After lecturing China on how it should continue to grow and develop, Singapore’s MM Lee Kuan Yew now turn his attention to Japan.
During a speech to more than 1,000 Japanese businessmen and guests at the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Singapore’s 40th anniversary celebrations, MM Lee urged Japan to learn from the Singapore’s experience and rethink its longstanding reservation towards foreigners.
“There is a reluctance on the part of both leaders and people to dilute or to complicate the society by bringing in people of different cultures, different races. It’s not just bloodlines but also language, culture, the way you communicate with each other. I think Japan faces a difficult choice here,” he said.
MM Lee said he is aware that the foreigner versus local issue is a sensitive one which even Singapore is have difficulties in dealing with.
He quoted the example of the recently opened foreign worker dormitory in Serangoon Gardens:
“When we had to put work-permit holders in Serangoon estate, there was tremendous unhappiness. But in fact, we’ve fenced it off, made a different entrance, and I think it will work out. But nevertheless there is a certain amount of discomfort,” he added.
Though he is aware of the unhappiness of some Singaporeans at the relentless influx of foreigners into Singapore, he continues to reiterate just how important immigrants were:
“Supposing we remove 1.2 million of our foreigners, we’ll find suddenly, all the restaurants, theatres, everything is one-third empty. Some will close shop.”
Singapore is able to implement such a liberal immigration policies to mass import foreigners from elsewhere because its government is dominated by a single party with no opposition to check on it, unlike Japan’s.
If the Japanese ruling party – the Democratic Party of Japan were to adopt MM Lee’s suggestion and open its doors to immigrants, it will soon be booted out of office in the next election.
Singapore’s ruling party does not have such worries or fears as it is in firm control of the electoral process as well as all institutions of the state which enables it to manipulate the system grossly in its favor.
MM Lee should realize that the world does not revolve around Singapore and what works here is seldom applicable elsewhere before he dishes out his usual “dose” of wisdom to others.
Japan will have to find its own way of dealing with the aging population and though immigration is a plausible solution, it should be tweaked so as to serve the interests of the native Japanese instead of foreigners like in the case of Singapore.
During a speech to more than 1,000 Japanese businessmen and guests at the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Singapore’s 40th anniversary celebrations, MM Lee urged Japan to learn from the Singapore’s experience and rethink its longstanding reservation towards foreigners.
“There is a reluctance on the part of both leaders and people to dilute or to complicate the society by bringing in people of different cultures, different races. It’s not just bloodlines but also language, culture, the way you communicate with each other. I think Japan faces a difficult choice here,” he said.
MM Lee said he is aware that the foreigner versus local issue is a sensitive one which even Singapore is have difficulties in dealing with.
He quoted the example of the recently opened foreign worker dormitory in Serangoon Gardens:
“When we had to put work-permit holders in Serangoon estate, there was tremendous unhappiness. But in fact, we’ve fenced it off, made a different entrance, and I think it will work out. But nevertheless there is a certain amount of discomfort,” he added.
Though he is aware of the unhappiness of some Singaporeans at the relentless influx of foreigners into Singapore, he continues to reiterate just how important immigrants were:
“Supposing we remove 1.2 million of our foreigners, we’ll find suddenly, all the restaurants, theatres, everything is one-third empty. Some will close shop.”
Singapore is able to implement such a liberal immigration policies to mass import foreigners from elsewhere because its government is dominated by a single party with no opposition to check on it, unlike Japan’s.
If the Japanese ruling party – the Democratic Party of Japan were to adopt MM Lee’s suggestion and open its doors to immigrants, it will soon be booted out of office in the next election.
Singapore’s ruling party does not have such worries or fears as it is in firm control of the electoral process as well as all institutions of the state which enables it to manipulate the system grossly in its favor.
MM Lee should realize that the world does not revolve around Singapore and what works here is seldom applicable elsewhere before he dishes out his usual “dose” of wisdom to others.
Japan will have to find its own way of dealing with the aging population and though immigration is a plausible solution, it should be tweaked so as to serve the interests of the native Japanese instead of foreigners like in the case of Singapore.
