Amy Khor urges Singaporeans to welcome foreigners and forge a new identity with them
December 23rd, 2009 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
PAP MP Dr Amy Khor and Chairman of REACH has urged Singaporeans to embrace PRs and new citizens to make them feel welcomed in Singapore.
“By and large, most of them are wanting to start afresh here, build up their home and future here and our locals must give them a chance and welcome them and together forge a new identity with them so that together, we can build a good future for Singapore as a united people. We need to continue to do that,” Dr Khor told CNA in an interview on the top issues received by REACH in 2009.
Foreign talent, and integrating permanent residents and new citizens into Singapore society are the issues most frequently discussed on the government feedback portal, set up to provide a “feedback channel” for the people.
Despite the government’s efforts to promote REACH, its readership lacks far behind that of independent news sites like the Temasek Review which garner on average, about 400 – 500 comments a day.
Dr Khor opined that while it is understandable that locals are afraid of foreigners crowding them out, they need to understand at the “intellectual level” that there is a need to “augment” our population with new
“And we got to continue to assure them that – be it in terms of sharpening the differences between PRs and citizens, as well as appealing to them to have open hearts and open minds to understand that even for new citizens, they have actually taken a big step forward, given up their birth rights in their own country to set up home here,” she added.
Singapore has one of the most lax immigration policies among the developed nations.
In other countries like Australia, Canada and United Kingdom, only skilled workers and professionals who reside there for a number of years are granted PRs.
In Singapore, even cleaners, construction workers and masseurs are able to “qualify” for PRs and citizenships and they often receive it in a short span of time.
It was reported in the state media that a Chinese PR who worked as a Chinese language teacher in a private school Zhang Yuanyuan received her PR within two months of application.
Dr Khor’s views were echoed by Halimah Yacob who warned that doing away with foreigners will “bring our economy to a standstill, particularly in those areas where it is difficult to get Singaporeans to work and in those areas where there continues to be a knowledge and skills gap in the workforce.”
While Singaporeans do understand the need for foreign workers to take up jobs not wanted by locals, what they are unhappy about it the ease at which the ruling party is “selling” Singapore’s citizenship away.
A commonly cited cause of the problem is that Singaporeans are not producing enough babies which is caused chiefly by the high cost of public housing in Singapore.
The government should tackle the source of the problem by making public housing more affordable to Singaporeans so as to encourage them to start a family earlier and to have more children.
Though there was a recent change to allow citizens one additional ballot for primary school application, the underlying fundamental pro-foreigner policy of the ruling party remains essentially the same.
A $10-million Community Integrated Fund was unveiled lately by Minister of Community, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan to make the newcomers feel “welcomed” in Singapore at a time when the construction of the Singapore Sports Hub was facing repeated delays due to financial constraints.
Dr Khor appeared to be happy that her CDC is already tapping on the fund to win the allegiance of the new citizens:
“For the Southwest CDC, we have actually applied for the community integration fund and this is a first-ever “Getting to know Singapore Integration quiz” that we are organising for all 16 constituencies in the district…..In addition, they also get to know about Singapore, because the quiz is about all things Singapore – the people, the culture, the food – and we are also getting the community to participate so that more people will be involved in this bonding programme in terms of integration,” she quipped.
Singaporeans should not be deceived again by the ruling party’s latest “wayang” to appease them as PAP ministers continue to reiterate that allaying the fears of Singaporeans about “foreign talent” is a “long-term” initiative.
By the PAP’s definition, “long-term” can be 10, 20 or 30 years by when locals may find themselves in the minority, being swarmed by the flood of foreigners the ruling party has gleefully opened Singapore’s doors to.
As history has shown, the ruling party will have no qualms throwing “crumbs” to Singaporeans just before the election after which they will take whatever they have given earlier (on top of “interest”).
Posted in Editorial
How can the government expect us to welcome such a large influx of foreigner that has caused overcrowding and escalated cost of living ? Is there anyone left in PAP party who can really talk sense instead of behaving like a parrot and repeat what their master is saying ????
I’ve no problems with foreigners but when they side line Singaporeans in all aspects, except in the PAP, of our lives there is a price to be paid.
The PAP leadership will only be awaken at the outcome at the coming election.
Singapore has always welcomed foreigners – but only if they take up jobs locals can’t do, or don’t want to do; respect the country; commit themselves sincerely if they become PRs.
I’m not xenophobic or racist or in anyway advocating personal hate.
Only the mainstream media like Straits Times, CNA and Today will use xenophobia as an excuse and will play the race card to get into the nerves for our Foreign friends.
I’m against the PAP government and it’s policies, and not against foreigners and new citizens.
If new citizens are willing to become true blue Singaporeans and not fall into the “Singaporeans Trap” you need to ..
VOTE the PAP OUT!
The Opposition Parties will not only fight for your rights but also embue you with a sense of National Identity.
I begin to trust no one but myself.
We are not against foreigners but rather the government should treat local Singaporeans better than them.
Correction : we reap what we sow for voting 66% for PAP in the last election.
More Good years?????
Welcome the foreigners to vote and entrench PAP into power. Welcome the foreigners so that they continue to mind their own business and not question the legalised corruption of gov. Welcome the foreigners to replace you for job for lower wages and higher GDP ?
If foreigners are that good, why not start with MP and ministers ? MP and ministers’s pay slashed to tiny fraction of the poorest salary man.
i have no objection with foreigner but once they took out our job as specialist because they are cheaper labor. it pissed me off so much that my vote is definitely for the opposition party, i don’t mind foreign worker work as those unwanted job that singaporean does not want, but taking out our job as engineering, services, management, specialist is a no no.
what is the use of having high cost of living when pure Singaporean have trouble struggling with? my parents are old and they are still working because of this.
be it whichever party that decide to come to my area, i will vote pap out, until they decide treat us better.
PAP is people ACTION party but it’s not doing welfare for pure sgrean like it does in the early time when my parents vote for them. it’s time for them to wake up.
Amy Khor,
There is nothing wrong with wanting to grow the population through immigration. But it becomes a recipe for disaster when the pace of immigration is so hastened to have taken just 5 years when it should have comfortably be achieved in 20 or more years. Particularly so, if the structural changes (jobs, housing, roads, buses, parks, etc.) are not in place. And don’t get me started on the laxity of the immigration requirements. Has the PAP no idea the magnitude of the economic and social problems it has caused and WILL continue to cause?
The PAP government created this problem through bad policies with even worse implementations. I should remind you that, in any other democratic countries, the People would have taken to the streets already if the same were to happen.
Now you want us, the People, to clean up the mess?? Yes, we will. By voting out the PAP.
When those percieved to be honest and honourable men started introducing stuff like GRC (knowingly thats rubbish) and now, flooding foreigners into a small place like Singapore just to tilt the votes in their favor, do you think you can trust them anymore? What can they think of next?
I don’t trust them at all.
The time will come when foreigners vs Singaporeans is 50/50, then its too late to complain. We, Singaporeans are finished.
i welcome FTs!
in fact, i am going to quit just to ensure they get my job.
Why is this DR.so keen to always wants to talk and act on behalf of the foreigners? The foreigners come to Singapore, they have a motive,ie. to make as much money as possible and to quit in double quick time once they have made enough to sustain themselves back in their countries of origin! They are able bodied with good sets of hands and legs and they don’t need extra sets of hands and legs to lift them to a higher level!
Perhaps this DR. forget that in her own backyard there are many Singaporeans who are fighting in a daily basis to make their ends meet!
The poor and the disabled- this group of people have been fighting for the transport concession for the last 10 years! Where were you DR. during this time?
Have you not heard their plight? Have you come out to champion their cause as what you are so passionately doing now for the foreigners?
Where is your priority? Are foreigners more important than the local citizens? such that 10 $million can be splashed on them for the integration purpose?
Whereas in your very own backyard, some wheelchair-bound disabled citizens can’t even go out of their houses cos they can’t afford the transport fares!
Whatever happened to the ” Singaporeans will always come first” pledge? Have your local radar screen mulfunctioned?
In Hong Kong, a company has to prove that it cannot find a local skilled enough to fill the job before it can get an employment visa for a foreigner. Also a foreigner on a dependent’s visa cannot work, even if you are a lawyer. And you get your PR only after SEVEN YEARS of continuous gainful employment. Very fair and non-arbitrary, and they get the true talents who are committed to stay long term and contribute.
IF you vote for them, you are agreeing to everything they have done to you. It has been proven on numerous occasion, you are again encouraging them do more harmful stuff to you. I ll vote them out.
Hello Ms. Khor,
The relentless influx of foreigners, be it PRs or New citizens so called your gahmen has been advocating for the past years…. benefited the true bred singaporeans lives…. could you enlighten us, the citizens HOW do you mean!!!! create good jobs for singaporeans or jobs replacement for singaporeans….
Look at the ground situation now, don you think it is messy and unhappiness of the citizens or it is a good feel….
Look at all the craps policies implemented by the million$Ministers in each of their ministries have implicated its citizens affecting housing, transport, education, employment, cpf, healthcare, retirement not forgetting national security (ns) etcs mentioned in leong sze hian book F1 – F9…. since your inception as an mp , now southwest cdc mayor…. are you telling us the last ten years, our citizens lives have been improving leaps and bounds or worst deteriorating years after years…
guess we don have a choice in this city, however, we will make our choice rightly this time….so be it.
Already, Health Minister apologises for overcrowding situation at hospitals
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1026218/1/.html
Dr Amy Khor, are you a medical doctor? If you are, do you think THIS IS NOT ENOUGH?
Overcrowded hospitals already unable to cope and you want more aged and sick be dumped in the open field fo surgery by escalating the influx of foreigners when there is NOT enough hospital beds, doctors and nurses to care for your population and those foreigners already here???.
I cannot comprehend the COMPLETE INSENSITIVITY AND HYPOCRISY of your demand that we integrate foreigners WHEN THE GOVERNMENT IS KNOWINGLY AWARE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACIBILITIES ARE WRECKED INTO SHAMBLES BY OVERWHELMING PRESSURES AND UNABLE TO COPE.
My rational thoughts are that – you should tell the Government to deport some foreigners now.
Let’s face it, the foreigners are not here to accept citizenship and contribute to this country.
Hundreds of thousands of Malaysians have worked here and were offered PR status or citizenship. Probably only 1 out of 1000 took up the offer. In desperation, the MIW turned to ‘trash’ from China and India to accept our red passports. But these desperados also won’t bite. Most prefer to go back home while does that accept citizenship, use it a means to emigrate to the west. The only suckers are the Singaporeans who lose out every time.
It is time we put a stop to this. It is time for Change. Those who believe the MIW will have a change of heart and stop this flood of cheap foreign labour from destroying our way of life are only fooling themselves. Maybe they lack the courage to vote for Change and are finding excuses. But I know, that I would like to join the majority of fearless Singaporeans who will be voting for Change.
That will be difficult until i get my first full-time job offer in Singapore since i graduate.
I hear stories of companies filled with bangla engineers who know very little (but keen to learn and work cheap) then are mentored by locals with good degrees, or an entire company of filipino workers with the Singaporeans saying they only know the other citizen in some other floor.
Let the foreigners in… BUT GIVE ME A MINIMUM WAGE LAW!
Maybe the foreigners should stay with her in her house.
It is funny to learn that these unfortunate foreigners from country are not welcomed in their homeland and we singaporean have to do everything to make them feel welcome !!! They are fighting with us for jobs, career, and when their children grown up they too will fight with our children for survivors.
Okay la! okay la! Since they like to be be singaporean, go complete their national service then we talk about it again.
Pl don’t tell every singaporean their children will do the NS because our children too will need to do NS as well.
We are talking about the adults !!! Full time National Service
for those wanting to stay with their children and do not wish to be labelled ” Free Loafers “
My department’s techinican (from china) who have a diploma certificate (from unknown institution) and cant speak fluent english get a PR in less than a year in Singapore…
I am citing real life example.
It’s funny how the PAP has all this new-found compassion for foreigners. I remember many years ago our government saying that the island is too small to accommodate more people in order to justify their action to push vietnamese refugees away and out to open sea in their rickety boats to leave them to perish or for other more humanitarian countries to deal with.. Suddenly today we can put up with 6-7 million people without any problems?! At the end of the day, major policies in Singapore swing back and forth on the whims of ONE man. That is never good news for any country.
It is the SYSTEM that needs fixing, NOT the inported Sinkaporeans!
I continue to be amazed by the quality of the political leadership in Singapore. Are these the best that the PAP can garner? Is this Doctor, Teo Ser Luck or Grace Fu or Lee Bee Wah the result of the MIW careful selection process. If so then as a nation we have failed miserably in our education and social processes. I have never come across a larger cross section of people who are totally tuned out about what’s happening on the ground, who just unthinkingly mouth the recitations of their master’s voice and can, without any conscience at all, ask Singaporeans to embrace those who are here to displace us! Good examples in history must be those Red Indians who welcomed the white men in America or the aborigines in Australia who stood by while the whites took over their continent. It should be the other way, the new immigrants must adapt to life in Singapore. To ask Singaporeans to adjust to them and make them feel welcome is like the tail wagging the dog.
It is all the drive to increase GDP. Simply put, the bonuses and pay increments of the Ministers, permanent secretaries and civil service depend on the GDP. The fastest and easiest way to increase GDP is to bump up immigration numbers. Gross Domestic Product has actually turned the Great Deception Plan into the Get Double Payouts.
We should not have anything against the foreigners. They’re just doing what ANYONE would do in their position, getting a better life, one better than the life they had back home.
That is all I have to say. Don’t be angry at them for coming in.
“…particularly in those areas where it is difficult to get Singaporeans to work and in those areas where there continues to be a knowledge and skills gap in the workforce.””
You have foreign workers stealing jobs from locals, obviously its “difficult” to get Singaporeans to work in those areas. Paradox eh?
They all know the root of the problem but all knew it will be safe to act like parrots and repeat what the world class have said even if it’s totally wrong . If you ask who made the FT policy decison , sure no one will admit . So what if they lost 40 billion per year , still sitting up there and happy as ever collecting million dollar salary .Time for change if not , worse will come soon ……
The government has invited these immigrant on their own decision without any consensus with the citizens. Therefore, it is not our responsibility to do anything regarding the integration. Moreover, due to the escalated cost as the result of large influx of foreigners, we have to work harder to keep our job and also need more time to earn enough money to meet increasing expensive Singapore !!!
SOMETIMES,IN LINE WITH GAHMEN THINKING,I TOY WITH THE POSSIBLE IDEA OF HAVING A RETIRED FOREIGN POLITCAL EXPERT LIKE PRC’S
MUCH RESPECTED AND GREAT EX-PREMIER ZHU RONGJI COME TO SINGAPORE AS A MUCH DESIRED FOREIGN TALENT TO HELP GET SINGAPORE OUT OF RECESSION JUST LIKE HE DID FOR CHINA?
WHAT IS AMY KHOR’S TKAE ON THIS?
Grace Fu after sacking so many ppl in PSA. 600 if I recalled can now come and tell me what she has done for the sacked ppl of PSA.
This is the key female leader that PAP spent so much time.
After sacking so many ppl 600, they bring in 4 temasek ppl to ‘flatten’ the structure.
BRAVO!
Badboy
My dept, an indian technician (middle class) from chennai attached to me, within six mths got his PR.
prior to his arrival, he has great admiration in this city and our esteemed leaders.
upon his first arrival of his son delivered in this city, he don even know that his son has to enlist into our ns if his son being converted his citizenship …… he has second thought …. he paid almost 8K to has his son delivered here against $400 if his wife were to delivered back in chennai.
later he surf the web more about this city, he realizes the truth is not the truth as the cost of high living i.e housing, transport etcs in this city is not justified to make his commitment in this city …. infact he has his exit strategy in his radar….. ha ha ha…. wat a fine city.
One is the Echo of old vinyl record with stylus stuck in a groove dent – Thinks it IS “Very Groovy”!
The other fights for the ordinary man and ask MCYS minister if $10 is enough for 3 meals afte paying for utilities, etc. and got lumbasted if she wanted kopitiam, foodcourt or restaurant for POOR and even DESTITUTE Singaporeans.
The 3rd one as GF like giraffe strtches out her long neck to pick 600 guys in PSA and sent them out of it’s gates. Then old-bird shit replace those retrenched with FTs FWs although he never said it was for his very purpose at that tiem did he?
So that is A DECEPTION towards Singaporeans or not?
If you still have a car, van, pickup or motorbike you will surely know what brids can do to your vehicle with their bird-shits! Especially when those shit have dried up! Pap IS DRYING UP too!
PAP damn fast in action -countdown party from 10m fund to welcome foreigners and forge a new identity with them
促进国民融合 本地首办大型新移民新年倒数盛会
拉柏多公园(Labrador Park)今年将举行盛大的新年倒数活动，邀请国人与新移民同欢共乐，在迎接新一年之际促进国民融合。
预计可吸引一万人到场
题为“拉柏多海边迎新嘉年华”的倒数活动由拉丁马士公民咨询委员会及新移民组织华源会主办，预计可以吸引8000至一万人到场，包括来自中国、印度、东南亚和中东的新移民。相信这是本地首次举办的大型新移民跨年活动。
贸工部兼新闻、通讯及艺术部政务次长陈振泉昨早在记者会上说，除了新加坡人外，这场倒数活动也要吸引来自世界各地的新移民，以协助他们融入本地社会，落地生根，培养下一代成为土生土长的新加坡人。
负责拉丁马士基层事务的陈振泉也说，国民融合通常是个漫长过程，公民咨询委员会接下来将主办更多活动，制造平台让新移民与国人多接触和交流。
拉丁马士公民咨询委员会主席林焕章也同意，加强社会凝聚力不是一朝一夕的事，需要持久努力才能促进双方的互动及了解。
倒数活动的贵宾是新闻、通讯及艺术部代部长吕德耀。活动由《联合晚报》联办，并获得国民融合理事会支持。
政府是在今年4月成立国民融合理事会，并设立总值1000万元的“社会融合基金”，为非营利组织与社团等举办的融合活动提供高达80%津贴。
华源会署理会长姜玏说，这是华源会首次举办大型倒数活动。除了会动员约3000个会员参与外，华源会也把触角伸向在本地活跃的中国大学校友会如北京大学校友会及清华大学校友会等，以让更多年轻人及莘莘学子参与社区活动，加强他们对本地民俗风情的了解
有别于与一般倒数活动在凌晨就结束，这场倒数活动会通宵达旦举行，让公众从12月31日晚上10时30分欢庆至隔天清晨6时30分。
公众可在午夜时分观赏璀璨的烟花汇演，之后再欣赏劲歌热舞及魔术表演。新加坡报业控股人员也会在清晨时分带领公众做体操，以健康体魄迎接新一年的首个日出。
主办单位也将播放五场电影及设立卡拉OK角落，让喜欢看电影和唱歌的公众可以尽情放松。会场也会售卖烧烤食物及荧光棒等，营造闹哄哄的欢乐气氛。
倒数活动是免费的，当晚会有学校及民众俱乐部带来歌舞表演，来自中国的新移民、少林师傅以及长嘴茶壶表演者也会呈献高难度演出。国人及新移民可以通过观赏表演进行文化交流。
主办单位也提供免费的接驳巴士往返拉柏多公园和地铁站。这些巴士从晚上10时开始服务至隔天清晨6时，每15分钟川行一次。
公众可到莱佛士地铁站的共和大厦(Republic Plaza)前面、多美歌地铁站的柏丽广场(Park Mall)前面、中峇鲁广场(Tiong Bahru Plaza)对面以及港湾地铁站的声音路小贩中心（Seah Im Food Centre）前面乘搭巴士。
She is talking cock.
We are not anti-immigrant.
We are just disgusted with the liberal manner that the citizenship is granted, especially these immigrants are not talent. They need us to give them 10 million to integrate?
Can’t these people be issued work permit to work in Singapore and disallow them from buying HDB flats? Bermuda does that
We are disgusted with the way Singaporeans are treated. Not returning us our CPF monies. inflating HDB prices beyond reach and resulting in us not having enough monies for retirement. The fact is they want to keep GIC big but they cannot produce investment results. So, why don’t they return the monies back to people?
要不要我们新加坡人向这堆窝囊废鞠躬 ！！！
欢迎你的死人头 ！！！
废物 khor amy 也要！ 贱货 ！！！
Hi Fellowmen, Born-in-Singapore Singaporeans..
We were once called upon to love our nation, but now to feel that we are being belittled.
I knew I wasnt the only one who felt this way..
But what can we do? If most people feel that we cant do anything..then we have to adapt to our decisions and inaction.
There was once I was in China and a Chinese ask me “Is Singapore part of China?”
Thinking to myself… I think “Maybe..Soon..”
where in the world,even in india,cambodia or siberia,do their
leaders tell the citizens they are “useless” ?
how come these gahmen people keep “begging” for votes from the
citizens they brand as useless?
even in japan,the ministers and pm have to apologise humbly and step down for making stupid remarks at world forum,not to say passing stupid and untoward remarks at their citizens?
TIME TO WAKE UP,SINGAPOREANS!!!..if you still have your citizenship dignity.
IT is not coincidental that all the changes occur at the same time period with the IRs.
They want your CPF monies to help build the thing and they don’t want to give it back to you else, GIC will become smaller which it is becoming already under the screw ups in investment during the past decade.
Imagine, why would the govt wants the people’s median pay to stay low by importing fts.
Even if they are more hardoworking so what? we supposedly work for them.
Low pay means the cpf monies goes in to pay for the flat and nothing to take out.
It is all a cover up.
We really shouldn’t expect a lawyer to know how to run an investment company.
PAP’s motto “Staying together, moving ahead” actually applies to foreigners. If I had known what is going to happen, I would have asked the MIWs who are they staying together and moving ahead.
People who want to vote PAP out can’t be xenophobic since we are voting the incumbents and accepting the oppositions, so this word can’t be used on us.
so forging a singaporean identity necessitates gravitating towards the multitude of new influences?
Kick a few ministers out of Parliament at the next election…..and let us see how talented they are in the private sector (excluding GLCs).