Hi Gilbert

I have always enjoyed your articles and even more thrilled to learn about your involvement in the above 9 May event to be held at the Speaker’s Corner.

I would however like to provide the following feedback which you may like to consider at your discretion:

1). Singaporean cleaners in their 40s earning $700 per month being replaced by cleaners from China at $400 per month.
2). Singaporean graduates from overseas universities being passed over in recruitment drives but foreign graduates from the same overseas universities being welcomed here and given professional jobs.
3). A Singaporean graduate went to NEA for a job interview as an Enforcement Officer. Singaporean interviewer asked him for his views on how to manage a foreign workforce. When interviewee asked about the ratio of local to foreign, the answer was you would be the only local. A ‘foreign talent’ instead got the job perhaps making the enforcement division 100% foreign labor – remember Geylang Serai’s rats!
4). Most Singapore PRs from Malaysia would return to Malaysia rather than let their sons serve NS or work here long term. Will stay until they have enough money to buy a big piece of land in Malaysia to retire. 90% of the Spore PR staff from my previous school are Malaysians who will exit out of Singapore once they have made their big bucks or their sons are due for NS.
5). NUS has lost 3 European scholarship (PhD) holders to MIT because they cannot tahan the system here. Scholarship not completed nor bond repaid. Some other foreign scholarship holders who broke their bonds here actually returned to work under E-Pass (professional) because their MNC company sent them here as expatriate staff!
6). Unpleasant encounter with Chinese service staff highlighted their resentment, hostility and unhappiness at being ‘exploited’ and bonded for 2 years here to serve the ungrateful Singaporeans. They cannot wait to return to China.
7). Most McDonald’s managers are PRCs and Filipinos.
8). Went for dinner at NUS Guildhouse. Was served by PRC waitresses who complained that Singapore is too hot, small and crowded. Had no choice but to speak broken Mandarin if service is needed.
9). In the mid 90′s before I left for NZ, I was replaced by an Asian foreign talent who had studied in the US despite the fact that my position as an Administrative Manager requires a local with indepth knowledge of the Employment Act, Enlistment Act, CPF Act, SDF, local employment practices and membership in employer groups. When the foreign talent could not perform because of inexperience and inadequate local knowledge, I was asked to return as a consultant to ‘teach’ her as well as introduce her to all my contacts so that she can get ‘things done easily’, a request which when denied, created a job opportunity for a local (junior person) to assume her duties while this so-called foreign talent lords over the local employee.

Sally

(Permission sought from reader to reprint this article here)

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