TR EMERITUS

From our Correspondent The Singapore state media has sunk to a new low by using a flawed study to buttress the official position that foreigners are needed and are welcomed by Singaporeans! In an ST straw poll of 100 Singaporeans between the ages of 13 and 24, younger youths - those between 13 and 18 - are found to be more accepting of foreigners in Singapore. Compared to their older peers aged 19 to 24, they are more likely not to differentiate themselves from foreigners, see foreigners as good help for studies rather than a threat, and seek more relaxed or no change to immigration rules. However, both age groups agree on one thing - the presence of foreigners has expanded their world view. It is interesting to note that among Singaporeans aged between 19 to 24, 26 per cent want tighter immigration rules, 20 per cent view foreigners negatively and as high as 32 per cent view foreigners differently from locals. The study is obviously flawed because of selection bias. Teenagers between the age of 13 and 18 have no experience in the real life and as such they do not encounter problems faced by working adults who need to compete with the newcomers. Naturally, we will expect young Singaporeans with curious and open minds to be more embracing of foreigners who add variety and spice to their lives. The bitter truth will only set in when they have to compete directly with foreigners for jobs in the labor market, find themselves priced out of public housing and realize their children will have a much tougher time in the future. To better reflect the sentiments of the populace, the Straits Times should conduct the poll in all age groups instead of focusing narrowly on the young. Now, why didn't the Straits Times do so and choose to conduct such a biased, lop-sided and inaccurate poll? Obviously they know the results will be embarrassing for their political masters should it be extended to the other age groups. In a straw poll done on our site last week, 85 per cent of 391 respondents felt that Singapore is becoming overcrowded and there is a need to restrict the inflow of foreigners. It is little wonder that the state media is regarded as a "reliable" source of information by Rear-Admiral Lui Tuck Yew because its news are "filtered" through the "lenses" of the ruling party before they are allowed to be released to the general public. We will replicating the straw poll conducted by Straits Times here for our readers to participate. More than half of our readers are between the ages of 21 and 40 years ago and so it will be more accurate and representative of the real sentiment on the ground. Please take part actively and vote in the poll listed on the right hand site of this site and help spread the message around and rope your friends in too! It is time we put a stop to the spins, propaganda and myths of the mainstream media!   EDITORS’ NOTE: If you like our work and would like to support us, please transfer your donations via paypal to our account ([email protected]). Any amount will be greatly appreciated! Alternatively, you can also help boost our advertising revenue by clicking on the ads displayed. Thank you! Join our tweet at: http://www.twitter.com/temasekreview We are looking for the editors of The Campus Observer, Kent Ridge Common and The Enquirer. We are keen to finance their student newspapers. If you know any of them in person, please ask them to contact us at the email above. Thank you.  Read More →

From our Correspondent An article on the digital edition of the Sunday Times titled "Singapore PR took part in parade" has mysteriously disappeared! The article which relates a Singapore PR by the name of Zhang Yuanyuan, who chose to return to Beijing and took part in China's 60th National Day parade was still available in the morning of 4 October 2009 under the "Home" section, but by the afternoon, it was nowhere to be found: Readers can still read the enlightening article on page 20 of the Sunday Times. In an interview on CCTV Channel 7, Miss Zhang flashed her blue Singapore NRIC on the screen and later proclaimed proudly with a grin on her face that she returned to Beijing because it was her greatest desire to serve her motherland: Despite spending four years in Singapore, her heart still belongs to China. The Chinese state media was quick to drum in the fact Ms Zhang has chosen to return to China though she had a cushy job in Singapore as if to announce to its own citizens that China has caught up with Singapore. While her comments made her a famous patriot overnight in China with many Chinese netizens lauding her, they sparked a furore in Singapore cyberspace. johnny333 wrote: "Isn't it obvious why the foreign talents (FT) are leaving Singapore ? Singapore is like a hotel, some FTs have finished with their business and are returning home taking their belongings and money. Others have upgraded themselves and found a new home in Canada, Australia, US,...You think the foreigners don't know what's waiting for them if they stay in Singapore. They only have to look at who the dish washers, toilet washers, void deck to see the future of Singaporeans." Devilwithin praised her decision to return to China: "Smart move! She got a better chance with life in a big country with diverse economical developement than this tiny little red dot." kingrant is indignant that the ruling party is splurging millions of dollars to help foreigners integrate into Singapore society: "So much for FTs - Flying Trash! To think that Singapore is spending $10 million to integrate the unintegratable! That is the trouble when we cannot hold the PAP regime to accountability! Let us throw them out! The whole lot!" With rising disgruntlement from the ground against the ruling party's liberal immigration policy, it is little wonder that the state media is quick to remove the disagreeable article which will fuel the resentment further. Unfortunately, there is nothing they can do about the article in the printed version and the poor journalist who wrote the article will probably get rapped for it.   Related articles: >> Singapore PRC PR proclaimed loyalty to China publicly >> PRC resident hung China flag to celebrate its National Day >> PRC student in Singapore wants more scholarships for foreigners >> PRC prostitutes solicit for customers on Singapore’s cyberspace    EDITORS’ NOTE: If you like our work and would like to support us, please transfer your donations via paypal to our account ([email protected]). Any amount will be greatly appreciated! Alternatively, you can also help boost our advertising revenue by clicking on the ads displayed. Thank you! Join our tweet at: http://www.twitter.com/temasekreview We are looking for the editors of The Campus Observer, Kent Ridge Common and The Enquirer. We are keen to finance their student newspapers. If you know any of them in person, please ask them to contact us at the email above. Thank you.  Read More →

From our Correspondent with tip-off from Ho H K A Chinese national and Singapore Permanent Resident by the name of Zhang Yuanyuan humiliated Singapore publicly on China's CCTV by flashing her NRIC on the screen and subsequently declared her undivided loyalty to her motherland, China! Ms Zhang was the only overseas returnee in the formation and has intrigued the media because she chose not only to return home, but to also take up the tough regimen as part of the parade. She came to Singapore to study and work in 2003, and got her blue Singapore PR identity card two years later. Despite a job with a multi-national company, which reportedly paid her some $4,000 a month, she returned to Beijing last year and worked in a state-owned enterprise. Months later, she heard about the chance to be part of the women's militia contingent during a recruitment drive, she jumped at it. When asked by CCTV Channel 7 reporters why returned to Beijing, she proclaimed with a wide smile on screen that "repaying the motherland is her greatest wish!" To add insult to the injury, she allowed her Singapore blue NRIC (for PRs) to be filmed. As expected, the Chinese state media swooned over the story: We were alerted to Miss Zhang's CCTV interview by an angry Singaporean Ho H K who complained: "I happened to view this clip on Youtube and I got the biggest shock of my life when I reach 1min 05sec of the clip! It proudly displays a PRC woman by the name of Zhang Yuanyuan denouncing her Spore pink IC & return to China to work & participate in PRC's 60th National Day celebrations. With the opening of the floodgate for the foreigners, I seriously wonder if there's a small fraction of possibility that I will trust them in times of national crisis." Ever since the Singapore government open the floodgates to increase the population through immigration, large numbers of Chinese nationals have flocked to study, work and live in Singapore. Though they are encourage to take up PRs and citizenships, not many of them choose to settle down in Singapore especially with the growing strength of the Chinese economy. Unlike a few years ago, China is more prosperous than before. Certain cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have a living standard which is comparable to Singapore. Ms Zhang, who benefitted from a Singapore education, will be highly sought after in China due to her English proficiency. It is not surprising that she has decided to return to China. The ruling party has come under increasing criticism from the disgruntled citizens for "mass importing" China internationals including athletes to represent Singapore in international competitions. During the Beijing Olympics games last year, Singapore's Li Jiawei, who was born in China, caused a stir when she swept the Singapore flag on the ground when marching as head of the Singapore contingent: Jiawei is currently in Beijing waiting to deliver her first child. It awaits to be seen if she will return to Singapore.   Related articles: >> PRC resident hung China flag to celebrate its National Day >> PRC student in Singapore wants more scholarships for foreigners >> PRC prostitutes solicit for customers on Singapore’s cyberspace    EDITORS’ NOTE: If you like our work and would like to support us, please transfer your donations via paypal to our account ([email protected]). Any amount will be greatly appreciated! Alternatively, you can also help boost our advertising revenue by clicking on the ads displayed. Thank you! Join our tweet at: http://www.twitter.com/temasekreview  Read More →