Qualified immigrants shun Singapore.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The news media Asiaone reports on Wed January 23, 2008 the story
"It's S'pore's gain even if 30-40% of immigrants settle here: MM
Lee".
In the story, Lee Kuan Yew finally admits that it is becoming
increasingly difficult to persuade foreign skilled workers and
professionals to settle in Singapore. He admits that capable
Singaporeans themselves are leaving Singapore for good. Although
foreigners come to Singapore to take up temporary jobs, he admits
most do not wish to make Singapore home. Therefore he says, he will
be happy even if 30 to 40% of Chinese and Indians decide to settle
permanently there. He does not talk of other foreigners such as
from the West. Therefore it can be assumed that almost no one from
the liberal west likes to live in Singapore.
He admits that many foreigners use Singapore as a stepping stone
for the west; meaning they never wanted to live in Singapore at any
price; their goal being America and the west. Since Singapore is
desperate to welcome foreigners, since educated Singaporeans
themselves are leaving in droves; these short stay foreigners use
Singapore to acquire some skills and leave for the West on the
first plane out.
Although he admits that he loses some skilled Singaporeans; in fact
not just some but many; he claims Singapore gains far more. But he
conveniently does not elaborate on the quality of these Singapore
gains. If he is counting the unskilled Bangladesh, Indian and
Filipina domestic workers to make up the sums, he is of course
right. But if we are thinking of high quality skilled professionals
and managers; no foreigner in such a category would want to
stay.
Lee keeps repeating that he would be happy if 30% to 40% of those
who come stay. Yes it is true, some stay, but with the quality of
those that stay, I can assure Lee Kuan Yew that not just 30% but
100% can be made to stay. All you have to do is to to give the half
rate half qualified unemployed Indians, Filipinos and Bangladeshis
visas and Singapore will have all the people they need. Only thing
is, they won't be able to take Singapore anywhere.
In the report Lee had said that in 1987 when Singapore established
the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, of the 200 people,
only 20 were Singaporeans. I have heard that there are now very few
foreigners and the Institute that he speaks of is not now doing
very much. I can tell you the reason for this. In 1987, there were
some very highly qualified foreigners, because of Lees ability to
dupe the foreign media into believing Singapore was respectable.
Problem is, after a little time in Singapore, they finally began to
see what Singapore is; a one party dictatorship. Soon after
realizing this, most foreigners left; I mean highly talented
foreigners. Some mediocre foreigners who are unable fit anywhere
else have had no choice but to stay. These are the foreigners that
Lee is actually talking about.
He then says that America attracts Europeans and so on; just as he
says Singapore does. It is a terrible insult to the Americans to be
compared with Singapore. If the Americans were in the habit of
suing their opponents for defamation of character, at the drop of a
hat, like Lee does; I am sure the Americans would have collected
heavy damages! Singapore is not America. America is a free, proud
and democratic country with free elections, an independent
judiciary, a free press and the rule of law. Singapore is not like
America. If comparison is needed, it is more like Laos.
Let me tell Lee Kuan Yew why he is not able to attract capable
foreigners. Capable foreigners are able to go where ever they want.
And the reason for emigration is not just for money alone. It is to
live a good life, a free life, a life where your rights are
protected, your children are protected from being caned and hanged.
In other words a free country. A country where an individual can
rise on his own merits; not because he is a card carrying member of
Lee Kuan Yew's Peoples Action Party.
You see, all educated able foreigners have heard of machine called
a computer. They have also heard of such a thing as the Internet
and what is more, they know how to use it. Armed with this
knowledge, they can read like anyone else that Singapores
strongman Lee Kuan Yew, goes around with a knuckle duster and a
hatchet in his bag. Anyone who crosses him will be lured to a cul
de sac where he will finish them off. (For those who are unfamiliar
with Lee Kuan Yew, the hatchet man, he actually said in
Parliamentary Debates that if anyone crossed him he will lure his
opponent to a cul de sac and there finish him off with a hatchet
which he always carries in his bag!)
They have also heard of Singapore Judge Belinda Ang who awards
defamation of character judgments of half a million US dollars, in
favor of strongman Lee against his political opponent Dr. Chee Soon
Juan without even getting off her chair, within 5 minutes, in her
private chambers and not hearing Dr. Chee at all! This is what is
called Summary Judgment, Singapore style.
They have also heard that Lee Kuan Yew has recently made up his
mind that it is only fair to pay himself and his friends in high
places no less than $3.7 million per year. Not satisfied with this,
and just for the fun of it, he has just recently threatened to
increase his salary to even higher amounts not to be outdone by the
late Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar!
The capable foreigners have also come to Singapore for visits and
have been surprised to see that almost all Singaporeans have no
opinion on any political matter; eventually discovering that this
apathy towards political matters is out of fear for the knuckle
duster hatchet man Lee Kuan Yew.
And then you have Dr. Chee Soon Juan. He writes his blog everyday
and fearlessly tells the world what sort of a silly place Singapore
really is, which by the way, the capable able foreigners read. And
then there is my blog, Singapore Dissident, where I identify myself
and describe this silly place called Singapore. A place which I
describe as a one party state, where the judiciary is corrupt, the
politicians corrupt, where the media is state controlled, a place
not much different from North Korea; the only difference being that
you cannot escape North Korea whereas you can from Singapore.
Foreigners read my blog too. And then there are hundreds of other
blogs who truthfully describe Singapore to be just another
dictatorship with one party rule.
And as if all this is not enough, you have Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, Reporters without Borders and
all manner of respectable international organizations who say the
same thing, which is this; Singapore is nothing more than a bluff.
A place where a corrupted dictatorship continues to remain in power
by bribing the judiciary, the press and every other organ of civil
society.
I know this much. Capable skilled and well read foreigners from
Australia, New Zealand, India, Europe, South Africa and the world
over know this much too. So they will not come.
You can of course bring in as many thousands of South Indian
scaffolding and construction workers as you want. For them, any
place is better than where they are.
And lastly let me tell Lee Kuan Yew this. Australians and Europeans
among others do sometimes go to other places to work and live. But
unlike Singaporeans who leave, they love their own native countries
and would always want to go back if and when they decide. Whereas
Singaporeans leave Singapore because they hate the sight of Lee
Kuan Yew and the life they were forced to live in Singapore. A life
of bondage under a totalitarian one party rule. They are delighted
to leave Singapore and unlike other Europeans and Australians, want
nothing more to do with Singapore. There is a great difference
there.
Yet again, Lee Kuan Yew who has admitted that he governs Singapore
by wits alone has yet again deceived you. He is comparing apples
with oranges. A New Zealand immigrant to the USA is totally
different to the Singapore immigrant to Australia.
The New Zealander loves his country. The Singaporean hates it,
never wanting to look back again.
Gopalan Nair
http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/2008/01/qualified-immigrants-shun-singapore.html
