Saturday, August 29, 2009 19:15
The Singapore Story – A failure of pragmatism
In Main Stories, Top Story • 3,581 views • 51 Comments
Note:
We have removed the earlier report on the IPS forum on NMP Viswa Sadasivan’s speech. We will publish further clarification later today, together with Mr Viswa’s letter to The Online Citizen.
The Current Affairs Desk
In his inaugural speech, Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Mr Viswa Sadasivan said, “It has often been said that Singapore does not have an ideology – that pragmatism is our mantra and modus operandi. But if we examine our National Pledge closely, it is our national ideology – a set of inalienable values, precepts that demand adherence in the face of the lure of pragmatism.”
This challenge to pragmatism, even by our National Pledge, was something that was deemed so unacceptable that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who heard about it from the newspapers, while “doing physiotherapy”, had to intervene in the debate to “bring the House back to earth”, by calling the NMP’s arguments “false and flawed (and) completely untrue”. The NMP certainly did touch a raw nerve, when he suggested in Parliament that pragmatism is but a lure, especially for the ruling party.
The ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) concept of good government is actually a version of communitarian democracy. Communitarian ideology emphasizes the need to balance individual rights and interests with that of the community as a whole, but its focus on social cohesion raises similarities with various forms of authoritarianism.
Social Control
Upon independence in 1965, a massive cultural transformation of the population was necessary for Singapore to develop economically. This was when the ideology of ‘survival of the nation’ was conceptualised. This ideology of survival has now become the basic concept for rationalisation which extends beyond pure economics to almost all spheres of a Singaporean’s life. If social control can be shown to contribute to economic growth, it is considered necessary for ’survival’ and hence ‘pragmatic’.
But are “pragmatic” policies or “pragmatism” always good?
It is but pragmatism which made Members of Parliament (MP) responsible for their estates. Town councils were introduced only in 1989 but 20 years on, its aim has not been achieved as Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong admitted in June this year. Its aim? To “give them (residents) a stake in the process of governance”, SM Goh explained.
How do you foster such a thing when in Singapore MPs do not run estates anyway, for all intent and purposes. Instead, the towns are run by professional town managers, employed by the town councils. So, why pretend that they are? As it is, many of our MPs and ministers are overburdened with multiple duties. Take Mr. Teo Ser Luck, for example. He is now Mayor, MP, Parliamentary Secretary and heads the Youth Olympic committee, along with other commitments. As for the other MPs, they have multiple directorships in private and government-linked companies, heads various committees such as Government Parliamentary Committees (GPC), on top of their personal careers.
MPs, being so well paid, should focus exclusively on national policies. This can only benefit Singapore and Singaporeans. We face challenging times in this globalised world, as the government has so often reminded us. More heads dedicated to these issues would be the logical thing to do and MPs should therefore be focused on more important national issues rather than be drained by municipal issues. We ought to have non-political grassroots organisations and leaders to take care of these things.
Grassroots
The Grass-Roots Organizations (GROs) are there to serve a purpose – they are PAP’s mouthpiece, to explain and convince people of the various government policies, and to be the eyes and ears for the PAP. The citizens who are somewhat supportive of the opposition are not allowed to climb the ranks of the grassroots. Moreover, the opposition MPs, do not get to be advisors for GROs, which are all under the purview of the People’s Association, which is a statutory board chaired by the Prime Minister. The advisors to the GROs (even in opposition held constituencies) invariably turn out to be PAP men or supporters.
This is the ‘pragmatism’ of the PAP – resulting in a system which is inherently communitarian.
The ruling PAP’s policies are two-fold. And this has been so for the last 43 years. It is simply this:
- Keep the ordinary Singaporeans anxious and worried about their immediate surroundings their daily lives.
- Leave the “bigger” things to the government.
If looked upon closely, this has been the underlying principle in all PAP policies. With this underlying principle, it is hardly surprising that the PAP now talks of devolvement of responsibilities through the town councils and the constant encouragement to “upgrade skills”. Politics in Singapore is reserved for the handpicked ‘elite’, which results in the almost total absence of politics from the general populace.
Just as the GROs are not natural but created to serve ‘pragmatism’, so is trade unionism. They are created exclusively to serve the PAP and its brand of ‘pragmatism’.
This is manifested through the appointment of top union leaders who are pro-PAP. These unions thus become para-political, which defeats the purpose of setting up unions in the first place. In the 50s, unions in Singapore were not para-political but truly fought for the rights of the workers. This should be the purpose of unions.
A Constitution only in form
Under the PAP’s pragmatic approach it governs through law rather than by law, making amendments to the Constitution as it pleases. This has led some to quip that Singapore does not have a Constitution at all. The PAP takes up more than two-thirds of the seats in parliament, and through the party-whip, PAP MPs are not allowed to vote against the party. Hence, constitutional changes are undertaken with speed as the absolute majority supports it, an aspect praised as a “Singapore advantage” by the government. The executive body is thus infused with the ethos of pragmatism; as such it is an instrument of social control, tailored to the ever changing needs of Parliament, the sole authority of law making.
The PAP’s pragmatic approach has inculcated a sense of apathy among the citizenry. Their constant re-emphasizing of the need for economic growth in a competitive environment has led to a generation growing up to be individualistic and ‘kiasu’.
Pragmatism has also made the ‘paper chase’ the sole priority of any student, so much so that many have forgotten the importance of being politically aware and in speaking up.
The effects of the pragmatic ruling party on the de-politicised students were beginning to show as early as in the 1970s; merely 10 years after the ruling party came to power. Mr Goh Keng Swee (the chief architect of modern Singapore’s economy) in pleading with university graduates in 1971 to take a personal interest in the affairs of their country and make an effort to understand issues and provide leadership in forming public opinion, said, “Too many people regard political ideas not as serious matters affecting their lives but as topics for idle discussion. Nor do they ask of themselves, what is the relevance of these notions to the situation of Singapore today, tomorrow and in the next decade.”
Dare to dream?
Communitarian democracy as practiced by the PAP is one of constant vigilance, where it sees itself as the guardian of collective interest. Phrases such as, ‘harming the social fabric’ or ‘ for the good of the society’ are often verbalised by the PAP when introducing controversial legislations or policies. Yet, beneath this postulation of a shift in ‘ideology’, pragmatism is still undertaken by the PAP as the sole driving force. And so the negative impact prevails.
The PAP’s brand of politics in choosing and championing pragmatism, has trumped and rendered obsolete all ideologies. But what good are the competencies and expertise of pragmatism, if it is not tempered with ideology?
Ideology is not a bad word. Ideology is but the core fundamental beliefs and political principles which exist independent of considerations for competencies and expertise. For how can we assess political leaders based solely on technocratic effectiveness and expertise in crafting policies, which pragmatism prescribes, without regard to ideology?
Just as it is possible to become too rigid and unyielding in upholding ideological beliefs by adhering excessively to principles without regard to consequences, it is equally possible to become so pragmatic that one operates without any core principles.
The ruling PAP in engendering an overcompensating desire to rid ourselves of ideology in the name of pragmatism; have robbed Singaporeans and even most of our political leaders currently in Parliament from forming inalienable values and precepts, which are critical in the forging of a true nation.
In the end, an over-emphasis on pragmatism limits the possibilities which we might otherwise dare to imagine and aspire to.
——
Read also: Our audacity to hope.
And: Have we lost our audacity to hope?
——
Headline picture by Terence Ong, from wikimedia.
——
Related posts:
51 Comments
patriot
Dear Gilbert Goh:
we are already into the Days You dread !
The signs of ego, greed, materialism and flamboyance were apparently manifested decades ago, however, they were touted by our leaders as progressive, entrepreneurial, excellence and intelligent.
Now, having inculcated and imbued with the National Ethos of Meritocracy and Pragmatism by our leaders and having the Culture firmly established, some Singaporeans are beginning to see the ‘backfirings’. Though i think it is too late, there is dire needs to highlight the flaws of the System.
And
You have said some of the most relevant points.
Thank You !
patriot
Rights
“Communitarian ideology emphasizes the need to balance individual rights and interests with that of the community as a whole”
Does individual rights include paying oneself millions collected from the community?
1) Gilbert Goh
Are you writing about yourself or about all Singaporeans ?
spin docsor
I wonder are singaporeans united?
Whatever they kpkb at copi shops no one dares to speak up at HLP for the people except a few good men and women.
1. Neighbors shy from each other.
2. Natday flags are few except from RC members and some mysterious acts of flags hanging where a series of perfectly straight chained flags were hung outside the flats from top floor down to 2nd floor and maybe some who really hang the flag but these are the rare ones i’ve seen.
3. Top 20% from a school now left singapore.
4. so many migrated.
5. ugly singaporean examples.
6. rising divorce rates. Are singaporeans not said to be happy? If more Families are broken, People can still be happy?
7. people so gullilble and over-trusting or complacent – mini bon bons.
8. loss money also dare not voice up at HLP or even sign a harmless piece of petition.
9. The faces of youths – oblivious to current affairs.
I actually would be happy to see 50% more new citizens. Existing ones cannot change.
OriginalResonance
I agree. It’s time for a change. We need a new government. A government which will guarantee us free healthcare, free lodging, free food, free transport, in a utopia where all of us work as one for the country without asking for anything in return. And we shall put our lives on the line for our glorious nation without question. Pour our monies into the military. Setup nuclear installations. National security is paramount. Whichever country dares to intervene in our affairs, we’ll send them an atomic bomb as a deterrent to other countries. Come on Singaporeans. Stand up, stand up for Singapore! LOL :D
leesjuanpat
The choice is ours to make now whether pragmatism or ideology. PAP under LKY
created a system of communitarian ideology and brainwashed the majority of people.
The one example are the GROs. 95% are PAP’s men and we can call them running dogs and bootlickers. The 5% which are neutral and only wanted to participate in activities and volunteer in events, never move up. I was in the 5% for 6years. And I witnessed the ugliest side of backstepping and holding on to
chairmanship in CCC and CCMC. Yes GROs were created to be the instrument and earpiece for PAP. In short, they are the spies and agents for PAP. A network of spineless people. And with donation of cash to the CC, many were bestowed
national titles of PBM, BBM.
What constitution do we have? PAP sets the law and enacted with absolute power whereby the courts are totally compliant to LKY’s directive. Just tell me,
has any opposition members ever win in the kangaroo court of the system.
And foreign publications are at the mercy of our judicial system with LKY as the supreme judge. All the judges are but tools for his manipulation.
Dare we dream. With all LKY’s men in parliament and only two meek opposition voices in a sea of fine-tuned ideologists mouthing the policies and approving all controversial bills, the true Singaporean dream of a better Singapore seems too remote.
We must stand pragmatic with our own true ideology to cast the right votes to oust the authoritarian, absolute corrupted nepotic, despotic and totalitarian rules of LKY to see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
LET US DO IT RIGHT THIS TIME. 50 years to dare our dream is still not too late fellow Singaporeans. LET’S DO IT RIGHT NOW!
Gummy Bear
#7,
“we’ll send them an atomic bomb …”
i wonder , in a dream, if a SE Asian country could have this capability soon?
Gummy Bear
#8,
“What constitution do we have? ”
Well, in a democracy, the people decide and that is precisely what they have done.
They choose a group of people to run the country and these people do, they are doing what they are doing.
It is the people who have chosen them and not them who give themselves the mandate.
People who don’t like what they see and feel nothing they can do , i suspect, could have migrated. Just a suspicion only.
Its all fair and square. The people are responsible in their own ways.
Also , the sad pathetic state of opposition all this half century is also the responsibility of the people in their own ways. For example, where could competent opposition leaders come from ? Of course the must come from the People.
Do the people have such leaders ? Yes . But have they joined opposition ?
So, if the people are not responsible in their own ways, who is?
mice is nice
with a number of walkovers, who really knows?
OriginalResonance
Gummy Bear “i wonder , in a dream, if a SE Asian country could have this capability soon?”
It’s comments like this that prompted me to treat this site as nothing more than a satire of politics. :D
fpc
//The ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) concept of good government is actually a version of communitarian democracy
This is a joke.
Concept of PAP government is pay the ministers well, feed up on the people, make them poor and listen to you, then kill off any opposition that make too much noise and make the people feel that they don’t want the system to crash.
luzon
get the point already sinkaporean? study well and get PSC ivy league/oxbridge scholarship. only then you are eligible to take care of the politics. if you are dumb enough to settle in local unis, don’t bother with politics because PAP think you are not smart enough for it
OriginalResonance
luzon
If you can’t even grasp the idea of sarcasm, then that says it all, isn’t it? LOL :D
luzon
ok. i get it. haha :D
modern malay/indian/chinese pahlawan
8) Gummy Bear on August 30th, 2009 12.13 am
#7,
“we’ll send them an atomic bomb …”
don’t mention bomb here. it is sensative issue. you might go to prison dude
modern malay/indian/chinese pahlawan
12) fpc on August 30th, 2009 3.34 am
//The ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) concept of good government is actually a version of communitarian democracy
this is already start from the beginning. so singaporeans those PAP supporters do think of your other sinaporeans life not base on your own interest as a PAP supporters, vote them out and you will get probably more then what PAP has to offer you which is not money or lift upgrading and casinos and F1 tracjks all over singapore but you singaporeans will get a better future and your future will be secure in years to come.
vote PAP and support LKY and what you get is The ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) concept of good government is actually a version of communitarian democracy!!
thanks you
David
I don’t feel proud after seeing Lee Hsien Loong’s presentation on national day rally. He is capable of delivering hardware but a complete failure on heartware. The hardware parts are more of trying to lure the foreigners and these foreigners will eventually leave our shore to graze on their own homeland’s heartware. Loyalty should be built upon a strong hearthare and that is where pap failed and chose not to see it. They felt heartware is not pragamatic and that is where doom is foreseeable now.
unabel
Being so overly pragmatic that to appease the Malays after the divorce on 9.8.65, our national flag has a crescent symbol which to unliterate foreigtners, Spore is a
Muslim nation. Hurt by the expulsion, MM became and still is obsessed with the aim of the Little Red Dot’s economic supremacy at all costs, never mind if it entails often stepping on toes and elbowing of shoulders of Sporeans and creating a culture of absolute materialism which aroused the baseness of human self-centredness and greed. So the mantra is “If you’re clever, why are’nt you rich??”
modern malay/indian/chinese pahlawan
PAP OUT for sure this time. you singapore want to carry on this life? you want to still play in singapore?play enough already or still want to play with PAP football?
vote them out!!!!!! they are not fit to even do anything except their own interest and their own millions of dollars!!!!!!! gain and lost from our sweat and blood of singaporeans and they declare it it is their own money?????from where it comes?
maybe the get pay by china president and their citizen so PAP money not ours?
lky/pap: your money you already EAT what……where got we take?/you see we take? no right then don’t anyhow say hor…. we PAP and goverment work really really hard to earn millions every we sleep only one hour you know!!dare you singaporeans say your money.
singaporeans: you are sick b#@#$#ds
Dinesh
and it doesnt give you a feel of belonging anymore.All the PAP wants is FTs and more FTs. Sobs..
incikencik
[i] KopitiamApek on August 29th, 2009 11.05 pm 1) Gilbert Goh
Are you writing about yourself or about all Singaporeans ?[/i]
he is writin on my behalf includin my neighbours upstairs
he is defitenitLEE not writin on your behalf, we all know that for you are indeed the leekuanyews’ people..you don’t have to suffer all those what the author have written..you are born with a GOLDEN spoon, not a silver 1 @ all
OriginalResonance
We are all Earthlings. LOL :D
22) incikencik
//////he is writin on my behalf includin my neighbours upstairs///////
so he represents views of 3 person?
6) OriginalResonance
////////// I agree. It’s time for a change. We need a new government. A government which will guarantee us free healthcare, free lodging, free food, free transport////////
May I add this wishlist of other free things?
Free education up to PhD
Free plasma TV (minimum 48″ please)
Free car (with COE thrown in) and unlimited ERP season pass
Free 3G mobile phone
Free HDB flat including renovation and furniture (plasma TV no need, we are reasonable, we do not ask twice lah)
Free purchase of groceries at FairPrice
Guaranteed minmum wage of $xxk per month
No performace ranking allowed at work, we want to relak lah brother
3 days work week so ensure worklife balance
Free MRT ride
Free SIA flights
Free food at all Hawker Centres
(this list is not exhaustive, but I am exhuasted liao to type some more)
xy
I don’t think there has been an over-emphasis on pragmatism at all. In fact, I’m worried for those who, as they say, dare to dream; ’cause their dreams are stolen, made use of, and never realised. A dozen or more things can be dreamt, but what happens in the end is that they are stolen, even the dreams dreamt on pieces of paper. To encourage a nation of dreamers is to encourage a nation of thieves. I would say, encourage a nation of pragmatists, and so encourage a nation that breeds originality.
Arixion
I have 1 Question: Exactly what IS ‘pragmatism’? And is ‘Pragmatism’ not an ideology in itself as well?
OriginalResonance
(#25)
I know you meant it in a facetious manner but those things that you’ve requested for can be given by the gahman. But at what expense? I keep reading the insatiable needs of the keyboard warriors here when they don’t realize that what the gahman can give is what we’ve given them. The best the gahman can do, imho, is to do nothing for us. As per normal, my question is “anarchy, anyone?” :D
KopitiamApek thinks those who lament on the problems concerning our country is joke. He thinks people just want free things.
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 31 Aug 2009
[...] was removed from TOC – Singapore Recalcitrant: No racial inequality in Utopian Singapore? – TOC: The Singapore Story – A failure of pragmatism – Hammersphere: Does the PAP MP agree with [...]
SpongeBoob
On Free things in life. The only free thing is the freedom to interpret or rather misinterpret.
When you have only one intent, one notion, one mission, then I see no other reason you can listen with your heart. Did the ah mas who lives alone and get PA ask for free things? Did the ah pehs on PA who frequent Buddhist Lodge for free lunch ask for free rides? I can still remember this ah ma in her 70s who works as a part-time cleaner in a VWO, holds a PA card, lives in a rental flat, and get her daily supplies from charities. When I seek to help her apply for more government subsidies, she answers in cantonese – “No need, money use sparingly can enough…”
I was walking her out of office, then she stopped by a Singapore Pools shop and placed a $2 bet on a 4D combination. May be she’s exercising a hobby and she simply has not enough money. I didn’t ask…
i am your govt
you just try. the next govt to take over PAP (if it ever happens) will be far far worse off.
our govt is doing a good job. put another circus in and see how the clowns will run this country.
you still need the Men in White.
“Good Guys wear White” :)
one free thing enough
to 25) KopitiamApek and 29) Muhammad Shamin,
Although I agree with Apek that it would be nice to have so many free things, I only desire for one free thing.
And that is free blowjobs and bootlicking from PAP running dogs. I always wonder what it’s like for the PAP political masters who receive such benefits.
Oh, and of course the running dogs are well paid, so ordinary folks like myself can only hope to get it free. LOL
OriginalResonance
Ideas are free and most of all, they are bulletproof.
Tan Shui Bee Vivian
32) i am your govt on August 31st, 2009 12.50 pm
“you just try. the next govt to take over PAP (if it ever happens) will be far far worse off.
our govt is doing a good job. put another circus in and see how the clowns will run this country.
”
Your comment is so shallow, I vomit everytime I read it.
Full of sweeping statements.
Not worth further comments than provided.
Lim Kim Shan
Re: 32) i am your govt on August 31st, 2009 12.50 pm
Hello
You can be pro-PAP ( i was one ) but if you should not turn a blind eye to all the abuses and ills under PAP.
LDP is entrenched, their key position filled of 2nd generation princelings, and after 50+ years in office, they are voted out.
This will not happen to pap tomorrow, b’cos they keep the ISA for control.
But is this good for Singapore, where is the creative generation ? we have lots of people who only know kowtow to govt …. good frogs want a lively river with water flowing and not a pond choked with controls, if the weather get hot, no matter how the pond owner claim to be world class, all lives in the pond will suffocate and die…. we MUST NOT allow this day to happen.
Good Guys wear White
Tan Shui Bee Vivian
Please i hope you vomit on yourrself.
So you realise? isn’t this place full of such s***?? i’m just playing at your level.
Dr Lee
Don’t be fooled! Pragmatism is an Ideology.
5) Spin docsor. Very good observation.
These are the social consequenses of system engineered society with a high emphasis on meritocracy and pragmatism. Imagining putting the two together as pilliars for nation building? You get the cold materialistic society of today with no soul. Even welfare orgs are into it, look at NKF, Youth Challenge, Ren Zhi.
The elite has been rather smart in engineering it and is able to hang on to power for so long, but change is near. Why?
Interestingly, all these flaks about foreign migrants…….. Well I know quite a few and you’d be surprise that they may be the ones who bring about change. They dare to change – migration is really a huge change and commitment and they want to make things happen. They don’t want the cold, clinical and pressure-cooker environment. Elitism is definitely intolerable.
So with locals being disenchanted, and fresh citizens not raised up under the culture of compliance, Singapore will definitely see change ….. from bottom up, not top down. Wait and watch!
very angry
32) i am your govt on August 31st, 2009 12.50 pm
you just try. the next govt to take over PAP (if it ever happens) will be far far worse off.
our govt is doing a good job. put another circus in and see how the clowns will run this country.
you still need the Men in White.
“Good Guys wear White” :)
really?? what good does it get by still voting for PAP again? another peanuts for us singaporeans MONKEYS???
opposition was always name as CLOWNS and unfit to run this country only LEE KUAN YEW CAN AND NO ONE ELSE!
are you sure? lky is the only one that no other country has a president or ministers better off then them? lol must be joking.
lky and PAP are far more worst then you can every imagine and you still vote the WHITE MAN and you all singaporeans future will be ruined further.
can’t anyone see what is going on for past years? are you singaporeans blinded by peanuts all this while?
keep voting for PAP good luck.~!!!!
mice is nice
hi No thanks,
////Do I want Low Thia Khiang to run the government?
Definitely!////
some posters find Mr Low too meek (like mouse?), not garang enough.
Anon
“A failure of pragmatism”?
How so?
OriginalResonance
I want to make a judgement on Low Thia Khiang’s policies but I can’t even understand him for starters. LOL :D
30) Muhammad
32) SpongeBoob
On the subject of free things in life,
“No man is free who is not master of himself.”
Karmic Horlando
Singaporeans are well known to be kia.
Several flavors:
1. Si
2. Sai
3. Su
new citizens may be a good thing for singapore as a whole.
The last 50 years, overwhelmingly large numbers of citizens flocked to support WP in their rallies of the last 2 elections. The result ? ZERO wins GRC.
Zero means Absolute Total Zero.
year after year, elections after elections , people cry for opposition to win.
After crying they still vote the other way.
By the power of evidence from the last 50 years, i conclude that singaporeans have FAILED to progress the opposition.
By virtue of this, I support the influx of new citizens at record pace.
50% new citizens is good, 90% would be great. 100% would give me spontaneous climatic exclamations of the downunder type.
ITS TIME FOR CHANGE by new citizens where existing ones have failed miserably based on solid irrefutable evidence.
Even Japan LDP ended its reign after half a century.
irobot
[i]KopitiamApek on August 31st, 2009 9.07 pm
30) Muhammad
32) SpongeBoob
On the subject of free things in life,
“No man is free who is not master of himself.” [/i]
i am a free man
i worked for myself 24/7 sometime 7/24 depen on my mode/moods
whatever i want..toys or goodies liked YOU have mentioned
if fulLEE paid with my blood/sweat and tears..yet on top of that i still have to pay the greedy government 7% GST who gave me NOTHIN in return!
PAP's pragmatic stooges
On the subject of free things in life,
“No man is free who is not master of himself “.
Nice quote that perfectly describes the 81 PAP stooges in parliament, without a mind of their own. And of course, one of them is the spineless PM himself. LOL
This is LKY’s gift to Singapore, a pragmatic system of mindless stooges. LOL
TCSS
#44
R U rational?
New citizens would vote out the pappies?
U think the pappies are as dumb as U to bring in these people mainly from China & India as new citizens to end their absolute domination of power and the booty to go with it?
Keep dreaming; keep your delusion.
By the way, I ask anyway: What’s that U have done to help rid the pappies?
Karmic Horlando
#47 TCSS,
IF you could understand my message, it is a message filled with Sadness.
The track record speaks for itself.
You must accept the evidence is real.
I am not disagreeing with your point also.
What i meant was these new citizens are the only hope left – they do carry different set of genes inherited from their motherlands.
The EXISTING have proven beyond reasonable doubt.
50 years is half a CENTURY.
IRREFUTABLE.
enough is enough. the genetics have been exhausted.
Can you handle the Truth?
George
Fellow Sinkaporean you have your say but what are you doing about it. We all know the problems but are we going to do something about it? Our rights had been eroded year by year and if we are not careful there may be none left in years to come for our children. We are unhappy and worked like a slave to keep a roof over our head and food on the table. Is it the life we truly want? Health service could be reformed to make it affortable to all – after all we are suppose to be in the first world. Why do our elected government choose to deprime of its citizen the basic neccessity of life especially the aged and sick? When they said there is no homeless people in Sinkapore, we all know there are people sleeping in park and on the ground floor of HDB flats at night. If a simple statement could be dispproved just by opening our eyes then one had to ask the question what other statements that were publicly announced that is not true/half truth?
Observer
What a great piece of writing – you have certainly hit it on the nail.
Yes, it is with this great pragmatism that hasbeen inculcated in me through my younger years that I decided to emigrate to the west to seek a better life for my family and myself. Never mind Singapore is abandoned by me, my own survivor comes first. Thank you PAP for such valuable lessons you have taught me.
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 36
[...] was removed from TOC – Singapore Recalcitrant: No racial inequality in Utopian Singapore? – TOC: The Singapore Story – A failure of pragmatism [Recommended] – Hammersphere: Does the PAP MP agree with these? – TOC: We should respect MM Lee, [...]
From young, we have being conditioned to stay ahead and be meritocratic – that is forging ahead at all costs. We all go for tuition so that we can achieve the Singapore Dream. We need to just learn English and Mandarin as there is a pot of gold in China. We all now that just a few use that language medium to do business with Chinaand it is not the most important element when one does business in China. We bark at the wrong tree again here.
Though we achieve straight As on our report card, we don’t give up seats to the elderly and even fake sleep so that we can have our coveted seat in the trains. We feel hollow deep inside when we struggle to make it to the best universities never caring what life is really all about. We fail to live life beyond trying to achieve in our career and be someone that others want us to be.
We fear to get our of our comfort zone and often miss out opportunities to be a better person as we always strive to be richer or have a bigger house.
While working, we work our guts out and try to get the dreamed promotion. We perform so well that we work 16 hours a day forgetting that life is more than just working and getting a good income.
When we are married, we weigh our spouses by how pretty they are or how much income the person can bring in. Once the person fails to “perform” his meritocratic role, he is forsaken and divorce sets in. We decided to live alone and be self sufficient.
When we are old, we worry about not having enough money to survive on and invest in stocs and shares. There is no one to share our lives with a we have being too selfish and uncaring all along.
Singaporeans should all learn to live and think out of the box.
Not all that the state has told us is all correct. Sometimes they have gone awfully wrong. I dread to think of the days when our country’s plans have backfired on our country.