Lim Swee Say should have spend some time with Chee Soon
Juan, and sat in during the interview conducted by The Kent Ridge
Common
‘Upfront with: Dr Chee
Soon Juan’ (*1)
abstract:
In the immediate term it is crucial that we stop the
mindless and indiscriminate influx of foreign workers. The
foreigners are being exploited for their cheap labour to
artificially suppress wages of Singaporeans. The foreign talent
policy needs an overhaul: Only foreigners with the requisite skills
unavailable from the local population should be allowed to join the
Singaporean workforce.
Apart from economic consequences, the mass of foreigners
forced upon the locals and competing with them for survival will
have grave social repercussions which we have yet to examine. Is
this an accident waiting to happen?
In the longer term, we must wean the economy off our
dependence on MNCs. We have become addicted to foreign direct
investments so much so that we have not allowed home-grown
enterprises to flourish. Coupled with GLCs, our domestic private
sector and SMEs are squeezed out of the corporate scene. During a
major economic crisis like the present one, we find our economy
much harder hit than anyone else.
In addition, the crush of MNCs and GLCs ensure a dearth of
Singaporean entrepreneurs. Apart from economic consequences, the
lack of the entrepreneurial spirit has a spill over effect into the
social and political circles, making our society distinctly
lackadaisical.
Without the verve and dynamism, the quality of life here
suffers. This is why Singaporeans continue to be one of the most
stressed and unhappiest people in the region and our youths
constantly express a desire to leave the country.
Since the beginning of Singapore's Industrialization in the
early 1970s, the PAP Government had depended on the MNC's to
jump-start Singapore's industrialization ambitions.
After more then 40 years now, Singapore continue to depend on
the MNC's need for lower wage environment, and somehow has abandon
plans for high-value added input from our workers.
The call in the 1980s and the 1990s for Singapore Workers to
upgrade ourselves to climb the next technological rung must have
failed, as after 20 years of constant training and upgrading - the
PAP Government continue to depend on the MNC's that need lower wage
labor force.
While the elite talents guarantee their own astronomical pay
checks, they will insist on Singaporeans to accept lower pay,
longer hours, and shorter contracts - even as the brilliant Lim
Swee Say impose new terminology in cheaper, better and faster on a
workforce that is already burdened by failed slogans from the
1990s.
