Mabroky: Sporns must 'be prepared to Share with FTrash Their Common Space'

[makapaaa]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Or to be used as an election threat?

DORMS IN SERANGOON GARDENS
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>No decision made yet, says Mah
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>But integration of foreign workers is a larger issue that must be tackled </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Melissa Sim
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Mr Mah says it is not ideal to segregate foreign workers. He urges Singaporeans to consider how to 'accept and live with a larger foreign worker population'. -- ST PHOTO: SAMUEL HE
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->NO DECISION has been made about setting up a foreign worker dormitory in Serangoon Gardens, but it is hoped it will come in a couple of weeks.
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, disclosing this to reporters yesterday, also took the opportunity to raise a larger issue - that of balancing the economic growth that foreign workers bring with the 'disamenities' to local residents.
He said it was impossible to segregate the foreign worker population - now at 577,000, excluding domestic maids - so Singaporeans must 'be prepared to see them and share with them our common spaces'.

=> So is he willing to share his? Is he going to take the lead, given that he's the BEST PAID minister in the world?

The issue of housing foreign workers in residential areas was thrown into sharp relief two weeks ago when residents in Serangoon Gardens heard that the former Serangoon Gardens Technical School in their neighbourhood was to be converted into a dormitory for 1,000 foreign workers.

A petition against the move was started and, at a dialogue session with their MPs, many residents were vocal about the prospects of traffic congestion and the lack of security if foreign workers were to move into their estate.

Mr Mah said he had noted their concerns and saw why they were upset.
'They felt it was already a done deal, that we had made up our minds,' he said.

He went on to say that no decision had been made yet, and that information on the proposal was leaked to Serangoon Gardens residents prematurely, before a feasibility study on whether the site could be shortlisted for further use was completed.

It had not even been decided who would be housed there - construction workers or workers in manufacturing - or how many workers would be housed, he said.

If the site were to be shortlisted, his ministry would then consult the MPs and grassroots leaders for the area, he added.

Unfortunately, before the study was completed, 'someone somewhere made a mistake and it went out, and there was a miscommunication'.
Ms Sujata Jayaram, 43, who chairs the Chartwell neighbourhood committee, said: 'I'm glad to hear it is not a done deal, and I hope Mr Mah will listen to the residents. We'll just have to keep our fingers crossed.'
The minister added that fewer than 10 sites - vacant tracts of state land and properties like the former Serangoon Gardens Technical School - were being considered as temporary dorms, good for the next three to five years.

Mr Mah said it concerned him to see the debate on foreign workers framed as 'one group against another' - those in landed property versus those in public housing, or foreigners versus locals.
'We should move away from the zero sum - I win, you lose - kind of situation and move the debate into something a lot more meaningful, a lot more constructive,' he said.

The larger issue was segregation and integration, he added.
It was not ideal to segregate foreign workers in their own communities, and 'even if we wanted to do it in Singapore, the land is so scarce', he said.

He urged Singaporeans to consider the role of foreign workers and the larger social issue of how to 'accept and live with a larger foreign worker population'.

Everyone - the foreign workers, locals, employers and government agencies - could play a role.

The Government, on its part, has formed an inter-ministry committee to look into housing, infrastructure and amenities for foreign workers.
Mr Mah also said it was wrong to 'demonise' foreign workers.

'I'm not saying all foreign workers are angels, but neither am I saying all of them are criminals,' he said.

'The truth is, there will be some black sheep, but by and large, most of them are here to earn a living, not to create problems.'
He added that Singaporeans must understand these workers keep a lid on costs and help the economy to grow.

'Without them, we will be worse off. That's a fact,' he said.

=> Sure, for the $$$ ministers. They would have less FTrash levy to collect.

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[makapaaa]

http://app.reach.gov.sg/Data/adm05\c5\p2943\draft paper_21 Nov.doc

Singapore has 22 golf courses on leases and 3 temporary golf course sites, ... possible conducive high density living in the harsh tropical environment. ...

 

[chinkangkor]

The sense of living in a 3rd world countries will be increasingly felt when the population increases further. Will this sense of discomfort pushes more people to emigrate in order to have bigger public space?

 

[Maverick01]

why the fuck don't they build the dormitories next to his home and let his whole family try mixing with the banglas and chinaman???

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

I caught parts of that interview on the TV and was disgusted by Mah Bow Tan's arrogance and talk down attitude to the public. WTF PAPs have foistered all thse FTs and FWs on Singapore at such an intolerable rapacious pace without obvious proper planning and oversight and now PAPs want to force integration on Singaporeans. Mah needs a tight slap on his face by the electorate to teach him a lesson in humilty especially when he is drawing such an obscene public salary.

 

[snrcitizen]

I caught parts of that interview on the TV and was disgusted by Mah Bow Tan's arrogance and talk down attitude to the public. WTF PAPs have foistered all thse FTs and FWs on Singapore at such an intolerable rapacious pace without obvious proper planning and oversight and now PAPs want to force integration on Singaporeans. Mah needs a tight slap on his face by the electorate to teach him a lesson in humilty especially when he is drawing such an obscene public salary.

All of them display the same arogance. The best part is, this guy was never elected. The electorate will have no chance to give him the message he deserves. He will always find someplace where he can find a back door.

 

[theblackhole]

For voicing our concerns, fears and anxieties - not that we cannot tolerate foreign workers in our midst - Singaporeans are accused of being arrogant, proud,snobbish,prejudiced,intolerant,insensitive,xenophobic,narrow-minded,selfish and phobic. Singaporeans are daily maligned in our own press with reports highlighting with great praise the foreign workers and talents here.Singaporeans' concerns are now being marginalised and ignored as petty and irrelevant.

 

[makapaaa]

I caught parts of that interview on the TV and was disgusted by Mah Bow Tan's arrogance and talk down attitude to the public. WTF PAPs have foistered all thse FTs and FWs on Singapore at such an intolerable rapacious pace without obvious proper planning and oversight and now PAPs want to force integration on Singaporeans. Mah needs a tight slap on his face by the electorate to teach him a lesson in humilty especially when he is drawing such an obscene public salary.

They are so ya ya cos they know that come the GE, they would have at least 66% or more coolie rice bowlers behind them. If these goondus wake up their idea one day and turn against the Familee, expect the Papayas to shit and pee in their pants and beg for forgiveness. Look no further than across the Causeway!

 

[chinkangkor]

The best part is, this guy was never elected. The electorate will have no chance to give him the message he deserves.

He won the Tampines GRC in 2006 GE.

 

[The_Latest_H]

Mabroky should practice what he preaches, that foolish man.

 

[snrcitizen]

He won the Tampines GRC in 2006 GE.

When there is a GRC, the outcome is always weighted towards the party in power. The truth on GRC's, regardless of whatever the PAP has been selling to the electorate, is to facilitate less than competent PAP candidates into parliament.

The PAP is so fearful of a by-election in the consituency where a PAP MP passed away. The by-election would mean an individual PAP candidate against an opposition candidate.

Mah Bow Tan lost the election against CST at Potong Pasir. He got through to parliament only when he switched to a GRC. This is the reason why I mentioned that to be successful in an election he needs to find a back door.

This is more than I should say here since this is not the proper place for a political discussion.

 

[ccchia]

I wonder why Mabroky and the PAPpy gahmen are always trying to tell us Sinkie peasants what to do and "what is good for us"?

As civil servants and the elected gahmen, shouldn't we the electorate and the peasants be telling them what to do for us instead?

Another reason why we should vote wisely at the next G.E., assuming that we will be able to vote at all, that is.

 

[Hope]

why the fuck don't they build the dormitories next to his home and let his whole family try mixing with the banglas and chinaman???

They do,they are building one at Magarat Drive,which is very near to the residence of at least 3 full ministers.

Watch to see whether they change their minds,they might!

 

[Eurekas]

Marbok wants to invite more foreign trash so that he can earn more rentals and transport fares lol. If he want to understand what it means to live with traffic congestion and poor security, he should move to a HDB estate (preferably Tampines) to live... Stop talking about integration of foreign trash when we have an overcrowded living space.