TR EMERITUS

OPINION Shortly after becoming Singapore's third Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong announced his ambitious plan to increase Singapore's population to 6.5 million people via immigration. Without warning, the floodgates are flung open to foreigners from all over the world, thereby changing the demographics of the island state radically in the span of a few years. Due to the PAP's liberal immigration and pro-foreigner policies, foreigners now make up 36 percent of Singapore's population, up from 14 percent in 1990. Of the remaining 64 percent who are citizens, an increasing number are born overseas. Despite rising unhappiness and disgruntlement among Singaporeans, PAP leaders are adamant that foreigners are essential to Singapore and continue to splurge taxpayers' monies to make them feel welcomed and accepted in Singapore.   TR Policy Forum, 5 May 2010 During the May Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for the understanding of Singaporeans to accept a higher inflow of foreigners in the near future as the economy improves. Do you agree with him? Should Singapore allow more foreigners into the country? Should foreigners be allowed to compete with Singapore for jobs which can otherwise be taken up by them? Please share your views.   Russell Teo: Totally disagree...we don't have any new FDI, industry and worst any new growth sector to support our own population let alone FT. Pls STOP.   Alice Chang: Sure! Provided I see more dorms and workers' squatters in Bukit Timah and Tanglin! What would our minister say to that? By right, there has to be strict policies concerning the hiring process to ensure the citizens get first priority. Usually companies in S'pore are more concerned with bottom line and costs.  Hiring more foreign workers will not solve the productivity issue. At the end of the day, foreign workers/talents are supposed to complement the local workforce rather than compete against. They cannot exist at the expense of the local citizens.   Stephen Lim: Govt calls for companies to be more productive, produce more products/services without increasing costs etc etc....but where is the motivation for them, if the easy route of hiring cheaper labour is so easily avaiable. the returns is much earlier seen than investment in other areas of improvment. Thus I do not see how companies would favour hiring locals over cheaper foreign "workers/talent" so NO lhl, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND how accepting "a higher inflow of foreigners in the near future as the economy improves" would benefit for the greater good of the nation   Mark Chee: In the first place, does LHL have a REAL understanding of the situation faced by the average Singaporeans? Many are either under-employed or end up as security guards as this is one category of jobs still closed to FTs. We should not allow FTs unless they have secured a job here, just like in USA. MNCs, GICs, GLCs and large local companies shall submit their job vacancies to MOM which will list them on its website. It these jobs are not taken after three months, FTs can then apply. Indiscriminately opening the floodgate to allow large number of FTs just because his FATHER said so, is simply daft and irresponsible. If his multi-million salary can't help him focus on his job, as he claimed it would, perhaps the next best candidate should step forward. Anyone of us here will do it for far less as we are "CHEAPER, BETTER and FASTER"!   Dave Munisamy: My understanding is that we need a government that will take care of True Blue Singapore first. The solution for growth is not Cheap Labor. What happens when we reach 6.5 million? The PAP will be telling us to understand why we need 10 million. The PAP needs to stop employing 3rd world solutions to a 1st world problem. Of course that's if they are still in power after the next GE. If u want better, faster and cheaper, then take an 80% pay cut and lead by example. Pass in Paliment that all future pay increases for MPs will be put to a national referendum. If the people feel u deserve it, we will vote to give u a raise in pay. On the same ballot, the people should be able to vote for a reduction in MPs salaries if we feel that u are doing a lousy job.   Khalil Adis: Seriously, I feel like a stranger in my neighbourhood. I no longer feel safe in my area. I was walking home the other night and I saw police patrol cars. On the other void deck was a Burmese gathering and beside it was a group of workers from China and India. So much for integration huh? What a joke!     Richard Teh: I once spoke to some FTs, who have taken up PRs, if they will stay to defend Singapore if there is a war outbreak with our neighbouring countries. They just laughed about it and said I must be crazy to think along this line. Then they told me honestly that they will be the first to pack up and return home with their families on the first available flight. So much about loyalty from our FTs. This just makes me ponder if it is fair for citizens to serve NS to defend these ungrateful lot of FTs. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is losing his popularity and is likely to be kicked out in the upcoming GE due partly to his pro immigration policy. I hope the same happen to LHL in the next GE in Singapore.     Clement Tan: This should not be about competition per se. It should the ratio of foreigners to Singaporeans in Singapore. Could local born Singaporeans actually be outnumbered by foreigners one day if the current growth rate of immigration persists? Since the government (at least to the best of my knowledge) does not release transparent and detailed statistics regarding immigration, nor its selection process in order to attract genuine foreign talent, how can Singaporeans be convinced that immigration is tightly controlled and monitored?     Read the entire discussion on our Facebook here.  Read More →

作者：陈昱、张杰《深圳特区报》07/05/2010 根据新加坡统计局的数字，新加坡GDP持续回稳，环比增长14.9%，这主要得益于制造业与服务业的强劲表现，由于新加坡经济持续好转，给投资移民环境带来了利好刺激。据世贸通出入境服务公司移民数据调查显示，今年咨询办理投资新加坡移民项目相对去年增幅20%，与此同时，已经成功办理并在新加坡生活的新移民人数已达30万人左右。 近年来，投资移民市场经过多年运作，已形成稳健而成熟的平台。在现有的移民机构中，世贸通公司推出 的新加坡投资移民以申请过程短平快而著称。据了解，世贸通出入境服务公司专注于投资移民业务，其中新加坡投资移民业务，是世贸通主营移民项目之一。早在 2005年就率先推出了以“买基金、办绿卡”为特色的新加坡投资移民业务，颇受企业家的欢迎。 据该机构相关投资专家介绍，投资者在办理新加坡投资移民时要关注投资本金的安全，在选择投资基金时，把握三个环节可最大化保障本金的安全，首先关注基金年限的延长期，其次要了解基金年限的起算点，最后，投资者还要了解基金的保本规定，掌握好投资基金的三大环节，保障本金安全，可减少投资移民新加坡的风险。 来源：http://news.china.com.cn  Read More →

作者:曾昭鹏 (2010-05-07) 中国国务院新闻办主任王晨上个月底在给全国人大常委会所作的一场专题讲座上透露，官方此前已在重点新闻网站和主要商业网站取消新闻跟帖“匿名发言”的功能并取得实效，而“网站电子公告服务用户身份认证工作正在探索之中。” 此外，王晨也提到，要“积极稳妥推行网络实名制”，“尽快实现网站实名制，全面实行手机实名制，逐步在网络互动环节推行实名制”。媒体报道对此形容，这是国新办“首次公开确认”中国正在积极推动论坛、BBS等各种网络平台的普通用户实名制。 从匿名向实名的制度转换，一旦全面完成，将如何具体改变中国网络的景观与网络互动的游戏规则有待时间检验，但这个计划推行的新制度背后反映的管理思维其实值得进一步玩味。 在这个信息时代，网络已经成为现代生活一个不可或缺的部分，其媒介的功能和角色愈发显著。作为一个公共传播平台以及官民与网络社群之间相互联系的渠道，它同时具备民间意见交换，还有上情下达和下情上达的民意反映功能和角色。 虚实难分的网络舆论确实有强大的情绪煽动能力，也有一定程度的组织和动员力量，在维护社会稳定或甚至国家安全的考量下，严格落实网络实名制的规定，固然可以促进更负责任的网络舆论环境并建立网络舆论秩序，但有关当局也必须承担推行新制的行政和社会成本。 具体来说，中国网民群体与日俱增的趋势意味有关当局很可能必须耗费大量行政资源在执行层面，才能应付一个实名制网络的信息审核要求；而更大的代价其实在于无形的成本，即网络实名制将降低网络民意作为社会预警机制重要组成部分的价值。 以广受网友欢迎的新闻跟帖为例，各主要新闻网站当下规定网友必须先登录才能发言，但并不需要他们提供真实姓名、身份证号码等信息和证明。事实上，这已是一种低强度的监管行为，尽管肯定有网友对此存在排斥心理，但一定的匿名空间尚能被一些网友接受。 然而可以预见的是，毫无隐私保留可能性的网络实名制，将打破一些网友的心理承受底线，促使他们不再愿意通过网络表达意见或真实的感受。 从这个角度来看，网络实名制虽可以达到过滤偏激和不实言论、促进网络犯罪执法效率，以及确保官方意识形态安全和社会稳定的目标，但在官方主导的舆论环境变得更开放以前，网络民意的残缺以及一个更压抑的社会舆论氛围，几乎是一个无法避免的制度结果。 在民众日益要求政府运作更加透明的大背景下，让网民保留匿名的空间和权利，或许给人标准不一的感觉。但换个角度思考，允许适度的灰色空间，让网民有“讲 真话”的信心和发声的自在感，在网络民意越来越有代表性的执政环境中，也可以是符合官方利益的一种监管手段。匿名网友的意见以及他们所拼凑出来的社会图 像，无可否认地具有一定的信息价值。 媒体报道引述王晨说；“网上问题产生的原因十分复杂。从互联网技术本身特性看，互联网是全球开 放信息体系，只要我国互联网与国际互联网联通，各种境外有害信息就有渠道和手段在境内网上出现；只要我国互联网对公众开放，网民的各种言论就有渠道和手段 在网上反映。从我国社会发展阶段看，当前我国处在社会转型期、快速发展期、矛盾凸显期，现实社会中的矛盾和问题不可避免地反映到网上。” 为了确保网络能够反映真实的情况和民意，在最大的范围内维护网络开放和自由的环境至关重要。任何新规定如果没有这样的原则考量，收获的表面和谐只会跟社会深层的现实脱节，最终得不偿失。 来源：《联合早报》  Read More →