The title of this article is a question which I have been pondering on for some time now. Have we lost our ability to appreciate the good things which Singapore offers? And to be sure, there are good things about Singapore. In fact, there are many of them.
Yet, when we visit the Internet, it would seem, as Mr Lui Tuck Yew said in February 2009, that there is “a prevalence of noises, rumours and distortions in cyberspace…. while there were reasoned and critical views, there were also a great deal of unhelpful commentary and discussions online”. (Source)
And to a certain extent, the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts is not entirely wrong.
Now, I am no fan of the minister whom I think has adopted a rather unnecessarily confrontational stance towards the Internet community since he became Mica minister. But that does not take away from the fact that indeed there seems to be an entirely different Singapore painted by netizens, if you go by postings especially on socio-political blogs and websites, The Online Citizen included.
Of course there is room for dissent and for different viewpoints. What I am asking here is: Is Singapore or the Singapore government so entirely devoid of anything good that we only have criticisms for it? And have we lost our ability to appreciate the positives?
It would take a courageous blogger to praise Singapore or the government when it is deserved, it would seem.
So, you may ask, what exactly is good about Singapore? Well, each person will have his own views on these. For me, first and foremost, I appreciate the safety and security we have. It’s a cliché, yes, but it is nonetheless true that Singapore is safe. Yes, we can debate about the draconian and prohibitive laws and rules, some of which we hope will be removed one day – such as the Internal Security Act. But Singapore is safe. Everyone knows it. Just take a walk past midnight anywhere on this island.
The grumblings and complaints about the transport system have become almost legendary now. Yet, it is also true that the MRT system, especially, is by and large an efficient and comfortable ride. Of course, again, there are improvements to be made, such as overcrowding during certain times of the day. But this is something which will always be a work in progress. I do not think we will ever reach a stage where we will have a 100 per cent consensus on happiness or satisfaction about the quality of service. Truth be told, nonetheless, I am quite impressed by the newly-opened Circle Line and the Land Transport Authority should be commended for a job well done. (My only wish is that the stations should be more colourful but that is another matter altogether.)
The Youth Olympics, which will take place from the 14th to 26th August this year, is another thing we can and should be proud of. And I commend the MCYS team, especially Mr Teo Ser Luck, for successfully winning the bid to bring the games here.
What about the government itself, which is the target of much unhappiness among netizens? I feel that the problem is a real one, that of hubris. The People’s Action Party, which has ruled independent Singapore since 1965, has grown arrogant and out-of-touch with the average common man and woman. This is self-evident in many instances, especially these past 10 years or so. And the main culprit, I feel, is Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who, despite his age, sets the tone for the government led by his son.
Having said that, however, I do feel there are good people in government nonetheless. One whom I quite like is Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. I would prefer him to be Prime Minister, rather than the incumbent. This is not to say that Mr Tharman has no shortcomings. His pussyfooting around the issue of investment losses incurred by both Temasek Holdings and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) two years ago revealed the delicate tight-rope he had to walk. But from all accounts, or at least those that I have been given to know, he is a sincere man who is well-liked, someone who is seen to be intelligent, a good listener and one with his feet firmly set on the ground.
At the lower level, some PAP Members of Parliament too, I feel, are good MPs. One whom I have often praised is Lee Bee Wah. This is because I used to be her constituent. Sure, she screwed up notably with her rather unbecoming remarks in Parliament three years ago and her handling of the STTA saga in 2008. The criticisms leveled at her in 2008 were, in my opinion, well and truly deserved. But that does not take away from the fact that she is a very hardworking MP on the ground. Even now, when I have moved from her constituency in Ang Mo Kio GRC, I still receive invitations to attend her grassroots activities. Well, perhaps this is because she has not updated her constituents roll but that is not the point. In my experience, her presence on the ground, in the coffeeshops, markets, at her Meet-The-People sessions, were ubiquitous and regular. My only hope is that the STTA saga has taught her further lessons in politics and humility.
There are many other things I could list which we should be happy about. Some of these are physical attributes, such as downtown Marina Bay/Clark Quay which is beautiful. Others would include the easy availability and the variety of food we have here.
And then there are the people. Singaporeans. Idiosyncrasies, yes, but also positivities. I have met selfless individuals, passionate individuals who give of their time to help others. I have seen, many times, for example, the younger ones giving up their seats on trains and buses to the elderly. I have seen young girls who would give $5 to the elderly selling tissue paper. I do feel it is an over-generalisation that people are selfish, a refrain which is oft-repeated. I also do feel we do not give Singaporeans enough credit.
Yet, Singapore can be better. Any country can be better. What I hope for Singapore, now that we have proved that we can build physical infrastructures, is that we have more heart. That we would value things of the human spirit. By this I mean, for example, the value of human life, dignity for the less fortunate, compassion which is second nature to us, and appreciation for those who do not measure up to society’s standards.
Perhaps these are the things which we presently lack, things which would truly help us appreciate that behind all the grand facades we are a people whose blood runs deeper. A people whose accomplishments go beyond the material or physical and into the realm of spirit.
Now, that would indeed be something worth appreciating, more than all the beautiful skyscrapers we behold.
But for now, lets not forget to appreciate what we have.
Andrew Loh
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Picture from haddock’s photostream
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In the relentless pursuit of growth for our motherland, has our GOV forgotten the very basic fundamentals of their existence?
Why is singapore particularly well-liked by foreigners, even those from 1st-world countries. I’ll tell you why. Perspective. They still regard sg as a ‘developing’ country, and tell me that for a city in such a backward region, we’re pretty amazing. But when i make comparisons with top asian cities or western cities, they’ll be puzzled and say it’s a ‘different league’.
i think singapore is a great place and i am proud to be a citizen of this country.
but what makes this country a great place ? It is because of the people who have worked hard and contributed so much.
Unfortunately, the way our leaders behave, they seem to think that the country’s success is due entirely to them not because of the people.
Think “Animal Farm”‘s Boxer…
I’m sure the cardboard collectors and homeless are feeling very appreciative right now.
The PAP don’t credit on U. They always turn the table around to make U own them the favour. And U must feel grateful to them.
//Malaysian
It’s like a millionaire complaining that he is too poor because he is comparing himself with a billionaire.//
millionaire ? this must be the biggest joke i have ever heard in such context. i would count myself lucky if i am not squeezed to pauper-level.
The per capita GDP (nations annual income as it were) of the 20 richest countries in the world is set out below.
One of the best things about Singapore is that it is the fourth richest country in the world. It is richer than the USA, Australia, Canada and Germany. It is certainly richer than Switzerland. This is something for all of us to be very proud of. This is LKY’s legacy.
The flip side of the coin though is the obvious question: how is it then that there are so many Singaporeans who earn less than S$1,000 per month or less than S$12,000 per year when the nation’s annual income is US$50,000, or roughly S$70,000, for every man, woman, child, including all foreign workers!! This is not something to be proud of.
Country Intl. $
1
Qatar
83,841
2
Luxembourg
78,395
3
Norway
52,561
4
Singapore
50,523
5
Brunei
49,110
6
United States
46,381
7
Switzerland
43,007
—
Hong Kong
42,748
8
Netherlands
39,938
9
Ireland
39,468
10
Australia
38,911
11
Austria
38,839
12
Kuwait
38,304
13
Canada
38,025
14
Iceland
38,023
15
United Arab Emirates
36,537
16
Sweden
35,965
17
Denmark
35,757
18
Belgium
35,422
19
United Kingdom
34,619
20
Germany
34,212
In any acclaimed democracy, people should respect and fear the judiciary more than they fear the politicians. In this country, people fear the politicans more than the judiciary. We have a muzzled mainstream media. Is there really something wrong when bloggers behind anonymity fired up the heat of criticisms? Or is there something really wrong with this country living in fear and need for concealment of the truths?
Have we lost our ability to appreciate? Hardly, that’s why this essay has as much logic as a hungry man walking in to Pizza hut.
And when the Pizza arrives and the waiter ask, “how many slices should I cut it into 4 or 6 slices?”
The man exclaims, ”why do you want to do that for? I am really hungry and I have been looking forward to this for the whole day – I will not settle for anything less than 21 pieces, that way I am getting more for my $ worth and I would really appreciate that!”
Yes, you are right, appreciation it seems can also be engineered like serving up Pizza’s to really stupid customers – at the end of the day; its a matter of conditioning.
If you didnt get it read it again – tip: the size of the pizza is the same whether its cut 10, 20 or even 120 times.
SD (Internet Liaison officer of the Brotherhood – sponsored by the Interspacing Mercantile Guild & The Confederation of Underground Gamers)
PS: Just remember Singapore is in competition; if you stockmarket is lousy bye bye; if your internet services are constantly plagued by instability bye bye – we owe you nothing. We pay our taxes.
If the government can push Singapore’s resources to the max, to achieve a first world economy, surely then we, as citizens can push the government for a first world country where citizens are taken care of right?
I wish people would just stop using GDP as a prosperity indicator. Sure, the economy is doing well but is the benefits really spreaded throughout the society or is it split 95% to the upper class and 5% to the others.
1 thing I am 100% sure of is that the policy of opening the floodgate is not executed well/bad for SG is
1) Look at the transport system,the housing system the whole social fabric of SG, they are being stretched to the max with bubbles forming in the other. My question is that how can the govt not take all these into consideration(Which a competent govt should do) before they start mindlessly stamping the approval for work permits, PRs and citizenship?
2) Long time ago, the only foreigners/PRs we see have jobs either from the top or the bottom of the job ladder. And very very few in between. Nowadays, they are everywhere in the job ladder, this affects the social mobility of Sgeans aversely, limiting our efforts to climb the job/social ladder. And the issue with PRs/supervisors of certain nationalities would place their own above Sgeans is as real as it can get. (My uncle is a real life example, slog for company for many years(supply chain) and in the end, no chance of promotion because of the unfair practice. But he has to suck it up, how can a 50+ years old man with a family quit his job? Being stuck with a job that you hate is really one of the most stressful situation you can get)
3) Part of the reason given for the flooding is the low birthrate of SGeans, if theres anything else, I would point my finger at the govt for being responsible for it. You build such a competitive environment in the society and that everyone is rushing through day by day(from studying to working) along with it comes the selfish/me and only me/i need to get ahead no matter what mindset being developed, how is one going to stop and start focusing on family life when he/she is so into his/her own personal life. I understand the need to stay competitive but the way the govt is pushing is so wrong.
4) Quality of PRs/Citizens, the regulation on this is so pathetic/lax that I feel really sad holding the pink IC. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can apply for one as long as you can stand the warm weather in SG, how much cheaper can it get? And all we got is their so called promise to calibrate the issuing of PR/citizenship but from the numbers given by WKS in the previous parliament report, it is still as mind boggling as ever.
5) Lastly, the method of increasing your population for economic growth(not to mention poorly planned and executed) is one of the lousiest/easiest way. I do not think that is the best a group of multi-million ministers can come up with.
A beacon of light amidst all the recent deterioration of discourse in the cyber world.
Well said.
Right now the proportion of people who vote for the PAP is 66%, and most likely going to decrease, but the proportion of PAP MPs in parliament is 82/84, and their influence in things is 100%, like it or not. If the appropriate ratios go closer to 66%, then a higher number of people can appreciate the PAP for what it is.
LBW the Malaysian is not a gd MP. I agree.
But maybe she act like Lewinsky when someone is free.
> Is Singapore or the Singapore government so entirely devoid of anything good that we only have criticisms for it? And have we lost our ability to appreciate the positives?
The role of the Govt is to serve the people. It’s not for people to admire like a vase. If the Govt is doing a good job, people will automatically appreciate its work. There is no need for the Govt to clamour for praise.
> So, you may ask, what exactly is good about Singapore? Well, each person will have his own views on these. For me, first and foremost, I appreciate the safety and security we have. It’s a cliché, yes, but it is nonetheless true that Singapore is safe. Yes, we can debate about the draconian and prohibitive laws and rules, some of which we hope will be removed one day – such as the Internal Security Act. But Singapore is safe. Everyone knows it. Just take a walk past midnight anywhere on this island.
Many 1st world countries are also safe. There is nothing to it. If you aspire to be a 1st world nation, you will have to provide the necessary security. Again, there is nothing special about it, unless you still think that Singapore is a 3rd world nation.
> The grumblings and complaints about the transport system have become almost legendary now. Yet, it is also true that the MRT system, especially, is by and large an efficient and comfortable ride. Of course, again, there are improvements to be made, such as overcrowding during certain times of the day. But this is something which will always be a work in progress. I do not think we will ever reach a stage where we will have a 100 per cent consensus on happiness or satisfaction about the quality of service.
Well, it’s not as if we are getting bad system in the past. People are complaining that the MRT rides are getting from bad to worse.
> The Youth Olympics, which will take place from the 14th to 26th August this year, is another thing we can and should be proud of. And I commend the MCYS team, especially Mr Teo Ser Luck, for successfully winning the bid to bring the games here.
What is there to be proud of when Singaporeans are suffering. Do you think Singaporeans have time to think about YOG? Prices have gone up but real earnings have gone down. I don’t think anyone is in the mood.
> Having said that, however, I do feel there are good people in government nonetheless. One whom I quite like is Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. I would prefer him to be Prime Minister, rather than the incumbent. This is not to say that Mr Tharman has no shortcomings. His pussyfooting around the issue of investment losses incurred by both Temasek Holdings and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) two years ago revealed the delicate tight-rope he had to walk. But from all accounts, or at least those that I have been given to know, he is a sincere man who is well-liked, someone who is seen to be intelligent, a good listener and one with his feet firmly set on the ground.
We don’t want nice guys in the Govt. We want people who can make the lives of Singaporeans better and put Singaporeans first.
> At the lower level, some PAP Members of Parliament too, I feel, are good MPs. One whom I have often praised is Lee Bee Wah. This is because I used to be her constituent. Sure, she screwed up notably with her rather unbecoming remarks in Parliament three years ago and her handling of the STTA saga in 2008. The criticisms leveled at her in 2008 were, in my opinion, well and truly deserved. But that does not take away from the fact that she is a very hardworking MP on the ground. Even now, when I have moved from her constituency in Ang Mo Kio GRC, I still receive invitations to attend her grassroots activities. Well, perhaps this is because she has not updated her constituents roll but that is not the point. In my experience, her presence on the ground, in the coffeeshops, markets, at her Meet-The-People sessions, were ubiquitous and regular. My only hope is that the STTA saga has taught her further lessons in politics and humility.
No wonder Andrew Loh thinks LBW is a good MP. How many people get personal invitation from an MP?
> There are many other things I could list which we should be happy about. Some of these are physical attributes, such as downtown Marina Bay/Clark Quay which is beautiful. Others would include the easy availability and the variety of food we have here.
Even before PAP comes to power, we already have a variety of food here. You mean to say that it was PAP who invented the many variety of food in Singapore???
> I also do feel we do not give Singaporeans enough credit.
Tell that to MM Lee. He is the one who said Singaporeans are lazy and wanted to replace us with PRCs.
> Now, that would indeed be something worth appreciating, more than all the beautiful skyscrapers we behold. But for now, lets not forget to appreciate what we have.
Before we continue to appreciate PAP’s wonderful work in the past 50 years, here’s what Thomas Edison said about being discontented:
Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
恨鐵不成鋼
恨蒙骗百姓
恨贪得无厌
恨 多行不义
恨假公济私
恨下流无耻
恨裙带关系
恨自说自话，恨自圆其慌
恨伪君子
I’m sure the homeless appreciate the safe streets and clean and green parks and beaches when the Police and Park Wardens come and visit them at night.
By that logic, should we appreciate TT Duria and Ming Yi for what they have done? If they are so forgivable, than why not practice the same for the common people of Singapore who deserved a 2nd Chance. What people grudge here is not about this country but PAP who practiced one country-two-systems rule. Under such unfair system, the poor gets poorer and the rich gets richer. Under such systems, there is no need for accountability and transparency. Under such system, PAP is behaving above the law and dictate it. Under such systems we see main stream media are not doing an objective job. And the worst is under such systems, Singapore has no billionairs like other countries and we have more followers than leader. Sad.
very true, andrew. very often, we do not consider the entire picture and am skewed towards a negative picture. and often, when someone makes a gd comment, they are usually dismissed as cyber-squad propaganda.
i think there are many things to be appreciative about Singapore. For example, one may complain about the over-crowding on MRTs in Singapore- they do not realise that most major cities subway systems are crowded during rush hour. it’s just a product of population density.
Comparing it with the London (a first world city), its so crowded that people have to queue in the streets to get into the station. Platforms are so small that you can only have 5 people shoulder to shoulder before you fall into the tracks. And if you are lucky, you might see the occasional rat scuttling away. And on weekends, you have to check the website for which trains are running.
So yes, Singapore is not perfect- and we should give feedback to improve. But I think we should also thankful for all the things that could go wrong, but Singapore did right.
RW,
I think we may not appreciate the fact that London’s Underground trains are rather narrow. Much narrower than S’pore’s, which is considered spacious. (Well, maybe it’s cos London’s Tube is about 150 years old. But the point remains – the MRT trains are of a good quality.)
To everyone,
Thanks for all the comments. I am not saying there are no bad things about S’pore. Indeed there are. What I am saying is that despite these, or even in spite of these, there is room for appreciation for the good things we have.
Andrew
And oh, RW… London’s Underground is terrible during the summer. The system is not air-conditioned.. ;(
Andrew
we have built a nice shell. nice to look at from the outside but can’t say much of the people who are generally tactless,inarticulate and ungracious.
it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a highly competitive and ultra unequal society like ours will lead to or the kind of people we will breed.
and i can see that the bad dna of this nation is being passed on to the next generation.
seriously, if i have kids, i won’t want them to grow up in our kind of environment(i pity the kids here. self centered. selfish, no character,no grace and basically colorless – like their parents),
i think there are a lot of factors that go into the making of a gracious truly humane person.
i don’t see our kind of structured and lopsided education system which greatly divide the people into clustered of working and competitive bees help at all to promote a “peaceful, relax,kind and spirited individual”,,
so by that logic, we shouldnt even be appreciative to our parents, because its our god given right to be here. kudos
Does our government appreciates what the people has done to develop this nation? We don’t protest on street or riot like Thais or Indonesia, a feedback or complaints on cyber space, they’re also not happy. We lost our appreciation started from top.
Btw, there is no difference between our ISA and Ming Dynasty 錦衣衛.
Hi a well written article Andrew – well done! I realised that you have written well nowadays (not that you have not in the past). Must learn from you here haha.
This article also moved me emotionally.
Since staying in Sydney the past year, I have drawn my own comparisons between the two countries.
It is perhaps when you are away that you appreciate your own country more despite its many shortcomings. Its a paradox ya?
In Singapore, i can go down anytime to anywhere to order a bowl of noodles to satisfy my hunger. In Sydney, everything shuts down at 6pm and you have to cook your own food. I am rather good at cooking instant noodles nowadays haha.
Though the transport system in Singapore has received much complaints lately, I still feel that it is efficient and affordable. I have to pay three times the fare in Singapore to travel in Sydney and at least once a month on a weekend, the rail track is down – that means you have to switch to their unreliable bus services to move about. You also wait an average of half an hour for the bus to come.
Crime rate in Singapore is unbelievably low for all the social problems that I have read from the news media. In Sydney. there is an average of 15 cases of assaults in the city alone on any day especially weekend and fire arms are normally used in serious bulgary cases.
Of course, Sydney has its own attractions. I enjoyed the solo run I do thrice a week on a field that I normally have full access to – all on my own. Maybe the Sydney folks prefer the beach to a field.
Its weather is perfect for people with respiratory problem. I have the regular flu regularly in Singapore but cease to have it when I stay here. The humidity issue is a huge drawback for people staying in Singapore. I never like the weather back home and this is one of the main reason I choose to live abroad.
I also like Sydney’s space and cultural diversity. You can still see the sky line from out of your home window and it is blue and cloudless on any given day in summer/spring. At night, the dark sky is littered with millions of stars. It can be spectacular if you are feeling down and want a lift.
Sydney has a rich culture due mainly to its diverse population. It has a representation from more than 100 countries and they never fail to show us that they are different from each other.
Thus, wherever you are I guess its good to appreciate the positives of the place as there are no perfect place in the world for anyone. More importantly, it is the family and friends that we have staying together with us that make the place liveable and hospitable.
ahhui
You are saying exactly what I am saying. I agree with you absolutely. The country is very very rich, but who has the wealth. You are probably right in saying the top 10% ie the elite.
Let us compare Singapore and Australia. Singapore has a per capita GDP of US$50,000. Australia has a per capita GDP of US$39,000. In other words, Singapore as a country is much richer than Australia.
Australia has a minimum wage which is around S$3,000 per month or around S$18 per hour. Employers cannot pay less than this.
If you are unemployed and single you can receive around S$1,000 per month. If you are married you can get around S$1,800 per month. There are other benefits. There are also criteria you have to satisfy.
When you are retired and you are not well off, the age pension is around S$1,400 per month for singles and S$2,100 per month for couples. In addition, you may be entitled to rental assistance. You would be entitled to pharmaceutical and medical benefits.
The average wage is around S$6,500 per month.
In other words, you can clearly see how the wealth is shared out to everyone.
It is like being a partner in a company with family or friends. You know that the company has made a profit of $1 million for the year and there are only 5 partners. As a partner you are given your share and it is only $5,000. The company is rich but you are not. What is happening?
And what did ISA did to you in the show of non-appreciation? Do they need to invite you for kopi to show their appreciation?
Wow! Amazing comparison – a one hundred and fifty year old system that has trains coming at about every 90 seconds during the rush hour at a fraction of the hourly wages of the lowest paid workers being compared with a duopoly built by Singapore taxpayers but yet unaccountable to them after being handed over to the oligarchs!!
TOC has hit a new low…I do see the desire to be presented as the “acceptable” face of the blogsphere, but credibility is costly
we have built a nice shell. nice to look at from the outside but can’t say much of the people who are generally tactless,inarticulate(socially inapt compared to the western counterpart) and ungracious(low EQ).
it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a highly competitive and social inequity like ours will lead to or the kind of people we will breed.
and i can see that this rojak DNA which is uniquely sg has already affected the next generation and will probably continues on and on.
seriously, if i have kids, i won’t want them to grow up in our kind of stifle environment(i pity the kids here. most are raised self centered, selfish, no character,no social grace and basically colorless – like their parents),
i think there are a lot of factors that go into the making of a gracious human being.
i don’t see our kind of structured and lopsided education system which greatly divide the people into clustered of working and competitive bees help at all to promote a “peaceful, relax,kind and spirited individual.
i don’t see how a system of annual appraisal to justify insane salary to a selected few and oppresses the majority can produce trust and genuine respectful citizens.
Thanks for your article Andrew. Don’t get discouraged by the comments.
I’ve had many opportunities to travel and live abroad over the years. Comparing notes with the locals, like you I feel that we have many things to appreciate.
True, we still have a long way more to go, but we’ve really done well overall. It could easily have been a lot worst. The grass may always appear greener on the other side, but we sometimes fail to notice hat it’s pretty darn green under our feet too.
On the PAP, like many i’m not to happy overall with their recent performance; but also recognize that we have a number of sincere and dedicated politicians holding the reins, and I’m grateful.
It really is high time that we take a break from pointing out the flaws and reflect on the things we ought to appreciate for a change. It helps us be balanced. Keep up the good work.
Since there is only oNe mAn who is always right and echoed by his yes-man pap party too!!!
A beacon of light amidst all the recent deterioration of discourse in the cyber world.
Well said. –> agree
So is Singapore a good place to retire or should I go to JB or Batam based on andrew’s logic. Is materialism important to our well beings and must I get a permit to walk and sleep in the park without being hurled before the judge. If I am homeless, am I safe in Singapore or will I be thrown into IMH as a measure to swept my problems under the carpet my the main stream media. If I am unemployed, will I get equal opportunity and if I am broke who will provide the welfare so that I don’t have to eat in foodcourt, hawker or restaurant. So is Singapore really that good to me and my well beings from the day I born till I die.
I lived a long time in Australia too – probably a lot longer than most here. There is one big difference in the comments here are blind to. The assumed “entitlement mentality” propaganda seems to be so embedded in our mindset that we all FORGOT THE VIRTUES of welfare in trapped circumstances of life’s turbulence. A regular welfare check in Australia gives you temporary relief (not a solution) to reflect, rebalance and re-assess your options and walking back into your career from another perspective. Over here, a retrenchment is like a burst firecracker, if you are fired for any reason – it is useless of shattered life and dreams to no availability after the impact of a loud blast. Either you downgrade immediately to whatever available or your family starve. THERE IS NO SECOND CHANCE FOR CALM REFLECTION AND REWORKING BACK OF YOUR CAREER OPPORTUNITY.
I do appreciate little opportunity like this – in Sydney, not in Singapore. The politics of deception here works to entrench the incumbent power, you are too busy struggling for survival to even complain of anything in cyberspace whilst they sings self-praise in their favoured media including the devilish wavering finger on welfare relief. So how can we find time to appreciate and praise them of these political chicanery when our lives are reduced to busy surviving in competition with ever cheaper foreign imports and no welfare safety net to fightback into career?
The link did not appear. So, for the benfit of those who do not know it:
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia-pacific/2010/04/2010457551961144.html
we really should stop referring to per capita GDP as an indication of how well Singapore is doing. When the Government announced Jobs Credit they disclosed that 60% of the wealth generated in Singapore leaves the country immediately.
Singapore does have many positives. But how many of them are due to those who are long gone (like Goh Keng Swee) or going (LKY)? And how many of them can the present bunch of millionaire ministers fairly take credit for? What has Rear Adm Liu done? What active, positive steps have been taken by Tharman? WKS? Shamugam? Khaw? Even LHL?
razor tv recently uploaded a video on women’s perspective of what they regard as “appealing” in men.
the general view?
if men earn less than $3k, their view or rating of these men will drop considerably even with pleasant appearance.
but the higher the income is(preferably above $8k), the more sex appeal of a man to a woman.
now what’s the implication of the singaporean psyche from this simple survey?
rather apparent isn’t it?
any man whose earning falls within a certain “respectable bracket” are NOT MAN ENOUGH.
doesn’t matter you are morally upright and responsible at work. if our people(both men and women) do not command that kind of salary, you are regarded as “incapable” in society.
the women say, we LOOK DOWN on you!
we look down on our bus drivers, our waiters and waitresses, our mechanics, bank tellers, factory workers, taxi drivers, postman, sales staff, cleaners and a very long list of workers who probably form more than half our workforce – including foreign laborers.
all these people are not “appealing”.
tsk tsk tsk. compared to our western counterpart, a rubbish man can even hold his head UP HIGH!
no wonder there is no pride and HUMAN DIGNITY in our service sector.
why?
you are NOT MAN ENOUGH and NOT CAPABLE because you don’t earn more than $5k!!!
great place to raise your kids huh? hehe
Have we lost our ability to appreciate?
Only if you are rich, well connected,highly educated and wear white or you have no place in the SINGAPORE society!
no wonder the kids here are disrespectful of their elders.
what appreciate you want? so what clean streets, a lot of green trees, world class highest paid gahmen and got security? born and raise in sg, you become a shameless chow how lian who eat white expensive sausages!
no wonder the kids here are disrespectful of their elders.
what appreciate you want? so what clean streets, a lot of green trees, world class highest paid gahmen and got security? born and raise in sg, you become a shameless chow how lian who eat white expensive sausages!!
Pretty salient points, Andrew. I do agree with you that many Singaporeans now lack the empathy and ability to appreciate things that go well. That said, people usually will never remember the things that go well. People only have memories for mistakes, and damn, they are so damning and harsh to the point in which there is no room for failure.
Personally, people online are generally myopic enough to only bother with the negative things and acting just like the Republicans in the United States. Am I saying that our government is the best? No, there are quite a few flaws and they have made quite a few mistakes. Albeit all that, they did do well enough in various areas, and some of the points have been made nicely by you. So, well done there.
I think sometimes, we tend to criticize way too fast before thinking about all the stakeholders in an issue. Just because someone in a certain group is suffering doesn’t mean things are definitely done wrongly. Did you carefully look who are the main stakeholders in any issue that people throw? Who are most affected, what have been done, is it enough?
I doubt most people critical OR appreciative of the PAP never bothered to think so deeply. No wonder, we are daft.~
“No wonder, we are daft.~”
Yes, you are
If Singapore is safe, why do we still have crimes and why do we still need police to let Mas Selamat swam through the straits water. Than why allow Romanian to run road after killing someone here and import foreign prostitutes to steal other people happy family.
@Impz
Back up your views instead of making sweeping statements.
State some more points in which the government had done well. (Recent years please, dont go back 50 yrs ago, fishing village etc)
I would really like to know how myopic I am. While I understand the need to consider the big picture, in case you do not know, the people suffering are the ones who needs help the most.
Anyway, most of the current problems affects the majority commoners. (From cars,transport,cost of living,housing etc)
Please enlighten me. Thanks.
“…acting just like the Republicans in the United States…”
It is moronic thinking at its best. Look at Thatcherism economics. The formulae was policy drives politics drives economy drives power in that direction. Success of policy and economic rightfully earned the political mandate dividends to be re-elected and the right to govern. Here, it is power (“fix” all thinking dissenting views) drives politics drives policy IN REVERSE ORDER - leave us one big FARKING mess of a quagmire depending on the divine “luck” of fortune-telling for our survival. It is power politics drives economics instead of economic drives politics – the fallacy of we know it all and we got it all wrong!!. No revolving door yet claiming meritocracy ( how do you replace deadwoods occupying chairs long past the use-by dates and wasting oxygen on this planet ????)- the reality of truth is these are half-arsed conjecture of shameless lies. So is fake “democrats” and “fake meritocracy” much better than the imagined devilish “Republicans” needing appreciation and praise for all their ATRONOMICAL hypocricies and shameless failures given the euphemistic labelling of ”a few mistakes.”???
Look beyond the shady clouds of words and you will see clear sky of truth above these deceptions, my dear friend!!
get the order right please. it’s the people that maketh a home, not the beautiful infrastructure that maketh a home.
bhutan is a case in point.
Since there is only oNe mAn who is always right and echoed by his yes-man pap party too!!!
Who say the complainers don’t know what MATERIAL or “hardware” good (if you prefer) pappy has brought about? I do. But WE who complain and counter hairy & pappy puppies “frogs in the well” croaks of ‘achievements’ to cover up their rub into those are suffering financially CARE FOR THEM that hairyism DOESN’T!!!
Can’t you see how they sweep their “dirts” under the carpet till that ‘carpet’ is now bulging so high till even PMET levels? From their utter lack of FORWARD planning in their policies implementations!
How and why else so much hue & cries in cyberspace ONLY? Am wondering you are like them who can SEE the sawdust in others eyes BUT NOT The PLANK in their OWN “beady” eyes! Hope you understand the meaning of this! BECAUSE…
“there is only oNe mAn who is always right and echoed by his yes-man pap party too”!!! Hairy ALONE can know everything about ALL ABOUT LIFE meh??? Then why he’s got to die too??? THAT”S HIS MOST DECEITFUL BLUFF!!! And you fell for it??? So it is good and pertinent to keep repeating these things:
“Foolish tongues talk by the dozen”.
“A wise head makes a closed mouth”.
“The wise changes his mind, fools never will”.
“A blunt knife may be sharpened on a stone, but if a man is stupid, there is no help for his stupidity”.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
And don’t forget all of the hairy’s 7 Mind Boggling speak quoted in TR and here too, etc!!! If you need them again, please ask as hairy did live out what he said of “Repression…” in 1956 and other supporting argument there after.
Hope you will come out the wiser. Just check out too how NTUC “CO-Operative”
supermarkets have become commercialized like privet ones. Check out their prices thoroughly under their present banner of “FariPrice”!!! Do you know too that a co-operative’s capital is made up of working class members’ purchsed shares in it. QUITE APART from private enterprises who risk their own money in business!!!
Didn’t ex-mp Chief Chandra Das ventured into China for bus & taxi business and FAILED BIG!!! Was there any TRANSPARENCY about these things???
What business has “A Cooperative” entity RISKING the Working Class’ hard earned wages like private enterprises??? Make and the Chief get BIG salary and bonuses increases. Flop and keep “MUM”???
Is this honesty in transparency. Now more should know why Natives here are angry and also letting those newbie citizens & PRs the smae trap they will also fall in under the pappy regime in absolute power!!!
Life is NEVER only about the pluses as it IS also about the MINUSES too!!! Got to know which one out weighs the other right!!!
Paul, the reason why London’s tube is being run efficiently vs our AssMRT is because London’s tube is run by an exprienced transportation personnel. London’t tube MD is currently Mike Brown. He first joined London Underground (ie, “the tube”) in 1989 and worked in various operational manager roles before becoming the company’s Chief Operating Officer in 2003. In 2008, he joined BAA with responsibility for running Heathrow, the world’s busiest international airport. In 2009, the new London Mayor has asked him to return back to head London Underground as the MD. As for our AssMRT, well, it’s currently being run by a glorified DFS salesgirl. What do you expect?
Danny, before you continue to appreciate and be grateful of PAP’s wonderful work in the past 50 years, here’s what Thomas Edison said about being discontented: “Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.”