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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - MM: Potential citizen r vetted carefully</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
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</NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>9:58 am </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 4) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>24081.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD>Potential citizens are vetted carefully: MM
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Contributions are key, he says, in response to fears over immigration </TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Rachel Chang
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE government looks closely at permanent residents' (PRs) contributions to Singapore before deciding which ones can become citizens, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night at a Tanjong Pagar GRC event.
'So please put up with the new immigrants. We are very careful about who becomes a citizen,' he said, responding to criticisms over the growing influx of foreigners living and working here.
There were more than 1.2million foreigners in Singapore last year.
Mr Lee said that 10per cent of the pool of foreigners here are new PRs, while another 20per cent are PRs who have been here for some time.
'This 20per cent, we will look at their performance and slowly absorb those who can help us. If they don't help us raise the level, they won't be citizens. We are not stupid.'
As for the remaining 70per cent of foreigners who are here on work permits, 'they are not citizens and never will be', he added. 'They will go home after two years. They do the difficult jobs and without them, MRT stations will not go up.
'Look at the Integrated Resorts. (On the) rooftop, not one (construction) worker there is a Singaporean. (They are) China Chinese and the Indians. If you don't have that, where's the IR, and the 10,000 jobs (they will create)?'
Speaking to his constituents in English, Chinese and Malay, he urged them to bear with the tide of foreigners, 'even if it's making Singapore a little uncomfortable and cramped'.
'We must adjust and accommodate. The most important factor to keep Singapore going is growth.'
It is only through continued growth that Singapore can overcome the problems of the future, he said.
Now, the demographics are such that five working persons support one elderly person. In 20 years, it will be 11/2 workers for every elderly person, he said.
'How does it work? How do we get the money to support them in hospices and hospitals?' he asked.
Hence, the need for foreigners to power the growth to overcome Singapore's looming problems and raise the Singaporean's standard of living.
'What the government needs to take care of is your welfare, not the newcomers' welfare. The newcomers help us take care of your welfare, so we accept them,' he said, noting that foreigners from China, India and Malaysia come here because Singapore gives them a better future.
Mr Lee had earlier planted a tree sapling at Henderson Heights for the GRC's Tree-Planting Day. The occasion was also used to mark the end of upgrading works at the estate and to announce a new Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Programme for four blocks in Bukit Merah View.
During his 45-minute address, he also warned young Singaporeans against taking the prosperity of the last 20 to 30 years for granted.
Singapore has come out of the recession with minimum damage, but the country can easily go into decline 'if we do not work together and strive and make this place successful'.
[email protected]
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</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Contributions are key, he says, in response to fears over immigration </TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Rachel Chang
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE government looks closely at permanent residents' (PRs) contributions to Singapore before deciding which ones can become citizens, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night at a Tanjong Pagar GRC event.
'So please put up with the new immigrants. We are very careful about who becomes a citizen,' he said, responding to criticisms over the growing influx of foreigners living and working here.
There were more than 1.2million foreigners in Singapore last year.
Mr Lee said that 10per cent of the pool of foreigners here are new PRs, while another 20per cent are PRs who have been here for some time.
'This 20per cent, we will look at their performance and slowly absorb those who can help us. If they don't help us raise the level, they won't be citizens. We are not stupid.'
As for the remaining 70per cent of foreigners who are here on work permits, 'they are not citizens and never will be', he added. 'They will go home after two years. They do the difficult jobs and without them, MRT stations will not go up.
'Look at the Integrated Resorts. (On the) rooftop, not one (construction) worker there is a Singaporean. (They are) China Chinese and the Indians. If you don't have that, where's the IR, and the 10,000 jobs (they will create)?'
Speaking to his constituents in English, Chinese and Malay, he urged them to bear with the tide of foreigners, 'even if it's making Singapore a little uncomfortable and cramped'.
'We must adjust and accommodate. The most important factor to keep Singapore going is growth.'
It is only through continued growth that Singapore can overcome the problems of the future, he said.
Now, the demographics are such that five working persons support one elderly person. In 20 years, it will be 11/2 workers for every elderly person, he said.
'How does it work? How do we get the money to support them in hospices and hospitals?' he asked.
Hence, the need for foreigners to power the growth to overcome Singapore's looming problems and raise the Singaporean's standard of living.
'What the government needs to take care of is your welfare, not the newcomers' welfare. The newcomers help us take care of your welfare, so we accept them,' he said, noting that foreigners from China, India and Malaysia come here because Singapore gives them a better future.
Mr Lee had earlier planted a tree sapling at Henderson Heights for the GRC's Tree-Planting Day. The occasion was also used to mark the end of upgrading works at the estate and to announce a new Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Programme for four blocks in Bukit Merah View.
During his 45-minute address, he also warned young Singaporeans against taking the prosperity of the last 20 to 30 years for granted.
Singapore has come out of the recession with minimum damage, but the country can easily go into decline 'if we do not work together and strive and make this place successful'.
[email protected]
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