I received a tag from Esperance about the one thing I like about my country. Interesting because I have been thinking about this the past few days and this morning in particular, especially after reading about how some people are saying that life in Singapore is just like George Owell’s “Animal Farm” here.
“It start good and then the pigs decided that they rule and that they should walk on 2 legs (copy everything western) and the rest of the people are useless scums.
Many Singaporeans just like animals in the animal farm have not realised what’s going on. 60% of the economy is Govt or Govt owned. So, if they or their family have a job related to the govt of any Govt linked companies, they have a ok life.
Those that realised and try to do something were put to shame and at least more than 100K of them migrated to Australia over the last 10 yrs.
It’s really unfolding like animal farm. Some animals escaped and they just import more Indians & Chinese to dilute the votes.”
While the comment is somewhat skewed, the commenter maybe right that a lot of us live complacently without knowing what is really going on. Or should I say not wanting to know what is going on. “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” holds a lot of truth for us (and actually for everyone else too). And with the migrants that they plan to bring in to boost the population to 6.5 million, the landscape will of course change quite dramatically later.
But based on the scenario today, do I want to migrate if given the chance? Would I get the due respect when I’m in another country? Would I be able to sleep in peace at night in a foreign land? Is the grass really greener on the other side?
I think at the end of the day, while I may consider living elsewhere, I doubt I would ever want to give up my citizenship here even though we’ve had our fair share of problems here. I may have my gripes, I may want some real democracy, and I may want to vote for the opposition BUT at the end of the day, I’m still happy to acknowledge that this is still my home and I have a sense of belonging here. The country is small no doubt, and the scenes are limited, but well, the infrastructure is good for me and at the least, I get my broadband access here everyday, without fail.
And seriously, holding a Singapore passport has bailed me out of tricky situations in foreign lands before. So I’ll definitely want to hang on to that sort of privilege. Maybe the situation will change. Who knows?
Perhaps I’ve been domesticated and brainwashed but it really doesn’t feel so bad most of the time. At least for the moment, I don’t feel like a caged animal living in Singapore. And really, the grass is still quite green here. It just depends on which days and on which side you see them.
political ideas aside, we focus on just day-to-day living k?
i’ve lived in bangkok, bali and new york. i’ve a lot to be thankful for, to be an educated Singaporean, even though my family doesn’t have many roots here by now.
to me, nothing beats the efficient infrastructure of Singapore- broadband, public transport, cheap taxis, safe to walk the streets at night, easy access to food, clean streets, reasonable medical costs, professional doctors and good hospitals. things do work here.
it’s a tough education system, but i’m one of the lucky ones who bumbled along and survived it with pretty good grades. i’ve no looks nor talents. if i didn’t have academic qualifications, i’d have to survive solely on Daddy’s money and maybe bum my life away. education gave me perspectives, a mind and some skills.
i might live somewhere else again, but my citizenship will always be Singaporean.
imp: Yes, my sentiments exactly. And just think of those natural disasters elsewhere. Hey, I’ll stay here anytime. But I want do want to complain about the weather though.
Comment by imp — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 10:46 am
OMG..!! just when i am talking to PB about getting a canadian passport/citizenship.. here you are talking about keeping it..
Now i really have to think again.. 
MB: It’s not possible for dual citizenship at this moment otherwise that would be an option for you.
Comment by Mama Bok — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 1:50 pm
I agree – there’s lots to complain about Singapore, but there are so many other things to appreciate, especially after having lived abroad. Sure, it’s boring, sterile and regimented, there isn’t any freedom of speech, no real democracy to talk of, and everything is really all about the government. And yet, one can walk the streets safely day and night, everything works and is efficient, including government offices, education is tough but safe and well-respected world over, there’s good and cheap food, taxes are reasonable, everything’s clean and medical services are one of the best in the world. I’m hard pressed to come up with any other government doing as fair a job as ours is.
Hsin: There’s no perfect country or system anywhere. I believe the same pple who complain like hell will find something else to complain about if they’ve been living elsewhere.
Comment by Hsin — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 2:30 pm
well said, clap, clap, clap!!! am sure, we have a lot of compatriots whose sentiments are the same…what a pity, out country could not offer, even the most basic of needs, to most of our countrymen.
sexy mom: I can see your point. Sometimes I read the news and I do feel a lot luckier…
Comment by sexy mom — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 4:06 pm
Currently, I am the stayer also, having the same sentiment as yours… but with the migrants growing, somehow I feel that the future living style will gonna to be different which Im very uncertain.
wtpg: Yah…that bit is disturbing…especially the profiles of some of these potential migrants.
Comment by wtpgrr — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 4:28 pm
Seriously.. I would swap my citizenship for yours..
No doubt SG is cramp and small, but oh boy, it’s so much fairer there.. for us Chinese, in the education system, and opportunity.
My hubby was asked to go to SG by his company, but they will give him the pay in S$ after conversion (i.e. same amount in RM as what he’s earning here). We didn’t agree to it.. that’s why we are still here.
ZM: I know exactly what you mean. But I would not want to swap mine for sure at this moment…
Comment by zara's mama — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 5:10 pm
The ladies said it all. Singgieland continues to be a reasonably affordable and clean place to live in despite the ‘usual’ complaints we all have. Imagine everyone in my network who’s currently abroad will still return home for medical treatment, simply because we trust ourselves in the hands of the doctors back home and everything else abroad is viewed with dubiousness. That said, my family is still hoping I return home for delivery.
DR: Yeah…remember I mentioned to you about us considering Taiwan but medical facilities was a major concern? When you start to have a family, that’s the first thing you think about. And if I were you, seriously, I would rather deliver back here especially since the distance isn’t a major concern.
Comment by domestic rat — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 5:13 pm
If it is just a short stay (perhaps 1 or 2 years) overseas (for work purpose), i don’t think i’ll mind. But to really move to another foreign land, i am not prepared to do that now…but don’t know about the future though…but no matter what, i am proud to be a Singaporean!
Eileen: Living elsewhere a couple of years is fine but I think the sense of belonging is always with the home…
Comment by Eileen — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 5:14 pm
The grass is not always greener on the other side … hehe!
Loong: Yeah, especially when you actually look at it at close range.
Comment by Loong — Tue, 3 Apr 2007 @ 7:41 pm
I am happy being a Singaporean and feel more so after listening to the description of U.K from CC’s recent trip.
This is where I belong and where all my families and friends are
Plus there is no perfect system like Hsin said, so being contented helps
SSF: Yeah…being contented is key…
Comment by sunshinensunflower — Thu, 5 Apr 2007 @ 8:01 am