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New + current citizens = Team Singapore
We need immigration to tackle ageing problem, says MM Lee at National Day dinner
By Veena Bharwani
August 15, 2009
SCENE IN S'PORE: A group of foreigners near the Esplanade waiting for an event on National Day last year. ST FILE PICTURE
WHAT if Singapore were Real Madrid?
In comes Cristiano Ronaldo to beef up the team. Here's a team with big dreams facing challenges from other good teams. It's only natural they want to attract talented players.
But Ronaldo, the newcomer, is nothing without the support of players who have already been with Real Madrid for years.
Well, that's like Singapore. Present citizens need to welcome new citizens and help them adapt, and be part of society here.
At the end of the day, we're all playing for Team Singapore.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew spoke last night at the 44th National Day Celebration Dinner at Tanjong Pagar Community Club.
Team Singapore has to be made up of new citizens and present citizens because without immigrants, the challenges will be difficult to overcome.
Said MM Lee: 'If we do not have educated Malaysians, China Chinese and India Indians and others from the region, our economy will decline and our labour force will shrink.'
And he added: 'Without immigration, the ageing problem will be too heavy a burden for our young.'
The government is aware it is not an easy issue. There will be enough places in top universities and schools for children of the present citizens.
Language is another issue.
MM Lee said: 'Their children (of new citizens and PRs) are working hard and learning English with great zeal and quite a few are doing very well. And they will compete for prizes, bursaries, entrance to our universities and for scholarships to study in Singapore and abroad.'
This is not just a talking point at coffee shops.
At a pre-People's Action Party (PAP) convention forum in May, a former China national spoke on the ageing population. She spoke in Mandarin while delivering a Powerpoint presentation in English.
During the dialogue session which followed, at least two participants said she should have been more sensitive to non-Mandarin speakers in the audience. She broke down as a result.
The incident was reported in Petir, the PAP magazine.
Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Inderjit Singh, said of the incident: 'If it had been a Singaporean Chinese who delivered the speech in Mandarin, I don't think he or she would have been as heavily criticised.
'We are very hard on our new citizens.'
He is aware that some present citizens may be feeling anxious but is confident Singaporeans will come around and accept new citizens.
He said: 'It is important to drive home the message to Singaporeans on why the foreigners are here in the first place.
'We need them and Singaporeans know that.
'And, eventually, we'll get used to them and accept them. It will just take more time.'
Selective
MM Lee said the Government accepts only those who increase the level of competence of Singaporeans.
And there is a clear distinction made between citizens and permanent residents.
He added: 'But once they (immigrants) become citizens, they must be treated as equally as native-born Singaporeans, otherwise our society will be fractured.
'Our new citizens can be integrated because most are from Malaysia, China, India, and there are some Caucasian couples and Caucasians who have married Singapore citizens.'
And like Ronaldo needing time to fit in with his new team, new citizens will need time to adapt and integrate into society here.
MM Lee said: 'We will help them to adjust to our society, our economy, and our next generation will grow stronger for it.'
New + current citizens = Team Singapore
We need immigration to tackle ageing problem, says MM Lee at National Day dinner
By Veena Bharwani
August 15, 2009
SCENE IN S'PORE: A group of foreigners near the Esplanade waiting for an event on National Day last year. ST FILE PICTURE
WHAT if Singapore were Real Madrid?
In comes Cristiano Ronaldo to beef up the team. Here's a team with big dreams facing challenges from other good teams. It's only natural they want to attract talented players.
But Ronaldo, the newcomer, is nothing without the support of players who have already been with Real Madrid for years.
Well, that's like Singapore. Present citizens need to welcome new citizens and help them adapt, and be part of society here.
At the end of the day, we're all playing for Team Singapore.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew spoke last night at the 44th National Day Celebration Dinner at Tanjong Pagar Community Club.
Team Singapore has to be made up of new citizens and present citizens because without immigrants, the challenges will be difficult to overcome.
Said MM Lee: 'If we do not have educated Malaysians, China Chinese and India Indians and others from the region, our economy will decline and our labour force will shrink.'
And he added: 'Without immigration, the ageing problem will be too heavy a burden for our young.'
The government is aware it is not an easy issue. There will be enough places in top universities and schools for children of the present citizens.
Language is another issue.
MM Lee said: 'Their children (of new citizens and PRs) are working hard and learning English with great zeal and quite a few are doing very well. And they will compete for prizes, bursaries, entrance to our universities and for scholarships to study in Singapore and abroad.'
This is not just a talking point at coffee shops.
At a pre-People's Action Party (PAP) convention forum in May, a former China national spoke on the ageing population. She spoke in Mandarin while delivering a Powerpoint presentation in English.
During the dialogue session which followed, at least two participants said she should have been more sensitive to non-Mandarin speakers in the audience. She broke down as a result.
The incident was reported in Petir, the PAP magazine.
Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Inderjit Singh, said of the incident: 'If it had been a Singaporean Chinese who delivered the speech in Mandarin, I don't think he or she would have been as heavily criticised.
'We are very hard on our new citizens.'
He is aware that some present citizens may be feeling anxious but is confident Singaporeans will come around and accept new citizens.
He said: 'It is important to drive home the message to Singaporeans on why the foreigners are here in the first place.
'We need them and Singaporeans know that.
'And, eventually, we'll get used to them and accept them. It will just take more time.'
Selective
MM Lee said the Government accepts only those who increase the level of competence of Singaporeans.
And there is a clear distinction made between citizens and permanent residents.
He added: 'But once they (immigrants) become citizens, they must be treated as equally as native-born Singaporeans, otherwise our society will be fractured.
'Our new citizens can be integrated because most are from Malaysia, China, India, and there are some Caucasian couples and Caucasians who have married Singapore citizens.'
And like Ronaldo needing time to fit in with his new team, new citizens will need time to adapt and integrate into society here.
MM Lee said: 'We will help them to adjust to our society, our economy, and our next generation will grow stronger for it.'
