Problem on Foreign Workers

Foreign workers came under the spotlight last week when residents of Serangoon Gardens kicked up a ruckus over possibility of a former school there being turned into a dormitory for foreign workers.
This estate has always been welcoming foreign residents, and actually 5,000 expats call this little community home. However, a petition was started and signed by about 1,600 households out of 7,000. The reason for being against the move are: concern for the safety of the young and the old, congestion strain on the estate’s infrastructures, theft, loitering, alcoholism, hook-ups between the foreign workers and the maids, and a dip in the value of million-dollar properties in the vicinity. Though the arguments appear with the phrase like “I have nothing against foreign workers but…” , it is clear that these reasons are rational and pragmatic for not wanting the foreign workers to live with the residents.
I think the main problem is the wrong stereotype that all foreign workers are poor, uneducated, untrustworthy and troublesome. Actually foreign workers are not the synonym of “trouble”.
Singapore is a country that needs foreign labours. The foreign workers come to Singapore, hunt for opportunities. In another word, Singapore needs them and they are just here to earn money. They build home for Singaporeans even though most of them won’t get a Singapore citizenship after many years of hard working. Therefore, foreign workers should receive respect from Singaporeans. However, the situation is the opposite; many Singaporeans look down on them. The reasons are: they litter, they drink a lot, and they urinate at void decks. I think this is all a misunderstanding. Can’t deny that some of the foreign workers have bad habits, but this group is just the minority out of the majority. We cannot label all the foreign workers the “trouble maker”. Some Singaporeans also steal, litter, and offend crimes; does that mean all Singaporeans should be blamed? Of cause not. So why do we do this to the foreign workers?
Mr. Jonathen Thang, a foreign worker from Myanmar, feels disappointed that Singaporeans do not trust him. When he is in a shopping centre, willing to buy a pair of trousers, the shopkeeper follows him wherever he goes, like he will steal something. There is no reason why foreign workers are more likely to steal, because they are not. Police statistics do not bear out the belief that foreigners are more prone to committing crime than Singaporeans. Infect, some foreign workers are very concern about self-conduct, especially when they are in Singapore.
Mr. Zi Yangjian, a Chinese worker, said, “In china, it would be natural to do that (littering) but in Singapore, it is an offence to litter. On public transport, I have also learnt that Singaporeans like it to be quiet.” They are away from home, their family to work here. They get paid for the work; they also pay for working here- they sacrifice their happy time with family to come here. So they treasure their job. Hence they follow the rules and thus try to get away from troubles. Foreign workers know what to do and what not to do. Some of them even concern much more about the rules than Singaporeans. But they are still misunderstood as trouble makers.
The conception that foreign workers are more likely to offend crime does not stand. All the foreign workers want to be accepted by the locals over time. And it is possible. There are Singaporeans who do not discriminate against foreign workers and stand up arguing for them. There is nothing wrong with foreign workers, so why don’t we accept them?
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Democracy creates stability in society

The term “democracy” means a form of government in which the people have a voice in the exercise of power, typically through elected representatives. (Oxford Concise Dictionary) In another word, a democracy is a control of a group by the majority of its members. It creates stability in a society.
From the time civilization formed, the society has always developing to a better state. People bring out democracy because it is good for a country. Till now, there has not been any revolution against democracy because it has been doing well in practice. Democracy passed the test of time, survived and works well now days. Actually, the fact is that most of the countries with highest level of human development are democracies, while most of the poorest are autocracies. Though it can does not mean that democracy is necessary for development, at least it can enhance development. It is because democracy creates stability in society and a country must be stable before it can be developed. G.K.Chesterton (1847-1936) once said, “Democracy means government by the uneducated, while aristocracy means government by the badly educated.” Obviously, he was not insulting the grassroots as uneducated, but telling the truth that the people in government are more “well” educated. Though in the societies today normal people are not always uneducated, what he said is still true. Autocracies assume that since they are more educated, they are capable to make better decisions. So they are trying to rule the country by telling people what to do depending on their own assumptions and for their own benefits. They force people to do what they are told so by using violence, and sometimes it causes conflict. However, all men are equal. More education does not mean “more equal”. Actually people can sit down and discuss to obtain a common idea which most of the people agree. The process of democracy implies peace, reconciliation, dialogue and consensus. Democracy admits variety and permits criticism. Thus it creates stability.
However, democracy can also be bad for a society. Sometimes the majority of the society wants something it does not mean the thing is absolutely good. For example, in Sri Lanka when the government introduces policies against Tamil group’s benefit, the majority of the society, Sinhalese, vote for it even if it is morally unacceptable. This kind of democracy is evil. Sometimes, criticism is limited. Government put violent force on the people who criticize the government policies. Democracy means government by discussion, but it is only effective if you can stop people talking. (Clement Attlee 1883-1967) It is impossible that everyone in the society agree a certain political idea. So some governments limit the liberty of free criticizing but democracy is thus not true democracy anymore.
Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” We have to recognize that democracy is still not perfect, but it is the best government system till now. A democracy limited by the principle of individual liberty and criticize unlimited democracies can create stability to a society.

The Job Problem

Madam T Nalaayini, 58 has been looking for a job for a long time. She is single which means she has no other financial mainstay. Even worse, she is also the primary caregiver to her mother, who has dementia. It seems if she cannot get a job, their lives will be extremely hard. There are many people who have the same condition as madam T Nalaayini, maybe even worse. There must be some reason why it can happen.
I think it is one of the most basic social laws: no matter how rich the country is, it is impossible that everyone can get a job.
Sometimes, people don’t have a chance to get a job, because of the job limit. A company may need a lot of people, but jobs that the company can provide are still limited. A company only needs enough people. Of cause, the company can create more positions. But to them, it is a waste of money to more people but still gain the same benefits. Who want to give out money but gain almost nothing? So a company can only provide a certain number of positions. Sometimes the position requires the person to have certain ability. Not everyone can get the job. For example, if a company needs a CEO, then the candidates have to be thinkers, leaders and pioneers, which is a really high standard. So, still, a lot of people cannot get the job.
Sometimes, even if you find a chance, and you are able to handle the job, you may still turn out be rejected because your opponent is better than you in some aspect, the age, for instance. “The general perception is that the younger you are the more fit you are and the older folk lose out.” said an employer. This is quite true. “Young” symbolizes enthusiastic. Young people are usually more passionate on working and agile minded. So, again, some people fail to get a job.
Furthermore, even though some people have already received a job, they choose to be a jobseeker again, especially the older people. They have already worked on a career for half of life; a connection established between them and their jobs, they love their professions. And it is quite difficult for old people to learn a new thing. So they maybe keep expecting the jobs they are familiar with.
Fortunately, the government is trying to help the jobless people to get a work. The Central Singapore Community Development Council is working now. They have already helped a lot of people, but it is only a small part of the large group of jobless people.
Madam T Nalaayini has already asked for the government’s help. But she hasn’t received any response yet. I hope she can get a job soon.
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