Accept outflow of talents as a reality: PM

last SG · 2008-04-15T12:25:41+00:00

the reason why singaporean migrate is wide.not just depends on currency exchange rate as someone mention.a better life, political freedom, bigger spacious en...

fishbuff SG

Accept outflow of talents as a reality: PM
Fri, Apr 11, 2008
The Straits Times

SINGAPORE must accept the outflow of top talent as a reality, with more Singaporeans going abroad for study and work, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday.

Unlike big countries like China and India which can sustain large outflows of top talent over years or decades, and are still be able to retain a central core, the risk of being depleted of top talent is faster for smaller countries like Singapore, he said.

PM Lee highlighted fostering a sense of national identity as one of the major challenges facing small and open societies like Singapore in a his address to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) forum on Friday morning.

Mr Lee's speech centred on the knowledge economies in Asia and how countries in this region are turning to knowledge creation and innovation to sustain their growth and improve their people's lives.

He also spoke of the challenges and impact of the internet and online channels which bring raw, unprocessed information and instant exposure to the masses, and which are changing the texture of societies everywhere.

A major challenge facing Singapore is fostering a sense of national identity, said PM Lee.

'Globalisation and the knowledge economy have created a single worldwide market for talent. In every field, the most able people are in demand worldwide, and are also highly mobile,' he said.

'The best musicians and sportspersons are already a global breed. But to do well, a country needs a core of its ablest citizens, those with both the intellectual and social acumen, to play leadership roles in the economy, the administration, and the political leadership. Without that central core to take the country forward, the society cannot perform to its full potential, and the citizens will suffer.'

Noting that more and more Singaporeans are going abroad to study or work, he said: 'We must accept this flow as a reality, and bring in talent to top up, and encourage Singaporeans who study and work abroad to eventually return and add to the vibrancy of their own society.'

Singapore not only needs to create economic opportunities here, but also opportunities for people to develop their potential and express their human spirit.

'Ultimately we must create an emotional attachment to the country, their family members, school and college mates, buddies in National Service platoons, and friends, both to hold our own people and to get others to strike roots here. Then we can maintain our own identity and sense of common destiny,' said Mr Lee.

In his address, the PM also touched on Singapore's strategies to build up its knowledge edge.

These include investing heavily in education across the whole spectrum of skills, and equipping Singaporeans to compete in a knowledge economy.

It also encourages free flow of information so that the people can keep abreast of new developments and ideas, and are ready to react promptly to a changing world.

Singapore is also stepping up its R&D efforts, and geared towards welcoming new ideas, and adapting to change to create an environment which attracts talent and entrepreneurs from around the world.

AndrewPKYap SG

The way to retain top talent is to kick dishonorable despots from the government.

Few honorable people want to work under despots that behave in a dishonorable manner.

If they dare to invite these top talents to their famous tea session, the talents will probably splash the cup into their despotic dishonorable faces.

AndrewPKYap SG

Singaporeans need not accept the situation, Singaporeans should kick the despots out, period.

HyperFocal SG

... dumb ass, why is he even telling us to accept???

... he & his administration should be the ones to accept that capable locals aren't buying their brand of governance! DUH!

... the infamous FAP should stop blaming 'Global Circumstances' and the World for what's happening here, and look at their God Damned stupid policies!!!!

will4 SG

... dumb ass, why is he even telling us to accept???

... he & his administration should be the ones to accept that capable locals aren't buying their brand of governance! DUH!

... the infamous FAP should stop blaming 'Global Circumstances' and the World for what's happening here, and look at their God Damned stupid policies!!!!

I think there plenty of local migrated already never planned to come back.

UnLeAsH_cHa0s SG

oh come on give me a break for god's sake! look at the number of FTs in OUR COUNTRY fighting for jobs rightfully OURS? n look at the number of them in our unis, how do u expect locals to stay here? ppl who cant form a proper english sentence r considered talents? while locals who pay thousands of taxes every year, with good qualifications cant get into local unis, have to make do with foreign unis? those who r rich, lucky u, u can go foreign unis n not worry abt ur sch fees. not so rich, tough luck, make do wif part time degrees n use approximately 50% of ur income every month jus to pay ur UNSUBSIDISED sch fees. n the best thing is, u may not even get a high paying job when u graduate, cos FTs are always way ahead of u.

jus think of it. would u wan to pay tax year aft year, knowing that ur children n even grandchildren r not the ones benefiting fully from those payments, but rather foreigners who r studying here? any normal sane person would say a big NO! let alone local talents.

n he dare to mention this "We must accept this flow as a reality, and bring in talent to top up". ya go on. soon s'pore will b a mass orgy of every1 all over the world but true s'poreans. when war comes, c who will defend u. if he had a brain, use it please. NATO.

eagle SG

pay ur UNSUBSIDISED sch fees

this has been said before
"uni sch fees are subsidised".

But whether the subsidy is sufficient, you can debate about it.

while locals who pay thousands of taxes every year, with good qualifications cant get into local unis

what are you considering as good qualifications?

look at the number of FTs in OUR COUNTRY fighting for jobs rightfully OURS

I recently met a cleaner from China who knows nuts about english, yet can speak both mandarin and japanese fluently. Anyway, is that job rightfully yours? You could go apply to SembCorp for it you know?

Also, I met quite a few PhD holders foreign talents at IME. Since you think the job is also rightfully yours, go ahead and apply too. They are still in need of more talents like you.

fishbuff SG

I think there plenty of local migrated already never planned to come back.

well, dont count the chicks before they hatch.

we will never know what the future will hold.

kilua SG

'Ultimately we must create an emotional attachment to the country, their family members, school and college mates, buddies in National Service platoons, and friends, both to hold our own people and to get others to strike roots here. Then we can maintain our own identity and sense of common destiny,' said Mr Lee.

Yeah right... who would be attached to a corporation??

PAP loves to use carrot and stick...One day if there are no carrots or if the carrots are not sufficient, pragmatic Singaporeans wouldnt hesistate to abandon the ship.

They have been preaching pragmatism to the citizens all the time, i hope they wont be surprised to be repaid with pragmatism in times of crisis.

UnLeAsH_cHa0s SG

this has been said before
"uni sch fees are subsidised".

But whether the subsidy is sufficient, you can debate about it.

what are you considering as good qualifications?

Also, I met quite a few PhD holders foreign talents at IME. Since you think the job is also rightfully yours, go ahead and apply too. They are still in need of more talents like you.

only govt uni fees r subsidised. ie NUS, NTU, SMU n recently UniSIM. Private unis dont enjoy any subsidy. there is no end to this debate on whether the subsidy is enuf if there is any to start wif.

when i say rightfully our jobs, i mean in a way that we r the ones contributing to our society n country, n will contribute in years to come. the FTs will only come here, 2-3 years gone n off they go again. while in that period s'poreans r already out of the country in search of better life elsewhere. these r 100% s'poreans mind u.

we r talking on the topic abt FTs n if u consider a cleaner job at SembCorp a job for talent , by all means go ahead. but plz look higher up the society n understand the discussion here. n i dont consider myself a talent. jus a normal s'porean trying to get a decent living wif FELLOW S'POREANS.

Poh Ah Pak SG

Fuck off lah PAP. You make me sick.

You and your stupid propaganda.

Fuck off now.

eagle SG

only govt uni fees r subsidised. ie NUS, NTU, SMU n recently UniSIM. Private unis dont enjoy any subsidy. there is no end to this debate on whether the subsidy is enuf if there is any to start wif.

okok u talking about non-govt unis, although you didn't explicitly state so. My bad

That cleaner is a foreign cleaner talent leh... Dun pray pray hor...

Why do you consider yourself as a normal S'porean? You mean you have given up on improving yourself over others?

eagle SG

Fuck off lah PAP. You make me sick.

You and your stupid propaganda.

Fuck off now.

The title of the article:

Accept outflow of talents as a reality: PM

really can make a Singaporean cringe... Seems like PM Lee has resigned to his govt's inability to keep talent here. He don't apologize for not being able to retain talent; he only says accept it as a reality. Wow

Poh Ah Pak SG

Accept outflow of talents as a reality: PM

As long as PAP remains in power, there can never be improvement in Singapore politics, it can never progress, never mature.

Always be unhappy, this type of bullshit, tell us to accept this accept that.

I will accept.

But please FUCK OFF NOW PAP.

Can you accept that PAP?

Mauriziosuckdick SG

As long as PAP remains in power, there can never be improvement in Singapore politics, it can never progress, never mature.

Always be unhappy, this type of bullshit, tell us to accept this accept that.

I will accept.

But please FUCK OFF NOW PAP.

Can you accept that PAP?

yes, fuck off Poh Ah Pak

fishbuff SG

The title of the article:

Accept outflow of talents as a reality: PM

man, u are really eloquent.

Poh Ah Pak SG

Mauriz i o suck dick

Mauriziosuckdick SG

The title of the article:

Accept outflow of talents as a reality: PM

I think you have to think deeper, what PM Lee is saying is that Singapore government is going open the flood gate wider to allow more foreign talents to come Singapore.

Am I worry? Not at all, because the FT will contribute to Singapore economy while we Singaporeans will get to benefits from subsidies and grants.

eagle SG

I think you have to think deeper, what PM Lee is saying is that Singapore government is going open the flood gate wider to allow more foreign talents to come Singapore.

Am I worry? Not at all, because the FT will contribute to Singapore economy while we Singaporeans will get to benefits from subsidies and grants.

language 6/10

content 4.5/10

Remarks: Acceptable. Better than those in Bar.

redDUST SG

I think you have to think deeper, what PM Lee is saying is that Singapore government is going open the flood gate wider to allow more foreign talents to come Singapore.

Am I worry? Not at all, because the FT will contribute to Singapore economy while we Singaporeans will get to benefits from subsidies and grants.

what i read from the press is a lot of `offsets'. this hardly qualifies as benefits to singaporeans as we are not better off per se.

i am have FT neighbour, who is a director in a marine engineering company who told me just this sunday that price of basic necessities in singapore has gone up tremendously. even he feels it. of course, he can still afford his plane remote control flying hobby. I can tell as he was clasping his plane on one hand and remote control on the other as we met in the lift. he was rushing to tuas as he told me, before it pours (again).

what the government is doing is merely to scale the imbalance back a little bit. scant consolation to the marginalized singaporeans who are livng pay cheque to pay cheque.