SINGAPOREANS should look at the contributions of foreign workers objectively - they are not here to steal their jobs, but to help enlarge the economic pie for the country.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, speaking in Mandarin at the May Day Rally on Thursday morning, sought to explain why foreign workers can help strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness.

He noted that some Singaporeans think that foreign workers are the problem because they are under-cutting the wages of locals.

As an example, he mentioned recent reports in newspaper about coffee-shops hiring foreign workers, which became a talking point.

An older Singaporean woman has lamented to Minister Lim Boon Heng (Prime Minister's Office) that these young, pretty foreigners were taking jobs away from locals.

'Boon Heng replied, half joking, that maybe this was how the drinks stores attracted more customers; with more business, locals will be able to keep their jobs, and so the PRC young lady was indirectly helping the Singaporean woman,' PM Lee told the rally.

Some people disagreed with Boon Heng's answer. Mr Lee himself also thinks it may not be a good thing to have more pretty beer ladies who encourage people to drink more.

But he said the former labour chief had a serious point.

The PM gave three reasons:
First, foreign workers are hardworking and willing to work long hours. By hiring them, coffee shops can open late, or even 24 hours, round the clock.

Second and more importantly, with the help of foreign workers, airport, seaport, factories, offices, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets can offer better service and business hours: 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, they can run their operations, service their customers, and so strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness.

Third, many SMEs do not make good profits, especially the neighbourhood shops. If they can hire some foreign workers in addition to the locals, they can reduce their business costs; otherwise, they may have to go out of business. Thier Singaporean employees will then lose their jobs.

PM Lee said the Government is controlling the inflow of foreign workers, by setting limits on the proportion of foreign workers they can hire and imposing a levy. This gives Singaporean workers the edge in competing for jobs.

'Overall, our policies are creating many job opportunities for Singaporeans,' he added.