[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=41235.msg1146627#msg1146627 date=1280721205]
[quote author=DHSC link=topic=41235.msg1146625#msg1146625 date=1280719043]
[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=41235.msg1146618#msg1146618 date=1280717461]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=41235.msg1146578#msg1146578 date=1280703378]
Weren't some of our Malaysian posters a little wary of this guys interest when his name popped up a a few months ago?
[/quote]
TBH Malaysians & especially Singaporeans, are wary of anything to do with mainland China ! It's more to do with the integration of mainland Chinese and their culture & political views into their societies than of anything necessarily wrong with the bid.
However you have to understand that ALL money coming out of China will be in some way illegitimate since virtually all big money earned here has been earned utilising illegal connections and including, in most cases, local governmental assistance. One thing that most Westerners greatly underestimate though is the vast amounts of private capital here. Take a look at the Forbes Rich List from 10 yeas ago and look at it again today, and the list of the World's Billionaires (where China is now 2nd only to the USA and catching them hand over foot) - China is awash with liquid private capital but with little means of external investment.
Also understand that as Kenneth Huang comes from Guangzhou he is just as likely to be well connected to HK as he is to mainland China (since their dialect - Cantonese - is very different from Mandarin but virtually the same as that of HK, and Guangdong province has very strong economic ties with HK). It would be very interesting to know who his backers are - although we are unlikely to find out the individual identities behind any frontmen.
[/quote]
Well to be fair to China, they don't really integrate their culture and political views into Singapore society. In fact, since most of our ancestors were from there, some of the culture has been passed down generation after generation, just that some of the practices and beliefs have changed in terms of application; but the basic premise of 'why we do it' is still there.
I think the 'mistrust' mainly comes from business dealings with mainland China. There have been stories of many Singaporeans being burnt in their business dealings with mainland China. Also, Singapore's liberal immigration policy has seen many foreigners enter our shores. The number of mainland Chinese coming here has increase astronomically over the past ten years. They work for less money, hence the number of dissatisfied Singaporeans has increased since their livelihoods are slowly being taken away. Many of the lower wage jobs, and even the the middle level positions are being taken away by mainland Chinese, thus pushing locals towards unemployment. The service sector has also been hiring mainland Chinese and they can't really speak English so communication becomes a problem, leading to even more unhappiness.
[/quote]
I completely understand what you're saying but it isn't the fault of the immigrants (this happens all over the world .... just ask the British) ... that's just a weak immigration policy and enforcement issue.
[/quote]
It's actually also a political issue.
Lee Kuan Yew has always spoken about Singapore being a red dot in a sea of green ie a very small Chinese enclave in a sea of Islamic nations; so its no surprise that efforts have been taken to bring in large numbers of Chinese from abroad to boost population figures.
I think whats being learnt though is that nationality often means as much as race..ie a Singaporean Chinese really has little in common with a Mainland Chinese even if they are ethnically the same.
As for the local resentment against immigrants, well that's normal all over the world.
I doubt I was any lss guilty f te same when I was in Malaysia; but I do know now from personal experience that it's not easy to deal with..it can sometimes hurt when you know people are talking about you in that light..
[quote author=DHSC link=topic=41235.msg1146625#msg1146625 date=1280719043]
[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=41235.msg1146618#msg1146618 date=1280717461]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=41235.msg1146578#msg1146578 date=1280703378]
Weren't some of our Malaysian posters a little wary of this guys interest when his name popped up a a few months ago?
[/quote]
TBH Malaysians & especially Singaporeans, are wary of anything to do with mainland China ! It's more to do with the integration of mainland Chinese and their culture & political views into their societies than of anything necessarily wrong with the bid.
However you have to understand that ALL money coming out of China will be in some way illegitimate since virtually all big money earned here has been earned utilising illegal connections and including, in most cases, local governmental assistance. One thing that most Westerners greatly underestimate though is the vast amounts of private capital here. Take a look at the Forbes Rich List from 10 yeas ago and look at it again today, and the list of the World's Billionaires (where China is now 2nd only to the USA and catching them hand over foot) - China is awash with liquid private capital but with little means of external investment.
Also understand that as Kenneth Huang comes from Guangzhou he is just as likely to be well connected to HK as he is to mainland China (since their dialect - Cantonese - is very different from Mandarin but virtually the same as that of HK, and Guangdong province has very strong economic ties with HK). It would be very interesting to know who his backers are - although we are unlikely to find out the individual identities behind any frontmen.
[/quote]
Well to be fair to China, they don't really integrate their culture and political views into Singapore society. In fact, since most of our ancestors were from there, some of the culture has been passed down generation after generation, just that some of the practices and beliefs have changed in terms of application; but the basic premise of 'why we do it' is still there.
I think the 'mistrust' mainly comes from business dealings with mainland China. There have been stories of many Singaporeans being burnt in their business dealings with mainland China. Also, Singapore's liberal immigration policy has seen many foreigners enter our shores. The number of mainland Chinese coming here has increase astronomically over the past ten years. They work for less money, hence the number of dissatisfied Singaporeans has increased since their livelihoods are slowly being taken away. Many of the lower wage jobs, and even the the middle level positions are being taken away by mainland Chinese, thus pushing locals towards unemployment. The service sector has also been hiring mainland Chinese and they can't really speak English so communication becomes a problem, leading to even more unhappiness.
[/quote]
I completely understand what you're saying but it isn't the fault of the immigrants (this happens all over the world .... just ask the British) ... that's just a weak immigration policy and enforcement issue.
[/quote]
It's actually also a political issue.
Lee Kuan Yew has always spoken about Singapore being a red dot in a sea of green ie a very small Chinese enclave in a sea of Islamic nations; so its no surprise that efforts have been taken to bring in large numbers of Chinese from abroad to boost population figures.
I think whats being learnt though is that nationality often means as much as race..ie a Singaporean Chinese really has little in common with a Mainland Chinese even if they are ethnically the same.
As for the local resentment against immigrants, well that's normal all over the world.
I doubt I was any lss guilty f te same when I was in Malaysia; but I do know now from personal experience that it's not easy to deal with..it can sometimes hurt when you know people are talking about you in that light..
