[View the story "Singaporeans say 'no' to foreign influx" on Storify ]Singaporeans say 'no' to foreign influx Thousands protest in Hon Lim Park against government plan to boost population. Storified by The Stream · Mon, Feb 18 2013 11:58:34
Some Singaporeans
say the white paper ignores existing problems of overcrowding, income inequality, and lack of social services for those already living in the country.
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Kids fighting for their future at Hong Lim Parkoccupysg
so says the herdanarchetype
Singapore protests mirror basic problem of the growth imperative in world of declining resources. We need a new yardstick other than growth.John 'Jack' Daniels
In an
online statement , Singapore's main opposition party advocated instead for the government to pursue better economic policy that does not rely on foreign influx:
The Workers’ Party believes that the path proposed by the White Paper will further dilute the Singaporean core and weaken our national identity. It will also lead us to require unsustainable population injections in the future. We believe that the greater well-being of Singaporeans lies in sustainable economic growth driven by increases in our productivity and in our resident workforce, rather than further increases in our dependency on imported foreign labour.wp.sg
On Twitter, Kavisa said the Hong Lim protests are a call for a wider national discussion:
Singapore's strait times still not admitting to strikes or protests within our lion city! Maybe its times to face the flaws of our societyKavisa
The protest featured speeches by opposition party members and activists. Below, Al Jazeera speaks with the protest's organiser, Gilbert Goh:
Singaporeans protest over population planaljazeeraenglish
Approximately 4,000 attended Saturday's protest, which was organised primarily on Facebook.
FacebookAJstream
More pictures of umbrellas at Hong Lim Park #SevenMillionInSingapore http://pic.twitter.com/GGv3f0aWDarryl Kang
MT @ChannelNewsAsia: PIX: Some groups chanting "reject, reject" at SG's Hong Lim Park #Population #WhitePaper protest http://pic.twitter.com/UcHJWaRgEdward C. Yong
Ahead of the rally, some Twitter users shared a
2012 article written by Goh, which breaks down different foreign populations in Singapore.
Read the views of Gilbert Goh, from Say No to an Overpopulated Singapore, before supporting his protest. http://mrbrwn.co/VlRrRbKinmun Lee
Unintentionally comic study by Singapore anti-immigration activist Gilbert Goh of various kinds of foreigners http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.transitioning.org/2012/05/19/characteristics-and-behaviour-of-our-1-8-million-foreigners/Andrew MacG Marshall
Others expressed concerns that statements against the population plan crossed a line:
I get that we want to protest govt policy but please don’t make this #SevenMillioninSingapore overly-nationalist or xenophobic thanks.Kirsten Han
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When we tell the truth, PAP IB invents conspiracy to discredit it. See you at Hong Lim Park at 4pm. http://pic.twitter.com/V3cMvLVFOccupy Singapore
What do you think of the PAP's proposed policy and the backlash against it? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
