- Joined
- Jul 24, 2008
- Messages
- 33,627
- Points
- 0
[h=2]Singaporeans, how dog are you?[/h]
April 7th, 2012 |
Author: Contributions
I am a Singaporean, lived in China for 14 years. 14 years ago, I have no choice but to take up a job in China that paid me one thousand Singapore dollars more from what I was getting in Singapore. I could not explain this cause to most people because they had expected that an overseas assignment to pay well. 14 years ago, my family ran into financial problems because my Dad needed regular kidney dialysis treatment. The monthly medical bills and food added up to more than 3 thousand Singapore dollars. We were rejected by NKF for not being too poor for subsidized medical treatment. I will leave this true life story in another contribution to TR Emeritus.
In the past, the PAP leadership sent different messages to Singaporeans that left Singapore. Of course, the most infamous remarks were made by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 2002 that Singaporeans who left Singapore were known as quitters.
MP Baey Yam Keng asked us to reflect on PRC Scholar Sun Xu’s words, “there are more dogs than humans in Singapore.” Obediently, I meditate and reflect about Sun Xu’s comment. Are we dogs? Apparently, Singapore government spent more than 170K SGD on each foreign scholar. What has Singapore government contributed to Singaporeans overseas to attract them home. Bear in mind, we have no choice but to work in China for a living?
Like humans, dogs each have their own motives for their individual behavior. Dogs eat poop or feces for various reasons, based on their age, their training, their living conditions and their diet. Dogs are very loyal and are humans best friends. If you mistreat your dog, hit the dog, it will still wagged its tail and be loyal to you. If you starve the dog and feed it with feces, it may eat it. I believe this is the true nature of a dog. It’s in the genes of the dog. What have dogs got to do with Singaporeans? Let’s reflect on Sun Xu’s comment.
Last April in Shanghai China, we were fortunate to enjoy an event known as “Singapore Day” organized by the Prime Minister’s office overseas Singaporean Unit. Singapore Day is a cultural cum cuisine based event organized by the Prime Minister’s Office overseas Singaporean Unit. It is aimed at engaging Singaporeans residing overseas. It is held in different cities with a significant community of Overseas Singaporeans. The Singapore Day event held in Shanghai cost 2 million Singapore dollars. Check this from the internet: [LINK].
Every Singapore families living in my Shanghai neighborhood were excited about the event and some even gathered their resources to print free cost t-shirts with “ I love Singapore” wording on it. We even decided to put on the t-shirts and display our pride for Singapore Day in Shanghai. We were elated to display our pride for Singapore and we were grateful that Singapore government has brought us Singapore celebrities, free Singapore cuisine and gifts. The Singapore Day event guest of honor and speaker of the Singapore day event was, of course, our dear Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng. I thought Singapore government has finally remembered our presence in Shanghai China since Goh Chok Tong infamous “quitters” remarks in 2002 brought me to tears.
The Singapore Day in Shanghai was an exclusive event and you need to register your name, NRIC etc information on the internet before you are qualified to participate. We were excited and proud of this great exclusive event. As Singaporeans here, we organized a family of 7 Singaporeans to attend this exciting event. Among 7 of us, 3 were kids between the age of 3 to 4 years old, a 68 year old man, 3 adults in late 30s. There was another Singapore family that drove one hour from Kunshan to Shanghai to join this event. Happily, we arrived at the event at 11am and started to line up for free Singapore hawker food cooked by real Singapore hawkers! The turnout of Singaporeans for this event was overwhelming. There were many Singapore hawker delicacies like Char Kwei Teow, Laksa, Indian Rojak. Kit Chan even performed her songs for this event. There were recruitment booths, Singapore Telecoms, Singapore Arm Forces, SMRT display on Singapore Day in Shanghai, China.
We lined up for free Singapore hawker food at the event and took us about more than half an hour to receive a plate of Hokkien mee a quarter less than when you can get at the Singapore hawker center. Lift up the fork and you can count the number of strands of Hokkien Mee on your plate. Well, of course it is free. Appreciate it, take it or leave it, up to you. For an adult to fill up the empty stomach, you have to line up and wait for 2 hours to fill your stomach. 2 hours is equal to one plate of Hokkien Mee amount that you can get from Singapore hawker center. When you ask for a double share from any of these stalls, they will tell to line up again. Where is the dignity?
As obedient as a dog, none of us from Singapore fret about the long waiting time to eat a few strands of Hokkien mee or chicken rice and go back to the line again. It took my family 3.5 hours to wait and line up for free food to fill up our hungry stomachs. Why 3.5 hours? You still need to consider the portion for your kids and an old man in the family. Honestly, I didn’t enjoy the event because we spent 3.5 hours to line up for food. We also need to look out for our kids constantly while the adults lined up for food. At the end of day, my wife was telling me that there was no dignity for Singaporeans in this event. We would rather pay for the food and be given a few strands of free Hokkien mee and be asked to line up again for more. As dogs as we are, we obediently line up for the free food and drinks. .
Frustrated and waited like a dog in the queue, I missed DPM Wong Kan Seng’s speech. I could only hear his speech from the loudspeaker while waiting to collect Indian Rojak for my daughter. While I was in the queue, I heard Wong Kan Seng’s speech that Singaporean overseas must remember his roots. I was bit disillusioned by his speech as I could not understand what ideas he was trying to present for Singaporeans residing in China. How are Singaporeans going to remember his roots in Shanghai China? The way to engage younger Singaporeans home is to bring Singapore based education curriculum at an affordable fees to overseas Singaporean families. There are many Singaporeans I met in China that could not afford to bring their families to China because they could not afford the high cost of international school fees for their kids. If you put your kids in a local private school, chances are likely that he will grow up just like a PRC nationals without any attachments with Singapore. Many Singaporeans opt to work in China not because they have the choice. Many Singaporeans in China are not on expatriate terms and many now are getting local terms salary. The sad truth is many Singaporeans left their wife and kids in Singapore for the education and returned home 2-3 times a year. The long term separation has caused a lot of family problems among Singaporeans. Those financially better off Singaporeans who can afford international school fees in China will not even consider returning home for good. This is the hard truths of overseas Singaporeans in China. Engage overseas Singaporeans? How? Free balloons, Hokkien Mee, Rojak and Kit Chan songs?
Well, again the 60% Singaporean mentality and concern is if we abuse the financial system of subsidizes, our country will run into deep financial problems. I heard this explanation since I was school kid in Singapore. In Shanghai, I met many Taiwanese and Japanese families with kids and they told me their government paid highly subsidized school fees for their kids in Shanghai. The kids from Japan even received free school textbooks from Japan government. At least, the government of Taiwan and Japan took care of their educational needs of their people and allow their entire family to settle down in peace in China to focus on their work. Look at the successful Taiwanese and Japanese in China. Singapore system will never be able to create Terry Gou of Foxconn given for another 50 years. Why? Many Singapore families are separated. Our system is too rigid and we don’t help ourselves. We help others by bringing FT into Singapore. Well, of course, the 60% Singaporeans will say why we don’t compare with other nations living in China. Come on, aren’t we a developed nation? Our ministers are highest paid in the world, why can’t our kids enjoy education subsidizes in China like the developed nations of Japan and Taiwan? Our ex-President is grossly overweight and enjoying million dollars salary at home. I cannot understand why we would want to pay 170K SGD to a scholar to call us dogs? Limit the number of local intakes for medical schools and spend money to attract foreign MD. The myth of 8 dollars medical bill and HDB flats for 1000 SGD income earner. Where is the logic and sense I ask myself?
At the end of event, I was interviewed by Channel News Asia reporter how I felt about the event. I was “dog” enough to say, “I truthfully enjoyed the event and it was worth to wait for all the wonderful Singapore food”. Somehow, speaking the truth is tough for me as a Singaporean. It’s in the genes that our government has shaped me since young. At the same time, I also want to show my compassion for the reporter to complete her work with nice feedback from the event. Strangely, none of the Singaporeans I met at this event are unhappy waiting for the food. The Singapore Day event in Shanghai displayed a high level of unity and obedience among Singaporeans. The handout of free balloons, calendar, hats and free food etc attracted many grateful Singaporeans. A few weeks later, the PAP government won the elections with 60% votes.
We, Singaporeans, are brought up to believe, abide and trust the leadership of our government because only they possessed the infinite wisdom to turn a kampong into global modern city. For generations, we believe in meritocracy society and we believed working hard will pay off. We are also brought up to witness whoever speak their thoughts will eventually became bankrupt. JB Jeyaretnam and Dr Chee Soon Juan served as living bankrupt examples to Singaporeans for speaking the truth or not the truth. Truth or not the truth doesn’t matter to me. What is important to an ordinary Singaporean is keep your mouth shut and follows the rules. I cannot afford to go bankrupt because I have earned so hard to pay for my HDB flat. I could not understand why JB Jeyaretnnam and Dr Chee Soon Juan with such high academic qualifications would opt to be opposition parties. Why don’t they simply join PAP government or at least served in the government linked organization getting 1.85 million salaries per year, drive Ferrari California and Mercedes Benz. Perhaps, I have a dog mentality to comply than to oppose. LKY statement of devalued HDB flats if we opt for opposition party is enough to send a chill down my spine. I hit you hard and kiss you again with GST rebate, aren’t you grateful? I offer you free food but you have to display your patience. Are you dog enough? Perhaps, I am just a dog in the closet.
.
Brad Lee in Shanghai
Editor’s note: We’ve copied this article contribution to Education Minister Heng with regard to the possibility of subsidizing Singaporean kids studying in Singapore international schools overseas. Would like to thank Brad for his contribution to this idea.
.
Posted in Life Stories, Opinion, Society
« Hearing of Hougang by-election case on hold till after AG’s appeal is heard
CNN loses half its viewers: Corporate media downhill plunge continues as alternative media explodes »
Related Posts
78 Responses to “Singaporeans, how dog are you?”
I am a Singaporean, lived in China for 14 years. 14 years ago, I have no choice but to take up a job in China that paid me one thousand Singapore dollars more from what I was getting in Singapore. I could not explain this cause to most people because they had expected that an overseas assignment to pay well. 14 years ago, my family ran into financial problems because my Dad needed regular kidney dialysis treatment. The monthly medical bills and food added up to more than 3 thousand Singapore dollars. We were rejected by NKF for not being too poor for subsidized medical treatment. I will leave this true life story in another contribution to TR Emeritus.
MP Baey Yam Keng asked us to reflect on PRC Scholar Sun Xu’s words, “there are more dogs than humans in Singapore.” Obediently, I meditate and reflect about Sun Xu’s comment. Are we dogs? Apparently, Singapore government spent more than 170K SGD on each foreign scholar. What has Singapore government contributed to Singaporeans overseas to attract them home. Bear in mind, we have no choice but to work in China for a living?
Like humans, dogs each have their own motives for their individual behavior. Dogs eat poop or feces for various reasons, based on their age, their training, their living conditions and their diet. Dogs are very loyal and are humans best friends. If you mistreat your dog, hit the dog, it will still wagged its tail and be loyal to you. If you starve the dog and feed it with feces, it may eat it. I believe this is the true nature of a dog. It’s in the genes of the dog. What have dogs got to do with Singaporeans? Let’s reflect on Sun Xu’s comment.
Last April in Shanghai China, we were fortunate to enjoy an event known as “Singapore Day” organized by the Prime Minister’s office overseas Singaporean Unit. Singapore Day is a cultural cum cuisine based event organized by the Prime Minister’s Office overseas Singaporean Unit. It is aimed at engaging Singaporeans residing overseas. It is held in different cities with a significant community of Overseas Singaporeans. The Singapore Day event held in Shanghai cost 2 million Singapore dollars. Check this from the internet: [LINK].
Every Singapore families living in my Shanghai neighborhood were excited about the event and some even gathered their resources to print free cost t-shirts with “ I love Singapore” wording on it. We even decided to put on the t-shirts and display our pride for Singapore Day in Shanghai. We were elated to display our pride for Singapore and we were grateful that Singapore government has brought us Singapore celebrities, free Singapore cuisine and gifts. The Singapore Day event guest of honor and speaker of the Singapore day event was, of course, our dear Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng. I thought Singapore government has finally remembered our presence in Shanghai China since Goh Chok Tong infamous “quitters” remarks in 2002 brought me to tears.
The Singapore Day in Shanghai was an exclusive event and you need to register your name, NRIC etc information on the internet before you are qualified to participate. We were excited and proud of this great exclusive event. As Singaporeans here, we organized a family of 7 Singaporeans to attend this exciting event. Among 7 of us, 3 were kids between the age of 3 to 4 years old, a 68 year old man, 3 adults in late 30s. There was another Singapore family that drove one hour from Kunshan to Shanghai to join this event. Happily, we arrived at the event at 11am and started to line up for free Singapore hawker food cooked by real Singapore hawkers! The turnout of Singaporeans for this event was overwhelming. There were many Singapore hawker delicacies like Char Kwei Teow, Laksa, Indian Rojak. Kit Chan even performed her songs for this event. There were recruitment booths, Singapore Telecoms, Singapore Arm Forces, SMRT display on Singapore Day in Shanghai, China.
As obedient as a dog, none of us from Singapore fret about the long waiting time to eat a few strands of Hokkien mee or chicken rice and go back to the line again. It took my family 3.5 hours to wait and line up for free food to fill up our hungry stomachs. Why 3.5 hours? You still need to consider the portion for your kids and an old man in the family. Honestly, I didn’t enjoy the event because we spent 3.5 hours to line up for food. We also need to look out for our kids constantly while the adults lined up for food. At the end of day, my wife was telling me that there was no dignity for Singaporeans in this event. We would rather pay for the food and be given a few strands of free Hokkien mee and be asked to line up again for more. As dogs as we are, we obediently line up for the free food and drinks. .
Frustrated and waited like a dog in the queue, I missed DPM Wong Kan Seng’s speech. I could only hear his speech from the loudspeaker while waiting to collect Indian Rojak for my daughter. While I was in the queue, I heard Wong Kan Seng’s speech that Singaporean overseas must remember his roots. I was bit disillusioned by his speech as I could not understand what ideas he was trying to present for Singaporeans residing in China. How are Singaporeans going to remember his roots in Shanghai China? The way to engage younger Singaporeans home is to bring Singapore based education curriculum at an affordable fees to overseas Singaporean families. There are many Singaporeans I met in China that could not afford to bring their families to China because they could not afford the high cost of international school fees for their kids. If you put your kids in a local private school, chances are likely that he will grow up just like a PRC nationals without any attachments with Singapore. Many Singaporeans opt to work in China not because they have the choice. Many Singaporeans in China are not on expatriate terms and many now are getting local terms salary. The sad truth is many Singaporeans left their wife and kids in Singapore for the education and returned home 2-3 times a year. The long term separation has caused a lot of family problems among Singaporeans. Those financially better off Singaporeans who can afford international school fees in China will not even consider returning home for good. This is the hard truths of overseas Singaporeans in China. Engage overseas Singaporeans? How? Free balloons, Hokkien Mee, Rojak and Kit Chan songs?
Well, again the 60% Singaporean mentality and concern is if we abuse the financial system of subsidizes, our country will run into deep financial problems. I heard this explanation since I was school kid in Singapore. In Shanghai, I met many Taiwanese and Japanese families with kids and they told me their government paid highly subsidized school fees for their kids in Shanghai. The kids from Japan even received free school textbooks from Japan government. At least, the government of Taiwan and Japan took care of their educational needs of their people and allow their entire family to settle down in peace in China to focus on their work. Look at the successful Taiwanese and Japanese in China. Singapore system will never be able to create Terry Gou of Foxconn given for another 50 years. Why? Many Singapore families are separated. Our system is too rigid and we don’t help ourselves. We help others by bringing FT into Singapore. Well, of course, the 60% Singaporeans will say why we don’t compare with other nations living in China. Come on, aren’t we a developed nation? Our ministers are highest paid in the world, why can’t our kids enjoy education subsidizes in China like the developed nations of Japan and Taiwan? Our ex-President is grossly overweight and enjoying million dollars salary at home. I cannot understand why we would want to pay 170K SGD to a scholar to call us dogs? Limit the number of local intakes for medical schools and spend money to attract foreign MD. The myth of 8 dollars medical bill and HDB flats for 1000 SGD income earner. Where is the logic and sense I ask myself?
We, Singaporeans, are brought up to believe, abide and trust the leadership of our government because only they possessed the infinite wisdom to turn a kampong into global modern city. For generations, we believe in meritocracy society and we believed working hard will pay off. We are also brought up to witness whoever speak their thoughts will eventually became bankrupt. JB Jeyaretnam and Dr Chee Soon Juan served as living bankrupt examples to Singaporeans for speaking the truth or not the truth. Truth or not the truth doesn’t matter to me. What is important to an ordinary Singaporean is keep your mouth shut and follows the rules. I cannot afford to go bankrupt because I have earned so hard to pay for my HDB flat. I could not understand why JB Jeyaretnnam and Dr Chee Soon Juan with such high academic qualifications would opt to be opposition parties. Why don’t they simply join PAP government or at least served in the government linked organization getting 1.85 million salaries per year, drive Ferrari California and Mercedes Benz. Perhaps, I have a dog mentality to comply than to oppose. LKY statement of devalued HDB flats if we opt for opposition party is enough to send a chill down my spine. I hit you hard and kiss you again with GST rebate, aren’t you grateful? I offer you free food but you have to display your patience. Are you dog enough? Perhaps, I am just a dog in the closet.
.
Brad Lee in Shanghai
Editor’s note: We’ve copied this article contribution to Education Minister Heng with regard to the possibility of subsidizing Singaporean kids studying in Singapore international schools overseas. Would like to thank Brad for his contribution to this idea.
.
« Hearing of Hougang by-election case on hold till after AG’s appeal is heard
CNN loses half its viewers: Corporate media downhill plunge continues as alternative media explodes »
Related Posts
78 Responses to “Singaporeans, how dog are you?”
