December 26, 2009
Though he admitted to a Japanese audience lately that he is “not
doing much work” as the Minister Mentor of Singapore except
“forecasting”, Lee Kuan Yew showed why many still consider him as
the “hidden” hand behind the nation’s policies.
In a frank interview with journalist Mark Jacobson from the
National Geographic magazine, Lee spoke about the ruling party’s
liberal immigration and pro-foreigner policies as if he was their
principal architect.
Though he said he was aware of the fact that “many Singaporeans
are unhappy with the influx of immigrants”, he continued to insist
that it is for “good” of the nation:
“Over time, Singaporeans have become less hard-driving and
hard-striving. This is why it is a good thing that the nation has
welcomed so many Chinese immigrants.” Lee was quoted
saying.
Lee described the country’s new subjects as “hungry,” with
parents who “pushed the children very hard.”
“If native Singaporeans are falling behind because the spurs
are not stuck into the hide, that is their problem,” he
quipped.
There is a racist undertone in Lee’s remarks on Chinese
immigrants. Shouldn’t the acceptance and admission of immigrants
into Singapore be based solely on meritocracy rather than race?
There are only four countries in the world with a
Chinese-majority population – Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and
China.
It is obvious that China is the primary source of Singapore’s
Chinese immigrants for the last few years since the floodgates were
opened.
By his outlandish statement, is Lee insinuating that mainland
immigrants have a higher chance than other nationalities of being
granted Singapore PR and citizenship even if they are less
qualified?
It appears to be so judging from the large number of Chinese new
citizens in Singapore, many of whom hail from the poorer inland
provinces instead of the rich coastal cities which bear a closer
resemblance to island’s ethnic Chinese such as Guangzhou, Xiamen
and Shantou.
A Singapore PR and Chinese citizen Zhang Yuanyuan was granted
her PR within 2 months of application.
There were news reports of Chinese construction workers,
cleaners and masseurs being given Singapore PRs and
citizenships.
How Lee manage to arrive at the conclusion that these new
immigrants from China are more “hard-driving and hard-striving”
than Singaporeans is anybody’s guess.
In the first place, they have no choice but to work hard here
since they have to pay through their noses to an agent to get a job
in Singapore, often ending up in huge debts.
It is both unfair and inappropriate to compare locals who need
to spend time with their families with these migrant workers who
are forced to work under inhumane conditions in order to repay
their debts.
Lee should perhaps quote a few living examples to substantiate
his statement that China immigrants “pushed the children very
hard”.
A significant percentage of these children from the mainland
studying in Singapore come from broken families.
They are accompanied to Singapore by their mothers who are known
as “Pei2 Du3 Ma1 Ma1″, many of whom are separated or divorced from
their husbands.
Common sense will tell us that few mothers will be so courageous
to bring their children overseas to start life afresh without their
husbands if there are no compelling reasons to do so.
As they are unable to work in Singapore, many of them end up in
the sleaze trade to support their children’s education.
It is a challenge to bring up a child in the absence of a father
under such trying circumstances.
Is Lee insinuating that children brought up by single “Pei Du Ma
Ma” are more “hard-driving and hard-striving” than locals from
traditional families?
Lee’s callous remarks is an effrontery and insult to the Malay
and Indian ethnic minorities in Singapore.
Regardless of race and religion, all of us are Singaporeans and
we should not be divided based on our skin color.
Though the ethnic Chinese in Singapore are descendants of
immigrant Chinese as well, we have managed to forge a common
Singapore identity over the years with the other races.
An ethnic Chinese Singaporean has more in common with a Malay
Singaporean than a new immigrant from mainland China.
“Hard-driving and hard-striving” are not traits unique only to
the Chinese. Does Lee mean to say that Malays and Indians are less
“hard-driving” than the Chinese?
Lee’s actions are akin to a father adopting others’ children and
praising them for being more hardworking than his own children.
Which father in the world will do that?
Lee should clarify what he meant exactly by his statement
and issue a public apology immediately without delay to Singapore
Malays and Indians for his divisive, discriminatory and potentially
inflammatory remarks made in an international magazine with a
readership of more than 5 million worldwide.
What will the rest of the world think of Singapore’s ethnic
minorities when they read the interview?
They may be misled into thinking that Singapore has no choice
but to “import” Chinese immigrants from overseas because its own
indigenous people are less “hard-driving and hard-striving”.
He should also explain to Singaporeans who are paying his
multi-million salary on why he thinks that they are less
“hard-driving and hard-striving” than the new immigrants from
China.
It is utterly unbecoming for a senior statesman in the stature
of Lee to go around the world disparaging his own citizens who put
him and his party in power in the first place.
Lee should realize the fact that he owes everything he has today
to the people of Singapore and not the other way round.
If Singaporeans are not “hard-driving and hard-striving”, where
did GIC and Temasek get so much money to lose?
According to a Wall Street Journal report in September this
year, Government of Singapore Investment Corp whose Chairman is Lee
himself, suffered a loss around 59 billion Singapore dollars
(US$41.6 billion) in the fiscal year ended March.
This staggering sum, which was accrued from years of budget
surpluses, did not belong to Lee or his government, but to the
people of Singapore.
And if it is not the “problem” of the elected government of the
day to take care of the people who have “fallen behind”, then who
should be responsible?
In any other Asian democracies like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan
and even Malaysia, Lee would probably be forced to apologize and
resign from the government.
He is only able to get away in Singapore because its subservient
people are too timid to tell him to “sit down and shut up” straight
in the face.
It is time for Singaporeans to show what they think about Lee
and his coterie of “department store dummies”, borrowing a quote
from former president Devan Nair in the next general election and
stuck some spurs into their thick hides.
Whether the PAP gets elected again is their problem, not
Singapore’s. Singaporeans deserve a more humble, caring and
compassionate leader who truly understand their concerns and work
to safeguard their interests rather than this self-proclaimed
“forecaster extraordinarie” who goes around the world offending the
sensibilities of Singaporeans and foreigners alike with his
half-baked bigotry.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/12/26/racist-undertone-in-mm-lees-remarks-on-chinese-immigrants/
