Adam Khoo: The expats will rule Singapore

[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.

[Blobbi]

Cheval:

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.

Cheval, how is the educational system like over here vs China? I have some China friends who now reside in Singapore and they say that it's equivalent if not worse in China because of the huge population base and the need to stand out over there.

I never gave much thought to PRs even though I worked with so many. Some of my friends are \"permanent PRs\" who spend their entire careers outside of their home countries. You're right - they bring a cosmopolitan touch that adds to the quality of life here. They've always been part of the transient workforce - if they're not here, they'd be in Hong Kong. My experience is that they send their kids to the international schools.

It's only been in recent years, with the clamour for more privileges (ie, places in highly coveted local schools), that PRs became more noticeable. That to me, is strange, because they are PRs (ie, despite the name, they're *impermanent* residents), not citizens with vested interests in the country. Like the Little Red Hen says, if they're not willing to help bake the cake, then they're not entitled to eat it.

[Cheval]

Blobbi:

Cheval, how is the educational system like over here vs China? I have some China friends who now reside in Singapore and they say that it's equivalent if not worse in China because of the huge population base and the need to stand out over there.

My observation is that it's basically the same in Asia: Singapore, Japan, China, Taiwan, HK, etc.

Blobbi:

My experience is that they send their kids to the international schools.

This is not true. Only few very well paid guys can afford that. I came to Singapore in 1996. At that time, in addition to my salary, I had a housing subsidy just because I have studied in Europe (I feel grateful). My colleagues with a PhD of India and China had less or nothing. But that's all the privilege I had. And along the years, the subsidies decrease. And I have say we are the majority. I don't know how it is with NUS now. In the late 90s, NUS paid foreign lecturers and professors to send their kids to international schools.

Blobbi:

It's only been in recent years, with the clamour for more privileges (ie, places in highly coveted local schools), that PRs became more noticeable.

Sorry, this is not true either. Most PRs send their kids to neighborhood schools because they do not have any links (parents, sisters, brothers etc.). Because of this many of these neighborhood schools have seen their level 'raised'. Last year's PSLE results is a good proof. I know the kids of quite a few friends in the case: getting into RI and Hwa Chong from a neighborhood school, or getting into a 'good' primary school thru GEP.

Blobbi:

That to me, is strange, because they are PRs (ie, despite the name, they're *impermanent* residents), not citizens with vested interests in the country. Like the Little Red Hen says, if they're not willing to help bake the cake, then they're not entitled to eat it.

In general, one cannot expect an adult to change mindset easily. THe same regarding the sentiment toward a country not of their own. That is understandable. But believe me, many PRs do stay, for long, and money is not the only reason. I even know a few working in China or HK but leave their families here. There are good reasons for their choice.

Good night!

[Parent1]

tamarind:

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.

How many parents would leave their kids with baby sitters, daycare centre, or expensive boarding schools in Singapore & go back to Malaysia to \"live like a King\" ?

Would you?

[Parent1]

Cheval:

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.

Like other Asians, it is sad that some Singaporeans tend to be deferrential, if not kow tow, to Ang Moh.

Many rich Indonesians & other SE Asians park their wife, kids & money in Singapore but run their buisness in their home countries. With F1, IRs, high-end housing & malls, Singapore appears to be positioning itself as a playground for the well-off, a wealth management centre & a financial hub (like London, New York, Switzerland or Monaco?). In time, there will be more & more this type of PRs.

May be the AngMoh PRs and rich PRs are OK to many Singaporeans, as long as they don't compete with us for grades, schools, jobs, promotions, public tansport & HDBs?

[Parent1]

insider:

Adam has many things that he should be proud of himself (his childhood, his failures, successes, etc) and I think it is a good thing that he can share those (though his fees are steep). However, Adam himself should know that his success rate probably is less than 1 to 2% among the children whom he is trying to inspire. So, the decision then lies on the parents as to see whether they want to pay that kind of steep price for that less than 1 to 2% chances of success in seeing their children realizing their inner self and thereby be internally motivated (child wants to achieve coz he/she thinks she wants to do it for herself and not for anybody else nor for any external carrots dangling in front of them…)

I am not here to promote what Adam Khoo is selling. Just to share his article which is quite thought provoking.

In fact, we can pick up many good parenting tips from his website and radio talk show, without sending our kids to his expensive talk/camps. It's probabaly cheaper to get a book on parenting !

[Blobbi]

Cheval:

Blobbi:

My experience is that they send their kids to the international schools.

This is not true. Only few very well paid guys can afford that. I came to Singapore in 1996. At that time, in addition to my salary, I had a housing subsidy just because I have studied in Europe (I feel grateful). My colleagues with a PhD of India and China had less or nothing. But that's all the privilege I had. And along the years, the subsidies decrease. And I have say we are the majority. I don't know how it is with NUS now. In the late 90s, NUS paid foreign lecturers and professors to send their kids to international schools.

Blobbi:

It's only been in recent years, with the clamour for more privileges (ie, places in highly coveted local schools), that PRs became more noticeable.

Sorry, this is not true either. Most PRs send their kids to neighborhood schools because they do not have any links (parents, sisters, brothers etc.). Because of this many of these neighborhood schools have seen their level 'raised'. Last year's PSLE results is a good proof. I know the kids of quite a few friends in the case: getting into RI and Hwa Chong from a neighborhood school, or getting into a 'good' primary school thru GEP.

Blobbi:

That to me, is strange, because they are PRs (ie, despite the name, they're *impermanent* residents), not citizens with vested interests in the country. Like the Little Red Hen says, if they're not willing to help bake the cake, then they're not entitled to eat it.

In general, one cannot expect an adult to change mindset easily. THe same regarding the sentiment toward a country not of their own. That is understandable. But believe me, many PRs do stay, for long, and money is not the only reason. I even know a few working in China or HK but leave their families here. There are good reasons for their choice.

Good night!

I went to bed last night thinking about this. It's certainly within my experience that expats are extremely well paid, but you have a point - perhaps it's not the broader experience. Reading through the posts so far, it seems like many expats come on lesser terms, even lower than that of the local.

Cheval, I see your point. The hard reality is that Singapore with a limited pool of resources needs the talent, and in exchange, we do have to make life at least comfortable for those who contribute in the meanwhile, perhaps make it attractive even, so that they choose to come here versus another more attractive place.

So perhaps there are two needs that have to co-exist - the need of the citizen, and the need to continually attract talent, which in reality, is also ultimately serving the need of the citizen. We all do want a successful and thriving nation.

[corneyAmber]

Honestly, Singapore is an economic haven, ie, a good place for making money. So we need both foreigners n locals to co-exist to thrive in the environment.


The main difference is our goals are different, foreigners are figuring out how to ensure Singapore is a good landing ground whereas the locals are thinking how to break out into the global world. So if the goals are different, the outcome will be different. Our children may not top that one single position in the education chart but I have seen quite a number of all rounders among the local kids, with good academic n other talents. Also those who top, do they stay top from primary to JC??? No, no one has ever achieved that so far. So???