Risks of relying on foreign workers, says MP Heng
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SINGAPORE: Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Heng Chee How, has warned of the risks of continuing to rely on foreign manpower to fuel economic growth.
He stressed that Singapore has to improve productivity and innovation while there's still time.
Citing a recent trip to Chongqing, Mr Heng said Chinese officials told him that the city's success at attracting investments and jobs from the coastal cities was based on cheap land, financing and manpower.
But the officials acknowledged that this "cheap sourcing" strategy was not sustainable in the long-term - it was a means to buy time to develop higher value production and services.
Mr Heng, who is the MP for Whampoa, said a Singapore core workforce must be built, and move away from relying on foreign workers.
Mr Heng said: "What makes us think that the economic development that will occur in the home countries of our foreign labour sources would not naturally reduce the need and desire of their populations from wanting to leave home and work abroad?
"And if that happens, and if we are still bound to a model that critically depends on their free and abundant availability, would we not be exposing ourselves to unacceptable risks? And even if that does not happen, would we not at least be slowing our pace of innovation and transformation simply because of the painkiller than we can consume for the moment?"
Weighing in on the issue is Dr Chia Shi-Lu, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC.
He welcomed the government's plan to reduce Singapore's "unhealthy reliance" on foreign workers.
Dr Chia said: "I often warn my patients who are otherwise healthy to avoid over-reliance on crutches and braces, and other walking assisting devices when they don't need them. The initial period after leaving these aids behind is difficult, but with the proper guidance, the patient recovers rapidly afterwards and grows from strength to strength.
"Contrast this with the patient who clings on to these crutches and this patient will slowly deteriorate over time to the point in which any form of mobility becomes excruciating. And so we must act decisively to rehabilitate ourselves from this dependence on foreign labour while our social, economic muscles are still healthy and able to."
On productivity gains, Dr Chia said he hoped the government will monitor the extent to which such gains are translated into real-wage growth.
He welcomed the beefed-up measures to help businesses achieve productivity growth.
But he noted the perception that gains are not equitably shared amongst employees when companies do well.
He added that businesses that have received government grants should be scrutinised to see how much of their employees' salaries have risen in relation to how well the company has performed.
And this should be an important criterion for approving future grants.
- CNA/de -
So who created the problem?
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Easier said than done, boss. Solutions ?
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U see the name u know riaox...
Heng ah, chee how ah??? wat to do? how ah???
Shoooo who started this economic growth thing? chiu think high GDP is good? chiu think high economic growth is good??
chiu really think taking steriod and viagra = really power? wait till u stop using them then chiu know
Now I know their job, their job is to create problem, then pretend to find the problem...
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ho , one old man create this problem. once that old man gone for good, we can really revemp. someone just made a comment that you can buy HDB flat with 1k salary per month. i think mybe he refering to foreign cheap 'talent's. when you can do that with 1k per month, you are really no doubt undisputed - a talent.
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If you are earning $1000 a month and a family to support, can you really afford a flat ?
It seems like that the two person who mentioned this did not really understand the plight of low income population.
They are living in their dream world.
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no someone who earns 1k per month and is supporting family and can afford a flat servicing its loan os not doubt undispusted a telnt - so if that one happen to be a foruiegn one - double the talent
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the government is risking alot by relying on FT and forgetting about having more singapore born and bred babies.
we are going to lack people loyal to singapore.
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
If you are earning $1000 a month and a family to support, can you really afford a flat ?
It seems like that the two person who mentioned this did not really understand the plight of low income population.
They are living in their dream world.
1st, $8 for bypass op, now $1K for 2-room flat? What's wrong with SG these days? -
Read too much Naruto the pang sai, that why this country is becoming more like a comedian. And Naruto the pang sai is considered another FT trash in one way
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Originally posted by Summer hill:
the government is risking alot by relying on FT and forgetting about having more singapore born and bred babies.
we are going to lack people loyal to singapore.
no lah we simply obeying order. like my boss gave order who incharge of doing which things we have to obey mah - nothing wrong. -
Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
If you are earning $1000 a month and a family to support, can you really afford a flat ?
It seems like that the two person who mentioned this did not really understand the plight of low income population.
They are living in their dream world.
Who says not affordable?
Can pay off loan in 30 years.
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MIW, make up your mind
knn one side of your mouth say need FW, then the other side say cannot rely on FW...
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Originally posted by the Bear:
MIW, make up your mind
knn one side of your mouth say need FW, then the other side say cannot rely on FW...
This is the plan to confuse you, me and everybody else.
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Originally posted by charlize:
This is the plan to confuse you, me and everybody else.
i think it worked too well.. they also confused themselves
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Originally posted by the Bear:
i think it worked too well.. they also confused themselves
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Times are bad.
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But we still need foreign workers.
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its less than 1k pay talent - salute you can ornot? you cannot they can so they talent lor
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wonder why r they paid?
to solve problems or to give problems?
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Ya revamp. Indeed we need to revamp the whole govt. Get the greedy ones out completely, none should remain and replace them with new blood. No venture no gain. Old man started his political career as a PM without prior experience. As such, we should not deprive people with passion and commitment for public service with no prior political experience to run the country.
Foreign workers, foreign talents . . .. . . . . up to their freedom and whimps and fancies to manipulate to account for their insatiable greed for money and power.
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say, speech, write preach - all no use one. if they cannot come up with policies on the foreign thing to work, not just aa one size fits all solution, not just turn a blind eye to how the review and policies executed on the ground - then its up to us sgreans to do something. if you see some forign pigs trying funny thiongs, please report, condemn or warn others. don;t give those that come here to do funny things or earn quick bucks doing funny things a good time or place to succeed.
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Originally posted by lce:
wonder why r they paid?
to solve problems or to give problems?
Is this a trick question?
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sure, its werk to put the pap in control by gettin more ppl to be pink
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he should not tell it to us, tell it to the pm stright in the face