in germany, japan and usa engineers are highly respected and well paid. In singapore , if engineers do not go up to management you are sunk. That's why we are unable to show technological creativity like korea, japan, us. The main reason is because we had inexperienced government with a lot of blind spots. It's amazing they looked up so much to israel but learned nothing.
dont blame the gov.
Sinkies dont respect themsleves or their own profession in the first place.
Many of the engineers that i have come across went into banking and ppty as housing agents because pay was higher or get to sit in air con office.