Vote Buying – having long visited a number of northern villages during election time, and being related by marriage to more than one kamnan, I can assure you “vote buying” has been less than effective by any political party. Most of the wise old buffaloes I have encountered merely shrug, take the money off anyone who wants to hand it out, and then vote for who they want anyway.
“..hope some researchers out there can discover the REAL reasons why home-schooling is becoming an alternative school system in Malaysia…let us walk the talk…”
Likely, because parents of home-schooled children have little faith in the quality and equity of Malaysia’s national school system.
I agree with you, Harpal Singh. There is clearly a mismatch of expectations. In Singapore, we do NOT give everyone a pat on their back just because they are law abiding citizens. It is EXPECTED. The practices of some other countries may be different though.
There may be lessons from third world countries such as humility and being contented. However, how do they apply to the Sun riots? It is the blatant disregard for the law that irks most Singaporeans. You may feel disgruntled at work, but I am sure you do not resort to riots and strikes do you? Please do not always try to claim the higher moral ground by stating that Singapore should look outside the well. It has absolutely no relevance in the context of Sun riots.
i wonder why cant the government employ workers for construction from malaysia, indonesia and the philippines? why china and india? they r notpart of ASEAN!
Your personal narrative brought to my mind a simple yet complex example as related by my close friend about what happened at her 10 year old daughter’s school and in one class scenario…her daughter wrote the word :clinic’ in one English class writing exercise but was severely reprimanded by her English teacher who was a Malay lady that it was incorrect and should have been spelt as “Kelinik /Klinik”
The clever little girl tried to defend her spelling but the teacher refused to budge and continued to abuse her even further by saying
:You ingat you punya mak/bapa lebih pandai dari say?” (You think your parents are cleverer than me?) You semua orang)
pendatang (You are all immigrants
After this episode, my friend (who is a Chinese lady lawyer ) and her husband (who is an Indian doctor went to school to settle this very disturbing episode…but you know what happened next..the Malay headmaster sided the Malay teacher who got away unscathed… my friend took her child out of the school system and went on to home-schooling , which is NOW becoming the trend in Malaysia…hope some researchers out there can discover the REAL reasons why home-schooling is becoming an alternative school system in Malaysia…let us walk the talk.
Long term (permanent) employment does not exists even for Singaporeans in many sectors.
While you write on and on about USA blah blah, I can tell you what I mean on protectionism. In the Australian Federal government (APS), it is RARE to see a non-citizen я╝Иincluding permanent residentsя╝Й at all levels of APS employment.
In Singapore govt, permanent residents я╝Иnon-citizen blue nric holdersя╝Й are permitted to apply. In Singaporean academia, there are foreign academics and research sectors – plenty from China. They may seem like a Singaporean to you just because their ethnic race is Han Chinese, just like the majority ethnic group of Singapore. To the Singaporeans who were born and bred there , they are just seen as opportunists.
Also I am aware that in academic sectors , there is an imposition of a tenure. So no one really has an advantage, foreigner or not.
From my personal experience as a Singaporean, the foreign talent policy is discriminatory to myself. Given your words about a foreigner having a 100 top journal publications (grant money in SG comes from govt if employedтЖР moot) being selected for service. You could explain why a foreigner is given more benefits and a better salary than an overseas Singaporean who thought of going back. That foreigner has no publications in a top journal but the overseas one has far more. Experience wise, the foreigner has less. That incident is not isolated. There have been a few if not a lot of complaints regarding preferential treatment and employment of foreigners.
Oh another thing ,Peter Cohen, Australia has very effective trade unions. Singapore has a govt ran union. So there we go – protectionism is plausible in Australia, but not Singapore.
Would you like to call my statements blatantly false again? I am not some overseas scholar who advertises living in SG as some excuse to write academic drivel .
Even ‘moderate’ Islam will not ensure the security of the nation, though it is preferable to ‘non-moderate’ Islam. What we do know is former PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s concept of ‘moderate’ Islam Hadari went nowhere, did not catch on with the Malay populace, whether the individual Malay was already moderate or devout to begin with, as the late Abdurrahman Wahid’s (known by his appellation as ‘Gus Dur’) moderate Islam and preaching for tolerance, was largely ignored by Indonesians, even Indonesians who
were already moderate and tolerant.
In Malaysia and Indonesia, Islam is politicized, by UMNO and PAS in Malaysia, and
by Islamic Parties (PPP and PKR) in the Parliament in Indonesia. Moderate and tolerant Islam cannot co-exist, side-by-side, with politicized Islam, let alone secularism.
And there are no national examples throughout the Ummah (Islamic World and Peoples).
“In Australia where there is some form of protectionism for local workers, there is NONE in existence for Singaporeans.”
That is patently false, at least for
white-collar professions. As any non-Singaporean who has tried to get a long-term (forget permanent) position in a business firm, biotech company, or academic position, Singapore has followed the practices of every other affluent (usually Western, save Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and Korea) and even non-affluent nations, by instituting local hire preferences. The good old United States
is the only country in the world, which, with the exception of federal and a few state government positions, has no restrictions or protectionist policies on foreign employment. This is very clearly exemplified by looking at any American academic opening posted in a journal, where you will not find any caveat that states: “We encourage non-citizens or nationals to apply, but preference will be given to Americans.” No such statement exists. And for federal positions only the statement is “This Vacancy is open to U.S. Citizens.” Every Canadian, British, Australian, New Zealander, Singaporean, French, Indian, Malaysian, etc. academic vacancy posted in a local or international journal will contain that caveat quoted above with respect to their own local colleges, universities and research institutions. Thus, American universities are overflowing with foreign postdoctoral fellows of varied capabilities, while Singapore is very very picky when it comes to hiring foreigners in academic positions, particularly, and will look for qualified Singaporeans first (unless the foreigner has 100 publication in top journals, written books, and can bring grant money with him or her). The business is more
open than the academic sector, but even in the business sector, Singaporeans have an advantage. Government-run institutions and federal agencies will not hire non-Singaporeans. The U.S. for historical and philosophical reasons, which I do not share,
only restricts federal employment to Americans for 99 % of the positions (there are a few minor exceptions like postdoctoral positions at some U.S. Government facilities which may allow Permanent Residents to apply.
Fortunately this website was created pro bono publico (for the public good) so that people with opinions could express their voices- a fundamental feature of democracy in which some of the “supposed educated-Thais” do not seem to get. Why are the majority of Thais on the world-wide webs always (1) call other people who beg to be different from the “status quo” animals or insects from hell, (2) threaten to commit bodily injury against the opposition, and (3) seem to look-down upon other people who may have lacked the privilege of equal footing in the Thai educational systems (the international school for the elites vs. the curriculum for the proletariat)? Would the answers to these questions lie with the root cause of what has been ailing Thailand for all these years, “Thainess”? And I have heard that Yingluck Shin wants Thais who are living overseas to spread this concept to the foreign lands. Any critically self-examining and reflective Thai person would know that Thainess or should I say “Sino-Thainess” is incongruent with common universal values which hold all people together. Thainess is being thrown back into Yingluck’s face right now! People need to stop being airheads and at least try to get everyone on equal footing in education; Thailand may emerge out of chaos for good.
The political logic of the Democrats and those who support them is running its full course. This logic is not only fundamentally undemocratic but is pathetically destined to repeated failure. Short of a military-imposed, long-term authoritarian government there is no way Suthep/former PAD leaders/ and other like-minded supporters can rule and “remove Thaksin influence” from the system. The Dems/Yellows are blind to their own track record of failed tactics. Ironically, the more desparate the moves become, the further they alienate themeselves from the majority electorate that fears disenfranchisement — its a hopeless politcal strategy.
Here’s an incomplete list of past [and future] unsuccessful moves by Dems/Yellow camp to permanently dislodge “Thaksin’s influence”:
— Post-2005 election protests to overturn 2005 election results [which led to 2006 snap election]
— Boycott of 2006 elections and more protests after crying illegitimacy of election results
— Royal intervention forcing Thaksin into caretaker government
— Accusations that Thaksin wants a republic
— 2006 military coup before new elections are held which forces the exile of Thaksin
— Failed proposal for “New Politics” to disenfranchise rural electorate
— Judicial dissolution of TRT and 5 year ban of most TRT leaders from politics
— New constitution with unelected Senate
— Organization of 2007 elections which they fail to win again!
— Judicial removal of TRT successor Prime Minister for a paid appearance on a cooking show
— PAD protests and physical seizure of government buildings and international airport
— Judicial dissolution of TRT’s first successor party the PPP
— Bribing Newin’s faction to support a “silent coup” and Democratic-led coalition w/o electoral mandate
— Violent crackdowns on Thais who want new elections [only to hold those new elections months later anyway!]
— Organization of 2011 elections in which they fail to win again!
— Failed attempts to censure Yingluck’s elected government.
— Successfully block and amnesty bill via an unelected Senate they created.
— Mass protests and occupations of government offices to force Yingluck to resign and call for new elections
— call for undemocratic “People’s Assembly” rather than hold democratice elections.
— [the next failed move]
— [the move after the previous move fails to remove “Thaksin influence”]
— [the next new failed move after the repeat failure to remove “Thaksin influence”]
— […and so on]
another thing is, there are singaporeans paid worse than indian workers, but are told, they must be stupid/lazy to be paid such
they often live in one room rental flats with the insides in squalor
and such groups of workers make it even harder for singaporeans to accept indians rioting and the reason given being life is harsh.
it’s more likely they reverted to type
from where they are originally from, the law doesn’t work so the only way things get done is to go “mob justice”
if you’ve read their news, it’s apparently “normal” back home
basically one of their numbers went down and they decided to lynch the driver. failing that they decided to trash the place since , to be honest, it not their place. when it’s trashed they don’t lose anything.
another thing is, they’ve been forming an enclave there since god knows when. like in golden mile complex, lucky plaza, chinatown. the different groups of immigrant workers , if you’ve been there, will react more “at home”
it’s a home away from home that isn’t home but resembles home .
and for something like that to happen “at home” it seems entirely appropriate to give an “at home ” reaction.especially when you have a mob you can hide in
The fact that Singapore offers little or no welfare safety net, is the reason why it is the richest nation. Look at social welfare states like Australia and U.S. of A. Where are they today? High unemployment, and drowning in debt.This is just a random act of violence, probably instigated by some parties who stand to benefit in some way. Moreover, Sg police are not equipped mentally to manage riots. Hopefully they are better trained from now on. Moving on…!
This article seems to shift the perspective of Sunday’s incident. As much as the conditions in which Foreign workers live / treated might be true., the way they behaved on that fateful day is unacceptable. And i am sure this outbreak due to suppression as people put in might not have happened if the alcohol intake has been less. As far as have seen most of the people who come to work has only 1 motive and that is to earn money and support their family back in India and the reasoning that since its not prohibited to do riots in their country and so they did here is not logical. They have been here for few months and they should atleast have a grasp of understanding on what this country and its disciplines are about. It seems more like a vandalism kind of behaviour of drunken people rather than an outbreak for equality.
Maybe Eddy should take a look at Singapore’s Foreign Talent policy before assuming that Singaporeans are so quick to condemn or vilify. The foreign workers are rioting out of frustration. The Singaporeans are condemning any one foreign out of frustration.
Both hit the wrong targets. One at mistreatment by employers (end up hitting out at police and paramedics), the other at foreign professionals who come and take the middle to top earning jobs away (end up hitting those much needed lower wage foreign workers who do the jobs no one wish to do).
So for Eddy to make such quick assumptions, his own analysis is superficial even though it does offer some merits. In Australia where there is some form of protectionism for local workers, there is NONE in existence for Singaporeans.Eddy should take note of that. The Singaporean government has to play it ALL WAYS from local citizens down to the poorest paid foreign worker.
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Thailand’s stark choice
Vote Buying – having long visited a number of northern villages during election time, and being related by marriage to more than one kamnan, I can assure you “vote buying” has been less than effective by any political party. Most of the wise old buffaloes I have encountered merely shrug, take the money off anyone who wants to hand it out, and then vote for who they want anyway.
Say what, cakap apa?
“..hope some researchers out there can discover the REAL reasons why home-schooling is becoming an alternative school system in Malaysia…let us walk the talk…”
Likely, because parents of home-schooled children have little faith in the quality and equity of Malaysia’s national school system.
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
I agree with you, Harpal Singh. There is clearly a mismatch of expectations. In Singapore, we do NOT give everyone a pat on their back just because they are law abiding citizens. It is EXPECTED. The practices of some other countries may be different though.
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
There may be lessons from third world countries such as humility and being contented. However, how do they apply to the Sun riots? It is the blatant disregard for the law that irks most Singaporeans. You may feel disgruntled at work, but I am sure you do not resort to riots and strikes do you? Please do not always try to claim the higher moral ground by stating that Singapore should look outside the well. It has absolutely no relevance in the context of Sun riots.
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
i wonder why cant the government employ workers for construction from malaysia, indonesia and the philippines? why china and india? they r notpart of ASEAN!
Say what, cakap apa?
Your personal narrative brought to my mind a simple yet complex example as related by my close friend about what happened at her 10 year old daughter’s school and in one class scenario…her daughter wrote the word :clinic’ in one English class writing exercise but was severely reprimanded by her English teacher who was a Malay lady that it was incorrect and should have been spelt as “Kelinik /Klinik”
The clever little girl tried to defend her spelling but the teacher refused to budge and continued to abuse her even further by saying
:You ingat you punya mak/bapa lebih pandai dari say?” (You think your parents are cleverer than me?) You semua orang)
pendatang (You are all immigrants
After this episode, my friend (who is a Chinese lady lawyer ) and her husband (who is an Indian doctor went to school to settle this very disturbing episode…but you know what happened next..the Malay headmaster sided the Malay teacher who got away unscathed… my friend took her child out of the school system and went on to home-schooling , which is NOW becoming the trend in Malaysia…hope some researchers out there can discover the REAL reasons why home-schooling is becoming an alternative school system in Malaysia…let us walk the talk.
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
Dear Peter,
Long term (permanent) employment does not exists even for Singaporeans in many sectors.
While you write on and on about USA blah blah, I can tell you what I mean on protectionism. In the Australian Federal government (APS), it is RARE to see a non-citizen я╝Иincluding permanent residentsя╝Й at all levels of APS employment.
http://www.apsc.gov.au/aps-employment-policy-and-advice/engagement/citizenship-in-the-australian-public-service
In Singapore govt, permanent residents я╝Иnon-citizen blue nric holdersя╝Й are permitted to apply. In Singaporean academia, there are foreign academics and research sectors – plenty from China. They may seem like a Singaporean to you just because their ethnic race is Han Chinese, just like the majority ethnic group of Singapore. To the Singaporeans who were born and bred there , they are just seen as opportunists.
Also I am aware that in academic sectors , there is an imposition of a tenure. So no one really has an advantage, foreigner or not.
From my personal experience as a Singaporean, the foreign talent policy is discriminatory to myself. Given your words about a foreigner having a 100 top journal publications (grant money in SG comes from govt if employedтЖР moot) being selected for service. You could explain why a foreigner is given more benefits and a better salary than an overseas Singaporean who thought of going back. That foreigner has no publications in a top journal but the overseas one has far more. Experience wise, the foreigner has less. That incident is not isolated. There have been a few if not a lot of complaints regarding preferential treatment and employment of foreigners.
Oh another thing ,Peter Cohen, Australia has very effective trade unions. Singapore has a govt ran union. So there we go – protectionism is plausible in Australia, but not Singapore.
Would you like to call my statements blatantly false again? I am not some overseas scholar who advertises living in SG as some excuse to write academic drivel .
Islamist conservatism in Malaysia
Even ‘moderate’ Islam will not ensure the security of the nation, though it is preferable to ‘non-moderate’ Islam. What we do know is former PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s concept of ‘moderate’ Islam Hadari went nowhere, did not catch on with the Malay populace, whether the individual Malay was already moderate or devout to begin with, as the late Abdurrahman Wahid’s (known by his appellation as ‘Gus Dur’) moderate Islam and preaching for tolerance, was largely ignored by Indonesians, even Indonesians who
were already moderate and tolerant.
In Malaysia and Indonesia, Islam is politicized, by UMNO and PAS in Malaysia, and
by Islamic Parties (PPP and PKR) in the Parliament in Indonesia. Moderate and tolerant Islam cannot co-exist, side-by-side, with politicized Islam, let alone secularism.
And there are no national examples throughout the Ummah (Islamic World and Peoples).
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
“In Australia where there is some form of protectionism for local workers, there is NONE in existence for Singaporeans.”
That is patently false, at least for
white-collar professions. As any non-Singaporean who has tried to get a long-term (forget permanent) position in a business firm, biotech company, or academic position, Singapore has followed the practices of every other affluent (usually Western, save Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and Korea) and even non-affluent nations, by instituting local hire preferences. The good old United States
is the only country in the world, which, with the exception of federal and a few state government positions, has no restrictions or protectionist policies on foreign employment. This is very clearly exemplified by looking at any American academic opening posted in a journal, where you will not find any caveat that states: “We encourage non-citizens or nationals to apply, but preference will be given to Americans.” No such statement exists. And for federal positions only the statement is “This Vacancy is open to U.S. Citizens.” Every Canadian, British, Australian, New Zealander, Singaporean, French, Indian, Malaysian, etc. academic vacancy posted in a local or international journal will contain that caveat quoted above with respect to their own local colleges, universities and research institutions. Thus, American universities are overflowing with foreign postdoctoral fellows of varied capabilities, while Singapore is very very picky when it comes to hiring foreigners in academic positions, particularly, and will look for qualified Singaporeans first (unless the foreigner has 100 publication in top journals, written books, and can bring grant money with him or her). The business is more
open than the academic sector, but even in the business sector, Singaporeans have an advantage. Government-run institutions and federal agencies will not hire non-Singaporeans. The U.S. for historical and philosophical reasons, which I do not share,
only restricts federal employment to Americans for 99 % of the positions (there are a few minor exceptions like postdoctoral positions at some U.S. Government facilities which may allow Permanent Residents to apply.
Who can stop the Thaksin system?
In reply to Ghost of JP:
Fortunately this website was created pro bono publico (for the public good) so that people with opinions could express their voices- a fundamental feature of democracy in which some of the “supposed educated-Thais” do not seem to get. Why are the majority of Thais on the world-wide webs always (1) call other people who beg to be different from the “status quo” animals or insects from hell, (2) threaten to commit bodily injury against the opposition, and (3) seem to look-down upon other people who may have lacked the privilege of equal footing in the Thai educational systems (the international school for the elites vs. the curriculum for the proletariat)? Would the answers to these questions lie with the root cause of what has been ailing Thailand for all these years, “Thainess”? And I have heard that Yingluck Shin wants Thais who are living overseas to spread this concept to the foreign lands. Any critically self-examining and reflective Thai person would know that Thainess or should I say “Sino-Thainess” is incongruent with common universal values which hold all people together. Thainess is being thrown back into Yingluck’s face right now! People need to stop being airheads and at least try to get everyone on equal footing in education; Thailand may emerge out of chaos for good.
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
After all is said and restated:
Is the West smarter than Uncle Lee?
Let’s take a poll on New Mandala!
LIKE for West NOT SMARTER>
Thailand’s stark choice
The political logic of the Democrats and those who support them is running its full course. This logic is not only fundamentally undemocratic but is pathetically destined to repeated failure. Short of a military-imposed, long-term authoritarian government there is no way Suthep/former PAD leaders/ and other like-minded supporters can rule and “remove Thaksin influence” from the system. The Dems/Yellows are blind to their own track record of failed tactics. Ironically, the more desparate the moves become, the further they alienate themeselves from the majority electorate that fears disenfranchisement — its a hopeless politcal strategy.
Here’s an incomplete list of past [and future] unsuccessful moves by Dems/Yellow camp to permanently dislodge “Thaksin’s influence”:
— Post-2005 election protests to overturn 2005 election results [which led to 2006 snap election]
— Boycott of 2006 elections and more protests after crying illegitimacy of election results
— Royal intervention forcing Thaksin into caretaker government
— Accusations that Thaksin wants a republic
— 2006 military coup before new elections are held which forces the exile of Thaksin
— Failed proposal for “New Politics” to disenfranchise rural electorate
— Judicial dissolution of TRT and 5 year ban of most TRT leaders from politics
— New constitution with unelected Senate
— Organization of 2007 elections which they fail to win again!
— Judicial removal of TRT successor Prime Minister for a paid appearance on a cooking show
— PAD protests and physical seizure of government buildings and international airport
— Judicial dissolution of TRT’s first successor party the PPP
— Bribing Newin’s faction to support a “silent coup” and Democratic-led coalition w/o electoral mandate
— Violent crackdowns on Thais who want new elections [only to hold those new elections months later anyway!]
— Organization of 2011 elections in which they fail to win again!
— Failed attempts to censure Yingluck’s elected government.
— Successfully block and amnesty bill via an unelected Senate they created.
— Mass protests and occupations of government offices to force Yingluck to resign and call for new elections
— call for undemocratic “People’s Assembly” rather than hold democratice elections.
— [the next failed move]
— [the move after the previous move fails to remove “Thaksin influence”]
— [the next new failed move after the repeat failure to remove “Thaksin influence”]
— […and so on]
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
Hi Kiloh, your one-dimensional and depthless comment only reveals how you missed the point and perspectives of the article completely.
Myanmar’s military: Money and guns
Cambodians are the historical ‘enemies’ of the Thais having dominated the Thai people during the ancient rule of Khmer Kingdoms.
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
another thing is, there are singaporeans paid worse than indian workers, but are told, they must be stupid/lazy to be paid such
they often live in one room rental flats with the insides in squalor
and such groups of workers make it even harder for singaporeans to accept indians rioting and the reason given being life is harsh.
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
it’s more likely they reverted to type
from where they are originally from, the law doesn’t work so the only way things get done is to go “mob justice”
if you’ve read their news, it’s apparently “normal” back home
basically one of their numbers went down and they decided to lynch the driver. failing that they decided to trash the place since , to be honest, it not their place. when it’s trashed they don’t lose anything.
another thing is, they’ve been forming an enclave there since god knows when. like in golden mile complex, lucky plaza, chinatown. the different groups of immigrant workers , if you’ve been there, will react more “at home”
it’s a home away from home that isn’t home but resembles home .
and for something like that to happen “at home” it seems entirely appropriate to give an “at home ” reaction.especially when you have a mob you can hide in
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
The fact that Singapore offers little or no welfare safety net, is the reason why it is the richest nation. Look at social welfare states like Australia and U.S. of A. Where are they today? High unemployment, and drowning in debt.This is just a random act of violence, probably instigated by some parties who stand to benefit in some way. Moreover, Sg police are not equipped mentally to manage riots. Hopefully they are better trained from now on. Moving on…!
Thailand’s 2013 protests in comparison
Excellent comparative study – however didn’t the 2006 and 2008 protests explicitly call for a coup?
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
This article seems to shift the perspective of Sunday’s incident. As much as the conditions in which Foreign workers live / treated might be true., the way they behaved on that fateful day is unacceptable. And i am sure this outbreak due to suppression as people put in might not have happened if the alcohol intake has been less. As far as have seen most of the people who come to work has only 1 motive and that is to earn money and support their family back in India and the reasoning that since its not prohibited to do riots in their country and so they did here is not logical. They have been here for few months and they should atleast have a grasp of understanding on what this country and its disciplines are about. It seems more like a vandalism kind of behaviour of drunken people rather than an outbreak for equality.
Stop and think: Lessons from Little India
Maybe Eddy should take a look at Singapore’s Foreign Talent policy before assuming that Singaporeans are so quick to condemn or vilify. The foreign workers are rioting out of frustration. The Singaporeans are condemning any one foreign out of frustration.
Both hit the wrong targets. One at mistreatment by employers (end up hitting out at police and paramedics), the other at foreign professionals who come and take the middle to top earning jobs away (end up hitting those much needed lower wage foreign workers who do the jobs no one wish to do).
So for Eddy to make such quick assumptions, his own analysis is superficial even though it does offer some merits. In Australia where there is some form of protectionism for local workers, there is NONE in existence for Singaporeans.Eddy should take note of that. The Singaporean government has to play it ALL WAYS from local citizens down to the poorest paid foreign worker.