Tuesday, June 12, 2012

What Goes Around Comes Around

In a small report in Australia, it was reported that the Australian military had hired foreigners to serve in its military. Among them were an unknown number of Singaporeans who decided to serve in the Australia due to incentives like fast-tracked citizenship and relocation bonuses of up to A$200,000.

There are murmurs of complains in Singapore especially since it was rumored that at least one of the Singaporeans who took up the offer was a former Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) fighter pilot. The pilot in question migrated to Australia in the 90s and then joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He was then declared “persona non grata” in Singapore.

What in the world are Singaporeans complaining about? To put it simply; Singaporeans, the Singapore government, and the RSAF are in no position to complain about migration. Yes, the pilot was trained in Singapore but considering the amount of foreign degree holders, millionaires and “talent” we have in Singapore from all over the world; who the hell are we to complain about someone who migrates to another country? I mean all the “foreign talent” in Singapore are all trained somewhere right? Now the shoe is on the other foot and we have a problem with this?

So what if the guy joined the Australian military? We do the same thing. Any foreigner who joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) gets Singapore citizenship so who are we to complain when another country do the same thing? To say that is hypocritical is an understatement!

Persona non grata? Why? That pilot sounds to me like a person whose taking a leaf out of the Singapore government’s playbook.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I guess its just for security purpose. To prevent spying.

Ghost said...

A few things;
- he openly migrate Down Under
- he did it in the 90s, over 10 years ago
- Australia is an ally with a superior armed force to Singapore;

So what can he tell them that is so important that he still cannot come in to Singapore?

Anonymous said...

Mindef is hypocrite. Singapore welcomes "quitters" to become citizens, so why turn around and reject Singaporeans who migrated? Security is bunk! In 1990s we flew the hunters, UHiH, skyvans, A4, F5 and F16A/B, which have since been given away free and with spares to the Indons and Thais. If the OZies are comfortable with the pilot visiting Singapore, why don't the papies have a broader mind instead of stuck with the small-town mentality of the MIW?

Ghost said...

No argument here. What this guy knows over 10 years ago is long out-of-date so there's no reason for this.