Pei du mama are allowed to work after a year here. The majority
are here because they want to look after their children who are
young. It is the desire for a better education that drives them to
Singapore.
These are not the elite of the Chinese who can afford to pay for
their children's overseas education and for their wives' living
expenses. Those who can afford it will not come to Singapore. These
are desperate Chinese people in the lower middle income group who
borrow and use their life savings to send their children
here.
What about boarding school? First, they are not cheap and places
are limited. Those associated with autonomous schools like ACS are
beyond the reach of these Chinese. The children are also not the
brightest or we would have offered them a scholarship for fees and
living expenses.
For these children, Singapore is their only chance of a western
education and a ticket for a better life. There will be significant
number of pdmm who feel that it is not safe for their young
children to live alone in Singapore.
The issue is what sort of jobs they can find in Singapore. The
government allows them to work after their first year here but many
of them do not have the proper qualifications. The most educated
ones may work as Chinese tutors, some might find jobs as cleaners
and jobs that Singaporeans shun.
As for the flesh trade, there will be some who prefer that to a
lowly paid cleaner. I don't think we should get on our high horses,
seeing that we do allow prostitution in the red light districts of
Geylang, Rochore and Desker Roads. What Singaporeans object to is
the proliferation of unlicensed massage parlours in every HDB
estate. Perhaps these tui-na or brothels in disguise can be allowed
to operate in limited numbers within our designated red light
districts. They will be subject to the usual regulations, the
yellow card system and checkups.