Coffeeshop Talk – Show Me the $$$

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I attended yet another “Young NTUC’s Coffeeshop Talk” on 3rd September. This is the second I attended, with the first one more than 6 months ago. The guest of honor this time is Ms Grace Fu (Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education).

The talk started off with an introduction to the mission (and / or vision) of the Ministry of National Development, and an explanation of each of the points. This include examples – like the Pinnacle at Duxton, the Southern Ridges Walk, plans to diversify commercial activities to the Kallang River Basin and Jurong Lake area (with success at Tampines) etc. In general, it explains the MND’s role as not only being a ministry of building houses, but also one with a plan to make Singapore a more attractive place. The introduction then ended with a multimedia presentation of development of Marina Bay and what it will look like upon its completion.

After which, the audience is invited to ask questions. Surprisingly, there were no questions about the MND’s mission and also the Marina Bay development. The first question asked revolved around the ever increasing COV (Cost over Valuation) and what the government gahmen plans to curb it, and whether more gahmen help is in place to keep housing affordable.

If I have gotten Ms Grace Fu’s answers right, it is her opinion that the days of ‘afforable housing’ that our parents know of is long gone and we can stop thinking about it (not her words but what I understood). The minister further mentioned that the gahmen has no intention to further raise subsidies as a result of the increase in COV, other than to very specific groups of needy people. Josephine Yeo (MP, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio GRC) elaborated further that she is against increasing subsidies because that will only encourage people to go for even larger, more expensive housing and driving the cost up further (something I agrees with very much). Someone else also mentioned that curbing COV with legislation only encourages under-the-table transactions which will not help with the situation very much.

The minister reminded everyone that valuation of flats is not something controlled by the gahmen and the COV is a result of transaction done between buyers and sellers. She mentioned that we could go through records of transactional prices and see for ourselves that COV has almost remained at zero most of the time, and at times even negative (i.e. flats are sold below valuation). It is my opinion that the minister seems to be in the opinion that control of the COV is in the hands of the buyers. In short, buyers should walk away from over-paying too much over valuation. On top of which, she mentioned that the gahmen has to allow prices of flats to appreciate, as matured estates with more amenities will fetch a higher price by default.

I do not necessary agree with the minister on her argument that the ‘regulation’ of COV is in the hands of the buyers, since my perception is that while Singaporeans may walk away from such a deal, certain cash-rich foreigners may not hesitate to pay above valuation which in the end fouls up everything for us. In fact, I have always been under the impression that prior to Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997, some Hong Konger’s were paying way above valuation causing property prices to spiral upwards. In effect, there’s only so much Singaporean property buyers looking for a roof over their head could do.

The questions then moved on to the matter of the Ethnic Integration Policy (Ethnic Quota, or ‘EIP’ for short) maintained in HDB estates. It was asked why the quota is so strict, and why it can’t be eased as it was noted that some flats were left empty for years, and not sold even though there are buyers of certain races who want a flat in a particular area. One pointed out that it is a waste to leave the flat unsold until another buyer which meets the racial quota comes along. In answer, Grace Fu reminded all that it is national policy that an MP be representative of all races instead of their own. As such the EIP is also to prevent the appearance of townships with a heavy concentration of a particular race. As far as I am concerned, the minister basically gave text book answers and didn’t quite answer the whole question, though everyone understands the necessity of the EIP.

At this point of time a poll was taken on whether the attendees think it is just our luck or good planning that should Singapore recover quickly from the present recession. There is no surprises here, with a result showing 13% on good luck, and 87% on good planning. I didn’t place my vote, since I am in my opinion that it is both good luck and good planning. After all, our economy is so geared for export that we are the first in Asia to enter into recession not long after the Credit Crisis hits the U.S. There is of course no surprise we will rebound quickly once consumer confidence is restored in the U.S. However, I must admit that the steps taken to limit the damages from this crisis, such as Jobs Credit, is pretty good planning in a way.

Finally, a quick poll on taken whether one would be upset and disappointed when their children send them away to an old folks home when they are old. This eased the ‘tension’ on the matter of housing, and surprisingly the results were pretty close – with 52% saying they would, while the remaining 48% saying they wouldn’t.

The main topic brought up with regard to this poll, was whether legislation is necessary to enforce filial piety and the taking care of parents, why children would take their parents to home etc. From what I gathered, I think there is not so much an objection to people sending their parents to homes, but rather, the dismay that some people actually then abandoned their parents there and also not pay the homes for the services. It is almost certain most people are against legislation enforcing a matter of morality and I for certain is against the gahmen taking up the role of an arbitrator in moral issues. It is however clear, that there are no objections on using the already in place Maintenance of Parents Act to obtain payment from those who abandoned their parents to old folks homes.

Other topics involved the reasons in why some children would take their parents to old folks homes, from the lack of day care centers which is easy for their parents to travel to and also those who are afraid allowing their elderly parents to roam around causing social problems, such as losing their way home. After all, the two-child policy results in smaller families with only two children or less, and their own work commitments would make it difficult to take care of their folks at home. This reminds me of the situation of the mother in Jack Neo’s ‘Money No Enough 2’, and I can understand the helplessness and the lack of control over their situation.

The session rounded up after this, as it was running late (almost 9:30pm) on a Thursday night. Surprisingly, the matter on religious harmony was not touched on even though I noticed a poll was prepared for it and the minister did not touch on her other portfolio – Education.

All in all, I am still encouraged by such talks. While it may not necessary help us understand gahmen policies, not to mention that I may not always agree with all of the explanations and answers, it does help me understand more about what fellow Singaporeans think, and indirectly their reasoning behind the choices they made.

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Recollection and Recent Photos

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It has almost been a year since the acquisition of my employer by another company, but only lately has it caused me to feel quite down. The relocation under one roof is almost completed and thus we are getting less busy. Even though our position in the merged entity is now confirmed, it would appear to me that our days in the new entity might not be long as there’s some discussion on outsourcing going on. Granted we would likely be employed by the firm taking up the outsourcing, I don’t find that prospect appealing even though the consolation is that I will likely continue to be employed. Personally speaking – I wished the person who first conceived outsourcing was never born, and since he was, I wished he would die a terrible death and I’ll be there to witness it.

On top of which, the chances is that a lot of my current colleagues will most likely soon be leaving – either because of headcount redundancy, or because they find it difficult to adopt to the new environment. While I have no problems with the new colleagues in my department, since there is usually little office politics among IT guys, some of the colleagues in other departments have discussed their lack of prospects in the new entity and bitched about their less than cooperative colleagues who generally treat us from the bought over firm like refugees and second-class citizens in spite of the top management’s seeming efforts to create an warm and welcoming environment. Even where some might get a confirmed position in the new entity, they actually prefer to be retrenched and hoped for generous retrenchment package instead. That is the reason why even though there is a great view at the new office (see below) – we almost seem like we are at the top of the world – morale among some of us who would like to stay remained at an all-time low.

Leaving a place one has worked for almost 8 years is difficult, and the impending changes at times make me feel that life is really not that easy in Singapore. Why we would feel that way is something that the likes of Wee Shumin, elitist little brats born with a silver spoon in their mouth, will never understand. The need to get use to the new office and new colleagues, and adapting to the different practices and culture of the new entity only add on to that feeling of deep loss. The new lunching places in the vicinity only made it worse – the loss of my usual lunch partner, the even greater difficulty to find a seat during lunch compared to the eating places in Raffles Place, along with the ever present long queues at the stalls makes the place seemed more hostile than it actually is. At times when I passed by Raffles Place, I even felt a tad of sadness. That explains why even while I generally gave the NDP Fireworks a miss, I had gone back to the old office this year to try and capture some photos of it. It would be the last time we get to see the fireworks up close and in comfort. Too bad my pathetic photography skills failed to capture the full glory of the NDP after dark and the fireworks (see below – include night shots from the new office as well).

Anyway, these are some of the reason why I took the opportunity to take some leave and enjoy a super long weekend. We have a lot of leave under the existing employment benefits, and there is no compensation for any ‘unconsumed’ leave. I thank God that the there were showers over those days I am on leave keeping the weather cool, and I took the opportunity to visit Hort Park and part of the Southern Ridges which I wanted to for a long time.

It was a walk in nature which I enjoyed. Though my spirits was not at all lifted after the walk, it was still a walk much needed. While it was hardly a work-out, the walk took me almost 2 hours, at times going uphill and giving my leg and thigh muscles some long needed stretching. Even though the scenery was not as breath-taking as the Peak in Hong Kong, the scenery on the way up to Faber Peak was impressive. I am glad to discovered them and did my best to capture them in photos.

Let me take the opportunity to share it here.

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Commentary – Sweta Agarwal

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I would have written something about this letter when my friend sent it to me earlier had I not been bothered by work and some personal matters. Here’s the letter in question:

Thanks, being a PR is good enough
August 20, 2009 Thursday

IN RESPONSE to letters by Mr Jimmy Loke (‘The PR difference’, last Saturday) and Mr Chia Kok Leong (‘No school, no Singapore’, last Saturday), I would only ask them to refer to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s speech reported last Friday (‘MM: Foreign talent is vital’), where he gave an idea of the benefits citizens have over permanent residents (PRs).

I am happy to be a PR and although we do not get equal benefits in housing and other respects, that is understandable. We understand the difference between a citizen and a PR.

But where our children are concerned, we just want them to have the best education possible and I think we are not asking much. Citizens have the upper hand in buying homes and other respects, which is justified, but where schooling is concerned, ‘every child has the right to get the best education possible’.

About living here for six years and not taking citizenship, I think this is a very personal choice. I would just like to end this topic by saying we are not here to compete with citizens but there are certain things on which one cannot compromise and children’s education is one of them. I think we are not asking much and we are grateful to the Government for understanding that for every parent, his child’s welfare comes first.

I would like to thank Mr Loke and Mr Chia for inviting us to become citizens but for now, I am proud to be a citizen of my country and have PR status in Singapore.

Sweta Agarwal (Mrs)

It appears to me that PRs from this one particular country always have this unusual and unacceptable ‘mentality of entitlement’. We have far less issues with other PRs, apparently. I recalled having written another blog post before, after another PR (apparently of the same nationality) shamelessly wrote in asking why he can only get HDB flats off the open market and not the ‘subsidised’ ones which are offered only to Singapore Citizens who are first time owners.

When I first read it, my response to the friend who sent the article to me was simply this: “This is like a customer, whom after being served a cup of plain water, asks for a cup of chai latte – for free, and also to be served first.”

Frankly, I don’t understand where her argument of “compromising her children’s education” is coming from. Giving priority to the children of citizens in getting a place in schools would hardly compromise her children’s education. She either have to send them further away to study if she can’t get her children a place, or to a private school. After all, we citizens expect her to pay the full fees for her child’s education for taking up a place which would otherwise have been given to a Singaporean child!

According to this article, Mrs Sweta Agarwal had also issued a veiled threat that PRs may consider leaving Singapore if their children cannot get into the schools of their choice, and had justified the equal chance given to PRs because they ‘pay taxes and abide by Singapore’s laws’.

That’s preposterous! Everyone is expected to abide by the law of the land, wherever he / she is, and this PR should not forget that Singapore provided her the job opportunities in the first place and thus paying taxes to our State is a duty and in my personal opinion, an institutionalised method for people who has benefited from the society to give some of it back. It doesn’t matter whether the government gahmen uses that money to build infrastructure or invest (and lose) it in investments. Ultimately, that money is spent with the intention to benefit everyone staying here. Before Mrs Sweta Agarwal issued her threat, she should first ask herself why she has chosen to come to Singapore, if not for the fact that Singapore offers the best deal? Unless she is really exceptional, Singapore losses nothing in a win-win deal like this since someone else either more capable or equally capable would have quickly filled the positions she vacated.

As my friend Modeus put it: These people probably think Singaporean men do our national service and get allowances and enjoy free meals paid by them. Personally, I am not surprised if these people think we citizens enjoy our lives on their hard work and money or that Singapore cannot do without them. After all, whenever the Singapore gahmen defend the Foreign Fallen Talent policies, they have repeatedly make it clear that while Singapore can fill some of these jobs, we do not necessarily have the critical mass to fill all of them. As such, the gahmen opened up the labor market to attract investors to set up shop here, so that the investors won’t take it elsewhere. To put it in a simple analogy: We’ll let some outsiders come and eat the pie, because we can’t finish it all. That is better than losing the entire pie to someone else entirely.

Either way, this is not the first time a PR issued such a threat when PRs in general faces a backlash from citizens. However, PRs would do well to remember that when Singapore’s economy change, they might find themselves obsolete just like many of our own graduates trained in the wrong trade. While they may currently be in demand, they shouldn’t think that Singapore owe them a living. After all, they may come a day when their currently valued ‘talent’ become obsolete and available at a cheaper cost at some newly industrialised economies elsewhere.

We Chinese have a saying: 山水有相逢. It literally translates as: Even the mountains will meet the water. To elaborate, the mountain maybe high, but even then one day the water once flowing at its foot will be on its peaks. What it really means is that a person shouldn’t feel so high and mighty, because conditions can change so drastically that it takes others on top of you.

When the day comes where Singapore’s economy no longer needs the likes of Mrs Sweta Agarwal, I hope the ICA officer at the customs putting the chop on her passport will say:

Good riddance, to bad rubbish.

Commentary – Maintenance of Parents Act

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This is a translated excerpt of the Prime Minister’s Baby Lee’s National Day Rally speech (Mandarin):

We Asians pay great attention to filial piety This is a traditional virtue & we must maintain this. Although the government has a duty to look after the aged, and the government will try its best to look after the aged, but to the family members, it’s not only duty, it’s duty plus love. It’s not something the government can provide. The love of the family members, the warmth of the family cannot be replaced by nursing homes & hospitals.

Recently I had a chat with some nursing home operators & they told me that in principle this is correct. But some Singaporeans have not preserved this virtue. Some Singaporeans have abandoned their parents in the homes or hospitals. After they sent their parents to the homes sometimes they disappeared & even changed their addresses on their ICs. When the nursing home contacted them they said: “It’s not my business.” and said that even if the nursing homes were to drive the parents away, they would not mind.

This is something that causes great discomfort to us – a new social phenomenon – and we must deal with it. So the government is looking into how to be more effective in implementing the Maintenance of Parents Act so that the children will fulfill their duty. Besides building more community hospitals the government will look into other measures so it will facilitate people looking after the sick relatives at home. We will do our part. Our whole health care system will be effective but individuals must also carry out their duties

I am not sure whether this was also touched on in his English and Malay speech, but if it wasn’t then it would be really interesting why it is in Mandarin only. It implied that Chinese Singaporeans are the only ones who abandoned their parents in Old Folks Homes.

But I am not surprised if that is true. I have a distant relative who did just that to his own mother and after hearing the exact detail of the events leading to her predicament, I could only gnash my teeth in cold fury (恨得我咬牙切齿). Here’s a summary: One of her three sons, knowing that their mother doesn’t know English, conned her into signing a lawyer letter which bequeath all of their late-father’s estate to him alone, thereby cheating not just his own mother but also the inheritance of his other two brothers. When all of that is done, the mother was so completely devastated, she suffered from dementia. This scum then send her to a home. Failing to understand their mother’s predicament, since she had signed away what they felt is rightfully theirs, the other two sons felt no obligation to bring her home and all three of them left her there till she died a lonesome death. It was a situation as bad as that depicted in Jack Neo’s ‘Money No Enough 2’ except that the three brothers in that movie didn’t con their mother or just left her to die.

When my parents found out about it and went to visit her before she passed away, the old lady (an aunt of mine from the father side) could not recognise any of them. My only consolation was that these sub-human trash didn’t share my family name, and I promised myself that my clan will never forget the debt this family owed and if God is willing, one day I’ll settle this score with them… personally.

The Maintenance of Parents Act is thus an welcomed piece of legislation for me, even though it has came too late for my aunt. However, I felt that the act should not become a piece of legislation which empowers irresponsible parents and allows them to force their kids to maintain them. I can only say parents who have never been their for their children, such as compulsive gamblers or violent, abusive parents who left their children to fend for themselves at a young age, should only deserved what they had coming for them if their children abandons them. While I am not really encouraging an environment of vengeance, I felt no one should be subjected to the word and wrath of the law when they have already suffered long enough in their childhood.

That being said, I must also point out that while the Maintenance of Parents Act will serve as the stick to deal with those heartless beasts who abandoned their parents, there is no carrot for those who fulfill their duties without fail. Certainly, I would like the government gahmen to do more to help those who are fulfilling their duty.

However, I am not asking for handouts from the gahmen, but I would at the very least expect the gahmen to make it far easier for me to pay some of the costs. For e.g. I think it is prudent that everyone of us – especially those who are only child – to get health insurance in place for their aging parents. However, I can only use up to $800 (or was it $880?) from my CPF’s Medisave account to pay for each insurance bill. The rest I would have to foot out of my own pocket. All is fine as long as I remained gainfully employed, but I might have difficulties paying the difference if I am not. As such, I would seriously prefer to be able to pay the full amount from my CPF. Above which, allowing us to have more money would indirectly increase our spending power which would indirectly increase the GST collected by the gahmen, and thus giving it more money to finance any future ‘wealth sharing’ projects.

Is it too much to ask for the cap on Medisave payment for health insurance to be lifted, as some kind of ‘carrot’ for some of us who are doing our duty as children faithfully? I am not even asking for handouts. I am just asking that I be allowed to use this money which is rightfully mine, and it is not as if I am asking to use the CPF for hedonistic purposes.

Commentary – 44 Years of Nationhood

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This is a post inspired by Erniesurn’s blog post and a consolidation of my comments on his blog.

It has been 44 years since our expulsion from the Federation of Malaysia. Singapore has come a long way since then, and on National Day, I stopped and asked myself – Do I feel a sense of belonging to Singapore?

Frankly, there is hardly any belonging as far as I am concerned. The place I lived for 26 years is now nothing more than a grass patch – the flats were torn down about a few months ago. And the place I spent my childhood from 5 ~ 12 years old (the Kreta Ayer – Upper Cross Street – Chin Swee Road area) has gone through so much changes, I could not really recognise the place – especially the Chinatown area.

Singapore changes so rapid that when I look out of my office’s window everyday I see a drastic change at Marina Bay. Yet all of the developments driving these changes is geared for ‘instant gratification’ – from the IR, to the F1, and the Sail, etc. All of which are targetted at ‘high spenders’, and it doesn’t matter little, or perhaps even none of that money really flows into the pockets of the common man.

The Sail, for e.g., is out of reach of the average Singaporean. As for the F1, whatever benefits there are to Singapore is probably negligible to the common Singaporean. Yet, consider who bears the cost? Common Singaporeans like you and I will have to live with chaotic traffic, bus re-routes and road blocks for the duration the F1. (I wouldn’t even want to get started raving about how the shops in SunTec / Marina area bore the burden of bad business during F1 and get none of the benefits!)

To me, none of these things would make me feel more at home, nor give me a sense of belonging. I simply console myself that whatever revenue that comes of these would hopefully translate into some GST credits for me.

While on the topic of the IR and the new waterfront, I recalled a proposal sometime ago to build a replica of the ship which took Raffles to Singapore. I am not surprised the idea never took off. The reason is quite obvious – what revenue would a floating history museum and an antique ship replica bring to Singapore? In fact, it probably doesn’t even fit into the plan for this so-called new waterfront. In general, historical heritage and preservation of historical buildings in Singapore is a joke – just take a look at the MICA building at the junction of Hill Street and River Valley Road, or some of the old shop houses along Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar, or Chinatown itself. It is as if we managed to preserve the carcass in its full glory, but failed utterly to retain its living soul.

Frankly, the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board knows for a fact that once we remove the figures of transit, the figures for visitors in Singapore will be so pathetic, that there is almost non-existent tourism to speak about. Don’t believe me? Try visit the Bird Park or the Zoo on a weekday and see the visitors. Then compare that to the Ocean Park in Hong Kong, when you get to visit it. In fact, I find it easier to promote Taipei and Hong Kong to my own fellow citizens, than to foreign friend from Taipei and Hong Kong to come to Singapore.

If you are wondering just what is the point I am trying to make, it is simply this: Everything in Singapore gives me me nothing more than a feel that we are merely transitional. As a resident and a citizen, I can’t help but feel a sense of loss when something I have attached to gets demolished and then rebuilt – such as the Tiong Bahru Market. There is no doubt if you take Raffles or General Yamashita through time, none of them would recognise the Singapore they know.

It doesn’t help, when I am further reminded that anyone is considered useless if he has no economic contribution to this nation, either in the form of labour or spending. It really never surprises me why Singaporeans readily raved against any proposal of ‘welfare’ even before we have heard of the details! The real reason isn’t really all about ‘welfare encouraging laziness and free loaders’, but this: one more person fxxking up would simply be one less competitor.

Indeed, Singapore has progressed much, but at what expense? Did we really gain something, or lost something? Student suicides were almost unheard off to this old fossil when I was a student. My friends and I were hardly any less entertained or unhappy when I was a kid, in spite of the fact that we didn’t have PSP or Andy’s Ass NDS. The best arcade games were Galaxian or Space Invaders, and Ultima IV was the closest game we had to Diablo, and it is not even networkable! Yet, we were thoroughly happy and we enjoyed our childhood catching longkang fish in the drain, playing marbles or catching, flying a kite or even looking for fighting spiders in the plants at the seemingly abandoned power relay stations.

Yet in spite of the progress we have made, in spite of the luxuries we enjoyed, I seemed even more unhappy. In fact, we ranked even below the Philippines on the Happiness Index or something like that. What am I really unhappy about? Is it a lack of material possessions, or the absence of social consciousness?

I will admit, I am quite unhappy as far as material possession is concerned. In fact, I am definitely upset not only because some of the things are really out of my reach – such as an apartment in the Sail at the new Downtown – probably no matter how hard I try, but also because of the increasing burden in getting them into my possession. My father took 10 years to own the home he bought – it was nothing to boast about but I am still paying another 15 years for mine, 10 years after I have moved in.

I am even morey upset with the absence of social consciousness. I recall the day when a few of us was jaywalking and dashing madly across in spite of the oncoming cars, and then this person in front of me who just got on the divider didn’t bother to step aside so I can step on it, even when he knew I was right behind him. It was there and then I came to the stark realization that in this country, even in matters of life and death, no one gives a damn about the person beside or behind him once he’s safe.

This same I am safe and I don’t give a flying damn about you attitude is prevalent everywhere. Ever come across the guy who after stepping into the train or an elevator, stop right there and not move in in spite of the rest of the rest of the people behind him? Or that person who stopped right on the landing after he step off the escalator in spite of the oncoming load of other passengers? Or the two scums who walk in a line abreast under the corridors of old shop houses in Chinatown or Boat Quay, and yet expect you to give way to them?

In fact, whenever we read the papers about Tai-E-Loan (大耳窿 aka loan shark) problems plaguing some residents, had we stop and consider that had everyone more social consciousness, we would have taken turns to look out for one another and put an end to all these loan shark nonsense? After all, it’s not like these thugs that were arrested were really mean looking gangsters or something. Some of them were just teenagers! I recalled the NPCC (National Police Cadet Corps) used to form Crime Watch groups during my school days, whatever happened to those?!

What national identity and belonging are we talking about when even our closest neighbours are complete strangers to us? A Chinese teacher once said Singaporeans are all ‘bird people’ and we thought he was using bad words. Yet, what he meant was that we lock ourselves up behind our steel gates, like little birds in their cages when we get home.

Is it not true we mostly don’t even talk to our neighbours? Some of us may pride ourselves of having Malay friends but we hardly speak to our Malay neighbours. Is it a surprise why the Kampong Spirit in Singapore is dead?

I can’t help but feel, the Education system in Singapore is a completely failure if we go strictly by Confucius definition of the purpose of education. Confucius believed in educating people so that they know how to ‘be people’ (做人), to understand the meaning of being a human being (做人的道理), to be in harmony with society, and to serve one another. Yet our education system teaches us none of that.

Our education system simply programs the next generation of youngsters to become the labor (or living automaton) which the economy required. Educational institutes would be providing courses towards what is required and taking in most students for them. In 1988, it was high tech manufacturing. By 1998, it was IT. In 2003 it was Bio-Technology. Today, in view of the IR and a service orientated economy, it is service and entertainment. It is quite alright when you are the early batch… but what if you are the late batch where what you are trained in becomes sunset industry in the rapidly changing economic environment of Singapore? Your parents may have spent a whole load of money to get you equipped with these skill sets. But what use are these skill sets when they ‘expire’? Did I mention that my diploma was only good for the first 3 years of my employment before I changed line, when I saw where the wind is blowing?

Simply put, if you haven’t jumped ship before it sank, you are simply, finished! You are stuck with an obsolete skill set or even an education that is a complete waste. If you have been in a particular line for quite awhile… there’s no chance of taking it overseas either since the company would have taken your job to another country where you simply can’t compete with their pay scale. If you just graduated, you probably have no money and yet you have to spend more money to upgrade… or starve.

If you think you are safe being an entrepreneur or a businessman… it brings to memory a friend’s father, who runs a small business making paper bags, boxes and stuff like that. He had several sons gainfully employed in the family business. Yet the business could no longer sustain itself, when provision shops, supermarkets and hawkers rapidly moved into using styrofoam boxes and plastic bags. It was simply a matter of changing times.

In short, I really want to feel belong to this country. Unfortunately, in spite of all the apparent prosperity, I can’t when I look at the direction that the country takes either leaves some of us behind or marginalises them. And this will be what the rest of your fellow Singaporeans and this government gahmin say to you:

Good luck!! It’s not my fault and not my problem!! It’s your own fault!! You are lazy!! Don’t expect any handouts, you free loader!!

The gahmen can claim that it created the job that I have, but it is the skill and ability of the Singaporean worker that keeps the job here. That same job, faces competition also from foreigners coming from elsewhere to seek employment, and foreigners who would leave at the sign of trouble.

In short, I can find nothing to make me feel I belonged. And no one cares. In fact, I know what people who has only smell the roses – and none of the manure in the flowerbed – all their lives, like Wee Shu Min, would be saying if they happened to read this.

Get out of my elite uncaring face, you useless bum.

Funny Picture of the Day:

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