An impassioned plea from a senior Singaporean
Thursday, 26 June 2008, 11:09 pm | 717 views
The following is a comment posted by ‘patriot’ in response to Tan Kin Lian’s article, “Give adequate wages to low income workers”. The comments are unedited and republished here in its entirety.
Me dare not say any word before this because I have never work or reside in a foreign land, so, difficult for me to make comparisons.
But, maybe I can relate my past experience. I was born to a poor farming family and helped out in the farms (vegetable/pig/poultry) as young as six year old. Left school before Senior Cambridge Examination, worked as construction worker with mother after been resettled to Public Housing.
Working at constructions in the late sixties to the eighties meant tough, heavy menial works. Running the cement mixer itself is beyond the understanding of any young Singaporeans. Let me describe; two to three workers man the motor driven mixer, one control the mixer and the other two will have to pour troughs of sand and sometimes fine granite chips and cement (each pack 25 kilogram in weight) into the mixer at chest height. The trough of sand and granite weighed average no less than 40 kg, when there was no water hose for water, water would also had to be manually carried from source and poured into the mixer.
Each cycle of work usually took hours invariably under open sky and exposed us to the elements, the heat, rain and dust etc. As the lowest skilled, we got about $30 a day. Other duties included carrying building materials up and down from the buildings, roads, drains and other structures under constructions. When worksites are far, transport were USUALLY provided, I used bicycle to nearby sites.
Despite the hard works, my mother, me and others accepted our fates with little complaints, in fact we were quite happy working with each others. Cares, concerns and camaraderies were usual amongst workers those days. No CPF, Insurance, Medical Benefits and yet we were happy. My mother brought up five children, none with much education, the highest was me.
I served NS, got married and is presently an unemployed grandad and as poor as ever. Those earlier days, we were poorer but happier, now we are materially sufficient but I have no happy feelings. Politics, self centredness and boastfulness are everywhere, at the workplace, market, school and estate. Laws and Regulations of every imaginations cover every facets of livings, did someone accurately said we are birds kept in cages?
Leaders care for their remunerations, foreigners came in to take away our jobs and living space. Unskilled jobs almost all taken by foreign workers. Choice housings and locations are purchased by wealthy foreigners. So, where do we stand? Struggling and yet hardly can survive.
And all our leaders could tell us is for us to upgrade, upgrade! They are taking us, the Citizenry, as morons. They think we are blind to those professionals and managers getting displaced, replaced and retrenched, became jobless, went into taxi driving, security job that pay them peanuts. Why are these people suffering such fates? THE FAULTS LIE WITH NATIONAL POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN AND BEING DISHED ONTO US, SHOVED ONTO US!
DOES ANYONE WANTS TO UPGRADE TO WHERE THE SAID PROFESSIONALS AND MANAGERS WERE AND SUFFERS THEIR FATES, AFTER SPENDING MONEY AND TIME AND NEGLECTING ONES’ FAMILY IN THE PURSUIT OF UPGRADING?
AT THIS POINT, I WANT TO SAY TO THE LEADERSHIP; GO ON AND ENJOY YOUR POWER, WEALTH AND PERKS BUT JUST RETAIN A LITTLE CONSCIENCE FOR YOUR CITIZENS. IT IS NEVER TOO MUCH FOR US TO ASK FOR A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING FROM YOU.
YOU LEADERS ARE MATERIALISTIC, THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE THE CITIZENS ENVY YOU, MOST CITIZENS ARE SANE ENOUGH TO WANT A SPIRITUAL WELLBEING WHICH YOU MAY NOT FANCY.
patriot.
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TOC;
much thanks for the photograph of the cement mixer tagged to the Comment.
It certainly helps the reader to better understand the description of the works in the Comment.
I am much obliged for your efforts!
patriot.
so poignant….we really really have to do a reality check!
Thumb up, Patriot !
Dear Observer;
me too regrets that U-turn is impossible for us, the irrepairable damages are already done in the last two decades or so.
The miniscule land resources have almost been developed to depletion and now the only remaining resource of citizenry are near completely exploited. I depend on no one for survival nor owe anyone a living and my conscience tells me that I simply cannot live to see how my fellow countrymen have to face challenges brought about because of our Independence(State).
Frankly, those days when I stayed in the village, my family gave shelter and food to anyone who needed them. Today, I cannot nor will others do, Singaporeans are regulated and inculcated to being a caged bird which cannot even take care of itself. Citizens have lost much of their freedoms and more frighteningly, their human senses and characters. This state of affairs is brought about by a materialistic and pragmatic culture initiated by LOCAL LEADERSHIP. I cannot say that it is a crime but a sin it certainly is and SINCITY is what some Australians who had been to Singapore call our city state. The Australian Tourists were prescient, but Singaporeans themselves are not.
For the last two years or so, through the local political blogs, one aspect strikes me hard. Almost all the Intellectuals doing socio-political blogs were and are consistently critical of the LOCAL REGIME. Are these bloggers nuts? Certainly not, most if not all are good enough to pack and go anytime. They did not and blogged about their feelings for the Country, yet our leaders treat them as invisible and instead implemented more measures against the wishes expressed by the Bloggers. This is blatant disregards for active citizens, a lack of respect and decency for ones’ subjects, tantamount to ill treatments of citizens.
All of us here are not politicians, we are not even affiliated to any, why are the Leadership treating active citizens like oppositions? Don’t they have a sense of proportion? Are they numb to plights of struggling citizens? Why is the country going into vice industry? Corruption of the minds of the citizens is far more evil than the corruptions of money and power, our leaders do not understand? then what leaders are they?
Let Singaporeans be the judges themselves.
patriot.
patriot, though you say that you had little education I find your English is better than some students I had to work with during my undergrad studies in NUS. Good points you mentioned and well expressed, hope the government will come to its’ senses one day.
Hi Victor;
though I had dropped out of schooling before Senior Cambridge partly because of a rebellious nature and a brokened family(parents were not able to get along), I did not stop reading and have been trying to understand man(kind)s’ belief in religions.
It is also a nature of me to seek knowledges as I live, though I did not go for any certification of any kind. I am naturally very fond of mountainous environments and nature and gather that I do not need any kind of certification as I long to be up to be with them as soon as I can. Unfortunately or fortunately, my 92 year old mother and father-in-law are up and moving, actualizing the Wish has to be put on the waiting list. Another nature of me is that I do not like supervising(manage/control) other people( humans) and dislike being controlled.
Though money is a very essential item in modern living, I find the invention of money causes much hardships for mankind. So, in a way, I have a prehistoric, if not primitive mentality, a kind of an anachronistic thinking which makes me yearn for the most basic form of survival. But modernization is overwhelming me and I live with a permanent disappointment.
To TOC, I posted a response to Dear Observer in Tan Kin Lians’ Article and found that it was put on moderation. I did a copy and paste at the same site later and it was also put on moderation. I was keen to reply to Observer and had it pasted here and it was still put into moderation and I noticed that ‘your views’ at the sidebar did not register the Responses too. Please check if they are in your spams.
I thank all of You.
patriot.
Patriot
What you wrote was so valid. We have been stripped of our dignity as a citizen, over the years. They have the power, but not a drop of magnamity that should be expected from those weilding power. What is disappointing for me though, is how each and every one of them, as soon as they are elected into power, they lose their moral conscience. Its a shame.
Dear Patriot,
You are kind to provide such feedback to the policy makers who are definitely and without shame following the TOC.
It is not too late - even though we keep hearing “Move On “, “Human Error”, “Nothing is perfect”…. & the passing of the buck is the norm………………………..The policy makers are taking stock surely in preparation for 2010
So you have big salaries from the President down, pay increment,….invite FT to enjoy the richer Singapore…..what example is being shown to the young - make money and spend while you can! After all it is not possible to bring along the load S$ notes and the houses bought when one faces the Creator.
Yes, money envy is not good . Dear Patriot , you are right to go for Spiritual Well Being………….what else if you are on the other side of the Divide?
“No Eye See” is also an option but it will not help the policy makers,…..
Singapore can be in the ruins in 5 years if…………
Patriot., thank you and good bye……………………………………………………………………….
patriot on June 27th, 2008 7.34 am
Thanks you sir for your article. I fully appreciate your viewpoint.
A lot of us may be more educated (in terms of so called certification or strings of academic qualifications) and younger and may not have a prehistoric, if not primitive mentality, a kind of an anachronistic thinking.
We do not need all these to know that something is not right.
Thank you once again for verbalizing what is on the mind of a lot of people and your contribution in TOC and also to Singapore.
I haven’t reached your age yet but I felt that Singapore has moved towards accumulating more wealth and nothing else. All policies made and pushed towards a wealthy country and not the well-being of our citizens, the future singaporean children. It is to me Singapore has become a superficial, shallow, and soul-less society. I see physical changes in Singapore too drastic,, but the human soul is lost in darkness. Appearance is deceitful but the core of all things must be pure and not rotten.
patriot on June 27th, 2008 3.58 am
“For the last two years or so, through the local political blogs, one aspect strikes me hard. Almost all the Intellectuals doing socio-political blogs were and are consistently critical of the LOCAL REGIME. Are these bloggers nuts? ”
The problems lie here. The MSM is always there to paint the picture to the effect that only views coming from the establishment are first class quality and all others (different from theirs) are sub-standard and “nuts”.
Every charade move is perfectly planned and orchestrated. With the internet, most likely they have or they will be pressured to reconsider the script.
Patriot,
Thanks for your sharing. I was used to belive our MSM and PAP till mid 80, But not any more. I notice that the change that going to hurt Singaporean more and more. but I, just one of the little people here. What should a little pepope do ?
Hi Patriot,
You’re welcome.
You are right, it seems that life was much simpler, happier and more peaceful than now, despite all that we claim to have achieved. I remember a recent survey which ranked Singaporeans as one of the most unhappy people in the world.
Maybe we should take a pause and think about that.
Thank you for sharing your honest and sincere thoughts. It has indeed struck a chord with many of us here..
Regards,
Andrew Loh
Everyone of us, no matter how “little” or insignificant, wields far greater power than the ruling party would have us believe. Rome is not built in one day. Likewise the state of Singapore’s social and political disequilibrium under the PAP will be naturally corrected one day. I profer no solutions because we must each find our own ways to deal with the internal disequilibrium or cognitive dissonance we may harbour.
Since patriot brought up spiritual well being, I would add that it is something we cannot deny in ourselves, and I don’t mean the religious kinds. The essence of what makes us human is the empathy we have for our fellow humans, their fortunes as well as their sufferings. The second thing is the universal human yearnings for freedom, dignity and equality. To deny or suppress them is to be less a human.
Dear PC;
me have not reach a level to provide answers to our roles as commoner citizens, however, at an individual level, each of us may like to detach oneself from materialistic pursuits of power, wealth and vices. As humans, we need spiritual wellbeing in being knowledgeable, upright, kind, caring and honest. A virtuous person seeks peace of mind and peace for others. Take good care of ones’ health is important, not only for self, it is also not to make others worry for your sufferings and hence suffer with you. Have a hobby or two that do not require much expenditure though you can pursue the costlier ones when you can afford.
As for state affairs, contribute positively by working for own survival and that of the family, assist others in needs when affordable and conform to laws and regulations. Never get too extreme in belief of faith(religions), if possible understand them before believing. If one is able to contribute good pointers to our ruler, let them know, put forward your ideas but do not ask or hope for reward/return, do it for yourself, your country/countrymen.
WHEN THERE ARE NEEDS TO ALERT AND REMIND RULERS OF FLAWS AND SHORTCOMINGS IN THEIR POLICIES, PERFORMANCES AND EVEN CHARACTERS. DO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM DISCRETELY OR OPENLY DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES BUT BE SURE YOU HAVE THE FACTS RIGHT AND YOUR IDEA IS RIGHT AND BRIGHT. If one is not able to enunciate, do talk to friends, colleagues and family members. They may help or at least share your opinions and pointers. You too will feel good having expressed yourself and the others may help to ascertain the credibility and worthiness of your ideas. In any case, it is never wrong to keep ones’ feelings within oneself, no one will or have the right to deny you that prerogative.
Remain simple, humble, contented and healthy to be happy.
A happy family makes a happy self and many happy families make a happy country. This must be a simple wisdom.
patriot.
ya life would be better , after old fart …
Dear Patriot,
Yes, we are of the same generation and if not may be a few years apart. It is indeed beyond the younger Singaporeans to understand what our generation or the generation before us had gone through. Cases like us are ample in those days but most if not all us had weathered it and survive till today.
Without a doubt, we all can see what is happening in Singapore. It did not happen yesterday. Yet time and again, a majority of us let it persist. Is it because we did not instill that humane quality in our kids or we too have just lost our conscience back then? Or are we too weak to say no? Surviving the 60s through 80s means a lot of hard work for many of us. Some are worse than others. We too are engrossed in trying to provide a quality live to our young ones albeit we knew well then that we are under an authoritarian regime, make no mistakes about it. But somehow many of us had supported it for the sake of progress. Why? A simple reason; our basic livelihood is dependent on it. Partly for self and I dare say mainly for our next generation. The degree of suffering today is pale in comparison and not just caused by the policies alone, you cannot ignore the fact that external factors and development surrounding us do has great impact. The least difference you can say is that most if not everybody at its minimum has a roof on top of them whether own or rented.
I have candidly pen my comment even to the degree of being challenge to reveal my personal history. Do I have any regrets? Not at all to be honest. Nobody likes to hear reality. Reality can be cruel in some cases. And before any change is enacted, all the least we can do is learned to treat each other with respects and dignity which is lacking in most Singaporeans today. This has nothing to do with whether the top people possess no such quality as cited. I rather plead to the employers who employed the low income earners (not just Singaporeans) to exercise conscience and give these helpless souls an opportunity and accord them with basic living wages; knowing that these changes indeed can be implemented without a mandate from the government. That is all I hope for. By the way, for some who compared Singapore with Switzerland, Switzerland have no minimum wage laws, but rely on employer groups and trade unions to set minimum earnings through collective bargaining
We both are not too far apart in terms of educational level. You are well read and are much more eloquent than me in expressing your views. I am sure as a concerned citizen you have done some research for article of concerns and couple with real life experiences to share your views.
My understanding is that the basic objective of having this aired is for our leaders and the likes to take notice. In short, we hope they at the top will at least listen and perhaps adopt some of the ideas aired making the assumptions that they had visited this site or others. However, since we are so aware how they work and see things in their value (nothing short of economic related) as you have pointed out correctly, surely it makes sense that the arguments and suggestions must strike a chore with them before we see any change will be considered.
There are no short of examples from experts (not Singaporean though) for the top people to cite us that Minimum Wage may cause unemployment if adopted. And who will be the people that will suffer most? It is exactly the group that Kin Lian had cited in his article.
Striking a balance in life is a top priority for most human beings if not all human beings all over the world. It is not just Singapore Citizens demand. You are very right to say that It is never too much to ask the Government for a little understanding. That I am in full support with you.
I am not writing to respond to anyone in particlar. But I thought can allow me to share some humble thoughts:
During the previous debate on the raise of humongous minister’s salaries, I remembered MM Lee uttered these: “.. common, lets be realistic, we are living in a real world..” He mentioned these in relation to them managing dont-know what billion dollars economy. One can’t compare with running a corporation, it’s a hugh economy ..etc and can’t compare with pte sector salaries.
I am very afraid, and sad, from extrapolation, it’s the hard truth, materialism is the core here in Singapore, and Singaporeans are foolish to expect public service to be a noblesse.
Similarly, as evidenced, where can one find modern-day Eu Tong Sens, Lee Kong Chians, Tan Tock Sengs? Maybe to give credit, I can think of one, the late Khoo Teck Puat, or rather his descendants, and maybe also Sim W Hoo on a smaller scale, but not least worthy.
i think not just the government but all of us have to wake up. people like CSJ have been complaining about such policies and discrimination for years. One person cannot change but all of us have to work together and do the necessary.
Dear Observer;
thank You very much for sharing with us your experiences and opinions.
I tell most Singaporeans that I am lucky that I am born before Independence and had a simple, free albeit a poor childhood days. We then lived a carefree and spontaneous existence.
In the Cyberspace, I have said many see the tree but miss the forest and my simple understanding of history is that materialism had brought down many a nation and its’ people. In fact, I would assert that few nation collapsed because of poverty. If materialism does not corrupt the people, the least it does is bringing about the decays of moral, traditional values and ethnic cultures.
Many sang, heaped praises and adulated MM Lee Kuan Yew for bringing about economic success that makes Singapore into a first world country, failing to see and oblivious to family and marriage breakdowns, youths interested only in things material. Leaders wanted and demanded to be paid millions of SIN Dollars per year and empowered themselves to the Amounts. It is not just audacious, it was horrifying. No external or international factors are involved, in fact there were no precedent anywhere in the World. And this happened when their subjects were facing stagnant, falling wages on top of structural unemployments. What a shame!
Are there no alternative, better management of citizens? Ideas from bloggers like Leong Sze Hian, Tan Kin Lian, Opposition Politician like Chee Soon Juan and Commenters like Harry(posted above) and many, many more including Sites like TOC, Mr Wang Says So, are treasure of ideas. Many of these people are professionals and specialists in different fields. Are their ideas and suggestions not workable?
Maybe You are right, the Leadership was allowed to dictate right from the early days and there was no checks and balances. BUT does a good regime requires checks and balances? Personally, I think checks and balances are for ROGUE REGIMES, not benign ones. Maybe the focus of Singaporeans were been shifted towards materialism right from the start of Independence and destined to face the music today.
The only consolation I found is that most citizens are still hopeful for a change of hearts of our rulers. Although I am pessimistic, there is hope nevertheless.
Dear Patriot,
To be very honest with you, I am optimistic initially. But after taking time out engaging myself in discussion, I have nothing else more to say but sigh. We will not see change any time soon. Not even at 2011. May be more liberal MP/NMPs with sense like KUM, BAE? might help moderate things a bit.
您老哥的修养涵养功夫应该有一定的成度了吧？应该开班授课，鼓励那些年轻人多认识道德经和佛学。
patriot on June 27th, 2008 2.56 pm
Observer on June 27th, 2008 4.57 pm
Hey, what is going on with both of you. Both of you are old birds here making a very positive contribution. Why out of a sudden, both of you have become so “conspiratorily” dejected.
Keep up with your good work and stay positive. A lot of other people need your nuggets of valuable viewpoints.
when you find your windows xp getting unstable and with viruses and trojan what do you do? You got important files in your pc but you cant backup. Do you ignore and continue to use the ever slowing pc or you restore a fresh copy of windows and lose all your files? I do believe many singaporeans will tolerate a self declare uncorrupt, very imcompetent and self praise gahmen than to give an opp a chance to form gahmen. The fear of losing their material life is too big a loss. Only way is for the gahmen to continue their legal oppression on her people to a point when most of us just give windows xp a boot and restore a new one. Let us hope for this version of windows to finally slowed to a crawl and eventually crashed. Restore our citizen life back.
FG
patriot ,
you articulate very well on issues pertaining to typical Singaporean. It will be good if you can become a writer for TOC, and I hope to see more posts from you as do many of Singaporeans.
Keep it up !
I am thankful to everybody for giving me encouragements and supports, I am touched.
TOC Supporters; Observer and me have had just a little interactions recently, as such we may need some time to understand each other, hence we are unable to conspire yet. As it is, we have yet to share common views and apparently, we decipher issues quite differently. The common thread that we have, lies in our hopes for a better society, this I am very sure, we will contribute our best.
For almost three decades, as an active citizen, I have forwarded my views to Ministries and Official Medias in a private capacity and usually discretely. I did not expect much to come out of my actions but felt that I have done a little civic duties as a citizen. It is only recently that I have learnt to use the Internet to communicate with others and to proffer my opinions and views.
Many who know me tend to brand me a communist, I am not offended but tend to like it, as I like collective culture. As I have mentioned before, I found and find our Leaders insensitive to their citizens’ feelings. An unfeeling leadership that cooped up in their ivory towers, logically lack empathies with their subjects and this can never be good.
We now get to see first hand, how we have lost our graciousness, neighbourliness and respects amongst ourselves. Broken families and marriages have made many of our youngs suffered at very young age. Crimes and vices are glaringly on the rise on top of systemic failures in our security measures. All these have to be rectified by our overly paid leaders before man-made disasters happen.
Citizens have been depoliticized, demoralized and have became apathetic to social and national affairs, this too does not augur well for us. May we all each put in some efforts for the wellbeings of our countrymen, for a start, let us be more concerned about others.
patriot.
patriot on June 28th, 2008 12.12 am
“conspiratorily” was done in a tongue-in-cheek manner. I enjoy going through the articles from you and other contributors from this site as they are more real and in alignment with many of my observations on the things happening here - at the level of the common people.
As for people branding you as a communist. So what ? In our matured society, we do know the insidious purpose / intention of deliberate labelling by others who may not agree with your viewpoints.
“I found and find our Leaders insensitive to their citizens’ feelings. An unfeeling leadership that cooped up in their ivory towers, logically lack empathies with their subjects and this can never be good.”
You are not alone. People that I know of and speak with hold the same feeling also. Put it this way, the sound of drumbeat is already being heard from afar. It is a matter of time when we see the drummers.
“Citizens have been depoliticized, demoralized and have became apathetic to social and national affairs, this too does not augur well for us.”
The wind is definitely changing and blowing in the right direction, albeit a slow one. Nature will always “self correct” and humans being part of nature is subject to this law - may not be now but it will come - it is a matter of time. And with people like you around spreading the right message, the whole process may be hastened by step or two.
Dear TOC Supporter,
Patriot had already answered on my behalf therefore I will not make further clarifications. People like him in Singapore are rare these days and more often are very reserved in their characteristics. He is right, we decifer matters other than Humanity differently as our experiences and values are different. Don’t we as human beings? Opportunity and time permits, certainly, we will get to understand each other more and for me to learn more from his well spiritual being thinking.
Dear Patriot, It’s been a pleasure reading your genuine comments albeit I may not necessary agreed with some. I hope the young ones will learn a or two from you to see life in a different perspective. A person who values Humanity knows no boundary. Wishing you and your family well being. 套温总最近在四川灾区所说的金句：“人活着就好好的活下去“。老哥，保重身体。
I do not have to stress further on the top leaders in Singapore because it is a known fact. It is their own conscience that they have to reflect and hopefully they will come to their senses someday, afterall, they are still human beings.
Here’s my well wishes to all the crusaders. Be more accommodating and open your mind frame. See the bigger picture in life. Singapore is only but a tiny little red dot in planet earth. There are other sufferings out there that needed attention as well.
Sorry, a small typo error. It should read like this.
Dear Patriot, It’s been a pleasure reading your genuine comments albeit I may not necessary agreed with some. I hope the young ones will learn a thing or two from you to see life in a different perspective. A person who values Humanity knows no boundary. Wishing you and your family well being. 套温总最近在四川灾区所说的金句：“人活着就好好的活下去“。老哥，保重身体。
Dear Patriot,
I read your article with dismay. Having been living in the US for sometime, I feel that we should give credit where credit is due. Yes, Singapore has its shortcomings, but there are alot of good things about Singapore too.
Well for one, you write fluently. This has to be attributed to the success of Singapore’s education system. Singaporeans are bilingual in English and Chinese. If not for the foresight of our government, this would not have been the case. In the States, most Chinese who live here are not fluent in Chinese(not counting those who migrated from China). I believe that this will be a useful asset to the Singapore population.
The reality of life is that we should not be prepared to face job insecurity. Many jobs are being outsourced from the States to China and India. What you are feeling in Singapore is just a small aspect of this globalization. I don’t think there is much that Singapore nor its government can do but to face up to this reality. Singapore needs its foreigners and should welcome them with open arms. There are many skilled foreigners who have help made Singapore a better place. That house you lived in was probably built by foreigners.
Oh dear, I really have to apologize profusely. I was really slow to response because me too is a senile man. Please excuse me. It takes time for an old man like me to digest thoroughly before I can really coordinate my hands with my dying brain. It may have short circuited from such word of wisdom from MM 2 days ago and probably from your all fickle minded people.
We should embrace him and thank him for letting us know. This is great wisdom that you do not hear in your everyday life. I admit, I used to admire this man after reading his memoirs and thank him and his team then for doing such a great job to Singapore even I have to slug my life to make ends meet. Not the current team though. I don’t know them.
With this declaration, he has forced me to change my mindset. Fickle minded? I am not so sure. But one thing I do know and am sure about it, I do not need a surgeon to perform brain surgery on me. No thank you, someone already it.
I think for the young and struggling, it is not such a bad idea. SINGAPORE ruined in 5 years? Wow! A brand new beginning that you guys can compete on real equal terms. Can you wait for 5 years? I will probably not live to see it happen. Good luck to all the young ones. You may finally be free from your cage.
Anyway, when you are really free, remember to treat your fellow humans whether in Singapore or elsewhere with kindness, dignity and respects. Don’t let material rule over your head. Wealth is not necessary measured in monetary terms.
Hello; Amanda,
nice to meet you here, I had minutes earlier responded to your comments in ‘Who’s shining’.
Allow me to repeat that in my young days, I wanted a Chinese Education but was disallowed by my Pragmatic Mother, who told me that without an English Education, life will be hard for me. Unfortunately, due to low intelligence, I dropped out of schooling before Senior Cambridge Level.
After that, I regretted and it will last my whole life, that I should have persisted for the Chinese Education. But life was hard for me right from the start as I have indicated in my post. I did not and do not blame my mother nor the basic education that I got for the hard life. I was, am on my own feet up to now, I have love and respects from my family and friends. In short, life is hard but there are other aspects that provide consolations and joys.
Why then, am I agitated? I see a need to play the role of a citizen to other citizens as the Leaders are not concerned with us, much less, caring. Time to take stock and time to take cares of ourselves(citizens).
Do we, the average citizens, feel happy lately? The Answers I got from most are negative. Can You ask your fellow Singaporeans and maybe tell me the result You get?
Yours truly:
patriot.
Amanda;
btw, I like to build my own house if I am allowed, it will be the greatest joy of my life!
patriot.
Dear amanda,
I will ask you the same question here as in another thread and topic :
How can a Government be prepared to risk and lose billions of dollars of public money in investments overseas - and yet - totally refuse to subsidise anything in this age of food and petrol crisis ?
What kind of moral logic is that ?
It would seem to me that if the Government is willing to risk billions in investments - then it should also be willing to spend some money to subsidise some important commodities like rice.
There are so many critics of government but I wonder how many of you are in the PAP grassroots serving the people or joined the opposition to help them fight for change. There are so many good caliber people giving suggestions and complaining but no action. When it comes to the crunch, all votes goes to PAP. Election after election, it’s the same - all meek as kittens when it comes to the polls. What a laugh!
For a start, join the opposition movement. don’t just complain there are no good people there - if you think you can make a difference, join the opposition. They need good people and lots of resources. Actions speak louder than words (or whining in Internet).
For me, I would just play safe and vote for PAP the next time round because I think they are doing a great job despite the odds. We would not even be a red dot if not for PAP and the policies they set in place. We got the freedom to whine here because of the gov’s IT policy, our children are educated and our streets are safe. I think whiners are feed too full and have too much time on their hands.
If too free, just join grassrooots or opposition, either way is good for you instead of complain and complain but no action.
Dr Syed Alwi,
actually there are numerous subsidies for Singaporeans in Singapore.
For example, when I was educated in the States, tuition costs in excess of US$20,000 per year, not counting living which is another US$10,000. Education in SIngapore is cheap. Is this because Singapore professors don’t eat? No, the logical answer is that the government is subsidizing education in Singapore.
Furthermore, healthcare is subsidized in Singapore too. It is quite cheap, even with if you account for means testing and the other pet-peeves of Singaporeans.
GST, come on, its just 7%. Sales tax in NY is also 7%(I think, or maybe 7.25%). In europe, it is even higher.
So, there are financial concessions that the Singapore government has made for its people.
–Do we, the average citizens, feel happy lately? The Answers I got from most are negative. Can You ask your fellow Singaporeans and maybe tell me the result You get?
Do you feel unhappy lately? maybe you should change your outlook in life then. There are many rich people in the States who feel unhappy too, and many poor people who seem really happy. Is it all financially caused? perhaps not. I think it is Singaporean’s over-emphasis on these financial and economic concerns that result in a greater sense of anguish and disappointment when these wishes of materialistic satisfaction are not fulfilled. Furthermore, the government, being in tune with what Singaporeans want, have already tried to satisfy these wishes by bringing more and more prosperity to the Singapore people.
Yes, Singapore government’s policies may not be very enjoyable in the short term, but they do have the best intentions for the Singapore people and they do what they can to alleviate suffering in the long run.
Dear People,
Some of you talk as though we have no right to criticise the Government ! Once again the Government subsidy mentality come through. They talk as if we owe the Government a living !
Get this straight once and for all - the Government serves the people and NOT the other way around. The Government is answerable to the people and not the other way around. Damn right you’re gonna answer to us !
And yes - we have the right to ask for subsidies given how much we spend on the Government via direct and indirect taxation like GST, ERP etc etc.
I have no qualms asking for subsidies given that our Government is prepared to lose billions in bad invesdtments. Better for them to spend that money on us ! Why not ? If you are prepared to lose several billions in bad investments - then you should first be prepared to spend a few on subsidies.
Dear Syed Alwi,
let’s say you were given the reins of the Singapore reserves for one day , what and exactly how much $$ and subsidies would you award?
Hi Patriot,
Thanks for sharing with us your heart-felt sentiments.
I respect you greatly.
You are a true patriot.
You do give credit to the govt when it is due but also do not mince words when you feel that the govt has turned its back on the people.
Thank you,
Dear amanda,
First - lets get the Government to publicly account for the reserves. Today its all shrouded in mystery !
But GIC is not a public company, it is not accountable in the same way a publicly traded company is. Furthermore, even banks do not disclose all their investments because of strategic reasons.
For example, if a bank know that a new type of battery will fix the world’s oil shortage , they obviously will not tell you that they plan to buy out that company first, would they? That would be a major strategic flaw. If we care about Singapore and its reserves, we should let the government do as it deems best, since doing so is in the national interest, unless of course you think that the government does not act in the national interest, which if that were the case then you should do something about it. Dr Syed Alwi, you are a singaporean aren’t you, you can vote.
No amanda - I do not believe that the government knows best. Their track record in overseas investments leaves much to be desired
can you point to specific examples of bad investments?
Dear amanda,
Try Suzhou, ShinCorp, Micropolis etc etc How about Optus ?
Besides - you should ask the Government to open their books first !
Suzhou - lots of goodwill from China. Obvious from the fact that many Chinese now call Singapore home. The growth of talented workers from China can only contribute to the success of Singapore.
and anyway, the government is not untransparent, they do disclose their investments. So your point about lack of transparency lacks weight.
Dear amanda,
Tell me - where are the accounts of the reserves published ?
Dear Amanda;
my outlook in life has been constant and stable. as You have read from my comments; hardlife since childhood(born in an attap(palm leaves) roofed,) discarded wooden plank walls(partitions) and plain soil floor(not cemented) house did not disappoint me. Born to poor, uneducated and menial working parents did not sadden me. In fact I am very proud of my hard working and honest parents, they are my role models for life. They are soooo much more respectable than any talented leaders that I have came across.
It is not good of me to restate that I and my family have earned our keeps, we owe nobody a living nor do we depend on others for survivals. We have more than enough of material needs. Does all these mean that I should close my eyes and ears? I do, when I am unable to help, but as sentient being, I am prone to play my parts in society. Friends and colleagues warned me time and again, to be careful with my outspoken inclination. As an atheist, I have got nothing to swear and I am declaring here that I also have nothing to fear except bad and evil beings.
There wealthy but unhappy people and there are poor but happy people, read my posts again Amanda and You will realised I have stated that few times in the past. I have no argument with You on this, but elsewhere, we differed. It is understable to me that differences exist between and amongst people. I might have been exposed and enjoyed a much better era, for example before Independence, a time maybe before You were born. Singapore had a very low population, abundance of primary produces then, which You do not know.
People grouse and complain because their wanton material needs are not satisfied; You are spot on amanda. Let me remind You again that I said materialism caused downfalls of kingdoms, not poverty. Singaporean Leaders harped and implementated economy improving policies without the slightest care for spiritual upbringings throughout their rein led to the sad situation today, don’t You agree?
You are quite philosophical, so allow me to consult You, WHAT SHOULD SINGAPOREANS DO? NOW THAT YOU KNOW ALMOST EVERYONE IN THE NET IS CRITICAL OF THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT AND LEADERS. Please enlighten us, we will be grateful.
patriot.
Folks;
please allow me a correction; the word understable should read as understandable.
There wealthy should read as There are wealthy……….
Thank You!
patriot.
Amanda
>>
Yes, Singapore government’s policies may not be very enjoyable in the short term, but they do have the best intentions for the Singapore people and they do what they can to alleviate suffering in the long run.
>>
In the long run, we are all dead– John Maynard Keynes.
>>
Suzhou - lots of goodwill from China.
>>
So much goodwill such the Suzhou City Government decided to sabotage with the Suzhou New District.
Dear Dr Huang;
thank You for your complements, You were earlier than me in the Net doing your parts for a better society.
Let us just put it these ways; ‘kuo jia an wei, pi fu you ze’ everyone has a duty to his country, ‘lu chian bu ping, pa dao xiang zhu’ Let us help the weaks against the crooked and right the wrongs.
Me appreciates You greatly.
patriot.
“and anyway, the government is not untransparent, they do disclose their investments. So your point about lack of transparency lacks weight.”
how one Suzhou determine everything about level of transparency in government really baffles me ! Do enlighten me, ‘intellect one’ !
“But GIC is not a public company, it is not accountable in the same way a publicly traded company is. Furthermore, even banks do not disclose all their investments because of strategic reasons.”
Yes, making with rule and loophole again. Who is the one to make GIC a public company and make it a mandate to be one in the first place so that it doesn’t need to be accountable at all. The citizen or LKY ?
Thanks for the memory.
True Singaporean needs to look back at history and adjust accordingly.
Life is Good here. Just take a few steps back to smell the Roses.
46) amanda on June 29th, 2008 12.10 pm
“Suzhou - lots of goodwill from China. Obvious from the fact that many Chinese now call Singapore home. The growth of talented workers from China can only contribute to the success of Singapore.
and anyway, the government is not untransparent, they do disclose their investments. So your point about lack of transparency lacks weight.”
You explained as though you have just graduated from university and working on your first job. Why not you just part a few thousands of yours to me. Well, surely you will get plenty of goodwill from me. If you make it tens of thousands, I will even address you as angel or saint. Such goodwill is not hard to come by if you are willing to plonk so much into any country.
Now I understand why people of the same kind can define disclosure so loosely. Amanda, if it is private funds (Ah Kong funds), i do not care a hoot of how it is being used. If it is public funds, bear in mind that there are a lot of discerning and interested Singaporeans who have a lot of questions swirling in their minds when such investments are being made.