SINGAPORE: Some overseas Singaporeans feel excluded from
Singapore because there are few efforts by the embassies and
consulates to keep them connected, said MP Michael Palmer.
The MP for Pasir Ris-Ponggol GRC who spoke during Thursday's debate
on the budget, made this point when giving feedback from overseas
Singaporeans he had met at a recent dialogue.
Saying a good budget can only achieve its maximum desired effect if
the implementation process is the best that it can be, Mr Palmer
asked if enough was bring done.
He cited two anecdotes.
One was a family's frustrating experience when trying to register
their child as a Singapore citizen despite having returned to
Singapore to do so.
During the registration process, they were told they had to provide
their local address in order to register the child.
But they were unable to do so because they were living overseas and
no longer had a local address.
Mr Palmer said: "They obviously felt rooted to this country and
demonstrated their emotional connection to Singapore by wanting
their child to be a Singapore citizen, yet they felt hindered,
rather than helped, in their quest.
"At a time when we are trying so hard to boost our population with
measures like the Baby Bonus and the wooing of foreign talent, is
it not ironic that a "ready-made" Singaporean right at our
door-step should face an impediment in formalising his
citizenship?"
And there were those who had personally gone to the embassies or
consulates to register their addresses.
Mr Palmer said this group was rebuffed and told to do so online
instead.
Yet after their registration, there was no acknowledgement or
follow-up, nor was any effort made to keep them engaged or
connected.
The MP added: "One lady told the forum that she had
difficulty understanding the rationale for such registration when
government bodies in Singapore flatly refuse to send mail to
Singaporeans at their overseas addresses. And the one government
body that is happy to send mail to them overseas? The IRAS, at
income tax time! "
Mr Palmer said although the Overseas Singapore Unit has been set up
for a year now, it is clear the policy objectives behind it still
have some way to go to be realised.
The Unit was officially launched in March 2006, and its role is to
plan and coordinate multi-agency programmes and initiatives to
engage the overseas Singaporean community to ensure that they stay
connected with Singapore, and ultimately return home.
- CNA/so
Garmen only knows how to collect money...and nothing else.