I REFER to Mr He Yanying's letter, 'Give scholarships to foreigners with care', published last Friday. It should be taken seriously by the scholarship committee.

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look, this kind of jealousy will do you no good. it will make life pitiful for you. accept the fact that this is because of the need of the hour. foreigners will come to singapore study, make money and go elsewhere. you or your PM or none can stop it. i challenge you, if possible you put a stop to importing foreign talent. within a short time singapore will be self-liquidated.

I agree that it is likely that those born locally would return to Singapore after pusuing their studies and would continue to stay in Singapore even after serving their bond as Singapore is where they grew up and where their family is. However, to say that the bond only serves to retain foreigners temporarily during which they may be planning a career elsewhere and trying to break the bond is a generalisation as there are foreigners who regard Singapore as their home and feel the same for the country as those born locally do.

Also, it is true that for foreigners who return to serve the bond, there is no guarantee that they will stay to serve the interests of Singapore when their bond expires. However, there is no guarantee that those born locally will stay to serve the interests of Singapore when their bond expires either as they are able to go overseas to stay and work as well.

For a singapore citizen scholarship holder, I know that his parents or relatives will have to be a guarantor to the bond. As for foreigner scholarship holders whose parents and relatives are not here, I wonder who could be the guarantor for the bond?
If not guaranator is required for foreign scholarship holder, how can he be required to come back to contribute to our society?

I agree with the letter-writer's sentiments. Foreign scholarship holders only spend a few years in Singapore - and even less, if they secure an overseas scholarship. Definitely not enough time to form any bonds that would compel them to return to contribute to Singapore after their studies.

Yes, foreigners do require a guarantor for their bond, just like any scholarship holder. But the guarantors are usually required to be gainfully employed SPRs, or citizens. So if these foreigners happen to run off..... again, it means suffering for the citizens and residents who've contributed!!! :-(

Contrast this to a Singaporean scholarship holder who will usually rely on family to be the guarantors. At least, if he or she runs off, fair enough, the family suffers for it.

To: ForeignerTheOnlyHope

You fail to distinguish between Jealousy and Fairness. Foreigners are here to arbitrage the system (or citizens of Singapore?). Without the arbitrage, I bet many won't even bother about Singapore. We as citizens have a right to think about the resources we spend on foreigners vs citizens. It's our resource. Your arrogance is more pitiful and smacks of indignition to your host country. Rude even.

Your complex is showing. I suggest you don't just Threaten, why don't you just do what you advocate and leave whatever you are doing now and leave to see Singapore sink or swim?

Yes, Singapore cannot only depend on foreigners to develop their technologies and economies. As I know, most of foreign scholars use Singapore as a bridge which provides the way to universities abroad. They may not stay and serve Singapore. It is true that the government provides scholarship to those foreigners for university and requires them back to serve Singapore after graduation. However, unfortunately, a lot of the graduates stay abroad and their relative companies will pay for the fine of breaking the contract. Although there are still some scholars coming back, this amount is not enough. Ultimately, the problem is if you have capability, certainly you prefer pursuing a better future.

I disagree with the writer’s view. It is too absolute to say that foreign scholars do not feel any sense of belongs to Singapore at all or would not continue to stay and serve Singapore when their bond expires. Studying in a country for a few years as scholars, many of them do feel grateful to Singapore for providing them such opportunities. As time goes by, this country would most probably become their second hometown. Take a step back, even if they decide to return to their home country, Singapore can still benefit. For example, when they want to invest in a foreign country, they would most likely choose Singapore as they are more familiar with the social environment and markets here. This still contributes to Singapore's future developments.

There are many reasons behind the bringing in of foreign talents to Singapore. Foreigners may have more experience overseas, as Singapore is a small country and there are levels of achievement that we have not yet reached. Bringing foreign talents in serves to allow locals to be imparted skills that we do not possess as of yet.

Also, the government hopes that with the presence of foreign talents, locals will be encouraged to work harder and not always be in the second place. However, i find that the generation nowadays have taken the presence of foreign scholars for granted, and they will be complacent with always falling behind as they will think it is natural, as the scholars are naturally clever hence their scholarships.

There are plenty of local scholarships available; it is only a matter of whether we think them worthy of applying. If they do not appeal to us, they will naturally go towards foreigners who jump at the opportunities that we have given up.

Foreigners that have achieved their scholarship aims overseas with the help of a Singaporean scholarship are looked upon enviously, as locals do not have the privileges that they have. We have to go through with what the government has planned for us before we are able to look for a prestigious university that will accept us. Although we might have perfect grades, we might not be accepted, as the current admission statistics for locals do not look very positive.

There is always a chance of foreigners breaking the bonds that they had signed a contract for, or them leaving right after the bond is completed. Giving them these bonds fill them with gratitude, but that is all, and it is not likely that they will be so thankful that they must immediately apply for a Singapore citizenship so that they will be able to continue serving in our country. It is unfortunately true that their spirits are not in Singapore, as our homelands will always hold the highest place in our hearts.

Singaporeans who choose to study overseas have done so because they wish to, and not because there are scholarships for them to do so. In their case, that is their choice to make, but the government may wish to appeal to them to bring these citizens back to impart their knowledge to other locals who did not have the privilege to pursue an overseas education.

Singapore has been generous enough to provide assistance to foreigners pursuing educations here, but we could also come up with some methods to appeal to locals pursuing education overseas to return to Singapore to impart their newly learnt skills, and to erase the idea of Singapore being filled with foreign talents and having no space for locals to shine. Implementing such scholarships for locals to study overseas at well-known universities would be welcomed as well.

#8 Good points. I fully agree.