SM Goh: Population shortfall could be “made up” with new immigrants
From our Correspondent
In an interview with the PAP mouthpiece Petir, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said his biggest worry for Singapore is its declining birth rate.
He said that though the shortfall could be made up with new immigrants, he acknowledged, but it could affect Singapore’s make-up too.
“Yes, we can top up the population with new immigrants. We can be a cosmopolitan country. It sounds good, but it is not the same as having a Singapore populated mainly by the Singapore ‘tribe’.
It has taken 50 years for this tribe to evolve. With new immigrants, the texture of Singapore will be radically altered. There will be more tribes. It will take time, perhaps more than one generation, for them to integrate,” he said.
SM Goh had spoken out strongly in the defence of beleaguered Singapore PR and China national Zhang Yuanyuan who came under fire from netizens for proclaiming her loyalty to China on CCTV Channel 7.
Mr Goh felt that Ms Zhang did not do anything wrong as she is only a Singapore PR and therefore it is “right” for her to be proud of her homeland, China.
He said that even if a foreigner become a Singapore citizen, it is only natural that he/she will continue to maintain close ties with his/her land of birth. In fact, this should be encouraged.
The issue of immigration and foreigners has become a late topic of late with many PAP ministers stepping forward to defend the government’s liberal immigration policies which have come under siege from the disgruntled citizens.
A deluge of letters in the Straits Times Forum complaining about the benefits enjoyed by PRs forced the Straits Times to publish one lengthy editorial to show that Singapore citizens have more “rights” than PRs.
In the last few days, the Forum was flooded by letters from PRs lamenting about their “plight” that they are entitled to few benefits despite staying in Singapore for more than 5 – 10 years in an obvious attempt to skew public opinion in favor of the government.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made another stunning reversal when he told an audience during a PAP convention last weekend that foreigners are “essential” for the Singapore economy:
“But if I didn’t have foreign workers, would you be able to build HDB flats, would Singaporeans be building the flats? If I didn’t have foreign workers for my factories, would I have wafer fabs here, would I have petrochemical plants here…….A single foreign chief executive who knows his business and has the experience to run a bank or factory can create hundreds of jobs for Singaporeans and others,” he said.
PM Lee had earlier reassured Singaporeans during a National Day Rally speech in August that the intake of foreigners will “slow” down during the economic downturn. There was no more mention of this anymore.
Now that the economy has appeared to recover, will Singapore be expecting more foreigners again?
Besides the Singapore ‘tribe’, we now have the “China” and “Indian” tribe. Will the Singapore “trible” become a minority in its own homeland one day at this rate the ruling party is importing foreigners en masse from China and India? Will these three “tribes” ever integrate?
Despite widespread concern and frustration on the ground at rising number of foreigners, the ruling party is adamant that Singapore should continue to welcome them at the expense of its own citizens.
In fact, it is politically advantageous to the ruling party to have more new citizens as they tend to vote for the government.
Unless the ruling party is taught a “lesson” in the next election, Singaporeans will have no choice but to contend with more tribes of “China”, “India”, “Malaysia”, “Vietnam”, “Philipines”, “Myanmar”, “Pakistan” and “Bangladesh” in the next 50 years.
Related articles:
>> PAP ministers hailed contributions of foreigners
>> SM Goh expressed support for Zhang Yuanyuan
>> State media: citizens have more rights over PRs
>> Zhang Yuanyuan got her Singapore PR in only 2 months
>> Official reply from government on the Zhang Yuanyuan fiasco
>> Singapore PRC PR proclaimed loyalty to China publicly
>> PRC resident hung China flag to celebrate its National Day
>> PRC student in Singapore wants more scholarships for foreigners
>> PRC prostitutes solicit for customers on Singapore’s cyberspace
>> ERA: 40 per cent of resale flats buyers are PRs
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Old Guy on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 4:03 pm
singapore so small already,
still want so many people for what?
aging population therefore need young foreigners??
nonsense !!
if let that, why old people in their 60s still have to work ??
now it is foreigners VERSUS old & young people in singapore for jobs and housing !!
the foreigners are not working for singaporeans BUT competing and snatching your jobs and housing !!
wat? on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 4:15 pm
as suspected. we are just numbers.. to be topped-up
Foreigner on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 4:34 pm
Should we also have a PM, who is a foreigner?
“A single foreign PM who knows human rights and has the experience to run a country which can create hundreds of jobs for Singaporeans.”
“If I didn’t have Singaporeans for Singapore, would I have Singapore here, would I have Singapore without any Singaporeans here?”
Peter Su on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 4:35 pm
GCT should ask his daughter why she prefers to live in London than in Singapore?
Muppet on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 4:54 pm
Its a vicious cycle. They top up with immigrants and at the same time they lose disgruntled citizens. All go back to square ONE. They are not fixing the root cause of the problem. I wonder whether they know the root cause of the problem or not.
John Galt on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:00 pm
The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
Ayn Rand
All the crap on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:00 pm
Mr. GCT you mean only now you are worrying about the declining birth rate? This declining birth rate issue has been there when you were PM.What did you do? How come this issue is still so vivid until now? This shows your policies during your tenure as PM have misfired!All the govt.machineries then were targetted at the economic front at the expense of the birth rate issue.What have you done to encourage young couples to give birth? All the policies to encourage couples to give birth were half-baked or half heartedly-eg.’right hand gives,& the left hand takes back’type of thingy.
Notice that now the new term ‘new immigrants’to fill up the lost numbers?That means not necessary ‘foreign talents’any more! Any Toms, Mutus,or Ah Tiongs will do! We are asked to welcome them with open arms,hearts,and minds! On top of that they will be given free English lessons,A 10 million dollars integration exercise,and a welcome gift to top off!Has Singaporeans had it so good ? you judge!
John Galt on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:03 pm
We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.
Ayn Rand
btan on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:04 pm
The last part of your article is so right. PAP has appeared not learnt anything. We also have not learnt anything. Writing to them via forums or letters is of no use because it does not threaten their rice bowl.
Only by voting more opposition MPs will threaten their rice bowl and push them to work hard for the people.
Voters must wake up to this fact now.
Retired, Jobless and Poor on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:12 pm
No worries. The floodgate already open for more and more FT/FW and including their family members to come in. I guess, soon, FT/FW will over take the number of local born Sporeans.
citizenofSG on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:14 pm
I doubt that there will be any high influx of foreign workers from now till general election time. That is suicidal and they are no nincompoop.
Once if PAP wins the election just like the sad old days, they will conclude that they have the mandate of the people to bring in a tidal wave of foreign workers, PR and new citizens. We are dead meat.
If the opposition can win approximately three GRCs, including some single seats there should be about twenty opposition MPs. For starter I think there should be enough ammunition to stop the tidal wave.
For all you know LSL’s GRC may have gone to opposition if he continues to talk like this.
So the target is at least three GRC folks.
pls la on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:27 pm
They are paid a king’s ransom because they claimed to be the best and the brightest. But when faced with problems, they will take the easy way out & short sighted solutions.
fair and square on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:30 pm
@Muppet
Fixing up problems..wait long long lah!
Just look at ERP,still same problem.
the same guys who ask us to think out of the box
time and time again lock themselves in that box…
of course,there is free-flow of easy money from the
hard-pressed sinagporean workers.
i am of the opinion that not a few of the recent
immigrants would re-emigrate to greener pastures
when things thurn sour…singapore is just a convenient
international stop-over !!!
You think they are gonna be like our grandfathers?
Hey,don’t forget they are “talents”-they will not be so
‘CHIN-CHYE’ like our ancestors,the early immigrants,when the going get tough…they defintely will “get going”!!!!
So good-luck to your FT-cum-population-booster policy!
streetsmart73 on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:39 pm
hi there
1. yes, the crux of the matter is not to top up the numbers.
2. why sinkies are not procreating.
3. this, our mil-dollar elites refuse to acknowledge.
4. tribe, that is funny! i could imagine people in sin running around in loincloth or bushskirt.
5. calling sin a city and yet, there are tribes everywhere!
Anonymous on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:41 pm
So all the political sweet talks of slowing down migration influx is a complete crap of election bait.
THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO FLOOD THIS PLACE WITH MASSIVE MIGRATION AGAINST RISKS IN ECONOMIC LOGIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE CONSEQUENCES????
Wondered why GCT spoke recently in Fujian Province visiting his ancestral village has a different flavour of political pronouncement on this subject. It was reported in MSM he spoke there of inherent limitation of Singapore physical size in absorbing new migrants.
Now back in Singapore, the floodgate opening story-line is reversed again???
Why these contradictory messages from Ministers? Are our Government confused of policy direction or simply “muddling through” this chaotic mess of social and economic upheaveal brought on by intemperate and ill-considered massive migration intake wreaking havouc?
All said, no Minister has came out with one statement of solution of how they will resolve the infrastructure architecture to support this overload of population.
MND recently reported that over 200 HDB blocks (reduced from 1000) are physically impossible of redesign to accomodate LUP. How are they going to rip up MRT, Expressway, Hospital ward expansion etc to accomodate the needs of this flood of new migrants??
THEY ARE SILENT and the electorates are UNDERSTANDABLY NERVOUS AND DISTRUSTING OF THIS INCUMBENT GOVERNMENT’S INTENTIONS AND ABILITY TO GET IT DONE RIGHT.
rc on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:45 pm
i think that if we are really serious about stopping this influx of foreigners is to… HAVE MORE KIDS!
since the new media now so powerful, i think Temasek Review and all the other influential websites should start a campaign to get people to get married sooner and have more children. that would be very concrete action to show our government that we want a Singapore for Singaporeans and ensure that the PAP has no more excuses to allow more foreigners.
come one people. do something about it! go have more kids! go get more people to have more kids! let’s speak with our actions!
KAM on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 5:57 pm
Big fish big pond, small fish small pond.
Having eaten caviar and champagne, I guess our ministers will not revert to meesiam mai hum.
We have to be lumber 1 in everything then can survive? Can we be bigger than China? Better than USA?
In the long term, I think the answer is clear.
rc on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 7:11 pm
tasted caviar before. absolutely hate it. will take my laksa with lots of hum (or better yet, orh lua) any day! but champagne is full of win. prefer champagne to beer…
i think we don’t necessarily have to compete with China and USA. just be better than our immediate neighbours in select areas can already. find our comparative advantage, perhaps not globally, but at least regionally, so that Singapore is still relevant to the global economy. that would be the challenge of the government (whether it’s PAP, opposition or the civil service).
3rd Class citizen on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 7:24 pm
“In an interview with the PAP mouthpiece Petir, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said his biggest worry for Singapore is its declining birth rate.”
他擔心人口下降？如果以商人的立場來説，人口下降就是失去市場！所以它應該是是把國家當成企業，才會有如此論調！
BuiTaHan on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 7:43 pm
The government has failed to identify the issue i.e. the number of immigrants is too many and is causing problems to Singapore. Of course we need foreigners in construction but why we do we need so many ? It is because the government have over-import PR and new citizen and this leads to more construction workers required to build more flat. The end result is an overcrowded Singapore!!!
Anonymous on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 9:15 pm
HAVE YOU ALL NOTICE THIS? The Government is COMPLETELY SILENCE on where to locate factories and business premises be it warehouse transhipment, technology research science parks AFTER 6.5 million people fill up all the accomodation space?
They need land for military bases, airfields, reservoirs, nature reserves, bus interchanges and depots, power stations, sewage works etc etc.
THERE IS NO SPACE LEFT FOR EMPLOYMENT CREATION BUSINESSES.
Are there sure they can create enough jobs to employed the pool of migrant workers and Singaporeans WITHOUT THE HINTERLAND SUPPORT unlike Hong Kong??
In the crunch of surviving on welfare, how many months do you think our reserves will last??
THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS GAMBLING MUCH WORSE RISKS THAN THE NEW CASINOS SOON TO OPEN.
ARE SINGAPOREANS READY TO LET THE GOVERNMENT GAMBLE WITH THEIR LIVES OF SURE LOSS??
OR ARE WE BETTER OF CLEARING THE INCUMBENT OUT TO CHANCE OUR FUTURES WITH OPPOSITION PARTIES who have known to be far more cautious of reckless adverturism?
John Potus on Tue, 3rd Nov 2009 10:30 pm
Not only are they going to continue bringing in foreigners but I expect the rate to double or even triple over previous years.
However, things are hopeless only if we don’t use our votes properly. If we vote for change, the influx of foreigners will stop immediately and be reversed even. If we vote for the status quo, then we can only blame ourselves.
Please don’t expect the MIW to change.
rc on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 12:29 am
@John Potus:
i seriously don’t think that the influx of foreigners will stop completely even if the WP win 82 seats in Parliament and form the next government. who’s going to be the construction workers? you?
i think we shouldn’t be so xenophobic. but it would certainly be good to have more space all around. 6.5 mil in this little red dot does really sound crowded. so i’m all for the slower pace of bringing in foreigners and definitely to have a higher quality bar to ensure that those who come in really add value to our society (e.g. pay more taxes so that they can fund all the social welfare-ish programmes).
Rainnix on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 1:13 am
When govt import immigrants, they will have to export locals since our current infrastructure is insufficient to support such an amount of people in this state. They had everything planned.
They will make everything so expensive so that locals who cannot “afford” living expenses will have to leave “voluntarily” to other countries.
For those who are old and do not have enough CPF to spend, they will be “shipped” to overseas retirement village since they cannot pay for the cost of the nursing homes.
For those who cannot accept lower paying job, they will have to leave the country to find jobs in other countries. They are not cheaper, better, faster. Why keep these kind of citizens?
In the end – the citizens renews itself and thus keeping the GDP high enough for the PAP masters to claim for another million dollar paycheck.
fair and square on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 2:10 am
If our tiny island republic really sink due to “overweightage”
you know who to blame…
I think they are rather poor at forcasting…
first,they feared overpopulation;so two is enough when our population was still bearable and you could easily get a seat at the food-centres.
Now,they say they need more when we have to wrestle for a place at the food-centres and there is not enough jobs to
fair and square on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 2:12 am
contd from previous post
go around.Hey,what’s wrong with them…thought they are all top-talents!
angry_one on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 3:20 pm
Speak for yourself wooden goh!! Your own daughter is in the UK and you have the gall to lecture people about not immigrating or starting a family here! Does everyone also know that many PAP MPs own houses overseas, preparing to flee there if there’s a crisis or even to retire there??