Senior Minister Goh: It is right for Zhang Yuanyuan to proclaim her loyalty to China
October 30th, 2009 | 
Author: From our Correspondent
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong had stepped forward publicly to support Singapore PR and PRC national Zhang Yuanyuan for proclaiming her loyalty to China on CCTV Channel 7!
Mr Goh felt that Ms Zhang did not do anything wrong as she is only a Singapore PR and therefore it is “right” for her to be proud of her homeland, China.
Ms Zhang sparked a debate recently with her outlandish remarks and flashing of the Singapore blue PR IC on screen. However, Mr Goh was of the view that it is more important for Singapore to think of ways to attract more PRs to take up Singapore citizenship.
He said that even if a foreigner become a Singapore citizen, it is only natural that he/she will continue to maintain close ties with his/her land of birth. In fact, this should be encouraged.
Mr Goh seemed oblivious to the fact that Singaporeans are more angry with the government for its liberal immigration policy than what Ms Zhang said.
Ms Zhang came to Singapore on a student pass in 2003 armed with only a diploma from an unknown institution in China. She became a PR within two months of application.
Many Singaporeans are questioning how Ms Zhang qualified to be a PR in the first place since she is not considered a professional.
The government and the state media have been blaming Singaporeans for “making a mountain out of a molehill” without answering this key question.
Earlier, three PAP MPs chided Singapore netizens for “over-reacting” and jumped to defend Ms Zhang.
The issue here isn’t about Ms Zhang’s allegiance, but the rising number of foreigners working and living in Singapore. Many like Ms Zhang, choose to become PRs to “facilitate” travel between Singapore and their homelands and not because they are interested in our citizenship.
Are we so desperate for foreigners that we are “giving away” our pink ICs too easily and cheaply?
Based on her qualifications, Ms Zhang would never have qualified studying or working in Australia or Canada, but thanks to Singapore, she is now more employable in China.
Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise that Ms Zhang had decided to return to China instead of following the footsteps of some of her compatriots who emigrated to other countries after securing Singapore citizenship.
The Ministry of Home Affairs should provide the public information on the actual numbers of PRs leaving Singapore to return to their homelands and new citizens who give up their citizenship to migrate elsewhere each year.
While Singapore do need foreigners to boost its flagging population, more stringent criteria should be imposed to grant citizenship only to those who truly want to be Singaporeans and to prevent unworthy candidates from exploiting the system to their own benefits.
Posted in Editorial
Coz it’s true to character of...
This is a small matter, We paid million of $ salary for a Kayu to meddle in this case. Kayu—-Kayu——-Kayu.GCT
I don’t see anything wrong with her being loyal to her own country, but because this is the case, permanent residents ought to be given less rights and privileges. Then she can either make the hard decision of whether to switch her allegiance to Singapore, or stay a PR, no fuss.
SM GCT and the government is indeed missing the point but it is because we had been asking the wrong question and making the wrong noise? Just look at all the misleading tittles and bias comment out there. which to address first?
Yeah, So now we know who can be trust and who can’t be trust be we talk about protecting ours nation. We stil never learn about SAR, when SAR attack Singaporean. Who stand and fight? Who run back? U all should known. Singapore can take in people who going to run at any time she or he like. How if Malay /India singaporean say there will still loyal to their grand,grand,grandfather land, Malaysia/Indonesia or India what will there get? Charge them under ISA? Catch and fine them brainwash them, say the are spy or last they are not allow to enter NS.
Why most of the Muslim Scholar don’t need to go for NS After there come back from futher Study such as Saudi,egypt or other middleast country?
避重就轻
“….it is peanuts?” Remember this remark. I guess he is divorced from reality.
Any if the people of Singapore were to vote in the opposition into power, his remarks on PRs will just be the opinion of an ordinary Singaporean. And we know that our opinions don’t carry much weight here. Always ignored by the government.
I CAN’T BUT AGREE TOTALLY WITH SM GOH.
which MOTHER in the world would desert her own sons and daughters even they have adopted ones?
WISE ms CHANG and how TRULY WISE here MOTHERland!
we need to learn from such fine example!
Why didn’t he also said Singaporeans are ALSO ENTITLED to be loyal to Singapore ONLY – even if that means by a REFERENDUM that Singaporeans alone decide whether they want to keep foreign PRs and evict them.
She is a Chinese citizen, what do you expect? Are all Singaporean PR living in Australia disloyal to Australia when they attend Singapore National Day celebration? Do you hear Australian complaining about how disloyal they are and what would they do if New Zealand attack Australia? This constant foreigner bashing is so ridiculous and childish. Time to grow up if you want to be a first world country.
of cos he will say it is ok. u expect him to rebut, oppose and face the party whip?
.
John (3:32pm):
“This constant foreigner bashing is so ridiculous and childish. Time to grow up if you want to be a first world country.”
Did you even READ the article? Are you one of those kids that just see the title and jump to post comments?
The article is bashing govt policies, not foreigners. Since you seem to have comprehension problems, let me quote for you.
In para 5, “Mr Goh seemed oblivious to the fact that Singaporeans are more angry with the government for its liberal immigration policy than what Ms Zhang said.”
In para 10, “The issue here isn’t about Ms Zhang’s allegiance, but the rising number of foreigners working and living in Singapore.”
So dear John, please grow up and more importantly, please learn to READ next time!
“She is a Chinese citizen, what do you expect? Are all Singaporean PR living in Australia disloyal to Australia when they attend Singapore National Day celebration? Do you hear Australian complaining about how disloyal they are and what would they do if New Zealand attack Australia? This constant foreigner bashing is so ridiculous and childish. Time to grow up if you want to be a first world country.”
Aussies BASH Asians all the time! Loyal or Not Loyal, get lost and return to the hole you came from!
John on Sat, 31st Oct 2009 3:32 pm
…….” Time to grow up if you want to be a first world country….”
Sorry John, disagree with you there!.
We have never got there – by any perspective.
If we ever got there and only economically, South Korea would have knocked out one of the G7 nations already long ago before us though it was well on the way.
Politically, we are rated among the lowest almost at the bottom of rubbish dump – much worst that many third world nations which Shammugan desperately tried to justify an urge to upgrade to not much impression among us here.
Nor we will ever get there looking at the present state of affair and the changed global perspective either economically or politically.
WE ARE IN FACT SO DESPERATE OF FUTURE THAT WE ARE IN INSANE GAMBLE OF IMPORTING NOT CAPITAL NOR TECHNOLGY BUT URGENT AIRLIFTS OF HUMAN CARGOES LIKE ROTTEN TOMATOES.
I thought it was reported in MSM recently that GCT visiting his late grandfather’s ancestral home in Fujian commented there that Singapore is a small country and unable to take too many migrants.
Did he suddenly changed his mind and political thought on this matter of migration of selectivity, presumably of some quality of talent and some sense of belonging to Singapore not to humiliate us like Zhang Yuan Yuan?
I find it very strange that some posters here still don’t get what’s happening…Zhang was just a PR, not a citizen, and she did not use Singapore’s taxpayers money for her studies here, so what’s wrong with her showing her loyalty to her home country.
Due to my regional roles, I am now a PR of Hong Kong but I hold on to my Singapore passport, my kids studied in Singapore International School in Hong Kong, and I sent them back to Singapore during school vacation to immerse into Singapore schools’ environment, and we attend National Day parties organized by the Singapore Consulate in Hong Kong. Does this means that I am disloyal to Hong Kong? Certainly not, I am after all still a Singaporean.
The same goes for Zhang, she’s a PR but still holding China passport, and she had every right to show her loyalty to China as well!
If at all we want to criticize the government on this issue, it is perhaps their too relax criteria in issuing PR to anyone and everyone, which puts Singaporeans in a spot when it comes to competing for jobs and housing…this is what I dislike about the whole issue (with the government but not with Zhang).
Zhang YTuan Yuan is NOT a citizen. Period.
Singapore has collected so many international awards – FORBES, MM’s latest, etc.
Best this, best that, . . . . .
We can bluff one or two but NOT the entire world. Singaporeans, like me, are really proud of the grand reception given by the US and its top people, to MM, a leader of this tiny red dot island.
Hip Hip Horray to MM!
Hope u all remember the ALPA S saga Captain Ryan Goh were sack & and has his PR status revoked, What did he do? betray singapore? Marching in malaysia national day?
Singaporean in australia attended Singapore National Day celebration there, Holding Gun, wearing singapore army/police uniform or comment in live TV Saying “I WILL LOYAL TO SINGAPORE AND WILL RETURN WENT SINGAPORE NEED ME OR RESEVIST CALL ME”?
Yes, Mr Minister, “she is ONLY a Singapore PR”. So why is S’pore govt throwing money and benefits at PR???
It really saddens me when YPAP members post here and compare Singapore with Australia with regards to immigrants. Has YPAP lowered its standards to accept those with low IQ. Are they that desperate?
We are not talking about immigrants per se. Immigration to a certain extent is good. But when a country doubles its population by importing cheap foreign labour, then it becomes insane. Especially a tiny rock with no natural resources.
Australia is one country that many foreigners would give an arm and a leg to become its citizen. Many foreigners die trying, in fact, as newspaper reports will attest to. 99% of foreigners who get PR go on to become Australian citizens. They are treated as Australians and enjoy the same wages. There is minimum wage in Australia.
Well, the opposite is true of Singapore. More than one million Malaysians work in Singapore. Now, wouldn’t it be easier to get Malaysians to become Singaporeans. Not so easy I guess. The fact is that only 1 out of 100 Malaysian want our passport. Despite all their complains of discrimination back home, they know that life is much tougher here.
So our government has to spread its legs to attract foreigners from elsewhere. However, even these foreigners are wise enough to know that holding a pink IC means suffering and misery. Out of the 5 million or so foreigners who have come to our shores, only a fraction have become citizens. Most of them are here for the short term. Probably 5 year is enough for most of them to earn enough to live a comfortable life back home. Thus they are willing to accept much lower wages than locals who have families to support.
These foreigners know that they will be here for 5 years at the max, so they are willing to work without any off days. Again this puts Singaporeans at a disadvantage. Labour laws in Australia would prevent this from happening. Definitely they wouldn’t be able to work for 14 hours or more as they do here.
I think a person must have a very screwed up mind to compare the situation in Australia and Singapore.
Or he/she must be intentionally trying to deceive the rest of us.
Despite promises to the contrary, I fully expect that foreigners will account for 90% of the staff in our IRs. You don’t need to be a fortune-teller to know this.
You just have to read the Shitty Times reports which say that Singaporeans are choosy. Sad.
http://geraldgiam.sg/2009/10/balancing-an-emerging-dragon/
Mr Giam makes a good point about MM Lee being terrified of China’s intention. Yet he is flooding this country with PRCs. This country is being put at risk for economic gains and they hope that the Americans will help when trouble comes.
Its like an arsonists starting fires and requesting for the firemen to standby
John on Sat, 31st Oct 2009 3:32 pm
……” Are all Singaporean PR living in Australia disloyal to Australia when they attend Singapore National Day celebration?…”
John, your argument is hypocritical. Singaporeans attending our National Day celebration is not disloyal to Australia BUT THEY DO NOT used state propaganda media to HUMILIATE Australia of having received their benefits and privileges and in the most opportune CONTRASTING MOMENT exhibit my contempt of my Australian host. The message of import is clear, the host is dumb, stupid and available of public ridicule and their identity card is the object of my despise and humiliation of no value – do you do that John???
……..”This constant foreigner bashing is so ridiculous and childish. Time to grow up….”
Really John, you have a lot of growing up to do, todler – commenting on a sensitive topic from a position of true ignorance, ridiculing others as childish and needing to grow up. Here is the simple truth of fact.
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ma1958118/s137n.html
MIGRATION ACT 1958 – SECT 137N
Minister may revoke cancellation on his or her own initiative
(1) The Minister may, on his or her own initiative, revoke the cancellation under section 137J of a particular non‑citizen’s visa, if the Minister thinks that it is in the public interest to do so.
By this law, the Australian Minister of Migration can cancel a PR’s visa “IF THE MINISTER THINKS THAT IT IS IN PUBLIC INTEREST TO DO SO.”
This is a very generalised application of ‘CATCH-ALL’ legal clause which the Minister can cancel your visa on “character grounds” of either showing unreasonable contempt of them as the host, or engaged in any conduct prejudicial to the interests, good reputation of Australia or its institutions or mere suspect of terrorists activity or simply your national Goernment’s condemnation of your suspicious activities in Singapore likely to embarass diplomatic relationship or simply you waste too much of public welfare support and non-contributing.
Do we have this clause in our Singapore Migration Laws to cancel the visa of anyone who prejudice our national or public interest or injure or otherwise undermine our national reputation and institutions??
The answer is yes. They revoked the PR visa of a former SIA pilot after a heated labour dispute of just ECONOMIC MATTERS.
Why is the Government not forthcoming in revoking Zhang Yuan Yuan visa??
The PUBLIC NEEDS AN EXPLANATION FOR THIS DIFFERING APPLICATION OF LAW AND TREATMENT.
Assume that you did grow up in a this two minute read now, do you agree with me, John, the todler??
GCT ‘The Kayu’ as MM has publicly called him, has out-lived
his usefulness.He should have retired gracefully when he stepped down from the prime minister’s post.Instead he chose
to wear the rotten old shoes size ‘SM’and travel the whole world,like a worn-out salesman.Notice that where he goes,he will say the same remark ‘Singaporeans must come and invest in this country’And if he is not travelling,the MSM will periodically, publish pictures of him shaking hands with who-ever calls on him at the Istana- so as to justify his position and of course his high pay!
Come on, a secondary schoolboy can perform this task just as
efficient!In otherwords, he is redundant-or is he still waiting to change his shoe size to MM???
Let ’s us also remember that every time, we take in a lousy immigrant (whether that he is not willing to become a citizen or not staying for good), we make a loss.
for one, such an immigrant introduce a lot of uncertainty into our system. They can take out a huge amount from the cpf leaving the spoils to those who cannot leave.
By making it so easy to become a citizen, we increase the likelihood of that happening.
this govt, introduce a lot such risks into our country.
Ms Zhang got her PR when GCT was the PM, right.
Don’t forget who had helped warm up the seat for the Son & faithfully handed over the golden seat. Such level of faithfulness is hard to come by.
The faithful must be seen to be rewarded while the unfaithful bankrupted.
SM Goh has failed to identify one point. That is, we are not attracting real talent but another person to make up the number. The whole government has failed to identify the problem of our immigration policy i.e. the number of immigrant is simply too large for Singapore to handle!!! This is defintely the fault of PM Lee !!!
POINT IS DOES A COUNTRY LIKE THE USA,DESPITE THE CONTINUOS INFLOW OF TRUE FTs -including many smart sinagporeans i know-
discredit their very own LOYAL citizens and in recent times even boldly discriminate them and relegate them to seemingly
lower “ststus”? Why be a citizen,PRs BETTER TREATED HERE!!!!
so no need the loyalty stuff really!
look at the glcs and other local biggies,they think that local
talents are useless,they keep hunting for FTs even if some of thme have already proven ineffective,to mention the least!
Why do we boast of our local varsities wolrd’s standing and at the same time,keep murmurring that our own local talents does not measure up to the standards?Have we given their a fair fighting chance? GOo ask one of our local big bank for instance?
i say if we think our local talents does not measure up according to some thinking,then why brag about them when FOREIGNERS showers accolades on us? We should just send our sthudents overseas to gey their degrees!!!
let us be consistent in how we want to define our TALENTS!!!
THE PM speech recently on electricity used on air con… anyone read it.
I feel like telling him, why not he cut his salary and let anyone has the aircon.
At least with the low pay we have here, we enjoy something decent.
The next thing, he might ask us is to shower less often.
Or don’t use hot water since Singapore is so hot.
I really wonder why we need so many ministers in Singapore… I think removing them will save us more monies.