Marina Bay IR have recruited 1,500 “Singaporeans and PRs” as card dealers
February 26th, 2010 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
With doubts and skepticism spreading among Singaporeans whether the IRs are indeed employing more locals than foreigners, the Marina Bay Sands IR had issued a public statement that it will be hiring some 5,000 people to fill various positions in hotels, restaurants and retail front.
A Straits Times report proclaimed loudly that the casino posts “have all been filled with some 1,500 dealers, all of whom are Singaporeans and permanent residents.”
As expected, the exact number of Singapore citizens employed is not revealed to the public.
It is quite pointless to include PRs in the picture as they are not citizens and do not give an accurate portrayal of the number of Singaporeans who really benefitted from employment opportunities offered by the IRs.
The majority of the 1,500 dealers can be PRs and not citizens. Furthermore, they may be foreigners who are “fast-tracked” to take up Singapore PR.
According to accounts given by Singaporeans who visited the Resorts World Sentosa casino, it appears that the majority of its staff are foreigners though it claimed that “70 per cent of the jobs went to Singaporeans and PRs.”
It is very easy for the IRs, media and Manpower Ministry to reveal the exact number of Singapore citizens and foreigners (including PRs) who are employed. Why are they so reluctant to reveal the truth?
Their continued reticence and silence on the matter seems to suggest that there may be more foreigners than citizens being employed by the IRs.
This is hardly surprising as the IRs have put up job ads specifically in countries like Taiwan and Philipines though many of the positions on offer can be easily filled by Singaporeans.
Are Singaporeans being discriminated openly in their own country? Are foreigners benefitting at our expense?
Unfortunately, there is no way Singaporeans can exert pressure on the ruling party to shed more light on the matter as there is no opposition in Parliament to check on them.
Until Marina Bays IR published the exact percentage of citizens versus foreigners employed by it, Singaporeans should take future such reports from the state media with a heavy dose of salt.
Posted in Editorial
Telling us 1500 Singaporeans and PRs is like telling us the sun just risen from the east. A meaningless piece of information.
With the way the dependency ratio is defined, it could be 1500 Singaporeans or 1500 PRs, or anything in between. Given the secrecy and the avoidance to reveal the detailed breakdown at all cost, I shall assume it is closer to 1500 PRs.
Now, our society have to deal with all the social issues associated with the opening of these casinos and Singaporeans will have to pay the price for it, but the jobs are ended up with non-Singaporeans.
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obviously this info is political dynamite. of course they will never reveal cos it is something they have to hide for their own political survival. simple as that. esp elections coming. serve as odder for opposition if they revela the actual figures. just like 8.8% pay rise for ministers, PS, – that Today reporter who let this out will be grilled for sure.
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WTF??!!! PR ARE NOT CITIZEN!!!! WHAT THE FUG DO WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM???!!!!
ALL YOU PAPPY BASTARDS OUT THERE!!!! FUG YOU DEAD!!!!
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Which comes first ,PR status or job?
Of course the job comes first before a foreigner can apply as a PR.
Now how is it that these foreigners who are now PR got the jobs in IR over locals in the first place?….this is the question our multi-million-dollar ministers refuse to answer.
Suppose if we are to assume that these foreigners were already PR and were employed in IR subsequently than that begets more questions.
(1)Why should these PR who already were employed switch jobs for IR jobs?..Job Hopping !…(2)What skills exclusively needed for casinos have these PR had that locals did not?…mind you that the assumption was that these PR were already employed elsewhere.(3)So,how was it possible for these PR to have skills that casinos need since no other casinos exist here?…if the assumption is that PR had to be trained for casino jobs than the question is(4) Why won’t the casinos train ONLY THE LOCALS for jobs in this industry?
Obviously foreigners were first employed by casinos than granted PR it seems….which means the PAP has a hand in this dirty deal(pun intended)
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Foreigners fastracked to be PRs are cheaper, better and faster. Have to what, in order to work as card dealers.
Anyway, no matter lah, since PAP will again get 98% or 100% seats again, with 50% of it courtesy from our opposition.
Casinos like any business must make money, pay taxes and contribute to GDP. Why care whether is PRs or SIngaporeans that make it possible?
Like Teng Xiao Ping said “Doesn’t matter black cat or white cat, as long as it catches mice it is a good cat.”
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THEY should remember it’s citizens who have the vote, not some FT or PR who didn’t serve NS, didn’t know how to sing the national anthem or say the national pledge.
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are singaporeans willing to take this kind of job?
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Can I suggest with the opening of the casinos and the influx of foreign workers coming here that the government split the crime stats between citizens and non citizens here so we have a better idea if we are less safe with these people in SG?
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How can i use money on my paypal balance instead of using money out of my bank account?
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@ asdf
Let me share with you, a trained croupier can easily make double what our casinos are paying. We pay these newbies from taiwan peanuts and train them and guess what, they will move on to green pastures. Then we get new batch to train to replace those leaving.
At the end of the day, the customers will not be happy because of slow service or even worse, mistakes by dealers. Most of these customers have favorite dealers and if the dealers are ever changing, it will be hard to build up customer loyalty.
I’d say respect people’s work and hire locals and pay them competitive wages and everyone would be happy. At least when you hire locals, it will be harder to convince them to find work overseas.
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Singaporeans have always been discriminated against in our own country.
For example, Singaporeans have to pay $100 to enter the casino.
Foreigners can enter for free.
We obviously have one set of law for foreigners and another set of law for Singaporeans.
And the law favours the foreigners and restricts our (Singaporeans’) freedom.
If this is not discrimination, what is??
I think it’s fair to assume that the majority of those hired must be foreigners, ie. PRs.
Otherwise there would not be a need to hide the true figure by lumping PRs and Singaporeans together.
It’s obvious that the only reason they need to do that (hide the true figure) is because they are afraid to tell the truth.
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asdf – of course we sporeans are lazy, choosy, useless, lousy for you to ask this silly question? just parrot the official mantra.
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At least you people now can confirm that the priority jobs such as card dealers are in the hands of non-citizens…
In order to maintain the credibility of the basis to start casinos… to legalise casinos, the first rule is simply… before all jobless Singaporeans have ricebowl, those juicy priority jobs from Casinos should go to Singaporeans… as promised.
The next step is… Are those PR card dealers really experienced or also newly trained. This will be tricky to find out. Once found out, people can accuse openly that the gahmen is lying…
So the casinos should maybe try to cover those PR’s records… Hahahahahahahahahaha…
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Can we ask an MP – any MP, PAP or opposition, or even NMP – to ask the simple and direct question in Parliament?
Just a simple question: How many citizens are employed in RWS and MBS?
If they still skirt the issue even in Parliament, I urge TR to write ad nauseam about it.
We can also start an online campaign to ask citizens to boycott RWS, Universal Studio and MBS – until they hire more Singapore CITIZENS.
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Foreigners can now obtain PR status within 3 months of graduating from a course done locally, regardless of private or government course, diploma or degree. One can get PR after completing a 6-month diploma course at some fly by night school.
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Bros and sis, see for yourself what PM Lee has promised us 4 years ago about how IRs can help Singaporeans:
http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/sp/PMspeech/PM%20lee%20NDR%20in%20mandarin.pdf
At the National Day Rally speech on 20 Aug 2006, PM Lee said, “One example is the Marina Bay IR project. The IR will create over 30,000 jobs, with 10,000 in the resort, and another 20,000 in other hotels, restaurants and shopping malls. There will be a wide range of jobs available, including jobs at the top-end and jobs for ordinary workers. These jobs are suitable for both young and old Singaporeans.”
Note that only 5,000 jobs were created for the Marina Bay IR but I think that’s still fine. However, read the last sentence. He promised that “these jobs are suitable for both young and old Singaporeans”. He did not mention PRs then.
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@asdf, you shared my sentiments.
No point harping on the fact that the exact ratio is not disclosed. Does this ratio even matter if Singaporeans are not keen on this card dealer job in the first place?
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We all know PR status given like tissue paper nowadays. So anyone who claims to be a casino-dealer from anywhere will probably get the job and PR immeditely.
Come clean.. what’s the break down.
I think best we Citizens Boycott these establishments. Vote with your Feet, Wallet and Votes.
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There is an organisation that employs 100% Singaporeans, which is SAF.
I agreed on the slogan “Jobs for FTs, NS for Sinkies”
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pap only bullies singaporeans because they know we only complain, dont act…. they bully us from hdb to erp to levy and all sort of crabs…. but we only complain and bitch.
yes mostly foreigners, so what can we do?
so what are we going to do?
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ELECTIONS ARE COMING…
NS FOR SINGAPOREANS, JOBS & SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PRS AND FOREIGNERS.
YOU DIE YOUR BUSINESS.
VOTE FOR CHANGE, VOTE OPPOSITION!
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The only way is to AVOID going to the casino.
The casino cannot depend on foreign gamblers all the time, in long run they have to close down, if we locals shun the casino.
Let the foreign investors con their own foreign people.
They’ve got a foreign scapegoat to trick gamblers in winning big in the casino.
Do not be fooled in the quick scam, nothing is that easy.
BE SAFE THAN SORRY!
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Its very very obvious that they have screwed up again by allowing IR to employ FTs and quickly give them PR status . How many times the papaya promise us before election but we end up getting nothing . The PAP have for the last 8 years unable to create quality jobs for local citizens . This alone is a BIG failure considering they are paid millions . We need to change this stupid garman .
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In reality :
1400 = PR
100 = Real Singaporeans
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PRs, foreigners and Singaporeans. Perhaps a better way of classification should be:-
1) those who have arrived here long ago, maybe 50 to 100 years ago
2) those who are the descendants of (1) and born here
3) those who have been here more than 10 years ago
4) those who arrived here 5 to 10 years ago
5) those who arrived here less than 3 years
6) those who have arrived arrived
The last two group (5) & (6) are recent arrivals and the IRs and the MOM should classified employments figure into such categories instead of lumping citizens and PRs together.
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Why does anyone still believe in what they say? PRs are also foreigners, period.
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>> Goondoo: No point harping on the fact that the exact ratio is not disclosed. Does this ratio even matter if Singaporeans are not keen on this card dealer job in the first place?
Bro, this is where you are wrong. Supposing that Govt imposes a rule to the IRs that in order to get the casino license, they must employ so many real Singaporeans. Now, if they IRs can’t get Singaporeans to become card dealers at $1,800, what can IR do? The IR can up the salaries. At a certain equilibrium, there will bound to be people willing to become card dealers. I know for sure that at $3-4K, many taxi drivers will love to work in IRs. This beats what they are doing now – slogging for 12-14 hours on the road and bringing home less than $2K nowadays.
As you can see, having more PRs/FTs only help to depress the salaries of Singaporeans. We are one of the most poorly paid workers according to some international survey.
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Hello !!!!!!!
Check the dictionary the different between native and PR ( Permanent Residents )
If they are the same, why are they not enlisted for National Service and yearly Reservist ?
Fire, very big fire is burning !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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create job for singaporean not create job for foreigner.
build a casino here and in the end employ lot of foreigner.
helping other countries to solve their jobless issue and screw up singaporeans. This is a plain stupid project.
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so all they surveys are wayang only . the world class papaya just good at making numbers . No wonder they plat around with GDP numbers as it tied to their increments .
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whenever actions n info are concealed; it is evil
only evils conceal n hide
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In reality , singapore citizens are third class, not even second class! We are easily intimidated cos we have nowhere to go! We are forced into N.S and reservist cos you cannot say no. We pay ridiculous prices for a 99 year leasehold flat and we con ourselves into believing we own houses. We pay ridiculous COV for flats with 60 year lease left cos of the relentless infux of foreigners who quickly become P.Rs and complete with citizens for flats. Spineless jellyfishes! Thats what we are! And we live like fishes in an aquarium.
They wont even tell you how many singapore citizens are working at the IRs and there is not one thing you can do about it! Change wont come until people change themselves!
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ypap talents, pls tell us you know how many citizens are working in there.
also, how many among all voting age citizens would support or not support your party.
how can i know what i don’t know?
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