SINGAPORE must manage the inflow of foreign talent and other immigrants to ensure Singaporeans do not lose out but rather benefit from their presence, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said yesterday.

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It is very interesting to note the 2 different approach use on foreign labor.

The approach use by PM and the approach use by SM.

We cannot simply rubber stamp foreign labor into Singapore y because there is a shortage.

We must take into account :-
1. How it can affect the wages of local citizens by companies in favor of cheap labor" to business manage cost. and not just sweep our complains under the carpet by telling Singaporeans that we are CHOOSY.

2. How it can add value to fellow Singaporeans through enhancing their skills level.

3. Reward those who whistle blow on companies , that flout foreign labor quota so that we do not get phantom
local workers. situation.

4. Impose heavy penalties on companies using MOBILE workers to circumvent the phantom labor issue.

5. Set a yearly quota and bidding system similar to COE for the different sectors for foreign labor if we do not want to put foreign labor on equal footing under our Employment Act.

We should also have a different set o minimum requirements for different industries for foreigner to go through before they can work in Singapore :-

1. Language Proficiency Test - Written & Spoken
2. Qualifications. Checks - Real or fake
3. Security checks & interviews

We can engage our embassies to do all these 3 before we grant them any work permit here.

The more develop countries take pain to go through a list checks using their embassies before allowing foreigners to work and live in their home country.

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It is very interesting to note the 2 different approach use on foreign labor by those working for SM when he was PM, and now those working for our present PM.

One can simply look back then and now and see the results. of 2 different approach use.

We cannot simply rubber stamp foreign labor into Singapore y because there is a shortage. This is a fire fighting approach and we cannot allow it to continue.

We must take into account :-
1. How it can affect the wages of local citizens by companies in favor of cheap labor" to business manage cost. and not just sweep our complains under the carpet by telling Singaporeans that we are CHOOSY.

2. How it can add value to fellow Singaporeans wages through enhancing their skills level.

3. Have a system and hotline number to reward those who whistle blow on companies , that flout foreign labor quota so that we do not get phantom local workers. situation.

4. Impose heavy penalties on companies using MOBILE workers to circumvent the phantom labor issue.

5. Set a yearly quota and bidding system similar to COE for the different sectors for foreign labor if we do not want to put foreign labor on equal footing under our Employment Act.

We should also have a different set o minimum requirements for different industries for foreigner to go through before they can work in Singapore :-

1. Language Proficiency Test - Written & Spoken
2. Qualifications. Checks - Real or fake
3. Security checks & interviews

We can engage our embassies to do all these 3 before we grant them any work permit here.

The more develop countries take pain to go through a list checks using their embassies before allowing foreigners to work and live in their home country.


This to me is REMAKING Singapore... Not SIMPLY Rubber Stamping for sake of making our cvompaines here being being competitive at the expanse of Singaporeans.
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We need to manage the inflow of the these foreign workers, especially those require lesser qualification.

Who benefits?
1) Thoses companies benefit due to the lower labour cost
2) Singapore as whole.

WHO SUFFER?
1) Singaporean with lower qualification/ labour based job -Lower pay and possibly lesser employment opportunities,

2) Inconvenience to residential -Over-crowded neighouring units- with more than 10-20 person., which lead to Safety and Security, implication.

WHY DO we have to put up with these inconvenience?
Some of these labour-based worker and nightclub FOREIGN TALENT smokes, throw thrash out into corridor and fights and disturbing our sleep.They were inconsiderate.

How much rental do you expect these workers willing/ afford to pay? $250-350 per bed with utilities - this is the market rate of my apt located near town. IT ended up with overcrowded units.

So we have to put up with all these inconveniences, tolerating and accept their habit and differences?!

This is a structural issue.

We are still missing the part on NS. We should have a much broader definition of NS.

Combat vocation in modern times are not so physically demanding. We should increase the age of NS liabilities for foreigners and PRs by 5 years.
If there are still reservations about letting foreigners take on combat vocations, then let them spend 1 weekend, then 2 week ends every 3 months to do compulsory welfare work at NS rates. They oould clean dishes at our old folks home, wash the cars of our army officers, clean the toilets of our public hospitals this could be done under a Supplementary Enlistment Act, meaning, they would be liable for AWOL if they do not show up in time or have bad attitude performing their duties.

We put our citizens through 24 months to 30 months , then another 12 years. This is the most effective way to let NSF feel that they have been fairly treated.

I feel that the relaxed attitude towards the inflow of Cheap Labor at all levels (Not just jobs like construction) is so that costs can be driven down. Rental cost is an ever rising component of costs. Why isn't something about that being done? Instead, us Singaporeans are being squeezed of out salaries and jobs.

The very fabric of Singapore society, the true blue Singaporean, is being driven to the brink of extinction coz Singapore is not livable to us. Don't tell me to look at some third world country and consider myself lucky. People look ahead for a better life. Not a worse life where we have no jobs (let alone job security) and no money, with a government that seems to be spending tons of Singaporean taxpayer's money on welcoming Cheap Labor that brings along with it social problems.

Why do we still have the highest paid politicians in the world when it's crystal clear that these politicians are not looking after the interests of those who voted for them?

My trust has been betrayed so many times by MIW, so I don't trust anything GCT says.

This is nothing more than a pre-election ploy.

Please publish the unemployment rate of S'pore citizens. We need to see concrete improvements in median wage of citizens, unemployment rate of citizens, less crowded public transport, PRs not having the same priority as citizens for Primary 1 Registration, etc....before we can even begin to believe what GCT says!!!!

One more thing, Labor laws need to be enforced more strictly with the threat of the owner of the company going to jail for a minimum of 2 years if he/she break the hiring laws like the minimum number of Singaporeans in the company. And not just have those laws but have them enforced proactively. The idea of a toll free hotline to MOM to report these is a good idea.

The good news is that a debate about the subject is taking place at senior levels within the policy making establishment.

There is no doubt this is a structural issue that affects many components of Singapore society. It has implications for the ageing society, for the less qualifies, the cost of living and possible racial and ethnic sparks.

Lastly, and importantly, the direct impact on Sg economic growth and competitiveness of a free labour market is crucial. Without a liberal labour market, Singapore's ability to survive as a regional hub will disappear within a few years.
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To legolass

Overall Unemployment in SG is 3.3% (this is considered normal is any economy).
But the unemployment rate of Singaporeans is 4.8%. (this is high)

It is very disturbing that us Singaporeans are unemployed in out own country when Cheap Foreign Labor has our jobs.