Comments, opinions and an occasional ramble
Quitter or foreign talent?
The answer to whether one is a quitter or a foreign talent is simply one of perspective.
When a Singaporean decides to leave our shores for good, that person is labelled as a quitter: one who has reaped the benefits of what Singapore has to offer and instead of repaying back, he goes to another country that offers a sweeter deal than what Singapore can offer.
Frankly, what is wrong with that? Why do we label our country mates (or ex country mates) as a quitter for choosing “greener pastures”? After all, are we not perpetuating the quitter notion with our policy towards the so called “foreign talent”? For those we think (special emphasis on the word think because I am skeptical that most of them are actually real talents) are foreign talents, we give out scholarships freely, offer generous remuneration packages, cut taxes etc all in a bid to receive their services.
With the generous schemes in place for foreigners, we are luring them to quit their country to come to Singapore. It seems to me that there are double standards when we decry our own talents for leaving our shores while we actively encourage people of other nationalities to quit their country to come here.
I don’t think we should label the talented Singaporeans who choose to leave Singapore as quitters. They are foreign talents from the perspective of their new country. We should be gracious enough to accept the fact that as we poach from other countries, some other nation will similar come poach our talents. What goes around comes around.
If we want to criticise our own people for “quitting” the country, I think we should stop encouraging other people to quit their own country. You can’t have your cake and eat it at the same time.
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about 5 years ago
Hi,
It is childish to label people and call names.
I think at this point in time, it is agreed that the world is everybody’s oyster and whichever country can make it most attractive will get all the better immigrants.
The world is borderless ( almost) now and the PAP knows it. If they can’t convince us to stay, they know we will vote with our feet!
But they are not taking all this lying down. We have a role to play in applying pressure on them to make this a worthwhile place for ourselves and our children.
Dr.Huang
about 5 years ago
I refer to the case of a Singaporean poet migrating to Australia, allegedly because Singapore does not appreciate his talents, and did not award him a well-deserved prize.
Yes, such incidents are aplenty, and sad. As a insider to the music industry, I know of many talented musicians (classical) who have migrated, because they simply cannot survive in Singapore as a musician.
My question is: Why can Singapore support so many MPs earning giant salaries, and director of NKF earning peanuts, but they can’t even support a struggling musician who just wants to earn his daily bread?
At this rate, Singapore will be filled with Fouren Talen, by the next century. Yes, of course the government sides with the Fouren Talen, cause that’s where the MONEY is.
As Mr Krabs of SpongeBob Squarepants says: “It’s all about money!”
about 5 years ago
Actually, the quitter issue has seemingly died down. I don’t see anyone complaining about it (yes MPs only complain about such things and THEY accuse us of complaining!)
Maybe its because now got enough foreign talent. Haha…still, i don’t see how ministers can get million-quid-per-annum salaries and at the same time increase our taxes, education fees, so on and so forth.
Still it reflects an important question: the politicians are turning Singapore into a company where we are paid according to what we do. No issue. But i don’t see how the government can put such focus on particular areas (like building holiday resorts for rich people) and neglect other aspects (like the appreciation of local talents in the form of Arts.)
No, local artistic expression is often repressed. We cannot have any movies on other political parties, homosexuality, etc but Brokeback Mountain made it to the cinemas.
Double standards are everywhere. Not just in the quitter problem. It’s all about money!
about 5 years ago
Quitters have the choice of leaving to have a meaningful life with whatever living years they have, They have, of course, the means where others do not. It is a hard choice, but I guess that the strong desire/courage to be a better person and to have (real?) freedom conquer the dilemma inside their hearts. Some will say that they are running away from the problems, Same can be said about those who stayed, they are not facing the problems,
They are gone, they have made their choice but we are still here, let’s get on and try to make a dfference in our small way. I may not be alive when real freedom does not finally come. At least, I took the first steps to give the future generations the opportunity to be free.
about 5 years ago
** CORRECTIONS **
Quitters have the choice of leaving to have a meaningful life with whatever living years they have, They have, of course, the means while others do not. It is a hard choice, but I guess that the strong desire/courage to be a better person and to have (real?) freedom conquer the dilemma inside their hearts. Some will say that they are running away from the problems, Same can be said about those who stayed, they are not facing the problems,
They are gone, they have made their choice but we are still here, let’s get on and try to make a dfference in our small way. I may not be alive when real freedom does finally come. At least, I took the first steps to give the future generations the opportunity to be free.
about 5 years ago
Winner are those who quit the country to fulfil their dream and destiny. Quitter are those who stay and lament about difficulties in life.
GCT say those who migrated from Singapore is quitter. Probably he means one less “rat” to contribute to the gahmen’s salary and his comrade. Only those who contribute to money to gahmen is consider winner.
about 5 years ago
I am a quitter, although not by choice. I left Singapore a while back for a job in Hong Kong as the financial industry there offers much more opportunities than those I could find in Singapore. Singapore will always be my home country, however in my current prime, it is better for me to spend some time working overseas and gain some experience working in different cultures and also with some of the best in my industry.
So far I am having a rewarding career and the future looks bright. The MNC jobs that are fast disappearing in Singapore are re-appearing elsewhere in China and India. We just need to learn how to adapt to the changing environment. I see job offers coming from China, India and different countries, offers which I never had when I was in Singapore. For career planners, we always talk about personal market value. In another words, what an individual is worth in the market that determines whether the person commands a premium in the market. Are we worth more by staying in Singapore or by spending time working in different coutries over the span of our career? My knowledge of working in different countries definitely puts me in a better position than spending my time working in a single country, even if it is for a regional position. The last thing we want is to reach 45 or 50, with nice credentials and no market value. That we know is already happening to many people in Singapore who have difficulty looking for jobs at that age despite having backgrounds in MNCs and master degrees.
Our government offers solutions like driving taxi and asking these people to manage their expectations. In most cases, we ask these people to start their own companies or be an entrepreneur. I like to offer a different solution, ‘quit’ Singapore early in your career if you can help it or afford it. Once abroad working in different countries with a much larger market size, you will find that your market value extends beyond 40. Your options definitely increase greatly once you have a chance to be ‘out there’. When the time is right, go back to Singapore and do your contribution for our home land, provided of course Singapore still welcomes us with open arms.
My 2 cents worth.
about 5 years ago
superman,
your idea and comment are superb. There is always greener pasture out of Singapore. There are vast opportunities oversea compared to Singapore.
I used to travel oversea and is awed by how many ppl really happy to do what they love not what their gov want them to be. To be happy is to do what you love. In Singapore, when one get older and older, there is more and more depression of financial issue and not able to fulfil their dreams.
I will never want my son to grow up in this country not knowing what he want in life, and to pursue a life of survival rather than his dream.
about 5 years ago
Hi Dr Huang,
That’s the whole intention of this post. Not only is calling those who leave “quitters” childish, the double standards involved is quite, laughable. It’s like slapping your own face.
about 5 years ago
Well Yoyobarn,
It’s FALLEN talent.
about 5 years ago
Well guojun,
This entry is a little late because I was preoccupied with other things but I suppose ultimately, we need to realise that we have been had because I do hear people supporting this line of argument, which I thought was a grave injustice to those who choose to leave. The double standard was something that I couldn’t stand.
about 5 years ago
Well Layman,
I think we all are trying to move our society to a better position. Whether that will materialise or not is uncertain, but if people don’t even make the first move, what is certain is that things will never change.
about 5 years ago
Well superman,
From a personal perspective, I think your suggestion is excellent. Given Singapore’s obsession with all things foreign, if you have some experience outside of Singapore, you will be prized almost as highly as the foreign talent. I never understood why Singapore originated talents are as highly regarded as foreign talents. Just look at how local graduates are regarded compared to graduates from foreign countries.
I just hope that those who chose to leave have not given up on Singapore. Then again, as you pointed out, even if they have not given up, if the country chose to give them up by labelling them quitters, there is precious little that can be done anyway.
about 5 years ago
The good thing about having setbacks early in my career forces me to look out of Singapore for solutions. I know I am not the entrepreneur type but I am willing to make sacrifices and take a pay cut. More importantly, I have very little to lose. In Singapore, once you are not part of the elite or have failures early in your life, very often you get labelled as a failure and it is difficult to move forward from there. Very stifling. Once aboard, I get a chance to start my life again. Fast growing markets like China and India still faces shortage of good talents and if work hard enough there are pockets of opportunity everywhere and some with good pay as well. Looking back I was lucky. I may be ‘unwanted’ in the eyes of the Singapore system, but definitely enjoying myself abroad. I hope some of my personal sharing could provide some encouragement to those out there trying to find a way to fulfil their personal dream. Be brave to pursue your dream, it need not always need to be done in Singapore.
about 5 years ago
yes, how many times have we heard on the States…erm Straits Times about MPs blasting people who decide to work overseas or a few angry letters in the forum? The paper decides to post the majority of letters defending the stand of these ‘quitters’ online where you must pay a yearly subscription to access. Talk about smart.
Sigh…
about 5 years ago
Also note that our ancestors who emigrated from China/India/wherever were “quitters” too. So we’re descended from spineless ingrates.
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