JJZZJ Days Of Our Lives
When you compromise THAT MUCH, you will lose MORE that THAT MUCH | Sep 17th 2009
Have anyone of you noticed this ?
They are everywhere now. Public Toilets. Food Courts. Hawker Centres. Retail shops. Restaurants. Anywhere. They do not mind the long hours. They do not mind working on Sundays. They do not mind no off days. They are all over. They are really making their presence felt.
I used to see an old lady mopping the MRT station’s floors in the mornings I happened to be there in my pregnant state. Now, with my babe in the stroller, I see a young lady doing the mopping. Where is that old auntie?
I used to see another old lady cleaning the toilets at this mall. Now, I see a young lady doing that job? Where is that old auntie?
My friend’s mum who used to serve drinks at a coffee shop, her job was also replaced by a young lady. What my friend said is true. If that coffee shop runs 24 hours, if the owner employs locals, he needs 3 of them to man the 3 shifts as no locals will want to work more than 8 hours. BUT, if he gets these young ones from this country, he can employ 2 on 12 hours shift each and pays each less than he pays each of the locals for the 8 hours job.
Somehow, I have seen, even in my own neighbourhood this replacement exercise. That young lady was a server. However, after some months, she became the CHEF?! And the chef was gone! Scary thought.
At this favourite and supposedly famous straw hats’ chefs stall I used to patronise (the owner opened quite a few stalls all over the island), from one chef to now all the chefs are from this country, I must say the quality of food has dropped trememdously. Now, the standard is merely food which is edible. I am sad to confirm this truth. First the Hokkien Mee, then the Char Kway Tiao, now the Oyster Omelette and Carrot Cake. It is supposed to be VERY GOOD. It is supposed to have queues! I think so far only seen the ones at Food Republic at Wisma and Makansutra at Esplanade having queues sometimes. Josh thinks that the stall at Vivo is still the best. The one at Central is good but business is not fantastic, thus we are not surprise if the chef is replaced too.
I wonder if this owner realises that his cash register isn’t ringing as many times as before. It is also quite amazing for me to know that these employees are willing to settle for 1.2k for the 12 hours’ shift job (I overheard them chatting) and a lot of them don’t mind the graveyard shift. Hmmmm ……
And our locals complain that these people steal their jobs?! In the first place, no Singaporean is willing to work that long, in that working condition, for such a low pay. Much self-reflection needed.
Now we hear our government pumping in money for these foreign workers to be more proficient in English. So that they can serve us English-speaking only Singaporeans better? Or so that the unemployed can point the fingers and accused the government further for throwing stones at them who are already in the well? Hmmmm …. ….
Yet, I still believe, each one of them has his or her beautiful side. Simply because He is the One who made them too. In His image, btw. So, I better don’t criticize their Creator too much over His creation. I am also like them before I know Him Reality check? Yes.
Oh yes, I must mention this. All of them in the food industry, they have a way in twitching their lips or rolling their eyes at you if your orders are more complicated. I find that amusing. Hahaha …
15 Comments »
Yes, every corner we turn we see them. It’s sad…sometimes when I take the MRT, I just don’t feel like I’m in SG, anymore. Invasion of the foreign ‘talents’ :S
Comment by Bel — September 17, 2009 @ 10:41 am
yes, bel. even in preschools now. some only wants teachers from this country for chinese teaching.
my friend’s daughter’s spelling at K1 is :
wo3 shi4 yi2 ge4 bin1 bin1 you3 li3 de hai2 zi3. (i am a polite child)
?????
how about yu4 shu4 ling2 feng1 at K2 ? (wind blowing at the trees)
Comment by jjzzl — September 17, 2009 @ 10:56 am
I’m sorry but I fail to see the ‘beautiful side’ of this people, as you have so politely put it. These people have no beautiful side.
I’m sick and tired of walking into every store and have a MLC serve me. And they can’t speak proper English!!
Call me biased. But I don’t cringe when I have a Filipino serve me… Or any other foreigner from any country.. Maybe because I know that these people are really glad to be hear and they have impeccable service standard.
I can’t say the same for the MLC. They come here, take away our jobs and complain that back home, things are so much better. Excuse me, GO HOME THEN! I know I’m writing this with alot of angst but I DON”T LIKE THEM.
And you know what’s the biggest insult?? That many ang mohs still think we are part of that stupid ‘middle country’!! Just because we look like them, doesn’t mean we are the same!!
I rather be called a snotty Singaporean than be labelled an uncouth and dirty MLC.
I feel like a foreigner in my own country. :/
Comment by urbanmusings — September 17, 2009 @ 11:06 am
@Jess: the teaching is ridiculous.
@Urbanmusings: you know, I agree totally, espeically on the part where the angmohs associated us with MLC. Either they have not studied Geography in school or merely the lack of common sense. I absolutely do feel like a foreigner in my own country. Gah.
Comment by Bel — September 17, 2009 @ 11:21 am
but still ….
our Saviour also died for them and wants them to know Him.
i hv seen transformed ones. so i guess these are the non-transformed ones. thus the ugliness.
oh yes, some ang mohs think that singapore is in there. hahaha … they can’t tell any chinese apart. so be it . we can only tell them apart when they speak or by their dress sense.
Comment by jjzzl — September 17, 2009 @ 11:27 am
It is very annoying when we become lumped together with them, isn’t it Bel?
Yes, I know there are many who are not like that but I’m not imagining it when I say that they are not very welcome worldwide…
You should see the looks they get from the locals (in whichever country)
Which is sometimes the reason why I refuse to speak in Mandarin when I’m overseas. And if I absolutely have to, I roll my eyes first.. haha
Oh yes and I make sure I speak PROPER English when I’m overseas.
Comment by urbanmusings — September 17, 2009 @ 11:40 am
*Nodding* at Urbanmusings.
and I will remember to show grace to those whom have yet to know Him, because even the most difficult people we know bear the image of God 
Jess, sorry about the laments
Comment by Bel — September 17, 2009 @ 11:57 am
haha! oh well… I don’t feel so peeved after ranting about this…
Btw, Bel… I really like your creations… I happened to click on your other link… I really have to stop doing that because everything is so pretty… Can’t be shopping for anything now but once I can confirm my next job, I’ll definately order stuff!
Comment by urbanmusings — September 17, 2009 @ 1:05 pm
Oh.. I don’t normally like to use my name online.. You can call me Reen… Nicer than urbanmusings… haha
Sorry Jess, have to borrow your blog for this conversation…
In any case, how about breakfast next week? Any mornings not good for u? I’m waiting for DAS to get back to me… Once that is firmed up, we can arrange
Comment by urbanmusings — September 17, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
@Reen: oooh thank you! Your compliments make my day
Love to have you come by the shoppe again.
@Jess: thanks for everything
Comment by Bel — September 17, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
i enjoy reading all your chit-chats via my blog. Most welcomed.
I notice that you ladies like the exchange too.
If one day you all get to meet … i wonder how will it be like, kekeke …
And yes, Bel’s creations are lovely! I had hard time giving them away as gifts when I rec’d them. Please do consider Bel’s handicrafts if you intend to get gifts for friends. Christmas coming …. *wink … and ….. I love yellow roses, hahahaha *wink wink ….
since when you are “reen” ???!!!
Comment by jjzzl — September 17, 2009 @ 2:30 pm
Bel: My pleasure
Oh, you can definately count on that… I already have some items in mind for Christmas gifts 
Jess: hahaa!! ok lah i get the hint… Actually some of my friends call me Reen… For some weird reason.. hehe
Comment by urbanmusings — September 17, 2009 @ 3:30 pm
haiz… I was just telling my hubby last night… pls make enough $$ so we can get out of here!!! I feel very unwelcome in my own country OK! my govt has no $$ to help the poor but with my tax $$ can help those FALLEN talent. excuse me, talent means really talented and can speak English right? if not, den no talent! and it’s very strange that our govt is “making English courses more accessible” to them… excuse me again, if this group of so-called talents can find schools in Sg and accompany their kids here to be pei du mamas.. they can’t find a commercial sch offering English lessons?!!! com’on, who u going to bluff? I even feel like a foreigner travelling in the train! Said to my hubby, even if I’m not given the best treatment in another country, I’m ok as I know I’m not their citizen BUT over here I’m a citizen but feeling like a foreigner?! hellooooo…. am I a step child or what? when election comes, and it’s not a walkover AGAIN, I’ll sure vote for opp party regardless who! at least not to make our men in the white’s life so easy going earning $10k A DAY! and have no economic crisis to face. hah! we’re such a joke to other countries. my visiting associate even mentioned that her niece in RGS and RJC facing STIFF competition from MLC students topping their classes (and getting our scholarships too!)! they invade us in every nook and corner they can! and some even steal our men (father, uncles, brothers, husband, sons etc). tell me, how to like them? they come here, we must accommodate them! tell me again, which country has such a practice? If I were to go Canada and stay, I have to learn French on my own not their govt pay tuition for me to learn the language. But over here, it’s the opp…. HAIZ… what a sad thing to happen in Sg.
Comment by Mrs Josiah-Jen — September 18, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
may I also add that I’m slowly weaning off china made products and if possible also boycott eateries ONLY or MAINLY served by MLCs. Once I was dining at this famous seafood restaurant for my FIL’s bday dinner. This MLC spilled my tea when serving me, spilled something on my chair when I went to the washroom, dropped my cutlery!!! WHAT talent is this? do they have something against me? in future, I will insist on communicating only in English with them regardless I understand and speak Mandarin. Need to send a strong message to their employers, low cost does not translate to more profits for them! hahaha!
Comment by Mrs Josiah-Jen — September 18, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
@ lunch today, I ventured into a shoes shop at Raffles Exchange. One Indian lady brought back a defective pair of shoes for exchange. The male salesperson conveniently passed the customer to her female colleague to attend to. The salesperson asked the customer if she wanted to change shoe size in Chinese! The Indian lady pointed to the defect with a helpless face. I said to the Indian lady, it’s very trying to communicate eh? She nodded. I’m quite surprised to find the shop having 2 female MLC and one male MLC salesperson working @ Raffles Place outlet who can’t speak English!!! Seriously, are locals that hard to employ? Or at least like urbanmusing says get the Filipinos, they provide better service and they speak English. haiz.
@ urbanmusing (Reen) : how to know it’s you?
no wonder I was in a blur when jess mentioned that we had a long exchange here.. 
hahaha…
Comment by Mrs Josiah-Jen — October 28, 2009 @ 4:18 pm