I find Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai's need to categorise Singaporeans into "original citizens" and "new citizens" regretful (Leong Mun Wai urged to not draw divisions among S'poreans, March 5).

This differentiation between "original citizens" and "new citizens" is not helpful in building a cohesive society in our land-scarce and resource-scarce country.

Singapore gained independence in 1965. Do we consider only those who arrived before 1965 as "original citizens"? Are our forefathers who arrived after 1965 "new citizens"?

Where will this end? Where do we draw a line? And is it necessary to draw a line to segregate our people?

We should welcome anyone who decides to make Singapore his home, and not allow the politics of segregation to take root in Singapore.

Give the "new Singaporeans" time to establish their roots locally. I believe many will retire as "old Singaporeans" eventually, and in time, their descendants will be "original citizens".

Foo Sing Kheng