Opposition MPs urge revision of national policies on race, balance of interests between locals and foreigners

SINGAPORE: Opposition MPs on Tuesday (September 1) called on the government to reconsider national policies on race and restore the balance of interests between Singaporeans and foreigners.

The four opposition MPs who spoke on the second day of the debate on the president’s speech also referred to reducing reliance on foreign workers and giving young people more voice in shaping policy.

President Halimah Yacob told Parliament in her August 24 speech that multiracialism in Singapore is still a “work in progress”, with different generations bringing diverse experiences and life perspectives.

Workers’ Party (WP) MP Sylvia Lim said she hopes Singapore will become a “race-blind society” and suggested revisions in three areas to achieve this: ethnic classifications and data; elections on ethnic grounds; and the Ethnic Integration Policy of the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

Ms Lim said the government’s CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian and others) model of classifying the population to safeguard minority rights is “problematic”, adding that it would be better to speak of “citizenship rights”.

“There is an opportunity here to come together as Singaporeans and contribute to a national group, helping the underprivileged without knowing the races,” he said.

ELECTIONS ON ETHNIC LINES

Turning to ethnically motivated elections, Ms. Lim noted that, ideally, there should be no minority candidate requirements in parliamentary and presidential elections.

“These requirements tend to focus on minority representation, which can put an uncomfortable spotlight on minority candidates,” he said.

Regarding HDB’s Ethnic Integration Policy introduced in 1989, Ms. Lim questioned whether it has been working well, noting that it has caused “economic hardship” over the years.

The policy limits the total percentage of units in a HDB block or neighborhood occupied by a certain ethnic group. Once the quotas have been reached, the purchase and sale of apartments can only be carried out within the same ethnic group.

Ms. Lim said it is helpful to look at neighborhoods like Bedok where the Malaysian population has exceeded quotas, as many of these families moved out before the policy was introduced.

“We should note that there did not appear to be any extraordinary stresses or disorder there. Therefore, it seems to me that a certain relaxation of the policy is possible, ”he said.

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BALANCE OF INTEREST BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND FOREIGNERS

Another issue to consider is the balance of interests between locals and foreigners, said non-electorate MP for the Singapore Progress Party, Leong Mun Wai.

“Taking note of the widespread resentment and objections from our compatriots, we recommend that immediate steps be taken to restore the balance of interests between Singaporeans and foreigners in our country,” he said in his first speech to Parliament.

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Mr. Leong suggested modifying the foreign talent model by designating companies as “offshore” or “onshore”.

Offshore companies offer products and services that are mainly sold abroad, which Singaporeans do not yet have the skills to produce, Leong said, adding that these companies must also meet minimum requirements for capital and business spending.

Mr. Leong said offshore companies can be given “a freer hand” to attract talent from around the world as long as they are non-discriminatory and follow the salary requirements of the job pass.

For the rest of the companies classified as onshore, Leong said they should ensure that Singaporeans are well represented in senior management, enforce a foreigner-to-citizen ratio cap, create clear career succession plans for locals, and protect positions. entry-level job for newcomers. Graduates from Singapore.

REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN WORKERS

Mr. Leon Perera, the WP MP from Aljunied, also addressed the importance of reducing dependency on foreign workers.

Mr Perera noted that there is a need to “take a serious look” at the entire sector of workers with work permits and set long-term goals to “substantially reduce” Singapore’s dependence on these foreign workers.

He questioned the sustainability of attracting foreign workers from less developed countries, noting that they may not “remain poor forever.” He added that there is scope to redesign some of these works.

“The day may come when they don’t want to come to Singapore to do those jobs, or at least not at current pay rates. What will we do then? Low cost today may not mean low cost tomorrow, ”he said.

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GIVE YOUNG SINGAPOREES “A BEST OFFER”

In her first speech in Parliament, WP MP from the newly formed Sengkang Group (GRC) Representative Constituency, Raeesah Khan, highlighted the importance of providing equal opportunities for Singaporeans, noting that meritocracy has contributed to this. .

“But in the midst of this search, we have inevitably left many behind, disappointed and sadly led to believe that they deserve their positions because they simply ‘weren’t good enough,’” he said.

Ms Khan said the government has to address three areas to offer young Singaporean “a better deal”.

The three areas are: young people must have access to opportunities in education and the workforce; maximize the opportunities available for this group to be successful; and end employment discrimination to create an inclusive labor market.

“If we want young Singaporeans to succeed in our next phase of development, we must allow them to come to the table,” said Ms. Khan.

“These young people are more than willing to start the conversation and contribute their ideas.”