Wednesday, September 26, 2012

What Foreigners Have Done

You know they are running out of excuses when the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) puts up a half hearted defence for squeezing Singaporeans out of jobs (and living space) with the 1 million foreign workers shipped ashore over the recent years. The five key contributions listed by MTI would be laughable if they weren't so sad.

Foreigners pave the way for new industry sectors -

This was the case during the early years of industrialisation when companies like Rollei, Seagate, Hewlett Packard, etc, pioneered manufacturing operations for cameras, Winchester disk drives, computer peripherals, etc, and trained a legion of line production staff. More important, they transferred the technology to local staff and then the expatriates went home. Is that the situation with the biomedical sciences and aerospace engineering examples quoted?

Foreigners provide the buffer for firms to grow or downsize quickly -

Shipyards always have had a bad rap, jobs there are associated with the 3 Ds - dirty, dangerous and demanding. A CEO of a local yard was honest to admit that they are just big time subcontractors, the real engineering is done by overseas experts.  They even have their own terminology for foreign labour, such as NTS, meaning non-traditional sourced. They'll close shop in a hurry during a business downturn, employee loyalty is not an option. Ask the many retrenched middle managers driving taxi cabs.

Foreigners complement the domestic workforce -
In a perverse twist about jobs shunned by local workers, MTI claims consumers will have to pay more if the retail and F&B employers run out of cheap foreign workers. Well, we'll be happy to see the extra money go to our own Singaporeans manning the check-out counters than the imports from PRC who can't speak English. It is obvious that the foreign talents have spread from the hot and dusty construction sites to the air conditioned environs where no locals have shunned. That includes those cushy IT jobs.

Foreigners add diversity to the workforce -
How is that even a justification for more foreign influx? What economic advantage awaits P&G's setting up a beauty and male grooming facility? Sure we know Minsters with bad haircuts like Lui Tuck Yew's are in dire need of an extreme makeover, but do we really care? Ptui! Next, they'll be saying A*Star's Center of Excellent in Advanced Packaging is strategic in selling the national conversation package.

Foreigners build Singapore's physical and social structures -
Ah, the olde argument about builders of road and houses, and now filtered down to the nursing homes and hospitality suites.  The fact is that there are lots of retired nursing staff who can take up the slack except for the availability of cheap alternatives who abuse our senior citizens at places like the Nightingale Nursing Home.

Asked if the hard sell was a prelude to the reversal of tightening of the inflow of foreign workers, Minister Lim Hng Kiang said, "No, I don't want to go into that". And why not, pray tell - is it hurting the GDP bonus?
What Foreigners Have Done

52 comments:

  1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhMXKt68DWY

    This country is going to the dogs. Bad wine, in old bottle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Watch it, you are offending the hakkas.

      Delete
    2. I am a Hakka but never considered myself as one. It is the famiLee that bring shame to the Hakkas, and those from other dialect groups are no better if they have chosen to serve the famiLee. So it is really collective shame for Sporeans irrespective of race or dialect group.

      Delete
    3. This Hakka thing is stupid.

      Why not say - he is Chinese and has brought shame on the Chinese instead.

      Delete
  2. Ok, let's talk Sector. I am in Tech Sector. How many decades now, and tell me a look across all the major MNCs who been here for decades, what % of locals have made it to senior board position? Why is this sector still heavily expated in the top tier, middle tier and not to mention, lower tier! It is across the board now, and anecdotal evidences is that MORE are coming in and squeezing out the senior PMETs at 40s-50s. You have headhunters/recruiters who are exploiting it and the connections to these senior expats. Only an utterly blind government will allow this to happen. Train and groom the talents...yeah right. Is neo-colonialism all over in 21st century. Wake the bloody up, MOm & MTI...you have no freaking clues what's happening under your nose!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let it rot, let it rot. Short term pain better than long term chronic pain. We will deliver the knockout blow in 2016

      Delete
    2. I have to agree.

      They will not listen and perhaps, beyond reasoning.

      Delete
  3. All BS & $$ talking!

    Not convinced that we can't run a small country at 4m population with a medium rate of growth. Is only when you keep inviting the business/foreign sectors that you need to bring in as much foreign workers to backfill the jobs. They just have to stop talking greed..

    ReplyDelete
  4. //MTI claims consumers will have to pay more if the retail and F&B employers run out of cheap foreign workers. //

    41% are in F&B. Do we really need so many here.
    Here's a suggestion. Restaurants could open for 6 days a week, lunch & dinner 4 hours each day and shut down after that. No need to be so greedy and want to suck every $ out of the poor workers. It also promotes family-work life balance, and everybody happy. Half of F/B can go home. Maids can also work 5 days week, and rest days they have option to work part-time. PRs must contribute X% of volunteering hours in healthcare before granted PRs. All these are just a matter of re-allocating resources cleverly.

    In europe, shops/supermarkets are closed by 6pm and people rush home to eat and be with family. Without going that extreme, have our leaders run out of creative ideas?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Comparing Singapore with Europe is downgrading Singapore... Europe is under recession and 'Singapore' is one of the thriving economies in the world just because of the Good and futuristic thinking of the Leaders and their policies have paid well we can see.. Even after the fall of the great Asian Tigers it was only Singapore in Asia which has invited Foreigners with Open hands and see the result is in front of you with a decade Singapore economy is one of the best... well their is no doubt Foreigners bring in a lot of value addition.. IT companies need foreign talent who can work 16-18 hrs a day. i have a few frns in IT coming from India and they do work sometime even 18 Hrs a day.. That's Hard work.. not Cheap Labor. Being Greedy is the only way survive recession.

      Delete
  5. Not dumb you know9/26/2012 6:32 PM

    Lim Hng Kiang said: "If you take away the foreigners, if you take them away from starting of new sectors, you lose that sector. You don't get the jobs.
    --
    We all know that majority of the jobs in casino went to foreigners. And pray tell, how many locals get the job at the biotech sector?

    LHK should present data and facts by sectors about how much foreigners 'created' and 'took away' jobs as ESM Goh has suggested. Instead of giving 1 sided "strong case" for foreigners.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Here's the occasional paper...that appears once in 50yrs for citizens! Rare ..

    http://www.mti.gov.sg/MTIInsights/Documents/MTI%20Occasional%20Paper%20on%20Population%20and%20Economy.pdf

    ReplyDelete
  7. Just vote them out,

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lim Hng Kiang.
    What is the Hng in Lim Hng Kiang?
    Sounds like a noise I make when I'm constipated.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lim Hng Kiang kept harping on cost will go up if there is no foreign workers. Apparently, he does not know what he is talking about. Singapore has been importing foreigner for the last decade but yet, cost of living keeps rising and middle-class Singaporeans are worse off now than in the 80s. I think it's time for him to retire because he is no longer talking sense.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am working in the F&B sector, managing an outlet. Make a guess which cost item accounts for the greatest proportion on my income sheet?

    It is the monthly rental. Staff costs are a distant second.n close. A staff member: $1,300 a month, I have 4. The rental $10,000.

    I often feel sorry for my staff, knowing they are paid peanuts and I can get replacements from the agency. However in order for the business to be able to afford the rental overhead, I need to squeeze the workers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You need to grow some balls and go squeeze your landlord instead. If you can't make money with fair wages to workers, then you should close down and move your business to 3rd world country. Plenty of businesses like you are sucking and abusing the labor forces and preventing real productivity to take place. Go give back to the country where you take them from. Your past karma will determine your future success.

      Delete
    2. Anon@10am
      You are being impractical,he may be just a supervisor overseeing an outlet. He is sharing his feelings and even if he is the owner of the F&B outlet and closes it down, there will be many others to take his place.Who are the big landlords? Small business Vs Rent setting property owners, who have the upper hand. All this boils to the costs of doing business in Singapore, of which rent is a major factor.Who can control the costs of doing business and set the directions better?

      Delete
  11. Wow...2 m of foreigners galore..this place is filled with aliens after aliens.

    Where does the foreigner students provide here huh? What kinds of jobs do they create, or they take jobs away because they have a secured bond to serve?

    What about those foreigners prostitutes that come by the truck load to service the high end rollers in casino, or at poshy events like F1? Not to mention those that come and service our civil servants too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have a greedy government, everything also want to hub. Prositution and gambling hub also want. Doesnt sound nice, nevermind,call it Integrated Resorts. Wonderful right?

      Delete
  12. Lim Hng Kiang.
    Hng.
    HHHnnnggggggg.

    Help! I'm mentally constipated.
    No new idea is coming out.
    Just a lot of stale, noisy, smelly farts.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yup, just vote them out. They had became the new overlords. Squeezing the ordinary Singaporeans dry while pocketing the surplus from ultra cheap foreign labor, high land cost, high consumption and income taxes, high foreign worker levies and so on.

    Why Singapore need even more foreigners? Who lose out the most? The government! Because once the economy grows only at 1-3% per year, their budget deficit will balloon. How does the Civil Service justify a yearly income increment of 3-5% (plus 3 months bonuses) when the economy is only growing at 1-3% or the ministers getting their 1 year bonuses? Then, this gigantic leech will have nowhere to hide.

    ReplyDelete
  14. MTI does not have a strong case. Instead, they reveal that they are at their wit's end in growing the economy without depending on foreigners.

    How can ordinary Singaporeans support MTI's case when their interest will ultimately be sacrificed in the pursuit of GDP's growth? I think the white paper is a "cold and heartless" paper to say the least.

    And please don't try to fool us by adding "calibrated" to the immigration policy. Calibrated doesn't mean slowing down or reducing foreigners intake, it means, as and when required, foreigners can be increased to meet economic's demand.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Calibrated.
    Tweaked.
    Nuts!
    Let's vote them all out. Regime change in GE 2016.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hopeless n Heartless9/26/2012 11:09 PM

    We would spend billions of $ on our defense hardware/gadgets, so why won't we spend billions on building robots to alleviate the care sector, like what the Japanese has done?! Apparently we can't be creative when it comes to resource allocation and still wants to feed on FW steroids.

    PM Lee" ..the govt is only an abstract idea..what can individual prepare to do for his/her family"..In short, your elderly parents and your children are your problems..don't expect the PAP govt to help you. We are only interested to bleed and milk them dry for our TFR, GDP and once they passed their prime, is your problem, not ours...everyone of you are my employees, no more no less.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The National CONversation is over.
      We cannot entrust them with our future.
      We cannot entrust them with our children.
      We cannot entrust them with our elderly parents.

      When you no longer trust your politicians, it's time for a regime change.

      Time to get votes for the Opposition Parties.

      Delete
  17. How dare you speak ill of our opportunistic, professional parasite class. Don't you know that we cannot live without them?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's time to test this Singapore Fairy Tale with a regime change in GE 2016.

      Delete
  18. "And why not, pray tell - is it hurting the GDP bonus?"

    Tatler at his lucidly best. Below 3%, no GDP bonus. See how the MAS still cling onto that 2.5% to 3.5% GDP growth "projection" even as "dial-a-quote" analysts Song and Hak have all lowered their GDP projections below 3%? The lure of the dark side is strong. The chaps at the top (and some in middle) who are "entitled" to GDP bonuses are trying their utmost to give it a boost for the last 3 months till December. Apart from some really juicy pay rises (after MoH, Bus drivers and MoE hikes - those add together will be worth over $1b a quarter I was told, ie 0.5% GDP - no coincidence surely). I hear same story several times recently: most of the government's suppliers and GLCs who provide any forms of service to the government, have received "advice" to accelerate invoicing. The urge to get to that magical 3% is clear sign to the people who still think in this red dot - the system is way past KC's "ossifying stage", it is already corrupt to the core. And to think old yoda hasn't even kicked the bucket! Imagine what happens after the last bugle sounds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mancur Olsen argues that the rise of nations is from entrepreneurial innovation and invention (the "maker" economy), while the decline of nations comes from political entrepreneurship and lobbying (the "taker" economy). While I've always hoped that SG would never decline, the current atmosphere unfortunately tells me otherwise. There are great gains to be made for the one who chooses to be a political, rather than an economic entrepreneur. These gains serve as signals to those well-educated folks to move into defense contracting, or government consulting, rather than private business inventing or selling products/consumer services.

      When workers compete, not for the consumer's dollar, but for the "government" dollar (the indirect consumption dollar), then we fulfill Olsen's prophecy. We give more weight to defending the government policies for the $, and less to invention and innovation. Classic rent-seeking for their self-preservation. It's a slow decline, but sadly, all too apparent.

      Delete
  19. Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, said in 2007: "...we are planning for a population of 6.5 million people....Major global cities like London, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong have populations ranging from about seven million to 12 million." These cities have hinterlands, you nitwit.

    This 6.5 million figure has been bandied around for the last 5 years. So it appears they have not been honest when they say the influx will be slowed down. Now they say it will be calibrated. Nothing has changed - unless there is a regime change.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you bro, at least now I know I not senile - I told everyone that 6.5m was planned by MND scholars way back when MBT was at MND, even before Lehman crisis, that is why the internet is great - no one forgets all the words uttered.

      Delete
  20. I wonder who our leaders work for? For the people or for themselves? Why don't they declare their assets as well as those of their family and close relatives and let us judge for ourselve who our leaders really work for!
    When the Hng Minister leaves politic how many directorships would he be holding?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Bring in foreigners as ministers and government officials as NSmen etc and then we can start talking. If not, do not dumb down S'poreans, we are smarter than what the MIWs think. The famous Raffles Pl apology is well forgotten and buried, our memories are not. I, for one, did not ask for 6 mil ppl on this island and I will vote wisely. National Coversation is just a large scale insult.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Annie Koh SMU : "Because we only get aggregated data, we don't know how much of the real wage rate is going to the local talent who has been contributing to the driving of that growth in GDP. Maybe a large chunk of the mean wage is not going to the locals ..."

    What people need to ask is for this government (alternative voices from academic/civil service) to present A Strong Case for Singapore Labor. I am tired of their bias and prejudice ...is like asking a drug addict to make a strong case on why steriods is a necessary dosage for them to carry on their lives. As long as your low FW are not paid a minimal rate across (same as local) there means there are exploitation. And that's exactly what companies want. Is a no-brainer.

    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/why-using-foreign-workers-is-only-importing-problems/story-e6frezz0-1226381341488

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Time to prove your worth9/27/2012 10:20 AM

      So here's where you ask where are the Opposition voices who can build a case against foreign workers are? And please, don't insult us by saying we can't have 100% zero FW. Like the case of PSLE that has gone extreme, I really want to hear what WP's have to say/defend in this policy area for a much more reduced/balanced intake.

      Delete
    2. Immigration is perfect for filling gaps in the market and sometimes augmenting deficiencies in certain skills. The problem is that we appear to have moved from the immigration equivalent of a social drinker to an addict hooked on Class A substances! Like any serious habit, the longer the situation continues, the worse the addiction and the lower the chance of rehabilitation.

      As a general rule, those on extreme Right of politics are Capitalists. They are pro free markets and anti trade restrictions. A fundamental part of this is the free movement of labour. You can't be pro-free markets and anti-immigration, it’s an economic oxymoron.

      People should recognize now why a dominant 1 party PAP will never bring contentment to its citizens.

      Delete
    3. We have a labour force of about 3 millions. Local Singaporean (excluding PR) workforce constitude maybe 50-55% or at most 1.65m, out of which 400,000(incl.100,000 earning less than $1000pm)earn less than $1700pm and had to depend on workfare to supplement their income.Despite working full time, we therefore have more than 25% of Singaporean workers depending on some form of welfare.We have one of lowest wage structure proportional to the GDP among the developed world.

      Delete
    4. We should be asking ourselves Singaporeans as a whole, done, not asking what WP is doing. If WP is not doing its job, then dont vote them. Vote SDP, NSP or any party which you think will do a better job.We have to empower the oppositions by voting more of them into parliament to see a change.Change has to start from you and me , not from the oppositions.We will see critical minds coming out to join politics if enough of us are willing to empower them.

      Delete
  23. Singaporean++9/27/2012 10:14 AM

    #1
    Its not the foreigners that we are angry with. We know there are certain jobs that we cannot do since we are all accustomed to aircon and thumbing our tablets and phones.

    We are angry at the cheapness of the employers and how the gahmen allows and even help them get the foreigners cheaply.

    #2
    We also want high GDP growth. It is the way that the gahmen pursues it. Growth can be achieved by various ways and not only by importing labour and a numbers game. If we have to suffer 5 years or more of low growth in order to change into a more productive economy, so be it.. it will be more sustainable.

    #3
    Do not threaten the people.You threaten us that we will have to pay high costs for healthcare workers and ask us if we can tolerate it. Well, that is what we pay you for!.. you're the one who has to WORK to find a solution.. did you not understand your job description?????

    Do not threaten unless you are willing to carry the threat. Never ever threaten the voters... it worked in the 50's, 60's and 70's.. that template is no longer applicable.. you are dealing with electorate version 2.0.16

    #4
    Its fine for you to want a high GDP growth. We are not fools. Just admit that your bonus depends on it.



    ReplyDelete
  24. One thing I do know is that with that kind of population, the low & middle class will be squeezed from all sides with ever rising costs.

    The low-income families are particularly concerned with stagnant/reduced wages while those in mid-income will no longer be able to afford their family cars which they considered essential.

    And all our PAP leaders are capable of doing now is to comfort us with the assurance that financial assistance will be there if we know how & where to ask for it ! And the next best thing we know to happen is that the Town Council has increased their C&S charges even when they have spare cash to invest in securities & bonds.

    WTF are the PAP leaders doing in making Singapore a living hell for so many Singaporeans to live in. And we must especially be thankful to GCT for making into reality an empty promise of a Swiss standard of living except to the foreigners!

    ReplyDelete
  25. "Foreigners help created good jobs for Singaporeans" PM LHL.

    Can the unbiased press please invert the headline to "Locals help created good jobs for Foreigners". How many more blind men do we need to let them tell us otherwise. I have seen very ordinary foreigners (among friends) who came here work as an ordinary worker, buy an apt, sell off and make millions, leave the country with bag loads of money and go live else where in europe..". They are the ones who couldn't even make it rich in their own country and come here to leech on us. While I see my fellow singaporeans suffering.

    I don't begrudge FT seeking their opportunity here, but for them to reap benefits when I ask why aren't my fellow singaporeans given such opportunity is an affront to anybody's conscience.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are no longer allowed to say that people are rich. You have to refer to them as 'job creator'. You can't even use the word 'rich'. You have to say, 'This chocolate cake is so moist and job creator.'''

      Delete
  26. How would NSmen feel? Are we guarding a giant budget hotel? Where guests come and go, have a good time, stain the bedsheets and the local aunties/uncles clean up after them? Our men in green are disadvantaged in studies and workplace. Why don't we just have more Gurkhas, to take the place of defense? We are not a country anymore, just another corporation and we do not need to fulfill NS obligations. Have the foreigners do it, then maybe we can talk about the 8 million target.

    ReplyDelete
  27. hmmm...

    i am wondering at this pausible scenario..

    god forbid..in the event of a crises (i.e. worse than SARs) or a war..

    And if food shipments are somehonw cut off from singapore...

    How many of that 6.5 million people will died...

    Not counting the MIW as they will be the first to fly out of singapore.

    The gutless cowards that they truely are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. an apocalypse in SinCity will probably result in the naive MIW supporters being utilised as food by the rest....enough for quite a long time, especially with the diverse culinary skills available.

      Delete
  28. A Nation of (Too many) Immigrants9/27/2012 2:05 PM

    The OP by MTI continues to propagandize migration as our only way out..and funnily, they try to mis-use two examples, each specifically from Germany and Japan to state their case.

    Unfortunately, and once again, they will only tell you the half-truth. While Germany benefited from their Eastern bloc after reunification, and the opening of EU bloc, this is also a country that has a strong labour protection. The workers CANNOT be retrenched by companies without good/valid reasons and period of assessments. They are long compensation for workers and unemployment benefits too. The minimal wages were also observed with eastern workers unlike the exploitation that we are seeing here in SG, despite its first world claim.

    The Japan example given, where the ruling LDP had proposed in 2008 to accept 10m immigrants over the next 50 years was also roundly rejected by the people. 65% opposed it in the opinion polls and LDP was voted out in 2009 by the Democratic Party of Japan(DPJ). Today, they have reverted to a points system where skilled migrants need to have 70 points & an uninterrupted residence of 5 yrs, include 28-hour work week restriction on spouses before they are allowed in. Target is 2000 skilled foreigners per year.

    Now, until and unless the our Migration department are prepared to come clean and transparent on our measures in place and their yardstick, don't even think for a seconds by accepting all their talking that Singaporeans are being protected. The sad reality is , this is already a Nation of (too many) Immigrants.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha Ha, as usual pick and choose whatever is convenient and easy to use, ignore everything else to their disavantage.Strangest thing is some of us will buy their koyok.

      Delete
  29. the flood gate was never closed or tightened and now its going to swing wide open ! just watch. we may be sinking...

    ReplyDelete
  30. PAP should follow the path of Mitt Romney and be voted out. After all, there is no difference in the way they think, speak and behave.

    They create jobs not for their countrymen but for foreigners. They cut tax for rich people like themselves and expect middle-class and low-income to stop looking to them for handouts. They believe in issuing vouchers to help the poor. They want to enrich the rich further by doubling-down on trickle-down economy. They think their success is due to their hard work and not social inequality.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Well. .we know whom to vote at the next GE. But how do we get the rest of the clueless, brainwashed elderly generation to join the bandwagon?

    ReplyDelete
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