Ministry seeks residents' understanding on workers' dorm
-
Originally posted by Quincey:
For starters Reyes, I live somewhere near the Jalan Kayu area - where they converted the old Farmway HDB flats to a series of workers' quarters, so I do know what you're talking about. However, I must concede that I live overseas for a large part of the year, but whenever my mum tells me about the how these workers hang around the vicinity of the Jalan Kayu area, and leave their beer bottles stewn all over the place, I can't help but feel concern to the safety of my loved ones and those living around me
So I do know what you're talking about.
But my point is that to get to the root of the problem or issue, we have to stop seeing these individuals as mere economic utilities - as people we are making money out of for their cheap labor, but rather as human beings who have needs and wants like all of us. Because when we see them as mere tools, as sub humans upon a hierarchal specturm of human beings, we denegrate them to a state where we fail to understand the true nature of the situation and as such offer sub-par solutions which will lead to greater problems.
We need foreign workers, that is the way our economy is set up, and expelling them is definitely not the solution. But where are we to house them? Some say quarters are the way forward, others argue that we should built settlements far away from 'civilization'. Other just don't know what to do, but just scorn at their mere appearance because unlike us, they are 'different' and somehow their difference they exact are somehow a threat to our safety and existence.
Foreign workers do commit crimes, their ways unsettle us evidently, but locals do commit crimes, but they look similar to us, so somehow walking along some street in Ang Mo Kio, is somehow safer than walking along Little India on a Saturday night. The notion of difference magnifies the threat of their presence. A crime committed by a foreigner when reported in the mainstream media is magnified in it's prominence, as compared to some crime committed by a local. I'll really to see the numbers comparing the statistics of crimes committed for every foreigner as compared to Singaporeans or 'locals'.
Another complaint is that they go on liaisons with our domestic workers. It is a concern as should our domestic workers contract vernal diseases or end up pregnant, it will be a health concern and incur monetary expenses upon our families. Therefore, if we were to allow foreign workers into our estates and heartlands, somehow or rather these laisons will become a health hazard. But look at this more humanly, for most of us we have our families with us, our spouses, our loved ones. These structures construct the central core of our sense of security and we will feel threatened if these aforementioned structures are threatened - these basically embody our needs and functionality as human beings. Similarly, foreign workers like us, have needs too. They need that structure that we possess, for which many of them do not get to participate in for most part of their lives here. Some would say, that is something they have to put up with, because they have chosen this path, but who would chose a path to part with ones loved ones, unless forced by their situation. So somehow their socio-economic situation has become their own fault and they have to somehow be derided into the periphery of human existence because of a situation they were born into?
It is a want for them, the only way to offer one to overcome a want is to offer a greater incentive, an opportunity to grant a greater want of theirs. Reward them, for those who have no criminal records or have shown examplarary working ethics, reward them with a renewal of their contracts for a longer period or for the really promising ones, further training and even a path to Permanent Residency or even citizenship. Some will argue and not be able to phantom the sight of 'these foreigners' eventually having the same rights as us, but this notion boils down to the same sub-human narrative that just does not encompass this debate, but all debates concerning immigration into our country, which concerns the future of this nation.
Well, i think you hv to pardon my Fuhrer Adolf Reyes.We believe humanity has its limitation. The human instinct as per animals seek territorial protection even we are of the same group. Therefore, when terrritory of one is being step on, offensive barriers will be built upon.
The debate here is therefore not the case of not welcoming the foreigners or the sight of foreigners who we acknowledged that they helped our economy as it is today, but the placement of their dormitory should not be at the expense of the local in term of privacy and living standard we had worked so hard to achieve as it is today. And we do not place the blame on the foreign workers, they are deem as innocent as they can be, but we placed it on the govt who knows how to collect levy from each workers but do not know how to house them correctly. As a taxpayer, stakeholder and citizen of Singapore, dun we have the rite to tell the govt not to build dormitory near our homes as such it may affect our lifestyle??
Spokewoman
For my Fuhrer
Nutzism
-
for now, i go to cna watch the video... the auntie drive car and shout... "FED UP AH!"
-
Well, I might be wrong here, but I think underlying this whole idea that why should they be housed in my estate, is an under current of Xenophobia, with a twist. Because if these guys were a bunch of expatriates, and possess a lighter shade of skin which fit into the taxonomy of our post colonial racial hierarchal setup, and the government wants to set up nice glittering condominiums in the heart of Serangoon Gardens to house these learned individuals and their families, what would people say. Yay! well and good, because we perceive these individuals to be at the pinnacle of society and fits into my society, so somehow their presence is encouraged. Well done!
But now we have foreign workers, foreign workers. I'm sure just the mere mention of that term, will incur on your vexed minds the most undesirable of sensations. But why the dichotomy? Are we alluding and accepting the fact that in our society, some people of specific characteristics, are somehow better or more acceptable than others? Are we saying that we ourselves view ourselves as superior beings to others? What would that make us?
And we complain that we are repressed and bullied by our government and we claim the rights as free citizens to remonstrate? Aren't we no different from hypocrites, clasping upon the tree of freedom, only when freedom serves us well?
-
hahaha... kiasu silliporeans certainly deserve it.... foreigners get a better deal... cheap housing in prime estate that is not available to silliporeans in their own country!
-
Originally posted by AndrewPKYap:
hahaha... kiasu silliporeans certainly deserve it.... foreigners get a better deal... cheap housing in prime estate that is not available to silliporeans in their own country!
That was uncalled for. I think the Serangoon Garden's community is already doing their best to get the ministry to reconsider this.
-
Residents seeks Ministers' understanding on workers' dorm
-
Actually, I am quite surprise. How come the ruling party dare to play with the rich people there? Can anyone enlighten me on the motive?
If no motive, then I think, in a way, its a good move if the gahmen succeed in converting a workers dorm there, after all, if u think they move to workers dorm to hougang, u tink the hougang people will have "chips" to bargain with the gahmen...
Afterall, who benefits most from these Foreign workers are the rich ppl in s.gardens themselves... -
Common sense issue.
If you have hard time driving a bunch of rich people away, you have to put some thing that pissed them off the most - foreign talents.
The question next will be why the rich people need to be driven away.
Cos they are standing on a very important resource - LAND.
Once the land is vacant, imagine what low price can the land fetch now and what high price can the land be resold.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
-
Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
Common sense issue.
If you have hard time driving a bunch of rich people away, you have to put some thing that pissed them off the most - foreign talents.
The question next will be why the rich people need to be driven away.
Cos they are standing on a very important resource - LAND.
Once the land is vacant, imagine what low price can the land fetch now and what high price can the land be resold.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Yeah, if you look at Serangoon Gardens area, the amount of private property land there is like astronomical compared to its surrounding areas (Ang Mo Kio, Hougang) etc. Everywhere is populated by one or two storey landed properties.
You may be on to something there in regards to land price.
Imagine how many more high rise condominiums can be built if you demolished some of the one storey landed properties.
-
Why didn't Minister Mah consider locating the foreign workers in some empty building owned by the HDB or JTC in the Holland Road area ?
The large ground of the old MINDEF opposite the Botancial Gardens would have been ideal.
Better still, why not park them at a disused school next to Fifth Avenue - off Bukit Timah Road - where SM GCT live ?
Maybe just alongside Killiney Road behind MM LKY would be great, afterall he has a contingent of Gurkhas that will keep the neighborhood peace.
Why didn't Minister Mah think of puncturing the astronomical prices of the 6-figure properties in Orchard Road, Holland Road or Bukit Timah areas ?
Why pick on the hapless middle-class Serangoon Garden where retirees have generally sunk in their monies over the years ?
This is typical of the PAP in picking a fight with the hard pressed Middle Class, and not daring to lift a finger to poke at the Upper Class of the high wage earners.
Typical Republican George Bush policy of favoring the Rich.
-
I have a question;
The government has seeked & gotten from us all, MANY 'understandings' over many other issues & or Policies they have 'brilliantly' thought up & implemented over the years.
Now, WHEN, are they going to START understanding US - the people of Singapore? We've been SEEKING their 'understanding' over many issues (largely Bread & Butter related)... where's the 'understanding'?
Where is the love...?
-
Another common sense issue.
The understanding that they seeked is for their love for money.
The objective of every policy, despite of all the "review" and "feedback", is to make huge profit for the company, so that the profit can be passed to the directors as bonus.
If the greed is not the driving force, why would any one incur the wrath of a bunch of rich people ? show of power ?
I guess the poodle that have promised the rich men that their feedback will be forward to the authority must be hiding in their house now.
-
Hi all
I have been staying in serangoons gardens for 24 years ever since the day i was born. The bus-stop to my hse are a little fast so i have to wlak quite a distance in. i have this bad encounter with foreign workers before.... i remember it was 3 years back when i was walking hme at abt 12plus in the night, while walking thru Jalan Nira park, a man can from the back to touch me after i scream he molested me and run before i can do anything. No one seems to heard my screams. i can't see the face clearly as foreign worker look all the same in the dark and from the way he ask me keep my my mouth shut, and the way he dress i can tell he is foreign worker. Police always say they will increase patrol ard the area but how frequent can it be when there is so many dark area pple can do crime? how to make it safe for womens to go hme alone? i'm staying with 2 grandparents who are elderly and i can't expect them to come to bus stop to wait for me right? anyway i hope the Mp will consider again if not i guess i have to move out soon coz this give me fears and nightmares for what has happen 3 years back......
-
Originally posted by Missy_yy:
Hi all
I have been staying in serangoons gardens for 24 years ever since the day i was born. The bus-stop to my hse are a little fast so i have to wlak quite a distance in. i have this bad encounter with foreign workers before.... i remember it was 3 years back when i was walking hme at abt 12plus in the night, while walking thru Jalan Nira park, a man can from the back to touch me after i scream he molested me and run before i can do anything. No one seems to heard my screams. i can't see the face clearly as foreign worker look all the same in the dark and from the way he ask me keep my my mouth shut, and the way he dress i can tell he is foreign worker. Police always say they will increase patrol ard the area but how frequent can it be when there is so many dark area pple can do crime? how to make it safe for womens to go hme alone? i'm staying with 2 grandparents who are elderly and i can't expect them to come to bus stop to wait for me right? anyway i hope the Mp will consider again if not i guess i have to move out soon coz this give me fears and nightmares for what has happen 3 years back......
Me also same same, right at the heart of Joo chiat sleazily place, go home midnite also scare scare, alot of Drunk Singapore Uncles try to touch me, but i managed to siam here and there, imagine singaporeans guy also act like this, not the mention foreigners, then singaporeans uncles also anyhow urine at the back drain, so disgusting, my Dad alway go overseas with his gf, brother at NTU hostel, only maid and grandma at home, so how?? no choice mah. Walk fast fast lor, walk on more crowded and well lighted places lor, and when late, take a taxis home direct to my house lor, no choice mah, if not come home earlier lah. aiya, no bf, sibei cham.
-
Originally posted by Quincey:
Well, I might be wrong here, but I think underlying this whole idea that why should they be housed in my estate, is an under current of Xenophobia, with a twist. Because if these guys were a bunch of expatriates, and possess a lighter shade of skin which fit into the taxonomy of our post colonial racial hierarchal setup, and the government wants to set up nice glittering condominiums in the heart of Serangoon Gardens to house these learned individuals and their families, what would people say. Yay! well and good, because we perceive these individuals to be at the pinnacle of society and fits into my society, so somehow their presence is encouraged. Well done!
But now we have foreign workers, foreign workers. I'm sure just the mere mention of that term, will incur on your vexed minds the most undesirable of sensations. But why the dichotomy? Are we alluding and accepting the fact that in our society, some people of specific characteristics, are somehow better or more acceptable than others? Are we saying that we ourselves view ourselves as superior beings to others? What would that make us?
And we complain that we are repressed and bullied by our government and we claim the rights as free citizens to remonstrate? Aren't we no different from hypocrites, clasping upon the tree of freedom, only when freedom serves us well?
Yo dude, you cannot blame us, we are living in a capitalist demorcrazy society, class differentiation exist in such kind of society, so what, you want communist or socialism here?? The division of humans exist in this world since its existence, even to the extend of animals, cute, nice kitties and dogs are alway well treated than ugly ones, man with more wealth, good looking with good career status are better look upon than a penniless bangala, that is the fact of life, so, there come the lower class, middle class and upper class. This is how our society works, like it or not, hypocrisy or not, the rich command and control the life of the poor, and the rich get richer and poor get poorer, for if there is no class and no poor, how can there be rich?? I understand your voice in term of fairness of humans, but please remember, the world can never be fair, it revolved around the unfairness, that is how it works. And when fairness finally exist in this world, that will be the end of the world. -
Originally posted by Quincey:
Well, I might be wrong here, but I think underlying this whole idea that why should they be housed in my estate, is an under current of Xenophobia, with a twist. Because if these guys were a bunch of expatriates, and possess a lighter shade of skin which fit into the taxonomy of our post colonial racial hierarchal setup, and the government wants to set up nice glittering condominiums in the heart of Serangoon Gardens to house these learned individuals and their families, what would people say. Yay! well and good, because we perceive these individuals to be at the pinnacle of society and fits into my society, so somehow their presence is encouraged. Well done!
But now we have foreign workers, foreign workers. I'm sure just the mere mention of that term, will incur on your vexed minds the most undesirable of sensations. But why the dichotomy? Are we alluding and accepting the fact that in our society, some people of specific characteristics, are somehow better or more acceptable than others? Are we saying that we ourselves view ourselves as superior beings to others? What would that make us?
And we complain that we are repressed and bullied by our government and we claim the rights as free citizens to remonstrate? Aren't we no different from hypocrites, clasping upon the tree of freedom, only when freedom serves us well?
Like what limpehbu said, since we are not the ones living in serangoon gardens, we have no right to comment on the 1400 who have signed the petition or tried their hardest to prevent their lovely homes from being FW central. So quincy, why don't YOU go and stay with the FWs in their spanking new home in serangoon gardens for a month, then you can come here and preach all you want about xenophobia, xena the warrior etc etc etc.
-
we can only count our blessings that our neighbourhood is not affected..... yet!!!
-
I guess it's time to move out, depress the housing prices in Serangoon area.
-
Originally posted by angel7030:
Me also same same, right at the heart of Joo chiat sleazily place, go home midnite also scare scare, alot of Drunk Singapore Uncles try to touch me, but i managed to siam here and there, imagine singaporeans guy also act like this, not the mention foreigners, then singaporeans uncles also anyhow urine at the back drain, so disgusting, my Dad alway go overseas with his gf, brother at NTU hostel, only maid and grandma at home, so how?? no choice mah. Walk fast fast lor, walk on more crowded and well lighted places lor, and when late, take a taxis home direct to my house lor, no choice mah, if not come home earlier lah. aiya, no bf, sibei cham.
next time tell mi lah.. i send u home with my 4 wheel BMX
-
the badminton court behind my house at yew tee has been taken up by a dozen of FWs...they play and crowd the place out..
and they always gather near the mama shop and drink till late and dirty the place with bottles and puke..
Maybe their dormitory is somewhere in sungei kadut (industrial area behind yew tee) but they managed to invade most part of yew tee already.. not safe for ladies at night..
i sympathize with those living in serangoon gardens.. =(
-
BETTER STILL. LOCK ALL FOREIGN WORKER in Pulau UBIN. THEY WIll not disturb us when at night.
-
But now we have foreign workers, foreign workers. I'm sure just the mere mention of that term, will incur on your vexed minds the most undesirable of sensations. But why the dichotomy? Are we alluding and accepting the fact that in our society, some people of specific characteristics, are somehow better or more acceptable than others? Are we saying that we ourselves view ourselves as superior beings to others? What would that make us?
And we complain that we are repressed and bullied by our government and we claim the rights as free citizens to remonstrate? Aren't we no different from hypocrites, clasping upon the tree of freedom, only when freedom serves us well?
the fact which u still fail to acknowledge is foreign worker will definitely increase the crime rate of the area. listen and look to what other forumers are experiencing. are you living besides SM goh and LKY? you talk about idealogy what we human shouldnt be doing. but we cannot denied the fact that what i have written can be share felt by singaporeans.
are you goping to compare the crime rate comitted by foreign workes and high class expatritates?
time for you to woke up and face the real world!!
-
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
next time tell mi lah.. i send u home with my 4 wheel BMX
most likely u will send me into the longkang ending up both of drunk and sleep in the longkang, me dun wan -
the badminton court behind my house at yew tee has been taken up by a dozen of FWs...they play and crowd the place out..
and they always gather near the mama shop and drink till late and dirty the place with bottles and puke..
Maybe their dormitory is somewhere in sungei kadut (industrial area behind yew tee) but they managed to invade most part of yew tee already.. not safe for ladies at night..
i often told them off if they are too noisy or dont take their litter with them after their Picnic at the void deck.
i stay in HDB flats but and my parents told me to be modest. But it has limit how much crap we can take.
they should fear us more than we fear them.
-
Originally posted by reyes:
the fact which u still fail to acknowledge is foreign worker will definitely increase the crime rate of the area. listen and look to what other forumers are experiencing. are you living besides SM goh and LKY? you talk about idealogy what we human shouldnt be doing. but we cannot denied the fact that what i have written can be share felt by singaporeans.
are you goping to compare the crime rate comitted by foreign workes and high class expatritates?
time for you to woke up and face the real world!!
Hike fuller!!
Statistics shown that crime rates remain same even with the influx of foreign workers, and even if foreign workers/talents is to commit crime, it usually done on their own people, singaporeans are seldom involved in foreigner crimes.
A foreigner workers paid about $S6-8 thousands to agent to come here, their main objective is to work and earn money here as their hometown got no jobs and also very low pay. Most are not here to be hanky panky, they seriously wanted a job.
Recently, i heard that agents in Singapore as singaporeans are more inhuman than them, took their money and keep them in a cage without work, proper food, medicate care, hygience and money.