Just received another reply from Ms Ng Xiuling. Now the PMO have again officially acknowledge that Citizen and PR are two different categories further highlighted in today TNP (11 Oct 2009).
"Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) are not Singapore citizens...." Quoted by Ms Ng Xiuling on 5th Oct 2009
"...We should recognise that PRs are not citizens....." Quoted by Ms Ng Xiuling on 11th Oct 2009
Wait, I just realised that this email is sent on a SUNDAY (11th Oct)... PMO staff so ON to go back office and work. Remarkable!
Re: Integration with new citizen/PRSunday, 11 October, 2009 8:55 AMFrom: "NPS Contact" <[email protected]>Add sender to
Dear Mr Tan
I refer to your emails dated 6 and 7 October 2009.
For new citizens, we would expect a high level of affiliation and sense of identity to Singapore. When they decided to take up Singapore citizenship, they were required to give up their former nationality.
We should recognise that PRs are not citizens. Some may identify strongly with our values and culture and may one day decide to take up Singapore citizenship. Some will not. The process can be nudged along, but it cannot be forced. It is not realistic to expect PRs to have the same level of commitment as Singapore Citizens. They are likely to retain ties with their countries of origin, just as we would like our overseas Singaporeans to retain ties with Singapore and their fellow Singaporeans, even if some of them may have become PRs of the country where they reside.
Singaporeans' interests remain the priority of the Government. Our immigration policy is meant to benefit Singaporeans. With a low total fertility rate, Singapore needs to continue to rely on immigration to meet our manpower and population needs. An important factor behind whether Singapore is able to attract the right people to sink roots here for the long term is whether newcomers feel truly welcome. Highlighting specific cases and questioning the motivations of specific individuals will do little to make newcomers at large feel that they can, in the long run, be at home amongst us.
With regard to your comment on the PRC flag hung at the HDB flat, the Police have confirmed that such an act occurring in Singapore may constitute an offence under the National Emblems (Control of Display) Act, which prohibits the display of such national emblems in public or at schools, including where it is displayed in a manner as to be visible from any road, street, bridge, passage, footway or place by any member of the public. If you have information on where the said PRC flag is hung, please call the Police hotline at 1800-255 0000.
Yours sincerely,
Ng Xiuling
Population Policy Officer, Corporate Communications
National Population Secretariat
"Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) are not Singapore citizens...." Quoted by Ms Ng Xiuling on 5th Oct 2009
"...We should recognise that PRs are not citizens....." Quoted by Ms Ng Xiuling on 11th Oct 2009
Wait, I just realised that this email is sent on a SUNDAY (11th Oct)... PMO staff so ON to go back office and work. Remarkable!
Re: Integration with new citizen/PRSunday, 11 October, 2009 8:55 AMFrom: "NPS Contact" <[email protected]>Add sender to
Dear Mr Tan
I refer to your emails dated 6 and 7 October 2009.
For new citizens, we would expect a high level of affiliation and sense of identity to Singapore. When they decided to take up Singapore citizenship, they were required to give up their former nationality.
We should recognise that PRs are not citizens. Some may identify strongly with our values and culture and may one day decide to take up Singapore citizenship. Some will not. The process can be nudged along, but it cannot be forced. It is not realistic to expect PRs to have the same level of commitment as Singapore Citizens. They are likely to retain ties with their countries of origin, just as we would like our overseas Singaporeans to retain ties with Singapore and their fellow Singaporeans, even if some of them may have become PRs of the country where they reside.
Singaporeans' interests remain the priority of the Government. Our immigration policy is meant to benefit Singaporeans. With a low total fertility rate, Singapore needs to continue to rely on immigration to meet our manpower and population needs. An important factor behind whether Singapore is able to attract the right people to sink roots here for the long term is whether newcomers feel truly welcome. Highlighting specific cases and questioning the motivations of specific individuals will do little to make newcomers at large feel that they can, in the long run, be at home amongst us.
With regard to your comment on the PRC flag hung at the HDB flat, the Police have confirmed that such an act occurring in Singapore may constitute an offence under the National Emblems (Control of Display) Act, which prohibits the display of such national emblems in public or at schools, including where it is displayed in a manner as to be visible from any road, street, bridge, passage, footway or place by any member of the public. If you have information on where the said PRC flag is hung, please call the Police hotline at 1800-255 0000.
Yours sincerely,
Ng Xiuling
Population Policy Officer, Corporate Communications
National Population Secretariat
