And give the people their dignity.
On Sunday, I saw a PRC family sauntering happily towards the shopping mall. They were talking loudly in northern accented mandarin, that's how I knew they were from prc. Consisted of a man in his 30s pushing a pram with a baby in it, a woman in her 30s holding the hand of a young boy, presumably his wife and son, and an elderly couple, presumably his parents or in-laws.
I also saw a Singaporean old man looking through the garbage, probably looking for whatever trash of value he could pick up for the day. Seen him many times before. Later at the coffeeshop, I said thank you to the Singaporean old lady who cleared and cleaned the table before I sat down. Her colleagues, another old man and old lady were working just as hard.
As an individual, I don't have anything personal against the pap, any of its members or their supporters. Neither do I have any personal liking or dislike for pap and opposition members and supporters.
But as a Singaporean, if the pap doesn't make great efforts and take great lengths to help every single individual citizen facing poverty in SG, this citizen will refuse to support the pap as well as any actions or words from pap members, including advice like "Integrate with the foreigners and make them feel at home". Why should I? Let's take care of our own first. Doesn't every country and every individual all over the world do that? It doesn't mean that you treat "others" badly, but you look after the welfare of your own first.
Not the guy who is trying to upgrade from hdb to condo. Nor the guy who is trying to upgrade from a honda to a lexus. Not those who wail to their mps how poor they are and are given food and grocery vouchers to go away. Not even those who are working hard to pay their mortgages, but can still at least afford a fairly comfortable life for themselves and their families. But help those quiet hardworking Singaporeans, who due to some misfortune or disadvantages, are poor, needy, elderly or disabled, but who continue to struggle along in a bid just to survive.
On second thought, the old men and old ladies I saw have plenty of dignity.
It is the supposedly super-talented indispensable policymakers, their supporters and sycophants, who require a big dose of dignity, compassion and empathy for their fellow Singaporeans.
On Sunday, I saw a PRC family sauntering happily towards the shopping mall. They were talking loudly in northern accented mandarin, that's how I knew they were from prc. Consisted of a man in his 30s pushing a pram with a baby in it, a woman in her 30s holding the hand of a young boy, presumably his wife and son, and an elderly couple, presumably his parents or in-laws.
I also saw a Singaporean old man looking through the garbage, probably looking for whatever trash of value he could pick up for the day. Seen him many times before. Later at the coffeeshop, I said thank you to the Singaporean old lady who cleared and cleaned the table before I sat down. Her colleagues, another old man and old lady were working just as hard.
As an individual, I don't have anything personal against the pap, any of its members or their supporters. Neither do I have any personal liking or dislike for pap and opposition members and supporters.
But as a Singaporean, if the pap doesn't make great efforts and take great lengths to help every single individual citizen facing poverty in SG, this citizen will refuse to support the pap as well as any actions or words from pap members, including advice like "Integrate with the foreigners and make them feel at home". Why should I? Let's take care of our own first. Doesn't every country and every individual all over the world do that? It doesn't mean that you treat "others" badly, but you look after the welfare of your own first.
Not the guy who is trying to upgrade from hdb to condo. Nor the guy who is trying to upgrade from a honda to a lexus. Not those who wail to their mps how poor they are and are given food and grocery vouchers to go away. Not even those who are working hard to pay their mortgages, but can still at least afford a fairly comfortable life for themselves and their families. But help those quiet hardworking Singaporeans, who due to some misfortune or disadvantages, are poor, needy, elderly or disabled, but who continue to struggle along in a bid just to survive.
On second thought, the old men and old ladies I saw have plenty of dignity.
It is the supposedly super-talented indispensable policymakers, their supporters and sycophants, who require a big dose of dignity, compassion and empathy for their fellow Singaporeans.
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