HDB capping sublets to foreigners ...

[ariyo]

Honestly I have no idea where you guys are absorbing proper information from...but I guess the credibility of the MSM probably contributes to extracting information from unreliable sources.

You just about blew any street cred you had built up here with that silly throwaway line.

After re-reading, I am not sure what you mean. Did anyone get my sarcasm on Credibility? or are you referring to something else?

[Sergei82]

yada yada yada

ariyo, don't you see that this discussion leads nowhere else but to trouble? People are just venting their emotions in here. If you argue with them, you will end up in a conversation where actually everybody is right in his own way, and everybody is just trying to stand on his ground to protect his position (imagine animal world - two wild boars met on a trail in a jungle and want to protect their own territory: the one who smashes another's snout is the smart one).
That is why we have another thread on this forum: what to avoid talking about with Singaporeans. The subject discussed here is one of the subjects mentioned in "what-to-avoid" thread.

P.S.: At least one Singaporean is happy I'm here: my girlfriend. I do not care about anybody else. Let them care about me if they want my attention.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Seeing that most experiences have been secondary in nature "my neighbour said that....my colleague told me that..."and propagates into life by itself, I wonder if anyone has bore the brunt of any racist attack that made you contemplate leaving singapore.

Do you know the difference between pragmatic and racist? I ask, because if you actually do, then the odds are, you probably wouldn't have asked that question.

The HDB housing policy is the biggest government sanction Racist Policy there is. Any policy that prevents a person from living where they want, provided that they have the money necessary to purchase, only because of their Race is a Racist policy. It may be "pragmatic" from your Chinese POV but when the Chinese control 78% of the population, the racist policies rarely affect them. But the small minorities are screwed constantly because of their race. Being a racist policy is not excused by pragmatism. Racism is racism, regardless how you dress it up or try to explain it away. And yes, my 7% minority Singaporean Wife and my 2% butt HAVE been discriminated again. So How?

But then again, with your local Degree you were probably not taught the difference between racism & pragmatism but brainwashed with the PAP definition.

[Sergei82]

I wonder if anyone has bore the brunt of any racist attack that made you contemplate leaving singapore.

I did, on a very personal level and in a concrete situation (SMS reply may look too general) - about who I am and where I am from, and who am I to some people in here. Leaving out the details, this made me decide that I will definitely NOT settle down and spend my entire life in Singapore.

[morenangpinay]

oh let me point out that fastfood chain that just opened..the one where the locals started a boycott page.

[x9200]

I don't think there is too much of venting off the emotions in this threat since ariyo joined.

ariyo: yes, there are some examples from real life. If I remember correctly Brah wrote something recently about a lady telling him to go back to his country during a ride on an escalator. I recall some more cases like this. Personally I was never a subject of any attack like this but I have heard many times that foreigners are not that welcomed. It was not about me but it was said by the locals. Typically, when I got engaged in a chit-chat (with a cabbie for that instance) and they discover I am neither British nor American local people become much more open in expressing their views
Besides, as for the context of this discussion what matters is the effect and you have no proof of any kind that these are teenagers behind these vitriol showers in Internet unless you refer to their emotional maturity.

[JR8]

I'll just come out and say it: Singapore is the most racist country I've experienced. [which is ironic, given how the likes of the STB play up so heavily on what a joyous cultural polyglot it is]: Whereas daily life seems to be an open invite for a hatefest.

Every day I have race-issues, orders, and demands thrust at me, it's kinda weird. As back home in my very multi-culti city we just rub-along nicely, without anyone issuing diktats over how we should think or behave.

[earthfriendly]

Hello guys, can you name me another country in the world where the govt has the audacity to say they will increase the population 50 % (4 to 6 million) via import of foreigners? And when it does, how do you think the local citizens will take it?

USA also suffers from declining birth rate and they counter the problem via immigration, albeit not at such a rampant rate as SG. SG need foreigners not just to help with the declining birth rate but they will infuse the country with new ideas and talent, making it a more vibrant place.

When you look back at history, when countries (e.g. China and Japan's closed door policy to halt foreign aggression) closed their doors to the world, they did not progress with the rest of the world and they end up moving backward. And the modern day extreme examples of N Korea, Myanmar, parts of middle east.

[Barnsley]

oh let me point out that fastfood chain that just opened..the one where the locals started a boycott page.

Is it because the queue is too long?

I did go to Gerrys Grill last night though and it was very good.

[Sergei82]

Hello guys, can you name me another country in the world where the govt has the audacity to say they will increase the population 50 % (4 to 6 million) via import of foreigners? And when it does, how do you think the local citizens will take it?

USA also suffers from declining birth rate and they counter the problem via immigration, albeit not at such a rampant rate as SG. SG need foreigners not just to help with the declining birth rate but they will infuse the country with new ideas and talent, making it a more vibrant place.

When you look back at history, when countries (e.g. China and Japan's closed door policy to halt foreign aggression) closed their doors to the world, they did not progress with the rest of the world and they end up moving backward. And the modern day extreme examples of N Korea, Myanmar, parts of middle east.

Aren't Australia and Canada easier on that? Same immigrants' countries as Singapore.

[QRM]

I'll just come out and say it: Singapore is the most racist country I've experienced. [which is ironic, given how the likes of the STB play up so heavily on what a joyous cultural polyglot it is]: Whereas daily life seems to be an open invite for a hatefest.

Every day I have race-issues, orders, and demands thrust at me, it's kinda weird. As back home in my very multi-culti city we just rub-along nicely, without anyone issuing diktats over how we should think or behave.

Have you been to that history of SG museum in Sentosa? I went with my kids school trip what so scary is the little film at the beginning all happy clapper stuff saying we all love each other, everyone like to hug each other no mater what colour they are. They have three narrators and 101 guesses what they are 1. Indian, 1. Malay 1. Chinese..

Now what are you suppose to think if you go to a restaurant and on the front cover of the menu they proudly proclaim " We do not have a rat problem in the kitchen" ....

[nakatago]

Hello guys, can you name me another country in the world where the govt has the audacity to say they will increase the population 50 % (4 to 6 million) via import of foreigners? And when it does, how do you think the local citizens will take it?

USA also suffers from declining birth rate and they counter the problem via immigration, albeit not at such a rampant rate as SG. SG need foreigners not just to help with the declining birth rate but they will infuse the country with new ideas and talent, making it a more vibrant place.

When you look back at history, when countries (e.g. China and Japan's closed door policy to halt foreign aggression) closed their doors to the world, they did not progress with the rest of the world and they end up moving backward. And the modern day extreme examples of N Korea, Myanmar, parts of middle east.

Aren't Australia and Canada easier on that? Same immigrants' countries as Singapore.

Australia's immigration policy is to address a shortage of skills. Nothing about addressing a declining birth rate. However, the government is now clamping down on immigration as companies are using it to obtain cheap labor which denies some jobs from Australians--i.e. the tradespeople such welders, carpenters, construction etc. You know, jobs locals actually want to and can do.

The cheap labor is indeed usually from countries known for economic refugees.

[earthfriendly]

Sergei, not sure if you are asking if these countries have just as high rate of immigration? I came across this page on Australian immigration rate, scroll to the bottom and it showed annual immigration rate varies from o.4% to 1.4 %.

SG should up the immigration rate more gradually. Too much shock to the system and people cannot digest.


http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/02key.htm

[Sergei82]

Australian immigration rate, scroll to the bottom and it showed annual immigration rate varies from o.4% to 1.4 %.

And by the year 2030 it will accumulate to a very significant number, can compare with Singapore.

Even if we take 1%, then (1.01)^18 == approximately 20%.

[Sergei82]

Yes, that's why they are getting mad now. But next 50% population increase will happen (if it will happen) during next 18 years, so not much to be worried about. If they can keep up with building infrastructure, I think, we should be fine (if we're still here).

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Did earthfriendly delete her own post just now??