Singapore MNC placed job ad recruiting Malaysians ONLY (Sing
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Singapore MNC placed job ad recruiting Malaysians ONLY (Singaporeans need not apply)
January 16, 2010
An “International Progressive Company in Agricultural Chemicals” based in Singapore put up a recruitment advertisement on the online portal olx.sg for two positions of laboratory technicians in December last year.
It is stated clearly in the ad that only Malaysians are “required” and not Singaporeans:
[Source: olx.sg]
The job scope includes performing physical and chemical tests on incoming and outgoing, in process raw materials and finished goods, ensuring quality standards of incoming and outgoing raw materials, in-process raw materials and finished goods and assisting in carrying out quality checks on newly developed products.
The pay range lies between S$1,500 – S$1600 which is barely sufficient to survive in Singapore, but can enable one to enjoy a comfortable life when converted to Ringgit in Malaysia where the cost of living is much lower.
According to leaders from the ruling party, companies in Singapore have no choice but to employ foreign workers because locals are not interested in taking up the jobs on offer. They also claim that foreign workers are needed in sectors shunned by Singaporeans such as the construction industry.
However, the above vacancies can be filled by any Singapore diploma holder. Though the pay is not too attractive, some Singaporeans may still accept it in the present economic climate. It is strange that the MNC chose to employ Malaysians instead of Singaporeans.
One reason may be that they have to contribute CPF to Singapore workers which will translate to higher labor costs. Furthermore, Singapore males need to be away for up to 4 weeks yearly for reservist training while Malaysians do not have such obligations.
This is one of the many ads out there which seek foreign workers specifically. Singapore Courts put up a full-page advertisement in the Malaysia paper – The Star today to recruit Malaysians for various positions in Singapore. The interview will be held next Monday in Johor Bahru.
Some companies are more discreet and do not specify the nationality of the workers they are seeking, but phrase it in another way to give the public the wrong impression that locals are welcomed to apply for the vacancies too.
For example, we published an article earlier on a local SME Wang Foong food supplies which put up a job ad containing the following sentence as part of its criteria – “PRs and Malaysians are welcomed”.
Though it did not rule out Singaporeans, when our correspondent called them up this morning, the first question its staff asked was whether he is a Malaysian PR.
One reader who has over 10 years of experience in the HR department of a major company in Singapore told us that if a company wants to recruit Singaporeans the phase on the ad will be – “All are welcomed including PRs” and not “PRs and Malaysians are welcomed” which is a polite way of saying – “Singaporeans need not apply.”
His company employs a large number of foreigners who are preferred over Singaporeans due to their lower cost and willingness to work OT. However as it cannot discriminate openly against Singaporeans, it will accept their applications and even call them up for interviews, but their files will be stamped (ironically) with a “star” – meaning that the interviewers will simply just go through the “motion” without the intention of ever recruiting them.
As a result of the ruling party’s lax immigration and pro-business policies, large numbers of foreigners have flocked to Singapore to find work in recent years.
While some of them are indeed real talents who contribute greatly to the nation’s development, there are many others who are competing directly with Singaporeans for jobs which can be otherwise taken up by them.
The relentless influx of foreigners has depressed the wages of ordinary Singaporeans leading to a widening income gap between the rich and the poor. Singapore has the highest income gap among the thirty most developed economies in the world.
Though there are no official statistics available, the income gap between its political leaders and citizens is probably one of the highest as well. The monthly median wage of an average Singapore worker is only S$2,600 compared to S$180,000 for a minister.