NUMBERS. And YOU and Desi figure in the contrasting worldviews. Could this be the Asian lenses versus the Western? Hence India's one billion populatio, and China's 1.3billion, still more/aMore to come. While European countries' populations are either stagnant at low numbers, some even dwindling!
NegaraKu during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's time/s had proclaimed a 70million target for Malaysia's population, I believe by 2050 (***Please correct me if I'm wrong!...) Is current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak still pursuing this goal beyond V2020?
For now, there is an amplified numbers of some 2.0-to-2.5million legal migrant workers here, amplified some more by another 2.0-to-2.5 "illegal" wrokers (those who entered Malaysia in the steal of the night, maybe after greasing the dark palms of the Immigration/Police kaki, or should it read mata-mata dan kaki-kaki.
I don't have a problemwith Dr M's target, but yours and mine, our NegaraKu's -- NEEDS! Well considered policy, well brain-stormed, based SOLELY ON MERITOCRACY so that Yes, we also "cream the best" from anywhere, beyong geographic boundary, no matter thepotential migrant is "black or white". (C, Desi knows some Michael Jackson's numbers, not just cowboy Hank Williams, Senor or Junior, or Faith Hill!:):)
My take on this issue is playing safe -- I prefer a regulated growth, including intake of "qualifued" migrants from over the seas. Like Australia and Singapore do. I once worked at the Oz diplomatic mission, and they issue an annual list of "Professionals & Skilled workers" that are in short supply Down Under
and these would be in priority queue to enter Ozland as "migrants" ie. given Permanent Residence staus for a start. On top of a similar scheme, our kind "neighbour" Down South starts young by offering ASEAN Scholarships even to secondary students. Many continue to tertiary education in Singapore or abroad and are bonded to serve the Singa government. Many Malaysians have benefited, and still continue to do so, from this not totally alruistic programme. To think Asean is driven by "altruism" in the spirit of "Prosper Thy Neighbour" -- quite a fave phrase by Tun Dr Mahathir during his premiership, if I recall rightly, or leftisitly:) -- methinks is too idealistic. It's based hugely on "SURVIVAL" of the fittest as well enanunciated by CharlesDarwin. If you knoweth not who tahtwas/is/will be, it's OK, watch more Charlie Angels this Raya season.
Leave the NUMB3RS haedaches to the politicians and Bloggers who have nothing badder to do on a mazey, hazy, lazy tropical Sunday! Lacey as well on top of CON BF topped wit' icescream on Sundae, mGf?
"SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI" to all our Muslim bros and sis at home and abroad. Desiderata2000 will take a break till next wedNURSEdae when a childe full of woe willcome back here for more L'VE!:) Cheer7eeers from BUMmer YL, Desi, happy4once with my numbers.
Australian population ‘set to hit 35m’ SYDNEY, Sept 19 — As Australia's population is set to jump from its present 21.9 million to 35 million in just 40 years, experts are warning that the huge increase will pose serious challenges to the nation.
Treasurer Wayne Swan yesterday announced that Australia's population was expected to grow by 65 per cent by 2049 — “significantly higher” than the projection of 28.5 million by 2047 released two years ago.
Swan said this was largely driven by a greater number of women of child-bearing age, a higher fertility rate of 1.9 births per woman and an increased number of younger migrants.
“Along with climate change, this is the most serious challenge we face,” he said.
While the number of young and working-age people is projected to grow by 45 per cent, the senior population is also expected to double.
He said careful environmental and infrastructural planning would be required to support the boom and ageing of the workforce.
Moreover, as the country's average age grew, government spending would have to be increased, which in turn would lead to lower real gross domestic product per person, he said. “Together, these factors (pose) very substantial fiscal pressures,” he said.
Concerns about health, old-age care and pensions are also expected to grow as those aged 65 and over increase, accounting for 22 per cent of the population.
They currently make up 13 per cent, up from just 8 per cent in 1969.
Population analysts also warn that the projected increase may have unexpected social and political repercussions, especially if the number of migrants continues to be as high as it has been since the start of this decade.
Figures from the Department of Immigration show that since 2000, Australia took in an average of about 120,000 migrants each year, with the trend increasing.
Dr Dharma Arunachalam, director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research at Monash University in Melbourne, said that should this rate be sustained or even increased, some Australians might find it difficult to adjust to the changing demographics.
Bill Mitchell, vice-president of the Australian Local Government Association, said the projected rise would put a strain on the basic infrastructure of the larger cities, in particular, water.
“Right now, most of the capital cities in Australia have some sort of water restriction,” he said. “So unless the various state governments can get desalination plants up and running before too long, people in those cities might not have enough water.”
He also said that state governments should start encouraging people to move to regional centres and towns to ease the burden on the capital cities. “They must ensure that health, education and law-and-order facilities must be adequately provided in the rural areas.”
But Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is upbeat about the projections.
“I think that it's great that our population's growing because so many countries around the rest of the world are shrinking and that poses a real problem in terms of having a strong tax base for the future and a strong economy and a strong nation for the future,” he was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.
The only obstacles to the population surge could be if “feeding” nations such as India and China become so economically successful that their citizens do not want to migrate, Arunachalam said.
Also, the fertility rate of 1.9 births per woman — which Swan said would underpin the larger-than-expected surge in population — might not be sustained, added Arunachalam.
“All it takes is another huge economic downturn for couples to put off having children and, thus, reduce the rate,” he said. — The Straits Times
*** ERRATA: Formy ER's lazy BUMmer indulgence, I google Dr Mahathir population 70 million; it led me to an interesting read/lead at NETWORKMALAYSIA. Please go dare for the fool's meal!:)
entree follows as TEAser:(
LINK: www.networkmalaysia.com/.../TunDr.MahathirMohamad.htm
September 10: Dr Mahathir in his address at the 33rd UMNO Annual General Assembly urged Malaysians to aim for a population of 70 million within 120 years as ...
No comments:
Post a Comment