Adam Khoo: The expats will rule Singapore

[tamarind]

Parent1:

When our ancestors came to Singapore, they thought they would make & save enough money & return to their motherland for retirement. But many became attached to & adopted the country. Similarly, many PRs have localised & naturalised, as their children grow up & made friends in the schools. And many PRs let their sons serve NS.

For those who left, they would have given some, if not all, of their best & most productive years to the country. We are better off with their contribution to our economy.

The PRs nowadays are not the same as our parents' generation. All my Malaysian colleagues have no intention of becoming citizens, or let their sons serve NS. The reason is because they want to earn money here, then retire back in Malaysia where they can live like kings. There are no official figures, but I believe that not many PRs actually become citizens.

[tamarind]

Parent1:

Self coaching can be: Be very patient & supportive with our kids. Try to speak to them as if they are adults. Putting down them for not being the perfect child or whiz kid would not help to build their self-confidence. Kids would believe in themselves if their parents never give up on them.

I agree. Parents also need to teach good morals at home, like kindness, loyalty, compassion, honesty, etc, and the courage to speak up to the authorities when they believe that things are not right.

[Parent1]

tamarind:

The PRs nowadays are not the same as our parents' generation. All my Malaysian colleagues have no intention of becoming citizens, or let their sons serve NS. The reason is because they want to earn money here, then retire back in Malaysia where they can live like kings. There are no official figures, but I believe that not many PRs actually become citizens.

It's easier said than done. The Malaysian PRs' kids would not be able to catch up with the Bahasa used in all national schools. They would probably end up in prvate colleges or international schools back in Malaysia (at ~M$20k/semester or /year?). Their parents would have to scrimp & save to send them to overseas universities at US$30-70/year for US, A$20-30k/year for Australia and simlar amount in sterling for UK. Mind you, that's current tuition fee. Double that to cover living expenses. Who knows how much it will cost in the years to come.

[toddles]

tamarind:

I agree that after school, kids should do other activities. But most Singaporean parents are so concerned about getting perfect scores. I know parents who hire private tutors for their kids who score over 90 marks. What kind of adults will these kids grow up to be ?

yah... totally agree. Tuition has lost it's meaning, not to help those who cannot cope to catch up, but to make those who can cope chase perfection in scores.

Nothing wrong in trying to be better, but drilling and drilling just for the paper chase? whilst childhood slips by and all they can remember is shuttling from enrichment class to enrichment class. so sad.

and it's precisely the adam khoo types that are profitting from this chase.

don't know why, I just don't like him. don't like his talks, don't like what he's always trying to sell, don't like his whole motivational mumbo jumbo. but that's just me.

[tamarind]

tree nymph:

Yes, if they give back to our economy and society, and ultimately their next generation become citizens.

Actually, I was also thinking of the table tennis players from China who have become citizens. I wonder how many will stay here...

Most PRs from China will eventually return, because the amount of money they earned here will enable them to live very comfortably back in China.

[tamarind]

Parent1:

It's easier said than done. The Malaysian PRs' kids would not be able to catch up with the Bahasa used in all national schools. They would probably end up in prvate colleges or international schools back in Malaysia (at ~M$20k/semester or /year?). Their parents would have to scrimp & save to send them to overseas universities at US$30-70/year for US, A$20-30k/year for Australia and simlar amount in sterling for UK. Mind you, that's current tuition fee. Double that to cover living expenses. Who knows how much it will cost in the years to come.

I think the kids of PRs can continue to study in Singapore from primary school up to universities and still remain as PRs. This is what I know from my ex-colleagues who are Malaysians.

[tamarind]

toddles:

yah... totally agree. Tuition has lost it's meaning, not to help those who cannot cope to catch up, but to make those who can cope chase perfection in scores.


Nothing wrong in trying to be better, but drilling and drilling just for the paper chase? whilst childhood slips by and all they can remember is shuttling from enrichment class to enrichment class. so sad.

and it's precisely the adam khoo types that are profitting from this chase.

don't know why, I just don't like him. don't like his talks, don't like what he's always trying to sell, don't like his whole motivational mumbo jumbo. but that's just me.

I also prefer to stay away from adam khoo. Never even heard any of his talks.

[Busymom]

sally72:

I'm from service industry and reasons why we prefer foreigners is not of lower salary $$ pay out- but is cannot \"TAHAN\" the fussy Singaporeans' attitude.

Offering the same job ( service retail) to Singaporeans and they will request not to work retail rotating shifts, must off on every Sunday and request to provide a chair in the shop...
If you don't believe you may ask around( Singaporeans) who is willing to work in retail hours + 1 offday on weekday + need to stand for 8 hours and willing to accept salary of $1300?

So if there isn't enough critical mass for a salary at $1300, perhaps the \"right price\" to pay ought to be $1500 or even $1800? For a price, people are willing to sacrifice their weekends.

I am not saying that we should not have any foreign workers in the service industry. However, without putting a lid on their growing number, it only serves to bring wages in the service industry down to a level that only foreign workers are willing to do it; because to them, they would never be able to earn S$1300 back at home.

It's not true that Singaporeans are not willing to work retail hours or on weekends. All those local teachers who work in enrichment schools/programs - many of them are graduates - they too don't have weekends as well because of the industry that they are in. I also know of people who join retail industry after finishing university education. With the right companies that offer good career prospect and advancement, why not? For many of us who are not in retail industry, does it mean that we actually do not work on weekends from home? That is far from being true.

[csc]

tamarind:

I also prefer to stay away from adam khoo. Never even heard any of his talks.

Me too. His course fees can be used to pay for lots of exciting and interesting books plus nice holidays too. :lol:

[Cheval]

I was China PR becoming citizen.

tamarind:

tree nymph:

Yes, if they give back to our economy and society, and ultimately their next generation become citizens.

Actually, I was also thinking of the table tennis players from China who have become citizens. I wonder how many will stay here...

Most PRs from China will eventually return, because the amount of money they earned here will enable them to live very comfortably back in China.

Now in China life is expensive too, especially in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Salary here is not necessarily higher either. Many return for career development reasons.

tamarind:

foreverj:

was wondering if its possible for us to replicate this kind of learning at home? i mean, most of the parents here are educated, thinking individuals as well, aren't we? or perhaps, its also dependent on the profile of the kids who attend the international schools?

as for general knowledge, i believe we do have access to such info/material given the wonderfully equipped libraries we have in spore. just that parents have to spend some time to gather the material or at least to bring the kids to the library

It is certainly possible for Singaporean parents to provide the same kind of learning at home, if parents bother to do some research. However, most Singaporeans are obsessed with enrichment classes and assessment books, thinking that this is the best way for kids to learn. The end result is that most Singaporean kids are very good at passing exams, at getting near perfect scores, at following instructions and producing answers that are exactly what the teachers want. They don't know much of anything else.

The worst consequence is the kids lose their curiosity and interest in learning by themselves. I feel my son of P6 is undergoing the hell, my wife pushing him so hard. But after PSLE, I must give him more freedom.

tree nymph:

tamarind:

I have no problems with new immigrants at all, provided that they become citizens and let their sons go through national service.

The problem is with PRs. There are simply too many PRs in Singapore. I knew a highly paid manager, a Malaysian PR, who loudly proclaimed that she will never become a Singaporean citizen. Her sons are not citizens and will never go through NS. My hubby have a colleague from mainland China, she said that she will leave Singapore before her son turns 18 years old.

Just imagine, if there is a war, who will be left behind to fight for Singapore ?

Agreed.

That's why there's a broadening difference of the 'benefits' between the citizens and PRs. I think the PRs you know are mainly reaping the benefits of being a PR here and using it as a stepping stone to move on. There should be many like them around.

I guess Singaporeans should have more open attitude toward PRs. Some come and stay but some others leave. THere's nothing unusual with it. With foreigners, at least for one thing: they bring different ways of thinking. This is an asset not a fault. As to 'benefits', what benefits are you talking about? They make a living with their skills and pay everything from their pocket.

A side question: why nobody complains about Ang Mohs? They make big bucks and get away soon after, not to mention the way they are entertained.