Written by Our Correspondent
A PRC new citizen by the name of Fu Yun was awarded the “Good Neighbour Award” jointly given out by the Housing Board and the People’s Association yesterday.
Madam Fu, who is from China, became a citizen in 1996, three years after marrying her Singaporean husband. The couple have two sons, aged nine and 12.
The 38 year old woman was reported by the state media to be a “trusted” member of her neighbourhood – she would look after her neighbours’ homes when they are overseas and pick their children up from school when they are unable to do so.
Following a deluge of negative publicity on the immigrants from China, the Straits Times found fit to “glorify” Madam Fu’s “achievements” under its “Top Story” section.
For every Madam Fu, there are countless of others who found it hard to adapt to life in Singapore as exemplified by the wife of opposition member Tan Lead Shake who was sentenced to 16 years’ in jail for killing her brother-in-law.
The ruling party has come under intense fire recently for its liberal immigration policies which has altered Singapore’s demographics dramatically.
Foreigners now make up 36 per cent of Singapore’s 5-million population, up from 14 per cent in 1990.
Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Mr Wong Kan Seng revealed in Parliament on Monday that two out of every three applicants for PRs are successful.
An average of 46,300 people are granted Singaporean permanent resident (PR) status every year for the past eight years.
From 2000 to 2008, an average of 74,500 applications for permanent residency were submitted by foreigners each year. Of these, an average of 46,300 applications were successful
The ruling party also tries to court the new migrants by spending $10 million dollars on a “Community Integration Fund” to make them feel welcome.
Minister of Community, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan claimed that about 4,500 new citizens are now serving as grassroots leaders in various estates.
With elections looming around the corner, the ruling party is changing tack to placate the rising resentment on the ground at the relentless influx of foreigners over the last few years.
Senior leaders repeatedly reassured Singaporeans that their interests will be safeguarded and that the immigration will be “managed” to ensure that they benefit in the long run.
There is no opposition in Parliament to check on the ruling party. Bills and legislation are often passed with little consultation with the people.
MM Lee Kuan Yew is adamant that immigration is “essential” for Singapore – he urged Singaporeans to bear with the “tide” of foreigners who has now become a “flood”.
As new citizens will tend to vote for the government, their rising numbers will surely help to entrench the PAP in power for the next few generations.
Most Singaporean just want their rice bowl to be secured and not disturbed by them!
November 24, 2009 by Our Correspondent
Filed under Headlines
Written by Our Correspondent
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng said in Parliament yesterday that an average of 46,300 people are granted Singaporean permanent resident (PR) status every year for the past eight years.
From 2000 to 2008, an average of 74,500 applications for permanent residency were submitted by foreigners each year. Of these, an average of 46,300 applications were successful which translates to two successful applications out of every three.
MM Lee said earlier that all applications are carefully vetted so that “highly qualified” foreigners will become PRs.
However, some of the new PRs include beauticians, language teachers, clinic assistants and administrative personnel who are not quite considered “qualified” as exemplified by the case of Chinese national Zhang Yuanyuan who got her PR in only 2 months while working as a Chinese teacher in a private school.
In his reply to Mr Chiam See Tong’s question about the number of PR applications received, granted and PR statuses renounced, Mr Wong said that PR applications have been increasing steadily in recent years.
At the same time, about 2,200 PRs renounce their status each year.
He did not reveal the reasons behind these PRs leaving Singapore and whether they have made any profits from the sale of their properties if any.
Mr Wong also reassured Singaporeans that the inflow of immigrants will be “managed” to ensure that Singaporeans benefit in the long term.
“We’ll manage the inflow of immigrants, taking into account how quickly our society can absorb and integrate these new immigrants without diluting our national identity or weakening our social cohesion. Such a sustained and calibrated inflow of immigrants would ensure that Singaporeans benefit from immigration in the long term,” he said.
As of June this year, there were 1.253 million non-residents, but only 533,000 PRs. In total, foreigners now make up 36 per cent of Singapore’s population, up from 14 per cent in 1990.
The new immigrants tend to mix among themselves and there are signs that ethnic enclaves are emerging in Singapore in estates like Geylang and Jalan Besar.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan added that it was government policy to ensure there were no ethnic ghettoes in Singapore.
Immigration has become a hot topic in Singapore with many senior leaders speaking out on it over the last few weeks.
An online furore over Chinese national and Singapore PR Zhang Yuanyuan proclaiming her loyalty to China on TV was even reported in The Economist. (read article here)
Despite concerns on the ground at the direction and viability of Singapore’s liberal immigration policy to import foreigners en masse to make up for the population shortfall here, the ruling party is adamant that there will be no wholesale changes to it.
A $10-million Community Integration Fund was unveiled two months ago to make the newcomers feel “welcomed” in Singapore at the expense of local taxpayers.
The ruling party is also busy courting the new citizens and PRs to join grassroots organizations like RCs and CCCs.
According to a shocking revelation by Dr Vivian, there were about 4,500 new citizens serving in grassroots organizations.
With elections around the corner, the ruling party is posturing to safeguard the interests of Singaporeans in order to placate rising frustration and tension among the voters.
Citizens enjoy few additional benefits than PRs other than slightly higher subsidies in public housing and healthcare.
While all Singapore males have to serve two years of mandatory National Service followed by another 13 years or so of reservist, new citizens and PRs do not have to do so.
The relentless influx of foreigners into Singapore has forced some Singaporeans to seek work opportunities overseas leading to a brain drain for the island state.
About 180,000 Singaporeans are studying, living or working overseas with 1,000 renouncing their citizenships every year.
Despite the desperate attempts of the ruling party to attract qualified immigrants to relocate to Singapore, few are biting the bait due to the few social welfare benefits afforded by the government and the repressive political climate here.
A Gallup poll in July this year revealed that the top three immigration destinations for Chinese college students are U.S.A, France and South Korea. Singapore is not even featured in the top five. (read article here)
The majority of Chinese nationals in Singapore hail from the poorer inland provinces like Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Liaoning and Shanxi with few from the rich coastal cities like Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and Wuxi.
hope, the gahmen better check properly.
our society doesn't need any Tom, Harry or Dick!