Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Foreign-born Singaporeans, Not PRs

Foreigners in the Singapore Police Force? Hell no!

That seems to be the reaction of most Singaporeans when Singapore Police Operations director Lau Peet Meng seemed to float the idea at a recent Police Workplan Seminar. Media reports indicated that even the invited students who were at the seminar were against the idea.

I’m going to do something unusual for me; I’m going to agree with the police on this!

I’m doing it because they are making some sense. Like most Singaporeans, I am uneasy about the idea but I can see where the Singapore Police is coming from. Like it or not (and I don’t), considering our foreign population, it’s only normal and sensible to have foreigners as police officers.

Honestly, hiring foreigners for our police force is the smart thing to do. I say this because…well, there are so many foreigners in Singapore it is only sensible. Locals may not like it, and with good understandable reasons, but the idea make sense. Even before the influx of foreigners, Chinese police officers patrol Chinatown and Indian officers go to Little India.

Of course I’m not saying there should be an open season for the Singapore Police to hire foreigners. Considering the misgivings of Singaporeans, the Singapore Police should only hire Filipinos, Chinese from China etc., who are Singapore citizens.

I think Singaporeans will be more accepting of foreign-born Singaporeans as police officers if they hold the Singapore NRIC. Singapore PRs and work permit holders should not be allowed in the police force as that will just incur the wrath of Singaporeans.    

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