Imported

No Glitter in 'imported' medals

by Seah Chiang Nee

The Star 11August2012

I read with interest at Seah's feelings towards his nation's achievement in the recent Olympics where China-born Feng Tianwei who became a Singapore citizen in 2007 gave Singapore her first individual bronze medal since 1960. The general feeling was not one of great pride as Feng is seen as an 'imported' citizen; not one born and bred locally. Talent hunting among the locals for great sporstsman and women is finding a needle in a haystack. The local population is not big with immigrants growing by the day. For a nation lacking in natural resources, the human resource is her biggest hope. For this she will keep looking for the brain to flow in. So it's not too surprising when many students in Malaysia are offered scholarships to pursue secondary education in the island especially students from Chinese vernacular schools where they fit in like gloves in the society.
Many of these students too continue to earn for a living on the island when they become adults and later start their families here. This 'kinship' as mentioned once by the former Prime Minister is real.Will this tie ever end?
Seah recalls...I remember when I was actively reporting, a very senior figure told several editors that there was benefit in bringing in trained doctors, research scientists and university professors, people with PhDs... After others had trained them, we attract them to come and work here... the savings of 6 to 8 years must be very high...   
So I too find 2 of my girls actively working on this island after we had spent 'the savings of many years' on them. When I ask them why the need to work away from home; they gave me thee reasons:

• some space from the nagging mama; Singapore is near enough for weekend trips home
• the remuneration and meritocracy
• working with new setups

The 3rd daughter  begs to differ. No way is she leaving home; there is a cause to stand for at home.
3 daughters from the same mother but seeing things in different perspectives.

What will happen to the lives of the two sisters on the island? Will 'kinship' turn into something deeper? Will they stay there for the rest of their lives? Won't they miss the 'physical space' in their motherland? Esther confesses that she misses it. So this is just part of a simple illustration of the tie that never ends and how they too have become 'imports'.

Well, life is full of surprises. 

I hope to discover good things from decisions made; from divine intervention.