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While real foreign talents like Mr Peter Kriz who graduated with a major in economics from Stanford University and a doctorate from Harvard University are denied Singapore PR, unskilled foreigners with NO special qualifications or expertise are given Singapore PR and citizenships within months. Let us revisit the Zhang Yuanyuan fiasco last year: Singapore PR Zhang Yuanyuan was lambasted by Singapore netizens for "renouncing" her PR on China's National TV. Ms Zhang had earlier returned to China to participate in its 60th National Day Parade in Beijing. In the CCTV Channel 7 news clip which was circulated widely on the internet, a beaming Ms Zhang showed her blue Singapore NRIC on the screen and proclaimed her desire to serve China, her motherland. When interviewed by the Singapore media, Ms Zhang was nonchalant about the storm she stirred: "It's nothing much. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. They can say anything they like on the Internet," she said in Mandarin. Ms Zhang graduated from an unknown institution in China with a diploma and came to Singapore on a student pass. For two years, she studied English at the Cambridge Institute here. Later, she became a Chinese language teacher at Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning for three years. At that time, she was also taking a degree course in business management at the Asia Pacific Management Institute. Ms Zhang said she applied for permanent residency in 2006. It took only about TWO MONTHS to get approval. "At that time, I thought it might be easier if I wanted to travel between the two countries," she added. A Chinese teacher is NOT a foreign "talent". We have so many Chinese teachers in Singapore. Zhang would not be able to work in any other countries like Australia, Canada or New Zealand, let alone obtain PRs there. Unlike in the past when only skilled workers are offered PRs, semi-skilled workers like Ms Zhang can now obtain PRs in a short span of time. In fact, some of them are even "actively" courted by the government to take up Singapore citizenship. The Singapore government has eased restrictions for China nationals to study and work in Singapore in recent years. It has become very easy for students in China to obtain a study pass to study in private English schools in Singapore. However, not all of them are here purely for academic purposes. Some Chinese girls end up working part-time in karaoke lounges or as mistresses of rich Singapore businessmen. A few even ply their trade along the alleys of Geylang over the weekend. The relentless influx of foreigners to Singapore had sparked massive unhappiness and disgruntlement on the ground. Despite concerns from citizens that they are facing stiff competition from the newcomers, the government is adamant that its immigration policy will continue though it will "slow" the inflow of foreigners. To make foreigners feel more welcomed in Singapore, the government has unveiled a series of measures to help them "integrate" into Singapore society including a $10 million Community Integration Fund to organize activities and events for them. While some Singaporeans scoffed at the government's attempts to "import" more foreigners as "cheapening" our citizenship, there is nothing they can do about it as long the incumbent remains in power. During his recent National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong used the example of  PRC BUS DRIVER as a "model" immigrant who has contributed to Singapore. With due respect to bus drivers, how they can be considered as "foreign talents" is beyond one's comprehension. Does Singapore lack bus drivers that we have to import them from China and somemore give them PR and citizenship? Singapore must be the ONLY country in the world which gives PRs and citizenships to bus drivers, cleaners, construction workers, masseurs and even freelance prostitutes. Even in Hong Kong, which is only a stone-throw away from China, it is nearly impossible for the mainland Chinese to obtain Hong Kong PR after working there for a number of years. South Korea, which is the two most popular immigration destination for Chinese college students also impose stringent controls on the intake of Chinese workers though it has a low fertility rate comparable to ours as well. Are we getting real foreign talents to complement our workforce and make us more competitive or are we getting economic migrants to add to the electoral registry as voters for them to vote for the PAP? It is only natural that peasants from China, India and elsewhere will be eternally grateful to the PAP regime for offering them a second chance and better life in Singapore and thereby "repay" its kindness with their votes in the coming elections. However, are they adding to our fertility as well? The population in 1999 was 3,958,700 – with the citizens and PRs numbering 3,229,700. By 2009 it was 4,987,600 – and a resident population of 3,733,900. Over the ten year period, while the total population had exploded by 1,028,900 – the number of citizens and PRs had grown only 504,200. [See Ref #1 below] Resident Live Births in 1998 was 41,636 – and in 2008, it was 37,277  [See Ref #2 below] Resident Total Fertility Rate in 1998 was 1.48 – and in 2008, it was 1.28 [See Ref #2 below] After ten years, our total fertility rate dropped from 1.48 in 1998 to 1.22 in 2009. Our population increase for the last ten years is fueled largely by immigration with no consequent increase in total fertility at all. To put it bluntly, the new immigrants are not having two or more children and they are contributing to our aging population instead thereby imposing a greater burden on our limited public healthcare resources in the next few decades or so. There is an urgent need to discuss and debate on our present immigration policies so that we will be getting real foreign talents like Mr Kriz rather than foreign "thrash" like Zhang Yuanyuan who use Singapore only as a stepping board for greener pastures elsewhere.       Related articles: >> Official reply from government on the Zhang Yuanyuan fiasco >> Singapore PRC PR proclaimed loyalty to China publicly >> PRC resident hung China flag to celebrate its National Day >> PRC student in Singapore wants more scholarships for foreigners >> PRC prostitutes solicit for customers on Singapore’s cyberspace >> ERA: 40 per cent of resale flats buyers are PRs   Reference 1 Table A5 – Population 1871-2009, Pg 27 or PDF Pg 37/72 http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/popn/population2009.pdf Reference 2 Table A12 – Live Births and Birth Rates, 1980 – 2008, Pg 44 or PDF Pg 54 / 72 http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/popn/population2009.pdf     EDITORS’ NOTE: If you like our work and would like to support us, please transfer your donations via paypal to our account ([email protected]). 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I read with great interest the uproar over new immigrants, in particular how the PRs benefit but yet do not sacrifice for Singapore. I write with the intention to alleviate the concern of Singaporeans who think that any foreigner with money is welcomed with open arms. A few months ago, I applied for citizenship. I want to be a Singaporean because I feel at home here. After all, I studied and even worked here. I applied because I admire how the government runs the country. It may not always be perfect but the government tries to be fair and practical. Most importantly, the government appears to have a moral compass. I am a director of a property development company in a neighbouring country but I moved here as I think my three girls will flourish and contribute to Singapore. I migrated at the prime of my life because the children are still young enough to develop roots, friendships and memories in this country. It is a great sacrifice for me to renounce my citizenship in my birth country. Sacrifice is a sign of loyalty. To my surprise, I was rejected after waiting for 6 months. This shows that despite what many locals think, money and commitment by a foreigner is not everything. My husband commutes between Singapore and our birth country regularly. I am financially well off. I am highly educated, below 40 years old, have an MBA etc …yet, I am not good enough to be a citizen and this was decided by a panel who never met or spoke to me.   Melina Tan，A Permanent Resident  Read More →

Published at 11am For the umpteenth time in less than a year, Singapore is inundated with massive flooding again, this time in parts of Singapore's Central Business District and Chinatown, according to eye-witnesses. The recurrent spate of flooding is becoming a major source of embarrassment for Singapore and is now a common occurrence in the daily lives of Singaporeans. According to reports from our readers, the following places are flooded: Jalan Besar, South Bridge Road, New Bridge Road, North Bridge Road, Shenton Way, Cantonment Road, Outram Road, Smith Street and MacCallum Street [Above photo: Flooding along MacCallum Street, Raffles Place, taken on 8 Sept 2010 by TR reader]   [Above photo: Flooding along Jalan Besar, taken on 8 Sept 2010 by TR reader Bob Soo]   [Above photos: Flooding along Jalan Besar, taken on 8 Sept 2010 by TR reader Azmi, view gallery here]   Jalan Besar was just flooded three weeks ago and the scene was captured most beautifully by a Singaporean kayaking in the flood waters, taken on 13 August 2010:   [Source: RX Ang's Facebook] As usual, the Temasek Review is the FIRST news agency in Singapore to report on the flooding at 11am with Channel News Asia and STOMP reporting on it only half an hour later: Channel News Asia: "Callers to the MediaCorp hotline said there was flooding at the junction of Cantonment Link and Keppel Road, and at the junction of Kreta Ayer Road and Eu Tong Sen Street." STOMP: "I could not believe my eyes when I saw that Shenton Way was under water this morning outside SGX." Despite the rising public disgruntlement at the failure of the PAP regime to control the flooding, PAP leaders have blatantly refused to accept responsibility for its utter incompetence and ineptitude. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that flooding is "inevitable" in tropical Singapore while his father PAP strongman Lee Kuan Yew chided Singaporeans for wanting everything to be "perfect" and added that flooding is an "act of God" which "no amount of engineering can prevent." The inability of the PAP regime to prevent these frequent “freak floods” have caused Singaporeans and Businesses alike losses running into millions of dollars. Environment Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, is almost ALWAYS nowhere to be found, seen or heard during these episodes. It is believed that he is ‘busy‘ learning about these floods, a promise he made during the Orchard Road floodings: “Every event is a new learning experience for us ….. so the approach we should be taking is to learn from this, improve upon it, and assure Singaporeans that we’ll do our best to prevent this as much as possible” While Mr Yaacob and his PAP colleagues are still "learning" from their new "experience", it is ordinary Singaporeans who have to put up with the inconveniences caused by the frequent flooding.   Related articles: >> Seletar Airport hit by flash floods >> Singaporean kayaking in flood waters at Jalan Besar >> Near complete news blackout of flash floods at Novena and MacPherson >> PUB Chairman given National Day award >> Flood prevention measures taken by Hong Kong govt since 2009 >> What are the KPIs for Environment Ministry? >> Yaacob: flash floods are caused by "intense storms" >> Yaacob: impossible to keep Singapore completely "flood free" >> Lui Tuck Yew blames PUB for frequent flooding >> Businesses in Orchard suffer heavy losses from second flooding in a month >> PAP MPs want answers for recent floods >> Singapore hit by floods again and again >> Singaporeans asked to prevent flooding themselves >> PM Lee to Singaporeans: impossible to expect flood free Singapore >> Singaporeans take PAP to task for latest freak flood >> Yaacob Ibrahim and the art of shirking responsibility   MORE UPDATES TO COME LATER     EDITORS' NOTE: Please take photos of the flooding and update them directly on our Facebook page here  Read More →