Concern over cracks
With hundreds of thousands of settlers arriving in Singapore, ill
feeling appears to be rising among some Singaporeans. By Seah
Chiang Nee.
Nov 24, 2007
ILL feeling towards foreigners is beginning to surface in this most
unlikely of places cosmopolitan Singapore attributed to the
record influx of immigrants.
By tradition, Singaporeans with their own migrant history have been
open about foreigners from east or west, which has led to a recent
mass arrival of settlers and visitors.
More than a million have arrived, mostly during the past decade,
and although they have brightened the economy, they are also
starting to incur a social cost as well as increasingly sparking
friction with locals.
Despite land reclamation, Singapore remains a small city, one of
the densest in the world.
The pressure is testing the tolerance level of Singaporeans, who
are struggling to cope with a widening income gap and rising
prices.
Already one third of the 4.68 million people here are foreigners,
not to mention the nine million tourists who arrive annually.
It has prompted warnings from leading figures, the latest from
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
According to him, cracks are already appearing between Singaporeans
and the new settlers who have come as permanent residents not just
between different ethnic groups, but also within races.
People are showing less trust towards one another. Goh said the
new residents did not mix easily with Singaporeans and the latter,
in turn, tended to leave the new-comers alone.
Earlier, retired and respected civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow said if
he had his way, Singapore would think twice before pushing for a
6.5 million population.
Questioning the rationale, Ngiam said in an interview published in
the governing party newsletter that Singapore does not need numbers
but talent.
The 70-year-old said: If we do it wrongly, it will change our
economic and social system.
He stressed the need to appeal to peoples hearts. Otherwise,
Singapore will become just a six-star hotel where guests stay in
good times and flee when times are bad. We will never become a
nation, he said.
Singapores mainly middle class, stressed by a widening wealth
divide, is deeply worried about the large inflow.
Foreigners are viewed as threats to locals livelihoods, they are
viewed with suspicion and envy, a surfer posted.
A pivotal part of immigration is the successful luring of wealthy
foreigners to settle here. It is doing wonders for the economy, but
is also aggravating inflation and widening the income divide.
If Singapore were not careful, it could split into two or three
parts, warns Foreign Minister George Yeo.
And that third Singapore is the big chunk of people squeezed in
the centre, between the poor and the rich, he said.
This group is the most vulnerable. If they feel the high life is
out of their reach, frustration can set in. And being more mobile
than the lower-end group, they can be tempted to vote with their
suitcases. That is an option the other group doesnt have.
These warnings show growing government awareness that the speed to
expand the population, if not the strategy itself, may threaten
social harmony.
Several incidents between foreigners and locals have stirred
emotions, reflecting the current sensitivities.
These are minor everyday happenings in a crowded city that would
have gained little attention if they had involved only locals, but
were blown up into hot issues because foreigners were
involved.
In the latest case, Singaporean Michelle Quek said a Caucasian and
his wife or girlfriend attacked her and her friend after her
schoolbag accidentally hit the woman.
She said a quarrel ensued, which resulted in the Westerner holding
up her friend by the arms, lifting her off the floor and dropping
her onto the floor. She herself was punched on the nose.
A couple of angry bystanders confronted the Westerner and stopped
him from leaving, nearly causing more mayhem.
Singaporeans were also enraged when three young British tourists
mocked an elderly rickshaw rider because he couldnt pedal fast
enough for them, then posted a video of the struggling old man on
You-Tube.
Titled The Slowest Taxi in SE Asia it showed the trio squeezing
into the small rickshaw, poking fun at the 76-year-old rider
throughout the 10-minute trip.
One remarked, God, hes in fifth gear and every one laughed. They
ran off without paying.
Scores of Singaporeans bombarded the visitors, expressing what they
would like to do to them.
Dont come back to Singapore, wrote one. We will be waiting for
you.
Westerners are, of course, not the only people who are affected. In
fact the bigger issue is the tens of thousands who have flocked
here from China and India.
Last year a record 70,000 foreigners were admitted; this year the
figure is set to be higher.
Verbal insults have become a frequent phenomenon on the Internet
between Singaporeans and some of the better-educated permanent
residents.
So far there have been no major incidents but the underlying
resentment has given rise to fears that a small incident may one
day flare up into big trouble.
Some aliens find it difficult to find accommodation; others get a
cool reception from office colleagues.
The government and community representatives have organised
citizenship ceremonies and social gatherings to make the newcomers
feel welcome. Leaders often extol the role of foreign talent in
nation building.
Respected blogger redbean wrote of a growing potential for
xenophobic tension.
For those who have to face the foreigners daily in all his living
activities, when every citizen has to fight for his space and the
air he breathes, tension is likely to build up and break out.
