“Ever since I first mentioned that we are planning for a
population of 6.5 million people, many Singaporeans have reacted
with concern, some with alarm, at the thought of more people living
and working in Singapore…..Do we need a larger population? Most
definitely. To grow and create more and better jobs, Singapore must
remain open, competitive and relevant to the global market
place,” Mr Mah wrote.
The statistics from the Government’s own Department of
Statistics don’t lie – unless Minister Mah is claiming that his own
government statisticians were wrong and slip shod in their work
?
The statistics clearly show that despite the increasing inflow
of new Citizens and PRs since 1999 to 2009 – which resulted in more
then ONE MILLION New Citizens and PRs – the Total Fertility Rate
has worsened from 1.48 in 1999 to 1.22 in 2009. As of June 2010,
there was an increase of over 20,000 unemployed for the same period
in 2009; and housing shortages exacerbated from 2006 to 2010;
property prices went berserk through the decades.
“In such an economy, we need sufficient people with the
right skills and experience. If we cannot get enough from our own
people, we must supplement with skilled immigrants. A larger
population and greater economic activity will bring about greater
buzz, vibrancy and energy, which in turn will attract more people
and new opportunities.”
During the mid-1990s, the Government had called for Singapore’s
economy to move up the technological and higher value added
sectors, by going into the scientific research, bio-engineering and
pharceutical sectors, and encouraged many young Singaporeans to
pursue these courses when some of these courses were not available
in Singapore.
Singapore’s own talents who have returned from overseas – some
from ‘Blue Ribbon’ universities, with degrees funded by family
support – remained jobless in 2003 to 2005, and some for more then
two years, while foreigners flood the employment market during the
same period.
Those MNCs that enjoyed tax-free status and government grants
prefer to employ their own foreign talents, then to have
Singapore’s own talent to be taught the high value added science
and technologies of these new frontier businesses.
“A recent review of our long-term land use and
transportation plan concluded that we have enough land to cater to
a population of 6.5 million, if we are creative and careful in
using our limited land, if we plan for such growth now and if we
invest in the necessary infrastructure.”
After more then 45 years of propaganda from the Pro Alien Party,
can Singaporeans now take it that the “recent review suddenly made
available” to “our long-term land use and transportation plan” –
has punctured the myopic arguments of Minister Mah’s long held
position that “Singapore is land-locked” and “severe lack of space
to continue expanding roadways and build more roads” ?
“But plans are only as good as the paper they are written on
– unless they can be made to happen. So long as we have a
leadership that has the foresight to anticipate challenges, the
determination and the political will to address them, and the
ability to bring our people along to tackle these challenges
together; and so long as we have a people that is willing to work
hard, and work with one another, and with their leaders, we can
together create a truly global city, which we can call
home.”
Yes, “plans are only as good as the paper they are written on –
unless they can be made to happen”.
BEFORE plans are made to happen, there must have been vigorous
due diligence applied to ensure that all issues are given
consideration and parallel plans are also considered to be effected
to ensure that such “PLANS MADE TO HAPPEN” will be implemented
successfully without disrupting the social status quo.
Unfortunately, Minister Mah’s claim that “So long as we have a
leadership that has the foresight to anticipate challenges, the
determination and the political will to address them….” – has also
been proven wrong with the extreme shortage of public housing that
led to a upward spiral of run-away pricing, which clearly indicate
that the leadership from the Pro Alien Party DID NOT HAVE THE
FORESIGHT TO ANTICIPATE CHALLENGES.
Unfortunately, there was the LACK OF DETERMINATION and POLITICAL
WILL TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS when the PLAN TO INCREASE THE
POPULATION SIZE WAS PUT INTO ACTION. This was was seen in Minister
Mah’s denial that there was a housing shortage, and his denial that
a housing bubble was in the making with the upward spiral in the
runaway price.
Minister Mah’s lack of political will to address these
challenges even went to the extreme when he will accuse young
Singaporeans to be fussy when they were unable to get their first
home after being in the waiting list for years.
Clearly, this Government of the Pro Alien Party – with Minister
Mah being a member of the Cabinet – DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY “to
bring our people along to tackle these challenges together”.
It is disingenuous to throw the ball back on Singaporeans by
claiming that – “so long as we have a people that is willing to
work hard, and work with one another, and with their leaders, we
can together create a truly global city, which we can call
home”.
Singaporeans have been pushed to the limits working longer hours
for less pay than the over paid Ministers, who spent less time per
week at real work, and with half of their waking hours talking
uselessly based on “gut feel” then from diligent research or data,
and the other half of their waking hours at leisure in golf
courses, or tennis courts, or at the pools.
If Minister Mah thinks that he is running an Animal Farm, he had
better remember the end story of those Pigs that slowly abandon
their own “four legged values” – and began to learn and talk like
those who “walk on two legs”.
*
The “Animal Farm” by George Orwell – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZldlyeR8DU&feature=fvw
