SINGAPORE: Second Trade and Industry Minister S Iswaran said Singaporeans must
have an honest discussion about the country's immigration policy, no matter how
unpalatable it may be.
Mr Iswaran was speaking to
reporters on the sidelines of a dialogue session a day after his ministry
released a report on population and the economy.
It was a vigorous night-time
session for the participants where they discussed the pros and cons, shared
their views, and gave suggestions.
What stood out at the session,
said Minister Iswaran was that there was no outright rejection of foreign
manpower.
"I don't think the basis of
the discussion is xenophobia, which is very heartening. What I think they're
trying to come to grips with, and I think we all are, is really how our
demography impacts our economy, the opportunities for ourselves, our children
and in turn, how immigration and foreign manpower can help us," said Mr
Iswaran.
The discussion centred on how to
bring foreigners in judiciously and this is where Singapore needs to find the
right balance.
Mr Iswaran said: "So a
calibrated approach to immigration, a calibrated approach to bringing in
foreign manpower and having a sustained economic policy means being able to
grow at a rate where on the one hand, the additions to our local population mix
is done at a rate which we can sustain as a society and we can move with that
and adapt to it. But at the same time, it is done at a rate where our economy
can continue to generate opportunities for our Singaporeans."
During the dialogue, many
participants spoke passionately about how Singapore may need to re-prioritise
its values and some said perhaps it is time to move away from material
aspirations.
Acting Manpower Minister Tan
Chuan-Jin, who was also at the event, warned that this sentiment pre-supposes
Singapore has arrived and that survival is not an issue.
He said there are individual
choices but the government needs to provide a baseline that is jobs, security
and social mobility.
Mr Tan said: "At the end of
the day, what we are trying to do is what makes sense for Singaporeans. What is
best for our people as individuals and what is best for us as a society? All
the dots must connect back because otherwise it makes no sense in whatever we
are doing, especially at the government level.
"GDP cannot be an end in
itself. High growth cannot be an end to itself. It's about what will really
benefit and make life better for Singaporeans and what will make life better
for us as a society and even in that, there are inherent tensions."
Mr Iswaran added that if the
economy stagnates, the option to pursue non-material aspirations would not even
be there.
One participant, who is a
representative from the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, spoke
about how difficult it is for SMEs to find manpower, with the tightening of the
foreign worker quota and higher levies.
Mr Tan replied if the government
were to free up the space, every company would then appeal and the number of
foreign workers would go up.
He said the question is how to
calibrate and slow down the growth of the foreign workforce while still
allowing companies to remain viable.
Citing the experience of other
developed countries, he said more can be done to increase productivity.
He urged companies to wean off
from a free flowing labour market.
Participants also raised issues
on how to improve Singapore's fertility rate.
The dialogue was organised by the
National Population and Talent Division and inputs are expected to go into a
White paper on population polices, to be released early next year.
- CNA/fa
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