S'poreans to get priority for P1 places during balloting

[JoetheSC]

snaw:

JoetheSC:

[quote=\"Daddy D\"]I don't see the need to get personal with rebuttals...

Don't turn this to a SC against PR topic..
:celebrate:

First of all, let me clarify...THIS IS a SC against PR/FT topic.

I can't see how we can not make it so, when this is a discussion on a policy that clearly pits PRs/FTs' entitlements against SCs'.

I am equally offended by Mr Snaw's arrogance and sense of entitlement as those who were offended by my rebuttal, but my rebuttal was not meant to be \"personal\". Instead, it is meant to strongly REMIND the non-SCs in general (esp. those who don't \"Get it\"), that as much as we SCs welcome REAL (F)TALENTs to our motherland, they can NEVER and should NEVER expect to be granted equal entitlements/concessions in areas like primary/basic education and accommodation simply because unlike SCs, PRs/FTs were not born/raised/will raise a family/live/and die HERE. I am sure they would agree that the same holds true in reverse.

In simple unsavoury terms, FTs/PRs are transient migrants whose main focus is to enrich themselves first (as anyone would), in whichever land that offers the best opportunities/returns. All other benefits that the host (country) receives from FTs/PRs' \"contributions\" are incidental rather than primary to their decision to relocate (here). And I would expect that once the factors that were beneficial to PRs/FTs are taken away, they CAN and WILL relocate..as what Mr Snaw so clearly mentioned or even threatened, albeit mis-guidedely.

That is why Mr Snaw threatened \"I'll never go SC, why would I want to?...... If Singapore keeps forcing the issue with moves like this I'll leave\".

The SG government is FINALLY acknowledging that they had neglected its own citizens and the CONSEQUENCES have not been desirable, and hence, it looks like the main agenda going forward (at least until the next GE) is to win back the hearts of SCs...AT THE EXPENSE OF PRs/FTs.

So...get used to it..SCs, PRs and FTs alike

I think I may have missed something, not been keeping up with the thread just logged in and saw this. Why all the hostility?

<JoetheSC> The hostility is stemming from the arrogance and sense of entitlement thats overflowing from your original comments.

I talked about arrogance and sense of entitlement as something I didn't want my kids to have by going to international school, so I'd prefer to go local. If that offends you then sorry I'd like my kids to integrate into Singapore society more, not less.

<JoetheSC> Its not this particular statement that I find offensive. Its the overall tone and message of your posting. If an FT/PR in UK or Australia had written anything like this on a public forum I would not be surprised if the consequent reaction from the citizens there would have been more extreme.

I never stated I should be granted equal entitlement, in fact I said I understand why SC's were frustrated. I never threatened to leave either

<JoetheSC>You wrote \"If Singapore keeps forcing the issue with moves like this I'll leave, there are plenty of other countries which would value my skills and aren't quite as hostile\". I might have misunderstood the meaning of that statement although I still can't see how that was the case.

, I pointed out why people like my wife and I come to Singapore - and it's not just money, I can earn as much or more in many other countries, it's a combination of factors with schooling being one of them.

<JoetheSC> Ability and opportunity are mutually exclusive factors. Just like many SCs have the ability to earn as much (and mostly even more if we were to relocate overseas), unfortunately, the employment opportunities are not always there given that MOST governments, unlike SG, are less accommodating/have the political might to implement policies that favour FTs/PRs over their own citizens. Which had been the crux of SCs' unhappiness, which was clearly demonstrated in the last GE.

So, again, this statement of yours with regards to your earning capacity reeks of arrogance. I view the \"lower\" salary you suggest you earn in SG compared to other countries, as the security premium you pay for the stability, orderliness and general level of safety that generations of SCs had worked hard to achieve and maintain, and which you and your family are enjoying and taking for granted by the looks of things.

If that dynamic changes then undoubtedly it impacts foreign talents desire to live in certain places. I probably didn't put that across as well as I could, but I'm not having a go at the decision, as I stated (And you seem to have missed or completely misunderstood) I'm simply saying big decisions like these have consequences.

<JoetheSC>Thats an oxymoron of a statement. The government obviously felt the impact/consequence of NOT acting earlier and decided, FINALLY, that the balance has to be recalibrated in SCs' favour.

Reading through this thread and I sense a lot of animosity to foreign workers. If you want people to become SC then I'm not sure hostility is a great base to start from, it's also not my general impression of people I meet here but I'm now starting to wonder if maybe it's what everyone is thinking. It's certainly a theme I'm picking up in the last year or so.

The hostility is in reaction to your arrogance and misguided sense of entitlement which you intentionally or otherwise portrayed in the original post. Judging from the reactions of the majority who read your post, it is obvious that you missed your intended point by a wide berth. I am surprised it happened given that you are a native English speaker. But I do appreciate the conciliatory tone in your latest reply...or was that unintended? :yikes:

SCs are amongst the most tolerant people on earth when it comes to accepting people of varying nationalities/races/culture/religions. I dare say you will not be able to find another more densely populated city state with a more diverse and inclusive community as ours.

WE, SCs however, like anyone else, anywhere else in the world, do not tolerate arrogance and ignorance spewing from a transient migrant with no permanent stake in our country.
[/quote]

[laughingcat]

Regardless of SC or PR, we as a parents all want the best for our children. We want the best or at least good enough for our children. So perhaps let’s be sensitive to each other as a SC or PR.


But i must say my piece…a PR from a reasonable country with good Uni as compared to our local uni, of course will see no point in converting to SC. That i can totally understand as they can enjoy better perks back in their motherland. Such a PR should never neither demand nor expect to have the same priviledges as the SC, especially they have absolute no intention to stay in SGP for long term. Yes, SGP has a history of migrant. Bear in mind that it is HISTORY, just like policemen used to wear bermudas.

[keroppi]

laughingcat:

Regardless of SC or PR, we as a parents all want the best for our children. We want the best or at least good enough for our children. So perhaps let's be sensitive to each other as a SC or PR.

:goodpost:

[dorisp]

laughingcat:

.........just like policemen used to wear bermudas.

I like that! :rotflmao:

[verykiasu2010]

dorisp:

laughingcat:

.........just like policemen used to wear bermudas.

I like that! :rotflmao:

we still do

[thefoos]

*** post deleted ***

[KSP]

dorisp:

verykiasu2010:

eh, all schools are good school hor, where got good schools for SC only .....

aiyo, if true then we sin lung liao lo..... even PR also know lah.....

[friendship]

why worry? so many new primary schools are coming up next year. 2 in punggol and 1 in sengkang.

[iRabbit]

thefoos:

The feeling of hostility towards 'pinoys', 'abnn', 'ah tiongs' is pretty obvious here too. Comments such as 'they should convert if not happy' have been floated here more than once.

I'm not sure about the word 'pinoy', but I'm sure the words 'abnn' and 'ah tiongs' are considered as racial slurs. I believe 'abnn' is even offensive to our local Indians. So I'm surprised that such words are floated so freely earlier(not referring to yours, I know that you're just quoting).

I wish we're not so careless about using such words. I mean if we go to a place like England, I'm sure we won't like it if we're referred to as 'chinks'.

[Picolo]

laughingcat:

Regardless of SC or PR, we as a parents all want the best for our children. We want the best or at least good enough for our children. So perhaps let's be sensitive to each other as a SC or PR.


But i must say my piece....a PR from a reasonable country with good Uni as compared to our local uni, of course will see no point in converting to SC. That i can totally understand as they can enjoy better perks back in their motherland. Such a PR should never neither demand nor expect to have the same priviledges as the SC, especially they have absolute no intention to stay in SGP for long term. Yes, SGP has a history of migrant. Bear in mind that it is HISTORY, just like policemen used to wear bermudas.

:goodpost:

As rational human beings, PRs also do their own cost-benefits analysis to see if it's 'worth it' to convert to become SCs. I know several PRs with 2 children and more here, of which only an extremely small % are willing to give up the citizenship they are holding now to become SCs. To them, being SPRs, they get to enjoy the best of both worlds. These PRs I know mainly come from Hong Kong, PRC, Malaysia and India. I still remember the morning when my HK friend was beaming and rattling away how her family still gets to keep dual passports, still enjoying $ from HKSAR while living in Singapore, and how her son will save 2 years not needing to do NS for remaining a PR. Most importantly, they are mobile... you never know what will happen say 10 years later and which country you need more later... All in all, it is definitely a gain for them not to commit now to be SCs from their viewpoint.

The new SC priority also doesn't affect this group of PR friends at all - they already have at least 1 child presently studying in the school they desired, so, technically the chance of the younger kid entering to same pri school is 100%.

To me, this SC priority thingy is long overdue, but... better late than never.

How about those who aspire their kids to go to academically 'better' schools? Easy. Usually these are the ones who can really compete academically. Just pump their kids more and learn in advance. By end of P3, if their kids don't get into GEP (agree that all GEP schools are good schools right? I know at least 20% of the kids offered GEP from ds's son class are PRs), they can easily transfer their bright kids to mainstream schools with high academic standards.