GLC Keppel Corp mass-recruiting Malaysians for jobs in Singapore
March 18th, 2010 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
Despite promises made by PAP leaders to slow down to the inflow of foreigners, Singapore companies, including Government-Linked Companies or GLCs which dominate the domestic economy, continues to hold mass-recruitment exercises overseas.
Finance Minister Tharman said in his recent Budget speech in the first week of March that Singapore has to boost its labor productivity and reduce its perennial dependence on foreign workers.
Just as when he was making his speech, a GLC – Keppel Corp has put up a recruitment advertisement in the Malaysian newspaper The Star seeking Malaysians to fill various positions in Singapore:
[Source: The Star, 6 March 2010]
The above advertisement was listed on The Star on 6 March 2010 in The Star by Keppel Offshore and Marine, a GLC owned partly by Temasek Holdings for job vacancies in Singapore for managerial and engineering positions.
The candidates are advised to send their resumes to the Human Resource Department of Keppel Corp Ltd at 50 Gul Road, Singapore 629351.
The PAP has always argued that foreign workers are needed to take up jobs shunned by Singaporeans.
While Singaporeans may not be keen to work in Keppel shipyards, they should be willing to work as managers and engineers there.
Singapore produces over 1,000 engineers yearly from NUS and NTU. Are there a shortage of engineers in Singapore? Why does Keppel need to go all the way to Malaysia to recruit their engineers? Are Malaysian engineers more highly trained and qualified than Singapore engineers?
It is most disheartening that a GLC has openly disregarded the government’s call to reduce Singapore’s dependence on foreign workers. How can we expect the other companies and MNCs to follow suit?
Based on anecdotal evidence from our readers, companies are still recruiting foreign workers who are preferred over Singaporeans due to their much lower cost and willingness to work for long hours.
One GP we spoke to claimed that he does about five to ten work permit renewals for foreign workers a day.
It is quite obvious that the PAP is only paying lip-service to reducing the influx of foreigners into Singapore which is no more but a gimmick to placate rising frustration, discontent and anger among Singaporeans ahead of the next general election.
The rosy employment figures provideded by the Ministry of Manpower cannot be trusted either as they lump PRs and citizens together as one category – “locals”. The exact unemployment rate and numbers of citizens in various industries remain unknown to this very day.
The daily propaganda being churned out by the state media contrasts the reality on the ground – foreigners are still coming in droves and Singaporeans are experiencing a tough time getting a job which pays well.
As Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong admitted himself, the recent “changes” in policies do not mark a major “U-turn” in the PAP’s much maligned “FT policy” and that the number of foreign workers may actually increase in the next few months ahead.
It is the duty of the government of the day to provide every Singapore citizen with a job which pays a decent wage commensurate with the standard of living in Singapore and not just to give them the “dignity” of having a job only, to quote the words of PAP MP and NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Halimah Yacob.
Unless wholesale changes are made to current labor laws to forbid the recruitment of foreign workers for positions like managers and engineers which can otherwise by filled by citizens, Singapore companies, including the GLCs will continue their disciminatory practices of putting up job advertisements in other countries.
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shit and lies from the LKY government.
One word – Disgusting
A Vote for PAP is a vote for Foreign Workers to take away jobs for Singaporeans. Singapore for Singaporeans. Vote out PAP in all GRCs and Single Seat Wards.
Vote out PAP. They kept reducing the size of HDB Flats and expect us to squeeze into smaller hdb flats. If we don’t vote out PAP and change Minister of National Development, our hdb flats going to be reduced in size again. Wait after elections and see how our hdb flats being reduced in size once again. Stupid idea of 6 million people in Singapore. Of course can squeeze 6 million for small people lah.
Blatant Hypocrisy perhaps.
Keppel is run by whore jinx… ass loong’s wife.
HDB flats getting smaller… golf courses getting bigger. Jobs for foreigners, NS for Singaporeans.
I work at Keppel and I have to say that I am not surprised. Keppel is a super cheap company and there are tons of malaysians who have been hired into the company not just in the offshore and marine division.
Keppel makes money by paying its employees as low as possible. it is a low cost producer ultimately so not surprised they are going to msia to get the cheapest labour possible
malaysians are the treasured species by Keppel…
singaporeans need not apply.
Please lah. This is a meritocratic society. If Singaporeans are interested they can apply also what; the best will get the spot.
You think companies so stupid will just hire cheaper engineers? And you think educated Malaysians ask for lower pay? Please don’t belittle them, they are not stupid you know and won’t ’settle for less.
Moreover base on anecdotal evidence from many of my friends, when companies look to fill these managerial positions, they are on the look out for “the best” as they’ll want to invest time, energy and money into training them. As such, surely Keppel would want to look for loyal, hardworking people who are willing to learn to work for them.
Singaporeans (and I think Singaporeans know this well) cannot keep asking our country what our country can do for us. If we want the spot, we have to fill in the application form and show Keppel we are worthy.
Your article implies that keppel should be altruistic and settle for the Singaporeans only simply because the government has called for companies to do so. But do companies not have a right to hire the best so that they in turn can be the best?
I’m sure if Keppel could find the right people in Singapore they would hire Singaporeans. If you hire foreign workers, you have to compensate them and provide housing you know. You think they all live in Johor ah? Cross one causeway then reach home? Please, stop stereotyping Malaysians!
Why in the first place is evidence of this advertisement made into an article that slams the PAP (once again) when it could instead have been used to reveal a more fundamental problem in our society — the lack of young, skilled and educated people who are willing to commit long hours and hard work?
Obviously, the pittance in the increase of levy does not even hurt the employers pocket. I can’t wait for the election to start. My anger for the nonsensical ruling party has accumulated to the new high point. Will give them one blast back with my POWER TO VOTE!
Told you before that more complain , you will soon be replaced.
daft daft
If cannot cast your votes with your hands, do it with you feet.
Pappy should just join the NATOs.
It’s crazy , we are Singaporean , this is my land my home.
Why am i being squeeze out of the system ?
I have mouth to feed , old man and woman , young son now in
Sec one . Wife doing coffee shop helper to bring in some
additional cash .
I used to work as a engineer with take home pay of S$3.5k .
Company restructure i was retrench , replace by FT.
Now i am working in BATAM to feed my family.Only can come
back on Friday. ( Monday to Friday in Batam )
Now Keppel Corp is getting FT to do Management job in sin .
These are not job that Singaporean are unwilling to do .
I for one am willing to do .
Why? WTF is happening , have our GOV gone crazy ?
What is happening , i trust our GOV previously , not any
more . It’s time to fight for our place in Singapore .
Our MP are useless bunch of blood sucker ! Who don’t give
a dam .
Calling all Pure breed Singaporean , let’s do what need
to be done . Let’s fight for our children and their future .
I don’t want my Son to work in some foreign land .
While FT work in ours land ,and enjoy what we have built and paid for with sweat and hardship .
Vote for opposition , it cant get worse than this.
Please lah. This is a meritocratic society. If Singaporeans are interested they can apply also what; the best will get the spot.
You think companies so stupid will just hire cheaper engineers? And you think educated Malaysians ask for lower pay? Please don’t belittle them, they are not stupid you know and won’t ’settle for less.
Moreover base on anecdotal evidence from many of my friends, when companies look to fill these managerial positions, they are on the look out for “the best” as they’ll want to invest time, energy and money into training them. As such, surely Keppel would want to look for loyal, hardworking people who are willing to learn to work for them.
Singaporeans (and I think Singaporeans know this well) cannot keep asking our country what our country can do for us. If we want the spot, we have to fill in the application form and show Keppel we are worthy.
Your article implies that keppel should be altruistic and settle for the Singaporeans only simply because the government has called for companies to do so. But do companies not have a right to hire the best so that they in turn can be the best?
I’m sure if Keppel could find the right people in Singapore they would hire Singaporeans. If you hire foreign workers, you have to compensate them and provide housing you know. You think they all live in Johor ah? Cross one causeway then reach home? Please, stop stereotyping Malaysians!
Why in the first place is evidence of this advertisement made into an article that slams the PAP (once again) when it could instead have been used to reveal a more fundamental problem in our society — the lack of young, skilled and educated people who are willing to commit long hours and hard work?
Are they replacing the CHAIRMAN or CEO with a MALAYSIAN?
That would be more sincere.
traitors!
http://www.keppelom.com/corporate/snrmgmt.asp
Choo Chiau Beng
Chairman
Tong Chong Heong
Chief Executive Officer
Chee Jin Kiong
Executive Director (Human Resources)
Cindy Lim
Senior Manager (Group HR and Talent Development)
and the chairman of Keppel Corp is ex-minister Lee Boon Yang
說一套，做一套，你還相信他們嗎？
醒醒吧！
meritocratic my ass… son became PM… daughter in-law director… yea right.
Can some one from the opposition bring this up during the debate in Parliament?
What the hell is going on with Singapore Policies?
Getting from Bad to WORSE!
Managerial roles, need to go up north to hire?
Then why should Singaporeans study so much?
The absurd indulgence in GDP growth, repercussions in the process are all blind to the higher echelons.
Everyday, they are thinking of how to become wealthier, at the expense of tax payers…
What happened to the raising productivity instead of cheaper better faster policy that was being echoed by the MPs?
As usual, they dun practice what they preached. All are but empty talks.
Last but not least, raising your GOD DAMN PAY by 8.8%, does that justify productivity or cheaper better faster policy?
WAKE UP! Dun think that SINGAPOREANS ARE STUPID ANYMORE.
I bet this article will never be published in Straits Times or Channel News Asia!
Is there a hardcopy of the newspaper that can be used as proof??? Pass it to LTK or CST and ask them to show it to all the MPs during Parliament, and shuff it up LSS and GKY ASS!!
for the record,lee boon yang was minister of manpower when he first implemented the FT POILCY.
ho we kiam:
only one question , why advertise only in Malaysian news paper,
if the application is open to Singaporean ?
Ans : Not intended for Singaporean to apply .
During Budget 2010, the issue of dependence on foreigner for PMET positions was not address. Lip service was paid for foreign workers (or blue collar) issue.
Nowadays, many white-collar technical positions in engineering and R&D are filled by foreigners. No wonder our youngsters today prefer to enrol in business or finance faculties in Universities, rather than in engineering.
These youngsters are not so “daft” afterall. They know what kind of people they will be dealing with after graduation.
They know if they were to compete based on costs alone, they will definitely lose out.
Anyone can verify that Keppel never advertise locally for the above mentioned jobs?
Our companies in Singapore are now unable to get out of this mindset of taking the easy way out. Too long have they been used to the cheap labour model that they can’t compete by being innovative and cut cost through other ways. Too lazy. First world enterprises having third world management skills.
In general, foreign workers are cheap and untalented. Yet, our political leaders see fit to grant foreigners jobs, permanent residency and citizenship, all in short order. Clearly, this is at the expense of the rest of the citizens. The PAP government claims this is good for the country. By that, they mean it is good for the political elite who govern the country.
How is it good for Singaporeans when they face fewer jobs, more expensive housing, poorer standards of services in medical care, few places in higher institutions of learning, and in general more crowded spaces with strangers who do not share our ethos yet are given generous incentives to compete with existing citizens, all paid for with our own taxpayers’ monies? We are thoroughly shafted and the PAP is deaf to all criticisms.
The pain Singaporeans endure is real, yet most of us bear in silence. A credible opposition will do well in the next general election. Bring the PAP down several pegs to keep them on their toes. Or better still, vote them out of office.
I am a marine engineer graduated from Ngee Ann Poly. I have been jobless since graduation 2 years ago. I can verify that Keppel did NOT publish that in the local paper.
Tru Borne SIN: are you sure Keppel has never advertised locally before? I’ve seen many recruitment ads placed by Keppel before (though admittedly I’m not sure for what positions as I’m not the engineering sort of person). But when I was in University, Keppel amongst many other local and foreign companies showed up at career fairs and seemed were very ready and happy to show us students what jobs we could apply for and what they were looking out for.
Also, as everyone knows, if you truly desire to be hired by a particular company, you don’t necessarily wait for an advertisement to appear, you take action, e-mail the relevant HR people even if the webpage says “no vacancies at the moment.”
Not only PAP linked companies recruit employees directly from other countries, even private companies are doing that.
Organisations like NTUC and SINGTEL also prefer to hire Philipinos over locals for their call centers. They will pretend to conduct job interviews with some locals but picked the Philipinos instead. Then behind the locals’ backs, they list the reason for rejections as “expected pay too high” or “refuses to work shifts” and other bullshits.
So when people question them, these organisations said, the jobs are shunned by locals which are total bullshits. The sad thing is the HR that do these bullshits are local people.
In the previous GLC I worked for, cost is ALWAYS an issue. BTW, it is a BILLION-DOLLAR company. What an irony, you may say.
The management (ok, the boss was a foreigner who became a new citizen) decided that hiring foreign engineers was a better option than native Singaporeans.
Foreign engineers holding a Masters degree, with around 3 years working experience drew about $3K per month. A fresh grad from NTU with zero experience draws close to that amount. So, from a management point of view, which is a better hire?
Management can tell senior management: “Hey, look how much I help the company save this year!!! I deserve a promotion!!!”.
These “cheap” foreign engineers, not necessary the best, help to put management in a positive light. They rubbed the management’s back, the management rubbed their backs.
Of course, these foreign engineers have no family here. $3K should be enough for their daily necessities. But, for native Singaporeans with families, drawing this kind of salary in a country with ever increasing costs is unthinkable. See, how wages are being depressed by them?
When they are pushed up the corporate ladder to become managers or senior managers, their wages are still lesser than that of a native Singaporean manager. Unless, they decide to forsake their citizenship in favour of a Singapore Citizenship, which they will very likely do since they have nothing to lose but a lot to gain.
Then, more foreigners will be hired, given PR and many will eventually become New Citizens. It will come to a stage when native Singaporeans will be edged out by COST ALONE. And they will be second-class citizens in their own country.
Do you still want to vote for Foreigner Action Party?
Think carefully, do not waste that vote.
Every single vote counts, since not every one on Singapore soil gets to vote.
@Hisham
You’re right to say that the traitors are HR managers!
Actually,these HR people need to be REPLACED themselves!!!
The standard of HR in most companies here including MNCs are really sub-standard,sad to say…most of you would know what i mean.
Advertise or not in local newspapers/other recruitment channels, the KEY is How MANY Singapore Citizens got the job? No one will come clean.
The only way Citizens have is to start Voting out and Changing the Government.
So fellow citizens please wake up from this madness and come out of you hole and take charge of our lives and your country.
said one thing do another thing
now i understand why people want to study or go into finance – banks, etc
Govt linked companies are only interested in their profit.
Getting cheap labour to boost their profit margin. All this productivity talk is rubbish.
Sadly, Singaporeans are always last in the queue.
Keppel is as guilty as can be.
perhaps Keppel care to show that same Position was advertised in Singapore Paper first ?
Otherwise, I can only conclude, that Pape and frens are just a “Bunch” of blood suckers that “took its Citizens for a ride”.
The more I see such things, the more I am ‘agitated”.
I will Kick all these “Mother Fuc–” out in my next vote !
#ho we kiam on Thu, 18th Mar 2010 5:55 pm
“I’m sure if Keppel could find the right people in Singapore they would hire Singaporeans. If you hire foreign workers, you have to compensate them and provide housing you know. You think they all live in Johor ah? Cross one causeway then reach home? Please, stop stereotyping Malaysians!”
Mate, your above statement shows your naivety. Are there ‘right people’ in Singapore? Yes there are, but companies like Keppel are only interested in maximising their profits by hiring ‘cheap’ foreign workers who also do not have any reservist obligations. Malaysians working in Singapore gain from the currency differences between Singapore and Malaysia.
In a nutshell, we are screwed by the PAP govt. After so many years of voting them into power today they screw us nicely. They can always say these companies are privatised and govt is not involved in their daily activities. BUT they are the owners! Damn. Why on Earth SIngaporeans still vote them into power? Was LKY right in the first place? Are we dafts??
Showed this to my family. ALl of us are cursing the PAP now. May they and their million dollar salaries rot in HELL!!
It is tax time again. How does everyone feel about paying these traitors multi-million dollar salaries???
From January 08, Foreign Manpower Quota Increased from 15% to 25% for all sectors.
The 10% increase is expected to bring in another 50,000-100,000 new Foreigners into Singapore.
http://www.prlog.org/10042220-singapore-foreign-manpower-quota-increased-singapore-company-setup-migration-specialists.html
35.80% of Singapore Total Population are now Foreigners: 1,786,900 Foreigners ( PRs: 533,200 + Others: 1,253,700 )
“Singapore may lose 99,000 jobs by 2010 amid the country’s worst economic slump, pushing the unemployment rate to 5% by the middle of next year, DBS Bank said.”
http://www.theedgesingapore.com/component/content/2549.html?task=view
Pap Smear…..’cancer’ is now 35.80% and displaying uncontrolled growth!
Million curse in all their generation of famiLEE. “STOP AT Two”
Policy Murdered & Slaughter our belove brother & Sister.
The Innocent & Defenceless Fetus. We must revenge for them. Not only vote out the PAP. We slao must nail them one by one in the coffin!!!!
These batch of white professional liars have to be booted out as soon as possible, before more locals are left to die on the street.
dear x12831,
Keppel is (as in the above advertisement and in the article above) looking for managerial positions and not blue-collared positions.
White collared worker are educated professionals and as such expect a higher pay and are aware of market rate. The above article and the fury of most of the commentators suggest that companies are saving money by hiring these white-collared workers from abroad. I’m however questioning if this is so.
Apart from the levy companies have to pay (which is admittedly small), there is also the issue of housing compensation.
Unless one can prove that equally educated/qualified Malaysian/Foreign white collared workers are being paid less than Singaporeans can we then accuse Keppel of looking overseas to save money as oppose to “grabbing talent.”
Anyway, apart from the writer of this article making a blatant anti-PAP stance (like I said in my previous post this piece of “evidence” could have been used to pose other questions related to our society), the article also explicitly states that “It is the duty of the government of the day to provide every Singapore citizen with a job which pays a decent wage commensurate with the standard of living in Singapore and not just to give them the “dignity” of having a job only, to quote the words of PAP MP and NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Halimah Yacob”
I would like to know (just out of curiosity) how many people agree or disagree? I think this is important because it forms the basis of many of the concerns of the people here — to what extend is the government responsible for our well-being, and to what extend are we responsible for our well-being?
The formulae is more profits for GLCs = higher GDP = whose salary increase you all know even if the rest of Singaporeans fell into economic depression. You all heard it loud and clear – UPTURN THE DOWNTURN, WHISTLING ( BUT NOT LISTENING) FROGS ON THE TOP FLOOR OF THE FORMER WORLD TRADE CENTRE,AND OF COURSE, WE DON’T CARE ABOUT GINI COEFFICIENT ( the unemployed didn’t get into the Gini Coefficient measurements – they simply don’t exist)!!
YOUNGER SINGAPOREANS MUST SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF SELF-PRESERVATION AND DRILL INTO THEIR OLDER FOLKS HOW THEY SHOULD VOTE IN THIS ELECTION.
Choose your future, their political funerals ( the bigger the corpse the better), NOT YOUR OWN FUNERAL. REMEMBER THAT.
Bloody ungrateful dogs only know how to use sinkies for their own ends.
how transparent will Keppel be? they will jealously hide info about the percentage of foreigners they employ. for those who talk about meritocracy – please there is one world for elites and another for the man in the street. it is so obvious – so many examples.
What has happen to Dubai, will happen here.
What will happen to Greece and Spain, will happen here.
What will happen to China, will happen here.
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2453
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/JubaksJournal/is-china-actually-bankrupt.aspx?OCID=eml_msnnl_6004.4.5.31&REFCD=emmsnnl_6004.4.5.31
temasek issued bonds,1B, means debt, means sometime in the future, someone has to pay, who ???
It’s high time to boot out PAP. Vote wisely!
Naturally, when companies are kept alive, they can run the longer mile and keep the jobs going for Singaporeans. One has to balance to be above water. A good Myanmar engineer ask for S$1.3k, with experience, while a Singaporean engineer asks between S$3k to S$6k depending on experience. Running a company and keeping it alive is not easy, and thus we have to have a balance. Singaporeans must not jump to conclusion that companies only hire foreigners. We have to hire both, to balance out and keep the business going. This is better than hiring all Singaporeans, becoming lesser competitive as the HR overheads is always the biggest bill for operations, and then lose projects because we price ourselves out…and we cannot stretch ourselves for a longer period. We should be thankful that we have good foreigners taking the job to help us maintain the businesses going. If US, and Europe collapse further, they will be even cheaper even at expertise level. By that time, if Singaporeans still have to maintain high salaries, more companies may have to move out to keep themselves alive and keep the operations going. Or we simply have to resort to hiring even more foreigners who are willing to accept lower pay. I think, we Singaporean owned companies will always like to hire our own. If we can put aside all other aspects, and just the salary alone in order for the companies to survive, we hesitate not to recruit our very own Singaporeans. Would be great if we can reach a median point, and keep all going. That is what my friends and I always try. Lower structural costs by 30%, lower salary scales by 40%, stretch housing loan period to 30 years…we will surely see more Singaporeans hired. For the longer term, it is good, as we build our own capabilities, so that when the foreigners return home, we can continue to grow because our young are well groomed and had gained their experiences with the companies.
still many believe what they said
cos their rice bowl not yet affected by foreigner or their policy
Time for change.
We have not choice.
We need change now.
Survival of Companies,
Idiots like you are the reasons why PAP still get pay raise every year.
Singapore is not poor:
We can pay PAP million dollars salaries.
We can lose billions of dollars due to poor and reckless investments.
We can throw money into scholarship for foreigners who pack up and leave someday.
BUT INCOME GAP, INFLATION, SUICIDE RATES KEEP RISING. OUR WAGES KEEP DECREASING. OUR PEOPLE ARE JOBLESS YET PAP CAN SHOW FALSE FIGURES WITH A STRAIGHT FACE. MOST OF SINGAPOREANS WILL BE IN DEEP SHIT WHEN THEY GET OLD BECAUSE OF GETTING RETRENCHED AND CONTRACT JOBS.
All PAP care about is how to create jobs for foreigners and how to integrate them by using money which Singaporeans who supported them need badly. PAP betrayed Singaporeans.
TELL ME THERE IS NO PROBLEM IN SINGAPORE NOW!!!!
Sigh…the place where I stay has a coffee shop full of M’sians workers, nothing personal against them.
But the service they provide could just be a misleading fact that foreigner thought it is Singaporean. What to do, S’poreans pay too low, to the foreigners like Chinese, India, Vietnamese, Bangladesh, etc, when converted to their own currency, it is not bad on their salary.
perhaps TR should ask Keppel to clarify
Do understand that Singaporeans unwittingly and unconsciously, and most of all stupidly left it to PAP and assumed that they would govern with transparency,accountablity,openess and be just and put the welfare of its citizens first lah.
Now we are all expressing disgust, anger, disappointment and frustrated.
Many forget that PAP is in power not because they arrogated it for themselves. Singaporeans, cos of their parochial stance, apathy and attitudes are to be blamed for simply trusting them. Frankly, it is no longer tenable and acceptable that we allow that. The longer these state of affairs persist, the worse it would get.
When a politician puts party and vested interests first and compromises on integrity, pinciples and ethics for short-term political gains and $$$$ – just know this lah – it is the citizens who pay the price. Meritocracy, consultative governance all looks good on paper. It ends there lah. Think i m raving and ranting – scrutinize and read between the lines of what is espoused/propagated by them and the reality of what is would surface.
Strength in numbers matter lah and istead of relying on the media or the incumbent govt (PAP) to change (which is never going to happen) Singaporeans who are sincere and responsible would vote wisely and restore the dignity of its people.
@ ho we kiam on Thu, 18th Mar 2010 5:38 pm
If Singaporeans are interested they can apply also what; the best will get the spot.
To be fair to Keppel, we only need to check the local Newspaper of that period, to see if Keppel did ALSO advertise for singaporean , if they advertise in singapore media, then at least they are being fair.
@ ho we kiam on Thu, 18th Mar 2010 5:38 pm
You wrote : ” You think companies so stupid will just hire cheaper engineers? And you think educated Malaysians ask for lower pay? Please don’t belittle them, they are not stupid you know and won’t ’settle for less.
Moreover base on anecdotal evidence from many of my friends, when companies look to fill these managerial positions, they are on the look out for “the best” as they’ll want to invest time, energy and money into training them. As such, surely Keppel would want to look for loyal, hardworking people who are willing to learn to work for them. ”
You are implying that, NUS , NTU and SMU are not producing GOOD ENOUGH engineers or managers. What happen to our so-called EXCELLENT RANKING ??? supposedly better than Malaysia’s universities ??? You mean our graduates are not of comparable calibre ???
Only when some rich man get seriously hurt or kill then we see what happen.
No point talking any more. Is time to kill. Let’s die together.
“A good Myanmar engineer ask for S$1.3k, with experience, while a Singaporean engineer asks between S$3k to S$6k depending on experience.”
The news just reported that there are going to increase university fees. The happy thing is that the increase for singapore citizens will be smaller than PRs, nevertheless still an increase. So not so happy after all.
A good minister running a very big & difficult country ask for $???, while a singaporean minister running a tiny red dot country is asking for $??????.
“Or we simply have to resort to hiring even more foreigners who are willing to accept lower pay.”
Do you see the irony. And do you see the prices of imported food & house prices going up and up. The more liberal you allow it to happen, the more the employers will take advantage of it. And why not, if you allow it.
The profit & compensation will always be skewed more to the owner / higher managers who have better influence, that is capitalism. That is why higher pay for higher mortals to stay un-corrupt whereas lower pay for lesser mortals to stay cheaper, better and faster. We have basic cost structure to maintain like transport, utility, afforded ’subsidised’ housing, telephone, radio & TV – most of which the services have been provided by so called Govt Linked Cos which operate on what they cost recovery model (whatever the cost means).
In our country, this can be changed. Lesser mortals must educate themselves more about economics and politics and empower themselves by reclaiming their courage which is locked up for too long and affect the necessary changes by making the correct choice.
“We should be thankful that we have good foreigners taking the job to help us maintain the businesses going.”
We should be thankful that a lot of people are not so blind as to believe your crappy story. If we have been like other foreigners in terms of characters and personalities, many of the present elites (perhaps including you) would not have been around to run the show and tell crappy stories.
“For the longer term, it is good, as we build our own capabilities, so that when the foreigners return home,”
You build capabilities and competency by giving the chance to your own people to do it and you do it NOW and not wait for the foreigners to return home – which may never happen as they will always be overlapping new foreigners (which are aplenty in the whole wide world) streaming in as long as your door is left open. Once the inertia is set, it will run its own course unless it is nudged
Hi ho we kiam,
Appreciate your response to my last post. Following are my responses to your comments from my personal experience.
“Unless one can prove that equally educated/qualified Malaysian/Foreign white collared workers are being paid less than Singaporeans can we then accuse Keppel of looking overseas to save money as oppose to “grabbing talent.””
As long ago as the 90s, “equally educated/qualified Malaysian/Foreign white collared workers are being paid less than Singaporeans”. And it became even more apparent when I took on a HR role towards the late part of the 90s. I was instructed by management to hire foreign nationals offering them the minimum salary to qualify for an E-pass. So I had applicants with Masters or PhDs from the India, Philippines, etc taking on jobs at lower salaries. This is an example od how wages are depressed by the easy access to foreign workers. Besides the Indians and the Philippinos, certain nationalities were so issued with PR application form when their E-passes were approved. All these “white-collared” foreign workers were not given any housing compensation. Most of them shared accomodation. When I moved to another company in 1999, there was hardly any Singapore citizens among the workforce. Managers in the various departments hired workers of the same nationality. Were these foreign workers “cheaper” than the equivalent Singaporean workers? The answer is yes; no employer CPF contributions for e-pass holders. The floodgates were already opened to foreign workers in the 1990s; the influx gathered pace when LHL became the PM.
“It is the duty of the government of the day to provide every Singapore citizen with a job which pays a decent wage commensurate with the standard of living in Singapore…”
This assertion by the correspondent is erroneous. My view is that it is the duty of the government of the day to enact policies that put the interests of the citizens first, legislating a minimum wage policy which will provide a decent standard of living and human dignity. The govt is also responsible for providing a social safety network in place to help those citizens that fall through the cracks.
Regards
x12831
See for yourself:
Latest news “NUS, NTU & SMU raise fees to better reflect citizenship privileges”.
See how the pro-pap State media has ‘packaged’the increase so as to minimise the ‘damage’by emphasising “çitizenship privilege” as if Singaporeans students are not affected.
http://news.google.com/news/section?cf=all&ned=en_sg&topic=n&ict=ln
This article is MISLEADING! Look at the advertisement closely. The advertisement on the right belongs to another company using the service of Star Publication as “The Advertiser”.
Look at the page borders carefully, both borders are different. The bottom section of this advertisement is cut-off, and that make this advertisement appears just like from one single company.
Could the reporter who has contributed to this article closely analyse the original advertisement published in The Star Newspaper on 6th March 2010?
Look closer, you will find the TRUTH!
to “Please Change Minister of National Development”, I am looking forward to the opposition increasing the size of HDB flats. This is an issue which is most overlooked in the political discussions. How much should we increase the size by? I would suggest twice the size. Or maybe three times, for cheaper!
If Keppel’s Ships and yards are destroyed by pirates of invaders, I would clap. This is how disgusted I feel!!!
@x12831
“My view is that it is the duty of the government of the day to enact policies that put the interests of the citizens first, legislating a minimum wage policy which will provide a decent standard of living and human dignity. The govt is also responsible for providing a social safety network in place to help those citizens that fall through the cracks”.
I am in full agreement with the above statements. This is what the ministers have been paid to do for its citizens.
Yong Wei on Thu, 18th Mar 2010 6:36 pm
What you have said is very true. Once those foreign managers become citizens. They will generally favor their own kind as the cultural affinity will still be there.
And we will have natural cycle where our own locals will not be favored as the lower cost factor (savings) will always be used to support whatever justification that needs to be made when hiring foreigners.
Once the process sets in, certain capacity, capability, competence or whatever down the line for locals cannot be built upward and hence will spiral downward & after that may be lost for good.
That is why those policy makers can smugly say that singaporeans do not want to work in certain jobs so they have to hire foreigners in order to be competitive – it is a circular trap unintentionally created which has come back to hit us very badly.
Althuogh I am emloyed and not affected so far by the disgraceful employment policy of the PaP government I am voting in the opposition….any opposition in the next GE and all my children; their friends, my colleagues, my relatives, and acquaintances whom I spoke with or interact with have indicated they are very angry with the Pap as many of them have their children still sucking up to them although they are already in their late twenties..
Send it to TAFEP; I am curious to see what’s their response.
http://www.fairemployment.sg/
And Keppel Offshore are signees of TAFEP
http://www.fairemployment.sg/getting_started.asp?subid=4&key=K
Gotcha! Oh…you import China workers
Okay from now onwards our policy is Singapore 1st Singaporean people 1st
Gotcha! Oh…you import Indian workers
Okay, from now onwards our policy is Singapore 1st Singaporean people 1st
Gotcha! Oh…..you import Burmese workers
Okay, from now onwards our policy is Singapore 1st Singaporean people 1st
Gotcha! Oh…..you import Malaysia wokrers
Okay, from now onwards our policy is Singapore 1st Singaporean people 1st, AGAIN???
What is next? Thailand workers, or Philipino workers or Vietnamese worlers or Blangadesh workers…
Very, very, very diffcult to trust you hor
ho we kiam on Thu, 18th Mar 2010 7:55 pm – Good Evening!
Regarding the issue if the government has the responsibility to take care of its people.
1. In Singapore, why would the government want all the males to perform NS – because the government needs us to take care of them
2. If the govenrmnet’s role is NOT to take care of its citizenry, than what is its role ?
The caption of the news has since being changed since the previous comment was posted 10.40 pm as follows:
” Singapore’s 3 public universities, NUS, NTU, SMU to raise tuition fees Channel News Asia – Satish Cheney, Zul Othman – 47 minutes ago”
Frankly speaking it would be good if the mainstream media can speak up robustly for Singaporeans on these major issues. If they cannot speak up FOR Singaporeans on important issues, then what good is the state-controlled media?
I’m sure Keppel Corp will claim to be operating well within their FT employment quota. In effect, Government is facilitating local Employers to get away with this at the expense of Singaporeans.
We’re paying the Government good money to manage the country on our behalf for our benefit. Instead of doing much better job and seeking real solutions for improving the Nation’s competitiveness, they apply “band-aids” and take the easy ways out, benefit foreign junk at the expense of real Singaporeans.
Granted the nation as a whole benefits with increased domestic consumption. But not this way, and not at this pace.
If we care about our fellow Singaporeans, our purpose should be to ensure that we send a clear message of change at the next election.
Simple.
British prime minister Gordon Brown is asking to freeze the pay of ministers, but here we singapore , minister not only do not need to freeze their pay but to increase by 8.8 percent. What an absurd !
Vote out all pappies.. Cant stand anymore. This is really lawless country. No real law to govern to take in place to put all these ‘pigs’ to jail and sentence them to punishment.
NS & low pay for Singaporeans; jobs & scholarships for foreigners!
This is what you get when you want MIW to run the country. Nothing is more discriminating than being a second class citizen in a monopoly.
Have you done your part by sharing this with another 10 people so that they will not be blind in the next poll?
Even if Keppel advertised in Singapore,these does not mean they will employ Singaporeans. I used to work in a now listed company,my department boss who happened to be an Indo Chinese who became Singaporean was always checking with HR if quota is open for him to employ foreigners. He will put up normal recruitment advertisements as well as employment firms for help.
Many Singaporean applicants would apply with some foreigners too. Here was the problem, my boss actually has no intention to employ Singaporeans since quota was open for him employ foreign staff. I was helping in recruiting, I knew Singaporeans will not get the job, I was puzzled why since the job open was foreigners, why were we wasting time interviewing Singaporeans whom will not get the jobs. I asked and recieved answer, first, why was Singaporean excluded? Singaporean, especially males who still need to go in-camp was first to be filtered out, my ex-boss said even though the GOV paid for the males salary during their in-camp, the GOV does not cover their business losses when the man was not around, so Singaporean were out. But the same question was not answered, since Singaporean males were out from his first list, why my boss still wanted to waste interview?
I got a rude shock from my ex-boss’s answer, he said the more Singaporean apply for a job not meant for them the better, thier CVs will not be wasted, in fact it was proofs MOM wanted to see that company had interviewed Singaporean but found them not suitable when company apply to Foreign premits to work here! My boss on the other hand had engaged employment agency to help them to recruit foreigners, the Singaporeans’ CV were just paper requirement for the company to justify that the have interviewed so many Singaporeans but none found suitable for the job but only the foreigner can. Singaporean were just the sucks in this game.
I am not sure how many companies are doing this but I know the one I worked before was doing this, I quited no too long after knowing this was the practise, the GOV has no way to control or manage such act once they open up and setup the policy to work this way.
As Singaporean, we are just the suckers made out by stupic PAP GOV policies and they always used statistics to justify their decision to open FT policy were correct but the question is that how many Singaporean was sacrificed in this process of justification to open FT floodgate? My ex-boss was the foreign born middle manager who only favour foreigners, Singaporean had little chance to join the company or pomoted in his care. What the PAP GOV driving us to? Doom…..
absolutely disgusting. why isnt there a law outlawing this kind of terrible double standard?
why isnt Keppel Corp being hauled to be questioned about this policy?
can someone please alert the mainstream media to tell singaporeans what is going on in their own country?
Malaysians do an equally good job as Singaporeans and don’t mind getting paid slightly less. All companies want to make money. Blame PAP for letting this happen. In fact, blame yourselves for voting in PAP every year. Blame yourselves for only daring to speak out anonymously online and not in public. Blame yourselves for not having the balls to attend an opposition talk or demostration. SIngaporeans deserve the government they get.
This Gahmen is clearly lost its bearings and forgotten that it was voted in to look after its citizens.
True they have done alot of good all these years but the recent spate of wrongs are too large and too serious to be overlooked or forgotten.
The worse part is that they are not even prepared to face up to the facts and continue to want to treat us as dumb, forgetful idiots. Past tatics of talking their way out with words and no action sadly wont work as the negative impact of their “wrong” actions are just too serious and severe.
There is really to me no other choice but to remove them from their position of authority.
They are however not a total lost cause, hope the opposition will be smart enough to ensure that they do not fall into the trap to compete against them across the board.
They should ensure that opposition do not compete amongst themselves but ensure that the Papaya gang do return to power but with the barest minimal number of seats.
If I recall correctly there are 83 MPs so the ideal scenario would be for the Papaya gang to be returned with 42 seats.
This will really be a Win Win for Singaporeans
Since day one PAP has not been honest to Singaporeans to reduce foreign workers whose are taking jobs away from Singaporeans ranging from blue collar, sales, admin, services, mid-level, PMET and above. We are feeling squeeze out by at our own land. Let us do our bit to start rallying all our friends and relatives, educate them about the disgusting behaviour of PAP and kick them out from their heavy-handed control under the dictorship of Lee’s control.
I am going to vote them down if they do not give me a clear account of what is happening!
@Ah Gong on Fri, 19th Mar 2010 12:53 am
I agree with you totally. My ex-company was in IT service and mostly hire foreigner workers. Part of the reason is also Singaporeans men need to call up for reservists that would affect the job, since most of the time we need to work at clients’ place ranging from few days to few weeks. Also foreigners are cheaper.
Singapore government should really take a look into this kind of practices and I am sure this happen across the board, not just in one industry. We are seeing declining income, declining job security and declining work-life balance in Singapore. We are forced to work longer hours to support a family whereas foreigners ust come and go without much committment.
I wonder how far PAP is willing to listen.
they are killing the marine and offshore industry…
no local student want to study marine related studies becos they know that foreigners are cheaper and they may have problems getting a job if such situations persist….a vicious cycle
The same thing is happening in IT industry. lesser and lesser local students want to study IT (intake is always dropping) becos why? we can easily import them from china and india…. soon no student wants to study IT.
totally disgusted.
I believe Ah Gong, it is happening.
Next time all national secret and strategies will be leak out sooner or later by placing foreigners in IT, Marine and Airline. No government will be spared of this scenario. Perhaps PAP should consider hiring foreigners for Army also since they will be cheaper and better right. I am wondering, when we study so hard to get good results, in the end all jobs goes to the cheapo and incompetent!
Read this…
http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/stomp/sgseen/got_service_or_not/338986/service_staff_with_poor_english_make_me_feel_like_foreigner.html#commentSection
ho we kiam,
Keppel, advertise or not in Sin news paper i am not too ,
sure . As i mention I am working in BATAM , only come
back to Sin every Friday evening . Can any member help confirmed this . ( confirm keppel advertisement for these last
few week )
For me your advise to act and not wait for advertisement , is correct . When your family need money to survive very sure you will do any thing to secure a job .
I tried , e-mail , job DB e.t.c ..
I was retrench in May 2005 due company restructure my job was taken over by FT .
Tried all the above for three month .. Untill Lucky my
friend introduce me to a GM , who interview me and offer me a job in BATAM.
FYI i am still working in BATAM , till now . Wife still
helping out as cofee shop attendent to suppliment some
additional income . My old foke are ok
thank god they are still healthy.
Son in sec one , not much time spend with family . But i am ok with it , key
point is my family basic needs are taken care of.
But still i worry , what happen my Batam job end , i am 47 years old . Does singapore still have place for me ? got
Job for me ?
I don’t care who is GOV , as long as GOV give me and my generation job , dissent job , not need high pay ,fair pay enough .
But if even Sin own company keppel corp are recruiting FT engineer / Manager e.t.c Without considering interviewing
or give Singaporean a chance to interview.
I am not asking that because i am Singaporean Keppel must
give me JOB . I am asking to be given a chance to be interview
and hire me base on my experience and my capability .
Mabey if Batam job finish , must go to Vietnam or Myanmar .
If this is happening to my generation , i fear to think what
about my Son generation
CHANGE WE CAN, CHANGE WE MUST
The reason is already given, why FW is employed.
You are not cheaper, not better, not faster and not hard-driving. And you are daft as well.
So, has to employ people like Malaysian.
Daft Daft