Foreign Talent or Cheap Labour?

Recent speech by Hsien Loong on how the government will look into its policy when it comes to foreign talent is proof that the ground is not happy. If not, why would he bother right?

Three things when it comes to this subject.

1. Talent or cheap manpower?

Anyone can argue till cows go home that FTs are employed because they more skilled than locals or that no locals can fill in the post but if given a choice between locals and FTs with the exact same skills, it is a no brainer which most employers will choose. Coupled that with no NS or pregnancies for employers to worry about, it's a done deal.

2. Assimilation

The government expects us to help assimilate these people into the society. In other words, pushing the work to us when they are the ones brought this problem to us in the first place.

Why is assimilation important? Because that is how you build a multi-racial society that tolerates each other. When you have a bunch of people who don't care about other people, then you will have a society very divided.

FTs from Malaysia are different because Malaysia is practically similar to Singapore in terms of culture etc. That is why we had no problem with Malaysian FT since the beginning of time. In fact I do not have any problems with any FT who made the effort to blend in.

I have a non-Malaysian in my workplace. He just finished his 3 years studies. Right after completion, the government send him an invitation letter for a permanent residency. It is that easy. They don't even need apply.

Even though he's been here for 4 years, he do not know anything about the Malays and why Muslims fast and what is Hari Raya. How on earth is that possible after 4 years? If he is really interested, he would have checked it out but he did he? If it was not for me, he would have remain ignorant by choice for many more years and simply see the Malays as non existent. This applies to every thing local like culture etc. Why bother with PCK campaigning for commuters to be more gracious when these FTs don't even care in the first place?

3. Are we really that talentless?

According to the government, yes we are bunch of good for nothing. That is why they are worth millions while we are not worth even an FT. They defended their high pay but they dismissed us when its our turn.

It's an omen

After the Malaysian opposition denied the ruling party 2/3 majority and 5 states, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) won 308 seats in the 480-member lower house on Sunday, ending more than half a century of almost unbroken rule by the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.

As they say, nothing last forever. No matter how you try to stay in power, if you pissed the voters off, you'll get booted out sooner or later. Count on it.