<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Sep 24, 2009
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>PRs upbeat about S'pore <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>But more effort needed on multiculturalism and workplace integration, Reach survey shows </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Kor Kian Beng, Political Correspondent
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A SURVEY of new citizens and permanent residents has unearthed among them largely positive attitudes towards Singapore as their new home. -- ST PICTURE: JOYCE FANG
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->A SURVEY of new citizens and permanent residents has unearthed among them largely positive attitudes towards Singapore as their new home.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story --><STYLE type=text/css> #related .quote {background-color:#E7F7FF; padding:8px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;} #related .quote .headline {font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10px;font-weight:bold; border-bottom:3px double #007BFF; color:#036; text-transform:uppercase; padding-bottom:5px;} #related .quote .text {font-size:11px;color:#036;padding:5px 0px;} </STYLE>10 KEY FINDINGS
95 per cent would recommend Singapore as place to live in
93.3 per cent find overall experience in Singapore better than expected
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>But it also highlighted the need to ramp up efforts to integrate new immigrants at the workplace and educate them on the importance of Singapore's multiculturalism.
The survey of 360 new citizens and PRs was conducted in April and May by a study group commissioned by Reach, the government's feedback unit.
Among its findings: while almost four in five felt welcome in Singapore, 35.3 per cent also felt that co-workers in the workplace perceived them as competition.
The feeling was particularly acute among Filipinos, with 20.8 per cent of them reporting the sentiment.
On living in Singapore, 80.6 per cent found the cost of living manageable, and 77.2 per cent enjoyed watching local TV productions.
Dr Terence Chong, a sociologist with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and vice-chairman of the study group, noted that the largely positive findings were not surprising, given that the sample was drawn from those attending citizenship certificate presentation ceremonies.
These events are held at grassroots or national levels to welcome new citizens.
He said: 'Quite predictably, the results are positive because they wouldn't be new citizens if they do not enjoy living in Singapore.'
Still, he noted, the survey threw up some trends that Singapore needs to be alert to.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
So the 154th can make claims from the $10M for this silly Leeport?
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>PRs upbeat about S'pore <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>But more effort needed on multiculturalism and workplace integration, Reach survey shows </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Kor Kian Beng, Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
A SURVEY of new citizens and permanent residents has unearthed among them largely positive attitudes towards Singapore as their new home. -- ST PICTURE: JOYCE FANG
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->A SURVEY of new citizens and permanent residents has unearthed among them largely positive attitudes towards Singapore as their new home.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story --><STYLE type=text/css> #related .quote {background-color:#E7F7FF; padding:8px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;} #related .quote .headline {font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10px;font-weight:bold; border-bottom:3px double #007BFF; color:#036; text-transform:uppercase; padding-bottom:5px;} #related .quote .text {font-size:11px;color:#036;padding:5px 0px;} </STYLE>10 KEY FINDINGS
95 per cent would recommend Singapore as place to live in
93.3 per cent find overall experience in Singapore better than expected
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>But it also highlighted the need to ramp up efforts to integrate new immigrants at the workplace and educate them on the importance of Singapore's multiculturalism.
The survey of 360 new citizens and PRs was conducted in April and May by a study group commissioned by Reach, the government's feedback unit.
Among its findings: while almost four in five felt welcome in Singapore, 35.3 per cent also felt that co-workers in the workplace perceived them as competition.
The feeling was particularly acute among Filipinos, with 20.8 per cent of them reporting the sentiment.
On living in Singapore, 80.6 per cent found the cost of living manageable, and 77.2 per cent enjoyed watching local TV productions.
Dr Terence Chong, a sociologist with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and vice-chairman of the study group, noted that the largely positive findings were not surprising, given that the sample was drawn from those attending citizenship certificate presentation ceremonies.
These events are held at grassroots or national levels to welcome new citizens.
He said: 'Quite predictably, the results are positive because they wouldn't be new citizens if they do not enjoy living in Singapore.'
Still, he noted, the survey threw up some trends that Singapore needs to be alert to.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
So the 154th can make claims from the $10M for this silly Leeport?
