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Singapore Multi-Millionaire Adam Khoo: The Expats will Rule Singapore | The Real Singapore

SINGAPORE MULTI-MILLIONAIRE ADAM KHOO: THE EXPATS WILL RULE SINGAPORE

Post date: 27 Jan 2014 - 8:05pm

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I have a prediction. My prediction is that in a couple of years, the expatriates (from China, India, US etc) will rule Singapore. They will increasing take on more leadership roles of CEOs, directors, heads of organizations, award winners etc If you observe closely, it is already happening now. This years top PSLE (Primary School Leaving Exam) student is a China National. Most of the deans list students and first class honours students in the local universities are foreigners and more and more CEOs, even that of government link corporations are expats. The top players in our National teams are expats. As a Singaporean, I am not complaining. I think that in a meritocratic society like Singapore, it is only fair that the very best get rewarded, no matter their race, religion or nationality. Like Lee Kwan Yew said, I rather these talented and driven people be on our team contributing to our nation than against us from their home country. The question I have been asking is, why are the expats beating the crap out of Singaporeans? What I noticed is that these expats have a very important quality that many Singaporeans (especially the new Y generation lack). It is a quality that our grandfathers and great-grandfathers (who came from distant lands) had that turned Singapore from a fishing village to the third richest country in the world (according to GDP per capita). Unfortunately, I fear this quality is soon disappearing from the new generation of Singaporeans. This youth development quality is the HUNGER FOR SUCCESS and the FIGHTING SPIRIT!!!
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Singapore Multi-Millionaire Adam Khoo: The Expats will Rule Singapore | The Real Singapore

Expats who come here today have the same tremendous HUNGER for success that our grandfathers had. They are willing to sacrifice, work hard and pay the price to succeed. They also believe that no one owes them a living and they have to work hard for themselves. They also bring with them the humility and willingness to learn. Take the case of Qui Biqing, the girl from Qifa Primary school who topped the whole of Singapore in last years PSLE with a score of 290. When she came to Singapore 3 years ago from China, she could hardly speak a word of English and didnt even understand what a thermometer was. Although she was 10 years old, MOE recommended she start at Primary 2 because of her lack of English proficiency. After appealing, she managed to start in Primary 3. While most Singaporeans have a head start of learning English at pre-school at the age of 3-4 years old, she only started at age 10. Despite this handicapped, she had the drive to read continuously and practice her speaking and writing skills, eventually scoring an A-star in English! This hunger and drive can also be seen in the workforce. I hate to say this but in a way, I sometimes think expats create more value than locals. Expats are willing to work long hours, go the extra mile, are fiercely loyal to you and dont complain so much. They also come alot more qualified and do not ask the moon for the remuneration. Recently, I placed an ad for a marketing executive. Out of 100+ resumes, more than 60% came from expats. While locals fresh grads are asking for $2,500+ per month, I have expats with masters degrees from good universities willing to get less than $2,000! They know that if they can come in and learn and work hard, they will eventually climb up and earn alot more. They are willing to invest in themselves, pay the price for future rewards. Sometimes I wonder how some of the locals are going to compete with this. Of course, this is just a generalization. There ARE definitely some Singaporeans who create lots of value and show fighting spirit. Unfortunately, I have found that more and more young Singaporeans lack this hunger for success. Instead, they like to complain, blame circumstances and wait for others to push them. Some hold on to the attitude that the world owes them a living. I shake my head when I see local kids nowadays complain that they dont have the latest handphones, branded clothes and games. While I acknowledge that the kids of today are much smarter and well informed than I was at their age (my 4 year old daughter can use my Macbook computer and my iphone), I find that they lack the resilience and tenacity they need to survive in the new economy. Some kids nowadays tend to give up easily once they find that things get tough and demand instant gratification. When they have to work first to get rewards later, many tend to lack the patience to follow through. So, how did this happen? Why is our nation of hardworking, hungry fighters slowly becoming a nation of complaining softies? I think the problem is that life in Singapore has been too good and comfortable. Kids today have never seen hunger, poverty, war and disasters. What makes it worse is that parents nowadays give kids everything they want and over protect them from hardship and failure. Parents often ask me why their kids lack the motivation to study and excel. My answer to them is because they already have everything! Giving someone everything they want is the best way to kill their motivation. What reason is there for them to fight to become the best when they are already given the best from their parents without having to earn it? It reminds me of the cartoon movie MADAGASCAR where Alex the Lion and his animal friends were born and raised in the Central Park Zoo. They were well taken care of and provided with processed food and an artificial jungle. When they escaped to Africa, they found that they could barely survive in the wild with the other animals because they had lots their instincts to fight and hunt for food. They could only dance and sing. I see the same thing in the hundreds of youth activity, seminars, training programmes and youth programs I conduct. I see increasing more and more expats attending my Wealth Academy and Patterns of Excellence programme in Singapore. Not surprisingly, they are always the first to grab the microphone to answer and ask questions. While many of the locals come in late and sit at the back. The expats (especially those from India and China) always sit at the front, take notes ferociously and stay back way after the programme is over to ask questions. I feel ashamed sometimes when I ask for volunteers to ask questions, and the Singaporeans keep quiet, while the foreigners fight for the opportunity. For my I Am Gifted, So Are You! programme for students, I have the privileged to travel and conduct it in seven countries (Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia etc) and see all students from all over. Is there a big difference in their attitude and behaviour? You bet! Again, I feel really sad that in Singapore, most students who come are usually forced by their parents to come and
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Singapore Multi-Millionaire Adam Khoo: The Expats will Rule Singapore | The Real Singapore

improve themselves, Some parents even bribe them with computer games and new handphones to attend. During the course, some adopt the I know everything attitude and lack the interest to succeed until I kick their butts. It is so different when I go to Malaysia, Indonesia and once in India. The kids there ask their parents to send them to my programme. They clap and cheer enthusiastically when the teachers enter the room and participate so willingly when lessons are on. I still scratch my head and wonder what happened to my fellow Singaporeans to this day. So mark my words, unless the new generation of Singaporeans wake up and get out of their happy over protected bubble and start fighting for their future, the expats (like our great grandfathers) will soon be the rulers of the country. At the rate at which talented and hungry expats are climbing up , our future prime minister may be an Indian or China PR or may even an Ang Moh!

Adam Khoo
*Article first appeared on http://www.adam-khoo.com/304/the-expats-will-rule-singapore/

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103 comments Hifi Hooligan Singapore, Singapore

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You blame Sgers but you know deep in your heart w ho is to blame! People like Adam w ill never w ant to say anything against the pap cos their rice bow l is more important than anything else! Our gen Y is severely disadvantaged. NS, expensive housing, I feel so tired I have to repeat this! People like Adam w ill never understand bcos they are already up there. My dear Adam, if you are born today you w ill never grow up to be w hat you are today! Reply 85 Like Follow Post January 27 at 8:34pm Bo Skullbanger True Ben. He never w ill. Reply 9 Like January 27 at 10:01pm Follow Sales and Marketing Manager at Corporate Gifts - Hermes Aldora International

Muhd Sahfahri Reply

your response is just unjust and shameless.. I'm sorry to say.. 52 Like Yesterday at 12:53am

Jam es Chia Mun Chong Singapore Polytechnic some how I agree w ith adam and hifi, it the fact that now adays children is a bit spoilt, the over protecting from parent. and the y generation should not complain so much, still remember the guiness sout advertisement, w ho you can change the enviorment to suit you, change yourself to adapt to the enviorment, don't the FT have to rent their house too, it doesn't come cheap, and it total loss, w e pay for our HDB but w e still can sell to cash in money. But on the other hand, I do agree w ith some disadvantage betw een Singapore y-generation and the FT, NS has taken enough of our time, government might need to look into how to make Singapore y generation to be more in par w ith the FT in term of time loss(etc: 2 year NS, reservice), percentage expat must be restrict, end of the day, how many expat w ill stay in Singapore, w e must look into expat that really contribute to our nation rather then taking up a job that even our diploma can do it. Reply View 6 more Ronnie Chan Jinrong Top Commenter Works at SOLD Pte Ltd 18 Like Yesterday at 1:06am

Just read the comments. Go on. Go read all the excuses. Now you know w hy they say Singaporeans lack the hunger. Reply 34 Like Follow Post January 27 at 11:26pm http://therealsingapore.com/content/singapore-multi-millionaire-adam-khoo-expats-will-rule-singapore
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Singapore Multi-Millionaire Adam Khoo: The Expats will Rule Singapore | The Real Singapore 34 Like Follow Post January 27 at 11:26pm

Khoo Wee Sheng

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The same w ay the Asian community has chased a large part of the White/Black population in Silicon Valley? It ain't fair bro to compare a expat population mostly made of up of the most driven and most educated people to a "w hole" population. People have the right to live a life beyond a career and rat race rather than have the top 10% dictate their lives. Food for thoughts perhaps rather than saying those w ho fall behind are never-do-w ells or small-minded. They have the right to request protection, especially w hen they have no w here to run. The w hites here have ran to the non-coastal cities... still a matter of time before the Asians catch up to them though. Reply Wl Yam @Ronnie: exactly w hat i feel w hen i scroll dow n. hahaha Reply David Ching 1 Like Yesterday at 1:06pm 8 Like Yesterday at 12:16am

Top Commenter

Everybody, hold your horse. This article w as w ritten in Dec 2009. Since then, it has become know n that expats thrive on cronyism, fake uni degrees, same nationality to take over a dept, company or even Changi Business Park. Nothing to do w ith meritocracy. It is just that Singapore has reverted from First World to Third. Reply 30 Like Follow Post January 27 at 9:17pm Leon Kennedy University of Waterloo and you mine friend, are a mole of humanity and should kill yourself for the grow th of humanity Reply 18 Like Yesterday at 4:51am

Lim Gor Seng Singapore Polytechnic Every society lose this hunger after 2 or 3 gen. You have the option of employing master degree holders for $2000 is through courtesy of pap. Probably the only coverment w orking actively to suppress the pay of its ow n citizens after paying themselves mills + pension. They do this so they can tell the w orld that spore is cheap place to do business. The greedy side of you is happy to employ a $2000 staff. Believe me, you w on't last very long. Reply 24 Like Follow Post January 27 at 9:35pm Top Commenter University of Sydney

Bradley Christopher

My predication is that you are about to come under a w hole lot of unnecessary heat w ith your ill timed and frankly very moronic 2 cents w orth. Reply 20 Like Follow Post January 27 at 8:42pm Top Commenter Singapore, Singapore

Jerry Low

Adam's argument is based on Social Darw inism w hich is in fact rejected by social scientist. The primary reason is many S'poreans lack political know ledge and sociology of the environment w e live in. The same people cannot see the Macro-Micro-Meso structure of how politics affects them. That's w hy they keep voting the same PAP over and over again, lulled by mainstream media and for fear of coercing political fallacies. Their ideology is bad for citizens, elicit tremendous social cost. There is nothing special about the PAP, all just a pretense of self importance. Their political philosophy is nothing but a carbon copy of Margaret Thatcher's regime. Anyw ay if you see it from their perspective; if they don't blame S'poreans, how are they going to enact tough policies like immigration to bring in foreigners? In simple analogy, if the above condemned victim is your children, w ould you disow n your children and adopt someone else? No right. Reply 19 Like Follow Post Edited January 27 at 9:30pm Leon Kennedy University of Waterloo as much as i hate social darw inism but it is not your goveremtns fault. Reply 3 Like Yesterday at 4:53am

JekJan Tan Nanyang Polytechnic Don't complain, point fingers. Dont be a pussy Fight for w hat you w ant, you only have one life to live. Thanks for the reminder Reply 17 Like Follow Post January 27 at 8:36pm Nick Chua Singapore, Singapore Yea.fight fight for hunger..i fight for 10year. Now i got 2 house. If u dont w ork hard enough. Than dont dream.keep http://therealsingapore.com/content/singapore-multi-millionaire-adam-khoo-expats-will-rule-singapore
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Singapore Multi-Millionaire Adam Khoo: The Expats will Rule Singapore | The Real Singapore Yea.fight fight for hunger..i fight for 10year. Now i got 2 house. If u dont w ork hard enough. Than dont dream.keep comlian.mayb god w ill help u

Reply Roger Teo SQ

3 Like 15 hours ago Top Commenter Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Adam, so did you hire the foreigner w ho has a master degree and ask for $2000 only ? Or have you given a local guy a chance to w ork for you? Who to blame for entire mess w here foreigners flooding in to snatch w ork from locals, undercutting salary! Ans obviously is people like you! You already subconsciously presumed that gen Y are unmotivated failures!!! Let me also tell you in 5, 10 or 20 years time, PAP w ill be overthrow n by these people. They w ill be even more steady than WP! They rule Singapore the rioting w ay! Speakers corner? No no... it's rioting on street! I believe people like you already freed ! Freed w ith your family ... coz you have sucked enough from Singapore market, isn't? Reply 14 Like Follow Post January 27 at 9:43pm Ester Voon Advancia, Paris, France He hired a local. He hired me. Adam w orks the hardest in the company. He leads by example and he earned his w ealth w orking his butt off. Dont insult someone u dont even know . Reply 197 Like January 27 at 9:54pm Top Commenter Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Roger Teo SQ

Ester Voon, thanks. good to know . So Adam deserves our respect. Salute to him for continuing support local. Hope most local bosses do the same too. Reply 21 Like Yesterday at 5:42am Follow Top Commenter Associate Marketing Manager at PropNex Realty Pte Ltd

Zeng Juem ing Kenny Reply View 3 more

Ester Voon so how much did u ask for ur starting pay? :) 4 Like Yesterday at 6:21am

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