This is an example of how FT converted to Singapore citizen use the power given to him to recruit his own people. It is a show case of how our immigration policy had gone wrong letting in FTs who have not naturalised in our culture and environment.
Before I shared with you about this FT turned Singapore citizen, I want to tell you about Mr Tan. I met Mr Tan (not his real name to protect his privacy) a few weeks ago at a coffee shop. Mr Tan looked very haggard and there was no soul or life in his eyes. As I probed to ask what happen to Mr Tan, Mr Tan shared with me that he sees no future in himself anymore with suicidal thoughts. The only thought that kept him alive from suicide was his children and he hopes that they can get a better life.
You see, Mr Tan was let go by a prestigious MNC company located in Science Park some years ago. Until today, in his late 40s, Mr Tan cannot secure any permanent job. He tried to find a job in his industry but was consider too old. He went to try other sector to be a property or insurance agent and did not meet any success.
Mr Tan shared his struggles. He is paying off his debt and had to cut down extensively on their family lifestyle. Gone are yearly holidays and meals in restaurants. He sold off his car to pay off some of the debt and started taking taxi course. This is the ONLY protected industry in Singapore from FT invasion. Mr Tan sigh, “With the 6.9 million populations coming in, owning a car in Singapore will be super expensive luxury in future. Mr Tan says that he misses the conveniences of a car and driving a taxi allows him to put food on the table as well the flexibility for other use. But he lament about his life, working many years as a loyal employee of a MNC and then kicked out tomorrow. The dream of retiring in a company is no longer a reality for many PMETs like Mr Tan.
The problem started when a converted Singapore citizen from India by the name of R (Ed: Name masked out) and has taken as Operations Director in the Technical Department. Now before we go on with the story, we understand that R has already left the company in Science Park and move to an IT MNC. We wish the company he is in working right now, the best of luck with their employees.
The Operational Director was tasked to expand a new department and needed to recruit a large pool of engineers on shift work. As a large MNC, it is subjected to similar regulatory requirement from the government to fulfil employment quotas for local Singaporeans but because it is such a big organisation, it can justify hiring FTs because it can show statistics that it employed Singaporeans but the displacement of locals and FT are skewed. For example, there may be more Singaporeans working in the Sales and Marketing than other department, e.g. Operations, Finance or IT. On top of that, there is no quota for hiring certain employment passes and hiring managers can get away with the quota.
Who is to Blamed for hiring of FT? The company or the HIRING MANAGER?
Many people blame companies for employing FTs but sometimes the problem is not with the company. The company may have guidelines on hiring process but at the end of the day, the HIRING MANAGER has the final say. A local would also not want to jeopardise the recruitment process because if a hiring manager is not able to get the right candidates or resources quickly to fill in a role, the company may lose time and money for a project or a budget.
How this converted Singaporean get away with recruiting so many FTs?
In order to recruit his relatives and his own kind into the organisation, the Operations Director created a smoke screen. He got a local Singaporean team leader to contact a list of his own people whom he has selected and asked the local to conduct the interview. During the interview process, the Operations Director would step in, take over the interview and instructed the Singapore team leader to recommend the candidate for employment. The Operations Director would endorse the recommendation and the paper work submitted to higher authority for secondary approval.
Therefore, using a local Singaporean as a proxy, the Operations Director was able to recruit his own kind into the company without being accused for recruiting his own people. The HR department cannot fault the Operations Director because on paper, the local Singaporean team leader was the one who recommend the candidates.
Using this interview method, the whole team was recruited. Only 1 or 2 engineers in the team was a local Singaporeans, the rest are overseas FTs.
When people question about the number of FTs in the department, the Operations Director brushes off and replied that “only Indians and Filipinos are willing to do shift jobs”. The engineers recruited by the Operations Director are paid between SG$4,500 to $6,000 per month.
The justification that only Indians and Filipinos are willingly to do shift jobs is ridiculous!
Is it so hard to find local Singaporeans who do not want to work on a salary package of $60,000 a year?
In another role the Operations Director took, he created two deputy manager roles. Both roles are taken by FTs. One of the roles of deputy manager was given to his relative! Then the whole cycle of recruitment for new positions in the department start again and the Operations Director hired more FTs. Today, most of the entire site operations in the company are FTs.
Are there values in older workers?
Eventually, when more FT dominates the department, locals like Mr Tan are considered “old birds”. Older workers like Mr Tan, tends to have more health issues and thus it may become a burden to the team or a company health benefit system. Pitted against a cheaper and younger healthy work force, many older staff either left the company due to natural attrition or like Mr Tan, he was asked to go.
Is there any value of retaining staff with sliver or white hair? In the past, apprentice asked senior workers how to perform complex tasks, in today world, knowledge based system and internet can easily replaced a worker with rich knowledge.
Are all FTs like that?
While this Operations Director ways of working does not reflect other FTs converted to Singaporeans, we asked if our children or grandchildren can compete FAIRLY in the future of our society. We are taught from young to follow rules but from what we see from this FT, rules can be blend. Can our children compete with foreigners’ children who are educated overseas and do not share the value of our society? Are our children hungry to do what it takes to get a job done by the RIGHT way or OTHER ways? While we can tell the government to tighten rules for the RIGHT way, people like the Operations Director will find creative ways to skirt around it by the OTHER way.
The battle cannot be won by government regulatory alone to tighten FTs employment nor can it be won by a whistle blower spitting out dirty laundry on the internet.
Converted Singaporeans to remember your Pledge to Singapore
Therefore it is important to remind our converted Singaporeans where their HEARTS are?
We asked them as they hold our National Flag in their hand or raise their right hand close to their heart when they say the National pledge; they believed what this Nation believes in.
“to build a democratic society based on justice and equality” and not your own empire of own your people and relatives.
Singapore National Pledge:
We, the citizens of Singapore,
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society
based on justice and equality
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.
Thank You for reading.
Mr Chong
TRS Contributor