From the heart
Three Singaporeans write about their heart-felt concerns about the state of the nation and the leadership.
From Tan Kin Lian
I received (these) two e-mails from a visitor to my blog, www.tankinlian.blogspot.com
First e-mail
Hi Mr Tan,
I have been following with interest your blog on and off especially during the period of “minibonds”.
I respect your sense of social justice and your courage and willingness to fight for the underdogs.
I myself have always been neutral to politics. I only write today because on the spur of the moment, I want to pass a few observations about the passing away of the Singapore I grew up in.
I am in my 30s. When I am young, I felt that the government was willing to develop us Singaporeans. Life was simple, relations with people were sincere.
That Singapore is no more! In almost any job I have worked, foreigners equal Singaporeans in number, sometimes they exceed.
Even when you interact with people, the locals don’t care for and about the locals. Money is all everyone thinks about.
Perhaps it is because we are all forced to struggle with the influx of so many FTs (foreign talents).
When we need employers to give us a chance, we find that the job has gone to some more experienced FT.
But they were given chances, even sponsored to take courses, back in their own countries to hone the skills that they have today.
All familial ties are no more; we have become disposable entities to our companies and our bosses.
It is a very lope-sided system where the employer is king. Even some bosses, used to maids, treat employees in the same disposable manner.
Forget about receiving any training, you are paid to serve them. Retrenchment and dismissal is sometimes the excuse of poor senior management. The same goes for the present government.
I am neither bitter nor resigned. I am just sad that I cannot identify this country with the one I knew and grew up in.
You might tell me I am being sentimental, we must all adapt to the world, there is no free lunch.
Yes I have heard that many times. And home-grown Singaporeans are largely a docile bunch willing to bend over backwards with the govt. But why does it seem that the govt makes our problems worse instead of better?
You are very capable man. By writing to you, I don’t dare to aspire for anything.
I have signed your petitions and I have written encouraging messages on your blog. I just want to share with you, Singaporean to Singaporean, the loss of the soul and essence of my country.
Second e-mail
Hi Mr Tan,
I have visited your blog again and have read the comments to my email. I’m not upset, don’t worry.
I respect what you are doing. But I do not know whether it will succeed. Singapore has changed.
The younger Singaporeans are pleasure-loving and hedonistic, the older ones are too busy struggling.
And all of us are struggling in this over-populated country and intimidated by a government that can do whatever they like and manipulate whatever law they want.
The worst is seeing younger Singaporeans sell out their countrymen for the love of money.
I empathize with those who are poor and suffering. I would not mind contributing if you have any schemes to help them.
Under the present government, they are reduced to getting scraps” qiu sheng bu si, qiu si bu neng” (seeking life is difficult, seeking death is not possible).
Perhaps it is possible to set up some sort of recruitment so that matches these people to employers who are willing to pay them fair wages and not exploit them.
As for me, I am thinking of leaving the country next time.
I am tired, Mr Tan. I am quite well educated, but I still have some integrity. I don’t want to sell my soul for money like what some people are doing.
Tan Kin Lian comments (excerpts)
This reader, although much younger than me, expressed the sentiments felt by me and some Singaporeans of my generation.
We were proud and happy to be Singaporeans many years ago. We were part of the struggle to build an independent nation, based on equality and justice, which is respected by many nations around the world.
Today, Singaporeans are disappointed. We are not sure if Singapore still belongs to us or only to those who are in power.
Our views are not sought. Even if we struggle to be heard, we are ignored. We can see fellow Singaporeans, who are weak, being exploited. Even if they are cheated, they are asked to open their eyes.
What is more worrisome to me is that many people care for their own self interest. If they are not affected, they will stay on the sideline. Maybe they are too busy struggling to make a living. This is probably just an excuse....
I like to ask Singaporeans: Are you willing to speak up for others, against injustice and suppression?
Letter to PM
The third posting addressed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is from blogger FeedMeToTheFish
Dear Mr Prime Minister,
While you have your lymphoma, I have my share of heart attack and ventricular fibrillation.
While you are concerned about your mum's health, I had the greatest understanding of the fragility of life and the inevitability of death while taking care of my dad (as old as your dad if he's alive today) when he was down with his degenerative disease.
While you were growing up as the son of a prime minister in big but shabby Oxley Rise house (so said your sister [Link]), I was growing up with 8 other siblings in a $25-per-month-rented-one-room flat as the son of a Singapore Traction Company bus conductor moonlighting as a pirate taxi driver so that his family could survive.
You did Harvard and Cambridge and whatever you fancy, the best I did was Senior Cambridge Certificate (today's 'O Level' equivalent).
Today you are the highest paid politician in the whole wide world earning $3.7m (excluding your BG and after-55-PM-pension), I'm making do with about $24,000 per annum hawking my skills as a self employed.
I have no pension and I'm not entitled to any of the benefits which your PAP so often makes a song and dance about at every election and/or Budget Statement.
Please do not tell me about my GST rebate as it's nauseating since the GST went to your salary too.
No, I'm not complaining of my state of being. Being rich and happy is where your mind is at, not what you can suck out of others!
As my kids can take care of themselves, $2,000 a month is enough for me and my wife to have a simple comfortable life. My family and I are blessed with what we are happy with!
How much is enough?
Enough for what?
It depends on the individual's sense of value, contentment, greed, sense of power and one's one-upmanship. Does it feel good to be paid 6 times the POTUS?
You tell me!
Though we are of about the same age, we were made differently. I guess the only thing we have in common is that we are, born-in-Singapore, Singaporeans.
As much as I'm a pauper compared to your riches, I'm delighted that I do not have to bear the responsibilities that you do.
My wish for you is that you'd be blessed with grandfatherhood which I'm most grateful for when my child gave birth to another child.
When one loves life, when one truly cares and has the free will to do so without the hindrance of position, power and face value, one is always free . . . . . . . . even to blog until one is caught :)
I sincerely hope that the job you do now is the job that you love, not the job imposed by your father or whoever.
Though I have been told by those who know you that you are not as useless (ie. for the magic salary you pay yourself, people expect magic performance too) and callous as you appear to be, I still have my doubt.
From the pedigree that you were inseminated with (what with your dad laughing again at dummies like me for not having university education [Link]), I was shocked to hear of your "mee siam mai hum" and "fix opposition and buy votes". Which devil made you do that?
You were silent for many days when Mas Selamat jalan.
You were silent for many days when Singaporeans were hurt by the Lehman fiasco and toxic financial products.
You were silent for many days when Town Councils burned themselves with Lehman too.
I have never written to politicians especially ministers level as I know what I write doesn't mean squat to them . . . just another tiny voice in the wilderness.
However, I'm writing now to do my part as a Singaporean before I die from my next heart attack.
Mr Lee, please say something!
Yes, before I'm fedtothefish, I hope that as highest paid prime minister of the universe, you will do the gracious thing of investigating why your PAP MP Dr Ong Seh Hong is in such a fix right now with the Ren Ci CEO Ming Yi saga.
Silence may be golden but your reticence in commenting on the crucial happenings in Singapore lately is not helping you in your job.
It is not helping people to "Staying Together Moving Ahead" It makes a joke of your PAP manifesto. If you are still at a loss on what to say, Singaporeans will be wondering, "WTF is he doing?"
Please say something worthy of your salary and position for the benefit of all Singaporeans on Ren Ci/Dr Ong's issue.
Even if you were to tell us that "it's not an issue at all as he became whiter-than-white MP only after he cleared the loan", we would still be happier than to have you keep your mouth shut again.
We look forward to it.
Thank you.
feedmetothefish.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7980823109190564557&postID=1743444996560671746
oh mine, so long. kor kor kor
uncle still long meh??? all lame liao.
so lor sor one.
These 3 letters touches me. But how far can these letters go? Go to the PM's PA and down to the recycling bin? I seriously doubt it will go far.
"Even some bosses, used to maids, treat employees in the same disposable manner."
Reminds me of the previous 星期二特写 - 梳起的�月.
Where this maid took up the vow of celibacy and spent her entire life servicing her employer family until she grows old with white hair. She is just like part of her family. Saw through the young master grown up to be a professor.
I don't think these real life stories exist anymore.
In a perverse way, I am heartened that a financial crisis had came along, even though like everyone else, i am sincerely saddened for my fellow citizens who are affected by it.
I am only heartened because it made us realized and take stock on what is crucial to us - money or life?
Even though we may have lost our savings, our jobs - surprisingly, we are still alive! Alive to move around, to walk without fear at nights, to see our children merrily go to school, to meet up with friends, to read, to watch, to play and more critically - to love and be loved.
Is money that important after all?
How much is enough?
Have we no hands and legs to earn a living?
Do we fear competition from foreigners, so much that we cry in tears? Had we become cowards, lost confidence in ourselves, instead of being courageous lions that we mystically are as bestowed by our ancient forefathers for every citizen born or pledged?
No, we singaporeans are more than we actually realized, if only we would stop and ponder on what really matters, and what really matters is that we are still alive, more can be done by ourselves if we rise to the occasion to meet the challenges of today than to hanker down under battened hatches and scream in agony, agony which is not of real hurt or doom, but only lost desires of which we will regain and more, if only we courageously move forward, come what may, to bring food to the table for our loved ones, in peace.
so long
"the loss of the soul and essence of my country" - well said
the world is changing and can we change along without selling our souls?
People are gauging your success by your wealth and it really doesn’t matter to them whether you got away robbing a bank or slept with an old hag and inherited her fortune.
Dignity and Ethics, how much are they worth? To some it’s priceless, to others it’s not even worth the weight of a dollar note.
In the name of progress and more money for the fat cats, selling souls - if it makes them money; the fat cats will harvest them by the truck loads and sell them to any devil who wants them. Let me check if I have any soul left... confirm... I really rather have money.
Not just Singapore or the PAP but the whole goddamn world.The more developed the country is the worst it gets.Welcome to the future.
All society have problems. Just what kind of problems. The basic problem of unemployment and homelessness is every where, just how serious it is. Somalia kind of serious, or Sweden kind of serious.
Of course, i didn't read any thing that was written, wrong, i mean posted, by TS... just rambling from wild guess
Originally posted by Short Ninja:Not just Singapore or the PAP but the whole goddamn world.The more developed the country is the worst it gets.Welcome to the future.
True. Things are bad everywhere, but generally they are less bad for citizens in core countries, like EUrope, nor Australia. Because we are much more free societies and we have empathy. Heck, we are inventing what it means to be moral and good and free and the world will follow our construction because we have the soft power, some scholars think one day all non-EU/western countries will come into the fold of our liberalism, yet it does sound odd haha.
It is a shame that Singaporeans are money oriented without community or national spirit. How absurd is it that campaigns are need to get locals to smile and be nice to one another? (I cant believe there is a 2009 Kindness Campaign).
It's like Singaporeans need to be taught qualities which are what we europeans and CHinese philosophers consider to be human essence, haha does that mean Sin-eans are not human? Haha just kidding. Yes things can always be improved, yet we should be less critical considering what the people are and what Singapore is so far.
All this negativity should not be surprising because we are still very young in existence here, we are of liberal stock (well you guys aren;t) and we haven't had as much time to develop as other states. So i am not condoning the way things are but i am saying that our views should not be quite so critical.
Singapore is relatively young and an immigrant society to build a strong national identity, and it is a shame that there is discrimination in employment against locals in favour of foreigners.
I can't help but think the system here makes Singaporeans the way they are. Our government here gives limited accountability to its citizens and workers (yes it does), we don't know what exactly our CPF is doing, we do not know who is responsible for the escape of the terrorist suspect, there is no effective opposition, and every SIngaporean i meet is scared to speak up.
I am not recommending anything other than time, let time result in change just as it did for our liberal societies. Peace
P.s Though i am a foreign citizen i consider myself every bit as good as anyone of you local people, better even. I deserve to live and be here and to work if i am selected by whichever employer, i deserve these rights because i have done my time of 2 years. I believe the national service component is what gives rights to citizens. Otherwise, i agree, preferential treatment of foreigners and systemic condonement is sick.
Though i am a foreign citizen
No wonder you gave below views:
All this negativity should not be surprising because we are still very young in existence here, we are of liberal stock (well you guys aren;t) and we haven't had as much time to develop as other states. So i am not condoning the way things are but i am saying that our views should not be quite so critical.
Singapore is relatively young and an immigrant society to build a strong national identity, and it is a shame that there is discrimination in employment against locals in favour of foreigners.
Singapore independent for thousand years also won't develop politically, intellecutally, culturally lah, if ruled by the PAP.
Originally posted by Ah Chia:Singapore independent for thousand years also won't develop politically, intellecutally, culturally lah, if ruled by the PAP.
No wonder we developed from a fishing village to a thriving economic hub
No wonder we developed from a fishing village to a thriving economic hub
More PAP propaganda?
Come brainwash me, come come. Brainwash me, brainwash me. PAP, Singapore from village to economic hub.
Ah happy, brainwashed.
Originally posted by Ah Chia:No wonder we developed from a fishing village to a thriving economic hub
More PAP propaganda?
Come brainwash me, come come. Brainwash me, brainwash me. PAP, Singapore from village to economic hub.
Ah happy, brainwashed.
Singapore - Crossroads of the East 1938
Really up to you to believe what you want. Either way you can't do anything about it.
Really up to you to believe what you want.
Yes, Singapore was nothing but fishing village before PAP.
The video clearly shows that to be true.
Now that I am brainwashed I believe in PAP propaganda.
Ah happy, brainwashed.
I think it was someone called Lee Kuan Yew who turn Singapore from third world to first.
I read about that somewhere.
But forgot where liao.
I not stupid okay.
You think I don't know how Singapore from third to first?
It was due to PAP.
Last time Singapore nothing but fishing village.
Originally posted by Chris88110:No wonder we developed from a fishing village to a thriving economic hub
That sound like a fact. I don't see a hint of propaganda in your statement. Which part of your statement is the propaganda?
developed from fishing village ==> fact.
if you say PAP develop from fishing village, that will be wrong, cause that was stamford raffles. but you didn't say PAP
Thriving economic hub ==> fact
that one i have no source to back up, or i am rather lazy to back this up. Any one want to dispute this?
So all in all, how can anyone say that your statement is a propaganda, and specifically a PAP one?
developed from fishing village ==> fact.
Yes, that is true.
PAP turned Singapore from nothing but a small fishing village to economic hub.
I thought everyone knew that?
Originally posted by Ah Chia:developed from fishing village ==> fact.
Yes, that is true.
PAP turned Singapore from nothing but a small fishing village to economic hub.
I thought everyone knew that?
try quoting whole thing.
than repeat your post.
try quoting whole thing.
than repeat your post.
Whatever lah.
Quote here quote there.
All I know is that PAP started with a small fishing village and developed it into economic hub.
That is all I know.
This is a common fact that all Singapoeans know.
Originally posted by Ah Chia:developed from fishing village ==> fact.
Yes, that is true.
PAP turned Singapore from nothing but a small fishing village to economic hub.
I thought everyone knew that?
Funny, I don't recall mentioning PAP in any of my posts above
Originally posted by Ah Chia:try quoting whole thing.
than repeat your post.
Whatever lah.
Quote here quote there.
All I know is that PAP started with a small fishing village and developed it into economic hub.
That is all I know.
This is a common fact that all Singapoeans know.
because you conveniently left out the essential part of my post. you either quote or don't quote.
developed from fishing village ==> fact.
if you say PAP develop from fishing village, that will be wrong, cause that was stamford raffles. but you didn't say PAP
Funny, I don't recall mentioning PAP in any of my posts above
Got mention, don't got mention, outcome still same.
It doesn't change the fact that PAP started with a small fishing village and developed it into economic hub.
That is a fact.
Originally posted by Ah Chia:Funny, I don't recall mentioning PAP in any of my posts above
Got mention, don't got mention, outcome still same.
It doesn't change the fact that PAP started with a small fishing village and developed it into economic hub.
That is a fact.
Ah, that where you are wrong, it was Stamford Raffles who started off with the fishing village
Originally posted by Chris88110:Ah, that where you are wrong, it was Stamford Raffles who started off with the fishing village
He failed history. i think asked any kid on the street also know is Stamford Raffles. I think he is trying to come up with a fake PAP propaganda for some reasons.