Foreign worker who needs help in spoken English working as “accounts executive” in Singapore
January 14th, 2010 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
The Straits Times reported today of a 26 year old Myanmar national Yin Yin Oo signed up for free English classes at a Community Club because she needed “help” in spoken English.
She has been working in Singapore as an “accounts executive” for over a year.
While it is not revealed what she does exactly, it is highly unlikely that she is a professional accountant by training when she admits that “she was at the ‘intermediate’ level in reading and writing”.
In all likelihood, Ms Yin is probably doing some simple book-keeping at a local SME which employed her due to lower wage demands.
With due respect to Ms Yin, her job can be easily taken over by any Singaporean with a ITE or “O” level certificate.
The ruling party has been defending its “foreign talent” policy on the ground that foreigners are needed to fill vacancies in certain sectors shunned by locals such as construction, nursing and IT support services.
However, in the past few years, we have seen an increasing number of foreigners on S-passes (S for semi-skilled) flocking to work in Singapore.
These semi-skilled foreign workers compete directly with Singaporeans for jobs which otherwise belong to them such as nursery school teachers, administrators, clinic assistants, IT engineers and “accounts executives”.
They are in high demand due to their lower wages which help to raise the profit margins of small businesses.
A PRC nursery school teacher commands a monthly salary of only $1,200 to $1,400 compared to Singaporean who fetches more than $2,000.
Given a choice, any employer will hire the cheaper PRC and save $800 – $1,000 in wages monthly.
It is impossible for local workers to compete with these so-called “foreign talents.” A PRC living alone in Singapore can survive with that kind of salary, but what about a Singaporean with a family to feed?
The question is: why are these PRCs allowed to work in Singapore at all when their qualifications are a suspect in the first place? (like the infamous Zhang Yuanyuan who came to Singapore armed with a diploma from an unknown institution in China; she got her PR within 2 months of application)
The Manpower Ministry should release more information on the number of foreign workers in Singapore on S-passes, their occupations as well as the percentage who are granted Singapore PRs to enable Singaporeans to better assess if these foreigners are indeed “talents” or “thrash”.
A recent article by Wall Street Journal suggested that the influx of foreigners into Singapore in the last few years has led directly to the stagnation of wages of blue-collar workers, widening of the income gap between the rich and the poor, overall decrease in labor productivity and standards of living. (read article here)
Singapore companies must start thinking of ways to boost their productivity and reduce their over-dependence on foreign workers.
Ms Yin will probably not be able to find work in any other first world country with the exception of Singapore.
More stringent criteria should be put in place so that we only recruit foreigners in selected sectors which genuinely face manpower shortage due to difficulties in employing locals.
DISCLAIMER:
Mingalaba! We are not against any race or nationality. The gist of the article is simply to highlight the ruling party’s lax immigration guidelines in allowing too many foreigners on S-passes to work in Singapore when their jobs can easily be taken over by locals. To be fair, Burmese are generally quite hardworking, honest and genial by nature compared to some others. For those of us who have been to Burma, you will agree that Burmese are among the most hospitable people in the world. We apologize if you we have hurt the feelings of our fellow Burmese friends in anyway. Khay-zu-din-ba-leh!
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1,137 Responses to “Foreign worker who needs help in spoken English working as “accounts executive” in Singapore”
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We must be very careful, in bringing out the foreigner issue, not to target any specific foreigner. The main culprit is the PAP government, who opened the doors of Singapore immigration wide like a cheap prostitute with her legs.
It is not the fault of the foreigners if they exploit this loophole. We only have ourselves to blame if we keep voting for PAP in the upcoming election.
I think the problem lies on our ‘open’ policy rather than individual foreign workers who are here to seek better opportunities for themselves.
Your heading does not spell good.
May I suggest that you change the heading?
To PAP, foreign “talent” means foreign cheap labour.
i see nothing wrong with the title. They are here to ROB you of your job and place. Don’t have to practice courtesy in here.
I know of a Chinese national holding PR who now operate a coffee shop cum foodcourt and is happily collecting monthly rental from the food stalls that he rents out.
Is our Govt referring to such “foreign talent” to provide jobs to Singaporeans ?
Or is it a con job merely to bluff Singaporeans ?
Just FYI, accounts executive are junior positions within the media industry, basically serving as a liason officer between the client and the creative company. Applies for fields in PR or advertising.
ICPAS will be very worried if such “Accounts Executive” from foreign countries came in to lower the standard of accounting and professional prestigious pay. As a result, nobody wanted to spend so much time and effort upgrading in Singapore Accountancy School when employers are hiring cheap non-experience workers. It is truly a lost of true Singaporean talents if such trend persist not to mention the government having to give FOREIGNERS priority on renting HDB flat thus depriving Singaporean couple from having a place to live and to start a family.
PAP IS THUS KILLING TWO BIRDS IN ONE STONE BY ALLOWING INFLUX OF FOREIGNERS TO DILUTE SINGAPORE AS A TALENT HUB AND CONTROL SINGAPORE BIRTH RATE BY DEPRIVING SINGAPOREAN COUPLE. What else can we say but to wait and witness LEE HSIEN LOONG topple from election stage and only than can we truly celebrate our freedom and happiness.
I have worked in a local listed media company which employed Pinoys as editors, sales and marketing executives and graphic designers. Simply unbelivable.
let’s call a spade a spade…it takes 2 to clap…I condemn the government and i despise the opportunistic foreigners…it’s about time to make a stand….for singaporeans…only!!!!!!!!!!! period!
Agree with the writer. S-passes are being issued blatantly as I have also witnessed numerous executive job opportunities taken by foreigners (S-pass holders) which could have been offered to Singaporeans instead.
I hope MOM is ready this write-up and take a serious view and action on S-passes appproval with immediate effect.
In another perspective, lets do a hypothetical review on the S-pass holder dispensation of their monthly salary:
Salary: Singapore Dollar take home salary- $1600.00
- $400 rental of accommodation at HDB flat unit
- $200 public transport
- $250 food
- $250 miscellaneous and personal savings
- $500 money out of Singpore to HOMETOWN
Another fact is some of these low level foreigners are in charge of hiring locals.
What have our country became? !!!
I agree with btan…wise approach.
Actually,we still need those who actually contribute and help many of our families like those in construction,the maids,the nurses.
If we srcutinise deeper,however,it’s the PRC who have mostly taken away many of our blue-collared jobs that our own people could do and those Indians mostly from the Indian institute of Management and such that have snatched away our PMET jobs like
IT,Finance and banking and other professions like accounting.
Our worker shave been betrayed by both the elites and corporate
bosses despite having contributed hugely over the years.
Greedy leaders just want to cream more for themselves by replacing us with cheaper but not neccesarily better workers.
The reason why so many foreigners flock to Singapore to work is because the is big money to be made after converting Sing dollar back to their home country. To stop them from coming there is only one simple way i.e. increase their cost of living in Singapore and PAP will not help willingly. We can help ourselves by raising their rental by at least 100% to 300% for the next rental renewal. We need to do this because every one foreigner having job in Singapore means another Singaporean breadwinner is robbed of his job, and his whole family of at least 3 is threatened for survival. We should also vote for every opposition candidate who contest in any ward so that PAP will be forced to increase the housing, education, transport, food and living expenses for foreigners. When the cost of living for foreigners become higher, they will no longer be able to accept China, India, Philippines and Myanmar standard of low wage and Singaporeans can have their jobs back.
Salary: Singapore Dollar take home salary- $1600.00
- $400 rental of accommodation at HDB flat unit
- $200 public transport
- $250 food
- $250 miscellaneous and personal savings
- $500 money out of Singpore to HOMETOWN
Based on steve’s calculation, we Singaporeans should stand united and inform all our Singaporean relatives, friends and colleagues to start increasing the rental for foreigners by 300% to $1200 per room. This is entire legal and I am sure no Singaporeans will complain about the high rental fees. If these foreigners are really talented they should not have any problem commanding a salary higher than Singaporeans in Singapore. So by doing this we also ensure that we only get those truly talented foreigners who can help Singapore progress.
Nothing new. The only thing new is that they are using our money to train them. S$10m.
It has been like this for the past few years. Employers hire these foreigners because they can be exploited. There are tonnes of agencies around who will call the companies to solicit jobs for these foreign nationals. S-pass holders at $1800 nett take home, no CPF. Sometimes employers even subsidize their housing.
Our Koong Koongs and Poh Pohs struggled to stand in crowded MRT trains from Jurong to Bedok while S-pass foreigners with their wives and children occuppy the priority seats chatting loudly in their strange language. They don’t care for our older Singaporeans. Why should they?. They have different values from us. I have seen these with my own eyes!! (I was also standing). Our civil servants and ministers do not take trains. They do not know.
hello Mr.Simply Singaporean
Locals also never stand up for their seniors ..lols….they only listen to their songs and play PSP or juz like advertiesd, “dun pretend to sleep! give up for those who need it” xD
to the admin, do u think all locals have good command of english? lols…speaking singlish !!some even do not understand a simple word “sugar” xD
Increasing the rental for foreigners seems like a good idea but the pro-foreigner PAP government will simply counter this by renting more flats to foreigners cheaply. Like the 2 blocks of Toa Payoh flats.
The only solution is to vote PAP out…or maybe upgrade your pink IC into blue one.
Do any of you know that your government taxes us as much as it does to anyone of you, too? I am a PR here. I pay my taxes and contribute CPF to let your government build housings, infrastructures and other welfare expenses for you Singaporeans, which one day we will eventually have to leave those facilities behind when we return our country. What do you mean by we flocking into your country exploit your taxpayers’ money. Like that I don’t even dare to use a public toilet in Singapore lest somebody might come out and say, “Hey!! You are using my money…” lol…..
Aung on Fri, 15th Jan 2010 7:17 am
“…. Like that I don’t even dare to use a public toilet in Singapore lest somebody might come out and say, “Hey!! You are using my money…” lol…..
YES, ABSOLUTELY!!!!
Because of you and your countrymen here, we HAVE TO BUILD MORE SEWAGE PLANTS – that cost a lot of money!!!!!!!
So why are you grumbling about paying taxes here?
ROTFLMAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To Aung,
Most of your kind pay little or no tax at all. How many years of tax have your been paying? The tax you paid may not even be enough for you to use our public phones, let alone use our public toilet.
Many years ago in the early 1990s, we have TRUE TALENT from GERMANY, USA, etc. Today, we have “talent” like you from 3rd world country and i really dun see the value. Singaporean has no issue if you are real a real TALENT but not when you are just a pretending to be one. Spending money to teach “talent” English???? Is this what we call TALENT? Tax payers money should only be spent on native Singapore only.
@Aung
So the rest of us here do not have to pay taxes and contribute to the CPF? What rubbish are you sprouting out of that orifice you call your mouth? Time again and again, the wages are suppressed for the average Singaporean to stay “competitive” (Yes, it’s a dirty word now) with you bunch of foreign migrants that have no real skills to compete upon except being cheap and with little to no liabilities such as a compulsory 2 year stint with the armed forces, a 10 year cycle where one has to return to the armed forces for retraining every year. So tell me, what was it exactly where Singaporean locals have an edge over you again?
Anonymous Coward – Cult of the common sense
Hey Aung, CPF at the end of the day is your money or tax money? You work here, use the infrastructure we built, rightful that you pay taxes to use them. You are already having your cake and eating it, you want to have ours too? Tell me one country on this earth that you work in and no need to pay taxes. If you can name one, you should go there.
I was out at Orchard last night and wento the counter, there is a young LOCAL girl behind.
‘Hi, I would like to order’
She turn around and gave me a glass of water.
So its either me, a Singaporean who work in a TLC, can’t speak good english or she, also a singaporean, heard fresh grad doing PT, can’t listen to proper english.
There will be no solution to this “PROBLEM” if both the govt.& employers clap hands to exploit the current situation.
The people will be losers unless like some Arab nations where the foreigners overwhelm the population 2 maybe 3 or more to 1ocal citizens with the govt. offering full employment to all citizens young middle age and old with a min.salary………..Fat hope with the current govt sitting pretty,a RUDE AWAKENING may just do the trick.
LKY’s comment on minimum wage: Not competitive, answer:”WHO IS THE GOVERNMENT COMPETING AGAINST BESIDES THEMSELVES”
To all “FT” who thinks that because they pay taxes and CPF, they have a right to what singaporeans should be entitled to.
Singapore is built through the taxes of our forefathers and alot of other indirect taxes.
I ask if your whole family residing in singapore. GST, etc are paid to sustain each singaporean’s spouse, parents and kids. From food, transportation, entertainment, education to hospital charges.
Do you have to serve NS and be involved in reservist training?
If you leave the country, you can count on taking out all your CPF and monetizing your property. Singaporean have no such option.
Your taxes is only a small part of the equation.
I personally think we should increase the tax on all “FT”. In fact I think it should be a flat rate at 20% regardless of how much they earn. This way if you make S$1,000 you will be left with S$800 and its a big impact. If you make S$50,000 you will be left with S$40,000 – which is still attractive.
I believe this way it will attract the higher quality “FT” and those cheap ones will become less attracted to come here. This will level the field for that segment.
I think this will be more effective than raising rental. Also, this increase in cost for them will bring in the $$ to run the government and less pressure to tax the citizens.
I would like to add that we really need a smaller government. We have way too many BGs in teh army, too many scholars writting papers for MPs, too many indian chiefs in civil service, too highly paid ministers, etc.
I call for smaller government.
is there any trend chart to show the cost of government over the years? I am sure it must be a shocker of a chart to see. I bet it has grown 10x in the last 20 years.
Rofl? There are a lot of singaporean who cannot speak english very well. And how many singaporeans speak proper english? English or Singlish? Try to improve yourself instead of blaming other ppl.
Imao. I read post and comments. WTH they r thinking what they r. Singaporeans r puffed up with pride. I think they should have pride for their country. But no skills except complain. One suggested to increase Foreigners living cost and rental fees(300%). LOL. What a great idea! I want to suggest to close all incoming Foreigners instead of increasing like this. And we r also contributing tax to build ur country well. If u all think this way, why let u all let us come. Just close! But i think u can’t do that. Why, why? All think with ur brains. Coz most of them graduated people(singaporean) r walking out of the country. And the rest r just complaining instead of hard working. I dun mean all. Most of the rest singaporeans r like that. U all think u can do well without Foreigners? Dreaming!
The Correspondent’s thinking is flawed. He is saying the employer is responsible in feeding his whole family, hence the salary of $2000 for nursery school “teacher”.
And some said like we r robbing their jobs? If u all have skills, why let them rob? Just take what u all deserve. LOL! Just complain, complain, …
Dear
We all know Singapore country dont have natural resources. They stand with Human resources (now working business all over the world), so i think S’porean dont need to blame to foreign worker or expert. They better need to compete with foreigner even their GOV give better chance.
This is not reason to raise the rental fee for foreign worker.
There are a lot of S’porean who migrated from other country, some are still holing PR and thinking to change to citizen.
with best regards-MM
Hello,
This is my first post here. There is something I don’t quite understand.
“A recent article by Wall Street Journal suggested that the influx of foreigners into Singapore in the last few years has led directly to the stagnation of wages of blue-collar workers, widening of the income gap between the rich and the poor, overall decrease in labor productivity and standards of living.”
So if the wages of blue-collar workers have been stagnant, how is the income gap widened? This indicates that the rich ARE doing well, and perhaps even better than they should be. Excluding the Ministers and Top Civil Servents, where and who are these rich people? Are they the ones who received a university education and are now living the high life?
If so, should not the blue collar workers upgrade themselves and try to put their qualifications on par with the rich ones pulling away? On top of upgrading, how about entering a profession that is untouchable by the FTs? If the FTs were really so potent, then how come they are unable to replace the rich in Singapore? Surely the rich must have some kind of competive advantage in the jobs that’s why they dont feel the effectr of the FT influx right?
Anyone would want to share their thoughts on this?
after reading some of ur comments and this post Head title, I found that SOME (i don’t mean Most i know some of you are educated) of the
Singaporean here are not mature yet.
You can’t blame other for coming to your country. And also you can’t blame those who go to foreign and work and even live and die at there.
Its call Human Rights and Personal Freedom.
Let’s think again. If employers here didn’t hire such low pay employees, will this happen? (I know u will say of course this is a kind of doing business and saving money and increase profit!!)
And does MOM really take care the employees here?? (Yes they might! but its just a department and it can’t cover the whole island.)
Most of the problems come from EMPLOYERS here who hire employees with low pay.
Think again. who is right and who is wrong.
If the above SME didn’t hire Ms Yin with such low pay in that position title, will this happen?
And some LOCAL companies here didn’t pay your salary based on your job title. They just name it because they like the title. Some job post advertisement didn’t qualify for the given position they asked. Don’t believe? Go and read some job vacan. advertisements.
Think again before you said something.
REMEMBER Think before you speak out and Re-think again whether what you said hurt other.
Be mature.
Don’t act like a cry baby.
Ya` all said like u want to suck all money of our working hard. LOL. That’s the singaporean thinking style. STFU!
@Clement
Firstly, upgrading yourself costs money. It costs money to take a course, and if you are studying full time, that’s additional money (oppurtunity cost) you are not earning. If you are living from paycheck to paycheck, can you afford to ‘upgrade’ yourself? Upgrading yourself also does not guarantee a job, let alone a better paying one.
The competitive advantage the rich have is 1) wealth, and 2) connections. Wealth generates wealth (eg. renting out 2nd home). For an example of 2), see YPAP member Sear Hock Rong. These are competitive advantages that have nothing to do with skills.
“While it is not revealed what she does exactly……………..”
“her job can be easily taken over by any Singaporean with a ITE or “O” level certificate.”
How can you determine that accounting job can be taken over by O level without knowing her responsibility?
If something is not sure, take some time to think. If you think to get something is easy nowadays, you would be so wrong. You may also know about locals; take so many fake MCs, asking for much salaries and facilities, want to do less. No wonder employers don’t like to hire. It’s the facts; you all can go on crying without mending yourselves to suit to situations. Nowadays, there are still plentiful of jobs out there, what one should do is just pick up one instead of asking to create one. Every time crying for the moon without having the abilities to accept.
Hello guys!! I’m a foreigner working in Human Resource Department of a Marine Industry… Base on our company’s performance appraisal records of past 5 years, I had found out that the highest performance appraisal grades were being held by foreigners… Not Singaporeans!!! Think properly before u all open your big mouths!! Are you capable to compete us, foreigners?
I’m surprised to see FT from Pakistan, Vietnam, Philippines and other countries working in stats board when we’re experiencing high unemployment.
It make me wonder why can’t I get a job in stats board. when they could? I can understand the “demand” in private sector. But public sector too?
Well, lets talk about English skill. My English skill level is Intermediate and im earning 4.2k SGD per month + AWS + 10% annual salary bonus. So my company is just stupid or there is no SINGAPOREAN who can beat me ??? Com’on be mature. Zzzz
Stop complaining.. Go and learn smth to get back ur job. At least she is trying to improve herself.
it’s simple.
SGs think all of the FT are just cheap workers but not talented actually.
If so, try like this…
In future, We’ll ask our prices (salaries and whatever) as same as what your great citizens get…
Guess who grab more jobs!!!
@justice.judge
Definitely there is a reason for high end FT to be here but for people like you, you should just shut up and get out of here. We do not need your kind here.
I like the idea of a flat rate tax of 20% which is very competitive in the world. It should be applied without exceptions – something that the MIW is very capable of corrupting the process with.
I suspect that you are from the low end FT and probably pay no taxes. I think if such a scheme is in place then it will discourage people like you to come here.
Stop commenting on Singaporeans in singapore when you are not one. Its our country and we are the ones to have a right to state our preference for it. You should ask why you come here. Why is it that your home country sucks and why you choose to come here!
However, ultimately its the MIW’s fault. They choose to open the gate and allow these less than desirable parasites to come in. Well, we should all know what to do at the next elections.
ေစာ္ကားလွခ်ည္လား
ေသခ်ာမသိပဲမေျပာပါနဲ႕
hello Big Mouth…
before you speak, you should think probably.
what do you think?
“her job can be easily taken over by any Singaporean with a ITE or “O” level certificate.”….
haha ..!
I think.. Don’t u know one fact that most of the Singaporean Maths calculation is very horrible even they are studying at Poly. Really really .. I hope that u will know.
Then some of the people don’t know how to talk nicely to customers or guests. They know only one that want to get money, want to do easy jobs, & NEVER interested their responsibility. Then they try to cover their horrible in front of the employer(Boss). But the employer doesn’t know because the employer cannot see the small things.
By the way.. I want to ask you. Before the employer employ her, didn’t he interview anything ? If she spoke poor English at that time, he should think. Why did he choice her? I think.. he may like her responsibility. Am i right? Is Boss no Brain .? THINK AGAIN & AGAIN ..
Then do you think that all the Singaporean can speak very GOOD English.? haha.. they are using only formal Language. NOT STANDARD FLUENCY. Even one of the European way of talking is different other European. So shouldn’t have a high opinion to someone.
Pease Go and Wash your brain and Mouth again.
i agree with
justice.judge on Fri, 15th Jan 2010 11:47 am
Imao. I read post and comments. WTH they r thinking what they r. Singaporeans r puffed up with pride. I think they should have pride for their country. But no skills except complain. One suggested to increase Foreigners living cost and rental fees(300%). LOL. What a great idea! I want to suggest to close all incoming Foreigners instead of increasing like this. And we r also contributing tax to build ur country well. If u all think this way, why let u all let us come. Just close! But i think u can’t do that. Why, why? All think with ur brains. Coz most of them graduated people(singaporean) r walking out of the country. And the rest r just complaining instead of hard working. I dun mean all. Most of the rest singaporeans r like that. U all think u can do well without Foreigners? Dreaming!
LOL. Dear concerned, u think i’m low lvl in singapore. LOL. Imao. I’m holding SPR right now and professional staff. U think u all dun need me or Foreigners? So why gave us SPR and Citizen? LOL. Think through.We all know it’s ur country, maybe. But think properly. Ya` all can make ur country like nowadays on ur own alone? LOL. Day Dreaming again! And u said we all dun pay tax. R u really singaporean? O.o. Whatever we buy and eat in singapore paid tax already. LOL. Btw i also contribute CPF. So STFU!
All you SG ppl do is bitch and moan constantly.
If u think i’m low lvl, how come i can write and speak english like this? So even if i’m low lvl, my lvl is same as ya` all. So….. ur singaporeans r also low lvl. Most of the FT is high lvl. LOL. U noob la! Before u comment, think through noob.
Lky son already said he want more foreigners coming in. It will continue to make it happen.
I read post and all comments. Please must be careful when we post a comments. For Singaporeans If all think you can do everything without foreigner? So funny do you go and check around the world.Every country must need foreigners workers. So i suggest one think before you speak you should think probably. Actually most of Singaporean pretend in front of their bosses. They don’t know so much haha!
Regards,
TP
I’ve met some Singaporeans here in LA. They speak terrible english. I’m talking about sh**y english.. worse than some mexicans who just crossed the border… sure they can write or type ok but speaking is as bad as Japanese and Koreans..
Don’t like’em much cuz they think they’re the sh**.. cocky ‘lil mofos..
There’s a large Myanmar community here in California and they’re great people..and most of them speak english much better than those four eyed bastards from SG.
Can’t blame you guys kpkb about this problem.
Have you ever think what causes this problem?
The answer lies in the huge influx of the not so talented foreigners! Who allowed this sad state of affairs to happened? Well,the answer is obvious!
No matter how much we kpkb,it’s of no consequence ‘cos they are all deaf,how much we show them the sad situations,no use, ‘cos they are blind!!They just do not care what the local citizens think or feel any more!!
The first phase of propaganda dealing with the influx of foreigners is still on going, eg.’foreigners come in here to creat jobs for the locals,they come in to work on jobs shun by locals,they come in here to boost up the economy, etc. etc.
The second phase of propaganda has just begin,ie.”integration” See how the whole govt.machineries
are geared up at full stream? From the very top echelons to the grass-root level,to the 5 mayors,they will be pushing the “integration” thingy with full force and venom,leaving no stone unturned!!!
Election is fast approaching,time is the essence! We as local Singaporeans have this only one last chance to vote and reduce the majority of the incumbents. if ever we miss this chance,we may never see the likes of this type of political scenario in our life time!!!
So folks out there vote with your heart and soul for the life of your life!!!!
LOL, that’s all I can do.
Mind yourself , the great singaporeans. Better shut ur mouth and go back to ur work.
I’m also an Accounts Executive working in SMEs. What I saw at here is “the great singaporeans field workers are lazy guys. We can’t count on them cos of they don’t respect their work, they go away or disappear without warning. How can a boss rely on these guys?
Don’t think all foreign workers aren’t talent and good as urs. On my accounting job, all the job done by former singaporean accountants is just messy.
Don’t just point out at others, look back at urself, mr and mrs singaporean!!!!
Hello Admin,
Want to ask you about your post title. Do you think only Myanmar are Foreigner in SG? Your title doesn’t fair.
According to your post, what’s wrong with Ms Yin. She is trying her improvement.
Your post target is Myanmar. Ok, let’s talk about our country (Myanmar). I believe, you all will know about our country is poor country. Our gov is the worst gov in the world. But, we can try and fight with all of you from these difficult situations.
On the other hand, you have been living and learning education with full facilities more than us (MM ppl). Why we can’t compete with us? Find yourself the solution.
From
MM Girl
FTrash are getting more cocky nowadays…paid abit of tax and starting to think they are entitled to what Singaporeans have. Singapore has prospered for 30years without any of these FTrash, I don’t see how they can contribute to our society now. As far as I know, they’ve and are still main culprits for contributing to the high inflation, high crime rates, high congestion, high HDB prices and lower salary….
This article simply shows the standard of Singaporean Media Standard. As a professional Journalist, I really feel embarrassed on behalf of the contributor and the media that publicize this kind of bias and unprofessional article. And moreover, the writing is against the law. In this case, if the accuser found out what is written about her, the paper can be sued by libel law. I denounce the writer, editors, publisher of this articles and strongly recommends that they remove this from the web as soon as possible. They even need to make public apology for what they have done.
Well, I guess it’ll be a waste of effort to respond to justice.judge. Afterall, with his bad command of english, it’ll be lost in translation.
Anyhow, I will cast my vote for anyone who is willing to tighten up the access of low end “FT” (such as justice.judge). Like I said again, the best and simplest way is to slap a flat 20% tax on them. The high end “FT” already pay the 20%. So, it will basically weed out the low end “FT”
everybody shut up all your sucking big mouth……
Here my words
Singapore look like a mango tree. Your PAP party and goverment try your country to be shine. Now you can collect good salary and good benafit being singaporean. Our foreigner look like gardeneer. we cant get good thing except low salaries. We try hard and so cheap. But it is one thing good for some company. So do you want to call us as enemy or friend? We can also develope our english skill by our self. Dont forget some singaporean cant speak well.
Time will tell if the FT policy is a good policy.
If in afew years’ time,the majority of those Singaporeans who are gainfully working now are still employed and the FTs stayed
on to help advance the aggregate interest of Singapore in NATION building,then the FT policy is to be lauded.
If,form now till then,more and more of us,citizens,are permanently displaced;be it a friend,a borther or sister,a wife or husband,then it cannot be claimed that such a policy
was good for the nation and its citzens.
It would be a shame if all these FTs-cum-PRs start exiting suddenly in great numbers and I am inclined to think they would.By then,those displaced would be either too old or out of touch to be re-employed.
What encourage citizen-workers who are out of job to spent their limited savings on ‘RE-TRAINING’ or “UPGRADING” when I witness a lot of them still not able to get decent new jobs?
The union leaders and government must speak and behave more
responsibly.Don’t mislead our own citizens,it’s bad karma and at the end, it will only reveals insincerity.
I also read all the comments by Singaporeans, their worried on the foreign workers show that the Singaporean labor industry is NOT competent. They are scared.
Cheers my Burmese buddies from Singapore.
Want to ask you about your post title. Do you think only Myanmar are Foreigner in SG? Your title doesn’t fair.
According to your post, what’s wrong with Ms Yin. She is trying her improvement.
Your post target is Myanmar. Ok, let’s talk about our country (Myanmar). I believe, you all will know about our country is poor country. Our gov is the worst gov in the world. But, we can try and fight with all of you from these difficult situations.
On the other hand, you have been living and learning education with full facilities more than us (MM ppl). Why you can’t compete with us? Find yourself the reason.
bullshit
@Ng on Fri, 15th Jan 2010 12:33 pm
>> If something is not sure, take some time to think.
Accounts executives are just nice names for accounts clerks, jobs that are easily done yesteryears by ‘O’ levels, unless you know that todays accounts executives are holding higher responsibilities?
>>You may also know about locals; take so many fake MCs, asking for much salaries and facilities, want to do less.
Are you implying those pap ministers?
Well as far as I know, PRs/foreigners also will fall sick and take MCs, unless you know for sure that H1N1 only target singaporeans, and somehow foreigners are able to avoid it..
>> t’s the facts; you all can go on crying without mending yourselves to suit to situations.
I think we are not crying anymore, already pass that phase, but intended to do something about the deplorable situation that pap has gotten singaporeans into.. Wait for the coming GE..
Dear concerned, just do it. I wanna see what will happen. LOL. U trying to kick out to all FT is explanation? Imao. LOL. If ya` all can do, just kick out all of us. No regrets! Just do it! Keep breath, eat more and say less. Just show ya` all ability. I wanna see. And no need to vote, ya’ all singaporean want this, right? So do it. I’m watching u. And concerned, u said u wanna weed out the low end FT? I think it’s good idea. So that high FT can be relax and ya` all singaporean will get opportunity to do that low lvl stuff. Nobody will rob ur jobs at that time, dude. Good luck!
Have u got any idea how “She has been working in Singapore as an “accounts executive” for over a year.”
Why her boss paid SGD for over a year.
AMAZING …..
I am just wondering about “….for singaporeans…only!!!!!!!!!!! period!”
What would it be like…A hak,a hak..:D
Anyway I think PAP is better govt than those of surrounding countries…put ur feet in ur govt’s place and think …you ain’t do betther anyway…that’s why they are govt and ruling u…they called in foreingners for those works u guys wish not to do or not qualified to do…nicely fed child cries worse…
“Our Koong Koongs and Poh Pohs struggled to stand in crowded MRT trains from Jurong to Bedok while S-pass foreigners with their wives and children occuppy the priority seats chatting loudly in their strange language”
- I saw ur nicely taught singaporean teenagers occupied at the priority seats on the bus while the senior citizens were standing
Oh wait.. when u grow old…they will put u at the nursing home where the foreigners are working and you will know the value of foreigners then…
Guys,
It’s not so difficult to see that we rely on each other.
We need Singapore as much as Singapore needs Foreign talent.
Because of Singapore, we can live near your country and support our families.
Because of Foreign workers, Singapore industries are unbeatable in performance and many other things even compare to other first world countries.
You cannot get result by comparing nationally.
Because, there are a lot of Singaporean more qualified then common foreign workers and there are lots of Foreign workers who are better then average Singaporean.
Even you got the result, it doesn’t solve anything.
If you guys keep on insulting each other, only you will get angry and pain. And your day will be ruined.
be cool and just let it go.
about “concerned” comment:
“Stop commenting on Singaporeans in singapore when you are not one. Its our country and we are the ones to have a right to state our preference for it. You should ask why you come here. Why is it that your home country sucks and why you choose to come here!”
Another singaporean shows that how selfish and childish they, singaporean are.
—————————————————————————
“..And moreover, the writing is against the law. In this case, if the accuser found out what is written about her, the paper can be sued by libel law…. They even need to make public apology for what they have done.”
I also agree with JOSHUA (BURMAVJ) .
The writer and PIC should apology for what they have posted here.
dont be jealous of FTs lah.
upgrade yourself.
dont ask for high salary because you think the employer has the obligation to make sure that salary can feed your whole family. Accept the salary for your skills set and job scope.
After you upgrade yourself it does not mean you are entitled to the job…because experience has to be earned.
Be willing to work at lower end jobs such as cleaners and sweepers.
Employers have the right to hire FT if the skills set is what he is looking for and at a more reasonable salary.
Stop complain, complain (because life is now too easy…our forefathers worked hard…our youger Singaporeans want to showoff, have latest phones, demand high salary, complain when asked to multitask, dont want to work shift, dont want to stand long hours, produce poor workmanship, lazy…etc. The list is long.
come on singapore.. keep on showing ur standard like this…. reali apprecitiate..
An accountant not only must know existing accounting standards in use but also new pronouncements in relevant international accounting standards for financial reporting and even taxation application AND THESE ARE ALL IN ENGLISH.
Anyone seeking to practice the profession of accounting in an English-speaking business jurisdiction must have very strong command of English Language and its relevant vocabulary.
It is NOT easy to be an accountant anymore compared to maybe just a decade ago.
JUST LOOK AT THE COMPLEXITIES OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES DESCRIBED IN ANNUAL REPORTS OF LISTED COMPANIES WORLDWIDE to see how tough the job has become.
THIS IS REALITY.
accounts executive = glorified sales person lah, nothing to do with accounting…. lol.
The paper, Strait Times, should go beyond why Ms Yin Yin Oo has been appointed in that position with little on not up to the standard English required by the job. What you in Chinese called “Quanxi” we called “Akaung” behind her appointment. Singapore, by that I mean the ruling party PAP, has so much to lose if the military regime were to go, they are curry-favouring them in any way they can. Where can you find a government that will execute drug traffickers while at the same time letting the most notorious drug lord’s son and his colleagues invest in the country. No wonder they say, “Everything is fine in Singapore”.
I just want to know you also how much can do the best yourself.
Just think about yourself. I think you so jealous about many foreigners work in singapore right? If you feel like that you should say all singaporean try the best more than foreigners…
ok? I just wish you good luck @ your work… Time will tell you the true….
Those who claimed to be singaporeans but speak like a foreigner
are not fit to claim themselves are singaporeans.It’s national disgrace!
Making clever and rational remarks is one thing but letting down one’s own people is another.
How come I see some guys who condemned LKY’s remarks against natives comment against own singaporeans here and there as if they are damn smart.Wonder how they are really faring?
Some comments are rather myopic and idiotic like how some government people talk…only know how to look down on own people!Think these people must be barking for their masters in white?..siao kow!!!
What,foreigners create more jobs for singaporeans…where?
Only,see more and more locals out of job even at hawker-centres…are those who criticise singaporeans like the PAPies thinking that making a bowl of noodles is so intricate task that the locals cannot do?Come on!Don’t talk rubbish,PAPies’ dogs…go eat yur own sh@ts!
To be honest,sometimes,the hygiene level of the PRCs-for instance, are so low that more more people are getting sick more often form eating out.
Anyway,I can tell you that their skills are not half as good as that singaporean who was once cooking.This is only a simple example.Look at your x-rays,last time much better,now all blur!
pay same money for poorer product…of course,the ‘TOWKAYS’ don’t mind.They pocket more now after lower workers’ salaries.
No need to argue this and that,very simple one,just want to make more money but give pooer quality.FT,what FT?
Be fair to your own people but if you just want to screw workers up,just be frank,no need to bullshit,leh?
JOSHUA (BURMAVJ) on Fri, 15th Jan 2010 3:21 pm
You are a professional journalist? Your writings do NOT show perceptive awareness of social developments in Singapore BUT YOU ARE ALREADY EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED TO your “Burmese buddies in Singapore”
You know, even in war reporting, journalists do NOT take side, so I don’t know what “kind of bias and unprofessional article” you are capable of yourself. Maybe you could explain and elaborate here. Until then, I am hardly impressed by your professional rhetorics.
To all singaporean !!
We are here for seeking money & more opportunities to go to the Real Frist World country. Not to be stuck here and ends up our life. No anger nor wonder if we abandon this country at one day without any notice!. We are selling labour and you are buyer!. It is just a trade!. No shit of sympathetic include! Blame on your damn government if you don’t like their way and not to the Foreign Workers.
I am wondering why you guys always measure a person qualification with communicative skill. Do you guys think your way of speaking English and grammar is too better than the rest all Foreign Workers? So funny!.. Sorry, we can only speak English but we can’t speak Singlish.
So, never act like you all are too far higher than Foreign Workers. Just try to upgrade yourself to compete with us in reality.
dont be jealous of FTs lah.
upgrade yourself.
dont ask for high salary because you think the employer has the obligation to make sure that salary can feed your whole family. Accept the salary for your skills set and job scope.
After you upgrade yourself it does not mean you are entitled to the job…because experience has to be earned.
Be willing to work at lower end jobs such as cleaners and sweepers.
Employers have the right to hire FT if the skills set is what he is looking for and at a more reasonable salary.
Stop complain, complain (because life is now too easy…our forefathers worked hard…our youger Singaporeans want to showoff, have latest phones, demand high salary, complain when asked to multitask, dont want to work shift, dont want to stand long hours, produce poor workmanship, lazy…etc. The list is long.
Just think yourself.
Nobody want to work in another country for long time.
Even we are good in English, we have to pretend like not very well.
Why ? If we all are good both Language and All other things, Singaporeans like U will complain more and more…ha ha ..so funny..not good minded…
Just suggest…you should study more..how to handle the country without natural resources…
“3rd world country ? ”
Don’t forget the past..Don’t proud too much for current situation .. Also prepare for future..
While working in here, we are doing well and obviously, If you can…We are also ready to go back..
I am very sad that I saw “Myanmar National” is used in title..
This is because of we have no chance to use our resources for our country..Let restore our country back..
Don’t wanna say too much. All are inside heart…hope everybody also feel like that…
Just think yourself.
Nobody want to work in another country for long time.
Even we are good in English, we have to pretend like not very well.
Why ? If we all are good both Language and All other things, Singaporeans like U will jealous and complain more and more…ha ha ..so funny..not good minded…
Just suggest…you should study more..how to handle the country without natural resources…
“3rd world country ? ”
Don’t forget the past..Don’t proud too much for current situation .. Also prepare for future..
While working in here, we are doing well and obviously, If you can…We are also ready to go back..
I am very sad that I saw “Myanmar National” is used in title..
This is because of we have no chance to use our resources for our country..
Let restore our country back..
Don’t wanna say too much. All are inside heart…hope everybody also feel like that…
Let me contribute to this article as a myanmar FT here.
Most of the Bosses / Owner of SME are Pure Singaporean. ( We all know this. )
If they don’t share the view with you singaporeans maybe this is the time to start asking yourself the ultimate question “Why like that ?”
But let me tell you one thing, all of us have to work as hard as singaporean do, a lot of us have to work harder than you guys and having lesser money, lesser chance and more restriction than you guys.
Ask yourself why you think you don’t have a better chance than us ?
Being a singaporean is the thing between citizens and government. Bosses and Customer don’t care where you come from as long as you are doing a good job.
Did you ever ask which citizen cooked your meal ? or Did you ever ask which citizen build your road and houses ? When a blue-collar foreigner died from an unfortunate accident, nobody think .. oh Singaporean should die instand of that foreigner … hmm ?
I am one step away from becoming a Singapore Citizen. I’ll be so proud of being one of the hard working Singaporeans, not the whining kiasu pussies,
zzzz only flame war….
action speaks a thousand words
Just think yourself.
Nobody want to work in another country for long time.
Even we are good in English, we have to pretend like not very well.
Why ? If we all are good both Language and All other things, Singaporeans like U will jealous and complain more and more…ha ha ..so funny..not good minded…
Just suggest…you should study more..how to handle the country without natural resources…
“3rd world country ? ”
Don’t forget the past..Don’t proud too much for current situation .. Also prepare for future..
While working in here, we are doing well and obviously, If you can…We are also ready to go back..
I am very sad that I saw “Myanmar National” is used in title..
This is because of we have no chance to use our resources for our country..
Let restore our country back..
Don’t wanna say too much. All are inside heart…hope everybody also feel like that…
All under-educated local guys..
Improve your skill first..then talk to others.
Don’t say to government and other .
Improve your self first.
Language? or Ethic? .. Singaporeans .. show more for your ethical communication rather than language communication.
According to what I see and read your native Singaporeans’ comments are very disgusting and no ethic. Even the news itself has no ethic because of by name. She is not a criminal.
Be smart. Show your ethic.
I agree with
JOSHUA (BURMAVJ) on Fri, 15th Jan 2010 3:02 pm
I just wish this wasn’t done by an experienced writer. It is so immature and unprofessional to mention the nationality and even the person’s name.
hehe…aja aja fighting !!
From what i got an idea on this issue, this is only personal attack on public. If she doesn’t have qualification, the company will not hire her anymore. It depends on the company’s choice. Language is not a barrier. Only intelligence, attitude & how people can devote on work is the best of quality. I wish you all to be smart on work and educated on public sector.
All the best,
Thank you.
Why are there so many “FTs” here? The subject being discussed is if this position can be filled by a singaporean, why wasn’t it?
Why wasn’t there a requirement that the employer must show effort that there is no one in the country can fill the position?
I think it important to differentiate the different “FT”s.
I think for those at the very very low end like construction workers, cleaners, we can have that because you really cannot find much singaporean to fill that. We can have a condition for them as contract workers and teh current levy scheme will work. They will also be exempted to taxes.
For the high end, those that will setup companies, expertise, we will welcome them and they already pay 20% tax.
For the mid range, like the accounts executive, the waitress, the masseuse, the salesman, we should apply the 20% flat tax. Alternatively, the employer must prove that no singaporean apply for the job – ie cannot find any singaporean to fill the position.
I see this issue is boiling down to a point where opinions of pro-FW and not so pro-FW clash. Firstly, I think the heading doesn’t serve any purpose rather than revealing someone’s cynicism and a poorly researched opinion towards FWs & their skills.
Well not all FWs are here to ROB the jobs out of SGeans’ hands in broad daylight by working 24/7 and demanding minimal wages. They have some merits too. Some rightly do so because of the pure force of demand & supply and other economic attributes (cost, productivity relative to cost), etc. well, look @ how Singapore has built its pillar of economic might throughout these years. What does SG has or had to call its own? It doesn’t have any natural resources that other countries have in plenty. It doesn’t even have enough babies to sustain the next population growth. Thus, striving SG today is only sustainable if you have the right mix of both foreign and local population. Then again, this is a free economy and in capitalism, it’s the fittest that survive. In other words, the most price competitive company has most business. How one country survives depends much on how its own products & services are price competitive of course in addition to many other things.
And don’t forget, there is a plus side on FWs here. Because they can be hired for cheaper wages, companies which have a lower overhead cost can make more profit and thus contribute back to society / GDP and it brings multiplier effects. Somebody proves me wrong that these newly built malls ION – 313 etc are built only with SGeans segment as target market (with 4 millions or so non-baby producing families)?? I highly doubt so. In the first place, these can’t be built to this scale if SG economy is not as strong as it is. And the growth of economic might can be attributed to a large portion of FWs and their contributions. In a way, because of the FWs and their relative contribution, we live in a higher standard of living / richer country, but of course, it’s like living in a more posh condo with more people against living in a remote and poorer place with lesser people. There are always pro and con!
Of course no one can resist the sheer force of economic dynamic. Look at how GM failed because it refuses to take account of how Japanese cars are manufactured much cheaper using much cheaper labours. GM is a US national pride but it’s also a failing business!
In a light-hearted note, about people not giving up seats for old people on MRT, well, we should leave that to PCK to do his job!! LOLZ. Good day people.
Instead of talking to FT, better try for your country guys (Singaporean).
DO NOT PROUD THAT YOU ARE SINGAPOREAN. JUST PROUD WHAT YOU CAN DO AND WHAT IS DONE BY YOU. Just look urself/ourselves.
Commenting and fighting to each other cannot be done anything. Singapore can’t be…. without FT also. Simple!! Coz even Singaporean run away from Singapore.
And also do not blame on Ms. Yin too.. In Myanmar, English is not their mother language and also they didn’t use English daily. But most of them can stand around the world. Why?
For Singaporean, how??? Singaporean teach English only in Primary and Secondary..? What they spoke since childhood.?? English/Chinese, right? Even they spoke since childhood, why they can’t speak English Properly…
But for new generation in Singapore, I noticed that most of them speak in proper English.
SO DUN BOTHER TO EACH OTHER>>> JUST TRY WHAT YOU ARE IN SINGAPORE …
To singaporean
this post is really funny.
can you all guy (singaporean) speak english well?
Just using the broken language and spoiling the ENGLISH
therefore You All ( singaporean ) Cannot get a good job at other foreign country.
and stay in ur own country and Be the cleaner and sweeper which u prefer
haha
Singaporeans who wrote comments in this post, please be in mind that we, foreigners, are working or even studying here coz yr companies/schools accepted us and gov allowed us to stay here. So it can be inferred that we already have standard skill sets or even more than that. Yes, there are not talented, low salary foreign workers here but they are also filling up the places where s’porean don’t want to do or can’t do. Furthermore, there are so many foreign worker(even from South East Asia) who are really high executives. When I studies Master Degree in NUS, more than half of our professors and lecturers are Foreigners ( I even haven’t counted Westerners in). And my spouse, while studying Master degree, worked as an English teacher at one language school here. Singapore really doesn’t need Foreign workers anymore???
well to review this case, i agree that singapore should not employ those who don’t meet criteria to improve singapore. but singapore does not deserve high command of english either because of singaporeans themselves who don’t understand a high and quick tone especially the tone comes out from asian look people. they think their english is more proper and they don’t try to polish theirs though the other person is correct. here, there will be a question if they understand those who look Europeans? not correctly and fully. but they pretend as if they did. i have an experience with such situation. singaporeans pretend to understand a spanish guy with very poor english while i myself, that was working with europeans and american mostly and was praised for my english by them, was asked by a boss of mine if i speak engrish. i tried not to answer that i don’t speak engrish and i only speak english.
anyways, it is time for all singaporeans to educate themselves with proper english instead of blaming the foreign workers. i am a foreign worker who loves singapore because of its being small and location by the sea. ( i will continue writing when i come back from the movie)
I have seen thing kind of flame which is about Singaporeans and Foreign talents.
English is just a language for communication. It has nothing to do with a person’s skills and abilities. There are huge amount of population in this world who can not speak English but they have done wonderful jobs in their life. The author should find some better article to attract visitors.
As far as I see, most of the people in Singapore(including Singaporean),regardless of their nationality can not speak proper English because English is not their mother tongue.
Singapore will always need foreigners as usual. Do not complaint about them. Singapore will always be filled with lots of people(Locals & foreigners) who does not has a good command in English as a lot of people here in Singapore use their native language most of the time. Chinese speaks Chinese. Malay speaks Malay. Indo speaks Indo. Myanmar speaks Burmese most of the time. Therefore, do not point out someone who does not has a good command in English.
She got a job with bad English because her work environment does not need good English. If her working environment need better English, She won’t be able to get that job from the beginning. She lost her job easily because her job is a easy job as it is a simple bookkeeping job. Everybody can take this kind of job easily. Some Pathetic Singaporeans need not to proud for Singaporean ITE cert holder easily take over of the simple job.
I said “Some” Pathetic Singaporeans because not all the Singaporean are thinking like you guys does. I have a lot of Singaporean friends and colleges. We work and live happily together. No one give a damn about this.
I am living as PR in Singapore. There are a lot of things PR can not compare to Citizen because Government gives more favor to Citizen and it is fair enough. All the Government in this world give more favor to their Citizen. If you are Singaporean and no idea of it, I would say that you are an ignorant person. Go and read something better in Government sites for your knowledge. There are a lot of good information for you which are far more better than this rubbish.
Farewell guys
P.S. why fight, do your work and live in peace.
Engineering, IT Technology – hire from Europe, India, China and South-East Asia.
Accounting, Finance, Management – hire from China and South-East Asia.
Blue Collar Work – hire from Third Countries.
So, Of course, Where are you? Singaporean?
Like Boys and girls who is rely on their Parents,
Pointing to the Government Policies.
But you are still lucky, your parents is rich.
That is very simple.
Most Singaporean
don’t want to work 6 days per week,
don’t want to work overtime,
don’t want to work under pressure,
easy to jump another company for difference 50$ in salary.
… so on and they are very choosy.
That is why Employer don’t want to employ those who selfish Singaporean.
Think two way, if you are Employer, do u want to employ those kind of Singaporean.
Aiya!!!
Typical S’porean.
Come on…
Stop day dreaming.
Which boss dont’ want low pay worker.
Pathetic…
I have worked in a local media company where they hired pinoys as editor, graphic designer and sales and marketing exec. I also know of an established local stock broking firm which hire Pinoy as fund manager and a PRC who can barely speak proper English as an investment analyst. These are good jobs that many Singaporean graduates wants to do but yet are taken up by foreigners.
That depends on persons’ skills only… not relevant with nationality.. if u have more quaility, u should pay more… there is no excuse…
Hi Stephen and all,
The information about Ms Yin was obtained from a Straits Times article yesterday:
http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_477063.html
“Myanmar national Yin Yin Oo, 26, who has been an accounts executive in Singapore for more than a year, said she was at the ‘intermediate’ level in reading and writing, but needed help with spoken English, so she signed up for the classes at the community club.”
The facts are published as they were from The Straits Times. We did not change or add anything. Please give your feedback directly to the ST journalist Ang Yiying for being immature and unprofessional.
The gist of this article is simply to highlight the fact that the ruling party has allowed many foreigners to come and work in Singapore on S-passes when these jobs can easily be filled by locals.
The ruling party keeps telling us that we have to import foreigners to work in sectors shunned by locals like building HDB flats and MRT lines, but with due respect to Ms Yin – her job as an “accounts executive” can easily be filled by any Singaporean.
It is not against any particular country or nationality. Please read the article carefully in its entirety before jumping to the wrong conclusion.
Hope that clarifies.
If this is media, tell public the truth. The truth is Singaporeans are stupid. Does any of Singaporeans won Nobel Prize. Do Singaporeans have long history and culture. Not only Myanmar but also there are other countries people don’t speak well English like main land Chinese, Thai. Why target only Myanmar, because Myanmar are smart and so you are scared. Isn’t admin or editors.
ေစာ္ကားလွခ်ည္လား
ေသခ်ာမသိပဲမေျပာပါနဲ႕
The crux of the problem isnt whether there are too many foreigners competing with locals, it is that Singaporean leadership has be unwilling or unable to move away from cost competition to innovation.
As a result to maintain our competitive advantage, we seek to reduce cost, and to generalize somewhat – labor cost is usually both a major cost component AND easy to “optimize”.
Singapore’s pro FT policy is grounded in economic and demographic necessity borne from static economic policy and falling birth rates – consequence of both effective population control policies of yesteryear and rising affluence.
As Singapore’s native population is approaching demographic inversion akin to the Japanese condition, our government has no choice but to encourage immigration out of the economic necessity of supporting domestic asset prices to address the social necessity of sufficient perceived wealth to fund retirements and spending.
Eventually Singaporeans will acknowledge the social and economic necessity of population growth through immigration, but because of the poor execution of that policy today (I will not address this here, the anecdotal evidence is plain to see in the comments above), policy makers and bureaucrats may have permanently created a wedge between native Singaporeans and new citizens.
I agree with the term …no skills except complain
such brainless guys..you all should think every effects will have their respective causes. Singapore guys I left this to consider on your own. stop nonsense shouting and blaming other.
Can?
Ok Mah?
Ok lar.I tell you already…
sorry let me use your best language lar.
wtf..rofl..
Although you mentioned the article, the title is very embarrassed to Myanmar. This showed that the Singaporean do not have a standard mind. Their minds are same as the lower educated people. I understood like this.
what !! with poor command of ENGLISH working as “accounts executive” in Singapore. Are you talking about who speaks ENGLISH among people who speak SINGLISH?!
Are you thinking ENGLISH and SINGLISH are the same?
Are you thinking you could conclude someone’s ENGLISH level with your SINGLISH level?
you gone…
hello. someday in the near future,singapore will live under the sea cos of global warming. at that time we will be very warmly welcome singaporians to work as s-pass worker in our country.
all singaporians should start learning other regional language other than english.
bye bye.
TR,
The title of your article was not ‘professional’. We are unhappy with the current living conditions, but that’s was bring to us by our incompetent leaders in failure to ‘have a better judgement’ in implementing the ‘open-door’ policies.
The subject in your article should be encouraged for taking whatever opportunities granted to her to upgrade. Unfortunately the title tells otherwise.
We are unhappy with the current ’skyrocketing’ of our ‘affordable’ public housing, however we must know the root cause of that problem, and we should resolve that ‘gentlemanly’ rather than barking at the wrong tree.
What the hell the writer is saying? There are lots of Chinese workers who cant speak English as fluent as Myanmar. The Chinese waitresses cant understand even ‘pls bring me a spoon’!!!!
There may be some Myanmar who can’t communicate with Singaporeans but that is not only their fault but also the weird Singlish.
There are more and more foreign workers in Singapore because SINGAPOREANS are very picky of job types. There are lots of jobs which are not able to attract locals so that there are more and more foreign employees in Singapore.
Don’t insult any other countries by only some facts.
(The ruling party keeps telling us that we have to import foreigners to work in sectors shunned by locals like building HDB flats and MRT lines, but with due respect to Ms Yin – her job as an “accounts executive” can easily be filled by any Singaporean.)
yeah, her job may be replaced by any Singaporeans but no Singaporeans show their interest to this job because of salary.
Learning is a necessary thing for our life. And poor English speaking is a temporary problem for her. I believe that the reason of joining English speaking class is to communicate more effectively in future.
The problem. It is easily solved.Pass the law to pay the immigrant fairly -the same as the local for any comparable job .
So the immigrants will be priced out of the job market and go home.
And singapore will be happy again. won’t it ?
hey,
without us , there is no singapore. Think carefully, who built Singapore as a small fishing village…
Oh, have a heart.This girl only said she works as an ”accounts executive”, so that she would be accepted
into the ”Singlish ”class. She probably works as a much exploited house maid (meaning, slave for some not too-well-to do loud mouthed Singaporean family with 4 children and two Grand parents.)
\\\Myanmar national with poor command of English working as “accounts executive” in Singapore///
I have viewed all the comments!
You, Singaporeans, have been narrow minded (kiasu)
We are speaking English while you all are on Singlish!
We are working our ass off while you are just relaxing at your house!
We set our own values and so, there’s no need to complain but you gotta try hard , Singaporeans. got that?
Who are the real singaporeans ?
Are there one ?
Alamak !
I hit the red spot!
I cannot understand what the fuss is all about regarding a woman enrolling herself in a class to improve her communication skill in a language not of her mother’s tongue – be it, English or Singlish.
Does it matter if she is a doctor ,accountant ,nurse or a house maid.In UK there are English classes for ENGLISH people to help them learn better ENGLISH.
The problem is here. The Government bring in cheap foreigner workers in all sectors and at all skilled level replacing Singaporeans. Once displaced THEY CANNOT GET BACK INTO CIRCULATION AS FOREIGNER EMPLOYS ONLY FOREIGNERS TO PREVENT SINGAPOREANS FROM COMING BACK IN AGAIN IN COMPETITION.
The only practical solution now is to force employer to pay foreigners the same pay as they pay locals and reduced the foreign quotas in the work place to less than 20% AS COMNPARED TO 80% FOR SINGAPORE CITIZENS.
That way employers will be forced to rehire locals. The experience in Australia proved that.
IMMIGRATION FOR SKILLED EMPLOYMENT FOR FOREIGNERS FELL IMMEDIATELY BY 50% ONCE EMPLOYER IS FORCED TO PAY TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS ON VISA 457 THE SAME RATE AS THE LOCAL.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/temporary-skilled-migration-halved-20100111-m2o9.html
The question is – WILL THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT GOT THE BALLS TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY??
VOTE THEM OUT IF YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO OPPRESS ITS OWN CITIZENRY.
DOES ANY SINGAPOREANS DISAGREE WITH ME????
Oh , Chairman of a famous Swiss bank in London couldn’t speak a word of English either.He doesn’t need to.
Language? or Ethic? .. Singaporeans .. show more for your ethical communication rather than language communication.
According to what I see and read your native Singaporeans’ comments are very disgusting and are not ethical. Even the news itself has no ethic because her name was mentioned. She is not a criminal.
Be smart. Show your ethic.
No noble prize for Singaporeans and so does Myanmar.
We do not long history and culture and we’re aint exactly proud about yours too even you do have some history and culture.
We don’t do genocide.
We do not go to other countries demanding what’s not ours
beacause we only defend and demand what is rightfully ours.
We were never a fishing village.
OH……..really a mad man whose write this letter. Check it out 1st, who raise up the Singapore. who support to Sg…lets say among the foreigners are skilled,cheap and hard working than local. So that all the employer are want to offer foreigner. If SG have brave kick out all foreigners see what will happen in SG. All Singaporeans can raise up their country or not….. Singapore like as the orchid and need to absorb the manpower, skill power and thinking power from the foreigner only. So that definitely Singapore Economy are depends on the foreigner. Among all of the foreigners MYANMAR is more skillful and every working fields you can find MYANMAR….MYANMAR why come and work in SG….bec of their Government… The SG and Singaporeans like as a dog which is bite to his boss….So stupid editor and writer, before you choose the Topic you need to think about yourself first and what is your skill…..Let me know all Singaporean can speak well in English……everytime I heard that evrywhere they use “HAWKIN” language only…
I want to invite all of the Singaporean to my country and want to give them one thinking what is Myanmar, whose is MYANMAR,WHERE MYANMAR….You all use our brain,our skill and now to bite to us….You will go down to hell………………Shameless Singapore…………..
Damn S’porean, how dare you insult as others courtry is poor & low-standard? Think of your own self, S’porean are lazy and not hard-working. No wonder you all are unemployed. Myanmar people are more smart and sharp than your dull citizen. It’s not because of their gov, they don’t come to your tiny island.
If you guys would actually read the article a few times before rushing to hit the submit comment button, you would realise that TR is criticizing the immigration policy, not the lady mentioned. She just happens to be from Myanmar. Yes, it’s not absolutely 100% essential to mention she is, but hey it’s the ST who published the info, and frankly it was apparent from her name anyway.
The article title is purely factual. There is nothing libelous or slanderous about it. Saying it puts Myanmar nationals in a bad light is simply the same old political correctness that we’re all sick and tired of.
TR didn’t say she was not qualified or her skills suck, what it said was that her skill set is not unique, and many locals could qualify. As for not being able to find work in any other first world country (not that I consider Singapore first world anyway), that is harsh but true. Most first world countries protect their lower skilled workers, and if you aren’t even fluent in English, the global language, most doors will just not open to you.
And Joshua, you’re really cute, you know? You are a professional journalist, and you couldn’t even read between the lines? I am fully supportive of your intent to denounce the writer, editors, publisher of the Straits Times, and demand they retract their piece and issue a public apology. After all, if you have the guts to leave a comment on an Internet website, surely you have the guts to write in to the state controlled paper with your full name.
But the greatest irony of all is the crowds of our foreign friends that suddenly gathered to defend their countrywoman. Answer this after all your nationalistic fury has died down.
You guys choose to come to our little disneyland with the death penalty, work here and pay taxes to a government who sells weapons to your junta, provides medical treatment to them, and even names our national flower after one of the top brass, giving them more power and time to oppress your people. Isn’t what you are doing, far far worse?
Why FTs (PR) can afford to pay highly price HDB or private houses? Because they are earning more than the locals.
Imaged we going to their country and buy their landed… and outcast their people.
hello friend ,
are you ok ? you think , all singaporeans is very well for english speaking? we know about it. you think , your very well for english ? i ‘m think you useing english is sing english only . do you know that?
Dear the author,
Please be very careful of your topic title. You should not make an attack to specific nationality if you are polite Singaporean and if you want to include your own Singapore into the first world. Be calm first and think carefully the following facts;
(1) Why Singapore Government allows many foreigners to work in Singapore is that Singapore cannot stand only with Singaporeans. Please try to run Singapore industries with zero foreigner. Then, Singapore will disappear at once from the world map.
(2) Once more, many companies in Singapore wanna employ only to Foreigners in their farm. Don’t think of the low wage first. Many higher educated foreigners ,including Myanmar Nationalities that you want attack, can earn great salaries than Singaporeans. Ok? So, company bosses like foreigners because they are polite in their jobs, they work effectively and they pay respect to their managers. Where is this single kind of thing in Singaporean? Singaporeans always try to complain if there is any tired job.
(3) Once more, don’t look only at the foreigners working in your country. Many Singaporeans are working outside of Singapore. Once I read in the newspaper that one Singaporean prostitute was killed in America. Go and read it back in the news that was not so long ago. Your Singaporeans are such funny prostitutes who wanna blame to other nationalities??
(4) And one more, many Singaporean girls are fucked by Europeans everyday, every night in the clubs, in the hotels. Do you think your Singapore is in the first world?? So funny!
If you are higher standard Singaporean, don’t try to attack Myanmar Nationalities and other nationalities. Try to behave as an educated person. If you still continue blaming such a stupid thing, you show yourself you are not educated person, your Singapore school produced as an unqualified person. OK?
Good bye.
@ Douglas on Fri, 15th Jan 2010 7:54 pm
You gave a VERY POOR EXAMPLE of an “incompetent” banker unfit for his/her role perhaps UNLESS THE CEO is backed by a team of expert managers who are fluent in English and Swiss language to advise him on a major lending operating decision.
Can you imagine a banker making a A$50 million dollar advance against a forward hedging contract position yet to be matured and that banker NOT knowing English language applied in contractual terms understand the accounting (and financial risk) implications of those transactions like this example.
http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page67?oid=95124&sn=Detail
If you were in that role and receiving no advice from competent knowledge source, would you dare to sign a A$2 billion loan for an oil development contract against forward hedging?
Likewise, for an accountant, if you got no command of English language, how do you understand the accounting application and treatment of financial accounting finalisation for auditing purposes any issue that “has arisen as to whether or not its accounting treatment can adequately satisfy all hedge effectiveness requirements under accounting procedure AASB 139 for its silver and lead hedging contracts” as appertained to Perilya Mines Ltd as it accountant???????.
And you can’t read English properly and I put in front of you the accounting manual from AASB, do you know exactly what AASB 139 required of you as an accountant needing to fulfil your job responsibility accurately and responsibly and satisfying audit requirements.
YOU ARE CLUELESS!!
So certain jobs definitely require English Language and good command of it.
If you are a CEO and you are well advised by a team of managers, you are still at risks of being fooled and conned by your managers. Remember the Baring Bank collapse helped by Nick Leeson? A WHOLE BUNCH OF MANAGERS GOT FOOLED.And if you don’t know English Language as a banker CEO, it is a lot easier to fool you this dumbass!
all these mynamas posting here really write with xxx-up english. may be the only words they understood is
Furthermore, I hope all of you realise the absurdity of using ‘we are employed, and you are not, therefore we are better’ as an argument, because the very point of contention IS that employment odds are stacked against locals.
Hi all,
Please engage in a civil discussion here without using vulgarities or we will have no choice but to start censoring your comments soon.
please don’t talk too much….before u can compare to others…
if u all have great skill,how come your country need FT.
i don’t say all your people are not good,some are really good
but,mathematically,75% are bad….and then you all can learn in higher education than others country in South East Asia. So, why do you all need to afraid of FT ??
Is there anyone who give me the reasonable answer?
If you all can build your country by yourself,please shut your country door.
haha . hey SINGAPOREANS!!! This sounds like your English is so much impressive. hahaha only F*king stupid people on earth says English Language with “Lah…. Lah .. .Lah”.
and of course, this article is published based in Singapore. If they do so in a civilised western country, hey author!!! just prepare for a good fortune to pay for the damages. LMAO!!!!
Every administrative, management or accounting job will have amongst its selection criteria – excellent communication skills. That means both oral and written communication skills and in an English-speaking business world, it is likely to be command of English Language. If anyone unable to fulful this requirement is likely to find himself or herself in a lesser role of an accounts assistant reporting to an accountant who are able to read, understand and apply accounting pronouncement from AASB or whatever accounting body’s standards pronouncements.
It is therefore NOT surprising that given the acknowledged lack of strong English Language role, Ms. Yin found her role a little lesser than that of an accountant. And that role could have been fulfilled by a Singaporean national EXCEPT THAT THE SINGAPOREAN NATIONAL MIGHT DEMAND A HIGHER PAY THAN MS. Yin. A flood of immigrants depressed wage level for local and also deprived local of a job opportunity which could last forever. Not everyone born in Singapore can be an accountant – same as Ms Yin but Singaporean deprived of this opportunity has no option abroad to find this job!!!
And this is THEREFORE a matter of GRAVE immigration issue, not a personal issue as J correctly pointed out.
Donot forget your real life s’porean.
Nothing of natural resources
most of assesst here are from those 3rd country ( money laundry business )
anytime singapore back to square if PAP no more control
Don’t be too proud.
I think those sgrean here are unemployeed. so foreign guys,… please hire them to serve when you set up a small biusiness (eg.any samll stall in food court.)
I have some sgreans fri who are graduated from Uni never talk about foreigner before.They are kinda decent too. I belive all country will have either bad people or good people.
So I think those who are shouting here have no more job to work.
Don worry jobless guy,s here sg have a lot of food courts… you guys can be waiters or cleaners. Instead of blaming skifull qualified foreigners, you should give an adive to the Authority to abandon self-service in public food courts. Then , you guys can have more job opportunities to become a waiter. But the thing is you need to be polite. So from now on, please practice to be polite. Care your mouth. Get your life there. Your seniors have already shown the way you have to be.
Need not to have that serious worry, haha…
My dear Singaporean family…. we are upset with PAP govt FTs policy, NOT at individuals ( Not at our fellow Bro & Sis Burmese, Indonesian, PRC or India Indians, Bangla etc)
They are here at the invitation of PAP govt… who open its door to bring in cheap labour at our expense. I dont blame them for coming here to earn a living & sent money home to their family. I blame our govt for all that is happening here. The 10 million we could put to better used.
Burmese Bro & Sis … lets not abuse each other…. lets wait for the coming election results to see if PAP change its FTs policy …. cut down emp visa & work permit etc, HDB for Sporean only
I am a true blue Singapore citizen. If it is ever possible, I would apologize to our Myanmar nationals on behalf of all Singaporean.
Let me put it that Myanmar nationals have never done anything wrong to cause them to be disrespected by any Singaporean. No good and proper human being should look down on others.
Singaporean has the good fortune of being blessed and boomed into a first world country. Myanmar people has suffered immensely under the present regime and many had died trying to get back to democracy. If I still have a bowl of rice i will share it with them because they are truly people in the suffering.
However I think there is a slight misunderstanding here. The article is not against foreigners or Myanmar people per se. It is more on the pride of Singapore people betrayed by our government. The government is always stressing on meritocracy and the best people should get the job is hurting the pride of our own people. What our government is doing is telling her people that they are not good enough? Maybe you are right, we sucks. However let me assure you that after the next election, the suckers will get out of office with tails between their legs. Our government is not totally honest with us, they are not open to us and deceived us. If they wish to give jobs to foreigner, they must at least have a solution to our own jobless people.
No heart feeling, our family matter just become an open matter due to miscommunication.
Hi all, i found some crap words. How come singaporean said that we r assholes? So polite. Cool singaporean. Showing ya` all standard. Ya` all want ur jobs back? Did we rob ur jobs from ya’ all? How come? R we rebels? Life is struggling. Need to struggle. Ya` all can’t do and complaining. So sad. Even insult ur own government. Haha. Lousy! Ya’ all want to get job without competition? How come? That’s why employers dun want to recruit ya’ all. Dun u still know? So poor. Like others said, if u dun want FT in ur country, just try to improve urself and kick them out. It’s the best way. Like i said, keep breath, eat more and say less. I didn’t put “Word hard”. Coz this word is not for ya` all. Sry about that. Coz ya` all dun want to work hard but complaining.
Ok …As a Myanmar , I don’t say bad things to you who worte that article….But What’s your real purpose? You wanna degrade Myanmar people or something! Anyhow you know what you meant. First and foremost, you need to survey how many Singaporeans can speak standard English. We all envy Singapore Education.We don’t have bad view on Singapore.However before pointing at others’ weakness,what you should do is to listen to your heart.In this global village you needn’t feel that way anymore. A question please.Why do Singaporean migrate to America?
Why are you speaking English? And what is it for?
The truth is that ultimately you,the foreign,or rather,GUEST workers are here to make a livig that you most likely can never,at least at this moment,in your own countries.
But,say some years later,your countries become more prosperous than tiny singapore-mind you we have only ONE resorce,and sadly,that is LABOUR-and our impoverished young but well qualified workers go over to your counties and PRICE you out of the market just like what you are effectively doing now,how would you feel if you have familes to feed and mortgages to pay?
This selfish game only benefits ONE CLASS of people,i.e, the rich and powerful…they are laughing their way to the bank thinking how silly we all are.One day,the bosses in your countries would do likewise and i can FORCAST-like LKY-that you
will not like it and may even be LESS GRACIOUS than all we displaced singaporeans.
This world’s rich and powerful has gotten much richer at the expens of one class of peoples throughout the whole wolrd and that is people like you and us,the common workers.
So,before you add more salt to our wounds which you are right to say that were caused by our “smart’ GAOVERNMENT,please spare a thought for common singaporeans and their families.
Just think and be grateful,even in our own hardships,sinagporeans still generously DONATE to your homelands as and when your peoples are faced with natural disasters.
May ‘the HEAVENS’ bless us all.
Whoa, what a storm!
Can’t resist the temptation to add to it.
I find it funny that our Myanmar friends find it necessary to attack Singaporeans especially when they work here. After all, isn’t it like biting the hand that feeds you?
Apart from very few, the singaporean comments and TR’s article are mainly targeted at MIW. They opened up the door for all to come it. I am sure if our Myanmar friends think about it, if they were in our shoes, they will also be against this huge influx of foreigners.
Honestly, sometimes I feel I am a stranger in my own country in some areas…
these stupid mynamas keep going around in circles asking why this why that with their screwed-up english. shit. really a waste of time dealing with these idiots. how many times got to do this, wtf.
hey mynamas, you are here not here because you are good at anything. it is because we have a fucked-up pee-a-pee government just like the junta you have in your slumland. you mynamas are just selfish and arrogant, and becoming lazier and fussy as you enjoy the benefits here.
I agree with ‘ID’ point. But lets not sway frm the point they are here bcoz of PAP policy… which PAP will regret soon !!!!
such a pathetic narrow minded people. I wanna ask you one question have you ever seen Sg NDP Video. Sg now become no man’s land . See the NDP poster ,listen the NDP Songs.it is a multicultural. Don’t your anscestors remind you where are you come from. R u the aboriginal tribes ????.
you (I don’t mean all ) are just the western addicted people who hate their origins. Even if western people kick you from your chair, you wont even dare to look back them. I guess you will be rubbing their shoes with your hand.
What a lousy attitude. Siily Pity Sg Guys
PS: I mean those who concerned only
It’s quite amusing to read how, we Singaporean speaks “weird Singlish” while none of them Burmese who post a comment could
string a proper sentence!
Much of the emotions displayed on this thread is misplaced.
The fault is Singapore Government’s mismanagement of the economy AND mismanagement of its migration policies. The compounded impact of these two failures is diplacements of Singaporeans from jobs by foreigners which local could do. Their adverse impact harmed a lot of Singaporeans and naturally angered many of us.
The solution lies with policy changes which can only be achieved by CHANGING THE GOVERNMENT IN THE NEXT ELECTION.
IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE.
SINGAPOREANS MUST ALL UNITE AND BOOT OUT THIS GOVERNMENT AND FACE THE FUTURE BRAVELY WITH OR WITHOUT FOREIGN PARTICIPATION IN OUR ECONOMY OF OUR OWN ELECTION AND ON OUR OWN TERMS, NOT FOREIGN DICTATING TO US.
Please pass this change messages around to all fellow Singaporeans via cyberspace network. The more Singaporeans get to hear the TR’s message and its bloggers, the easier for us to vote collectively for decisive change.
Alex Tan is definitely right and good for us all.
They spend effort to improve their language. After a while, they become better. Foreign students who don’t know English can buck up and end up good. Some even best English speaking classmates.
I see many Singaporean Chinese give up their mandarin. They don’t put in effort because they are so comfortable in English. The difference makes me sad.
haha ID who said they feed us. We are selling our service here just like travelled traders.
You can only think that limit. may be you are compare us with yourself. I wich you don try to bite your gov (authority) who they are feeding you.
Have a nice life 4ever.
Hi admin,
better delete all comments and the article
ppl should’t waste time over disputing a stupid matter
I’m really upset judging our people over any background
pls dun make things so mess up(this is a first world country)
It’s just an article
I love Burma and I don’t hate Singapore.
Hi Smart Singaporean ,
Please dun hate FT. this is your PAP policy. PAP a lot means to Singapore. love FT. Be competent….
To the Myanmese posters here, here any of you read the article?
I agree the title is somewhat inflammatory but nowhere does it state there Myanmese workers are inferior or otherwise, what it does do is make the assumption that the job Ms Yin now occupies can be filled by a local – albeit at a higher wage.
Yes it is true that some Singaporeans are “picky”, however one must understand that there are distinct cost of living differences between an itinerant worker and a citizen taxpayer, chiefly being the need to save for retirement here where the cost of living is orders of magnitude higher and housing costs.
Understand that labor policy regarding foreign workers in Singapore is as lax as it gets in a first world nation – at the expense of the domestic workforce.
Unless you happen to work in the banking/finance, legal or accounting sectors – it is exceedingly likely that you have been hired simply because you are cheaper than the average Singaporean.
Our government has opened the doors wide for you to enjoy a better life here than you would have had back home, yet you insist on coming here to mock those that suffer as a consequence of such policy, who are the ones that lack decorum and propriety?
Dear All,
it is really good to read a open forum on this matter. I hope all of you (sgean) have heard of one proverb ‘Cause and Effect”. There is an effect because there is a root cause. Foreigners migrate your country and work here. Because your country is small. only you singaporean can not fulfill the labor demand in your country. That is why we have a chance to work here. if your country really doesn’t need us (foreigners), there is no reason for us to come and work here. Actually, it is just a “win-win solution”. In fact, you need us. Of course, we need you also. because your gvt invite the foreign company and convince to invest in your country. so they need talent. To my knowledge, sg is small country. i don’t think there are enough talents to fulfill the demand. I don’t say sgpean are not talents enough. You know, in this world, that is no such country with all citizens are talents. i agree there are some locals that are really goods in skill. but not all. so you still need foreigners to fulfill this demand. May be some are talents; some are skill workers in different sectors. Of course, there may be some cases that employers choose foreigners rather than sgpean because of cheaper payment. I hope you will agree it is a nature. Let’s say if there are 2 persons that can do the same task, i am sure the employer will choose the cheaper one. but the singapore gvt give a lot of chance to locals although they create some competitions bet locals and foreigners. There is a lot of subsidy for locals. for example, schools tution fee, subsidy for buying housse, etc. there may be some more that i don’t know. So the most important thing is that you have to try your best. We cant get this chance. But we don’t hope for that also. I am an engr at a M.N.C. some sgpean engr who are the same position as me get more pay. I am performing the same task as he does. But i get a lower pay. But it is ok for me because you are locals. you should get a better chance. So instead of keep complaining about the foreigners, it will be better to find the way to sustain the ‘win-win solution’ for you and us.
Thank you very much,
MKZ
seatown – pot calling the kettle black?
Why Singapore need the real “Talent” ?
There is only one answer.
It don’t have enough the Human Resource who are capable to handle the professional level.
So, look at you level before you post to blame to other foreigners.
Yes. English language skill is important for communication.
Do you think with this lip skill that can carried out all kinds of work.
If yes,what type of job that only use mouth skill?
Sorry.. Those so called S-Pass holder from Myanmar and Indian have Degree compare to Singaporean who only have Diploma. The only reason they are S pass because of low pay salary which cannot apply higher status such as EP. If I will the owner of company I will hire the Degree with low pay than Diploma with high pay. Company owner are not idiot . But you Singaporean are dump enough to troll and crying like a noob for a job that took by someone who is higher than you. Please point a finder to yourself and look at before pointing out to others.. If you have what it take to be good than why anybody can steal your job?
Imm, all the things written here are rubbish! I think, Singaporean also a bit psycho. Coz, they just have so-called ‘the red dot’. hee hee! And nothing else. So, they also don’t have much topics to worry.
Come on, let’s start the blame game with so-called ‘forengn talent’.
lolz…. All the comments and netizens have admitted that motto in above posts.
Actually, you guys are eating all the import from foreign country. Even the drinking water comes from M’sia. LOLz!
They don’t have nothing to proud. NO HISTORY.
Yes, they have good economy. I have to admit.
Other than that? Nothing else!!! ROFL.
The main problem is your mindset. Ok? Don’t think too far like ‘no vote for PAP.’ & foreigners rob S’poreans’ jobs.
If here’s no PAP, who will govern? Do you think other leader could bring SG to this level and could maintain clean government?
Yes, PAP is not so nice! Anyway, we can say they did good things and still doing good compare to our neighbours with unstable governments.
Umm, another topic is national service. Anyway, I’ve heard of so many singaporean complaints about NS. Singapore is too small. So, NS should have. We have to accept that Singaporean doesn’t love their very own mother land.
Guys and girls! you must admit that!!! 
Ok, Singaporean people here are not skillful to migrant First world countries. (Come on! Don’t say Singapore is first country. That’s call ‘Nuts’.
We all know that! Don’t be sissy.) Only one thing they can do is ‘do the blame game’ to shake off their panic and so-called no-pride nationalism… ROFL…
Stop complaining, Singaporeans.
Our English may begin not very good, but we has high IQ and are hardworking.
This is a open job market, the best people win.
One thing we can learn from here is that we must prove who we are and try to show them how smart we are.
Hi Admin,
I admit that myanmar people here are poor english language compare with Singaporean. Ok so why Singaporean cannot fight with poor english people to get job? is there any wrong with their technical skill?
Every boss want to hire strong skill. Please tell me what kind of boss want to hire poor skill with low salary to make their company become worst? What kind of boss hire talkative people who has good speaking language without any skill? Please advice
Please try to ask yourself about your technical skill if you are very hard to find job in Singapore. Don’t complain to other people if you are not perfect. Thank you.
Yes, Try to compete with other ability such as hard working, continuous learning, thinking power other than that highlighted communication skill.
If you were boss, whom will be selected between Singaporean & foreigner at equal level? Company can pay at least 500 to Singaporean more than others. Do you think all Company owners don’t look Singapore interest.
Think about more profit margin, Singapore will get more tax and can built more infrastructures.
Don’t think Singapore is perfectly developed country to compare Western ones.
Oh, not just A Swiss CEO, there are few German and even chinese CEO working in London, couldn’t care less about learning English either.Of course they are backed by a team.Why blame the poor girl who wants to learn , she han’t got a team behind her, or has she ?
all these mynama dogs, when their interest is at stake, they will start to bark and howl in unison to justify their miserable existence. no use having a nobell prise ang san suki back home which cannot help them. ha ha.
hey mynamas, get this into your numb skull. you are here not because you are good at anything. it is because we have a fucked-up pee-a-pee government just like the junta you have in your slumland. you mynamas are just selfish and arrogant, and becoming lazier and fussy as you enjoy the benefits here.
Umm, people are blaming each other and pointing fingers. Like playing volleyball.
The main problem is your mindset.
Singaporean (not all) are a bit bitchy and so sissy.
Yes, I’m also singaporean. But, I don’t feel foreigners rob our jobs.
As long as you know what you are doing, where you are going and doing your best at every moment,…
So, Let’s stop the blame game!
It’s quite sad and awful to read those kinds of comments.
We have to admit that our Singlish sucks! (you may need guts to admit that.) I have encountered before when I sent sms in singlish to phillipine colleague, he joked me.
Stop blaming each other and try your rice bowl to be steel bowl. Don’t panic if you are skillful enough!!! No one can rob our jobs as long as we are the best in the league. Change your mindset you fellow Singaporean.
HAHA! These Myanmese are asking for trouble telling us to “F-off” in our own country. So far, we are nice enough to accomodate them and letting them making a living here which no doubt, will make them very very rich when they go back to Myanmar. Instead of thanking us, they are now asking to “F-off”??? What a joke…. sorry bros, I can’t take this. I need to reply to some of these idiots.
Kojakbt
Moderator
http://www.3in1kopitiam.com
To Myanmese idiots who posted here,
If you want to use vulgarities on us Singaporeans, pls come to http://www.3in1kopitiam.com or go directly to:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/3in1kopitiam/messages
This forum permits vulgarities. Many Singaporean bros would love to “welcome” you there.
Kojakbt
Moderator
http://www.3in1kopitiam.com
Ref. bert on Fri, 15th Jan 2010 11:37 pm
Dear Bert,
if you want to call others stupid, at least get your Grammar right.!
It is not worth for us to fight a war because of this article. The writer only wants to point out some facts what Singapore Government did in the past. This is just a political issue between them.
For me, I have to praise the writer for choosing a right victim. He took a poor Myanmar lady as his victim purposely. He even dares to describe her name as a criminal in his article. If he took other nationalities, for example China PR or Thailand, you all know what will happen next.
All I have to say is the writer has no journalist ethic. This is totally discrimination in nationalities. Singapore Government should take an action on it. I am really surprise that famous media like Straits Times described such kind of article in their newspaper. They should take responsibility for all bad consequences happened between Myanmar Nationalities and Singaporeans.
Actually Singaporeans are very lucky & not treasure their government what they done for them. Anything want to complain and point out to other.ICA set up the rule for all foreigner to work in here does not simply as you think.How difficult to equalization the foreigners and local stay/work together from diff countries ,races & religious.
If you are working in other country, someone treat you like this,will you or your family happy?
Do you think that monthly earning $1600 can save $500? If so, why not S’preans can save more $ for their family since they have a lot of subsidiary? Please dont look down to others.I always heard in my office, someone said that tomorrow will go take MC. Those pity worker can allow to do so.
Ms Yin try to attend the class is so called update herself, not bad thing.
My opinion is just used the foreigner, shouldn’t mentioned detail.
* Try to get the long-term view that your elders can foresee.
* Try to collect the knowledge and skill in additional to the lip skill.
* Try to adhere to Singapore once you become competent and replace that foreigners.Don’t run away to the richer countries.
* Try to pay the standard salary all employee without classifying race and nationality, if you become the superior one.
Foreigners – don’t be too gleeful. Singaporeans are not stupid like you think. You are hired because you are cheap. There lots of citizens who are over qualified for the posts which you filled. We don’t blame you, we blame our government. We will tell them in the next GE. For sure.
I used to work in an SME where 75% of the workforce are foreigners. The workforce is so huge but the productivity is so low. A piece of work which could be done in a week, gets dragged on for ages. I left because I could stand it no more. Part of the problem lies in the inability of the foreigners to understand or write proper English.
> Nay: Ok, let’s talk about our country (Myanmar). I believe, you all will know about our country is poor country. Our gov is the worst gov in the world. But, we can try and fight with all of you from these difficult situations.
We are letting you working here in Singapore earning our nice S$ and you want to “fight” us?
> On the other hand, you have been living and learning education with full facilities more than us (MM ppl). Why we can’t compete with us? Find yourself the solution.
You can’t compete with yourselves? You lost me there, Nay. Perhaps you should attend some English classes too.
> Si: Our foreigner look like gardeneer. we cant get good thing except low salaries. We try hard and so cheap.
Oh c’mon, please do not make yourself sound so pitiful. The money you are earning now is several times that of a professor’s in your own country!
> JOSHUA (BURMAVJ): I also read all the comments by Singaporeans, their worried on the foreign workers show that the Singaporean labor industry is NOT competent. They are scared. Cheers my Burmese buddies from Singapore.
Well, JOSHUA, since you put it that way, yes, we are scared. We are scared that our own salaries will be further depressed if we let more of your kind into Singapore. I think I must write to PM Lee to ask him stop renewing your work passes when they expired.
Kojakbt
Moderator
http://www.3in1kopitiam.com
> PP: Have u got any idea how “She has been working in Singapore as an “accounts executive” for over a year.” Why her boss paid SGD for over a year.
HAHA! Some SME bosses hire foreign girls into their companies not necessary for work, if you get what I mean
> Shin Ye Htut: It’s not so difficult to see that we rely on each other. We need Singapore as much as Singapore needs Foreign talent.
Yes, we need talents but frankly I see too many “fake” talents among foreigners. I can speak for the IT industry cause we do employ IT programmers from time to time. If you are talking about Myanmese, except for those who went through our Polys and local Universities, those who graduate directly from your Yangon Univ are completely not usable. How do we know? Cause we apply our own programming tests to weed out the candidates. Those who graduated from their Myanmese univs performed even worse than our local poly grads!
> Because of Singapore, we can live near your country and support our families.
Good for you and while you are here, please behave yourself. There are many angry Singaporeans these days but our Govt has chosen not to talk about it. If you have a job in Singapore, be thankful. Many Singaporeans are out of jobs these days.
> Because of Foreign workers, Singapore industries are unbeatable in performance and many other things even compare to other first world countries.
You are wrong. Yes, our GDP is increasing due to more foreign “bodies” being absorbed into Singapore but our productivity is going down. This is hurting our long term competiveness. Our Govt right now is just choosing to throw more “bodies” into the economy to get short term gains.
Kojakbt
Moderator
http://www.3in1kopitiam.com
Don’t point out everything to PAP.
Because of PAP, Singapore becomes richer and richer
Because of PAP, you all are forced to learn English
Because of PAP, brain flow can be adjusted.
Because of PAP, you don’t need to worry your education, health & housing.
Why can’t you reduce your expense? why can’t you save money?
Why can’t you used normal low price phone instead of iphone?
Why can’t you study to get more and more knowledge?
why can’t you behave like gentle man?
Why can’t you work at hard environment & under pressure?
why can’t control your family budget very well as other foreigners & PR families?
Before blame to others, we should ask ourselves.
hey Admin
some starts using “bark, howl unison” Opp…
the point about Burmese ppl is they r really sensitive to sth they think of attacking them.
The author meant generally but should take care of describing abt Burmese ppl.
it’s been spreading Burmese community throughout island.
More comment’s coming
many credits to author, you did great
hey Anyone who don’t want PAP…
we are willing to take them all back to Burma.
you don’t worth them ,
@ Douglas on Sat, 16th Jan 2010 12:16 am
Oh there is a whiff of change – very fast just like a wind clouds in the sky from Swiss CEO, to German and Chinese. But granted that whimsical change, a CEO is there FOR DIFFERENT SKILL SET than an accounts executive relative to an accountant.
Some Chinese CEO is there for “political” connections and even if he is “deaf, dumb and stupid”, he is assigned there for politics which is his “expertise” to relate back to his parent entity in China. It would surprise me that German CEO could not read and write English in Europe when English is even a conversational language among ordinary Germans. But again leave that aside, he is backed by a bi-lingual German-English team without which he cannot function effectively.
The company hiring Ms. Yin could not hire a team of bi-lingual interpreters to assist her in her job. That is why I surmise her job definition is one of accounts executive and NOT YET (maybe later) an accountant. Without a strong command of English Language, how can she fathom what accounting standards means expressed only in English IF SHE WAS THE ACCOUNTANT THERE?
Transported to the hypthetical example of Perilya Limited, imagine if the tax department queried on accounting treatment of foreign hedging (yet to mature) accounting application in derivation of taxable profits, would she be professionally correct and responsible to reply that “I don’t know English, don’t understand the accounting AASB 139 pronouncement, don’t ask me about the correctness of accounting taxable profits, it is YOUR STUPID QUESTION to ask. Profit is profits, don’t trust my accounting profit, come over and re-write my profits an loss statment, you idiot”???
The point is NOT blaming Ms. Yin, the point is Ms Yin fill a skill-level of employment easily fulfilled by another Singaporean with maybe part accounting qualification IN AN ASSISTING ROLE, not a final accounts determining role of an accountant. The result is a Singaporean is denied of this employment opportunity and unlike Ms. Yin, this SINGAPOREAN HAS NO OFFSHORE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND EQUIVALENT EMPLOYMENT FOR REASONABLE PAY FOR HIS/HER SURVIVAL.
This employment displacement is the result of the GOVERNMENT’S IMMIGRATION POLICY of not defining some minimal standards which tailored to the skills shortage in Singapore. IT IS ANYBODY WHO IS CHEAPER AND CAN BE SUBSTITUTED OF LOCAL LABOUR THAT IS SUFFICIENT CONSIDERATION FOR LETTING FOREIGNERS IN.
DISPLACED SINGAPOREANS NEED SURVIVAL AND NOWHERE TO GO for those lower level skills positions like that occupied by Ms. Yin and yet she has to be trained for English Language skills subsidised by Singaporean tax-payers’ funding ( an annoyance) to those whose jobs were displaced by foreigners. The displaced SINGAPOREAN will NOT need this English Language skill to perform on the job ironically BUT WAS DISPLACED BECAUSE FOREIGNER IS CHEAPER.
The Government has abandoned its own citizenry. It is up to Singaporeans to resolve this domestic politics issue. Sooner or later, those who think their jobs are secured might wake up in the morning to find they are receiving the same treatment.
It does not bother me because I don’t need employment. I care for my fellow citizenry abandoned by its own Government.
> Guna: Employers have the right to hire FT if the skills set is what he is looking for and at a more reasonable salary.
Employer hires FTs cause they are cheaper. Period. This is not a problem for FTs cause when they convert their S$ earnings into their local currencies, it’s a lot (S$1,400 = US$1,000 = 1,000,000 Kyat). But at $1,400, it’s definitely a struggle for a Singaporean to support his family.
> Khaing: So, never act like you all are too far higher than Foreign Workers. Just try to upgrade yourself to compete with us in reality.
Bro, where are you going to upgrade to? There are 1.1 Billion Indians and 1.3 Billion Chinese. We don’t even need to count those from South East Asia yet. You want programmers? pharmacists? accountants? engineers? CEOs? Etc… at every level, there will be a foreigner there waiting to do the job at a much cheaper rate. This is called economic arbitrage. As long as the PAP Govt is willing to open door wide and continues to take in FTs wantonly, anywhere you upgrade to, you will be completely outbidded. Can you imagine we have 10 million people in Singapore with only 3 million Singaporeans and 7 million foreigners? Even wonder why in the west, they set quota on the number of foreign workers?
Kojakbt
Moderator
http://www.3in1kopitiam.com
Employee earn their own money. No one will feed them if you aren’t working. No way. Hi “ID” do you think they feed you? You are not child. We are just working together.In singaporean points of view, they will be worry. They will think foreign worker rob their job. Singaporean, who had this view, need to change their mind. 20 years ago, if foreigner haven’t come and working together. Singapore will improve and then become like now. If SG choose to close the door, within some years SG will behind the most of others countries, China, India. If there is no foreign worker, will be decrease in demand on Import and Export. So GDP and cash flow in business also decrease. Employee will got low profit. So salary also low. There have only one way is singaporean need to flexible to stay with foreigner.
bert and all of my friends,,
If human can rule one over another, there will be no more wars or conflicts.
We all are living and contributing the earth. NOT YOUR GOVERNMENT or MINE but toward our ancestors and the rest of our Humanity.
WE’re protected by RIGHTS and Code of LAW and to maintain our values and Dignity, what we can do is- initiate a common ground and give mutual respect.
I want to Quote this “We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not just when it is easy, but when it is hard.” this is what Mr. Obama said at the Oslo.
Our Ideals should be and must be based on the VOICE of all people.
Walls must be collapse. We all are living under the same Sky.
WE all are sharing some stress and blast of the crisis.
Let’s us all give another chance to Love and Trust.
Not only to others, but also to you too.
If you are skillful enough, no one can rod your job. You think you are skillful enough, just compete with us.
TO ALL MYANMAR FOLLOWERS. THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL FOR US.
WE ALL KNOW THAT “ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS”. SO INSTEAD OF ARGUING WITH THEM, WHY NOT WE SHOW OUR TALENTS AND ABILITIES.
Well, my English may not be as good as some of you here. The article actually wants to point out the foreigner policy in Singapore. But why pick on her, on Myanmar national and what is wrong with her attending English course? Then why the writer emphasize on ‘the FREE English classes at a Community Club’? What does it imply to and what she actually wanted to write in between the lines.
First of all, on the foreign worker policy…. A lot of Singaporeans are making noise or suffer in silent due to unemployment or lost of income whole or partial, all from economic crises. Then those who lost the job tried to point finger or find the culprit rather than helping their selves on upgrading their skills to land on new job. The easiest culprit naturally becomes the FOREIGNER and the ruling government.
There are about 1.5 million foreigners, including PRs, in Singapore if I am not mistaken. What if, we all, foreigners, leave Singapore, your house price will crumble, your malls will be deserted, and your companies will be kick out of market by competitors from other countries. Then the BOSSES of these companies will move to other more cost effective countries like China, Malaysia or Thailand and more jobs will be lost. Again, on average each foreigner spends about $1000 a month and Singapore is benefiting about 1.5 Billion Dollar of revenue every month. Most of the money goes to the pockets of Singaporean or Singapore government. How dare the writer can say that Singaporean suffers because of the foreign workers? They rather get benefit from us and even want us to feel that we are the guilty party.
Second, what is wrong with ‘Account Executive’ trying to improve on her English? Is the fluent English only the success factor for a person’s life? English is just a communication language, not a skill set. She may have intermediate level in English but she may have other qualifications and work ethics that her boss thinks is suitable for her job. No boss in Singapore is too dumb to employ useless worker. For all you know, she may be degree holder in Myanmar State University and/or LCCI or other accounting certificate holder which “any Singaporean with a ITE or “O” level certificate holders” may not fill the gap. Many owners of Singapore MNCs which venture to Malaysia, Indonesia, China and so on may not be as fluent in the country language as the native but they can build successful business. The owner of famous Singapore brand, OSIM, does not even know English but a lot of Singaporean look up on him.
So, for those who grumble on this and have the mind set of ‘foreigners take away jobs from Singaporean’ should learn from Ms Yin Yin Oo and try to upgrade their skills and land a new job. Your life will not get improved by pointing other people’s weakness.
Does the writer know exactly what responsibility Ms Yin Yin Oo is holding? If not, why look down on her job as ‘doing some simple book-keeping at a local SME’. Shouldn’t the writer investigate thoroughly before putting up her as an ideal case? It is very un-thoughtful and unprofessional to put up a person’s name at stake, just with the writer’s own guess-timation. If Singapore were in US, a lawyer would have gone to knock Ms Yin Yin Oo’s door to offer his service.
To be fair, I have many Singaporean friends who are humble, hardworking and good in nature. Most of them are educated and I never hear from them complaining about Foreign Talents. We live peacefully among each other and respect each other. It is not right for author to spark racial or national discrimination while Singapore government is trying hard for national harmony.
Regards,
Whiteknight