PAP Please Read : Better to nurture talent than import them
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Better to nurture talent than import them
May 30, 2006
The Straits Times
I FIND it disheartening that a table tennis star such as Xu Yan would choose to leave Singapore after obtaining her citizenship a few years ago (Xu Yan may play for German club - ST, May 26).
Despite Singapore Table Tennis Federation's push to train her as a top player by sending her to overseas matches, she has chosen to leave Singapore to search for greener pastures elsewhere.
While she may have her reasons for doing so and I am in no position to judge her patriotism towards Singapore, it is saddening to learn that she could be replaced by a more well-deserving local table tennis player who may not be better in skills but has the heart to play for Singapore.
Singapore has always been under pressure to buy off-the-shelf foreign talent rather than invest time and resources in developing our own talent. In cases such as awarding bond-free PhD scholarships to foreign students, or hiring foreign talent to play for Singapore sports, these have always have sparked debate.
The issue is always 'build or buy?'
One of the six messages in national education for school children includes 'No one owes Singapore a living. We must find our own way to survive and prosper.'
This message is self-contradictory in some ways. If Singapore has to find her own ways to survive, the first survival instinct is to look to her own people for help.
If Singapore has always relied on outside help, it implies that we are no good, that we are always second grade citizens. For national education is to be effective, we have to ask what is it in a nation that creates loyalty in citizens and what alienates them?
Issues such as sending our scholars overseas for studies, providing bond-free scholarships to foreign students, allowing foreigners to take part in the Singapore Idol contest, and talent-hunting foreign students to come to Singapore to study only serve to alienate citizens.
With the reverse migration of students from India and China going back to their homelands, Singapore will face another uphill challenge to attract more talented foreigners.
It has been said that first-tier foreigners go to America and Europe while the second-tier foreigners come to Singapore. Very soon, Singapore can attract only third-tier foreigners because many of the brightest foreigners from India and China will be talent-hunted aggressively.
If this is the case, rather than attracting third-tier foreigners, we may as well do more to nurture our own people because we have the capability to be first-tier citizens as well.
Once Singapore can achieve that, even first-tier foreigners will be strongly motivated to come to Singapore to contribute.
It is easier to take a sapling from the greenhouse to grow it rather than planting from seeds. The fruit-bearing phase is shorter for the sapling than for seeds. However, if the seeds grow successfully into strong healthy fruit trees, other insects will travel from afar to the flowers for pollination, thus enhancing the quality of the next generation of seeds.
Edmund Lim Wai Hoong -
i just dun understand y the need the to import foreign sports player rather than nurture our local ppl. it may take time to nurture local talents but at least he/she will have the heart to play for OUR OWN COUNTRY! Money is not everything. (this is the first time i type a paragraph)
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our g-ment is over-reliant on imports...take my school for example...half of the best class in the 2 upper sec levels r made up of scholars from china...n they shun other well-deserving homegrowns who can actually do better..just 'cause those scholars can boost the school's rankings by scoring straight A1s for O levels...
not that we have a choice anyway...the power of one decides to oppress homegrowns...we will have ISD knocking on our doors if we object outright...so we can only suck thumb n move on... -
The foreign talent scheme has had its merits and failures over the past decade.
However, i tend to agree that this issue trivalizes the significance of Singapore Citizenship being used as a bargaining chip in the process. Our MOM is already tightening controls over the manner in which applicants request for PR status.
It sickens me when sportsmen who qualify for the process behave differently the moment they are granted citizenship. the Agu Casmir case was a prime example of how our SSC and FAS 'foolishly married' nigerian talent to local soccer without proper 'pre-nuptials'.
Perhaps MOM should act as advisory on such issues in dealings with their SSC counterparts ? -
i find it amusing watching table tennis competitions.
for example, singapore vs one of the angmoh countries.
all the players are chinese, but chinese from china. it is like watching china vs china. they are all imported talents.
so what if we won the competition? or even if the angmoh country won? -
Organ-grinder's monkeys.Originally posted by dragg:i find it amusing watching table tennis competitions.
for example, singapore vs one of the angmoh countries.
all the players are chinese, but chinese from china. it is like watching china vs china. they are all imported talents.
so what if we won the competition? or even if the angmoh country won?
Ever heard of this phrase? -
When I joined my present company, I have in mind to tap on my company's resources to go international in the racing scene be it bike or car with the Singaporean flag. But the government doesn't seem to be supportive either when I keep seeing the foreigners spilling in. We must remember, if we can buy their loyalty, others can too.Originally posted by dragg:i find it amusing watching table tennis competitions.
for example, singapore vs one of the angmoh countries.
all the players are chinese, but chinese from china. it is like watching china vs china. they are all imported talents.
so what if we won the competition? or even if the angmoh country won? -
i think it stems from their innate misconception that only foreigners can do things better.
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We are the stupid ones, they are the cream of mushroom crop
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which is why, many atimes, the foreigners get the jobs instead of the locals.Originally posted by dragg:i think it stems from their innate misconception that only foreigners can do things better. -
Dats wat I was thinking all along. We scorn those local scholars for breaking bonds and working in other countries, labelling them as quitters, while here we are getting throngs of Indian and Chinese nationals in our local tertiary institutions.
They are given free food, lodging, laptops, and a monthly allowance of 500 dollars. While our students of NTU and NUS are suffering from the price hike in the tution fees, the scholars GET IT FOR FREE. While male students go for reservist during school vacation, they go home and play. THE BEST IS AFTER THEY GRADUATE, MANY DO NOT PLAN TO STAY.
Even my PRC classmates in NTU are bewildered by why our govt so kind to give them free education when they jolly well know they dun want to stay -
Yes, although these foreign scholars are bonded by contracts, most of them, after completing their studies in S'pore, can successfully find a company willing to employ them and pay for the penalties back in their own country or other countries. Of course, you cannot blame there foreigners. Their lack of sense of belonging is perfectly reasonable. Therefore its time the government should consider whether or not theres a better way to make foreign tallents they nurture stay in SingaporeOriginally posted by equlus84:Dats wat I was thinking all along. We scorn those local scholars for breaking bonds and working in other countries, labelling them as quitters, while here we are getting throngs of Indian and Chinese nationals in our local tertiary institutions.
They are given free food, lodging, laptops, and a monthly allowance of 500 dollars. While our students of NTU and NUS are suffering from the price hike in the tution fees, the scholars GET IT FOR FREE. While male students go for reservist during school vacation, they go home and play. THE BEST IS AFTER THEY GRADUATE, MANY DO NOT PLAN TO STAY.
Even my PRC classmates in NTU are bewildered by why our govt so kind to give them free education when they jolly well know they dun want to stay -
If you urge our government to make the grass here in Singapore "greener" for foreigners to stay, we will be overwhelmed by the increased in foreigners studying, living, and some getting married in Singapore. Then where will we stand as locals??? They take our jobs, compete in locally businesses, take up seats in universities, what's left for us locals??Originally posted by chenc:Yes, although these foreign scholars are bonded by contracts, most of them, after completing their studies in S'pore, can successfully find a company willing to employ them and pay for the penalties back in their own country or other countries. Of course, you cannot blame there foreigners. Their lack of sense of belonging is perfectly reasonable. Therefore its time the government should consider whether or not theres a better way to make foreign tallents they nurture stay in Singapore
Singapore can very well become a foreigners' country! -
Originally posted by Wind6:i just dun understand y the need the to import foreign sports player rather than nurture our local ppl. it may take time to nurture local talents but at least he/she will have the heart to play for OUR OWN COUNTRY! Money is not everything. (this is the first time i type a paragraph)
Please lah, typical singaporean are slightly short legged although they may look tall. Those that had long leg with nice shape and face will be modelling..while wanted to do all this.
Nothing to do with heart. Typical singaporean are no talented in running and playing balls. So naturally must get foreigners who are good at playing balls with extra good in running as added value. -
Then skip the ones we r not gd at thenOriginally posted by king108: Please lah, typical singaporean are slightly short legged although they may look tall. Those that had long leg with nice shape and face will be modelling..while wanted to do all this.
Nothing to do with heart. Typical singaporean are no talented in running and playing balls. So naturally must get foreigners who are good at playing balls with extra good in running as added value.. -
I think the article summarises the point perfectly.
Its funny howeverything looses it meaning wiht the singapore govt. The spirit of the olympics and international games, is not about winning medals. Its about national pride. Its about athlethes representing their soil and their brothers. Its about competing on the world stage where the human spitir and national pride will forge champions who push them selves beyond their limits for the glory of their flag.
Now with import talent.. i ask.. whats the point. Notice a drop in interest in sports in singapore.?? Heres ur reason.
Like an earlier post mentioned.. if you can buy loyalty, that same loyalty is up for grabs for the next highest bidder isnt it.
When singaporean grads are in deman in europe and the rest of the developed world.. its strange that our own system places little value on us. -
Wad I realise is up to this day, we still harbour the foreigner superiority mentality. For example, science and technological break thru can onli be achieve by ang moh or at best Indian or Chinese nationals. I have seen mani ppls defending the govt foreign talent policy by saying Singapore is a immigrant society. It's ppls are actually migrants from China or India in the early 1800s. But the foreigner we are attracting are those 'fair weathered' foreigners. When the going is good, when their pay is high, lots of incentives, they will come.......but wat if there is a recession, war, will they still stay?
I fear that Singapore may one day degrade into an extent in which ppls just view this ppls as a hotel, or a gold mine, in which the foreigners extract all the goodness here and just leave when the game is over. -
it's time for a change...to save our national pride...
the problem is...what is the change that can take place? when? how can it ever happen? -
Must ask which one we are good at while other cannot compete?Originally posted by Wind6:Then skip the ones we r not gd at then. -
Wad I realise is up to this day, we still harbour the foreigner superiority mentality. For example, science and technological break thru can onli be achieve by ang moh or at best Indian or Chinese nationals. I have seen mani ppls defending the govt foreign talent policy by saying Singapore is a immigrant society. It's ppls are actually migrants from China or India in the early 1800s. But the foreigner we are attracting are those 'fair weathered' foreigners. When the going is good, when their pay is high, lots of incentives, they will come.......but wat if there is a recession, war, will they still stay?
I fear that Singapore may one day degrade into an extent in which ppls just view this ppls as a hotel, or a gold mine, in which the foreigners extract all the goodness here and just leave when the game is over. -
Originally posted by equlus84:Wad I realise is up to this day, we still harbour the foreigner superiority mentality. For example, science and technological break thru can onli be achieve by ang moh or at best Indian or Chinese nationals. I have seen mani ppls defending the govt foreign talent policy by saying Singapore is a immigrant society. It's ppls are actually migrants from China or India in the early 1800s. But the foreigner we are attracting are those 'fair weathered' foreigners. When the going is good, when their pay is high, lots of incentives, they will come.......but wat if there is a recession, war, will they still stay?
I fear that Singapore may one day degrade into an extent in which ppls just view this ppls as a hotel, or a gold mine, in which the foreigners extract all the goodness here and just leave when the game is over. Sorry, if anyone come where to earn 5 to 15 or even 100K..I think singapore got a lot of local quality person that can take up such job. Unless he is like bill gate, then I will laid my body to welcome him. -
Remember those days when Ang Peng Siong or any local sportsman made it to the SEA games or Olympics. Wah. Singapore Cheer! Singapore was so proud of her sons and daughters making it and winning was not the main thing.
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i wonder if this has been posted before...
SOS!!
Foreign "talents"?
Published by Singapore Election.
Just look at these figures!
From ExpatSingapore Forum
Expatriate Salary:
Investment Banker - Director 300k + bonus (100% last yr)
Controlling - AVP 130 + bonus (25%-35%)
managing director of ad agency: $500k + 14 months bonus + $15K housing allowance + company car (BMW 6 series)
Title: regional business development manager; Industry: Shipping / Logistics; Salary/benefits: S$150K + S$25K bonus
$200K + $24K + $60K bonus, Invest Bank
CEo - Major Charity Annual Salary (without huge bonuses); S$600,000
BE MBA from India (10+ yrs MNC) $200k + $72k + 25-50%
Expatriate Typical housing allowance (per month):
$2500, regional sales role
analyst S$3k
assoc S$4-5k
Vice President S$8-10k, $12k
Director S$10-12k
Managing Director S$15k
Local Contract Plus?
Extract from expat site (noted by someone in Sammyboy's forum):
Hello,
I know this topic has been covered many times on this forum already, however I'd like some advice on the salary package my company has offered me to transfer from to . The contract is described as a "local contract Plus". The offer is:-
Salary S$180K per year
Rent S$ 3,600 per month
Utilities & Maintenance S$ 1,200 per month.
would this package give a good standard of living for me, wife and 3 children (ages 5, 4 & 2).
Should I also trying to push for school fees as part of the package?
What other items should I try to include?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
... there are in Singapore about a million Foreign Talents (580,000 legals and 350,000 illegals) This million represents a staggering 33% off the Singapore population of 3 million. It is an abnormal trend, even for developed countries such as UK, USA, Australia.etc. Their citizens will have voted their governments out, if the percentage of aliens crosses the 3% mark.
...the number of babies born per year in Singapore is 45,000 and the number of influxes of FT into Singapore is around 50,000 (Singapore Government released figures). Assuming that a Singapore child has to spend 20 years of his life, economically inactive ( schooling years plus National Service Commitments), there will be at the end of 20 years time, 900,000 new Singaporeans (naturalized citizens).
The total number of Foreign Talents within the same period, will be 1,000,000. If all these Foreign Talents, assumed to be above 21 years of age, were to take up Singapore citizenship at the end of their respective 5 years stay in Singapore, then there will be, within the stated time frame, 750,000 new inducted Singapore citizens. These inducted citizens are economically more productive than the emerging 20-year-old naturalized Singaporeans. Hence it does not take much intelligence to see that our 20 -year olds would be no match for the new breed of inducted Singaporeans. Our young will be displaced in every field. At some point of time, the influx of inducted citizens will exceed the number of naturalized Singaporeans.
The PAP Government must have foreseen the issue, otherwise it would not have encouraged naturalized Singaporeans to reproduce themselves at a faster rate. Given the factor that Singapore is extremely small, with only a population of 4 million, the cross over point could be realized in a very short period less, than 30 years. We have illustrated the scenario with a very simplistic outlook. The picture would be more grim if one realizes that with every FT that comes into Singapore, a foreign father, mother, and children will be tagging along not far behind.
... FTs, are always employed near the top rung of the corporate ladder. They thus can inflict much damage on the Singapore community. Take the case of John Olds. He screwed up Singaporeans through DBS policies. John Olds was given the boot but the PAP Government unfortunately sugar coated the sacking by giving the guy, millions. One wondered whether John perhaps knew too much and had to be bought off. He probably, is laughing all the way to the bank.
This is just one incident of an FT screw up. There could be many more, hidden away in Singapore Technologies Set-Ups or even within SingaporeÂ’s GIC. Rumours regarding mis-management abound. Some have yet to be duly explained by the PAP Government.
Billions of dollars can in fact be saved, if the FTs are only allowed in as pure tourists. The PAP's FT policy only benefits their own elites. They have paid themselves so high salaries, that to continue enjoying the benefits they have to bring in FT's to replace and displace Singaporeans. It is a sad state of affairs, when one sees that a husband and wife team of NTU or NUS Civil Engineers being only able to afford to purchase 4-room HDB Flats. Or for that matter an SIA First Officer Pilot only able to rent room and not purchase an HDB unit. And on record, the Singtel Top Executive is grumbling about his low salary of more than S$1,000,000/- per year. There are many Singaporeans who in their life time will not be able to earn a total of $1 million.
So do we, Singaporeans really lack talents or is PAP government just trying to exploit us? Don't we also deserve better things in life rather than living in HDB and slaving our lives away in NS? Why isn't government nuturing its own talents, instead they are letting them slip away and later label them as "quitters"? -
abc
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Foreign talent is needed in some sense but to make them apply to sports is a joke.
Our table tennis team should be renamed Republic of Singapore China team