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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Even Malaysian PR farked Singapore !!</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
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</NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>6:45 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 10) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>25427.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Dec 6, 2009
No Singapore Story without Malaysians
<!-- by line -->By Chen Jia Qi
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After attending a few gatherings following my graduation from university, I found that more than half of my classmates from Class One in Form III were studying in Singapore universities, working in the Republic or had settled there.
Although I knew that, for years, there had been an outflow of talent from my alma mater to Singapore, I had not expected such a large one.
All my former classmates had been the cream of the crop in my school. By accepting independent Chinese secondary schools' top students, Singapore universities are giving them a chance to better their prospects.
I have mixed feelings on seeing this. At that time, I was an intern at a government hospital. Little did I know that I too would become one of them a few years later.
Barely a few days into my job in Singapore, I learnt from my supervisor that there were other Malaysians at my workplace, from my colleagues all the way up to the top management. All of them were performing different functions and making contributions to Singapore. For a moment, I felt a sense of pride. So, we Malaysians have a great part to play in Singapore's success.
My colleagues told me that Malaysians were Singapore's most sought-after foreign talent because of cultural similarities and geographical proximity. Moreover, we are able to integrate into Singapore's society more readily than other foreigners. This is true. After all, it was politics that had caused the separation of Malaysia and Singapore.
Due to the nature of my work, I came into contact with many local patients. Not only is Singapore a multiracial country, it also has many dialect groups.
I did not have any problem communicating with them. The majority of Chinese Malaysians are fluent in three languages and a few dialects.
On the other hand, the local doctors in Singapore are unlikely to have such linguistic ability. Under Singapore's education system, the new generation of Singaporeans can speak English well. Their Mandarin is passable but not their Malay. As for dialects, it depends on one's luck (whether the grandparents are still around).
Hence, local doctors in Singapore find it hard to communicate with elderly patients. Sometimes, they even have to use sign language. This is why Malaysia's talent is most sought after in Singapore.
Singapore practises meritocracy and does not have any race-based system. Had there been one, I could have been given more benefits.
Subsequently, I decided to return to Malaysia. I was asked why I came back since it is dirty, messy and difficult to make money in Malaysia. Moreover, government policies are biased. Why did I make such a strange decision? I think that time will give me an answer to this question.
The more successful Singapore becomes, the prouder I am for my fellow Malaysians who have crossed over to the other side of the Causeway.
But sometimes I have this devious thought: Credit for Singapore's success should go to people like us who are 'made in Malaysia' but were once a 'forsaken lot'.
This is a translation of a commentary that appeared in Malaysia's Sin Chew Jit Poh newspaper on Dec 3.
[email protected]
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No Singapore Story without Malaysians
<!-- by line -->By Chen Jia Qi
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
After attending a few gatherings following my graduation from university, I found that more than half of my classmates from Class One in Form III were studying in Singapore universities, working in the Republic or had settled there.
Although I knew that, for years, there had been an outflow of talent from my alma mater to Singapore, I had not expected such a large one.
All my former classmates had been the cream of the crop in my school. By accepting independent Chinese secondary schools' top students, Singapore universities are giving them a chance to better their prospects.
I have mixed feelings on seeing this. At that time, I was an intern at a government hospital. Little did I know that I too would become one of them a few years later.
Barely a few days into my job in Singapore, I learnt from my supervisor that there were other Malaysians at my workplace, from my colleagues all the way up to the top management. All of them were performing different functions and making contributions to Singapore. For a moment, I felt a sense of pride. So, we Malaysians have a great part to play in Singapore's success.
My colleagues told me that Malaysians were Singapore's most sought-after foreign talent because of cultural similarities and geographical proximity. Moreover, we are able to integrate into Singapore's society more readily than other foreigners. This is true. After all, it was politics that had caused the separation of Malaysia and Singapore.
Due to the nature of my work, I came into contact with many local patients. Not only is Singapore a multiracial country, it also has many dialect groups.
I did not have any problem communicating with them. The majority of Chinese Malaysians are fluent in three languages and a few dialects.
On the other hand, the local doctors in Singapore are unlikely to have such linguistic ability. Under Singapore's education system, the new generation of Singaporeans can speak English well. Their Mandarin is passable but not their Malay. As for dialects, it depends on one's luck (whether the grandparents are still around).
Hence, local doctors in Singapore find it hard to communicate with elderly patients. Sometimes, they even have to use sign language. This is why Malaysia's talent is most sought after in Singapore.
Singapore practises meritocracy and does not have any race-based system. Had there been one, I could have been given more benefits.
Subsequently, I decided to return to Malaysia. I was asked why I came back since it is dirty, messy and difficult to make money in Malaysia. Moreover, government policies are biased. Why did I make such a strange decision? I think that time will give me an answer to this question.
The more successful Singapore becomes, the prouder I am for my fellow Malaysians who have crossed over to the other side of the Causeway.
But sometimes I have this devious thought: Credit for Singapore's success should go to people like us who are 'made in Malaysia' but were once a 'forsaken lot'.
This is a translation of a commentary that appeared in Malaysia's Sin Chew Jit Poh newspaper on Dec 3.
[email protected]
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