Government helps overseas S'poreans keep in touch
By Ng Baoying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 21 July 2007 2045 hrs
SINGAPORE: More than 150,000 Singaporeans currently live abroad - a number that is continually rising.
The government wants to make sure these Singaporeans remain connected.
Singaporeans abroad can now turn to the freshly revamped Contact Singapore website www.contactsingapore.com.sg to keep abreast of news and developments, and for career opportunities.
Manpower Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen highlighted this at a conference with overseas students and graduates, some of whom voiced concerns about staying in touch.
He also said more platforms will be created to cater to diverse needs.
"Because you have diverse needs, it cannot be a single platform. It has to be multi-directional. We have to strengthen networks among students, or business links, or to update overseas Singaporeans on happenings through YouTube, Contact Singapore," said Dr Ng.
An example of one contact point is the recent Singapore day in New York.
He noted its popularity, "On our part the government will put in more effort to help overseas Singaporeans stay engaged. Singapore day was held... some of you may have heard about this in New York on 21st April, and it brought thousands of Singaporeans...I suspect it was the food that brought [them] there."
A range of other issues were also raised, like Singapore's relationship with ASEAN member countries, and the perceived political apathy.
"Do we consider that political apathy or do we just narrowly define political apathy as the lack of strident voices? We have to be careful. The reality is that we have many people who are not apathetic at all but choose to help their fellow Singaporeans in their own way," said Dr Ng.
On relationships with ASEAN member countries, the Minister said Singapore would always be ready to help in crisis times.
But Singapore will not give in just for the sake of goodwill.
"Our starting position is, we are custodians of Singapore's wealth. It's not something that you can spend at your discretion. We should base our relationships not on this so called abang adikÂ…I'm bigger brother, you're smaller brother, so smaller brother should pay greater respects to bigger brother. I don't think that's a strong basis to start any relationship," he says.
Relationships, he said, should be based on mutual respect and openness. - CNA/yy
The Govt should just give up lah... what the heck.. are they such control freaks that they expect people who have fled to remain their slaves forever? Give it up lah... the world is bigger than Singapore just so they don't know and it is quite possible to simply walk away..