I don’t know what I’m defending anymore

[pink_sapphire]

Read about this in yahoo,
http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/10/30/i-dont-know-what-im-defending-anymore/

Young Singaporeans like Lim Zi Rui are becoming increasingly disillusioned and they’re not afraid to let it show. He Said "“When I was younger, I was very proud of being a Singaporean. But that was about five, ten years ago. Five years later, with all the changes in policies and the influx of foreign talent, I really don’t know what I’m defending any more...
how are we going to help the younger generation feel a sense of belonging to Singapore ?

Should spore open up more to foreign talents ? What r the issues that should be address or look out for ?

 

[bedokboy]

wah lau.
this is an issue dear to my heart right now too.

coupled with watching examples of rude and stressed out HK-ers on Youtube, I'm not sure if we're headed to that kind of society. Everything so expensive, so stress, we might become a less caring society and an unfriendly one for our children to grow up in too.

What I want is to see the government really come up with plans to 'reward' our current generation SG-eans with a clearly advantageous incentive. I may not be articulate enough to state why but it is indeed our birthright to be more privileged citizens here now that these 'foreign talent' are coming in.

 

[bedokboy]

would like to say more to substantiate my case, but at work now, can't type much.

 

[bedokboy]

but, good thread, sapphire...

 

[powder]

as much as i am not very keen on reservist, i believe the sense of belonging is not something that our gov is as responsible for, as it is for ourselves... our frens, family, career, etc... all can be built here. if our talents and skills are not appreciated here, then the painful decision to make is whether we seek better pastures out of spore...

foreign talents contribute in other ways and will be part of our nation, as much as i'd like to see them in army, perhaps it will not be them, but their children who will be the ones serving... for those who leave, there's really nothing much we can legislate to tie them to national service... if we do, they might not even come here.

if they dun come here, what would be the consequences? More complacency towards ourselves? i'm not pro-national service, but as long as it stays a necessary part of our nation's well-being, then we'll just have to do it.

our 'rewards' from national service would be perhaps slightly better pay, some tax incentives etc. to expect further rewards is something which i feel - i would not mind, but i am not hopeful. we're going thru a process now where many changes and tough decisions have to be made by the gov, and ourselves... we can choose to leave, the gov cannot. so onus remains on ourselves.

 

[cuclainne]

the husband is a FT. even though we occasionally talk about going back, he likes it here and we'll probably be staying put for a while. i have no intention of giving up my citizenship, no matter where i may end up.

the husband served 11 months in the airforce back home (NS is voluntary) - even if there is legislation to tie the FTs to national service, we don't think that he will be allowed to. so naturally it would be the next generation to do so.

 

[tomasulu]

i absolutely detest the term foreign talent, which i assume was invented to lend weight to a flawed policy. the way the immigration policy is applied, seems like the only requisite to be considered a 'talent' is if the person holds a different passport. never mind the word 'talent' suggests an exceptional innate ability or quality. skills yes. competence maybe. talent? if that's our criterion, our trains won't be half as crowded.