Local vs foreign talent debate one of top REACH
feedback issues in 2009
By S.Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 December 2009 1636 hrs
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Office workers are seen during a lunch break at the financial
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Local
vs foreign talent debate one of top REACH feedback issues in
2009
SINGAPORE: Foreign talent, and integrating permanent
residents and new citizens into Singapore society are just some of
the top issues the government feedback department, REACH, received
in 2009.
And with the economy improving, there have been calls from certain
industry sectors to relax the entry of foreign workers so that
orders and demands can be met.
Singapore's population currently stands at nearly five million,
including one million foreigners. The number has raised eyebrows,
but the country's leaders said Singapore cannot do away with
foreigners.
Halimah Yacab, Deputy Secretary-General, NTUC, said: "That kind of
a policy will bring our economy to a standstill, particularly in
those areas where it is difficult to get Singaporeans to work and
in those areas where there continues to be a knowledge and skills
gap in the workforce."
A root cause of the problem is that Singaporeans are not producing
enough babies.
Associate Professor Paulin Straughan, sociologist, National
University of Singapore, Nominated Member of Parliament, said: "If
we do not augment the population with visitors from outside, we
will experience a shrinking of population in Singapore.
"In a nation state which depends so much on manpower, that is a
scary thought. So right now, we are in a happy position where
Singapore continues to be an attractive destination for
immigrations from all walks of life.
"We are very blessed to have people willing to come in to fill jobs
at all levels. I think that we have to be cautious that this happy
situation need not always continue.
"So rather than focus on the fears, the apprehensions of having too
many foreign migrants on Singapore soil and the consequences of
that, I would look at it (as) - this is good that we are in a happy
position that when we open our doors, there is a line out there,
because obviously we need workers and people to fill the
gaps.
"So moving ahead, I would like to see that we ensure that we remain
an attractive option so that when we need, we have the luxury of
choice."
The influx has also raised many concerns on the ground.
Mdm Halimah added: "PM Lee is right, we now have one million
foreign workers in Singapore, added to that one out of every three
or four persons walking on the streets is a foreigner and that's a
huge presence.
"And we really need to re-assess the situation and see how much
better we can leverage on the foreign workforce rather than only
rely more and more on the unskilled and semi-skilled foreign
workers because that has a co-relation on the kind of investments
we want to bring in."
Dr Amy Khor, Mayor, South West District and Chairman, REACH, said:
"The worry at the individual and ground level really is about
locals seeing new immigrants coming, applying for the same jobs,
same schools and housing and they fear crowding out and
competition, although at the intellectual level, many understand
there is a need to augment our population with new immigrants to
grow the economy and to increase the number of jobs level.
"And we got to continue to assure them that - be it in terms of
sharpening the differences between PRs and citizens, as well as
appealing to them to have open hearts and open minds to understand
that even for new citizens, they have actually taken a big step
forward, given up their birth rights in their own country to set up
home here.
"By and large, most of them are wanting to start afresh here, build
up their home and future here and our locals must give them a
chance and welcome them and together forge a new identity with them
so that together, we can build a good future for Singapore as a
united people. We need to continue to do that."
So in September 2009, the Prime Minister said the government will,
over time, sharpen the differentiation between citizens, PRs and
foreigners to reflect the responsibilities and privileges of
citizenship.
The latest announcement from the Education Ministry is that it will
put in place measures to differentiate between Singapore Citizens
and PRs at the Primary One Registration Exercise from 2010 onwards.
And school fees payable by Singapore citizens, PRs and
international students will be further differentiated from 2011
onwards.
For those sinking their roots in Singapore, a key challenge is to
integrate them with the locals. A S$10 million fund was set up for
projects to promote social and community integration.
Dr Khor added: "For the Southwest CDC, we have actually applied for
the community integration fund and this is a first-ever "Getting to
know Singapore Integration quiz" that we are organising for all 16
constituencies in the district.
"What we require is for the team to be made up of both locals and
new citizens so that they work together and get to bond with each
other.
"In addition, they also get to know about Singapore, because the
quiz is about all things Singapore - the people, the culture, the
food - and we are also getting the community to participate so that
more people will be involved in this bonding programme in terms of
integration.
"We also have an international integration carnival and a community
integration fun camp which we are organising."
Ministers and community leaders said allaying the fears of
Singaporeans about foreign talent and bringing in new citizens is
not something that can happen overnight. It is a long-term
initiative and work-in-progress.
In the final analysis, they said what is important is to assure
Singaporeans that the immigration policy is for the benefit of the
people, with Singaporeans always coming first. -
CNA/vm
