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19-05-2014, 04:40 AM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
Are Sinkies crazy, stupid or what, too clever? (http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/05/18/are-sinkies-crazy-stupid-or-what-too-clever/)
http://www.tremeritus.org/simages/dmca_protected_sml_120n.png http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content/themes/WP_010/images/PostDateIcon.png May 18th, 2014 | http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content/themes/WP_010/images/PostAuthorIcon.png Author: Contributions (http://www.tremeritus.com/author/contributor/)
http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/SG-open-to-idea-of-housing-foreign-workers-at-offshore-islands-kbw.jpg (http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/SG-open-to-idea-of-housing-foreign-workers-at-offshore-islands-kbw.jpg)
There are more than 700k Work Permit holders working
here. Last night’s Talking Point’s topic was about whether to
integrate these foreign workers or to leave them alone. The general view was
that Sinkies must take the initiative to reach out to these transient workers,
to get to know them, to organise activities for them or to participate in their
activities. One went further to suggest that the foreign workers should be
involved in our grass root activities, even patrolling to keep the place safe.
My eyes were rolling. I could go on to elaborate more of the things the
panelists would want to do to make these workers feel appreciated, to tell him
how grateful we are for them to build our homes, roads and infrastructure and to
help to grow our economy. I would like to add that we should invite them to our
homes on their festivals or holidays, and likewise when we are celebrating ours.
We should also celebrate their birthdays and show them how caring and gracious
we are.
It keeps me thinking. How much time does an average Sinkie have to socialise
and integrate with the foreign workers? Does an average Sinkie have time for
his/her parents, siblings, Sinkie friends and neighbours? Or are they so tired
after work and would like to have some moments of peace and rest for themselves?
There is this presumption that the Sinkies have a lot of free time and a lot of
energy and money to spend time with the foreign workers. Their well-being is our
responsibility, the responsibility of all Sinkies.
There were some sensible views expressed, like these are workers here to make
a living. Give them a decent place to live, to rest and to play. Give them
decent working environment, take care of them and make sure they are paid. Don’t
cheat on them. These are the responsibilities of the average Sinkies? What about
their employers and recruitment agents who benefited from their labour and fees?
What about the govt that collects fees from the workers to be here? Shouldn’t it
be their responsibilities to take good care of them?
Do we need to integrate them to our way of life or we integrate into their
way of life? Are they citizens that are going to be part of us? Are they PRs
that are here on a long term basis to live with us and try to be one of us?
There is one very serious issue that ‘seow’ Sinkies are taking for granted.
These are very nice people, like the rioters in Little India. I have to be fair
here when making this comment. In every community or group of people, the
majority are nice or decent people. These include the Sinkies. But in every
group, including Sinkies, there is always that 5% or 10% that could turn bad
when given the opportunity or temptation. You want to take the risk with them?
You know which one is going to be bad? You want our innocent young girls to go
and socialise and play with them?
One source of trouble with people is familiarity. When people get to know
someone too well, they get to know the weaknesses and vulnerability of that
person. When people are invited to your homes, they get too familiar and could
have naughty and dangerous ideas. Think of the stranger you brought home and
trusted to take care of your old parents and children. There are that 5% to 10%
that could bring harm to you while you try to be very nice, very gracious, very
caring and very clever.
My view, very subjective, is that the foreign workers should be left alone to
live their lives as long as we don’t mistreat them, don’t exploit them, and
don’t abuse them. There is no need to want to be too clever or too nice. But
there will also be the 5% to 10% of Sinkies that would want to be very nice to
them. Go ahead and be nice.
Do not force it upon the average Sinkies to go and socialise and integrate
with strangers they have nothing to do with in their lives. Do not ask for
trouble when there is no need to. Do not create the familiarity and the
temptation to bring harm to oneself or family members when there is no need to.
They live their lives and the Sinkies that choose to live their own lives should
stay that way.
Sinkies don’t ‘kee seow’ and ask for trouble that you would curse yourself
later on. Many will be lucky and have good experiences and stories to tell.
Better to treat each other at arm’s length, unless one has good reasons to be
connected out of necessity or work, and be cautiously and tentatively respectful
and safe. Often kindness does not beget kindness but harm and pain. That is the
hard truth in life. But of course, for those who have so much time and love for
the foreign workers, do not be affected by my cautionary comments. Go and do
what makes you happy and make the foreign workers
happy.
Chua Chin Leng aka
redbean
* The writer blogs at mysingaporenews.blogspot.com (http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/).
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.singsupplies.com/showthread.php?181902-154th-SGs-OK-to-Involve-FWs-in-quot-Grassroot-quot-Activities-aka-BUY-VOTES&goto=newpost).
Are Sinkies crazy, stupid or what, too clever? (http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/05/18/are-sinkies-crazy-stupid-or-what-too-clever/)
http://www.tremeritus.org/simages/dmca_protected_sml_120n.png http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content/themes/WP_010/images/PostDateIcon.png May 18th, 2014 | http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content/themes/WP_010/images/PostAuthorIcon.png Author: Contributions (http://www.tremeritus.com/author/contributor/)
http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/SG-open-to-idea-of-housing-foreign-workers-at-offshore-islands-kbw.jpg (http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/SG-open-to-idea-of-housing-foreign-workers-at-offshore-islands-kbw.jpg)
There are more than 700k Work Permit holders working
here. Last night’s Talking Point’s topic was about whether to
integrate these foreign workers or to leave them alone. The general view was
that Sinkies must take the initiative to reach out to these transient workers,
to get to know them, to organise activities for them or to participate in their
activities. One went further to suggest that the foreign workers should be
involved in our grass root activities, even patrolling to keep the place safe.
My eyes were rolling. I could go on to elaborate more of the things the
panelists would want to do to make these workers feel appreciated, to tell him
how grateful we are for them to build our homes, roads and infrastructure and to
help to grow our economy. I would like to add that we should invite them to our
homes on their festivals or holidays, and likewise when we are celebrating ours.
We should also celebrate their birthdays and show them how caring and gracious
we are.
It keeps me thinking. How much time does an average Sinkie have to socialise
and integrate with the foreign workers? Does an average Sinkie have time for
his/her parents, siblings, Sinkie friends and neighbours? Or are they so tired
after work and would like to have some moments of peace and rest for themselves?
There is this presumption that the Sinkies have a lot of free time and a lot of
energy and money to spend time with the foreign workers. Their well-being is our
responsibility, the responsibility of all Sinkies.
There were some sensible views expressed, like these are workers here to make
a living. Give them a decent place to live, to rest and to play. Give them
decent working environment, take care of them and make sure they are paid. Don’t
cheat on them. These are the responsibilities of the average Sinkies? What about
their employers and recruitment agents who benefited from their labour and fees?
What about the govt that collects fees from the workers to be here? Shouldn’t it
be their responsibilities to take good care of them?
Do we need to integrate them to our way of life or we integrate into their
way of life? Are they citizens that are going to be part of us? Are they PRs
that are here on a long term basis to live with us and try to be one of us?
There is one very serious issue that ‘seow’ Sinkies are taking for granted.
These are very nice people, like the rioters in Little India. I have to be fair
here when making this comment. In every community or group of people, the
majority are nice or decent people. These include the Sinkies. But in every
group, including Sinkies, there is always that 5% or 10% that could turn bad
when given the opportunity or temptation. You want to take the risk with them?
You know which one is going to be bad? You want our innocent young girls to go
and socialise and play with them?
One source of trouble with people is familiarity. When people get to know
someone too well, they get to know the weaknesses and vulnerability of that
person. When people are invited to your homes, they get too familiar and could
have naughty and dangerous ideas. Think of the stranger you brought home and
trusted to take care of your old parents and children. There are that 5% to 10%
that could bring harm to you while you try to be very nice, very gracious, very
caring and very clever.
My view, very subjective, is that the foreign workers should be left alone to
live their lives as long as we don’t mistreat them, don’t exploit them, and
don’t abuse them. There is no need to want to be too clever or too nice. But
there will also be the 5% to 10% of Sinkies that would want to be very nice to
them. Go ahead and be nice.
Do not force it upon the average Sinkies to go and socialise and integrate
with strangers they have nothing to do with in their lives. Do not ask for
trouble when there is no need to. Do not create the familiarity and the
temptation to bring harm to oneself or family members when there is no need to.
They live their lives and the Sinkies that choose to live their own lives should
stay that way.
Sinkies don’t ‘kee seow’ and ask for trouble that you would curse yourself
later on. Many will be lucky and have good experiences and stories to tell.
Better to treat each other at arm’s length, unless one has good reasons to be
connected out of necessity or work, and be cautiously and tentatively respectful
and safe. Often kindness does not beget kindness but harm and pain. That is the
hard truth in life. But of course, for those who have so much time and love for
the foreign workers, do not be affected by my cautionary comments. Go and do
what makes you happy and make the foreign workers
happy.
Chua Chin Leng aka
redbean
* The writer blogs at mysingaporenews.blogspot.com (http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/).
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.singsupplies.com/showthread.php?181902-154th-SGs-OK-to-Involve-FWs-in-quot-Grassroot-quot-Activities-aka-BUY-VOTES&goto=newpost).