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28-YEAR-OLD MARRIED PMET SHARING HIS FRUSTRATION WITH LIFE
Before I tell my story let me share a little bit on my background.
I am 28 this year and married with a cute little boy who is 21 months old.
I am currently working as a senior sales executive.
Like all Singaporeans born in the 1980s, I grew up in the ‘prime’ age of Singapore when our wages outpaced inflation and thus life was cushy and nice.
Since young, schools have thought us that PAP is the best for us.
To tell you the truth, when I was young I thought that they were the best too.
Every uncle I knew drives and almost all the adults I knew could afford a flat.
Time flies and I reached my mid-teens life still feeling pretty much upbeat but I could feel things are starting to change.
During the festive period, I could see lots of Bangladeshi workers hanging around.
I remember my teacher telling me we need them as PAP takes care of Singaporeans well and thus even the worst of us do not need to do such a lowly job like construction – the foreign workers can build houses for us.
After giving it some thought I realized he is right.
A few years passed and I reached my late teens.
I was in Singapore polytechnic studying biotechnology – a much sought after course then.
I did extremely well for my O levels scoring 5 A’s and 1 B.
But sadly my dad got retrenched (I come from a single parent family).
Going to school became harder and harder as sometimes I didn’t even have money to eat.
I decided to put my education on hold and went to work to help my dad.
I clearly remember my dad got retrenched because he was holding a mid level management position and his company wanted to get rid of him to bring in a Caucasian. (I don’t know how far this is true but that’s what my dad told me).
Since I was not studying anymore – national service called for me and like all brave young Singaporean men I went to serve my country.
My dad got a job by then but he suffered a pay cut of 50 percent.
Most jobs citing his age as a main reason for him holding a lower position.
Meanwhile in army I gave my all – I got gold for PPT, marksman for shooting and I cleared my SOC.
But I realized that army actually serves no significant purpose as most of the time the things we do are what cleaners do e.g. scrubbing the parade square and cleaning rovers just to cite a few.
By now, Singapore is starting to be flooded with foreign talents.
I soon start to realize that everywhere I go I hear foreign languages being spoken.
One fine day, I met up my ex team mates for a basketball session.
We reached the court to find 20 plus pinoys playing there.
We gently asked if we could share the court and play together.
Guess what? The pinoys said no!
To think that a part of my dad’s money was used to build the court.
Time flies and lets just fast forward to where I am now.
My company is one that favors foreigners – 3/4 of management positions are held by foreigners.
Most of the time I don’t even know how they got there.
They have no product knowledge, no initiative and they are not pro active.
Worse of all is they actually draw a higher basic salary than us locals doing the same kind of work!
The reason my company gives is because they need to contribute CPF for locals – so they need to give foreign talents higher salaries!
I have been working for 2 years here. No increment at all…
It’s all very frustrating as I recently just bought a BTO flat. Guess how much it cost?
$431000 - after grants and I need to service $1400 from my CPF OA account every month after I get my keys.
How many people have that kind of monthly CPF contribution?
After all these and our government still tells us that we need them?
The thing is we SINGAPOREANS don’t need them; it’s the PAP that needs us!
I believe there are many lower middle income SINGAPOREANS like me.
Those that earn too much for welfare but too little for a comfortable life. ($2000 to $3000).
Life is very tough for this lower middle income group…
So see you at Hong Lim Park on May first!
James
One female reader wrote:
It happened to me last Nov when I had my basketball game at Serangoon North Ave 4! A huge group of pinnoys. More than 20 of them. Shouted at me to say they played every Wed n 1 more weekday.. Asked me to get lost and play another day... It was a common basketball court for anyone to utilize whenever they feel like it. I should say the basketball court is a public good. Anyone can play at anytime. 20 over men wrapped around a girl, screaming and shouting thinking I would be afraid. For one moment, I thought I was in the Philippines. Tell me what this shit is about?
Before I tell my story let me share a little bit on my background.
I am 28 this year and married with a cute little boy who is 21 months old.
I am currently working as a senior sales executive.
Like all Singaporeans born in the 1980s, I grew up in the ‘prime’ age of Singapore when our wages outpaced inflation and thus life was cushy and nice.
Since young, schools have thought us that PAP is the best for us.
To tell you the truth, when I was young I thought that they were the best too.
Every uncle I knew drives and almost all the adults I knew could afford a flat.
Time flies and I reached my mid-teens life still feeling pretty much upbeat but I could feel things are starting to change.
During the festive period, I could see lots of Bangladeshi workers hanging around.
I remember my teacher telling me we need them as PAP takes care of Singaporeans well and thus even the worst of us do not need to do such a lowly job like construction – the foreign workers can build houses for us.
After giving it some thought I realized he is right.
A few years passed and I reached my late teens.
I was in Singapore polytechnic studying biotechnology – a much sought after course then.
I did extremely well for my O levels scoring 5 A’s and 1 B.
But sadly my dad got retrenched (I come from a single parent family).
Going to school became harder and harder as sometimes I didn’t even have money to eat.
I decided to put my education on hold and went to work to help my dad.
I clearly remember my dad got retrenched because he was holding a mid level management position and his company wanted to get rid of him to bring in a Caucasian. (I don’t know how far this is true but that’s what my dad told me).
Since I was not studying anymore – national service called for me and like all brave young Singaporean men I went to serve my country.
My dad got a job by then but he suffered a pay cut of 50 percent.
Most jobs citing his age as a main reason for him holding a lower position.
Meanwhile in army I gave my all – I got gold for PPT, marksman for shooting and I cleared my SOC.
But I realized that army actually serves no significant purpose as most of the time the things we do are what cleaners do e.g. scrubbing the parade square and cleaning rovers just to cite a few.
By now, Singapore is starting to be flooded with foreign talents.
I soon start to realize that everywhere I go I hear foreign languages being spoken.
One fine day, I met up my ex team mates for a basketball session.
We reached the court to find 20 plus pinoys playing there.
We gently asked if we could share the court and play together.
Guess what? The pinoys said no!
To think that a part of my dad’s money was used to build the court.
Time flies and lets just fast forward to where I am now.
My company is one that favors foreigners – 3/4 of management positions are held by foreigners.
Most of the time I don’t even know how they got there.
They have no product knowledge, no initiative and they are not pro active.
Worse of all is they actually draw a higher basic salary than us locals doing the same kind of work!
The reason my company gives is because they need to contribute CPF for locals – so they need to give foreign talents higher salaries!
I have been working for 2 years here. No increment at all…
It’s all very frustrating as I recently just bought a BTO flat. Guess how much it cost?
$431000 - after grants and I need to service $1400 from my CPF OA account every month after I get my keys.
How many people have that kind of monthly CPF contribution?
After all these and our government still tells us that we need them?
The thing is we SINGAPOREANS don’t need them; it’s the PAP that needs us!
I believe there are many lower middle income SINGAPOREANS like me.
Those that earn too much for welfare but too little for a comfortable life. ($2000 to $3000).
Life is very tough for this lower middle income group…
So see you at Hong Lim Park on May first!
James
One female reader wrote:
It happened to me last Nov when I had my basketball game at Serangoon North Ave 4! A huge group of pinnoys. More than 20 of them. Shouted at me to say they played every Wed n 1 more weekday.. Asked me to get lost and play another day... It was a common basketball court for anyone to utilize whenever they feel like it. I should say the basketball court is a public good. Anyone can play at anytime. 20 over men wrapped around a girl, screaming and shouting thinking I would be afraid. For one moment, I thought I was in the Philippines. Tell me what this shit is about?
