MP Charles Chong speaks about integrating new migrants
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By Leong Wee Keat, TODAY | Posted: 16 June 2009 0734 hrs
SINGAPORE: Five years ago, they were a rare sight in Punggol Central. These days, foreigners make up roughly 10 per cent of the estate's residents, or so Mr Charles Chong reckons going by the number he meets on his door-to-door visits.
The ward's Member of Parliament reckons they are flocking there for various reasons: It's a new town, housing is cheaper compared to mature estates, and it is close to the new industrial areas that have sprouted up in the north-east.
While foreigners have added to the constituency's vibrancy, integrating them has also become a priority. For instance, a Cricket Interest Group was formed to get new citizens involved in community events. Mr Chong suggested this after noticing migrant groups playing the sport in the empty fields across his estate, which has 48,000 residents.
"If left on their own, they would form their own enclaves," he said. "By offering them a common group, we try to assimilate them together, and integrate them into our society as well."
In the past two years, about 400 Punggol Central residents have taken up Singapore citizenship or permanent residency, according to Mr Chong, and this is reflective of a growing nation-wide trend.
Last year, some 20,513 foreigners took up citizenship here, while 79,167 more took up permanent residency. This is up from the 17,334 new citizens and 63,627 new PRs in 2007.
Acknowledging that more needs to be done to integrate new immigrants with locals, a National Integration Council was recently set up. And such efforts at the community level are as important to avoid misunderstandings and fights.
For instance, Mr Chong cited how, at the Holi Dhamaaka Festival in March – which is celebrated mainly among Indian immigrants here – he was showered with coloured powder. While it is considered a blessing among them, however, it could make Singaporeans who don't understand the ritual see red, in more than one sense, noted Mr Chong.
The same goes for the habits of China nationals who may talk too loudly or appear too pushy to their neighbours, he noted.
One community in Sengkang that has formed a group to showcase their culture to residents are the Filipinos.
Resident Janet Quek said she has had no problems with her new Filipino neighbours, though there were times they may have played music a tad too loudly.
One neighbour's reaction was to complain; Ms Quek chose to strike up a friendship with them: "Reaching out could just take a simple 'Hi' that could go some way to preventing any future misunderstandings."
Other than new migrants, Punggol Central grassroot leaders have reached out to another oft-misunderstood group nearby.
The Sengkang Community Club Women's Executive Committee has adopted a ward in the Institute of Mental Health.
Once a month, members either take some of the patients out or visit them. The aim is not just to bring them cheer, but also to bridge the gap between the patients and the community's residents.
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Pay and Pay all the way for foreigners! there are still many local needy people who need their help and what are they doing about it. Taking care of foreigners takes priority over the locals.
What a shit, bloody PAP!
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What a hypocrite, he himself is segregating the locals into elites and lesser mortals!
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Wah, last year 20K took up citizenship, 80K took up PRship.
That means every year there are 100K new citizens and PRs.
In 5 years, that will be an additional 500K.
In 10 years, that will be another 1 million.
Let's grow.
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Five years ago, they were a rare sight in Punggol Central. These days, foreigners make up roughly 10 per cent of the estate's residents, or so Mr Charles Chong reckons going by the number he meets on his door-to-door visits.
While foreigners have added to the constituency's vibrancy, integrating them has also become a priority. For instance, a Cricket Interest Group was formed to get new citizens involved in community events.
Yes, more foreigners will add to vibrancy of Singapore.
I suggest import more foreigners to Singapore. Why not add another 4 or 5 million foreigners, bring them over here to add vibrancy to Singapore?
I suggest add some foreigners to parliament also to increase vibrancy.
Most of the MPs are like dogs, only follow what their master says, no opinion of their own, so import foreigners may add vibrancy.
Singapore now really becomes land of foreigners, for foreigners.
Not bad.
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Vibrancy or vibration in the community?
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Chong You Fook Charles (張有�, born 24 June 1953) is a Singaporean Member of Parliament who represents Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
In the 2006 general elections, his party, the PAP, contested Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC against the Singapore Democratic Alliance. The PAP won with 68.70% of the votes in this GRC. In the 2001 general elections, the GRC was not contested and resulted in a walkover for Chong and his party in this GRC.
Chong also represented Sembawang GRC between 1988-1991, Eunos GRC between 1991-1996, and Pasir Ris GRC between 1997-2001.
2009 'Lesser mortals' guffaw
“ Maybe it made lesser mortals envious and they thought maybe he was a bit boastful. Would people have taken offence if his wife (a senior investment counsellor at a bank) had paid for everything ? ”
— Pasir Ris- Punggol GRC MP Charles Song, Today, 20th January 2009
In 2009, Charles Chong made the above statement in Parliament regarding the harsh rebuke over Tan Yong Soon online blog. Tan Yong Soon, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, revealed in a ill fated blog that he paid $45,000 for a 'culinary course' at a French restaurant for his family of three.
Charles claimed that 'lesser mortals' are merely envious and indignant Singapore netizens took him to task for his statement.
One online netizen state that 'it is totally uncalled for to resort to name-calling and insulting those who choose to see the issue from a different perspective.' -
Vibrancy=More good days
Vibration =Plenty more good nights.
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Originally posted by Short Ninja:
Vibrancy=More good days
Vibration =Plenty more good nights.
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We are the lesser mortals after all tio bo Charles Chong?
You lesser mortals go and integrate with the foreigners in your HDB flats, I go and relax in my landed property.
Why they can't integrate with the foreigners, these lesser mortals?
Really can't understand their mentality these lesser mortals.
Punggol all foreigners so?
Big deal meh?
90% foreigners, 10% local also fine wah.
These lesser mortals.
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Foreign workers are also human and they have a different culture with us and also with other foreigners who are working. It make sense to build some understanding with them since they are part of the population here for quite some time. Maybe in the future, Singaporean will required to adapt to them and not they trying to adapt to 'our society' which is already falling apart as our local population drop and drop.
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I wonder what is the real agenda of the PAP in importing so many foreigners.
Now 1/3 of people in Singapore foreigners.
Are they going to increase the foreigners until 50/50?
What is your real agenda PAP?
Don't be shy, can come and tell me.
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Originally posted by mumee:
Foreign workers are also human and they have a different culture with us and also with other foreigners who are working. It make sense to build some understanding with them since they are part of the population here for quite some time. Maybe in the future, Singaporean will required to adapt to them and not they trying to adapt to 'our society' which is already falling apart as our local population drop and drop.
Drop and drop??? Drop dead?
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Originally posted by mumee:
Foreign workers are also human and they have a different culture with us and also with other foreigners who are working. It make sense to build some understanding with them since they are part of the population here for quite some time. Maybe in the future, Singaporean will required to adapt to them and not they trying to adapt to 'our society' which is already falling apart as our local population drop and drop.
And having said what you said, what do u know about the locals suffering and PAP just refuse to help??? Tell us what do u know.
Please lah exercise compassion and kindness first to your fellow country people. Shit! knn
So you trying to tell us instead of the PAP doing something to encourage local population not to drop you encourage PAP to get in more migrants and ignore the locals?
So foreign workers are human and locals not human that PAP should care???? Woe to you mumee!!!!
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Chew Bakar, do you feel sad that Singapore society is being destroyed by PAP regime?
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I feel we are mollycoddled.
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Originally posted by Ah Chia:
I wonder what is the real agenda of the PAP in importing so many foreigners.
Now 1/3 of people in Singapore foreigners.
Are they going to increase the foreigners until 50/50?
What is your real agenda PAP?
Don't be shy, can come and tell me.
Next election we have to include a foriegner candidate in a GRC?
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I would say PAP is trying to revive Singapore by giving Singapore born Singaporeans mouth to mouth resucitation.
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Originally posted by Ah Chia:
Chew Bakar, do you feel sad that Singapore society is being destroyed by PAP regime?
Too old and always people say drop I think of drop dead. At least I must outlive that silly old thing.
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The PAP has sensed that their streak of political good fortunes cannot run continuously with the 3.5 million Singaporean electorates, of whom only 1.5 million had actually participated in any election process over at least the last 15 years.
If the election process had involved all the constituencies - without any walk-over that lay off almost 2 million Singaporeans from casting their votes - there is a possibility that the PAP will not get the same 66.6% result as in Election 2006.
To overcome any possibility of the "freak results" that MM LKY had said of Singaporeans decision to vote in an Alternative Political Party - the PAP had opened the flood gates to new immigrants who will at least vote PAP in the next one or two elections - simply out of gratitude from the change of circumstances in their lives.
What change is there for Singaporeans who have tolerated the PAP and their sham policies of supporting Singaporean Citizens, who have served National Service and lived through all the PAP economic and social experiments since 1957 ?
It is time for Singaporeans to register our political views in the next Election that will be due in either an early election in 2010, or when the PAP term expire in 2011.
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Originally posted by Short Ninja:
I would say PAP is trying to revive Singapore by giving Singapore born Singaporeans mouth to mouth resucitation.
I don't want to be touched by the Lees esp Ho Ching!!! Yeeeee!!!!!
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To all my dear country people, if you are for a govt who care for foreigners more than the locals, keep mum about the ugliness of foreigners and constantly magnify the imperfection of the locals, please vote PAP.
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Too old and always people say drop I think of drop dead. At least I must outlive that silly old thing.
Yes you must.
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
I don't want to be touched by the Lees esp Ho Ching!!! Yeeeee!!!!!
You mean hole jinx??? ha ha ha ha -
Originally posted by Fantagf:
To all my dear country people, if you are for a govt who care for foreigners more than the locals, keep mum about the ugliness of foreigners and constantly magnify the imperfection of the locals, please vote PAP.
I vote you.