You Don't Want Foreign Workers In Your Backyard?

On the 3rd of September of this year, there was an article in the Straits Times about how residents in Serangoon Gardens were petitioning against the housing of 1000 foreign workers in an unused school building near their area. I for one, don't think that it really is that much of a problem, and don't see why the residents are making such a fuss about it. The residents said that the move would create "security and social problems and it would spoil the ambience of the estate"

One of the residents talked about how her sister had forgotten to lock her car, and caught a foreign worker trying to steal her cashcard and "other items" for her car. If you forget to lock your car, I think many people, not only foreign workers would try to steal your items. I don't think all Singaporeans are so morally upright that they would simply pass by an unlocked car. I think she was lucky that someone hadn't tried to hotwire her car and driven off in it. An increase in any large number of people living in an area would result in a proportional increase in crime, something that would be expected. One should not make the assumption that foreign residents are more likely to be involved in crime, when in fact, many of them just want to earn enough money to remit back home and arent inclined to create trouble.

Residents also talked about the problems of loitering and alcoholism. I think that this may be a likely problem that may arise with the use of the vacant school building as a dormitory. However, I think that if the dormitory has places for the foreign workers to sit down and relax, that won't be a problem. Also the police could step up patrols in the area in the first few weeks of the dormitory's use, to make it clear that loitering was not encouraged, it would certainly help assuage the resident's feelings and keep the foreign workers from 'sitting around and making noise'.

The residents also complained about congestion already present in the area, and how the use of the school building as a dormitory would only make the problem worse. However, several new roads are currently being built to ease congestion in that area, and that should ease congestion somewhat, and thus, the presence of the lorries and the buses picking the workers up and sending them back wouldn't be much of a problem.

One of the main reason the residents believe that the school building shouldn't be used as a dormitory, that it would spoil the ambience, is a point that I don't think has any practical problems caused by it. What it means is that they do not want the school building to be used as a dorm as it would spoil the image they have as a idyllic private estate. The worst that could happen would be that property prices for that area go down. And even that would simply be temporary as the building is only to be used for as a temporary dormitory space, not a permanent one.

I don't think that there is much of a problem with the school building being used as a temporary dorm space, as it wouldn't negatively affect the lives of the residents there to such a large extent.

engrish term two blogpost

Democracy has long been hailed as a cure-all for instability in any society, be in social, economical or political. However, should this really be the case? Democracy in itself is about people voting for their representatives in the goverment, and also for certain policies in an election. The idea or group which is supported by the larger proportion of people would win the election, so the majority rules, in a way, as they decide how the country should be run through these elections.

Technically, democracy should create stability. With the majority exercising their power over the leaders of their countries by voting, they also indirectly influence the laws and policies their leaders make, as when they choose their leaders, they choose those with ideals similar to theirs. So when the laws and policies fit into their ideals, they follow them. The government would try to please the people, as they are the ones who choose who is in it, so the majority also reaps rewards. The minority, being the smaller and thus 'weaker' group, would have to live with the majority's way of thinking, as they lack the power to change things to their needs, thanks to the system that is democacy. However, in application, it is an entirely different issue. In the case of Sri Lanka, the minority, were oppressed in this way as they lacked representatives in the government, and have resorted to force, which has resulted in a bloody(not intended to be a vulgarity) turmoil over the last few decades. This is clearly an example of how democracy indirectly contributes to instabilty instead within a country, due to the oppression of the minority.

Also, with a true democracy, there would be no boundaries on what the people can decide for their country. This includes racism, war, gender bias, and any other thing you can think off. Yes really, it would become that open. And through our Philosophy lessons, we've learnt that the majority isnt always right, through the logical fallacy of following the bandwagon. Now imagine if 75% if a country decided that hrm we think that people with pink shoes are clearly mentally unstable and should be killed. Imagine the number of people who would be killed because they own pink shoes, and imagine the rioting, the killing, and the rebelling that would come from people who don't agree with that way of thinking(imagine what would happen to the shoe industry too). Heck. Look at germany back in the early 1900s. They voted for racism against jews, they voted for hitler! And look what happened after that. A huge chunk of the german population gone, their economy went on a downturn, and the great big WWII came about.


I don't think democracy creates stability. It's just a tool for the people, and its up to them whether the country can be stable or not.

Does democracy create stability?

Does democracy create stability in a country? In the case of social stability, I think it would, as being a representative form of government, both majorities and minorities would have a say in the running of their country, and they would also be able to speak for their own issues. If the different groups have their say in running the country, it should create an environment where everyones needs are addressed, so unrest and discord would be unlikely. What do you guys think?

OH MY GOD! I'M ACTUALLY POSTING ON THIS BLOG! Yes I know I was supposed to post like 2 weeks ago. Darn. You don't need to remind me. Anyway, are Singaporeans gracious?

The answer that would most likely come from most of us is...no. Come one, we complain about our fellow Singaporeans all the time. About how rude we are, about how racist we are, and that kind of thing. And a whole lot of other stuff. We're un-critical of each other aren't we

Now about that rude part. Hrm. Maybe the correct word shouldn't be rude, but rather... how do you say it, uncaring of others? Or maybe inconsiderate. Well, somewhere along those lines. I think you get my drift don't you? I mean, its like, once I was in the MRT in the morning, and almost stepped on a primary school kid sitting down right smack in front of the doors. Seriously. He was sitting down there, in front of the doors, looking up at the people who were boarding the train like he was doing nothing wrong. Apparently he was oblivious to the many people staring daggers at him. All of us had to step carefully around him, so as to not accidentally squash his toe or something. I felt like doing it, but then it wouldn't have been very nice would it. This experience is just one of the many examples of the many times I've experienced rudeness/inconsiderate-ness(is it inconsideration? sounds weird) on the MRT. I won't even start on the guy who blasts bloody mandopop every morning. I havn't really gone out to other countries, so I wouldnt really know about them, but still, from my own standard, I think Singaporeans can score pretty high on the "ungracious-ness" meter don't you think?

Oh darn this is all I can think of now about this topic. I think you can see this was pretty spontaneous. Ah well. I'll add some more later when i get sudden inspiration or something. Speaking of sudden inspiration, I can't believe I wrote about Maplestory for english CCT. I am so dead.

Firstly, this isn't my real blog. It's the blog for the stuff my english teacher wants us to do. If you want to be bored to death by my real blog, its here. Yup, right here.

Ok fine I'm bored. I'll put the link in the sidebar sooner or later. I'll post that thing that we're supposed to post later. Soon. Hrm. Yes I'm bored.