Number of jobs created vs new immigrants
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How do we know how many jobs are REALLY created AND! how many went EXTINCT vs the number of new immigrants?
As each month, more and more new citizens are produced, does sg able to produce enough jobs given the unemployment rate is still there ? -
dont worry, the SAF will take care of you
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Jump in number of new PRs, citizens
Record number likely this year; upswing will help tackle population problem
Straits Times, The (Singapore)
Prime News
November 9, 2007
Author: Li Xueying
THE number of foreigners becoming either Singapore citizens or permanent residents will likely hit a new record this year.
And the upswing will go some way in tackling Singapore's population problem, a key long-term challenge.
About 7,300 Singapore citizenships were granted in the first half of this year, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng told The Straits Times.
If the trend continues, Singapore will have 14,600 new citizens this year.
The figure is about 10 per cent higher than the record 13,200 citizenships granted last year. In 2005, 12,900 citizenships were given.
These numbers are a big jump from the typical tally of 8,000 becoming citizens annually in the previous four years.
More foreigners are also seeking the benefits of permanent residence. Some 46,900 of them were granted PR status in the first nine months of this year, compared to 57,300 for all of last year.
With falling birth rates and an ageing population, Singapore has been trying to attract foreigners to settle here.
As chairman of the National Population Committee, Mr Wong has been tasked with tackling the problem.
He said the new immigrants hail predominantly from South-east Asia, as well as South and East Asia, an 'understandable' pattern as they tend to share similar linguistic and cultural backgrounds with Singaporeans.
One such new citizen is former Chinese national Wang Jie, 43, who took up citizenship this year, together with her university lecturer husband and their 17-year-old son.
The main draw for them: Singapore's education system.
'My son's studies have improved since we came here because the teachers are much better,' said Madam Wang.
She is also getting a second wind in her career as a Chinese language tutor thanks to strong demand. 'I even have plans to open my own tuition centre,' she said.
The new citizens and PRs add to a pool of Singapore residents whose number stands at 3.68 million as of June. This is out of a total population of 4.68 million.
The remaining one million foreigners include 756,000 who are working. There are 110,000 here on an Employment Pass or S-Pass, and 646,000 on Work Permits.
While the newcomers add to the much-needed population numbers, social stresses have also resulted.
For instance, property agents have noted the formation of ethnic enclaves in certain housing estates. Singaporeans have also complained about competition for jobs.
But Mr Wong said Singaporeans should recognise that immigrants are part of a diverse workforce that will enhance Singapore's standing in the global economy.
'Our challenge is not the number of jobs available; it is that we do not have enough people to match the current rate of job creation,' he added, pointing to full employment numbers here.
On whether more could be done to inculcate in foreigners the ways of Singapore, he said he believed Singaporeans generally welcomed them. 'While there is no need to pretend that there are no differences between new immigrants and native Singaporeans, we should recognise that and accept that integration takes time and effort.'
He cited ongoing outreach efforts by schools, grassroots groups and expatriate bodies but added that there was also 'only so much the Government can do on its own'.
'Integration is a dynamic process that requires sustained efforts across all segments of society,' he said.
Sociologist Tan Ern Ser is sanguine about the challenges of integration. 'My sense is there is already a process of self-selection in that only those who could adapt and integrate would choose to settle down in Singapore.'
[email protected]
SEE ALSO INSIGHT
Copyright, 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited -
On homosexuality, religious offences and marital rape
The recent Penal Code review was the most comprehensive in 23 years. Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng shares with LI XUEYING the thinking behind some of its key changes
Straits Times, The (Singapore)
Insight
November 9, 2007
Author: Li Xueying
THE e-mail messages poured in. So did the snail mail letters.
They came from individuals, organisations, ordinary Singaporeans.
And Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng read them all.
They were about the proposed Penal Code amendments. Among them were those that called for the repeal of Section 377A which deems sex between men a crime. Others were against it.
He 'read every one of them', he tells Insight in an e-mail interview, before forwarding them to his staff to be evaluated and consolidated as feedback.
He also chaired numerous meetings with his staff in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to decide which parts of the Code to retain and which parts to rewrite or repeal.
This was followed by papers to Cabinet, which approved the proposed amendments.
The Home Affairs Minister revealed the process to make the point that the outcome of the Penal Code review was not one reached lightly.
This included the decision on Section 377A - that it would stay.
Ultimately, 'the decision we made reflects the pragmatic attitudes of the majority of Singaporeans - we live and let live', he says.
'It maintains the balance by upholding a stable society with traditional heterosexual family values, but with space for homosexuals.'
It has certainly been a busy year for Mr Wong.
He is occupied with not just the Penal Code under his portfolio as Home Affairs Minister, but also population issues, in his capacity as chairman of the National Population Committee.
He has been tasked by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong with tackling Singapore's population problem - identified as one of the country's key long-term challenges.
So far, the results have been encouraging.
Figures Mr Wong released during the interview indicate that Singapore is likely to hit a new record this year in wooing new citizens and permanent residents to settle here, boosting population numbers.
Public consultation significant in review
THE review of the Penal Code - Singapore's main piece of criminal law with more than 500 provisions - is the most comprehensive in 23 years.
Four provisions were repealed; 77 provisions expanded, updated or clarified; and 21 new offences introduced.
It was three years in the making, and included revisions made after public feedback was hoisted in.
Indeed, it was this aspect that Mr Wong counts as one of the significant achievements of the review - 'the active participation of Singaporeans'.
'All views received were considered,' he said.
He gave a few examples:
There were concerns over potential female abuse of vulnerable males. Thus, it was made an offence for a woman to engage in sexual activities with a boy or a man with a mental disability.
Another new offence was introduced to address concerns over the vulnerability of minors to sex predators prowling the Internet.
In particular, Mr Wong focused on Section 298A, which punishes those who knowingly commit an act aimed at causing religious or racial disharmony.
'While there was strong support for these amendments, there were concerns over the seemingly broad scope of the offence,' he said.
'In response to this feedback, we added the requirement of 'knowingly promotes' in Section 298A that mirrors the requirement of 'deliberate intention of wounding' in Section 298. This showed that we were prepared to listen and make further refinements,' he said.
Preserving racial and religious harmony
IN THE brave - and sometimes reckless - new world of the Internet, 298A is 'important because we want to preserve racial and religious harmony', said Mr Wong.
Previously, the law could not be used to deal with actions likely to cause racial disharmony, nor could it be applied against offensive blogs or other Internet media.
Prosecutors had to deal with such cases under the Sedition Act, legislation to punish seditious activities which incite rebellion against the state.
'The new section covers deliberate promotion of both religious and racial disharmony, and would cover Internet and other publications,' said Mr Wong.
The amendments therefore enabled such offences to be investigated under the Penal Code, he added.
However, some observers have asked if the law is the best recourse with such offences, arguing that Singapore should strengthen its social immune system such as by naming and shaming the culprit instead.
Asked if the latter might have been a better way forward, Mr Wong said the laws 'complement' efforts to promote racial and religious harmony, such as Racial Harmony Day and inter-faith events. There are also websites promoting racial harmony.
Marital immunity
MOVING away from religion to rape, Mr Wong touched on the law on marital immunity.
Previously, a man could not be charged with raping his wife at all under the law.
While this is now changed to allow the authorities to go after the husband in certain circumstances - such as when the wife has applied for divorce, or if she has applied for a legal protection order, MPs during the Parliamentary debate on the Bill were clearly dissatisfied.
Rape is rape, they said. Make it illegal for husbands to rape wives altogether.
Asked about this, Mr Wong said it is a 'difficult and delicate issue'. As the family is the basic building block of society, 'we were therefore very careful about making laws that would intrude into the relationship between man and wife'.
Total abolition of marital immunity 'was not currently desirable as it would mean the law will henceforth regard the husband no different from a stranger whether they are married or in an otherwise happy marriage', he said.
Thus, MHA's approach tries to strike the right balance between the two extremes.
'Wives will be protected. But at the same time, we do not want to unwittingly create an arrangement that could encourage the breakdown of the basic family unit.'
Such an approach 'empowers the wife', he said, as she can take action to signal marital breakdown by taking one of the prescribed steps so the husband neednot second-guess the demise of their union.
'Our stance has always been to preserve the marriage and family, and as much as possible, facilitate the reconciliation and restoration of marriages and families.'
More robust debates to come
LOOKING back, the review saw robust debates such as that over Section 377A.
And Mr Wong expects more of such vigorous exchanges to come.
'As the society matures, we will see such robust debates when we make decisions that not all Singaporeans will agree with.
'It is critically important that we continue to maintain a rational, mature and pragmatic attitude, so the different views do not polarise our society or cause irreparable rifts.'
Singaporeans should work to 'expand the common space for all citizens to live harmoniously together, rather than dwell on the differences in views or lifestyles among segments in our community'.
The most significant achievement of the review is that it 'reflected present realities and addressed the changing nature of crime, while ensuring adequate protection for the more vulnerable members of our society such as our young and mentally disabled', said Mr Wong.
On whether Singaporeans will have to wait another 23 years for the next review, he said there is no fixed date.
However, 'we will constantly monitor our laws to keep them up to date and relevant', he promised.
[email protected]
Copyright, 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited -
well, u need to have more participation in the new casino right?
When these relatives of these new citizens come to Singapore to visit them, IR is the place for them to be in to enjoy... -
Originally posted by ^tamago^:
So what if guy tio raped by women... i think i saw an article some guy kena raped by a women.. imagine u handsome kena raped by some bak chai..
[b][color=darkblue]
[b]Marital immunity
MOVING away from religion to rape, Mr Wong touched on the law on marital immunity.
Previously, a man could not be charged with raping his wife at all under the law.
While this is now changed to allow the authorities to go after the husband in certain circumstances - such as when the wife has applied for divorce, or if she has applied for a legal protection order, MPs during the Parliamentary debate on the Bill were clearly dissatisfied.
Rape is rape, they said. Make it illegal for husbands to rape wives altogether.
Asked about this, Mr Wong said it is a 'difficult and delicate issue'. As the family is the basic building block of society, 'we were therefore very careful about making laws that would intrude into the relationship between man and wife'.
Total abolition of marital immunity 'was not currently desirable as it would mean the law will henceforth regard the husband no different from a stranger whether they are married or in an otherwise happy marriage', he said.
Thus, MHA's approach tries to strike the right balance between the two extremes.
'Wives will be protected. But at the same time, we do not want to unwittingly create an arrangement that could encourage the breakdown of the basic family unit.'
Such an approach 'empowers the wife', he said, as she can take action to signal marital breakdown by taking one of the prescribed steps so the husband neednot second-guess the demise of their union.
'Our stance has always been to preserve the marriage and family, and as much as possible, facilitate the reconciliation and restoration of marriages and families.'
[/b]
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imagine the emotional and psychological torment you'll have to carry with you to your deathbed. Sometimes life is unfair...Originally posted by sLeEpWaLkErInG:So what if guy tio raped by women... i think i saw an article some guy kena raped by a women.. imagine u handsome kena raped by some bak chai.. 
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this is not the worse, bak chai tell u she is pregnant with your baby...Originally posted by kramnave:imagine the emotional and psychological torment you'll have to carry with you to your deathbed. Sometimes life is unfair... 
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Then lan lan have to marry...then bak chai dun want to work..sit at home eat untill become pui chai...then everyday after work you tired still have to kena rape all over...severely raped..Originally posted by sLeEpWaLkErInG:this is not the worse, bak chai tell u she is pregnant with your baby... -
What about you? Are you employed?Originally posted by reddressman:How do we know how many jobs are REALLY created AND! how many went EXTINCT vs the number of new immigrants?
As each month, more and more new citizens are produced, does sg able to produce enough jobs given the unemployment rate is still there ? -
seems like its very easy to get PR and citizenship nowadays.
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I would acturely phrase it this way:Originally posted by crazy monkey:seems like its very easy to get PR and citizenship nowadays.
Which other country compares the same to sg in terms of getting a PR or citizenship? Just ask yourselves if not ask people on the internet where internet means anywhere in the world. -
What I might to suggest is that I do not think getting citizenship or PR in sg is difficult or take long time compared to any where in the world.
but looking on the positive side, I congratulate sg people for having and will be having more of these for them to work as colleagues and give each other healthy and good competition on top of already many foreingers and PRs . Not only can get good competition, people competiting for rice bowls can make themselves more productive than ever and ask for never before kind of competitive salaries. Their retirement is so secure. Their lives will be so nice. Their children. Oh my gawd their children. They too will love the healthy competition. Is this not a wonderful world or what! Can even bring them to casion...erm I should say IR for weekend edicational fun! Have a spin or two.
I can see the future now...sg, a high quality of life awaits your retirement and your children. yes, your dearest children that you love so much, more than your life.
Enjoy! The future is now and it comes to you in your face, again and again!!!!!!!!!!! hip hip!! Hurray!!! one more time! -
I knew it! The Good Times at work! Bad also can say until good!Originally posted by reddressman:I would acturely phrase it this way:
Which other country compares the same to sg in terms of getting a PR or citizenship? Just ask yourselves if not ask people on the internet where internet means anywhere in the world. -
Hi,
If you believe you are smart:
Tell me, how many of the jobs created went to citizens?
Tell me, how many jobs were cut?
Tell me, overall, what is the effective job growth considering the number of jobs cut and not just the number of those created.
Smart?
How true is it that you claim yourselves to be smart?
come on, Show me, if you have what it takes. -
not "very easy", it's "damn very easy"Originally posted by crazy monkey:seems like its very easy to get PR and citizenship nowadays.
even china chicken also FT because they can make singapore men peni-s hard hard
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what is china chicken?Originally posted by Seven_Dragon:not "very easy", it's "damn very easy"
even china chicken also FT because they can make singapore men peni-s hard hard
you mean another kind of kentooky froid chicken? -
China Kentucky chicken is delicious..wonder why our standards here so bad..
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okay, lah jokes aside,
I have nebber seen any publication about exactly
how many jobs have been cut and gone extinct like dinosaurs
and
how many jobs have been created and among these created, how many gone to PR and Citizen and FT.
If you know better, impress me.
Else, it means u oso no no .
how smart are you?
use this question as a gauge. -
Do anybody here look like they keep such statistics ?Originally posted by reddressman:okay, lah jokes aside,
I have nebber seen any publication about exactly
how many jobs have been cut and gone extinct like dinosaurs
and
how many jobs have been created and among these created, how many gone to PR and Citizen and FT.
If you know better, impress me.
Else, it means u oso no no .
how smart are you?
use this question as a gauge. -
If doon even have this basic information,
how to even talk about solving the
employment situation?
so, I ask again,
where is this information? -
Then you can always read reports on who is going to set up offices there or has already set up. Then you see what are the barriers of entry for Singaporeans.
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nvm....i'll do a flying kick to her stomach problem solved...or kick her in the back while she's not watching while she at stairs....problem solved...Originally posted by sLeEpWaLkErInG:this is not the worse, bak chai tell u she is pregnant with your baby... 
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I dunno and i dun need to know because i'm not managing the employment situation. What i need to know is what job i want and the barriers of entry..Originally posted by reddressman:If doon even have this basic information,
how to manage
employment situation?
so, I ask again,
where is this information? -
u so li hai go fark care ya mum go sign on la....Originally posted by Freedom Fighter:dont worry, the SAF will take care of you