WEBVTT - Singapore begins hiring foreigners as auxiliary cops

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<v Speaker 1>Now, CNA 938 rewind.

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<v Speaker 2>So manpower shortage is an increasingly urgent issue in Singapore.

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<v Speaker 2>And we're used to seeing foreigners working in certain sectors, right,

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<v Speaker 2>like healthcare, municipal services. Now you'll see more in other sectors.

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<v Speaker 2>So earlier this week, parliament revealed that Singapore is now

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<v Speaker 2>hiring auxiliary police from five more countries, Sri Lanka, Myanmar,

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<v Speaker 2>the Philippines, India, and China. And it's not just

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<v Speaker 2>Security, the SCDF is also bringing in foreign paramedics for

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<v Speaker 2>its emergency medical services um this month in order to

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<v Speaker 2>meet surging demand. Now, with manpower shortages constantly growing here

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<v Speaker 2>in Singapore, we are casting a wider net while also

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<v Speaker 2>keeping strict training standards in place, but what does it

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<v Speaker 2>mean for our security and emergency services, especially in the

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<v Speaker 2>long term?

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<v Speaker 2>Let's speak now with Clara Belle Low. She's senior analyst

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<v Speaker 2>for the Social cohesion Research Program at the S Rajaratnam

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<v Speaker 2>School of International Studies at NTU. Clarabelle, good to have

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<v Speaker 2>you on the show. Thanks very much for making the time. So,

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<v Speaker 2>first of all, give us your reaction to the parliamentary announcement.

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<v Speaker 2>Now they will form around 3% of our total auxiliary forces.

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<v Speaker 2>Is it enough, you think, to meet the shortage?

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, thank you so much for having me on the show.

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<v Speaker 2>A very good morning. Um, uh, I think it's because

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<v Speaker 2>it's a relatively new move, uh, we do have to

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<v Speaker 2>kind of, uh, um, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>Look at how, uh, uh, you know, Singaporeans are adapting

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<v Speaker 2>to this, how the situation involves. Um, but, uh, in

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<v Speaker 2>my view, uh, as our, our, our population continues to age,

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<v Speaker 2>as we see a growing demand for these critical services,

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<v Speaker 2>it is likely that, uh, the demand will continue to

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<v Speaker 2>grow and we are likely to uh recruit more, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>auxiliary police officers as well as, uh, you know, um, emergencies,

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<v Speaker 2>medical um service officers, uh, from the region.

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<v Speaker 2>Is the shortage of manpower solely due to the lack

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<v Speaker 2>of locals choosing such vocations, Claib. Why aren't enough Singaporeans

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<v Speaker 2>uh electing to serve in this sector and what will

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<v Speaker 2>it take to inspire them to do so, you think?

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<v Speaker 2>Um, yeah, I suppose a lot of it has to

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<v Speaker 2>perhaps do with, uh, you know, the, the kind of

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<v Speaker 2>challenging and stressful work environment. Um, so, and, and often,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, all these, uh, these jobs, uh, deal with

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<v Speaker 2>security and enhancing crisis, um, and, uh, these are jobs

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<v Speaker 2>that Singaporeans might, uh, um, might not be so comfortable

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<v Speaker 2>dealing with, uh, especially if, uh, salary packages are, are

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<v Speaker 2>not as competitive, uh, and therefore, it's kind of difficult

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<v Speaker 2>to regain Singaporean talent.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, so, I believe, uh, to kind of address this issue, we,

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<v Speaker 2>we do require certain, uh, institutional, uh, changes and mindset

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<v Speaker 2>changes as well. So, uh, perhaps, uh, salary packages, uh, and,

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<v Speaker 2>and benefits could be reviewed, uh, from time to time, um,

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<v Speaker 2>but also, uh, Singaporeans, um, in general might have to,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, uh, consider their views on these roles and, and, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>whether that uh fits, uh, their.

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<v Speaker 2>Um, their, their view of what a good job or

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<v Speaker 2>position would be. Absolutely, I think that's a very good

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<v Speaker 2>point there, Clarabelle.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm just wondering on the side as well, how important

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<v Speaker 2>is it for locals to take on such roles? Do

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<v Speaker 2>you think that having, and this applies not just to Singapore,

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<v Speaker 2>but in any other country, do you think that the

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<v Speaker 2>local uh citizens must, I I I guess I'm asking,

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<v Speaker 2>is it a must? Is it important and significant that

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<v Speaker 2>locals make up the workforce in these services?

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, I think that, I think that there's several considerations. So, um,

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<v Speaker 2>in the case, for example, of the auxiliary Police, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>force and, and the SCDF, uh, right now, what we're

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<v Speaker 2>seeing is that, uh, these, these roles that we are hiring, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>foreign manpower for often, um, do not involve very critical, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>security or confidentiality uh issues.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, so, and, and I, I, that's why I suppose, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>parliament are making this move to, to kind of hire

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<v Speaker 2>foreign manpower to meet, uh, the shortage in these areas. Uh,

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<v Speaker 2>but I believe, for example, for our other uniform groups

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<v Speaker 2>where there are uh other security and confidentiality issues to consider,

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<v Speaker 2>then in these cases, uh, uh, it would be our interest, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>to have key leadership decisions, uh, uh, being made by

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<v Speaker 2>those who have a stake in the interest of the nation.

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<v Speaker 2>We're just curious, uh, Clarabel, how does Singapore's approach compare

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<v Speaker 2>to other countries in the region?

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<v Speaker 2>Um,

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<v Speaker 2>I think it, it really uh depends. Um, so, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>Singapore is unique in the, in the, in the region, we,

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<v Speaker 2>we are, we are small, uh, and we have a

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<v Speaker 2>rapidly aging population. Um, so we, we have a different

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<v Speaker 2>set of considerations from, from other countries in the region.

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<v Speaker 2>But if we look at other small states, uh, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>across the world, uh, so, for example, if we, if

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<v Speaker 2>we look at the, uh, case of, um, the United

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<v Speaker 2>Arab Emirates, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>Um, their population, uh, it's a proportion of, um, 1

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<v Speaker 2>MRT to 9 foreigners. Um, so, uh, even in the

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<v Speaker 2>case of the Civil Defense Force, uh, uh, in recent years,

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<v Speaker 2>they have allowed for, uh, expatriates to volunteer for the

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<v Speaker 2>Civil Defense Force during emergency relief. Um, so,

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, I would say that, um, it, it really depends on, on,

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<v Speaker 2>on kind of like the, the demographic composition, uh, the

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<v Speaker 2>cultural norms of the, the, uh, the country as well

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<v Speaker 2>as the kind of like geopolitical considerations. Yeah, and I'm

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<v Speaker 2>glad that you brought that up, Clarabelle, because our next

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<v Speaker 2>question pertains to the long term implications of relying on

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<v Speaker 2>foreign manpower in these critical sectors. What would be considered

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<v Speaker 2>an over-reliance and

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<v Speaker 2>What risks might that bring to the country?

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<v Speaker 2>Um

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<v Speaker 2>So I think there are, there are um several concerns

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<v Speaker 2>that come up when we think about uh reliance on,

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<v Speaker 2>on foreign manpower. I think in, in the minds of Singaporeans,

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<v Speaker 2>for example, uh, uh, a key, a key concern is

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<v Speaker 2>often whether uh foreigners are familiar with our cultural norms

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<v Speaker 2>and sensitivities, um, uh, but to the ministry's credit, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>as they launch, uh, these, um,

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<v Speaker 2>As they kind of uh hire more uh foreign manpower,

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<v Speaker 2>they have also launched initiatives and, and developed initiatives to

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<v Speaker 2>address uh uh this, this, uh, concern. So, uh, auxiliary

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<v Speaker 2>police officers, for example, are given briefings and tours to

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<v Speaker 2>help them better appreciate the norms and, and laws of Singapore. Um,

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<v Speaker 2>and of course, uh, there, there's, uh, the other consideration about, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, uh, the kind of leaking of possibility of

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<v Speaker 2>leaking of critical confidential information, but, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>I, I do believe, uh, because there's a gradation, um, so, uh.

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<v Speaker 2>Critical positions would still, you know, be, be, uh, retained by,

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<v Speaker 2>by Singaporeans. Um, so I think all in all it takes, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>this move might need to, uh, might take a bit

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<v Speaker 2>of getting used to, uh, and, and I believe that the, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>the decision makers, um, uh, as they make these moves would,

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<v Speaker 2>would consider, uh, all the, the issues that might occur, yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>How likely do you think this would open up the

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<v Speaker 2>door for other uniformed services to do the same?

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<v Speaker 2>Um, I

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<v Speaker 2>I do think as our population continues to age, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>there is a possibility that uh the other uniform groups

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<v Speaker 2>might have to follow, uh, but of course, uh, um, it, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>Typically, I think we, as I mentioned earlier, because there

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<v Speaker 2>are legitimate kind of security uh considerations as well. So

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<v Speaker 2>it's likely that uh there would be additional kind of

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<v Speaker 2>like requirements, uh, so to really be in certain positions,

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<v Speaker 2>especially the leadership or key decision-making positions, you would have to, uh, have, um,

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<v Speaker 2>citizenship or permanent residency, um, because that's when you have

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<v Speaker 2>a stake in, in the interests of the nation. So,

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<v Speaker 2>Um, yeah, it remains to be seen, I suppose, uh, as, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>As the country continues to develop. Right. Could the private

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<v Speaker 2>sector do more perhaps to support the SCDF in these

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<v Speaker 2>emergency services, auxiliary police and should the government expand the

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<v Speaker 2>private sector's, I suppose capabilities support the private sector perhaps

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<v Speaker 2>uh to expand foreign hires rather than having the foreign

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<v Speaker 2>hires directly under the government's purview. Does that question make

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<v Speaker 2>sense to you?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, it does. Uh, I, I think that's, uh, definitely, uh, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>a possible means as well to, to address this gap. Uh,

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<v Speaker 2>in the case of, um, emergency medical services, uh, this

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<v Speaker 2>has been, uh, done, so, uh, we, we do see

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<v Speaker 2>that there are private, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, emergency medical services, um, you know, companies meeting this need, uh, in, in,

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<v Speaker 2>in recent years to kind of cope with, uh, the

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<v Speaker 2>significant increase in the number of emergency calls. Uh, so definitely,

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<v Speaker 2>I think that's also, um, having the private sector kind

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<v Speaker 2>of step in to, to meet this need is also

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<v Speaker 2>a possibility, and I think that, uh, uh, could perhaps

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<v Speaker 2>alleviate some of the uh security concerns that uh Singaporeans

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<v Speaker 2>might have over such moves.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely. Uh, uh, as you said, this is something that

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<v Speaker 2>is constantly developing and certainly an urgent matter for us

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<v Speaker 2>to consider as well as we age, you're going to

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<v Speaker 2>hear more emergency calls. You're gonna need it very similar

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<v Speaker 2>to our healthcare industry, you're gonna need just more people

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<v Speaker 2>to support this rapidly aging society. Once again, 1 in

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<v Speaker 2>4 people by the by the year 2030 is going

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<v Speaker 2>to be aged above.

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<v Speaker 2>60. Uh, Clarabelle, uh, a timely reminder, uh, for that

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<v Speaker 2>as well. Thank you so much for walking us through

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<v Speaker 2>your thoughts, your analysis on the matter. Uh, we hope

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<v Speaker 2>to speak with you again in the future. Thank you

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<v Speaker 2>so much for having me. The pleasure. You too. The

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<v Speaker 2>pleasure is all ours, Clarabelle. That's Clarabelle Lowe. She's a

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<v Speaker 2>senior analyst for the Social cohesion Research Program at the

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<v Speaker 2>Erajaratnam School of International Studies over at NTU.