(Picture by Zaobao)

SINGAPORE is a meritocracy that does not distinguish between old or new citizens, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

Whether it comes to the giving out of jobs or business contracts or scholarships, whoever excels will be rewarded, he stressed yesterday.

In fact, the idea that guanxi (connections) is not a factor in one's success attracts people to put down roots here.

Mr Lee was addressing about 450 people - two-thirds of whom are new citizens and permanent residents - at the launch of a new feature section in Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao.

Called Crossroads, it is aimed at new immigrants and will feature news and issues that concern them.

Speaking in Mandarin, Mr Lee, who attended the event as a special guest, said the most important principle of meritocracy is: All citizens are equal.

'There is no difference between races, religions, new or old citizens,' he said. 'Our policy is: Whatever your background or race, we use the best people. So, I think, those who choose to emigrate to Singapore, you do so because you understand Singapore does not require guanxi...They know Singapore's governance is open, transparent and fair.'

However, this also means the immigrants must master English, he said. 'If you want to succeed in Singapore, you need to have a good grasp of English - our common language. So when you communicate with the world or among races, there is no advantage whether you are Malay, Indian or Chinese.

'Thus, the competition is very fair.'

During his 30-minute session, which included a question-and-answer segment, Mr Lee also addressed the concern that many new immigrants use Singapore as a stepping stone to other countries.

Sichuan-born Lin Shuang, 20, who had just completed her junior college studies, asked Mr Lee what advantages Singapore offers to new immigrants, compared with the United States or Britain.

'Many of my peers from China treat Singapore as a stepping stone. They want to live the American dream,' she said.

In his reply, Mr Lee conceded that this is a 'very difficult problem to resolve'.

'The grass is greener on the other side. We have no choice - unless we make them sign a contract.'

But, he said: 'I think it is better to give them the freedom of choice.'

He added: 'Some go to the US. After a few years, they know it is not a Chinese society, it is not a 'heaven' for the Chinese. Some will come back.'

The need to bind new immigrants to Singapore as well as to assimilate them smoothly into society was a recurring theme at yesterday's event.

It comes at a time when Singapore is welcoming record numbers of immigrants, as its resident fertility rate continues to hover around 1.29, below the replacement rate. Last year, 20,513 foreigners became citizens, while 79,167 took up permanent residency.

With this uptick comes concerns about societal tensions as Singaporeans grapple with issues ranging from foreign worker housing to competition in schools, hospitals or the workplace.

While acknowledging this, Mr Lee also said the faster the new immigrants meld into society, the better for the society and economy. 'The fears of you as competitors will diminish as Singaporeans recognise that you are part of the Singapore team, making our team stronger and more likely to succeed in the global competition,' he said.

At the same time, he added, integration must be a two-way process.

Switching to English, he urged Singaporeans who are born and bred here to reach out to the new immigrants.

'If we don't reach out to the newcomers, they feel isolated. They will become defensive, and they will recede into their own oysters,' he said. 'Then they meet people of their own backgrounds, from the same town, and they never integrate.'

One way may be to get Singapore families to 'adopt' new families settling down here, he suggested.

When he was in the United States for a sabbatical at Harvard in 1968, for instance, he was invited by various Americans, including professors, to 'endless dinners'.

The same happened when his two sons were in the US for military training. Each was 'adopted' by an American family. At Thanksgiving, the families would invite them 'to their house to enjoy Thanksgiving together'.

'So, they make you feel welcome.'

He added: 'We are new in this. We haven't developed the techniques. But we are trying, and I think families should begin to adopt new families coming here.

'Invite them to your home, have food, have tea, take them to places they have never been, and make friends. In that way, you make their entry into our society easier and more comfortable.'

-end of ST article