January 16, 2010
An “International Progressive Company in Agricultural Chemicals”
based in Singapore put up a recruitment advertisement on the online
portal olx.sg for two positions of laboratory technicians in
December last year.
It is stated clearly in the ad that only Malaysians are
“required” and not Singaporeans:
[Source:
olx.sg]
The job scope includes performing physical and chemical tests on
incoming and outgoing, in process raw materials and finished
goods, ensuring quality standards of incoming and outgoing
raw materials, in-process raw materials and finished goods and
assisting in carrying out quality checks on newly developed
products.
The pay range lies between S$1,500 – S$1600 which is barely
sufficient to survive in Singapore, but can enable one to enjoy a
comfortable life when converted to Ringgit in Malaysia where the
cost of living is much lower.
According to leaders from the ruling party, companies in
Singapore have no choice but to employ foreign workers because
locals are not interested in taking up the jobs on offer. They also
claim that foreign workers are needed in sectors shunned by
Singaporeans such as the construction industry.
However, the above vacancies can be filled by any Singapore
diploma holder. Though the pay is not too attractive, some
Singaporeans may still accept it in the present economic climate.
It is strange that the MNC chose to employ Malaysians instead of
Singaporeans.
One reason may be that they have to contribute CPF to Singapore
workers which will translate to higher labor costs. Furthermore,
Singapore males need to be away for up to 4 weeks yearly for
reservist training while Malaysians do not have such
obligations.
This is one of the many ads out there which seek foreign workers
specifically. Singapore Courts put up a full-page advertisement in
the Malaysia paper – The Star today to recruit Malaysians for
various positions in Singapore. The interview will be held next
Monday in Johor Bahru.
Some companies are more discreet and do not specify the
nationality of the workers they are seeking, but phrase it in
another way to give the public the wrong impression that locals are
welcomed to apply for the vacancies too.
For example, we published an article earlier on a local SME Wang
Foong food supplies which put up a job ad containing the following
sentence as part of its criteria – “PRs and Malaysians are
welcomed”.
Though it did not rule out Singaporeans, when our correspondent
called them up this morning, the first question its staff asked was
whether he is a Malaysian PR.
One reader who has over 10 years of experience in the HR
department of a major company in Singapore told us that if a
company wants to recruit Singaporeans the phase on the ad will be –
“All are welcomed including PRs” and not “PRs and Malaysians are
welcomed” which is a polite way of saying – “Singaporeans need not
apply.”
His company employs a large number of foreigners who are
preferred over Singaporeans due to their lower cost and willingness
to work OT. However as it cannot discriminate openly against
Singaporeans, it will accept their applications and even call them
up for interviews, but their files will be stamped (ironically)
with a “star” – meaning that the interviewers will simply just go
through the “motion” without the intention of ever recruiting
them.
As a result of the ruling party’s lax immigration and
pro-business policies, large numbers of foreigners have flocked to
Singapore to find work in recent years.
While some of them are indeed real talents who contribute
greatly to the nation’s development, there are many others who are
competing directly with Singaporeans for jobs which can be
otherwise taken up by them.
The relentless influx of foreigners has depressed the wages of
ordinary Singaporeans leading to a widening income gap between the
rich and the poor. Singapore has the highest income gap among the
thirty most developed economies in the world.
Though there are no official statistics available, the income
gap between its political leaders and citizens is probably one of
the highest as well. The monthly median wage of an average
Singapore worker is only S$2,600 compared to S$180,000 for a
minister.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/01/16/singapore-mnc-placed-job-ad-for-malaysians-only-singaporeans-need-not-apply/