Law minister says Singaporeans should welcome foreign workers

I was reading Lilian Lee's blog when I came across the topic being mentioned and I would like to add on my opinion(s).

Law minister says Singaporeans should welcome foreign workers

Mr Shanmugam said....

"There are some jobs that Singaporeans won't do, and then there are some jobs that Singaporeans cannot do... We need to be welcoming our guest workers; we need to be welcoming our expatriates, all of that in pursuit of our national interest."

Is it true?

I would like to share my recent observations. I see a lot of them across various industries..

Recently,I was learning to drive a boat. When I took my theory test,I came across a group of 6 or 7 PRCs taking the same theory test in Chinese.

I asked them out of curiosity as even a lot of Singaporeans do not have this license(PPCDL) yet..I asked them why they need the license for?

They replied that they are employed by the PUB..they will be driving boats all around in our rivers and reservoirs..and i was thinking.."hey,what a fun job it must be! Why would there be no local(s) wanting to take up this job?"

I do not think that our Ministers are hiding in ivory towers..the fact that this group of people I met is being employed one way or another by the PUB..the fact that their work permits are all issued by MOM for them to work here..in fact, every time they change company,they got to submit a new application. I guess our Government knows exactly what these foreigners are working as.

I have heard about a lot of complaints about how foreigners snatch away the jobs of Singaporeans etc.etc...but I also do see it from a different angle.

How about if you are the employer? Who would you employ?

Would you pay $1000 a month for a hardworking foreign employee who works 12hrs shift(+ ever willing to learn new things) or would you pay $1400(not including CPF contributions) for an older, slower local who share the nation's favorite pass time of complaining how they cannot work more than 8-hour shifts..so old already,how can they still 'absorb' if they were to go to 'study'(upgrade their skills etc).

If you are the Boss..its not a very tough choice to make indeed because your main considerations in business would be profit oriented.

What if you are the consumer? Take for example our local malay barber shop..the kind of place I visited since young to get my haircut. They price tag is about $6-$8. Would you ever be able to imagine that nowadays, some hairdressing salons that are mostly staffed by foriegners are able to do a cut + wash + blow dry for just $7.80?

If these 2 examples above are almost side by side in the same location,which one would you patronize?

I am a real estate agent and I have foriegner agents under me. The minimum requirment for them to be an agent in Singapore is that they need to be PR. One of them was studying for his PhD,but abolished his studies midway and shine out as an outstanding agent. I am not the one paying their salary..we are all self employed and they really earn their own keep.

I welcome foriegners to Singapore. I also share the Singaporeans' concern. Based on what I share here so far, make a guess who I think could be the biggest employer in Singapore?

IF you are the biggest employer in Singapore, would you think of your own pocket 1st or the pockets of the workers on the streets?

IF you are the consumer, 2 shops side by side selling almost the same thing at different prices..would you choose to buy at the cheaper one?

The 2 IFs i just mentioned,you just need to balance it. I believe that all Civil Service and Stat Boards & government linked companies should minimise foriegn employment. I believe the talent pool of Singaporeans shd be able to fill most of the jobs,they just need to pay them better for these 'talents' to step out.

I also hope that the government can really take better care of the people..these are the people who helplessly pay them the top salaries..These are the people who are their firm supporters..these people who voted them in democratically with vast majority & resounding mandate, election after election.

Talking about salaries..petrol prices has been revised downwards twelve times this year already..anyone knows when are our Ministers going to review their salaries now that we have gone though 2 quarters of negative growth?