PM promises to review immigrant policy under mounting pressure
September 16th, 2009 | 
Author: From our Correspondent
In the face of rising discontent and disgruntlement on the ground and with the prospects of an election looming over the horizon, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he will “review” the government’s long-standing pro-foreigner policy.
During a dialogue with 1,500 undergraduates at the National University of Singapore yesterday, Mr Lee said the rapid influx of foreigners will slow down as the economy is not expected to grow at the exceptional pace it did for several years until last year.
There will also be ’sharper’ differentiation in the way the Government treats citizens and permanent residents (PRs), he promised. However Mr Lee did not elaborate more on how the government will implement these changes.
Mr Lee’s stance did not differ greatly from previous ones when he reassured Singaporeans that their rights will be protected by the government while reiterating the importance of opening Singapore’s doors to foreigners to keep the economy competitive.
His father MM Lee said in the aftermath of Singapore’s 44th National Day that foreigners are “vital” to Singapore’s economy and urged Singaporeans to “embrace” them.
Mr Lee echoed MM Lee’s views again when he emphasized that in a competitive and integrated world, a ’sustained, calibrated inflow’ of immigrants is necessary to ’safeguard the long-term interest of Singaporeans’.
While most Singaporeans understand the need for foreign workers to take up jobs shunned by locals and to boost the flagging population, many are becoming increasingly discomfited by the relentless influx of foreigners in recent years which has helped to push the prices of HDB flats to record high.
Letters began appearing in the Straits Times Forum complaining about the language skills of the newcomers, the unfair competition for jobs with NSmen who have to serve 4 weeks of reservist per year as well as competition for Primary 1 registration places.
The general perception on the ground is that citizenship confers no additional benefits over PRs other than slightly less subsidies for healthcare and education and the right to vote and stand for elections which is of little relevance since less than half the electorate gets the opportunity to vote during the elections.
Mr Lee claimed he “understood the concerns that locals have – ranging from fears about the competition posed by newcomers, to irritation about the latter’s different habits, accents and weak command of the English language.”
“I understand and empathise with these concerns. Worries have grown because of large inflows in the last few years,” he said.
Mere empty rhetoric is not enough. Mr Lee should follow up on his words with concrete action to safeguard the interests of Singapore citizens who are becoming increasingly short-changed and marginalized by the government’s liberal policy towards foreigners.
A clearer distinction must be made between foreigners who sincerely wish to contribute to Singapore’s growth and make Singapore their home and those out to milk the system for their own benefits.
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This is pre-election talk.
Make sure you shock him
Else I assure you, after the election, the floor gate will be worse since they have another window of 5 years.
Singapore is a country and should develop and make singaporeans feel it is a “Singapore for Singaporeans.” and not for people of other nations.
Remembered MM Lee Once pushed for a “Malaysia for Malaysians” back in 1960s?
It is a tacit admission that the last few years of boom, locals didn’t benefit from the employment boom. The boom was beneficial to the foreigners and not the locals.
Economy was only surging after the sluggish growth during sars and they are using to drive immigration growth to boost property prices.
“Mr Lee said the rapid influx of foreigners will slow down as the economy is not expected to grow at the exceptional pace it did for several years until last year.”
Notice that PM Lee says that foreigners influx will slow down based on economy slowdown, not that he is going to take action to slow it down. As usual, the scapegoat this time is on economy just like the scapegoat of waiting for USA recovery to determine Singapore’s economy !
We do not need PM Lee to insult our intelligence to say that slow down economy will discourage foreigners because foreigners will come regardless economy good or bad as long as their country condition is worst than Singapore etc currency strength, safety, security, paradise ! The only way is take concrete measurement to prevent huge influx of foreigners and not to depend on economy to do the job.
//The immigrants shore up falling birth rates, and make the nation more entrepreneurial.
Since when the immigrants that we attract in Singapore employ a lot of Singaporeans.
Singaporeans are not entrepreneurial because of his rules.
Just like housing in Singapore, citizens and foreigners will buy housing regardless of good and bad economy, and paradoxically, even more so in bad times despite the unbelievable high price of housing because their experience and judgment tell them if bad time the price is already so high, isn’t in good and recovered economy, the price of housing will be even much higher especially Singapore government always quote Free Market ? Isn’t inflation increase significantly in good times ?
The principle is the same for foreigner influx. Regardless of good and bad economy, foreigners will still come here if the condition in Singapore is more attractive and better than their country. It doesn’t take a degree to recognize this common sense. So PM Lee, where is your common sense or did you eat too much Mee Siam Mai Hum that impair your sense ?
//This can be seen in the case of Israel, which, despite a small population of seven million, has the most number of companies listed in the United States stock exchange after the US itself, because it took in talented immigrants, Mr Lee said.
This is one of the dumbest thing from This PM.
Australia and Canada have the highest foreigners to locals among all countries from 1996 until recently, and do you see a large number of listed companies from these countries in the US.
Listing is a economic and financial choice made by a company. Got nothing to do with immigration.
Even if what he says is true, it is a demonstration that his immigration policies had failed because Singapore do not have that many listed companies in the US.
Does he seem like a 1st class honour guy?
//This can be seen in the case of Israel, which, despite a small population of seven million, has the most number of companies listed in the United States stock exchange after the US itself, because it took in talented immigrants, Mr Lee said.
Even if what he said is true, His immigration policies must have failed because Singapore didn’t take in talented immigrants. If it did, Singapore would have many listed companies in the US which Singapore didn’t.
@ Rowen on Wed, 16th Sep 2009 9:28 am …GREETINGS…
The whole issue of immigration has been scandolously hijacked by the politics of oppression (against any opposition) and silence of information until now.
We brought in over 100,000 foreign immigrant a year in recent years- was it 199,999 or 100,001? Regardless of this precision of vague belated disclosure and claims that it is NOT a physical capacity issue ( incomprehensible if he house them or intended to house them in his backyard??) we are taking in an influx NO SMALLER THAN THAT OF AUSTRALIA.
Our economy is S$240 bln a year and Australia is A$840 bln (S$1030 billion) a year. Australia’s economy is at least 4.2 times bigger than Singapore and they could barely absorb 100,000 migrant a year in good times and around 50,000 per year in tough economic times.
If the influx is the mid-range of 150,000 immigrants a year, in 5 years we took in 750,000 foreign migrants in the last 5 years. Asumming that for every 5 person who came here, ONLY ONE IS WORKING. That means in the last 5 years, we would have to create 150,000 jobs in total NOT TO DISPLACE SINGAPOREANS FROM THEIR JOBS.
Did our economy created 150,000 jobs in the last 5 year just for migrants ASSUMING THAT THERE IS NO JOBS CREATED FOR SINGAPORANS?
Did HDB built and sold 150,000 new units to house such a huge sudden intake of foreigners, so that HDB resale price DOES NOT GOES THROUGH THE ROOF AND SINGAPOREAN CRYING NO AFFORDABILITY WHILE THEIR JOBS DISAPPEARED AND TAKEN OVER BY THESE PAMPERED FOREIGNERS?
Did they have 150,000 places in primary schools created so that Singaporeans are denied of school placing AND THEN CLAIMS THAT SINGAPOREANS COMES FIRST?
If singaporeans REALLY COMES FIRST, was the huge influx of foreigners had the benefit of public consultations first of physical, social and economic impact before it was silently rushed in the darkness of the night??
Did the Government told Singaporeans of this agenda when they sought the last election mandate?
Was Singaporeans not betrayed of their trusts that our interests comes first and NOT LAST AS IT DID HAPPENED ALREADY AND NOW ASKED US TO ADJUST TO NEW IMPOSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES??
//This can be seen in the case of Israel, which, despite a small population of seven million, has the most number of companies listed in the United States stock exchange after the US itself, because it took in talented immigrants, Mr Lee said.
In fact, under the old rules, where immigration was tighter, Singapore has one listed company in the States.
From a Singaporean.
As if immigration drives entrepreneurship… If it is that simple, US doesn’t need to control immigration with their visa system…
We shd give more benefits to encourage more and more babies from Singaporeans. It is not difficult. As for myself, my wife and I already have four. We are thinking of one more if more help can given like baby bonuses.
mon on Wed, 16th Sep 2009 9:59 am …GREETINGS…
The comparison with Israel is COMPLETELY FALSE AND UNREASONABLE. The Government, through the decades, squeezed out private initiatives and business. Where there is money, the Government has a competing business with preferential rules including the banking and education sectors for example. And GLC got nowhere internationally, how to get them listed on US exchange even via ADRs??
Why did Creative Technology listed on Nasdaq and not SGX – different restrictive rules apply.
The Government practised “cockroach capitalism” of RELYING FOR FOREIGN INVESTMENT, THEN FOREIGN WORKERS AND NOW FOREIGN MIGRANTS ..
and blamed Singapore population as too small, lacking in entrepreneurial skills – WHAT A LOAD OF BULLSHIT TO COVER THEIR TRACK OF 44 years of ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT!!!
Hi mon,
PM Lee must read up more on Israel’s history.
Most of the “talented immigrants” to Israel are Jews from Europe and elsewhere of which Russian Jews account for 2 million new immigrants in the 1950s and 60s.
Do you see Arabs from Israel’s surrounding countries emigrating to it?
Furthermore, the Jews had established a presence in the U.S.A long before Israel was founded in 1948. The Jewish lobby is a very influential group in the United States.
Some ministers just like to show off their ignorance for all to see. How can they proclaim themselves to be “first world talents” when they are not even aware of basic historical facts like this?
“Some ministers just like to show off their ignorance for all to see. How can they proclaim themselves to be “first world talents”
To be fair to the ministers, there are many types of talent. Even a clown can be a talent if he can hoodwink people into believing his ignorance and nonsense. So we have “first world talented clowns” who hoodwink 66% into voting for them.
One issue is clearly evident.
In the light of the current ruling party to attract FT and FW, they forgot about one key person.
The common men whom put their confidences and votes for them during the elections.
They buy our hearts with GST credits with rebates which is equally fast being taken back in increased taxes and cost of living.
Instead of courting FT and FW, bailing out foriegn banks, pouring money overseas. perhaps the slogan “SIngapore for Singaporeans” would be a rallying point for all to see.
What a Person needs to survive.
A house (HDB flat which is given at low rates and not compete with PRs.)
A job (with salary is reasonable as stated by HDB Deputy CEO Mr Yap Chin Beng S$2,500 a month).
A sense of belonging.
@Rowen on Wed, 16th Sep 2009 10:55 am …greetings..
Taking such a huge influx of immigrants and not buiding enough HDB to meet expected supply AND NO JOBS FOR SINGAPOREANS? What happened to cabinet meetings to discuss macro policy decisions and impact?
IT IS A BUBBLE ECONOMY CREATED AND ON THE VERGE OF RUNNING OUT OF CONTROL.
They were paid millions to look after Singaproeans and we are in an ABSOLUTE MESS NOW of housing affordability, education access for our kids, employment displacement of our professionals and technicians etc and ALL THE MESS VEHEMENTLY denied PUBLICLY by the incumbent Government.
If Singapore is for Singaporeans, we need change now.
i understand that parents with primary schools kids are also affected by the gifted education streaming in P3 . with the influx of immigrants, their children are much older by 1 to 2 years and they are competing for a place in our gifted education programme set up for singaporeans only. our children are put at a disadvantage due to age. This is one sure way whereby the best and brigthest scholars will never be a true singaporean in the long run. our interests are at stake. please do not blame us for leaving our motherland in search of a better place to live.
If this FT policy continues, & it will under the present “elite” ministers, the day will come when fellow Singaporeans will end up paying sky high prices for everything (eg. HDB, food, etc) & become lowly paid workers serving their foreign masters (employers).
China has bought over SPC & Tuas Power.
Abu Dabi has bought over Chartered Semiconductor.
And this is just the beginning.
@ Sink-A-Poor on Wed, 16th Sep 2009 11:21 am …GREETINGS..
Your job is also on sale every day. The only thing NOT on sale is your ever ballooning housing debt – if you have NOT yet fixed this liability – it is yours for a life-time to keep.
The bubble economy will make local banks and property developers happy – the two last standing pillars of our economy. Foreign investors may pull out – you can’t imprisoned their stay if they are not happy here or if China is cheaper to manufacture from there.
Good luck all Singaporeans. The next few years will see a lot of SUDDEN magic shows.
SO SAD THAT THIS COUNTRY IS IN A BIG MESS.
Let’s see if action will follow talk. I want to see preferential treatment for citizens in housing, higher paying jobs, education and health before I change my mind about how I will vote in the next election.
I want to see HDB prices come down and HDB flats available for sale only to citizens. I want to see garmen increase the housing grant for citizens.
I want to see less unemployment amongst citizens across all age groups and all educational levels. I want to see more Singaporeans in the workplace and less foreigners holding high paying jobs that can be done by Singaporeans.
I want to see priority given to Singaporeans in schools and universities.
I want to see more subsidies for Singaporeans for health, eldercare and maternity.
And I want the garmen to stop insulting my intelligence and stop talking c*#k.
Too much to ask?
All this is empty talk if no one who read this vote in the opposition to check on the government.
If readers here cannot see that, then expect 5 more years of empty comments.
I’ve known many Singaporeans who complain and complain and then in the ballot box, still vote for a PAP candidate.
If you are that kind of person, you deserve to suffer under PAP, just don’t cause the rest to suffer with you.
[...] Mind: PM : The fix for the foreign Influx is fostering integration.. – The Temasek Review: PM promises to review immigrant policy under mounting pressure – The Temasek Review: PM Lee’s inappropriate use of Israel as an example to promote the merits of [...]
@ Point, Greetings,
the gahmen will talk and promise a lot of things as usual. they will NOT change the policies now. as all of us know. it’s a norm. they will say they are changing this and upgrading that if we (singaporeans) vote for them during the election. and as usual, the gaulible ones will be taken in thinking that things will be reversed by casting their votes to pAp. after which nightmare will begin after the election.. remember the last election that they promised to fix the rising cost of public transportation? see what happens when after the election, they hike up the fares almost immediately the following month after the election. just be prepared for the worst following this upcoming election regarding FT policies. they are adament to make SG to have 6m ppl by 2011.
As always they leadershit will give you sugar-coated apple that is rooten to the core. Once u bought it, any complication is that “you went in with your eyes wide open” & “an honest mistake”. Get real people don’t be fool again..again..and again
This is just a ruse. They’ll do somersaults and cartwheels before elections and tell you to go fly kite after.
Has happened in the past. Learn from it.
Previously Khaw Boon Wan had to retract rolling out ‘means-testing’ during campaigning. After elections, less than a month, he announced means-testing.
How to trust these kind of people?
go jurong point on weekends to see how the wonderful foreigners hog up all the ATMS, queues and queues for everything, buses and trains – they don’t want to spend to increase amenities but squeeze maximal profits and they call this swiss quality living standards!! wasting precious times queue, queue, queue, – ministers do not have to suffer the frustrations we face every day.
“Mr Lee said the rapid influx of foreigners will slow down as the economy is not expected to grow at the exceptional pace it did for several years until last year.”
Mr Lee, what you meant to say is “rapid growth of the economy will slow as the influx of foreigners will slow down”
Higher populuation menas higher economic growth!
@Fairplayplease on Wed, 16th Sep 2009 11:57 am
“SO SAD THAT THIS COUNTRY IS IN A BIG MESS.”
It’s indeed sad. The elites are only interested in money & nothing else. Their policy seems to be to make money at all cost?? Without counting the social cost, etc??
They decided to have casinos in Singapore, calling them “integrated resorts” instead of casinos. But even before the casinos are open the loansharks problem is already getting out of control??
And guess what, foreigners are allowed to enter the casinos as & when they like, but Singaporeans are required to pay a huge fee just in order to enter the casinos??? Are Singaporeans second class citizens??
And the SWF gamble away our money buying a bankrupt bank because they “have faith” in a certain bank manager?? Can you imagine, they invest by “faith”!?? Blind faith, that is!!
And to add insult to injury, they say it’s not public money!??
Now they’re saying they will slow the influx of foreigners & the reason is that the economy is slowing down? It implies that they will open the floodgate again when the economy picks up???
These elites are simply out of touch with the reality on the ground.
Point,
PM Lee will tell you b4 election:
“Yes, all your points will be taken note, and citizens will always be given first priority. But you must first vote for PAP to make it happen, and only PAP can make it happen. Don’t spoil your vote.”
PM Lee After election:
“Get out of my elite uncaring face !!!! Caveat Emptor. You vote with your eyes wide open, didn’t you ? You give the mandate and the vote, now live with you, you miserable lesser mortal. Before you propose any issues, always ask this question: How to show PM Lee the money ?”
Time and time again we see this happen. When will Singaporeans ever wake up their farting sleep ?
strange argument linking immigration growth directly to economic growth.
if so, we grew even more in the 70s,80s,90s, why didn’t we see greater immigration growth. everyone knows it is up to the govt to decide whether to open the floodgates, by how much.
don’t put too much hope on PAP-speak. still remember “more good years” “swiss standard” “world cup 2010 goal” now s-league is a joke with the national players being poached away.
The problem is that not enough sinkies read the web media. Many sinkies, especially those older and not so educated people, do not know how to access internet and therefore have no way to understand the situation. These are the 66% who are so afraid of changes. They will still vote for MIW even though they are not happy. That’s why MM Lee is very very confident that MIW will still be in power for the next 2 erections. Perhaps, only after 10 years, more younger sinkies become voters and less voters from the current 66% segment will change the erection outcome. My prediction is same as MM Lee’s – there will be no change in power for the next 10 years. In other words, Sinkies will become politically mature only after another 10 years.
Just give me a chance to vote Mr Lee and you’ll know what I think of your BS.
Correction: The speech took place at NTU. According to this article in the Straits Times.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_430387.html
I’ll believe PM Lee’s words when I see his actions.
So far, my 10 years of reservist on top of 2.5 years of full-time NS, paying taxes, serving 2 tours of operational duty during reservist and my own life experience tell me that NOTHING will change under the current regime.
The MIW will continue to flood this country to grease the wheels of business and commerce so that tax revenues are there to fund their million dollar salaries and to ensure the ruling elite stay in power.
Action talks. Vote wisely during the next GE.
Majullah Singapura.
oh, so someone is scared already coz election is coming soon
Yet another pre-election gimmick to get S’poreans to vote for PAP.
Recall that before the 2006 election, PAP said MEANs Testing may not be implemented, but shortly after the election, they said MEANs Testing will definitely be implemented. GST shot from 5% to 7% shortly after the 2006 election. This was followed by hike in public bus fares, MRT train fares, HDB conservancy charges….etc etc.
Hard for me to believe PAP again
The % of foreigner will reduce because they will become either become the PR or the new citizen…..Please remember to the government, PR is local and not foreginer
talk about W recovery – PM Lee must be right. The second dip comes after election…ha ha
Singapore is becoming an expensive and congested place to live! It will become worst when the target of 6.5 million is reached. Property price will skyrocket through the roof and affordability will be calculated based on 30 years X 2, which means the loan will be passed to one generation to the next. Please show strong signal to government we are against this in the next GE!
Sink-A-Poor, your point on Sinkapore being sold off piece by piece is not to say the least, worrying. If government owned entity (mostly vital supply and services) can be sold (which should rightly belong to the people), is it safe to assume that anything in Sinkapore then can be sold too?
If the trend is anything to go by, then I won’t be surprised to find Temasek Holdings being sold too, along with more than 50% of its direct or indirect holdings of Sinkapore.
Who would be the buyer this time, Burma or China?
Sinkaporeans should really wake up this time and not take whatever garbage and wayang bait, hook and sinker or there will never be a next chance to vote them out again.
Whatever leftover of Sinkapore which have not been pilfered or sold will be gone in another 4 years if they remain unchecked and unaccountable.
Voters should really send a clear and present signal to the PaPies that enough is enough! The time is NOW!
Vote a donkey into Parliment if you have to, forget about the performance of the opposition for the time being, its not as if the PaPies are doing any better.
Shore up the numbers and get back accountability, then start worrying about the performance of the opposition when the numbers are there and choices more abundant.
Actually the problem is we don’t all get to vote. So many walkovers. If they really truly fear the people’s power in the next election, much more would have been done by now.
I have never had a chance to vote in my entire life. And so i fear that nothing will change. These so called pre-election talk is just icing on the cake for a election already won even before it is ran.
only real “losers” and self serving “quitters” will hide behind the GRC set up to get ahead or via the butt door without transparency and without any proof of their so call talents and any proven track records to the citizens of singapore…
As we lesser mortals with only deserve peanuts will say…the game is fixed ansd we know it…but we will still contest it unfair it maybe and our eyes are open to these artificial obstacles & barriers…we must thank the so call talents who set up such “rules” and has awaken us to what some of them are actually doing to stay in power and to reap material wealth at the expense of the citizenery…
wicked.
The govt is planning to spend $10 million to boost intergration between the foreign professional who have become citizen or the PR n the local citizen.
Again, the prime minister has missed the point. We don’t care about their accents or their different ways of life – we’re Singaporeans, we’re used to having different cultures among us. What we are frustrated about are the foreigners coming in and taking all the good jobs at exorbitant payscales, while some of our local talent of equal or even superior capabilities are having to accept much lower salaries for the same positions. That is the crux of our frustrations.
I for one am FOR the influx of QUALIFIED foreigners with PROVEN track records, because I strongly believe that it will help pollinate our economy with new management practices, and transfer of skills and new ideas, but there has to be a move by the government to DEMONSTRATE HOW this influx is actually benefiting us. Yes, it is a challenging statistical effort, but as one of the best governments in the world, we’ve got to be able to figure it out! In our national statistics, report to us, in pure empirical quantitative terms (not via some state sponsored media report citing a few rare outlier cases), how many Singaporeans actually benefitted from this skills transfer and moved on to eventually take those jobs, and to prove that your statistics are reliable, get credible international agencies to conduct the survey and audit it. Trust me…WE WILL BELIEVE.
Additionally, when reporting on national income brackets, monitor if the local-foreign talent split in the higher income brackets between locals and foreigners is gradually changing in favor of the locals. A clear indication of success of this program would be if the numbers show that the proportion of Singaporeans in the upper income brackets is actually growing (i.e. skills transfer has taken place, and our local talent are being paid at the same payscales as foreigners), get a credible international agency to audit your report and tell us – IS IT WORKING? If it is not working as well as you wanted it to, tell us honestly, then tell us how you intend to drive success of the program moving forward. It’s that simple.
If it is not skills transfer that we are after, but consumer spending, then tell us how they are directly contributing to the local economy, again, in empirical quantitative terms, with the survey structured and conducted by a credible international agency.
Afterall, all we want is the truth, it really shouldn’t necessitate sugar coating or some complicated statement. This is how a common sense government would handle this.
empty talk, after election: more erp gates, gst 10%, coe, hdb all sky rocket, govt bonus 100%, yay!!
The fall of our nation will not be PAP, it is the apathetic people who keep voting for PAP. Even those who vote against PAP will do nothing else except to cast their protest vote against PAP. This has happened for the past 40 years.
For those who are against PAP, you have to do MORE than just cast votes. Talk to your friends, your family. Support the opposition via donations and submit your good ideas to them.
Urge the opposition to form an alliance to take on PAP. With a united opposition, it may be seen as credible and people may wake up and cast votes for them. THEN watch the snow ball effect.
It is hard to believe them when something as solemn as national pledge indoctrinated to us for 44 year is finally admitted as a hoax of an aspirant, not a serious commitment to truth, leaving aside the ghostly lies of Operation Spectrum.
I am really pissed off at the Pri 1 registration when PR has the same rights as the citizen. I reckon that all Singaporean children should be allocated first. Being a citizen is full of crap and I am going to exercise my vote wisely if there is chance.
We are frustrated of overcrowding and the overprice property due to huge influx of foreigner, either as PR or new citizen. Singapore is just 700 square km, with 1/3 of land uses for water collection. How can we have 6.5 million population without causing problems for the residents ? Government just wants good economics figure at any cost, at least degrading the quality of life here e.g. smaller living space, to squeeze more people into Singapore!!!
The Q would not be just in the bank, post office, MRT station, jammed roads, it could be the ambulance and hospital’s A & E access, a lot will die before they get to see the doctor.
Perhaps that is a “good” way to rejuvenate the young migrant population and let the older one’s needing medical emergency dies without worrying about euthanasia. It is in the Q process.
And when the economy turns sour, the national reserves accumulated over the last 44 years will deplete faster feeding the hungry – maybe in less than 2 years all gone. Few earning, a lot more spending.
The elite does not worry, the accumulated tens or hundreds of millions already. We are all slaves in the system to feed their greed for wealth accumulation.