Sam Choo : I felt like walking into a different country.

[Tragedeigh]

 

[Tragedeigh]

Singaporean’s Facebook post on feeling ‘out of place’ ignites wide-ranging debate​

A Singaporean’s Facebook post about feeling like a “foreigner” in his own country has drawn over 900 comments and 450 shares, prompting debate over language barriers, minority experiences, immigration and national identity.

The Online Citizen16 Feb 2026

AI-Generated Summary

• A Facebook post on 15 February by a Singaporean about feeling like a “foreigner” in Singapore has drawn over 900 comments and 450+ shares, sparking debate on language, identity and belonging.
• Commenters voiced views ranging from empathy and minority perspectives to critiques of immigration policy and national identity.
• Broader data on workplace social dynamics, demographic change and identity cohesion underscore the complexity of the sentiments expressed.

A Facebook post by a Singaporean identified as Choo, published on 15 February, has ignited a wide-ranging public debate after he described feeling “like walking into a different country” in parts of Singapore.

By 16 February, the post had attracted more than 900 comments and over 450 shares, with responses ranging from solidarity and empathy to sharp criticism and counter-accusations.

In his post, Choo recounted experiences in offices, malls and neighbourhood shops where he felt linguistically and culturally out of place.

He described walking past a department staffed largely by employees from the same foreign country, likening it to “a foreign village planted into the room”.

He also shared that a fellow Singaporean working in the west of the island felt like a minority in his own workplace, smiling along at jokes he could not fully understand.

At a neighbourhood shop, Choo wrote that he struggled to communicate with a cashier who could not speak English.

“It is not about hating anyone. It is not about rejecting change,” he wrote. “It is simply the feeling of being slightly displaced in a place you once knew so well… I just want to feel at home.”

Empathy, agreement and quiet resignation​

Many commenters responded with simple affirmation.

“You are not alone,” wrote one. Another said, “I hear you. It’s a sad reality.”

Several described similar encounters on public transport, in hawker centres and shopping malls, saying they sometimes felt like strangers in familiar spaces.

One said that on certain bus routes near Beauty World MRT, most passengers appeared to be foreign workers, creating a “very weird feeling”. Another described hospital experiences where she felt surrounded by people who did not share her language.

Some expressed resignation rather than anger. “Same everywhere,” one wrote. “It sucks… or suck it up.”

Others framed it as a natural evolution of a global city. “This is growth to become international big boys standard,” one commenter said, adding that those uncomfortable with such environments could seek work in smaller local firms.

Minority voices push back​

A significant thread within the comments came from minority Singaporeans who said the feeling Choo described was not new.

“As a minority, I never knew what it felt to feel like a majority,” one wrote. Another asked: “If the writer from the majority feels this way, how about us the minority of minorities?”

Some pointed out that colleagues speaking Mandarin or other majority languages in workplaces had long created barriers for non-Chinese Singaporeans.

Several Malay commenters highlighted that Malay is Singapore’s national language, yet many non-Malay Singaporeans cannot speak it fluently.

One wrote that demographic shifts over the past two centuries had already altered the position of Malays on the island, suggesting that historical context was often overlooked in such discussions.

Another said: “Don’t cry about being foreign when you yourself are foreign in Malay and Nusantara land.”

Immigration, fertility and economic trade-offs​

A large portion of comments centred on demographics and policy.

One older Singaporean cited the country’s low birth rate, arguing that at a Total Fertility Rate of 0.97 in 2024, what was same as the year before, the local-born population would shrink significantly over time.

He presented what he described as two choices: accept foreign inflows to sustain the economy, or face a shrinking economy and reduced public services.

Others echoed this framing, saying Singapore is a small country without natural resources and must remain competitive.

However, critics questioned whether foreign inflows had disadvantaged local jobseekers.

One commenter argued that fresh graduates struggle to secure high-end roles while companies import talent. Another described the labour market as “4 million Singaporeans versus the world”.

A few comments suggested that local-born citizens might already be a minority if counting only those born in Singapore, though official figures show citizens comprise around 60% of the 6.11 million population as of June 2025, with non-residents making up about 31%.

While Singaporeans are not a numerical minority nationally, concentrations of non-residents in specific business hubs can intensify perceptions of displacement — the “foreign village” effect Choo described.

Identity, politics and sharper rhetoric​

Some comments took a more political turn, criticising government policy and voting patterns.

A number suggested that immigration policies had eroded the “Singaporean core”. Others questioned leadership decisions, fertility strategies and economic priorities.

A few comments used stark language, claiming Singaporeans were being “squeezed out” or that the “core is extinct”.

Conversely, others rejected such narratives as self-centred. “The world or the country doesn’t spin around you,” one wrote.

Another said Singaporeans are largely descendants of immigrants themselves and asked what makes current migration fundamentally different.

Language and workplace exclusion: data context​

Choo’s feelings about language barriers in offices are echoed in research.

The IPS-OnePeople.sg Study (2024/2025), surveying 4,000 residents, found that while workplace discrimination has declined overall, among those who felt excluded, 57.7% cited language use by others as a primary factor.

The same study reported that 18.4% of Malays and 16.7% of Indians said they had experienced racial discrimination in job or promotion contexts.

These figures reflect how language can shape inclusion or exclusion, not only between locals and foreigners but also among different local communities.

Social cohesion under strain​

A January 2026 study by the Institute of Policy Studies found that 35.5% of respondents foresaw a weakened sense of national identity if immigration issues were not managed carefully.

At a 2026 IPS “Consensus Conference”, agreement on multiculturalism was just 6.7%, the lowest of all topics discussed.

Only 22.2% of participants found common ground on job competition, with many viewing employment as a zero-sum game.

These findings mirror the comment section, where some framed diversity as strength, while others saw it as dilution.

Global parallels and nostalgia​

Some commenters broadened the discussion beyond Singapore.

Individuals referencing Canada, Australia and parts of Europe said similar debates over immigration and identity are unfolding globally.

A World Bank/IPS report in 2025 noted that in cities experiencing “super-diversity”, social capital can come under strain.

The report found the average number of close friends Singaporeans reported having fell from 10.67 in 2018 to 6.49 in 2024, with researchers linking the decline partly to social fragmentation and digital lifestyles.

Several commenters expressed nostalgia for the 1980s and 1990s, describing a time when local culture felt more dominant and communal ties stronger.

One described feeling like a “tourist in my own country”.

A multifaceted debate​

The more than 900 responses to Choo’s post reveal a deeply nuanced public conversation. Some voices emphasised inclusion and urged Singaporeans to embrace diversity as an asset. Others expressed unease over what they perceive as erosion of local cultural identity.

Still others approached the issue from a pragmatic demographic standpoint, arguing that in a small, resource-limited city-state, maintaining economic vitality requires openness to foreign talent.

Across the comment threads, recurrent themes emerged: belonging, identity, workplace dynamics, heritage and the future of a nation shaped by both its founding stories and its contemporary global status.

Whether interpreted as a personal reflection on social discomfort or as a window into broader societal anxieties, Choo’s post has undoubtedly touched a nerve — prompting Singaporeans to ask not just “Is this still my home?” but “What kind of home do we want it to be?”

 

[syed putra]

Raffles started the freeport and invited foreigners to live and trade from what i know, it still is.

 

[joemartini]

During the good days, who he voted for???

 

[joemartini]

 

[nabeifuckpap]

Go to his Facebook if u have balls and post this comment: Don't complain about foreigners if you voted PAP, people like you are part of the problem so please go F yourself

 

[bigozt]

When going gets tough the tough get going to the countries with better merit than Sinkie