I'm Malaysian so let me give my two cents on this.
TS's sentiments is very common anywhere in the world. But I
think this sentiment is particularly strong in Singapore cos the
government here has a very foreigner-friendly policy and many
locals feel their jobs (and even partners!) are taken away. I
worked a three-month internship in an engineering firm.
Discrimination? You bet. The funny thing was the SG guys didn't
really like the Msian guys but they were head over heels over the
Msian girls! :P
So although I'm not local, I support the idea that the
Government should increase the job and education opportunities for
locals. It's the only right thing to do. As Elindra said, we've got
a whole load of BS to deal with in our own country but our
government will never place other people before us.
Anyway in case you didn't know..most (if not all) Singapore's
Chief Justice's hail from Malaysia. Lee Kuan Yew's first cabinet
had half its ministers having Malaysian origin. SG's first DPM was
also from Malaysia. The current health minister was also from
Penang. So if TS doesn't like us, he's got to remember we helped
build SG too.
Or perhaps TS had some bad experiences with Malaysian
colleagues..of course there are definitely Malaysians whom I can't
stand. But bad people are everywhere.
Nobody cares if the old ministers born before 1960s were from
Malaysia or SG because there was little to no distinction between
Malayan-born and Singapore-born then. Both were under British rule
anyway, and personally both were seen as ONE land, so it doesn't
matter.
It's the current generation that's feeling peeved. It's too easy
to tell locals to 'compete'. Meritocracy can only take place in an
equal footing, but how can you compare FTs who are desperate to
work to feed their families at any rate and locals who cannot work
on the cheap because they are desperate to feed their families?
Personally, TS should probably target his foreigner hatred on
two most populous nations because Malaysians have been here for
long, occupying every strata of the socio-economic ladder, so
Msians cannot be considered 'snatching' jobs. The higher-level
Msians usually stay here, be PRs and CONTRIBUTE to CPF and other
govt fund-raising schemes. The two populous nations' citizens will
just run to Aussie and US/UK with the right chance, after getting
jobs and scholarships.
Ironic that these people despise being here so much but
love to use their singapore experience to boost their CV.
For some reason, this scenario reminds me of the scene in 'I Not
Stupid' where the fat bespectacled boy got bullied in his own home.
Maybe the fat boy is an allegory to something else?
BTW, to CR, u sure they won't forsake their own people? Think of
the Indons who's got bumi status and that includes those red
IC-cum-MyKad holders. And think of the Chinese and Indians....'nuff
said.
But considering that M'sian Chinese are not seen as Malaysians
by BN, then you are right about not forsaking its "own
people" :P
