William Jansen: Quality of life in Sg is hard to beat
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A Singaporean/PR/expatriate by the name of William Jansen has written a letter to the Straits Times Forum today praising the “high standards” of life in Singapore in response to an earlier letter by Ms Maureen Pollard expressing her “regret” in giving up Singapore citizenship.
“Giving up Singapore citizenship is a serious matter and, apparently, there is no turning back. This quality of life must be hard to beat even if one emigrates to a developed country,” Mr Jansen wrote.
He did not quote any reports to substantiate his claims. However, Singapore is ranked the 70th best place in the world to live in based on the Quality of Life index computed yearly by Ireland-based magazine “International Living”. (read report here) which is corroborated by a similar ranking by The Economist Unit.
The index is produced based on the following nine categories: cost of living, culture and leisure, economy, environment, freedom, health, infrastructure, safety and risk and climate.
Each country in each category is graded on a curve and it is scored relative to every other country. The scores run 0 to 100 for each category. This means the country that gets 0 is the worst in that category, and the country that gets 100 is the best.
The data is collated from official government sources, the World Health Organization, The Economist, and many other journals, tables, and records.
Below is Singapore’s scores for each category:
While Singapore scores high on risk and safety, health and infrastructure, it scores poorly in environment and freedom, bringing down its final score to a mediocre 61.
Mr Jansen also claimed that he was “told” that many Singaporeans who migrated to other countries have regretted their decision again without substantiating them:
“I have been told that there are many cases of Singaporeans who have emigrated to other countries and have regretted their decision to leave because they have suffered discrimination and are treated like second-class citizens in the country of their choice.”
If what Mr Jansen has heard is indeed true, then the Home Affairs Ministry would not be busy trying to entice Singaporeans working overseas to return to Singapore.
Every year, about 1,000 Singaporeans give up their citizenship in search of a better life elsewhere. There are nearly 200,000 Singaporeans working and living overseas and it is highly doubtful that they will return to Singapore eventually.
Even the mainland Chinese, whom the ruling party is so desperately trying to attract to Singapore to boost its declining birth rate, are giving Singapore a miss.
In a Gallup conducted in July last year, the top three emigration destinations for China college students are the United States, France and South Korea. Singapore was not even featured in the top five.
Mr Jansen ended his letter by urging Singaporeans to appreciate the “quality of life” they enjoy in Singapore and be “thankful” for what they are.
Only Singaporeans of a certain “economic class” are able to enjoy a decent standard of living in Singapore.
Under the rule of the PAP, Singapore now has the highest income gap between the rich and the poor among the 30 most developed nations in the world and one of the lowest domestic purchasing power.
With the sycophantic state media censoring critical articles and publishing only spins and half-truths as such which are completely “divorced from reality”, it is no surprise that the PAP leaders are still sleeping comfortably high up in their ivory towers.
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Dun be stupid lah, it is so simple, even opposition are doing it, paid someone to talk bad about PAP, and PAP just paid a typical ang moh in need of money, and there you see Ah Jansen sing song and talk cork
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Mr William Jansen,
ex-Singaporean Ms Maureen Pollard was feeling nostalgic about her past.
She should be. Her cultural, social DNA and upbringing were rooted here. Unlike you, a PR.
Its her feeling, not quality of life. It as dissimilar to some PRs who compare apple and orange on Sg with some backwater countryland USA or Europe.
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Dun be stupid lah, it is so simple, even opposition are doing it, paid someone to talk bad about PAP, and PAP just paid a typical ang moh in need of money, and there you see Ah Jansen sing song and talk cork
Angel and her cock, song and dance again..... -
look, everybody got their own different opinon just as everybody got different asses ya. Respect it, if dun like it, just walk away, no harm done.
As old frog said, living in one well will alway said the other wells are better, then when you jump into the other wells, you would said the original well i came from is better.
Typically, singaporean are like this, in Singapore they keep saying HK or taiwan or thailand is good, then when i bring them to taiwan, they said this cannot compare to singapore, that cannot compare to Singapore, in the end, they still said Singapore better.
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Originally posted by 4sg:
Angel and her cock, song and dance again.....
it not, within those cocks and songs, hide the meaning to your post -
Originally posted by angel7030:
look, everybody got their own different opinon just as everybody got different asses ya. Respect it, if dun like it, just walk away, no harm done.
As old frog said, living in one well will alway said the other wells are better, then when you jump into the other wells, you would said the original well i came from is better.
Typically, singaporean are like this, in Singapore they keep saying HK or taiwan or thailand is good, then when i bring them to taiwan, they said this cannot compare to singapore, that cannot compare to Singapore, in the end, they still said Singapore better.
Angel
We are talking about this Jasen politicising about Sg for his own agenda. Foreigners who never born here, never know Sg inside out should refrain from talking big when they have little knowledge of this place.
What nonsense are you posting about frog, Singaporean visiting HK or taiwan? WHAT RELEVANCE your post got to do with this thread?You don't like my post walk away, not the other way round. Get it?
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Angel
I quote you from another post
"All these are british and american are just jealous of us, they should mind their own business, westerners likes to about others, with so much human rights in their culture, what rights do they have to talk about our society, aren't their economy falling, ask them to take care of their own economy, gay marriage and unemployement rates before bumping us again. No wonder Malaysia also asked Aussie to shut up over Anwar case, each individual country must respect each other domestic issue, each should not go in meddle with it, just like, if my house got a problem, i dun need a neighbour a come and critise me, what right does he/she has??You guys had already truly said that we are being conned by the western banks of billions of lost, and now you still go on and listen to their comments and critics on you, i think you must be very stupid lor"
Sometimes, I am surprise at you. At times, you show deep insight into things.
I don't care if you are a 20 years old meimei or a 60 years old aunty. As far as I am concerned, this a forum and what matters are idea, debate and insight.
What you've said are what I am now saying - here in this post. Singaporeans have to be aware of foreigners who are here to lobby for their own agenda.Lobbying is a part and parcel of the western politic. Singaporean should be aware of such foreigners among us and not wake up one day to realise this - it will be too late.
As many know by now, and as capable as Obama Administration is, the lobbyists are the very malice of American politic, then and here.
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Stoooopid Taiwanese 'hum' must always put in its 2 cents worth of garbage that serves no purpose but to drive the thread off-track.
All it does best is to attract attention to itself as an Attention Seeking Whore.
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pollard should not be allowed to become a singaporean unless
1) she shows that she can contribute to singapore economically very well
2) she serves national service
we cannot allow people who defect over and have enjoyed other countries' benefits to come back and enjoy our country's benefits also
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Same old same old it's what called propaganda . . .of course nobody's heard about this William Jansen before a man of no stature as more than not.
If he likes it so much then please become a citizen and bring his whole family, relatives and close friends too and for exchange give willing Singaporeans his country's citizenship. -
Originally posted by mrvictor:
pollard should not be allowed to become a singaporean unless
1) she shows that she can contribute to singapore economically very well
2) she serves national service
we cannot allow people who defect over and have enjoyed other countries' benefits to come back and enjoy our country's benefits also
I thing she will not filfull any of your conditions."Defector" like her is too old to serve NS and too old to contribute economically.
Pollard seems like a Eurasian. When the British pull out ofd Sg, Eurasian left enmass for Australia. -
Originally posted by Miracles&Prophecies:
Same old same old it's what called propaganda . . .of course nobody's heard about this William Jansen before a man of no stature as more than not.
If he likes it so much then please become a citizen and bring his whole family, relatives and close friends too and for exchange give willing Singaporeans his country's citizenship.Same old same old it's what called propaganda . . .of course nobody's heard about this William Jansen before a man of no stature as more than not.
Precisely.This Jansen is a man of no stature. Yet he wrote to the main media, ie The Straits Times. On topics he knows little about. On platform that is atrociously the domain of the locals.
AngMoh thinks so differently from us. That any nobody of them can simply write to the press to "lecture" or "ëducate" we, asian, on the right frame of thinking or the right meaning of governance or the true value of wealth or simply how to think like them.
And we are seeing more and more of them doing this here in Sg. -
Originally posted by mrvictor:
pollard should not be allowed to become a singaporean unless
1) she shows that she can contribute to singapore economically very well
2) she serves national service
we cannot allow people who defect over and have enjoyed other countries' benefits to come back and enjoy our country's benefits also
i have to disagree, she's in her (lets say) about 60, how on earth is she going to serve?
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"On topics he knows little about. On platform that is atrociously the domain of the locals."Originally posted by 4sg:Same old same old it's what called propaganda . . .of course nobody's heard about this William Jansen before a man of no stature as more than not.
Precisely.This Jansen is a man of no stature. Yet he wrote to the main media, ie The Straits Times. On topics he knows little about. On platform that is atrociously the domain of the locals.
........
And we are seeing more and more of them doing this here in Sg.
Good point. Very well said.
Of course you are seeing more and more such making the news! dissenting views are on the rise and this is just another effort to brainwash the weak minded. -
Originally posted by Miracles&Prophecies:
"On topics he knows little aboutOn platform that is atrociously the domain of the locals."
On platform that is atrociously the domain of the locals.
Good point. Very well said.
Of course you are! dissenting views are on the rise and this is just another effort to brainwash the weak minded.-----
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aiyah , this jensen only has shown us 1 thing, that he's falling into the trap in hook, line, when he becomes citizen, add sinker to it where he will be find out that he has be suckered into a trap where his $$$ will start to dimish more and more.
it amuses me that he would want a life like this, which i believe many disgruntled singaporeans would happily trade with him inexchange a life here for a life at where he used to belong.
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Originally posted by Annilator47:
aiyah , this jensen only has shown us 1 thing, that he's falling into the trap in hook, line, when he becomes citizen, add sinker to it where he will be find out that he has be suckered into a trap where his $$$ will start to dimish more and more.
it amuses me that he would want a life like this, which i believe many disgruntled singaporeans would happily trade with him inexchange a life here for a life at where he used to belong.
Not true.
If he is really an expat, he probably has a good chance of enjoying life in Singapore.
I have a colleague that is considering taking up a job assignment in Singapore from my organization. Given our current pay in USA (which is already in the upper bracket of US level of pay), he moving to Singapore will make things really affordable for him.
Put it simply, Singapore's cost of living is high from a Singaporean's pay perspective. But definitely not from an expat's perspective.
He's just commenting on life in Singapore from his own perspective, and has probably no idea the problems that us locals deeply entrenched in Singapore, have.
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Originally posted by soul_rage:
Not true.
If he is really an expat, he probably has a good chance of enjoying life in Singapore.
I have a colleague that is considering taking up a job assignment in Singapore from my organization. Given our current pay in USA (which is already in the upper bracket of US level of pay), he moving to Singapore will make things really affordable for him.
Put it simply, Singapore's cost of living is high from a Singaporean's pay perspective. But definitely not from an expat's perspective.
He's just commenting on life in Singapore from his own perspective, and has probably no idea the problems that us locals deeply entrenched in Singapore, have.
the point missed out is the money reserve when they really decide to move in to here, granted they might have more but one must not forget, the cost of living is getting higher soon, given at his present situation it's more like a "short term gain over a long term loss." the loss will not be apperent to them until the reality starts to bite in when they start to find out that they are losing it,it might be too late then, should the current system still run like that in due time.
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Originally posted by Annilator47:
the point missed out is the money reserve when they really decide to move in to here, granted they might have more but one must not forget, the cost of living is getting higher soon, given at his present situation it's more like a "short term gain over a long term loss." the loss will not be apperent to them until the reality starts to bite in when they start to find out that they are losing it,it might be too late then, should the current system still run like that in due time.
As i mentioned, an expat's pay is far above that of the average local in the country. Therefore he should have no problems handling the increased cost of living.Do not forget, that increased cost of living happens everywhere. Therefore even if he stayed in the previous country, he would face increased cost of living there as well
This debate is more on the suppressed wages of the average Singaporean, than on the actual cost of living. It's really pretty relative. If you earn far more than the average Singaporean, then relatively speaking, you would not be having too much of a problems with the cost of living.
The problem comes when the local's pay do not increase ahead of the cost of living, thus the pain comes.
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Originally posted by soul_rage:
As i mentioned, an expat's pay is far above that of the average local in the country. Therefore he should have no problems handling the increased cost of living.Do not forget, that increased cost of living happens everywhere. Therefore even if he stayed in the previous country, he would face increased cost of living there as well
This debate is more on the suppressed wages of the average Singaporean, than on the actual cost of living. It's really pretty relative. If you earn far more than the average Singaporean, then relatively speaking, you would not be having too much of a problems with the cost of living.
The problem comes when the local's pay do not increase ahead of the cost of living, thus the pain comes.
I agree with Soulrage on this. Basically why some like to be expats (alot of japanese do) is because they get to earn the same wage but spend in a cheaper country.... therefore attaining a super-inflated standard of living.Kind Regards
Genie
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this has been written and discussed lots here, and it is basically an issue of the clear divide of between the `haves' and the `have nots' which in singapore has become more very apparent in the last few years.
depending on which side you are on, you will clearly `love' the standard of living here in singapore or `loathe' the high cost of living. the middle-ground folks are the shrinking lots.
the tenet of good or acceptable standard of living in a country must be applied to the majority of the population, or benchmarked against what is the basic, acceptable and humane level of living for the population in general. and this benchmark is typically set by the government. if a government policy so decide that no citizen goes hungry, it will work towards that (granted there will be slips in the cracks), or if the government decide against any safety net for the population in general, then good luck to all.
the issue i see in the current ruling elite in singapore is that the living standard benchmark is set conversely to what would have been a basic responsibility of any government; i.e. to safeguard and provide for the needs of the citizens in general. in singapore, in the name of survival and competitiveness, the government deliberately cast aside these basic governance principles that got them elected by creating such a tenuous living conditions to its own people that to me is baffling, or even ludicrous.
by `opening' up singapore to the world, singaporeans will always get the short end of the straw, because nothing will ever be good enough. you need to work harder for less money, and with an inequitable playing ground, how could singaporeans compete? we will always be outpriced by the malaysians and the other regional countries. Similarly on the apex of the pyramid, singaporeans will never have all or enough of smarties to effectively compete with the best brains of the world, because our education system is not perfect and we are only after all, a young nation. that the government is subjecting singaporeans to all these unequal playing field is outrageous and terrible injustice that Singaporeans are subjected to. in this instance, survival is overrated here.
Unlike in a much bigger market like the USA or its near equivalent markets where it will have the propensity to absorb the best brain or take in the lowest paid workers (even this is protected by the government in the form of minimum pay to prevent employee abuse).this is because the pie is big enough for all without any major fall-out. Singapore, on the other hand is such a small market. There isn’t simply enough room for being `all things to all people’.
Will Singapore perish if we are to `take things slightly easier’ and smell the roses once in a while? I think not. After all, we are not the biggest slackers in the world. The policy of 20 or more years ago of strategically positioning Singaporeans as high value add, educated and hard working individuals, imo is still valid. today, no singaporean will want to be cheapest; but we do not have the smartest-in-the-world-for-everything amongst us as well (a part of the current ruling elite which is a bunch of clowns is a testament to this fact) Rather than continuing on the road of building a society where Singaporeans take pride in being the touted as an exemplary city state where excellence is the byword in which the nation is run, we are moving towards the path of being the gambling capital in the region, the united nation of vice/flesh trade and a stopover destination to ANYBODY(martians’ included if ever there is one) who’s keen to pillage and take a piece of Singapore for his/her own benefit.
no wonder singapore’s standard of living is hard to beat, in whichever way you look at it.
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Originally posted by Genie99a:
I agree with Soulrage on this. Basically why some like to be expats (alot of japanese do) is because they get to earn the same wage but spend in a cheaper country.... therefore attaining a super-inflated standard of living.Kind Regards
Genie
Something like work in US, get pay US$10,000 per month.Request to come to Spore to work as an expat, salary still pay US$10,000 ++++ (benefits: we should not touch there)...definately they wont feel a pinch and they wont know how sporean hard life.
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Originally posted by likeyou:
Something like work in US, get pay US$10,000 per month.Request to come to Spore to work as an expat, salary still pay US$10,000 ++++ (benefits: we should not touch there)...definately they wont feel a pinch and they wont know how sporean hard life.
for mncs, it is not uncommon for the package to include better salary drawn against last salary(currency equilized), housing, education, car, relocation benefits n a host of other goodies.a few years back, my ex-boss from the US moved to singapore on a 2 year assignment. our hr people laid out everything for him, including help in rental search etc. he ended up in a house with a pool in bkt timah, kids schooled in american sch for free, etc. n much more. and mind you, his is not a top notch job in the company. when his 2 years is up, he was actually hesitant in going back. back home, you will live in a real world in your own house.
half-past-6 foreigners will of course compete with singaporeans in the middle level jobs with only slightly improved benefits. little else.
foreigners, if there are not drawing above s$400k/yr and above and still get housing and all that jazz, will not consider coming, unless `forced' to.
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We have compiled a table of various data to compare between our leader and other countries’ to answer the mind boggling question of “whether the Singaporean government is worth its weight in gold?”
Denmark
PM - Lars Lokke Rasmussen Salary (US$): $210,036 Corruption Ranking (a) : 2
Democracy Ranking (b): 1 Quality of Life Ranking (c): 16
GDP per capita (Int. $): 36,725
New Zealand
P M - John Key Salary (US$): $253,746 Corruption Ranking (a) : 1
Democracy Ranking (b): 3 Quality of Life Ranking (c): 5
GDP per capita (Int. $): 26,625
USA
President - Barack Obama Salary (US$): $400,000 Corruption Ranking (a) : 16
Democracy Ranking (b): 15 Quality of Life Ranking (c): 7
GDP per capita (Int. $): 46,443
Sweden
PM - Fredrik Reinfeldt Salary (US$): $236,000 Corruption Ranking (a): 3
Democracy Ranking (b): 2 Quality of Life Ranking (c): 30
GDP per capita (Int. $): 35,934
SINGAPORE
PM – Lee Hsien Loong Salary (US$): $2,856,930 Corruption Ranking (a): 4
Democracy Ranking (b): 71 Quality of Life Ranking (c): 70
GDP per capita (Int. $): 49,433
* Salaries are from various sources.
* (a&b) Corruption & democracy ranking – http://www.worldaudit.org/corruption.htm
* (c) Quality of life ranking – http://www1.internationalliving.com/qofl2010/
* GDP per capita from International Monetary Fund – http://imf.org/