<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_276958.html
Sep 10, 2008
SERANGOON GARDENS: DRAWING THE LINE
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : start --></TD></TR><TR><TD>It's about safety and security: Not about power, pride and prejudice...
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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IN THE continuing debate over the housing of foreign workers in Serangoon Gardens (SG), political editor Chua Lee Hoong insinuated on Saturday that residents of the estate were over-reacting out of prejudice and unfounded xenophobia ('Power, pride and prejudice').
She also accused the middle class residents of having led overly sheltered lives for too long. Hence they are now incapable of co-existing with foreign workers.
Let me assure Ms Chua that the fears are real - and certainly well-founded. Some years ago, unbeknownst to us, our domestic helper was impregnated by a foreign worker. That came to light only when, much to our shock, she suffered a messy miscarriage after succeeding in her attempts to self-induce a spontaneous abortion....
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.
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This is not about power, pride or prejudice. It is about safety and security. Would Ms Chua hold the same arguments if the Government proposed to set up a dormitory of 1,500 foreign workers 10m from her home?
All it takes is one unfortunate incident, and the Government will have an even bigger problem islandwide. Is it worth the risk to push the comfort levels of the quiet residents of Serangoon Gardens towards unchartered territory?
Yeo Oon Chye
[email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Sep 10, 2008
SERANGOON GARDENS: DRAWING THE LINE
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : start --></TD></TR><TR><TD>It's about safety and security: Not about power, pride and prejudice...
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->
IN THE continuing debate over the housing of foreign workers in Serangoon Gardens (SG), political editor Chua Lee Hoong insinuated on Saturday that residents of the estate were over-reacting out of prejudice and unfounded xenophobia ('Power, pride and prejudice').
She also accused the middle class residents of having led overly sheltered lives for too long. Hence they are now incapable of co-existing with foreign workers.
Let me assure Ms Chua that the fears are real - and certainly well-founded. Some years ago, unbeknownst to us, our domestic helper was impregnated by a foreign worker. That came to light only when, much to our shock, she suffered a messy miscarriage after succeeding in her attempts to self-induce a spontaneous abortion....
.
.
.
This is not about power, pride or prejudice. It is about safety and security. Would Ms Chua hold the same arguments if the Government proposed to set up a dormitory of 1,500 foreign workers 10m from her home?
All it takes is one unfortunate incident, and the Government will have an even bigger problem islandwide. Is it worth the risk to push the comfort levels of the quiet residents of Serangoon Gardens towards unchartered territory?
Yeo Oon Chye
[email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>