NS not a debt citizens must repay
I REFER to Monday's report, 'Give up citizenship? Brothers must do NS first'. Singapore has come of age and can afford to be more gracious in the treatment of its nationals.
If citizens who emigrate and take on citizenship elsewhere wish to give up their Singapore citizenship, Singapore should respect their decision without condition.
Singapore should say: 'Good luck. And may you come back one day bringing the network and experience from your new host countries.'
Our present stance in forcing Singaporeans to complete national service before allowing them to renounce their citizenship suggests resentment over their decision to leave.
It is as if they have benefited as citizens in their younger days and must repay a 'debt' of NS. This rationale is indefensible.
First, their parents lived and worked in Singapore. Their 'debt' was met by the taxes their parents paid on their Singapore income.
Second, forcing them to serve NS is not collecting a 'debt'. Singapore is spending taxpayers' money on citizens who have already emigrated. Upon completing NS, they will renounce their citizenship and be gone. Singapore cannot get one gram of benefit from this coercion.
Third, this compulsion reeks of punishment. If these 'disloyal' citizens do not serve, they can never return to Singapore. Not even to visit ageing parents or attend their cremation - very harsh from a Confucian point of view. Foreigners have fewer restrictions than Singaporeans. Foreigners can choose not to live and work in Singapore and still visit.
When a child emigrates and does not serve NS, he will become forever a fugitive. Look at the large numbers of foreigners living and working in Singapore without having to serve NS. If we accord foreigners such liberties, why do we penalise our departing people? Can it be that Singapore fears that more citizens will choose not to do NS and seek citizenship elsewhere if the laws are more accommodating to allow a child to renounce citizenship?
The world has become a global village. A growing number of people work, own businesses and have homes in multiple countries. We should make Singapore such a great place to live that Singaporeans will willingly serve NS to remain citizens.
Singaporeans may be accorded enviable privileges in Singapore over foreigners.
Then if a Singaporean chooses to emigrate, for whatever reason, it is his choice. Let there be no mutual resentment. Let him go without any hindrance or future restriction. He should be no better or worse off than a foreigner.
Yong Yin Min
I REFER to Monday's report, 'Give up citizenship? Brothers must do NS first'. Singapore has come of age and can afford to be more gracious in the treatment of its nationals.
If citizens who emigrate and take on citizenship elsewhere wish to give up their Singapore citizenship, Singapore should respect their decision without condition.
Singapore should say: 'Good luck. And may you come back one day bringing the network and experience from your new host countries.'
Our present stance in forcing Singaporeans to complete national service before allowing them to renounce their citizenship suggests resentment over their decision to leave.
It is as if they have benefited as citizens in their younger days and must repay a 'debt' of NS. This rationale is indefensible.
First, their parents lived and worked in Singapore. Their 'debt' was met by the taxes their parents paid on their Singapore income.
Second, forcing them to serve NS is not collecting a 'debt'. Singapore is spending taxpayers' money on citizens who have already emigrated. Upon completing NS, they will renounce their citizenship and be gone. Singapore cannot get one gram of benefit from this coercion.
Third, this compulsion reeks of punishment. If these 'disloyal' citizens do not serve, they can never return to Singapore. Not even to visit ageing parents or attend their cremation - very harsh from a Confucian point of view. Foreigners have fewer restrictions than Singaporeans. Foreigners can choose not to live and work in Singapore and still visit.
When a child emigrates and does not serve NS, he will become forever a fugitive. Look at the large numbers of foreigners living and working in Singapore without having to serve NS. If we accord foreigners such liberties, why do we penalise our departing people? Can it be that Singapore fears that more citizens will choose not to do NS and seek citizenship elsewhere if the laws are more accommodating to allow a child to renounce citizenship?
The world has become a global village. A growing number of people work, own businesses and have homes in multiple countries. We should make Singapore such a great place to live that Singaporeans will willingly serve NS to remain citizens.
Singaporeans may be accorded enviable privileges in Singapore over foreigners.
Then if a Singaporean chooses to emigrate, for whatever reason, it is his choice. Let there be no mutual resentment. Let him go without any hindrance or future restriction. He should be no better or worse off than a foreigner.
Yong Yin Min
