Sg 5-Star reception for “Ah Tiong†job seekers in Shanghai
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April 19th, 2011 - Temasek Review
Singaporeans Netizens have expressed outrage following The Temasek Review’s (TR) report about the largest recruitment drive in Shanghai by Contact Singapore (a Singapore Government entity formed by the Singapore Economic Development Board and Ministry of Manpower – which aims to attract “global talent” to work, invest and live in Singapore).
Annoyed Netizens were questioning the need for Contact Singapore to visit Shanghai to recruit “talents” to fill those 200 over positions (on behalf of Singapore companies) when those positions could easily be filled by Singaporeans. It is not as if the companies were recruiting Nobel Laureates or top financial wizards.
One of TR’s correspondent working in Shanghai volunteered to visit the fair which was held on Sunday, 17th April, from morning to noon. The morning session focused on the electronic industry while the afternoon focused on the service and finance industries.
According to our correspondent who went in the morning to catch the action, the fair was held in the grand ballroom of Langham Hotel which is an upmarket five-star hotel located at Xintiandi, an affluent shopping, eating and entertainment district of Shanghai.
He observed that most applicants were pre-registered. There were nine Singapore-based MNCs and Singapore local companies participating in the fair. Some of the participating companies included Panasonic Asia Pacific, MediaTek, UniConnect, DBS Bank, OCBC, UOB, Far East Organization and others.
Most of the companies were observed to have tables with staff manning and answering questions. Companies also took turns to give “recruitment talks” inside the auditorium.
So, is Contact Singapore trying to recruit overseas Singaporeans to come back home and fill those positions?
Our correspondent rebuked, “No. This fair is NOT to recruit Singaporeans. The room was packed. I reckoned there were few hundred applicants, mostly in their early twenties. All were Ah Tiongs (nickname for Chinese nationals) and I’m pretty sure I’m the only Singaporean, at least when I was there in the morning.”
The occasion was described as “grandiose”. There were free flow of refreshments served by waiters and waitresses, which irked our ocorrespondent, “I wonder whether our government provides this type of five-star service to help our graduating students and out-of-job PMETs to get jobs or not?”
“Something is definitely very wrong with our policy. Why such efforts to recruit foreigners when most of these vacancies can be filled by Singaporeans?”, he added. “Furthermore, the five-star reception for the foreign job seekers really pissed me off. I am sure no such reception was ever extended to our own graduating students and unemployed PMETs. Who is paying for all these? Singapore taxpayers?”
He also questioned the purpose of Contact Singapore, “I thought Contact Singapore (funded by the taxpayers) is a platform for Singaporeans to keep in contact with Singapore and wanting to come back to work in Singapore. Why is it in the business of recruiting foreigners to work in Singapore?”
At a TV forum on 12 Apr, PM Lee said that the Government is controlling the inflow of foreigners and watching them “carefully” on their impact to Singapore.
Five days later, they decided to have the largest recruitment drive for foreigners in Shanghai. Looks like the Government still thinks Singapore does not have enough foreigners and we have room to import a lot more.
Richard
[Related]:
* http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/04/13/why-is-contact-singapore-encouraging-singapore-companies-to-recruit-foreigners/
* http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/04/12/æ–°åŠ å�¡åœ¨ä¸Šæµ·æœ€å¤§è§„模招è�˜-singapore-conduct-largest-recruitment-drive-in-shanghai/
Free flow of refreshments served to foreign job seekers
Job seekers were mostly PRCs in their 20s
The room was packed with few hundred people
Waiters serving PRC job seekers in 5-star hotel
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From what I heard, Shanghai paycheck is not far off Singapore. In some cases, the paycheck is better.
My feeling is those Ah Tiong who wants to come are those who are travel bugs or those who want to see the world or the idealistic Chinaman who sees Singapore as a perfect place.
When they are tired of living in Singapore, they will finally leave. -
I can't really be bothered by these petty little things anymore.
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This are signs that we should vote for the opposition
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They say they are limiting foreigners coming in to Singapore, but behind our backs, they are mass recruiting foreigners outside Singapore, especially in China.
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nao hiah eh.
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The moon overseas is rounder.
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ya this few nite.. the moon here is very round... u all should come shg see see...