MM Lee says, welcome foreign immigrants with open arms

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SINGAPORE : Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has said it is important for Singaporeans to reach out to new immigrants and help them integrate into Singapore society.
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Although inter—mixing is a two—way process, he stressed that Singaporeans must extend an open arm to new immigrants to help them be a part of Singapore.

Speaking at a seminar organised by Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on Sunday, Mr Lee said a country can progress only if its people are united as one.

One 92—year—old man, who emigrated to Singapore from Malaysia six years ago, said living in Singapore has given him a greater sense of security.

Other new immigrants from the Chinese cities of Fujian, Shanghai, Wuhan and Sichuan said they have received fair treatment in Singapore.

One person said: "After living in many countries like the US, Indonesia and Europe for the past 18 years, I feel that Singapore is really a good place. I am very thankful."

Another commented: "I want to thank the Singapore Government for developing my son into an excellent person."

Speaking at the "Making Singapore Home" seminar, Minister Mentor Lee said inter—mixing new immigrants with Singaporeans is important and both sides should make the effort.

He said: "I think families should begin to adopt new families coming here. Invite them to your homes, have food, have tea, take them out to places they have never been to in Singapore, and you make friends. In that way, you make their entry to our society easier and more comfortable."

He told new immigrants their children must study hard for better prospects, and that mastering English is an essential step towards achieving success in Singapore. Only then will they be able to compete on an equal footing.

Mr Lee said: "If you want to succeed in Singapore, you must have a good grasp of English. English is a common language to communicate with people from different places and races."

Mr Lee also felt that new immigrants who have a high standard of spoken Mandarin can help improve Singapore’s Chinese standards.

He said: "I have asked MediaCorp’s Channel 8 and U to consider employing new immigrants who speak standard Mandarin as their news presenters."

The seminar was attended by some 450 participants. — CNA/ms

So what do you guys think about this? Over at HWZ the reaction has been more or less one of anger and resentment. Interested to find out if SOFT will react the same way.
 
yeah, it is important to for foreigners to get a good grasp of english..
especially those who have to deal with sporean customers..
ive had it with people who work in spore without being able to speak english..

and to those employers who are always looking for cheap,uneducated labour,
go to another country please..

and why the hell do those job advertisements in the papers still state
'preferably chinese speaking'?
 
If it is a TCM shop or a shop that deals only with Chinese customers, then it's necessary to be proficient in Mandarin. If not, then emphasis should be on proficiency in English. But yeah I see a lot of "Preferably Chinese Speaking" in the classifieds. Quite a disadvantage to be among the few Chinese who can't speak Mandarin (I'm in this group too.).
 
Isn't it waaaaaayyyy to crowded here already? Can't seem to get on the MRT during off peak hours and not have to stand.

Maybe its because its already tooo crowded that's why we don't procreate....

And what's wrong with having a small population anyways...
 
Yes. Why work when we can let them take our jobs, fill our houses and take our space? I love them! :D
 
Sg cari makan musicians have been welcoming "foreigners" for a longtime already - we know all about it ...
 
Someone should teach them basic local culture too. Some of them do stuff thinking they are still in China or India like talking as though everyone's deaf and not showering(damn bad on the train).
 
Yes. Why work when we can let them take our jobs, fill our houses and take our space? I love them! :D

wow, this is a wake up call. i foresee us singaporeans competing heavily for decent paying job opportunities.

oh the endless years singaporeans have wasted on self-improving and degree collecting will be in favor on who's willing to work with a smaller paycheck. cut throat.
 
someone should teach them basic local culture too. Some of them do stuff thinking they are still in china or india like talking as though everyone's deaf and not showering(damn bad on the train).

lol :-d:-d:-d
 
Well, I'll get my comments in before this thread is locked and deleted.

I think foreigners (specifically me) should be given much bigger tax breaks, promotions, shorter working weeks and more food.
 
Stop complaining, immigration will always exist no matter where you are. Besides, a lot of these foreigners aren't taking away our work, they're DOING our work. The last time I checked most Singaporeans are unwilling to do jobs they deem lowly.

Foreign talent? Stop whining, you have nobody to blame but yourselves by accepting the fate bestowed on you by our education system. You could have fought the system from the start and grew your own brains, moulding yourself to be an independent thinking individual. You just accepted all the shit flung at you as part and parcel of growing up. You're now reaping the seeds of what was sown. Creative, innovative foreigners taking your jobs. You deserve it. I believe in the survival of the fittest, if you thought Singapore was everything and your shit-taking was the path to survival, you obviously do not belong in the top-tier of human intellectualism.

Please, stop blaming foreigners for taking your jobs and start blaming yourselves for not doing your jobs better than the foreigners. Don't blame the system because you could have fought it and taught yourself that machiavellianism, creativity and feigned submission is the only way to reach the top. Without the daring to take calculated risks and using other's heads a ladder rungs, you'll forever lose out to the foreigners who dare to.

-A soon-to-be-former Singaporean

*edit*: I hate MM Lee with a passion, but no matter my personal feelings, I will grudgingly admit he does a very good job. In his position, I would also make the exact same decisions that he takes, why? Look at the average Singaporean, then you'll know why. In fact, his decisions are so starkly machiavellian, I absolutely worship that aspect of him.
 
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vernplum Well, I'll get my comments in before this thread is locked and deleted.

I think foreigners (specifically me) should be given much bigger tax breaks, promotions, shorter working weeks and more food.

Is there unfair treatment to foreigners? I think for anyone going abroad to seek a living it is expected that the going would be tough. Same for Singaporeans going abroad to work, why should others give the same privileges to us as compared to the locals when we r there to compete with them.

Hope i'm not coming across as racial, i hate all the unfairness and senselessness in the world right now :p
 
[=EngelFaeuste

wow,are u a foreigner?
u seem angry..heh..

i sometimes wonder, is that pingpong champion girl do really make us proud for winning the olympics and stuffs?
shes from china,isnt she?

and that badminton guy, ---susilo(i cant be bothered to rmb his name)
he's indonesian,isnt he?

so, why not let foreigners dominate the country if the govt push them to represent the country?
when i think abt this, i feel like the govt made us feel like losers, dont they?
 
I'm not angry, really, I was just lazy to write in polite, politically correct prose. I'm Singaporean, born here, grew up here, smelt a stench of something. Nothing I really understood till I read Discorsi sopra la prima deca di Tito Livio by Niccolo Machiavelli. He's a Venetian (I think) political theorist. Since then I have tried my best to understand anything I possibly could.

The badminton dude is Susilo, he's Indonesian, that is correct.

I'm just a tad ticked that people are complaining that foreigners are squeezing them out while not really doing anything about it.
 
gahmen feels sporeans owe them our lives. not surprising then that sporean thinks gahmen owes us a living hahahaha

why? bec indeed we are singapore!!!!

yes yes indeed we all is reaping wat we been sowing.......down down we all go.......
 
Is there unfair treatment to foreigners? I think for anyone going abroad to seek a living it is expected that the going would be tough. Same for Singaporeans going abroad to work, why should others give the same privileges to us as compared to the locals when we r there to compete with them.

Hope i'm not coming across as racial, i hate all the unfairness and senselessness in the world right now :p

I don't think I could have made it more obvious that that was a joke. :)
 
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