Decay On Net

This is what I call Creative Journalism.

I guess "6 in 10 new jobs go to foreigners" isn't a very nice news article title. That's why they have to remove the initial article and replaced it with "S'pore adds record number of jobs in 2007, a third filled by foreigners". Which actually makes more sense. Why would the state control media report something that isn't favorable to the government?



The initial article goes like this:-

6 in 10 new jobs go to foreigners
By Goh Chin Lian

SIX in ten jobs created last year went to foreigners, the first time in at least six years that their share was larger than locals.

This comes at a time when job creation is at a record high, and unemployment and retrenchment at record lows.

The Manpower Ministry noted in its latest employment report released on Thursday that both locals - Singaporeans and permanent residents -- and foreigners benefited from the strong job creation.

Local employment grew by 92,100 last year, up from 90,900 the previous year.

This is the third successive year that local employment creation has set record highs.

But the local share of total new jobs dropped from 52 per cent in 2006 to 39 per cent last year, 'given the limits to the growth of Singapore's indigenous workforce and the larger base of jobs created', the ministry said.

Foreign employment rose by 144,500 last year, 'enabling the economy to grow beyond the limits of Singapore's indigenous workforce', it said.

As at December last year, one in three workers here - or 900,800 - were foreigners.

The booming economy, with the buoyant service and construction sectors, created 236,600 jobs, up from 176,000 in the previous year. This is an 11-year high.

The services sector contributed 144,100 more jobs, boosted by the rapid increase in hiring across a wide range of industries, led by financial and professional services.

The construction sector added 49,000 workers, double that of the previous year.

Manufacturing employment also rose, by 49,900, spurred by strong demand in marine and offshore engineering.

Overall unemployment averaged 2.1 per cent, down from 2.7 per cent the previous year. Resident unemployment fell to 3 per cent, down from 3.6 per cent in 2006. Both overall and resident unemployment are at their lowest in a decade.

On average, 56,900 residents were unemployed last year, down from 67,600 the previous year.

Similarly, retrenchment fell to a 14-year low. Overall, 7,200 workers were laid off, down from 12,603 the previous year. The bulk of lay offs came from manufacturing.

Then it was changed to this:-

S'pore adds record number of jobs in 2007, a third filled by foreigners
By Goh Chin Lian

BOOSTED by a strong economy, Singapore created a record-busting number of jobs last year - with a third of them going to foreigners because there were just not enough locals to fill them.

Amid strong hiring in the services sector, unemployment also fell to a 10-year, prompting employers to turn to foreigners for six in ten of these jobs, up from five in ten the previous year.

But Singaporeans and permanent residents, as well as foreigners, gained from the boom, said the Manpower Ministry in its latest employment report released on Thursday.

The economy added 236,600 jobs, up from 176,000 jobs in the previous year. This is an 11-year high.

Of these, 92,100 jobs went to locals last year, up from 90,900 the previous year.

This is the third successive year that local job creation has set record highs.

But the local share of total jobs created dropped from 52 per cent in 2006 to 39 per cent last year, 'given the limits to the growth of Singapore's indigenous workforce and the larger base of jobs created', the ministry said.

Foreign employment rose by 144,500 last year, 'enabling the economy to grow beyond the limits of Singapore's indigenous workforce', it said.

As at last December, one in three workers here - or 900,800 - were foreigners.

National University of Singapore labour economist Park Cheolsung said it was not surprising that more jobs went to foreigners, who fill everything from construction, to white collar and service work.

'The labour market situation is so rosy that most Singaporeans should have jobs if they want to,' Prof Park said.

'For many companies, turning to foreigners is the only way they can find workers right now.'

The services sector contributed 144,100 more jobs, boosted by the rapid increase in hiring across a wide range of industries, led by financial and professional services.

The construction sector added 49,000 workers, double that of the previous year.

Manufacturing employment also rose, by 49,900, spurred by strong demand in marine and offshore engineering.

Overall unemployment averaged 2.1 per cent, down from 2.7 per cent the previous year. Unemployment among Singaporeans and permanent residents also fell, to 3 per cent from 3.6 per cent the previous year. On both counts, unemployment is at its lowest in a decade.

On average, 56,900 residents were unemployed last year, down from 67,600 the previous year.

Similarly, retrenchment fell to a 14-year low: 7,200 workers were laid off, down from 12,603 the previous year.

The bulk of lay-offs came from the manufacturing sector, reflecting the ongoing restructuring in the electronics industry.

But perhaps they forgot that the new media isn't controlled by the government. That's why you are reading both version now. I'm sure the 2nd version looks more pleasing to the eyes. That the picture that the government want you to see.

The figures in both article is the same. Total 236660 jobs created and 92100 went to Singaporeans. It's just the way they package the whole article to give you the "feel good" feeling.

I didn't do well for my math, but 92100/236660*10 = 3.89. Which means 4 out of 10 jobs went to Singaporeans. You must be wondering where did the "a third filled by foreigner" came from? Well, the title is very misleading. The title is actually trying to tell us that Singapore added record number of jobs in 2007 and 1/3 of the total jobs in Singapore are filled by foreigners.

So technically, they aren't lying. They just not telling you upfront that 6 out of 10 new jobs went to foreigners. Instead, they remind you that only 1/3 of the total workforce is foreigners. (Which I also think is bad enough.)

Isn't that very creative? I wish I could write such creative titles on my blog.

4 in 10 new jobs went to Singaporeans and 2 in 3 workers are Singaporeans.
If that isn't bad enough, let me remind you folks that the term "Singaporeans" includes Permanent Residents too.

I think we are being screwed big time.

Posted by DK on Monday, February 04, 2008 at 11:58 AM