Sinkies with degrees are manning hawker stalls earning big bucks. Wonder whether no degree can become hawkers or not in future? Maybe that degree will be a criteria for getting a hawker licence, if too many are applying for a hawker licence. Then bidding becomes the norm and hawker COEs becomes a reality, LOL. Frightening thought! OK just conspiracy theory lah!

Anonymous said...

When CECA is HR &/or CEO COO, close one eye bring more kaki lang. Shake head kautim liao. Bring whole damn village to SG.