This is a well balanced speech on UK's immigration problems. Cameron acknowledges the contributions of immigrants to UK but feels that the 'high' influx has strained its infrastructure and the social fabric of the country. This is now a very big issue in UK right now and the Cameron govt has to answer to angry citizens.
I couldn't help feeling amused halfway through the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG56m9bU7OI&feature=player_embedded
"I'm also clear about something else. For too long immigration has been too high. Between 1997 and 2009, 2.2 million more people came to live in this country than went to live abroad. This is the largest influx of people that britain has ever had. It has placed real pressures on communities up and down our country. Not just pressure on schools, housing and healthcare - those have been serious- but social pressures too" - Cameron, 3:47 into the video.
Geee...as a Singaporean, the numbers PM Cameron mentioned seems very small for a relatively big country like UK...yet they are so alarmed by it.
I double check the figures he spoke about and found this article about immigration in BBC [Link] about UK's 'alarming' rate of immigration - about 145,000 a year. - that is causing much hue and oitcry among the British people.
"Between 2005 and 2009, Singapore's population surged by roughly 150,000 people a year to 5 million—among the fastest rates ever there—with 75% or more of the increase coming from foreigners. In-migration continued in 2009 despite expectations it would collapse because of the global recession." - WSJ article "Singapore's Expat Surge Fuels Economic Fears"[Link]
UK has a population size of 61 million people i.e. about 12 times the size of Singapore. That makes UK's per capita immigration rate one tenth that of Singapore's. UK land area is about 350 times that of Singapore. The British are protesting against a foreign influx that is miniscule compared with the rate in Singapore. Indeed PM Cameron is very serious about tackling a issue that is one-tenth the magnitude that of Singapore.
Very often PAP leaders accuse ordinary Singaporeans of being small minded and intolerant of immigrants. This is not true. The PAP's policy on the foreign influx borders on the extreme and in any other country the govt would have been voted out had their govt imported foreigners at such a high rate. The PAP is riding on some goodwill from a distant past and unfair elections which favors the incumbent. It should take this borrowed time for a hard reflection of this issue. Lets get this very clear. Singaporeans are very open and tolerant people - most of us lived in a multiracial and multireligious society all our lives. We tolerated 10 times the per capita immigration rate in Britain for years before it became a big issue when it affected our lives adversely. It is hurtful and insensitive when the PAP calls us small minded and says we are unable to integrate with foreigners. Many of us have friends and relatives who are foreigners. That was never the issue. The real issue is the extremely large numbers the PAP govt permitted into the country.
Immigration woes . . . .
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People,
in 10 years, Britain, a big country, received 2 million immigrants and the British are so upset, complaining everyday and racist organisations grew rapidly bec of their discontent.
in 5 years, Singapore, smaller than London, received 5 million immigrants.
How does that make Singaporeans feel?
PAP, I'll put that question to you first.
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Originally posted by Bhw33:
People,
in 10 years, Britain, a big country, received 2 million immigrants and the British are so upset, complaining everyday and racist organisations grew rapidly bec of their discontent.
in 5 years, Singapore, smaller than London, received 5 million immigrants.
How does that make Singaporeans feel?
PAP, I'll put that question to you first.
The greatest problem here is the people and the PAP government. The people are typically too immature politically to vote PAP out. PAP is very brilliant to detect the weaknesses of the hopeless Singaporeans to con us again and again and now life does not improve after election.
Generally, the people in this land dislike the influx of the foreigners but majority (60.1% of voters) still do nothing to change the reality. Because of they are immature politically they make the rest suffer.
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Very true. But the younger generation are more risk taking in their voting. The rest are just comfy in their middle income jobs n not prepared to rock d boat.
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i disagree with some of pap's policies too.
but making them lose a grc is unlike voting them out. dont be so sure voting pap out will be good for country.
the younger generation has never seen difficults times. they are born with everything all in place. its easy to say you want things to change. but if change really comes but does not go according to plan can you take it?
its always easier said than done.
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Originally posted by dragg:
i disagree with some of pap's policies too.
but making them lose a grc is unlike voting them out. dont be so sure voting pap out will be good for country.
the younger generation has never seen difficults times. they are born with everything all in place. its easy to say you want things to change. but if change really comes but does not go according to plan can you take it?
its always easier said than done.
People have to start somewhere. It is such mentality that retard growth and progress for the nation. No venture, no gain. This is kiasuism and kiasizm that stop things from happening. We will be forever be bullied by PAP if all have same mentality as you. -
Originally posted by dragg:
i disagree with some of pap's policies too.
but making them lose a grc is unlike voting them out. dont be so sure voting pap out will be good for country.
the younger generation has never seen difficults times. they are born with everything all in place. its easy to say you want things to change. but if change really comes but does not go according to plan can you take it?
its always easier said than done.
We want a revolution, and just like wanting faster internet speed, we do want a swift and fast revolution, suffer is ok, every revolution, there is suffering before a new era is born, without sufferring, there is no result and the PAP will think they are indispensable, taking you for a ride with them on a ever rolling coaster. NO pain NO gain.The ruling party have managed to secure the timid mind of the middle age and oldies, to these peoples, either they feel they owe PAP a flavor or felt that their living hood is at stake will not do a revolution, that alone makes PAP feeling arrogant and proud of their achievement, their way of a tiger claws cover under a pair of nice velvet gloves is start to tear off.
If you said that without PAP, we will be more worst, isn't that timid, isn't that stereotyping, isn't that going to change??
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actually the 2011 election is a poor result for all the opposition n for people who want a change.its is expected to take 20 years for 7 seats to be awarded to opposition.spore needs like 40 seats instead of 10 seats!!!how long will that take?it would take like next 80 years for that to happen if everyone thinks like it is now.perhaps never even!
the result was appalling and in no way be regarded as a victory for any opposition.now what?wait for next 80 years?who is goin to be alive then?
IM BEH]GINNIN TO THINK THERS NO HOPE cept for thse oppositions voted in n gettin paid minister style.
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Originally posted by dragg:
i disagree with some of pap's policies too.
but making them lose a grc is unlike voting them out. dont be so sure voting pap out will be good for country.
the younger generation has never seen difficults times. they are born with everything all in place. its easy to say you want things to change. but if change really comes but does not go according to plan can you take it?
its always easier said than done.
Singapore's young (not me bec i'm turning the big 40 soooooon) DO NOT CARE IF SINGAPORE BECOMES A SWAMP LAND. THEY CAN EMIGRATE. Neither do I. I rather have an opposition goverment and see how well they do. Even in the unlikely event that Singapore becomes a swamp land, I will be happier than now.
I remember the good old days, 30 yrs ago, when neighbours are so nice to each other, Singaporeans are mostly friendly, the romantic feel on the streets of a less developed S'pore, LESS STRESS and NOT A SINGLE ANG MO SPECIE TO BE SEEN.
So I do not care abt a 1st world airport, 1st class infrastructure...but I do care about a govt that shows kindness to the hungry and poor and not a govt who propels aliens to a high status while leaving us in the pits. That's why I want an opposition govt.
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Originally posted by Bhw33:
Singapore's young (not me bec i'm turning the big 40 soooooon) DO NOT CARE IF SINGAPORE BECOMES A SWAMP LAND. THEY CAN EMIGRATE. Neither do I. I rather have an opposition goverment and see how well they do. Even in the unlikely event that Singapore becomes a swamp land, I will be happier than now.
I remember the good old days, 30 yrs ago, when neighbours are so nice to each other, Singaporeans are mostly friendly, the romantic feel on the streets of a less developed S'pore, LESS STRESS and NOT A SINGLE ANG MO SPECIE TO BE SEEN.
So I do not care abt a 1st world airport, 1st class infrastructure...but I do care about a govt that shows kindness to the hungry and poor and not a govt who propels aliens to a high status while leaving us in the pits. That's why I want an opposition govt.
Cannot have "opposition government".
If they are the government, they are not the opposition anymore.
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Originally posted by Bhw33:
Singapore's young (not me bec i'm turning the big 40 soooooon) DO NOT CARE IF SINGAPORE BECOMES A SWAMP LAND. THEY CAN EMIGRATE. Neither do I. I rather have an opposition goverment and see how well they do. Even in the unlikely event that Singapore becomes a swamp land, I will be happier than now.
I remember the good old days, 30 yrs ago, when neighbours are so nice to each other, Singaporeans are mostly friendly, the romantic feel on the streets of a less developed S'pore, LESS STRESS and NOT A SINGLE ANG MO SPECIE TO BE SEEN.
So I do not care abt a 1st world airport, 1st class infrastructure...but I do care about a govt that shows kindness to the hungry and poor and not a govt who propels aliens to a high status while leaving us in the pits. That's why I want an opposition govt.
someone not me would tell you to wait long long....not in yer lifetime unless its a civil war in spore,,,most sporeeans have no tummy for that......they pretend its goin to get better by believing in tall coksucking tales from lying politicians than the real hard practical truth!!!u want the good old days..best build a time machine n travel back to time where the hawker centres really cooked great food!
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Originally posted by charlize:
Cannot have "opposition government".
If they are the government, they are not the opposition anymore.
easier to understand
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Originally posted by Bhw33:
easier to understand
Really?