Myth 232 - Ageing population crisis

Demography expert, Professor Wolfgang Lutz declared that the negative effects of an ageing population have been blown out of proportion and argued that Singapore’s vast tertiary educated population core will counter the consequences of low replacement levels. So, have the Sinkies been fed with myth or deception, that there is a life time crisis because of this ageing population? The expert said otherwise.

I would like to add that the expert would have an even stronger case if he knows the real situation on the ground. Our highly educated seniors also have acquired a lot of wealth, a lot of savings and do not need charity except for the first batch of baby boomers where many were illiterate. Many from this batch have passed on and the younger baby boomers are more than able to take care of themselves. Then the Asian culture of looking after the elders, the family, will be there to support those that need support. And many will be economically active way past 70 with very few years to twiddle their thumbs and doing nothing. Bloody hell, some are even making millions in their 80s to provide for their grandchildren. What problem are they causing to society?

But one more serious consideration that no one seems to want to talk about. From 3m, our population has been pumped to 5.3m in something like 10 to 15 years. At replacement rate of 2.1% TFR, using simple arithmetic, the population should increase by 21% or 30% for the same period, ie to 3.6m or 3.9m. Round it up our population should be not much more than 4m today, but we have 5.3m! That is many times more than the replacement rate. We have over replaced haven’t we?

And for ramping it up to this number, shouldn’t more care be taken to minimize the ageing process with younger people? Or it is another case of just adding more senior citizens into the pool to aggravate the situation, to create a life time crisis? The flexibility to bring in more than 2m new people must have plenty of rooms to do the right thing, to avoid the ageing process and problems, not to add on to it.

Now, do I make any sense? Why bring it 2m people without solving the ageing problem and wanting to bring in another 1.6m people and hoping to solve the problem? Who is kidding?

Foreigners accusing Low Thia Khiang of xenophobia

‘The Straits Times reported on how Mr Li Yeming, vice-chairman of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, had made a charge on Worker’s Party chief Low Thia Khiang that he was “inciting xenophobia”. Li “accused Mr Low and the WP of fanning anti-foreigner and anti-immigrant sentiments during the White Paper debate.”’

Can you beat this? Foreigners here accusing our MP Low Thia Khiang of xenophobia! No, worst, inciting xenophobia. This is serious and anyone doing so can be arrested, mind you.

We are only 3.3m people, including many new citizens in this 3.3m. In fact the number of true blue Sinkies are much lesser than 3.3m, and our population is 5.3m. How many foreigners are there in this island? And we welcomed them. But their presence is getting to become more of an annoyance and irritation. The people are angry but still tolerating.

Now we have foreigners arrogantly and dismissively telling us off, accusing our MP and in a way Sinkies of being xenophobic. And we also have India wanting to take us to WTO for not allowing more Indians to work here when there are already 200,000 Indian PMETs here, excluding the 300k to 400k construction workers. Hey, this is no small numbers. Add the PRC Chinese, the Pinoys and the rest of foreigners, and they are still kicking us, Sinkies for being impolite to them and not allowing more to come in.

How long will Sinkie tolerate the bullying and abuses of the foreigners here, taking our jobs, our businesses, driving up our property prices, cost of living, beating up our people, insulting us, scolding us, and dirtying our land. And we laid the red carpet to bring them in, spent public money to make them feel comfortable, offering them jobs, pandering to their whims and fancy, even have to accept their peasant mentality and behavior.

What do you think, Sinkies? Are we going to take this sitting down? Our MP being attacked publicly by a foreigner! Unbelieveable!

Govt’s response to Hong Lim Spring

So far only two ministers, actually one minister and one ex minister have commented on the Hong Lim Rally. And as expected, nothing flattering. One said the unhappiness to the White Paper was expected but forgot to complete the sentence…would go away after the venting of anger, nothing to worry. Another, just rhetoric, or another way of saying, all sound and fury but no substance. He added, the views were one sided and appealing to emotions.

The PM and DPM have not said anything, or maybe it was nothing important and not worth talking about. What can 5,000 people standing under the rain do? Standing under the rain actually has a very significant meaning. Hsien Loong recalled proudly the National Day Parade when he was a drum major, I think, and how the whole parade, soldiers, working adults and students, stood under a heavy downpour at the padang. So too were the ministers and MPs, and the President, all braved the rain to make a point, a proud nation and a people that would not be subdued by a little rain, a little difficulty or discomfort. They stood their ground as one proud people, united and resolved to face the future and whatever difficulties and challenges there be.

Hong Lim Rally was not a National Day Parade, no national leaders, no parade commander or regimentation. The people were there on their own accord, and could walk away freely. There was no need to brave the rain, no compulsion to get wet all over, with mud under their feet. But they stood the ground to make a point. They were unhappy, angry and wanted change.

Can these people be ignored? Are they alone, or each one has a family and friends that shared the same thoughts? And there must be many more that would like to be there but could not be there for some reasons. It was not 5,000 people that opposed the flooding of the country with more foreigners and a bigger population. There were more.

I am sure the political leaders know that the unhappiness was not limited to those present at Hong Lim. Many who were overseas too wrote to express their support for the movement. How widespread is this movement and how serious are they to want to oppose the White Paper?

My gut feel, there are many more not there that felt the same way. Ignore them if you dare and want to be re elected in 2016. Dismiss them as mere noises, rhetoric, lunatics that thought it was fun to stand under the rain, or plain stupid. Just do that. No need to bother with these lunatics. Less than 3 years to ignore them.

The seed of a new Spring has been planted in the mud of Hong Lim, and watered by the Spring rain on 16 February 2013. It will sprout roots and new shoot, and take a life of its own.

Sinkies, please be nice to foreigners

When every one other person is a foreigner, it will also mean that your neighbor is likely to be a foreigner turned new citizen. Maybe both sides of your immediate neighbours will be new citizens. This is a very high possibility if the ration is 1:1 or worst. When that day comes, you better be very nice to foreigners who are holding pink IC or PRs. You will then be a minority in your own country and would be at their mercy if there is any neighbourly dispute or disagreement.

In such a situation, your Sinkie neighbor would be of no help. They would probably close their doors like they are doing now, with more urgency. And you will have to face the new citizens all alone. And knowing their attributes and penchants for being rough, be ready to be roughened in your own neighbourhood.

My advice is to be nice to foreigners in your own country should Sinkies become a minority. Sinkies are very friendly people, they are not prone to violence, not xenophobic. Can you bet your new neighbors will behave like meek Sinkies?

Frankly I dunno what life will be like for Sinkies then. What would you think? But it will not be a life time crisis I am sure, just some personal crisis to deal with individually. By then there will be no need for campaigns to break in and help the new citizens to assimilate to the local Sinkie culture. There will be campaigns to help Sinkies break in and live harmoniously with their new neighbours and foreigners.

There is a bright and challenging future awaiting Sinkies with the help of the talented foreigners.

Why CECA?

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CECA) between Singapore and India came into effect since 2005. In this agreement, if I can recall, both govt recognize the degrees of both countries and to allow their graduates, mostly PMETs, to work in their respective countries. How would a tiny country like Singapore with 3.3m citizens going to benefit is such an agreement with a country with 1b people? And how are the qualifications of the respective universities, probably several hundreds in India and a handful in Singapore going to be equitable?

The new changes in Employment Pass requirements to work in Singapore is drawing cries of foul play by India. And the Indian Govt is thinking of taking the Singapore Govt to the WTO for violations of the CECA.

’This stance by the Singapore Government is expected to affect Indians working as middle-level managers, executives and technicians.

Speculations are rife that India might take up the issue with World Trade Organization’s (WTO) dispute settlement body. However, according to Singapore such a decision was imperative in the interest of the natives as the share of the foreign workforce is rising very rapidly….

Currently, there are about 200,000 non-resident Indians in Singapore working in ITES, financial services and scientific research sectors among others, according to one estimate.’ Source from business -standard.com.

Why would Singapore sign such an agreement with India to allow, theoretically, several hundreds of millions of Indian graduates to work in Singapore when there are barely a handful of Sinkies that would want to work in India? It really beats me.