Most new citizens and PRs do not see themselves as outsiders
By Koh Hui Theng
ABOUT three in four new citizens and permanent residents (PRs) are happy with their lives here, a recent survey has found.
Some 78 per cent of respondents felt welcome in Singapore, and 71 per cent did not consider themselves outsiders.
More than nine in 10 also said they intend to work and live here over the next five years.
The survey, held from May to August this year, polled 360 freshly-minted citizens and PRs about living and working in Singapore, and their future plans.
It was conducted by a group of citizens studying population and integration issues, one of five groups that the Government's feedback unit, Reach, set up in 2007 to involve citizens in shaping new policies.
The results showed that newcomers generally felt welcome, but there is still room for improvement in integrating them with Singaporeans, said the group's vice-chairman and Institute of Southeast Asian Studies sociologist, Dr Terence Chong.
For example, only two in five PRs polled have considered applying for citizenship, and almost six in 10 respondents preferred to live with people of the same ethnicity and nationality.
Dr Chong, 37, said: "Society will be further fragmented if enclaves form, with people of the same ethnicity and speaking the same language."
His group suggested that new citizens from non-English speaking backgrounds should attend English classes to enhance communication with Singaporeans.
This was among initiatives proposed last week by the National Integration Council too.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke last week on the need to better integrate new immigrants here.
The group also mooted more long-term research into the challenges that new citizens face.
[email protected]
