UN Study Of Xenophobia In Singapore

The skewed immigrant policy that resulted in 1 in 3 of the current Singapore population being a foreigner is going to cost votes, and they know it. The authorities have tried to explain it away vicariously as necessary 1) to address the declining birth rate; 2) provide labour for economic growth; 3) attract talent and money. Whatever the official line, the results speak for themselves: loss of job opportunities, squeeze in education availability, hike in housing cost, to name but a few.

Since they can't sell it to the people, the government is now bringing in a United Nation "expert" to do a first hand study on racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the country. Githu Muigai, a Kenyan national, is here at the invitation of the Singapore Government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Already Muigai is spouting the official spiel: "The promotion of harmony among ethnic groups has become a central pillar of nation-building in Singapore." Hello, why are they harking back to the days of the racial riots of the 50's? Whatever happened to all those years of nation building?

Singaporeans are not a xenophobic lot. We are well travelled, and many have studied and worked overseas. We are simply disillusioned and disgrunted about having our stakeholding in the nation of our birth being diluted by the tsunami of newcomers at the stroke of the pen of a grossly overpaid civil servant. The Merlion is not the Statue of Liberty. Minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew tried the line about a smaller slice of a bigger pie being better than a large slice of a smaller pie. By that logic, dad should be allowed to marry a younger, higher income level, second wife to boost the household income. Never mind if mom has been slaving for umpteen years as an unpaid housekeeper to keep the family together. Let someone else have the pie in his face.