SINGAPORE: Observers said President Tony Tan’s call to “prevent a new fault line from forming between local-born Singaporeans and recent immigrants” suggests Singapore’s immigration policy has failed to gain a receptive audience among native Singaporeans. They said the key is in getting Singaporeans to buy-in, and that immigration issues must feature in policy planning exercises. Foreigners now make up about a third of Singapore’s population. More often than not, foreigners are blamed for hot button issues in Singapore like jobs, public transport and housing. James Du, member of the youth wing in the Tian Fu Association and a second generation Singaporean, said: “When new immigrants come to Singapore, they would like to call Singapore a home. And by calling it a home, they would want to purchase their own housing, they would be using the public transport everyday for work, for leisure. “So everyone [will] compete for the same resources. The government really needs to expand these resources so there is less competition, and then when that happens, then we will not be pointing fingers again.” Ramon S Padiernos, a Filipino working in Singapore, said: “When I first started here, there’s really not much of an issue about the work that is offered for foreigners, because at that time, the economy is really moving fast, there’s so much employment… Then I observed recently that [it is becoming much more] of a concern.” While the government has acted to moderate the inflow of …
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Singaporean government are the main proponent for Asean integration. A move benefits more from small member countries such as Singapore. As a Asean citizen they have the same privilege and rights residing in other member countries. But within Singapore their singing a different tune. What a hypocritical society.