This irritating letter to VOICES on today’s ‘Today’ really got me and a number of my friends all riled up after reading it. While I only sent these to some of my friends in the afternoon, it managed to spoil the morning for the few of us who actually read it on our own before that. Article as follow:
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Give foreign talent equal dues Letter from Robyn M Speed
I refer to the report, “Permanent Residents debate price of citizenship”, (Dec 5). One might argue that Singapore citizens in other countries should not be entitled to the same benefits as the citizens of those countries. It is only fair that they pay full health costs and pay more for education. If they want the same treatment as citizens, they should take up citizenship in that country. It should not matter if Singaporeans have been living in Australia, New Zealand, or the United States for a decade or more… they should not get the same rights as the citizens. They should expect to pay more. It is only fair. Right? I bet you would say no; that if you do the work, you should get fair and equal treatment. Yet, that is what Singapore wants to do to foreigners here. You want the top professionals in the world to come and work here, to build Singapore as the top research place in the world, the top education hub. Yet you want to hold them distant, to treat them as second to the locals. Surely these foreigners are working for Singapore and her citizens, to build your country and economy, to add to your markets and prestige. Some come here, with their families, for career opportunities. They pay rent at the market rate for a condo apartment, their children attend an international school (because they want a sense of continuity for their children’s education). Add up these costs and they are paying a lot of money, while supporting Singapore’s economy. Why do these foreign employees come here? Because the employer decided that they were the best person for the job. Singapore is a small country and it is difficult for anyone to have the same experience as a worker who has travelled the world, worked in massive markets and learnt from the top people in their fields. I am an expat. We all have a bond with our homeland and to turn one’s back on it is considered to be almost despicable by many. Our homeland is our home in the world… you cannot lightly ask a person to give that up. Singapore wants to be an international hub of research, education, tourism and so on. And yet, this latest move smacks of: “You are welcome to come, but…” Foreigners are either welcome or they are not. And beware, for there are always other markets for these people to go to. |
The Chinese have a saying: 人先自侮，然后人侮之！[One first lose his self respect and others will humiliate him thereafter.]
This letter is nothing more than a veiled threat and I don’t take threats kindly. But ever since the Tali-PAP gover-min continually put Singaporeans down, and keep calling these foreigners ‘talents’ and make them feel like they like they are so damned important that we can’t live without them, we sowed the seeds of our own humiliation. In other words, this is nothing but a self invited humiliation [自取其辱].
I am ignorant so I do not know of any other country that treats foreigners just like their citizens. In fact, just on the matter of health care alone, my friend Jimmy has to buy a Health Insurance when he took up his studies in Canada. Just what makes this fellow think simply by living here, he should also deserve all that we deserved is beyond me.
Don’t forget that it is this country may call them ‘talents’ today but he should be reminded that when the day comes that his ‘talents’ becomes obsolete, this country wouldn’t hesitate to give him the boot, and I’ll be glad to do all the kicking.
Either way, let me take apart some of his fallacious arguments:
- “Surely these foreigners are working for Singapore and her citizens, to build your country and economy, to add to your markets and prestige.”
One of my friends said something to this effect (though his example was way more crude), “Look, if I am going to be paid to several times what is equal my current pay in a country far away, and the food would cost a fraction of what I paid for here, why wouldn’t I go?
In other words, I beg to differ. If Singapore didn’t offer some of these chow angmoh a better deal than where they were originally, why would they move? If the opportunities here isn’t better, why would they move? In other words, surely, they are working for themselves, to build their own career and to add to their own CV and improve their future employability.
I ain’t born yesterday so quit trying to make me believe they have sacrificed much for my country, and that’s not mentioning that there are other sacrifices which male Singaporeans have to made to make this country a viable location of employment for him – for e.g. National Service. Above which,, if Singapore didn’t already have a certain market and a certain level of prestige, why would f*ckers like him come here? Would he for once consider, say, Mugabe’s Zimbabwe?
By the way, just what foreign talents were there building our nation when we got booted from Malaysia in 9 Aug 1965?
- “Some come here, with their families, for career opportunities. They pay rent at the market rate for a condo apartment, their children attend an international school (because they want a sense of continuity for their children’s education). Add up these costs and they are paying a lot of money, while supporting Singapore’s economy.”
Wow. Am I supposed to be grateful here? Are you saying you would get a better deal if you stayed at home? Need I say if you are earning enough to pay for all that then why the hell do you even dare demand the same benefits we have? Why not you share some of your wealth with me then if you also want the benefits I get, and I’ll share with you… my National Service liabilities?
Just why the hell can’t you leave your families back home if you are so concerned with the continuity of your children’s education? What about the foreign workers like Filipinos and Indonesian maids, Chinese, Thai and Bengladeshi workers leave their families – and also children – behind and came all alone? Aren’t these people actually making even more sacrifices than you? I think they are even more deserving of our benefits than you do, you sonuvabitch!!
- “Why do these foreign employees come here? Because the employer decided that they were the best person for the job.”
Oh really? Wanna try quit your job and see if your employer can’t put someone at a lower pay on your job after that? Or even employ two people for your pay and yet they do a better job? After all, maybe in your own country there are people with your kind of qualifications on waiting list in some of our head hunter companies already.
FYI, there is no more iron rice bowls in Singapore and in employment no one is indispensable.
I can understand that if an MNC wants to put their future lea-duhs on a tour of their branches and there’s not much I can say about that. However, those MNCs also contribute to our FDI [foreign direct investments] and provide employment for Singaporeans. I will be grateful and I’ll welcome these companies but don’t expect me to welcome you because you happened to be from the same country these companies originated.
- “I am an expat. We all have a bond with our homeland and to turn one’s back on it is considered to be almost despicable by many. Our homeland is our home in the world… you cannot lightly ask a person to give that up.”
Then don’t. Is there someone forcing you with your life or something?
You simply cannot expect to keep asking my country to give while you refused to give anything for a trade off.
And no, your skills and talents don’t count as what you give because you aren’t working for free nor are you a charity.
- “Foreigners are either welcome or they are not.”
I’ll welcome foreigners anytime, as failing to provide hospitality is considered rude in mosts parts of the world.
But your kind can go if you think we owed your a living or that we won’t get anywhere without you.
- “And beware, for there are always other markets for these people to go to.”
Tell me something I don’t already know! Now if you are that great, just stick your lousy threat up your assh*le where the sun never shines and take the next plane out of this nation.
And good riddance to bad rubbish!
I thought that was EXACTLY my point. No big money, they won’t come, and they come not because they liked my country, but because of the money.
If you right…why big companies like PwC, SIA, why they all hire expats for top jobs? They pay them BIG money to come here…otherwise they wouldn’t come….man if a company offered me US$300,000 I would take the job too. Doesn’t mean I like country, but it’s like a bribe to get people to come to tiny island in Asia. After all….what do do here? Eat, drink, shop. No skiing, no good swimming beaches (polluted), no surfing, no mountaind climbing. Boring!
I am grateful of your support, Joe. It’s good enough reason to keep me blogging. 🙂
I am a singaporean working in california for a year and ur website keeps me updated with the happenings in spore… thanks dude. The GST hike really pissed me off…. f*%k man… after election, every f@#k thing also go up. PAP just won for the opposition 1 vote from me in the nxt election.
“Surely these foreigners are working for Singapore and her citizens, to build your country and economy, to add to your markets and prestige.” I cannot believe it…. It is our father and our grandfather who build this courtry and economy. The chow angmohs come here and take our fruit, still dare to talk so much….
For that ang moh to rant is bad enough and he had to end off with a threat, KNS man. Darth Grievous, I support.
nice one xizor.. i hate this kind of chow ang mohs