Sweta Agarwal proud to be Indian citizen and to have PR status in Singapore
From our Correspondent
The man, or rather, the lady at the center of the controversy, Ms Swetal Agarwal has replied. (read article here)
In a letter to the Straits Times Forum on 20 August 2009, Ms Swetal Agarwal wrote that she is happy being a PR though she does not get equal benefits in housing and other aspects.
However, she was adamant that her child get the best education in Singapore:
“But where our children are concerned, we just want them to have the best education possible and I think we are not asking much…….where schooling is concerned, ‘every child has the right to get the best education possible’.”
Ms Swetal Agarwal did not explain why she did not choose to take up Singapore citizenship after living here for 6 years.
“About living here for six years and not taking citizenship, I think this is a very personal choice.”, she wrote.
Unfortunately, many Singapore citizens do not enjoy the luxury of ‘personal choice’ as Ms Swetal. They are stuck with the citizenship with nowhere to go. On the other hand, Ms Swetal can always choose to return to India where the cost of living is much lower.
Ms Swetal is not alone. There many Malaysian and Chinese PRs who refuse to become Singapore new citizens in order to enjoy the “best of both worlds”. They earn decent salaries in Singapore which when converted to their native currencies, will enable them to retire comfortably in their homelands. Therefore, many do not see their future in Singapore.
Ms Swetal ended her letter by proclaiming her loyalty to India: “I am proud to be a citizen of my country and have PR status in Singapore.” Many Singaporeans would be envious of her position. How nice it is to be a Singapore citizen and a Australian or Canadian PR at the same time.
In the meanwhile, the furore over foreigners being “given a free meal” continues unabated with one Singaporean calling on the government to start new citizens on ‘quasi-national service’. (read letter here)
Bryan Tan wrote of his suggestion: “Besides being seen to contribute to society, they can also integrate into society faster by interacting with people at various levels. By serving in hospitals or charities, they will gain an instant insight into cultural and religious aspects of the community of which they will become part.”
While Singapore men spent two years of the best years of their lives in the army, it seems a “good deal” for the new citizens to do contribute to Singapore by serving in civilian institutions. The question is: does the government have any political will or courage to implement it?
Related articles:
>> PRs get equal chance in Primary 1 registration
>> MM Lee defends need for foreign talent
>> PRC student supports government’s plan for more foreign scholars
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Anonymous on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 10:57 am
Government? Courage? Stop making me laugh. These people would be the first to abandon this god-forsaken little island if it all turns to shit the next day. Just look at the scathing comments from the ministers and that would show you what kind of trash we’re paying millions of dollars for.
Muhammad Shamin on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 11:36 am
You seem to think that NS is army.
But it is alright, because I am bitter too that I had to serve 2 years in army. I had to postpone all my plans over a period of 2 years with no benefit given by the government other than some credits to buy army stuffs.
Sat on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 12:34 pm
Not surprised to read Mrs Agarwal’s response. Their purpose in coming here is to milk the Singapore cow and then later on, either return to India or to locate another cow to milk.
Rubbish on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 12:34 pm
Quasi national services for FTrash? Cannot lah, PAP will say that it is not fair to them you know, they will then really leave S’pore, and PAP will be stuck with ungrateful brats like you and me, cannot……
TP on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 12:56 pm
Foreigners are used by the government in times of WAR
to be Human Shields for Singaporeans…
Nobody will dare to attack singapore because there are so many indians, china men and women, here in singapore.. the bombs will hurt these foreignere and their gov will come and rescue singapore for their sakes!!
How clever the gov of singapore..!!
Stenley Or Fatt Lam on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 12:59 pm
INDIA- FUCK OFF AND GO HOME!
sicktothebones on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 1:00 pm
when one buys item for free trial – after two weeks you either pay up or return the goods. same with PR – you want this, you want that but after 20 years you still remain a PR and proud of your Indian citizenship. Only in Spore is this kind of reverse citizen discrimination is tolerated at the expense of us – I spend 2.5 years NS and 13 years reservist -and I know first hand we are wasting tax payers’ money as it is mainly non-productive time wasting.
Yet MOE is scouring for foreign `talented’ students to bring them here fully paid and given monthly allowance. no bond, nothing. if they choose to run back to China or Indian you mean MOE is going to go hunting for them?
free-loaders and given PR or citizenship in super fast time to displace us of our jobs. Local students have to borrow from banks to pay their tuition fees and start life mired in debt.
What more do we have to do to redress this imbalance? Talking about our pledge indeed!!
Ridiculous on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 1:02 pm
The only way to control the number of freeloaders would be to make PR applications more stringent via points testing, or set an annual quota for PRs. Set a quota on the number of international students in our universities and schools. The last thing we need are a disillusioned and disenfrenchised citizenry, while The PAP continue to reward PRs who most just want to milk our country to polish up their CVs and use Singapore as a stepping stone either to the West or go back home.
Vox Populi on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 1:03 pm
Extract from MOE’s desired outcomes from education.
Education does two things: it develops the individual and educates the CITIZEN.
At the end of primary school, pupils should:
Love Singapore
At the end of secondary school, students should:
know and believe in Singapore.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/desired-outcomes/
$4,349 million to subsidise education in primary schools, special education schools, secondary schools, independent schools, centralised institute and junior colleges;
http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/expenditure_overview/moe.html
Here are some thoughts.
Similarly to our Singaporean universities, there should at least a difference in cost to at least show a clear-line between citizens and PRs. Well especially since I seriously believe that subsidies are meant for Singaporean Citizens first. There is nothing wrong with getting a quality education. In fact the cost in the University of Cambridge costs at least 12000 pounds for a foreigner a year in tuition fee alone whereas a Local British Citizen pays 3000 pounds.
http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/finance/tuition.html
http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/international/finance.html
This is because of Government subsidies are naturally given to locals. Not only will our government save money on not spending on a non-citizen, the extra that a non-citizen pays can actually fund other citizens.
Seriously, opportunity cost in the 2 years lost to National service can probably be used on more fruitful thing like helping to build the economy. Even in the pretext that defending the country is a priceless contribution, I doubt any amount of taxes paid could equal either contribution.
Nigel Cornelius Steven on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 1:05 pm
you should start a petition to have this Sweta Agarwal chased out of our country………….stupid woman she actually believes quoting MM will gain her support……
Memo to all opposition parties on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 1:53 pm
The sheer naivette of Mrs Sweta Agarwal has given all of you the right ammunition come 2010/2011/2012. For years all of you have tried to find the Archiles Heel in the ruling party’s armour. By a stroke of good fortune, such foolish comments from Mrs Sweta Agarwal, coming right after the big speech on foreign talent by you-know-who, has given you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to swing voters to your side. Remember, PRs can’t vote in the general elections. Citizens can. So, sieze the day. Burnish the name of Mrs Sweta Agarwal in your collective memory. Keep her sacrilegous letter in your archive and deploy it when neccessary. If you let this chance slip through your fingers, you only have yourself to blame.
Sink-A-Poor on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 2:04 pm
Don’t blame Mrs Agarwal for that. She’s just doing what you would do if you are in her position.
Blame the policy-makers who make it attractive for foreigners to enjoy the “best of both worlds”.
lim on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 2:08 pm
If you really want change, use your vote (if not walkover) in coming GE…
Dan on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 2:54 pm
These are the kind of mercenaries we are attracting, our government calls them “talents”. I just think they are bloodsuckers, S’poreans become suckers, government wants our blood to defend. Do the right thing at the next GE.
Nigel Cornelius Steven on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 3:33 pm
can someone pls get her e-mail address and post it here, she needs to know what singaporeans thing of her type………pls guys get to work………
Opposition no balls and no brains on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 3:35 pm
Please lor, you think our opposition so smart meh? If they samrt, they should have wallop the garmen long long ago liao. You all remember how POSB got makan by DBS? This issue got talk about race? Boh. This issue concern religion? No have. Did the Opposition got say anything or not? Don’t have! Now, every month, DBS deduct $2 from thousands and thousands of POSB accounts. Bo cho kang, lose people’s money in lousy investment, but every month don’t know how many millions in the pocket. See bay hor tan man!
People are fed up. But Opposition got the balls and brains to take issue or not?
VP on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 4:12 pm
If you vote very smart people
They will know how to make your life more miserable
and then also how to make excuses for doing that.
What singapore needs are people who can feel the lives of ordinary singaporeans
Not elites.
you are nothing if they rule you.
True blue singaporean on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 4:17 pm
what disgust me most that these so-called FT even openly challenged & blackmail us, the host of Singapore that they could turn their back to western countries if we don’t adhere to their needs. GET REAL!!!! we singaporean don’t owe you anything. period. We didn’t invite you in the first place, go whine to the PM/MM/SM, we are only asking for own rights as citizens, so can you (after you convert to Singapore citizenship), all we asked for is level playing field.
will4 on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 4:22 pm
I fully support what the Indian lady and I admired her courage to speak her mind. Being a second generation PR who have served full time NS, I do not have to go for the ten year reservist as my PES status is PES E.
Terence Goh on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 4:29 pm
An Indian National was fined $2000 for forcefully kissing a woman. I believe if he is a Singaporean, he would face jail and possibly caning.
The crime happened at 6.53 am. Look how the media defends him, saying it is the wee hours, as if the female victim shouldn’t be on the streets at that time. Is 6.53am considered wee hours? I know many people who start going to work at 5.30am!
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC090818-0000080/Mistaken-identity-lands-IT-engineer-in-trouble
VP on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 5:00 pm
Love at first sight
Anonymous on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 5:30 pm
it’s all pap’s doing for letting all these foreign trash in to leech on us. Citizens out there, DO NOT vote for pap unless u want u want foreigners to continue to STEAL YOUR JOBS, STEAL YOUR KIDS’ EDUCATION, STEAL YOUR SPACE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND INFLATE PRICES OF HDB FLATS. do not give foreigners the last laugh when they do return to india, china, malaysia or where ever they came from.
Fairplayplease on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 5:33 pm
@Terence Goh on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 4:29 pm … greetings…
Do we need this kind of trash in our midst. Changi jail will be bursting at the seams…and is this fair to society?
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS
Hamdam on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 5:34 pm
We’ll be standing for election. Our bet is the GE will be around the corner. Our wait will soon be over.
We ask all Singaporaens to vote us the Opposition inwhen the time come. Think Singaporean all the time!
You have all read abt the diaster we are in. The very high prices, the China, Indian PRs, the unemployment, the recession, etc. We promise all these nonsense will be put right.
First we are also considering donating half of our pay to the charity you so name in the consituency. WE don’t need so much money. Why? Next, we also want to scrap exams in schools to stop the pressure. As for work we will get rid of the foreign workers and keep the jobs for Singaporeans. GST and hospital fees will be also be waived.
If we need some more help we can go to the UN. Surely they will not turn a small country down. Will you? We must also learn to respect our neighbours first then we can get the sand from them.
Maju lah Singapura.
Sink-A-Poor on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 6:00 pm
“Terence Goh on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 4:29 pm
An Indian National was fined $2000 for forcefully kissing a woman. I believe if he is a Singaporean, he would face jail and possibly caning.”
FT “grabbed & kissed” a Singapore woman, fine $2,000. A slap on the wrist.
(If)Singaporean man grabs & kisses a female FT = jail & cane.
Why?
Coz FTs are important & Singapore can’t do without them.
What’s new???
Maddy on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 6:29 pm
Instead of Grudging and Quarelling here, a simple solution is to Build more schools and employ more teachers, which will solve the problem.
As for the PR and Singaporeans debate, if a PR cant even get this benefit, then fine, pls do not give any benefit or concession to PR or FT, AND also dont ask them to pay tax, contribute CPF etc. either do this or do that..Siow
Sang Nila Utama on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 6:55 pm
I think we are taking pot-shots at the wrong guys. If the government keeps dangling freebies and carrots, why wouldn’t foreigners (FTs, study mamas, etc, etc) come. Hell, even I might be attracted to come! Unfortunately, I’m already a Singaporean & no carrots are dangled in front of me. People, I think we need to focus here. How do we get the government to make it difficult for foreigners to get PRs or come here on long-term visit pass? How do we get them to give scholarships to all SCs (& not just ministers’ children and their croonies)? How do we get them NOT to give scholarships to non-Singaporean & those not born in Singapore?
How do we get them to enact policies – SC first. First to get jobs, first to get choice schools, firstto get scholarships? That people, is the issue here.
sgcynic on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 7:24 pm
But where our children are concerned, we just want them to have the best education possible and I think we are not asking much… where schooling is concerned, every SINGAPOREAN child has the right to get the best education possible!
Hamdam on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 7:46 pm
How do we get them to give scholarships to all SCs (& not just ministers’ children and their croonies)?
UD on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 7:48 pm
@ VP on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 4:12 pm
I couldn’t agree more. My fellow Singaporeans, wake up. What we need is a government that cares for us, not a bunch of paper-chasing elites fuelled only by greed.
As their salaries are pegged to the GDP, that’s all they’ll ever care about. But ask yourself, what has an improved GDP done for you? Better GDP meant better lives for all of us back when we were all generally earning at the same level, but as the income divide increases, those of us below the top level begin to struggle more and more to make ends meet. Cost of living is steadily increasing as WE contribute to GDP with our work and our own expenditure.
Refer to this document from Singapore Department of Statistics:
http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/papers/people/op-s15.pdf
Page 5: The average income divide between the largest HDB households and private estates now stands at over $6,000. And that’s in 2008. Mind you, that’s only the average, and NOT for the highest paid.
If you want to do something about this government that cares more for FTs than its own citizens, vote OPPOSITION in the next GE. It doesn’t matter who they are, even a damned brainless fool.
Our parliament requires 2/3 majority support before ANY motion can be passed, and with all the gerrymandering & GRCs, the PAP will ALWAYS have that majority. So, for those afraid of instability, don’t worry. The PAP will STILL be in full control.
But you WILL send a VERY clear message that you’ve had enough. That you want a government that cares for all of its citizens, regardless of income, career or family background.
Sang Nila Utama on on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 7:51 pm
“How do we get them to give scholarships to all SCs (& not just ministers’ children and their croonies)? ”
We are in Singapore not UMNO Malaysia. Please stick to the subject.
Btw, Singaporean government scholars are scholars – Check out the Perfect As.
Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, Stanford, etc., welcome them with open arms and they return with top honours. Unfortunately, the same can’t be copied by you-know-where.
Terence Goh on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 8:38 pm
Fairplayplease on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 5:33 pm
A homeless and jobless Singaporean was jailed 4 days for pitching a tent at east coast park.
While the foreigner gets away for molest.
Don’t know what to say.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_418240.html
Baey Yam Keng reminds me of Bruno on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 10:34 pm
If you want to do something about this government that cares more for FTs than its own citizens, vote OPPOSITION in the next GE. It doesn’t matter who they are, even a damned brainless fool.
We did! Remember Ling How Dong and that Neo or Cheo guy in that Nee Soon? Oh man! Ling was an embarassment whenever he opened his horse mouth. Each time he spoke, I thought I was listening to a fifth rate Chinese opera singer. The Neo/Cheo guy was his exact opposite. Did he superglue his mouth?
I wonder if there is anyway we can get rid of “Bruno” Baey?
XisD Tay on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 10:39 pm
I agree with UD absolutely. It is a fact that the PaPies will remain in power come next elecion, even if he Opposition field President Obama from the USA as their candidate!
What the people of Sinkapore need to do is to send a strong signal to the PaPies that Sinkapoeans have had enough of your bullshit and wayang.
Dont care who the opposition field, ignore the petty GST Credit carrot, vote for a retard if you have to, send the opposition into parliment and let those useless elites wake up!
I would normally not recommend voting for a retard but desperate time calls for desperate measures and time is fast running out for Sinkapore.
CSC on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 10:58 pm
Hamdam on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 5:34 pm
agreed, civil servants r gearing up for polling duties. for temasekreview’s follow-up, pls.
randomnessinmind on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 11:58 pm
My vote is not reserved for a monkey yet. But I’m expecting more things to come that’ll make me reserve my vote for a chicken. But I’ll be really glad if what comes is not a monkey, but a proper opposition.
Fairplayplease on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 7:59 am
@Terence Goh on Thu, 20th Aug 2009 8:38 pm …greetings
Shocking, really shocking considering this is a poverty-sticken situation. It reminds me of any foreigner in China who has been robbed, got no money left, had to sleep illegally in the railway station which then compound the anguish of his/her innocent circumstances.
If the same situation happens in Australia, most likely the judge will send the detained person to welfare care because of equity law principle of natural justice.
Balik Kampong, Sweta! on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 8:47 am
Faced with all the criticism for her arrogance, Sweta Agarwal had retorted with the following message posted in ST Forum:
=====================
“To all those who ask me to go back to India, my answer is SORRY NO. Why should i go back? . My husband is a computer engineer and singapore needs such foreign talents. He guides and teaches his inferiors in office who are singaporeans. I insist I want best education for my daughter. In the fast develoing world, to talk about citizeh, PR etc is non-sense. These are talk of losers and incompetent people. I will go back to India when singapore becomes rotten in future. So we wont take citizenship here. We have the support of Mr. Lee Kwan Yew, who is a visionary and stateman.”
The link:
http://comment.straitstimes.com/showthread.php?t=23420&page=19
Note how she called her husbands’s colleagues “inferiors” and that she will go back to India when Singapore become rotten.
How much does this tell of an arrogant creature like her, and the kind of people that India is producing to pollute the world all over!!
Anyway, from the same ST Forum, here’s is how she and her husband looks:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sweta-Agarwal/788752441
streetsmart73 on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 10:34 am
hi there
1. sinkies, get real, integrate with sinkies, and do stuffs for the community, dream on!
2. ft are here for the money and where the grass is greener, there they go again.
3. the other thing is that sin is definitely ft’s 2nd option.
4. aussie, uk and us are the preferred choice, get it!
Holy Gow on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 11:05 am
Hey Mrs Agrawal did absolutely nothing wrong she is playing by the rules and seeking the maximum benefit as define on the rules.
No on pointed a gun against the gahmen to set those rules for PRs.
The leaders who set these rules are voted in by those who had a chance to vote so blame them no blame those who voted for them.
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 21 Aug 2009 on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 11:31 am
[...] – Mr Wang Says So: Education, and Even More Discrimination Against Citizens – The Temasek Review: Sweta Agarwal proud to be Indian citizen and to have PR status in Singapore – running legs: I want to eat the kueh, but can you clean up for me? – Trapper’s Swamp: [...]
XisD Tay on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 12:14 pm
The lifestyle difference between a typical Sinkaporean and a PR is that a Singaporean spends his life making a living, whereas a PR lives his life.
centurion on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 1:07 pm
I am a 3rd gen Singapore born Indian who has visited India many times and I have seen her type. I can tell you that the India indians who come to Singapore are the worst of the lot. I have seen how they live and their smelly dirty habits and their uncouth behavior where they treat their poor with comtempt and disgust and treat servants like slaves. But when they come to Singapore they try to act ‘atas”. When thy have a little bit of money , they act like they are kings and the world owes them a living. You shd see the conditon of the apartment they rent in Singapore after they leave. U will be shocked. U need a major refurbishment after they leave and fumigate 10 times to get the dirt and filth out. No wonder no one wants to rent aprtments to them. i learnt my lesson the hard way by renting my aprtment to one such family. Never again. Cheap skate filty bustards and they supposed to be India’s middle class. This is whats happening in Sngapore. we are seeing the botton of the barrel of these types like Aggraval who come here and talk big. She and her family shd go back to their dirty rotten smelly homes in India.
ss stirrer on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 6:57 pm
Look at her friends on FACEBOOK — all FBIs — Foreign Born INdians, like her.
The &&&& govt asks us to integrate them?? do they want to be integrated in the first place ? NO, they happy to be here just to make money and hang around their own kind.
we are talking about people from a society that practices the most extreme form of discrimination — the caste system.
No wonder she calls us inferior singaporeans.
Hey — PAP — do you read these blogs? Please see them for what they are !!
坡仔哥哥· on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 9:36 pm
1. I think Mrs Agarwal is crazy to pour oil on fire – she is not helping her cause at all (at this rate, her daugther is never gonna make it into a good school)
2. I think the locals (I am one) are also over-reacting to her words and not being fair in our comments.
3. Let’s not miss the big picture here – the entire key issue here is whether her daugther deserves a place in our school and not about anything else..
FreeLunchExistInSingapore on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 10:09 pm
to Baey Yam Keng reminds me of Bruno:
Yeah… the 2 former opposition MPs are not good and we remove them.
There PAP MPs who are lousy too. Just look at the JCS episode.
But can you remove them?
In case I forgot one PAP lawyer MP was sued in court for fraud or something from chua chu kang…
Terence Goh on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 10:49 pm
Mediacorp is playing Hindi programmes and movies.
I wonder why they allow this but disallow Hokkien and Cantonese programmes.
Tamil is the official mother tongue for Indians in Singapore, so doesn’t this make Hindi just another “dialect” in Singapore?
Why bend over backwards for these new imports but discriminate against Chinese Singaporeans?
What makes my blood boil is that they cut off the entire segment when the taiwanese singers sing hokkien songs.
Overseas Singaporeans on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 11:15 pm
Here in North America, there are many true blue Singaporeans who have decided not to return to Singapore. These Singaporeans dream of their own country and miss their home land. But the policies of the Government is preventing their return.
Although the living conditions in Canada and America are much better than Singapore, there are many who still prefer Singapore. However, Singaporeans are not returning for the following reasons:
1. Government policies is to fund and take care of PRC, India and SE Asia foreigner.
2. If you your passport states the place of birth is Singapore and yet your hold a foreign passport, you will face trouble when you enter Singapore.
3. If you have worked overseas many years and have a HDB flat, you will not be able to sell it. You will have to return to HDB at their valuation (usually ridiculous).
4. You are required o fulfill your national service and return for reservist. If you children were to go overseas for education, you need to pay S$75,000 as deposit. However, foreigners who came in easily and get Singapore Citizenship, their children can go anywhere they want. By the age of 15, and local Singaporean will not be able to leave Singapore for education.
5. The policies in Singapore changes TOO often and TOO quickly. In the late 90s, highly educated foreigners who married Singapore locals or worked in Singapore had grave difficulties in getting PR or citizenship. Countries like Korea was not welcomed because of the Kim Da Zhong democratic movements related to local opposition parties. Now, in the late 2000s, citizenship are handed out like toilet papers.
The Singapore economy is at the verge of total failure. The industry is finished with many Americans pulling out of Singapore and going in to China.
A heavy betting is placed on the Casinos. With the current world economic situation and the failure of Casino operation worldwide, it is clear the new Casinos in Singapore can only last for several months. The irony is the bulk of the Casino jobs are given to PRC, Phillipinos and third world working class. The Chinese Government is not foolish. New policies against corruptions are now brewing in China Beijing. It is clear they will limit the travel of Chinese officials to Singapore for gambling. By then, the Integrated Resorts will be failures.
Already, many Singaporeans are jobless and yet house prices are artificially propped up thru the influx of foreigners to create an artificial market. The bet is on the success of the casinos to sustain these newly created pool of tax payers.
Do you think this will work? How would the true blue Singaporeans look at these?
Also, if the Casinos fail, which can be easily foreseen, what will happen to the 1.5 million Non Singaporeans but labeled as Singaporeans? We will have a 1.5 Millions Singapore passport holders scattered out of Singapore. Eventually, the Singapore passport will have NO creditability and No value internationally.
Think about it. It is better for your to leave Singapore for Australia, US or Canada right now.
FreeLunchExistInSingapore on Sat, 22nd Aug 2009 11:41 am
// 2. If you your passport states the place of birth is Singapore and yet your hold a foreign passport, you will face trouble when you enter Singapore.
// 3. If you have worked overseas many years and have a HDB flat, you will not be able to sell it. You will have to return to HDB at their valuation (usually ridiculous).
What is the trouble?
How does HDB know you didn’t work in Singapore?
will4 on Sat, 22nd Aug 2009 1:12 pm
Overseas Sporen, as for your point on the need to come back for reservist, u can apply for deferment not to come back for reservist n likely they will approve it, considering the fact that it is not feasible for the reservist to come back esp he is in other countries like Canada.
Fairplayplease on Sun, 23rd Aug 2009 7:35 pm
@Overseas Singaporeans on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 11:15 pm…greetings…
I share your comment on……”The Singapore economy is at the verge of total failure. The industry is finished with many Americans pulling out of Singapore and going in to China…..”
and your comment about the casino is something quite insightful which I have not thought about carefully until now.
There are major structural weaknesses in our economy. They want to build a strong educational sector of up to a target 15% of GDP figures in another 6 years ( 2015???) but only 4 reclusive Government backed universities to keep quality control AND RELYING ON private sector initiative to source foreign degree education opportunities. The quality of these private sector initiatives varies and competing against foreign countries where the host universities reside. Many foreign students here are not really into education – they are moonlighting in the sex industry. Same goes for tourism numbers that impressed our statistics but the landscape of reality is something else unpleasant to many here.
Casino business? It is opening up everywhere in the Pacific Basin. Australia, Macau, even Gentings are front-runners and are more established. Macau is glizty of red-light a bit like Bangkok. To compete, do we want this kind of society? And with stiff competition, it might not last because too many start-up looking for the same pie.
Industry? I often think we missed the boat compared to South Korea – vertically and horizontally integrated industry and
export oriented and going high tech DOMESTICALLY. South Korea is about to launch its space vehicle into orbit on its own technology – a fit only China, Japan and India in Asia has accomplished. Their industry are so sophisticated and advanced that they could co-produced Aegis missile destroyer production with US for export markets the same way Mitshubishi co-produced weapons with US industries. Can we do this in the next 15 years??? I don’t think so
The economic landscape has changed. I cannot see western economies gorwing at the rate in seen in the last decade for the next 5 years. AND THIS 5 YEARS ARE OF GRAVE SIGNIFICANCE OF OPPORTUNITES OR FAILURES. Global demand shrank, MNC shift operations to lower costs centre like China as you said. Once there, there is no chance of they unprooting and come back to Singapore unless something drastically happened there. Unlikely. The balance of probability is that more MNCs will shift out than shift in because new industries emerging are slower than existing industry operating anywhere in the world. There is no guarantee that new industry would favour Singapore’s location when the dynamics of competition has changed and high tech logistic technology has reduced the advantage of Singapore location.
Conidering that we are already so dependent on cheaper labour source and still unable to compete internationally, what are the odds of performing rather than sinking going forward.
It is frightening of a gloomy future ahead despite official claims otherwise.
XiSd Tay on Sun, 23rd Aug 2009 8:09 pm
FreeLunchExistInSingapore asked: How does HDB know you didn’t work in Singapore?
Heard of the IRA?
Fairplayplease on Sun, 23rd Aug 2009 8:22 pm
@Overseas Singaporeans on Fri, 21st Aug 2009 11:15 pm…greetings…
I find your reference to China interesting… same as MM strong message to Singaporeans.
1. integrating new citizens
2. relationship with China
So MM also realise the the days of MNCs using us as the manufacturing base looks increasingly tough going forward??
And if they moved, are our supporting industry also move into China in tandem with grave consequences of employment for Singaporeans?
regardlessofrace on Mon, 24th Aug 2009 2:13 pm
To Nigel Cornelius Steven,
don’t be surprised these Hindians are very thick-skinned & defiant unlike our singaporeans who are vry timid.