January 18, 2010
For some strange reason, it was not the Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, but Law Minister K Shanmugam who has been defending the ruling party’s pro-foreigner policy, lately a testimony of Singapore’s “multi-talented” ministers who command the highest salaries in the world.
During a dialogue session with Yew Tee residents yesterday, Mr Shanmugam jumped to the defence of foreigners and blamed locals for being “choosy” about jobs instead.
“Contrary to popular belief, foreigners who take up low-paying jobs here are not depriving Singaporeans of work. Rather, they are doing jobs Singaporeans shun,” he said, echoing a view espoused previously by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who claimed that foreigners are needed to “build HDB flats and MRT lines”.
A resident had complained that “foreigners were crowding Singaporeans out of jobs, depriving them from even becoming cleaners.”
Mr Shanmugam disputed the statement:
“The ‘actual practical reality’ was that employers often turned to foreigners only as a last resort when they cannot find local staff. More often than not, employers were even willing to pay Singaporeans more…..If the foreign worker gets $800, we’ll try to get the Singaporean $1,300. But you have to work on weekends. The Singaporean says ‘no’.”
His stance was repeated by several PAP leaders in the past who refused to acknowledge the problem which is largely caused by their flawed immigration and labor policies.
During a May Day Rally in 2009, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong claimed that foreign workers were of “value” to Singapore:
‘They are not here to steal our jobs, but to help us enlarge the economic pie….Foreign workers were of value to Singapore. Because they are hard-working and willing to work long hours, coffeeshops can stay open late or even round the clock. The airport, seaport, factories, offices, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets here can offer better service and business hours. Even smaller businesses, such as neighbourhood shops, can reduce business costs and stay afloat if they hire some foreign workers on top of locals,” he said.
NTUC Secretary-General and Minister in Prime Minister’s Office Lim Swee Say added:
“‘Let us be very clear. Foreign workers…are our partners because they are here working together with us…that makes us the number one workforce in the world.’”
[Source: Straits Times, 2 May 2009]
Mr Lim’s shameless boast about Singapore being the “number one” workforce in the world is quite “divorced from reality” as a recent article by Wall Street Journal revealed that the relentless influx of foreigners into Singapore over the last few years has decreased the wages of Singaporeans, lowered labor productivity, increased the cost of living and led directly to a lower standard of living.
While in the past, only very highly qualified foreigners or those doing menial jobs like construction were permitted to work in Singapore, there are increasingly number of semi-skilled foreigners who are competing directly with locals for jobs which can otherwise be taken up by them.
Singapore Courts splashed a full-page job advertisement in the Malaysian newspaper The Star last weekend seeking Malaysians for various positions in Singapore such as cashiers, operation executives, and assistant accountants.
The interview will be held today from 9am to 5pm at The Puteri Pacific, Johor Bahru.
If foreigners are indeed doing jobs only shunned by Singaporeans, why is Courts not employing locals for these positions?
Are Singaporeans not interested in working as cashiers, operation executives and assistant accountants?
Mr Shanmugam added that “foreigners were not to be blamed for retrenched workers being unable to get re-employed at their old pay.” due to “companies still being uncertain about the economy and workers who may not have the right skills.”
‘So, our problem are people above 40. So NTUC sends them for job schemes where they get them trained, but individuals also have to reduce expectations,’ he said.
Ultimately, the problem still lies with Singaporeans – we are too choosy about jobs and we have too high expectations, and not the PAP which opens the floodgates to let in too many foreigners in too short a time.
One thing Singaporeans can be very “clear” about judging from recent statements made by PAP leaders is that they and the foreigners are “partners” in Singapore and we are no more than “sheep” driven around by them, to borrow the words of the second most senior “lion” in the cabinet Goh Chok Tong.
Uncle John,
You can dig the road for 12 hours or not, you can balance yourself on a beam in construction site 50 floor up or not??? or Can you go into a 100 degrees C ship engine room and work there for a day or not? I think most likely you will end up in hospital A & E dept. If you really want to work in such condition, i know a casket company giving discount.
The most singaporeans can do is to baptise people like John.
he is focusing on one area.......there are many otherer areas besides mere construction werker or shipyard job!
either he is not doing his job in parliament and simply copying data or he is purposely focusing on one industry or particular job out of avoding the responsibilty of having to answer to the other electrinics and manufacturing industries...
either way...i dont see any good will result from their "werk".
its as good as saying
man:hey your dvd i bought from you was defective.
dvd seller picks up dvd n plays it for 2 mins: it looks good
man: no it isnt....its blur n fuzzy in middle of the dvd movie!!!
dvd seller fast forwards it and plays it:i cant see any blur fuzzy image...most are ok
man:no it isnt...its right there!!cant u see it??!!!
dvd seller:looks fine to me
man:walks out angrily
dvd seller:puts on spectacles and grins happily.....another sucker just like any other day.
Originally posted by Hitman_:he is focusing on one area.......there are many otherer areas besides mere construction werker or shipyard job!
either he is not doing his job in parliament and simply copying data or he is purposely focusing on one industry or particular job out of avoding the responsibilty of having to answer to the other electrinics and manufacturing industries...
either way...i dont see any good will result from their "werk".
its as good as saying
man:hey your dvd i bought from you was defective.
dvd seller picks up dvd n plays it for 2 mins: it looks good
man: no it isnt....its blur n fuzzy in middle of the dvd movie!!!
dvd seller fast forwards it and plays it:i cant see any blur fuzzy image...most are ok
man:no it isnt...its right there!!cant u see it??!!!
dvd seller:looks fine to me
man:walks out angrily
dvd seller:puts on spectacles and grins happily.....another sucker just like any other day.
for me, i alway said, your DVD player got problem,...lai lai ar,.,,,,XXX movie, HD, one for $8 only..japan, PRC, taiwan, europe, america...big ...small....police lai liao,....Chiao ARRRRRHHhhhh!!!
angel70,
u are LKY's daughter arent u??
Originally posted by angel7030:Uncle John,
You can dig the road for 12 hours or not, you can balance yourself on a beam in construction site 50 floor up or not??? or Can you go into a 100 degrees C ship engine room and work there for a day or not? I think most likely you will end up in hospital A & E dept. If you really want to work in such condition, i know a casket company giving discount.
The most singaporeans can do is to baptise people like John.
Yes those jobs certainly need foreigners to do. Local incapable for this.
..... so if a Singaporean earns $1,300 a month he has a "SWISS STANDARD OF LIVING" !!!
Originally posted by Rovingswordsman:..... so if a Singaporean earns $1,300 a month he has a "SWISS STANDARD OF LIVING" !!!
More and more pple will die of hunger with $1,300 per month pay.
Swiss std? No lah, more likely batam std.
of cos singapore will say no what.... our government told us must pay top dollar for talent what.... so if we accept that mean we are not talent lor.. or that we will be collecting under table money instead of the empty bowl and cups on the table.....
Shanmugan is talking crap. How dare he, he never finds out fact and anyhow shoot. As a professional lawyer he could have gathered more facts.
What about an elderly woman looking for jobs at coffeeshops and was rejected many times??? Shamugan, go gather facts before you talk. YOu never wash your mouth is it?
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):of cos singapore will say no what.... our government told us must pay top dollar for talent what.... so if we accept that mean we are not talent lor.. or that we will be collecting under table money instead of the empty bowl and cups on the table.....
I tell u, they just want to pick on Singaporeans no matter what singaporeans do. Bunch of hopeless jiakliaobee sickos, sucking millions from us
Oh dear...so old and yet was rejected at coffeeshops.
Even my place coffee shop...all from prc. Except 2 old ah pek.
Originally posted by likeyou:Oh dear...so old and yet was rejected at coffeeshops.
Even my place coffee shop...all from prc. Except 2 old ah pek.
There is no rule set by the govt to protect the interest of employment that is why these coffeeshops' owners are practising biasness.
Rice bowls of local not protected and yet we are paying them millions to take care of us. What a joke!
Originally posted by likeyou:Oh dear...so old and yet was rejected at coffeeshops.
Even my place coffee shop...all from prc. Except 2 old ah pek.
my dad also lost his resturant and kopitiam cleaner job due to prc lor... cheap cheap work everyday also can... my dad health not so good what of cos cannot fight with them lor...
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
my dad also lost his resturant and kopitiam cleaner job due to prc lor... cheap cheap work everyday also can... my dad health not so good what of cos cannot fight with them lor...
Sorry to hear that.
This same like my boss.
Want cheap cheap, green green, can multi tasking, can work long hours. Can cut cost. And also can make you scare every hour, even at home.
Originally posted by likeyou:
Sorry to hear that.
This same like my boss.
Want cheap cheap, green green, can multi tasking, can work long hours. Can cut cost. And also can make you scare every hour, even at home.
The root problem is there is no fixed low wage for Singaporeans.
Originally posted by Fantagf:The root problem is there is no fixed low wage for Singaporeans.
All local employers love to take employee that can work long hours with low wages.
That kill lots of locals pple (low income group) off.
Originally posted by likeyou:
All local employers love to take employee that can work long hours with low wages.That kill lots of locals pple (low income group) off.
FRankly, we have no problem to accept low wage job in Thailand. Thailand has low costs of living. Not feasible for that in Singapore being 2nd in Asia for high living costs
Anyway, the govt knows but purposely behave as if we are all at fault.
I have friends (only psle level) who are jobless and unable to find even a contract worker.
Told me they (those boss) love to take in foreigners cos they are cheap.
Very sad and true picture.
Originally posted by likeyou:I have friends (only psle level) who are jobless and unable to find even a contract worker.
Told me they (those boss) love to take in foreigners cos they are cheap.
Very sad and true picture.
i come across an indian gal singaporean (PSLE holder) also has difficulty looking for job.
govt driving the people up the wall! I believe they love to see locals go jobless and this way they have more to be picky on locals
Tell them they are creating bad karma for themselves.
Originally posted by Fantagf:
i come across an indian gal singaporean (PSLE holder) also has difficulty looking for job.govt driving the people up the wall! I believe they love to see locals go jobless and this way they have more to be picky on locals
Tell them they are creating bad karma for themselves.
Yes, and they will say sporen not hard working enough.
Well, I agree to what shunmugam has said about singaporeans are choosy in looking for job...
Locals are really too choosy about looking for a job. Everyone wants to find a perfect job.
High salary, 5 day week... And always thinking about slacking while working... Things are often not up to standerd...
Think about it...
If you need to look for a job now, are you willing to take up a 6 days work week job with only 1k pay?
Of couse you will say you are willing, but often you will go around looking for higher pay job.
Employers don't have the time to wait for us to choose... they have a business to run... Which is why they fill the empty slots in with foriengers rather then singaporeans...
Then here come the singaporean, complaining.
Originally posted by likeyou:
Yes, and they will say sporen not hard working enough.
We the citizens have a lot more to say about them. They are bunch of ungrateful despots. Forever ungrateful to us who are feeding them. Without us they are not in existence
Originally posted by popikachu:Well, I agree to what shunmugam has said about singaporeans are choosy in looking for job...
Locals are really too choosy about looking for a job. Everyone wants to find a perfect job.
High salary, 5 day week... And always thinking about slacking while working... Things are often not up to standerd...
Think about it...
If you need to look for a job now, are you willing to take up a 6 days work week job with only 1k pay?
Of couse you will say you are willing, but often you will go around looking for higher pay job.
Employers don't have the time to wait for us to choose... they have a business to run... Which is why they fill the empty slots in with foriengers rather then singaporeans...
Then here come the singaporean, complaining.
Do you have a family to feed? How much work experience do you have? How much do you understand how families struggle to cope with the forever rising costs of living?
Just tell us your answers to these questions. It is so easy to point fingers when you are not in their shoes.
Originally posted by popikachu:Well, I agree to what shunmugam has said about singaporeans are choosy in looking for job...
Locals are really too choosy about looking for a job. Everyone wants to find a perfect job.
High salary, 5 day week... And always thinking about slacking while working... Things are often not up to standerd...
Think about it...
If you need to look for a job now, are you willing to take up a 6 days work week job with only 1k pay?
Of couse you will say you are willing, but often you will go around looking for higher pay job.
Employers don't have the time to wait for us to choose... they have a business to run... Which is why they fill the empty slots in with foriengers rather then singaporeans...
Then here come the singaporean, complaining.
If you are talking about single, then $1k might be able to survive.
But if you are talking about a married man, with kids and aged paretns, how to survive with $1k per month?