>I read with skepticism ST’s report on Mr Wong’s assurance to Singaporeans pertaining to immigration policy.
Fewer new PRs and citizens
THE Government hears and understands Singaporeans’ concerns about the influx of immigrants in recent years, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said yesterday.
So it has refined the requirements for permanent residents (PRs) and new citizens, even as it continues to take them in to top up Singapore’s declining population, he told Parliament.
As one indication, there were 59,500 new PRs last year, down from 79,200 in 2008, and 19,900 new citizens, compared to 20,500 a year ago.
‘I know that this is a matter which Singaporeans care deeply about, and rightly so, as it concerns the value of our citizenship,’ he said.
‘We will ensure that those who become one of us are of suitable quality, and not only contribute to Singapore economically but also integrate well into our society,’ he added.
Mr Wong, who is also Home Affairs Minister and oversees population issues, spoke during the debate on his ministry’s plans for the coming financial year.
It is already known that PAP, even before it came to power in the 1960s, has a race bias. It had and has always wanted Singapore to remain a Chinese majority nation.
Before the merger with Malaysia, PAP used the race card against Lim Chin Siong that he was a communist, aligning himself and his party to China. After the merger, LKY and gang used that same race card against the Tengku, to seek independence. From then on, it is always about race, race, race. Here are some examples.
- The introduction of bilingualism as a disguise to promote Chinese Culture (note I said culture and not language).
- The introduction of SAP schools for the above purpose too.
- Formation separate racial funds like CDAC, Mendaki, Sinda, rather than a single Singapore Fund.
- Racial quota in HDB estates to keep racial demographics constant and uniform throughout different parts in Singapore.
- Ease of how Chinese Malaysians and Indonesians get PR, as compared to other races in the 1970s to 1990s.
- The media’s consistent racial profiling of how problematic Malay students are, especially in the area of studies in Maths and other social problems.
- The govt and media’s persistent mention how Singaporeans (especially Chinese) are not replacing themselves by having low birth rates.
- Just before Hong Kong was handed back to China, PAP tried to entice Hong Kongers to migrate to Singapore by portraying Singapore as a place Hong Kongers can feel comfortable with. Yes, no prizes for getting it right that PAP stressed the “Chineseness” of Singapore, comparing ourselves to Hong Kong. Too bad, hardly any Hong Konger was impressed.
- Note that even our National Carrier, SIA, portrays Singapore Girl(s) as Chinese. Ever seen a dark-skinned or Caucasian Singapore Girl in SIA adverts?
- Fill in your own points ……
It is not a surprise that many complaints about PRs are directed at China nationals. Just surf around some blogs and you will see the xenophobic proportions some of these sites indulge in. The fact is that PAP is more concerned about maintaining the racial demographics of Chinese majority population here, which causes Immigration Dept to import China Nationals in large numbers – and that’s why we see many cited cases (by these sites) are targetted at Chinese nationals.
Note that many of these PRs have the same skills as Singaporeans. Maybe some even less. Otherwise, why do we have many of these PRs (especially women from China) reportedly (by the xenophobic sites) offer escort services and/or pimping themselves?
If immigration is all about talent, shouldn’t we say high end PRs with high end skills aplenty here? It is not that China is short of such talent. They have over a billion people. Surely, it won’t be difficult to get them, even if their first choice is western nations.
I strongly believe that the main reason is to maintain the current racial demographics. That is, to keep Singapore a Chinese dominant race. After all, it is the Chinese who have the lowest birth rates.
I am not saying that the immigration policy has nothing to do with tapping overseas talent. It is just that the kind of PRs that are reportedly seen in Singapore hardly fits the explanation that we are attracting talent. Unless what is meant is that self-pimping is a talent Singapore doesn’t have.
