An Immigration Bonus for Singaporeans?

 Making the Foreigner More Acceptable


By Yolanda Chin, Nadica Pavlovska and Norman Vasu

Synopsis

In order to make Singaporeans more receptive to foreigners, it may be worth considering making the benefits of their presence more tangible to Singaporeans through an “Immigration Bonus” for citizens from a revenue pool of immigrant labour levies….

Making Singaporeans appreciate foreigners

While the current efforts to mitigate the drawbacks of the influx of foreigners are steps in the right direction, two issues remain. Firstly, the fact remains that the immediate downsides clearly continue to be palpable while the benefits remain obscure. Secondly, the staunchly anti-immigration camp may not appreciate the potential cost of a closed-door immigration policy.

A way forward would be to introduce an “Immigration Bonus” from a revenue pool derived from the levies collected for the Work Permit and S Pass Holders as well as the possible introduction of a one-off entry levy for Employment Pass Holders. The new levy for Employment Pass Holders should not deter foreign talent from coming to Singapore given that the dual benefits of competitively low taxes and life in a vibrant safe environment are likely to outweigh the cost of the levy….

Yolanda Chin is a Research Fellow, Nadica Pavlovska Associate Research Fellow and Norman Vasu Assistant Professor at the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University

The above two paragraphs are the gist of what this high level think tank team from RSIS has conceived after very serious meditation in the wilderness of NTU. Who would have thought of such a brilliant idea, to use money collected from the immigrants to appease the anger of the daft Sinkies who could not understand or appreciate the indispensable benefits of having foreigners to come and help them and provide jobs for them. And if they continue to be daft, the whole country will simply fold up.

The daft Sinkies are so daft that they did not even know the danger facing them and the little island they have built without the help of these new highly talented immigrants. But not all is lost. With brilliant academics thinking for them, taking their advice would not go wrong. And hey, the Immigration Bonus could be used to offset the increasing GST and save them some money as well. It is definitely a win win and win situation. The immigrants win, the daft Sinkies win, the brilliant academics with their clever idea also win.

This is simply wonderful food for thought. I must confess I would never have thought of it. No wonder they said Sinkies are daft. I am also one daft Sinkies. No need further proof.

Intimidation, intimidation!

As I read the morning papers my hands were shivering in fear. The word intimidation seems to be everywhere and jumping out from the pages. But who is intimidating who? This one I no able to figure out. In Parliament, everyone is so clever and it is really very hard to tell what they said and what they meant. And of course there is no intimidation in our first world Parliament. No chairs or punches were thrown, so we are one class above those gangster infested parliaments. Sure no see blood.

While I am still very hazy about the ongoings and recovering from the shock, I still think it may be a good idea for MPs on the wrong side of the power equation to exercise extreme care when asking questions in Parliament. Asking questions they must, but there are certain special nuances and skills required to be able to ask questions safely and successfully.

For one, include a prologue to the questions. Use a template as it can be used in all circumstances, by all MPs, before a question is asked. The things to say shall include ‘I am not casting any aspersion against anyone or any institution. I have full confidence in the integrity of the institution and its officers and have not the slightest doubt that they will be dishonest or bad or abuse their positions in anyway in the conduct of their duties. I have faith that these are people of great repute and infallible to temptations of all kinds. I have no motive in asking this question and it is done in good faith.’ I think this should be safe enough.

Only after saying this, like swearing on oath, should one proceed to ask question. Oh, before that, take care in phrasing the question carefully to make sure that it is free from any innuendoes or insinuations, or intimidations as they can be easily smelt out by the experts. After asking the question, just sit down and listen. Whatever the answer, just accept it as good and end of the story. And give oneself a pat on the back that one has done a good job, in asking questions in Parliament.

Then there will be a happy ending and no need to sweat under the threat of assumed intimidation. Our Parliament is a first world parliament and proper conduct with correct decorum will get one a long way. It can also be very gracious and enlightening in the company of great and talented politicians, some could even pass off as immortals.

Have a nice day.

Giving up on your own people

‘When you import sporting talent just to win, you have given up on your own people and it represents the “cannot do” spirit …a confirmation that you don't believe in your own people and their talents. No surprise to me that the sports association that is most active in importing sporting talent to win is led by a PAP [ruling party] MP….it reflects the faith and confidence they have in our own people.’ Lucky Tan.

The dependency on bought foreign talents to represent Sinkieland and to win medals has drawn many furious comments from concerned Sinkies. The above quote from Lucky Tan is one of the many comments made by Sinkies and has wider implications. Spending some money, since we have so much money, on something of fancy like the fantasies of an adolescent is nothing serious. It is a phase of growing up and once the dust has settled, the fantasy in the hands, it may lead to a realisation that all the farce wasn’t worth it.

What is more serious is the mentality of taking short cuts like instant trees. What is even more serious is to give up on our own people in other more important fields of enterprise. Many foreigners have been recruited to fill up very senior positions in govt and in the private sector, particularly in GLCs. Such acts are more detrimental to the well beings of the citizens, unless our own citizens are not able to fill the positions. In many instances it is not really the case but more like having more faith in foreigners than our very own. The Americans have paid a very heavy price for recruiting banking and finance talents from a little town called Mumbai when New York is the financial centre of the world. And when the most advanced financial centre could not find the talents it needed in NY and had to look at the wilderness for its talents, it deserved to have its financial institutions and industry crippled and ruined.

The importing of foreign talents to replace locals is very insulting when locals are left out in the cold, as incompetents by its own rulers. Giving foreigners a pink IC does not really change anything. It is still giving up on your own people.

There have been some policy shifts lately like priorities for allocation of schools, and differential subsidies for Sinkies. The sad part still is that many good jobs were given to foreigners instead of Sinkies. In some industries it has become a big joke. No wonder foreigners are despising and looking down on the locals. When your own do not look up to Sinkies and always look around the world to fill top jobs, it gives an impression that our own are simply useless or inept. And it is our own doing.

Give the locals a chance, put them on the job, just like politicians. There is no need to have any experience or special qualifications to be turned into an expert and advisor in many things. One can be minister this and minister that without having any prior knowledge of the business as long as the boss man has faith in him. We have eye surgeons solving flood and irrigation problems, soldiers becoming experts in trains and social services overnight, including making babies, finance man becoming education experts or housing experts etc etc. Why can’t this mentality be extended to all institutions and industries? Soon our own academics would only be found in dustbins or as taxi drivers, replaced by ‘more talented’ foreigners in the academies. And it raised the rankings of our universities to have more foreigners running it. Bloody good!

In sports, Sinkie parents are unlikely to want to put their children through the tough training regimes. They all want their children to go to the best schools and have straight As. There are no more Chan Ah Kows to spend his own time and money to put his own children through the mills.

Would the fetish hang-ups to employ foreigners be reviewed? Would there be a local’s first policy or always foreigners are deemed betterer and be the favoured choice? How would the Sinkies take it when the country gives up on them?

How would the national conversation change such a mindset of inferiority complex, that the govt has more confidence in foreigners than its own people?

The heavy price of being a citizen

Another NSman missing in Brunei. Coxswain Muhammad Fahrurrazi went missing during an exercise and a search party is out there looking for him. This is the heavy price paid by every male citizen and their families for the good of this island. Some still sneered at National Service as nothing to crow about. If Muhammed is not found, a family would have lost their beloved son for good, in the service of the country, paying the ultimate price even in peace. All the hopes and aspirations of a family will turn into a just sad memory, plus a few consoling words, and to bear the pain alone for the rest of their lives.

How can the people and country compensate for this unquestioned loyalty and contribution to their well being and the welling being of all fellow citizens? Can anyone who has not done his NS claimed to have contributed more than an ordinary NSman? Can any PR or new citizen know and feel the pain and sacrifices of the NSmen and their families?

Can any company or organization still think it is okay to go for CBF, go for foreigners instead of the more expensive locals while operating here enjoying the peace and security because of the NSmen? Should corporations be made to do NS by recognizing and serving NSmen, by giving preference and priority to employ them? Would the govt seriously look at the contributions of NSmen and make sure all NS are given priority to own a home for their selfless sacrifices to the country?

Instead of empty words like all first timers would get a flat, would this be put to reality? Anyone being left out, cannot own a flat after serving NS, willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the country? Any cock crowing and demeaning the contributions of the NSmen, taking it for granted? This is tangible contribution to the economy and the corporations owed it to the NSmen.

What do you think? Is $195 or $900pm adequate as fair exchange for this little aspiration demanded from the young men by the country?

The big disconnect, where got?

When ministers openly claimed that earning a few millions is barely enough to maintain their decent standard of living while some spoke with contempt about the poor wanting to eat in foodcourt, how to miss the disconnect?

When ministers expect to be paid in the millions for a life time pension but did not blink when deciding to hold back the people’s hard earned savings through all kinds of schemes, is there a connect?

When ministers made a case that $1000 pm is good enough to buy a HDB flat when they splurged several millions on several properties, could there be a connect?

When the people are gasping for air in an overcrowded environment and the elite said there is room for another few millions, how to connect?

When on one hand ministers are telling the people to have more babies but keep shrinking the flat sizes and adding on the price tags, and then condescendingly telling the people to live within their means? What do you think? Does having more babies got anything to do with being prudent or being reckless and irresponsible?

When the people are struggling at the unaffordable property prices, the ministers are claiming that it is affordable, is it a case of being connected?

When the people are screaming and shouting for change, the govt is calling for a conversation. Is there a misconnect?