MR CHAN Weng Kei, in his online letter last Thursday ('Govt help should go only to deserving'), says many young Singaporeans are mollycoddled by their affluent parents and are choosy over jobs foreigners are willing to do.
Now, may I ask, why are such foreigners 'eager' to take on jobs which are, as Mr Chan says, paid a pittance? I believe not all foreigners or permanent residents will accept 'a pittance'.

Would the American CEO of Temasek Holdings work for a pittance? The reason lies in the prevailing circumstances of the individual, group or class. It is economics which drives foreigners here.

If their home country had reached the general affluence Singaporeans enjoy, due to good governance, would foreign workers come here to work for a pittance?

National service is done by Singaporeans, and whether voluntarily or by legal coercion is not the point. People pay income tax, more from coercion (law and punishment) than altruism. A man may give to charity for his own ends and this does not negate the good his giving does; even when the intentions are selfish. Therefore, there must be certain criteria which distinguish citizens from foreigners. This is prevalent in other countries as well.

Mr Chan has no right to disparage the wealthy and their lifestyle. How they and their family live is no concern of his; just as how he lives is no concern of theirs, or anyone else - again, provided no law is transgressed.

Dudley Au

This article was first published in The Straits Times.