THE TEMASEK REVIEW

rvian:

Very splendid writing! I am very certain many people can relate to what you have written, some readers may even be the very character that this ‘fictitious’ story is describing.

Did you hear of the chatters in the coffee shops about performing NS. Ah Beng told Ah Meng that he used to be a very ‘On’ soldier once and Ah Beng replied that he had in the past took his national duties quite seriously.

Things have changed somewhat. Ah Beng is a middle class white collar executive lingering somewhere in the middle class while Ah Meng is struggling to make sure he doesn’t lose his job as a store supervisor. Both are married and have two school going kids each.

Then Ah Meng asked Ah Beng, “Buddy, do you have a feeling that we are training to protect others/talents/opportunists at our expense while they concentrate to build their career, improve their lives, build their wealth? I heard you mentioned the last time that your manager is from our neighbouring country?”

Ah Beng sighed, “Yalor, we trained to keep our country safe so that their big bungalows, condos, landed properties will be safe. KNN, we trained like shit and at the end of the day return to my small HDB flat, and I still owe them two months installment you know? I should be smarter like you, apply for low cost rental flats but I cannot qualify leh.”

…and their conversation continued till they finished their kopi-o…

“Training to be soldiers,
To fight for our land,
Once in our life, few years of our time
Have you ever wonder, why we must serve,
Cos’ we love our land and want it to be free, to be free….

echo echo echo…..

fade….

Wang:

You are entitled to your opinion but you are factually wrong PR 2nd Generation are required to serve so your relative sons would need to serve unless they wish to skip and be on notice for life.

Onas:

We have only skin-deep knowledge.

Go read Alain Vandenborre’s “Proudly Singaporean, My Passport to a Challenging Future”.

Buy it or get it from the library.

A P:

“Go read Alain Vandenborre’s Proudly Singaporean, My Passport to a Challenging Future”.”

Times have changed

singaporean:

Singaporeans say “Ask not what you can do for the country but what your country can do for you”.

Blackie:

“i suggest that GST should be exempted for singapore citizen.”

I suggest u travel and get to know the truth.

I went to Turkey last year. I sat with the Turkish guide sipping coffee while my wife shopped.

This guy spoke impeccable English and smoked like a chimney. He left Germany and came home and ended up as a free lance tourist guide. He had no choice. Unemployment is rampant in Turkey.

He said nothing good abt the government. GST double digit, personal income tax, poor housing, etc., given that Turkey had a lot of mineral resources, land, etc.

Well, travel, my brother and seek the truth not propaganda.

shitTalent:

2nd generation PR can renounce their PR ship forever.

Then they don’t need to serve NS.

Singapore Citizen:

Ofcouse, If i have a choice, i would rather be a PR. As Citizen, it is sucks here.

A Malaysian:

I can totally relate to your story!

We get what lack in our own country from our neighbour – better money, better education, better job prospect, regional travelling job etc in just a straits away. We come home for the sense of belongings, family, friends and better food.

Some people may see us as “running away from problems”, but tell me, how are we suppose to do to stop some brainless people from the government who made the comment to legalise bribery so the government servants are better paid to sustain the city life? Nonsense but trust me, it was indeed said and published.

Overseas Singaporean:

You find SGP stressful, why do you still want to put your kids in a stressful education system?

Surely there are other countries which can provide kids to enjoy learning instead of just getting a good grades?

Anonymous:

“My children will be brought up enjoying the best of both worlds. Singapore schools are well recognized worldwide. It will be a springboard for them to further their education elsewhere.”

While Singapore’s education is well recognised worldwide, it is not “portable”. I realised this when I was planning to move overseas. We are still not considered a native english speaking country and our degress does not have equal standing with the commonwealth degress. Hence, if we are to work overseas, we will either be subjected to be on probation or redo a qualification that is recognised by the country.

Many Singaporeans think that our certificates are good, yes, but only in Singapore. I know all these because I’ve moved out of Singapore last year.

Worst:

What hurt most is this……

As a Singaporean, you must fight and die for your country, but when you are in trouble does your country comes to your aid?

There are so many cases of Singaporeans getting into trouble abroad but does our embassy help them at all? No, those good-for-nothing fellows in most of Singapore embassies abroad are not only good for nothing but would not even do anything to help. You can call them and they will tell you there is nothing they can do and would not even bother to send someone over to look into your situation. I do not care to point out all the cases but those who have lived abroad as long as I have would have come across many.

Compared that to the US embassies, once a US citizen get into trouble, there will have someone look into your case immediately and even send someone over to come see you and see how they can help.

Now, you know how it feels to be a Singaporean.

anon:

to Johnnykid

that’s nothing. i know for a fact that there are lots of PRs who break law, and have even been INCARCERATED, and yet allowed to remain in this country.

Singapore is that desperate for immigrants. just note this, expect crime rate to shoot up when the casinos open. foreigners and PRs, especially.

Low morale:

How to convert Singapore Citizen to Singapore PR?

I have my friend who is PRC. He got all the perks from our dear Singapore.

1) 5 percent CPF.
2) Sponsored study by NUS.
3) After graduation result moderate – straightaway offered a job in NUS.
4) Got high bonus and no pay cut and their pay is same as average singaporean – WHERE GOT LOW PAY?
5) No need to serve NS.

As for us?

1) 20 percent CPF
2) Pay our pocket money to study at high cost. Not enuff money borrow from bank with interest and worst borrow from parent cpf – have to pay interest!
3) Result moderate – compete for job like hell and we have to lower the salaries in order to stay competitive.
But Govt never know, we earn money is for survival – for our parent, for our kids and for our wife.
4) Bonus? I never expect that but kenna pay cut and forced unpaid leave.
5) Serve NS. PTI never noe we have stress in work and they said we take IPT is to siam RT so they must give them hard training. NB.

Where is the diginity of true Singaporean!

sperman:

My family was almost going to be exactly like what the TS has shared with us…. Except that the whole family of us became Singapore Citizens… Back in 1990, the advantages of becoming citizens was quite tempting then…

Anyway, to each to own… Singpore and Malaysia both good places to live in their own rights as pointed out by the TS….

Someone here also pointed out the pointless fact regards the IPPT thingy which I do agree 90%, its all bull-shit…. Waste time, etc…. MAybe book-in at 600 too early I say… (fortunately I no kena RT b4), but I do emphaises its sheer waste of time doing RT so frequently..

oppositionresident:

“Unfortunately, our greatest selling point to foreign talents is also dissuading them from settling down here permanently. What additional advantages does being a citizen have over a PR?”

It is quite obvious, to me at least, why there are no advantages being a citizen over PR. Because only economic advancement is welcomed by S’pore INC. This INC do not fear strikes of any kind, because it can replaced its workforce with PRs anytime, so citizens has no choice but to obediently keep quiet and slog. Sound like ‘prisoners’ or modern slaves?

pui:

Singapore is not a country. It’s an economy.

Fairplayplease:

Blackie.. I agreed with you fully that Singaporeans should NOT be exempted from GST. The world has headed that way, taxing consumer and lowering corporate taxes – without GST, we cannot compete internationally and survive as a nation. I am persuaded of that.

Having said that, your Turkish trip while informative for you is NOT a justifiable comparison. Turkish migrants in Germany, in all likelihood, would be treated like “unwanted” baggage of spare use. The hard times in Turkey is not exceptional…just look at all moslem countries around the world since the last century – any economic miracles other than Arabs sitting on puddles of oil – there is a lot of impoverishment everywhere but little enterprise saved of our Malaysian friends next door?

I went to Meizhou in so-called prosperous Pearl River delta in Guangdong Province just 2 years ago. In the countryside, I saw a number of “residential accomodation” which were in all complete reality abandoned pig-stys, a thin shed overhead and if it rains day or night, the occupants be soaking wet. Cooking is just a few stones piled up nearby and water supply for washing and drinking is fish ponds with thick grassy algae in them.

Are we measuring the expectation of Singaporeans and our future to these parameters of hope and dreams for the next generation?

If we are, then the dialoque in this blog is unnecessary and idle of life meanings, don’t you agree, respectfully??

Old Retiree:

FZY asked the right question.. Are we getting a fair deal from our country?
The answer is yes and no. Obvously and big Yes for the top 5% of the population. These are people who are rich, smart and the educated (e.g. scholars and people with strings of degrees)The system here reward those who are highly educated/qualified extremely well. I would say for 85% of rest comprising the upper middle and middle class people, the answer would be Yes and No. My guess is the upper middle class will say they have a fair deal. For the lower middle class majority would be no. For the bottom 10%, my guess is a definate no. Because, FTs and FWs here are affecting their livelihood.

Fairplayplease:

The title of this thought-provoking thread is “If I am a Malaysian” Well I am NOT. I am Anak Singapura. If one recalls recently, MM still harbour thoughts that we be united as part of Malaysia but only if it is a secular country based on meritocracy in all institutions of Government. I totally agree.MM must have his compelling reasons in deep reflective thoughts. My own judgement is that Malaysia definitely has a longevity of future which we may be lacking. It is undeniable reality that everything we eat or use comes from the land – via agriculture or mining. We have only 700 km, public housing, infrastructure, industry and natural reserves takes up virtually all of that – even with decades of reclamation. Since we have no land for agriculture or mining or territorial seas for fishing and maybe petroleum and gas extraction, how do you survive on?? Trade, manufacturing and services. Trade DOES NOT NECESSARILY pass through Singapore. Manufacturing and services – the Chinese and Indians can do better. Staying on our own is pride but tougher as day goes by. Asean is not exactly EU depth of economic integration.

Malaysians, for all its inadequacies now, may offer a better future for their generations, I suspect unless Singapore goes very fast on the global stage.

SU HK:

Both, Singapore citizens and Singapore PRs know Singapore’s present and future situation very well. While PRs keep quiet and enjoy the benefits, Singapore citizens complain day-in and day-out. Singapore PRs also hold other countrys PRs and invested their wealth overseas for their future needs whereas Singapore citizens too afraid to move abroad and also fear failures. Finally when something happen, PRs can find another place to go while Singapore citizens become sitting duck.

SU HK:

I have so many Malaysian friends and colleagues, all holding Singapore PRs working in the banking and finance sector. So far, in the last 20 over years, none of them have converted their PRs to become Singapore Citizens. And their children are still holding PRs too. We, Singaporean and our children do National Service (my son completed 30 months NSF).

A P:

“FTs or Mas Selamats.”

Mas Selamats, because he/they want to get out of Singapore

XisD Tay:

Let me refresh:

***
Ching, a correspondent for Singapore’s Straits Times, was detained April 22 in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou after obtaining what he believed to be a manuscript of a book about the late leader Zhao Ziyang, the Associated Press reported, citing an interview with Ching’s wife, Mary Lau.

The 57-year-old was jailed for five years in August 2006 for alleged spying for Taiwan. An appeal in November 2006 was rejected by the Beijing

Higher People’s Court despite international protests over Ching’s arrest and a rejection of the charges by Ching’s family and employer.

***

Hate to say this but when Singaporean kenna arrested and if he works for the gahment, ie: Shitty Times this incident, Shitty Times went on record:

Ching’s employer, Singapore Press Holdings Ltd., said today it was “shocked” by the accusation and praised the journalist for his “professionalism.”

So you see, those in the SPH are all related to the system and doing all sort of nonsencse overseas and locally.

If he had been a lesser mortal, Sinkapore embassy would have said: Too Bad, So Sad, Its Like That.

SK:

As a Singaporean, you should be loyal to your own country. Government can chnage, foreigner can come and go. You are still Singaporean, the keeper of Singapore.

Please do not confuse creature comfort with citizenship. You can leave Singapore to seek for greener pasture,even you make it big outside Singapore, will you feel “settle”. Sinapore is where your heart and soul reside.

Many Malaysian make up their mond to become citizen due to many reasons. There are many Malaysian return to settle in Malaysia because they believe they can not leave their under privilege relatives and friends to fend for themselves in Malaysia.

Fairplayplease:

SU HK, you said you got a lot of Malaysian friends working in banking and finance sector for 20 years ( a lucrative sector until recently at least) but despite the obvious enrichment of career and fortune, NONE OF THESE PRs have taken up citizenship.

It can’t be all instances of family root reasons, and all factors considered of Singapore relative advancement as compared to Malaysia, IS IT NOT TELLING THAT SOMETHING IS BOTHERING THEM SUFFICIENTLY DISTURBING OF CONCERN SUCH AS TO BE UNABLE TO COMMIT ON PAPER A LIFE THAT IS ALREADY DEEPLY IMPLANTED HERE?

These are no simpleton LOSERS but WINNERS in the economic race against native born. They have no return option in Malaysia – BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN WOULD NOT HAVE MALAY LINGUISTIC OR CULTURAL SKILLS TO SURVIVE AND PROSPER THERE, if they are unhappy here. They might be thinking of Canada, USA or Australia for next migration destination leaving Singaporeans behind to FEND FOR THIS COUNTRY’S FUTURE. It would be interesting to know if these uncommitted Malaysian nationals working here you spoke of carry Malaysian passport or Singapore’s.

I have known many Malaysian friends previously working here long time ago but have since migrated to Australia. They don’t switch passport because they have aged or aging parents -they want the flexibility of returning to Malaysia in an emergency and stay longer in Malaysia if they return for vacation.

Their Australian-born children has no affiliation or thoughts of interest in Malaysia – eating McDonalds for breakfast, cheese bread rolls in Australia for lunch etc. Their grown kids are like Aussies. Some tell me that their children travel on AUSTRALIAN PASSPORTS – better support from Australian embassies if they found themselves in trapped circumstances. Of course, there is no compulsory military service in Australia unlike Singapore. Their kids don’t speak Malay and know that they can’t possibly look for economic opportunity in Malaysia under any circumstances.

I guess what I am saying is that – if a whole of apparently very successful Malaysian PRs here will not formalise their status to citizenship after so long – it must be that AFTER SO LONG THEY ARE STILL ASSESSING THE SECURITY IN AND THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY.

Why are we still so politically complacent??? Surely it must be a case of we are ALL RIGHT and doing right thing (i.e. they are wrong of doubts) OR THEY ARE ALL RIGHT and we are ALL WRONG ( i.e. we a mob of dumb caterpillars surviving in exposed environment waiting for a PASSAGE OF TIME and a passing bird to take us for its dinner).

It can’t be both…or can’t it???

alibaba:

How about Vancouver and Jakarta too?

mack:

* i go up the train one quarter of them are foreign labour.
* i go to harry’s at boat quay three quarters are expatriates.
* i walk ard my fren’s nice condo half of tenants are foreign talents.
i look at my homeland i wondered if i am in the wrong place.

XisD Tay:

mack said: i look at my homeland i wondered if i am in the wrong place.

Well said mack, this is the trend now and will continue to get worst if nothing is done to prevent it.

The famiLEE knows that local Sinkaporeans are getting smarter and harder to manage. The older generation of SInkaporeans famiLEE worshippers are getting old and will soon go 6 feet under.

The younger generation of Sinkaporeans are not easilly taken in by the famiLEE’s wayang than the older generation. They wanted transparency and accountability which the famiLEE cannot give due to the tons of dust under teh carpet.

The younger generation of Sinkaporeans are no longer just satisfied with having a roof over the head, meals on the table and school to go to. They want a better future for their children and grand children, they want a better Sinkapore, a free Sinkapore where everyone is FREE as allowed by the constitution, something which the famiLEE cannot allow.

So, in order to maintain grip on power, the famiLEE have to import “talents” from China, India, Pakistan to fill the gap left behind by those who left. These imports come from a less developed country and will be contended with just meals, roof and school, compared to local Sinkaporeans.

For the purpose of discussion, citizens in China seldom see sky scrappers higher than 6 stories. Most live in urban areas and work their arse off putting food on the table. So when they are allowed to be imported into Sinkapore, most will appreciate the false “developed country” wayang and be wayang into being PR or citizens.

But look deeper and make a comparison if I may, on the whole, China is a better place to live in compared to Sinkapore at present. Although the chinamen have no say in who is PM, SM, MM (if there’s one), they live freely, doing the things they want, saying the things they want and buying the things they want.

There is no worry that the CPF rates might rise, that they don’t get to see their monies , that the police will ask them to move on, afraid to gather in public places, get fined and fined, pay and pay.

Basically, they are more free to do the things they want, compared to Sinkapore. I could go on and on and on making such comparison to Hong Kong but then it would bore all of you.

For those who have been to Hong Kong, China, USA and some other countries, you would know what I mean with regards to FREEDOM, which is what all human beings should treasure and value.

Fairplayplease:

Xisd Tay, I have to take off my hat to you. You dared to buy an apartment in China!! Maybe, you been around there long enough and knows the rope.

I lived recently in an apartment for months near Jingshajiang netro station on line 2, the next station after Zhongsan Kong Yuan metro station in Shanghai. It is a nice comfortable good sized one well furnished bedroom with living room area separate kitchen and bathroom with spa inside. The Shanghainese owner now works for a US multi-national entity and he is based in Suzhou. He drops in every quarterly to collect rent and got sick of travelling just to do that when I am also often not available. He offered to sell me for rmb 700K – good value I thought for location ( 2 minutes walk from Jinshajiang metro station (one station from Zhongsan Kong Yuan – itself a major interchange to anywhere in Shanghai), building in good condition, and the apartment internally pretty well renovated. I was paying 3k rmb per month for rent already, translated to 5% yield for him.

I thought it over for weeks and decided I DARE NOT. Why? Because I fear the title transfer legal paper work by Chinese lawyers may be sloppy, incomplete and maybe even corrupted behind my back. In China, you must know a lot of things are NOT what it seems – murky in details. The other factor I considered is what if I sell it sometimes in the future, how can I bring my money out of China when rmb is non-convertible to US or Singapore dollars and I CANNOT LEGALLY BRING OUT MORE THAN 20,000 RMB IN CASH via the airport.

Off course, having my own in Shanghai means that when I travel there, I won’t have to stay in hotel – no privacy besides very costly if you stay there for long.

A P:

“No way, brother! Singaporeans AT LARGE ain’t stupid. They have EYES to see around.”

Good. Time to do away with GRC system

XisD Tay:

Fairplayplease, I have been in China and Hong Kong for a decade, so I can safely say I am aware of how the chinese function. You just have to be very careful anbd scrutinise every piece of paper you are going to sign.

My apartment is not as expensive as yours, I paid around 450k RMB for a 2 bedroom apartment in Wuhan. Its within an hour to the airport, so no hussle there when I fly from ShenZhen when visiting from Hong Kong.

The apartment was bought in cash and directly from the developer, upon completion of course. All paperwork was done by the developer and its agent and I paid only down payment and balance upon completion of all paperwork.

I have never been to ShangHai but have plans to go there maybe this winter for holiday.

And my reason for the apartment is the same as yours, which I quote: Off course, having my own in Shanghai means that when I travel there, I won’t have to stay in hotel – no privacy besides very costly if you stay there for long.

I am usually 6 months in Hong Kong, 6 months in China, the colder days in Hong Kong, of course. So its logical that I buy an apartment instead of staying in a hotel for 6 months.

Agape Xue:

To walk the fire
Wednesday, 6 August 2008, 9:03 pm | 2,356 views
Benjamin Cheah / Senior Writer

It goes against ethical principles of reciprocity to demand so much from servicemen, and giving so little in return — especially since many servicemen would not willingly serve their country in the military

The burden of the Full-time National Serviceman is a heavy one. Usually called up against his will, he is thrown head-first into a new, unfriendly world, with neither rule book nor directions, separated from his loved ones, loses two years of work experience and education to his female and foreign peers.

He is expected to fight, kill and die for his country when deemed adequately trained — a country that he may not even acknowledge.

When he completes his service, he is ejected into the civilian world two years older, and armed with mainly irrelevant skills, much of his equipment, a Certificate of Service, the recognition to be called up again for In-Camp Training (ICT) until he has fully discharged his National Service liability at the age of 40 or 50 – and a duty to take up arms if needed. For all the personal hardships incurred, one would expect, even demand, that the NSF is adequately compensated.

But he is not.

Disadvantaged as a serviceman

The Full-time National Serviceman is severely disadvantaged compared to his female and foreign peers. The NSF spends two years of his life training and preparing for war, and is expected to be called up for in-camp training for at least twenty years after his Operationally Ready Date (ORD). In those two years, female and foreign youths his age would have gained a considerable advantage over him in terms of work experience and/or education in a tertiary institute. Their employers, further, need not worry about losing experienced and competent staff to the SAF every time an ICT cycle begins.

Allow me to illustrate this difference. As an administrative support assistant, I work about 288 days a year, not including half- or full weekends when I do need to return to the office for work, and have to stay in camp during the working week. In that time, I am expected to do the work of at least two men, more often three, liaising with civilians and superiors, keeping track of dozens of pieces of paper as they move around Singapore, understand and tolerate the inner workings of the SAF’s online infrastructure, and other administrative work. For this, I earn an “allowance” of S$16.67 a day; I can only hope that this will one day increase to about S$20. Admittedly, this is only a rough guide; it is rather difficult to calculate an NSF’s allowance by day, because it is pro-rated.

Now consider my friend. She is a temporary staff in her job description, but is effectively a clerk. She works from 8 to 5 on weekdays, just helps out whenever she is needed, and her job scope does not require her to effectively look after the needs of over a hundred people at the same time. She may take leave any time she chooses, and quit when she wants to. She also gets to enter university, and the working world, two years before I do. For all this, she is paid S$54.27 a day — over two and a half times of my maximum allowance.

Of course, the difference in salary/allowance is not as dramatic as it appears to be. My meals in camp are free of charge; her meals are not. Unlike her, I can make transport, medical, dental and food claims to blunt the cost of making certain payments. I also need not pay for medical treatment at government hospitals and polyclinics. Most noticeably, I have a legal duty to my country; she does not.

Moral duty of the State

The State, too, has a duty to National Servicemen – a moral duty. It takes away the sons of Singapore, most of them against their will, and prepares and demands them to provide for the common defence. This unwilling sacrifice makes the burdens of service even heavier, and more acute. It goes against ethical principles of reciprocity to demand so much from servicemen, and giving so little in return — especially since many servicemen would not willingly serve their country in the military, as seen in the relatively few numbers of recruits who wish to sign on in every intake. The above-mentioned benefits do not completely discharge the State of its duties, for the above-mentioned reasons.

The greatest complaint National Servicemen have about NS is that it is an artificial barrier to entry into tertiary education and jobs. NSFs must wait for two years before they can matriculate into universities; eligible females and foreigners may do so when the next term begins. Employers could well favour foreigners and local women to Singaporean men, because the last are obliged to turn up for in-camp training, which will disrupt work inside the company.

Levelling the field

The very least the Government can do to even the odds is to provide NSFs with an end-of-service gratuity. This gratuity will be paid in one lump sum, following an NSF’s ORD. The actual amount will be tied directly to his rank; vocation; rating in his Certificate of Service; participation in operations and exercises; and participation in national events such as the National Day Parade.

For example, a full lieutenant in the Guards who has earned a double “Outstanding” rating may be entitled to $20,000, while a lance corporal who served as a clerk and has been rated as “good” may receive $5,000. The principle behind the gratuity is to allow the serviceman to make up for the two years he has lost to his peers, by helping to defray the costs of the first two years of higher education, making up for any difference in pay when he enters the work force, and so on. More importantly, it demonstrates to the serviceman that the SAF cares about the future of its servicemen, shoring up the faith of the soldier in the institution.

In addition, it goes without saying that being a soldier is one of the more dangerous occupations in the world. Death and injury can come in many forms: a hostile bullet, an accidental fall, and everything and anything in between. Most soldiers around the world know and accept these risks. But not the average Singaporean soldier; he is a conscript, and would, if given a choice, most probably not face this danger.

Yet the State will nevertheless place the trained children of Singapore on the frontlines, often without giving them a chance to object or a way to prevent a mobilisation. This much is understandable, because should Singapore go to war, Singapore’s survival is at stake. But asking NSFs to straddle the line of fire when diplomacy fails will redouble their existing burdens, and rightly so. Should the sons of Singapore perish in war, then who shall take care of their families? The answer is the State, through the Singapore Armed Forces. It is the only ethical answer, for it is the State that has sent them to die. Yet, all the SAF is obligated to provide are funeral wreaths and letters of condolences. Currently, it is up to the serviceman to take up life insurance, and pay for it from his own allowance.

Mandatory life insurance for servicemen

Because of this, I further propose that NSFs will be placed on a mandatory life insurance policy. Currently Aviva has a virtual monopoly on life insurance for National Servicemen, because they offer the best rates for soldiers who are wounded, maimed, or killed in the line of duty or in accidents. What the SAF can do is to place all NSFs on a basic life insurance policy with Aviva, and foot the bill. The policy will last for two years, because it covers the period of time in which an NSF is most likely to be injured, namely during training while serving his National Service. Servicemen who wish to extend the policy, or opt for premium plans, will make up the difference through their allowance. The policy may also be further amended to meet the contingencies of Operations Other than War, such as overseas humanitarian missions, In-Camp Training, and the outbreak of war.

These, I believe, are just the bare minimum. More can be done. The families of servicemen may, for example, be awarded additional subsidies for health care, to compensate for any loss of income, real or potential. The cap of claims of all sorts may be raised. Allowances may be revised upwards, or perhaps even tied to a benchmark of certain jobs in the private sector. The State needs to understand that the average NSF is bearing a huge burden on his shoulders against his will; in a rich country like Singapore, it is not out of the question for the SAF to lighten this burden through financial schemes.

Mindef is able

Certainly the SAF should not be constrained by budget. For FY2008, the Ministry of Defence has been allocated $10.8 billion – which is one-third of the entire national budget. Those monies should be sufficient to fund the above-mentioned schemes, in addition to paying for the daily costs of running the military. In addition, the military has initiated cost-cutting measures, ranging from mandating the temperatures of air-conditioning units to bidding procedures for outside contractors. Should there still be not enough money, the Government can always dip into its budget surpluses and readjust the following year’s budget accordingly. The Government, after all, did run up a budget surplus of about 6.4 billion dollars for FY2007, and keeps boasting of its strong economic policies.

Ultimately, it must be remembered that most NSFs do not have a reason to walk the fire for Singapore. They may fight for home, friends and family, but not for a country they are not rooted in. Given this mindset, it is the responsibility of the State to look after the citizens who might one day have to die for it. At the barest minimum, the SAF can help to even the playing field through end-of-service gratuities, and look after the needs of servicemen by introducing mandatory free life insurance schemes. The SAF could further expand this, by reviewing and improving the welfare scheme it has set aside for NSFs.

After all, should the government not adequately compensate a conscript for his services, especially if unwillingly given, then the government should not count on that conscript to feel obligated to fight for it. Or even remain in Singapore.

NSman:

My ex-workmate is a M’sian from Johor, he is still a S’pore PR now even after serving his 2.5 yrs of NS and should have completed his ICTs by now.

He has been offered many times to take up S’pore citizenship but each time he didn’t accept it.

He just want to come here study, work and earn S$ and then go back to his Johor hometown to spend in RM$ and to retire!

Where can born and bred S’pore citizens go when they retire? JB old folks home set up by MOH-KBW??

Maj (NS) Singaporean:

@Agape Xue on Mon, 13th Jul 2009 11:45 am

I am a Singaporean.
My NS duties depicts me as a SAF infantry officer – tasked as the battalion’s S3(Operations Officer). And when the “button is pushed”, there’s a high possibility that I would be obliged to take up my my field appt as the battalion’s CO (Commanding Officer).

I loveD Singaporean with all my heart. I have sworn to defend this country till the depths of hell.

Life’s experiences over the past decade have however, eroded my passion for this country. My eyes were pried open to witness the level of “decay” this country was forced to undergo, initiated and further reinforced by our incumbent present leaders. Ordinary Singaporeans were brushed aside with minimal regard (at best with a token’s worth of “goodwill” gesture/act) whereas foreigners and a selected minority local few were “awarded” privileged-classed benefits and attention.

This country has effectively turned its back on its citizens, taking most of its citizens for granted and abusing them in every possible way.
The patriotic few may disagreed with the above; but do you know that for all that your’re worth – you are just A NUMBER for the people at the top. Your concerns and worries are the least of their problems. You are NEVER the focus of these peoples’ lives – I know because I used to be one of “these people”.

To “us”, YOU are EXPENDABLE. Retaining people like you wouldn’t benefit us much. losing you…. well, its a “marginal” loss which “we” can well afford. Your lives meant nothing to “us” – you owed everything you have to “us” – giving “us” your sacred vote/support is justified because “we” gave you your present day successes. YOU live to SERVE………”us”.

15 years of the above have corrupted my soul – In the view of others, I would have being considered a successful individual – a captain of the industry; only God knows what a shallow shell I have become, I have sold my soul to the devil (or to the PAP incumbents…. anyway, what’s the difference?) and there’s no hope of salvation. I refuse however to sink further down the depths of hell, I want to redeem whatever’s left of my spirit and soul.

I will still play the game – but with a different agenda; I want the best for my family. My present successes will put my family in good stead in Singapore, my connections will ensure my children, will be taken care of in the future and at least, have a good shot at the top 10%. But when the going gets tough, I will leave Singapore – this sad Island city which I once proudly called Home.

Politics, unchallenged power and corruption (yes for the “surprised” Singaporeans, we DO have corruption – it is the political/business currency of the day; in fact its even worse than Malaysia since MSM has been forbidden to report about “us”) have driven Singapore’s sins so deep that it would be a miracle if we were able to pull ourselves up ever again. Oh… my dear countrymen, how you have been fooled; “we” have given YOU a good act which YOU all have so naively “believed” in.

At the point of mobilization, I will not return; I will exercise every bit of influence, connections, power which money can buy to escape(with my family) from this island city – no, I am not a traitor. This country was already lost a long time ago, there is nothing left for me to betray ~ if only the ordinary Singaporeans will see what I have seen; you will no sooner realize that a huge woolen veil has been pulled over your eyes; blinding you from the obvious sad truths.

Ang Gu Nee:

IF I am a malaysian chinese, I may follow my ex-colleague’s example.

He is malaysian chinese. When student age, he came to singapore, to study. Got degree. Married a singaporean lady and stayed in singapore. He never converted to citizen of singapore, even after more than a decade or even 2.

His reasons?

Many heard his reasons before. He said, singapore offers equal opportunity. He did not take citizenship not because he was not offered one but as per what he said, there is no incentive enough for him to do so. He said this when working as vendor in a, how to put it, ‘high security clearance’ environment. He said this and even the top management there knows him and sort of regards him quite highly.

He bought a flat in Bishan. He is PR. Has children here. He said his wife citizen enough for him liao. Many things can do. Works in large MNC. Never buys a car. Not sure about now.

Fairplayplease:

Bryant T…Sorry, I wrote a little blog on how vile publishing con investors – taking from a local US newspaper source -Weyerhaeuser News quoted in Barron. Weyerhaeuser is a timber giant in US, too far across the ocean for a frog in a Singapore well to comprehend perhaps…why not try sometime nearer home of a publishing in Australian newspaper – a national daily below – see if anything can penetrate your genius of coconut head. This time is about wealth which I am you would be very interested…..GOLD….hope your eye-ball don’t fell out reading this stuff, it is NOT confusing as it is for general public in Australia..

Read on

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25758010-16941,00.html

If you got no talent, just admit so.

XisD Tay:

BryanT said: Are you saying that Singaporeans are not able to see certain things, or that they are unwilling to see the obvious?

Allow me to provide the answer for Maj(NS) Singaporean if I may.

By his posting, it is safe to assume that he is still in the system but his agenda has changed from serving his country, ie: Sinkapore to one of serving himself (which everyone in the famiLEE is doing).

I was in the system, although not high up in the food chain (neither is a Maj in the army high), but certainly I can walk into my OC’s office without going thru his secretary or knocking or making an appointment. I lunch with CP, ACP, DCP and senior officers from the AGC, just to give you an idea of where I was.

Anyway, I left the system more than a decade ago for the same very reason that he posted, which I quote: ‘I refuse however to sink further down the depths of hell, I want to redeem whatever’s left of my spirit and soul’.

Most of us who are or were in system with a conscious would choose to leave if given the opportunity because the longer you are in the system, the longer you sell your soul to the devil and bury your conscious.

And to reply to the question you asked, being ‘Are you saying that Singaporeans are not able to see certain things, or that they are unwilling to see the obvious?’

The reply would be NO and YES. Its so plainly right before their very eyes, they can see it but choose to do nothing or they are simply turning the other way.

To: Maj(NS) Singaporean, feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

BryanT:

XisD Tay,

I agree with you – some people change their jobs because it’s not within their passion; other do so because they feel that it’s against their conscience. To each his own.

But frankly, I have this feeling that the civil service is not the only place where people are forced to “sell their soul to the devil”. It’s not a monopoly.

I believe the private sector has its share of devilish manifestations as well, even if it’s in a different form. I think it’s not called a “dog-eat-dog” world for good reasons.

Perhaps the only safe haven is self-employment. But even there you can’t avoid the canines.

And no, I have no need to give excuse for the civil service, and don’t intend to.

EKP:

all you frustrated army,ns,civil servants.do you know what ITS LIKE IN THE COPORATE WORLD OR CLIMBING THE CORPORATE LADDER???please post your comments after joining the world of illussion where stabbing one in the back and smiling like a chesire cat is the norm.as for business enterprise or self employed,when you stop collecting cpf & in turn pay,tell us about it.

Ah Peh:

I am a Singaporean, so what? I did extremely well in my degree, so what? My parents are Singaporean, I served NS, so what? Recently, I had an interview the interviewer is a so called foreign talent and his assiatance is also a foreign talent. I have a feeling that they have no intention of hiring me a Singaporean talent, they’re just going through the motion for management to see, however, during the selection process it will be one of their own kind a foreigner. The worse thing is, this is a GLC company, our own country’s business that doesn’t hire local talents but foreigners. Very sad.

XisD Tay:

randomnessinmind said:You know…..having posted here for a while now I just remembered…wouldn’t it be better if we went a little back? Like when posts appear right after we make them, without the crappy moderation module where we probably get to reply to each other only once a day.

Well this isn’t the only place I post at, and I’ve seen some people stop posting, but life was a little more fun when response were sometimes made every 10 mins. (I do post elsewhere, after all.

I agree with you on this. Its so frustrating to see posts of myself appearing only one day later and imagine the frustration when you just at that moment in time wanted to shout anbd swaer at a post which someone had made that really gets on your nerve!

Anway, I am on the net almost 18 hours a day and had written to the admin to offer my time as a mod, “approving” postings but apparently, either I got the wrong email address (wayangparty@hotmail.com) or it went into the thrash folder.

Anonymous:

if you are pretty well off in Singapore,
you can also move over to Austrialia, new zealand ,USA and get a temporary resident and enjoy your life.

the catch here is you must be pretty well off.

Many malaysia PR work in singapore AS they have to leave the comfort house to find a jobs here. because no jobs is avalaible there.

if you are young, venture outside of singapore,

if you can make it, return or stay at your host country depend on you.

Fairplayplease:

@Ah Peh, I don’t want to sound patronising or moralising.If I did, you got my SINCERE APOLOGY upfront.

You got a degree and some work experience -these are NOT lost. Any experience you get, you could find them in later life SURPRISINGLY useful. If you takes time = learning experience, someday in your later life you will recall this post and this conversation in this blog and celebrate in your life memory of experiences.

Life is frequently filled with challenges and, I believe, often driven by circumstances. Leave the past behind and move on. Feeling down and worry is like seating on a rocking chair – rolls backward and forward and achieving nothing. If you can be mobile, and a little adventurous, how about getting out leaving this little red dot for a while and find some fresh (even polluted) air outside to discover new perspective and opportunity. Have you thought of going into teaching maybe English or other technical subject relevant to your fields of career and work experience in PRC. The distraction, if I may call it, may open up new horizon. It pays peanuts but you gain skills which may allow you to go into corporate training and that itself could give you new contacts and opportunities – transnational. At the same time, living abroad give you new experiences which future employers here might take to a liking.

I chanced upon meeting a Singaporean who declined a teaching job in Shanghai with a Singapore-based educational group for nearly S$4.5K only because he felt the teaching hours were too long, leaving him too little time on his own to pursue his other career/business interests. I am sure teaching for him was a little “pastime” of no real career significance and intention. Being in China is the real thing for him – just buying time waiting to stumble on something good as he is bilingual. By moving out of Singapore, you expands your opportunity space substantially.I thought he was a tourist when we chat along Nanjing Lu in Shanghai but he was on a “touristic” career working legally in China.

It is only a suggestion to you. Hope something will work out for you soon.

Cheers

Fairplayplease:

@ Bitter Singaporean..Greetings…Your plight and predicament is NOT hard to fathom and sympathise. A lot of things have gone badly wrong in this country in recent years but politicians and MSM prefer to look the other way in silence and bliss of pretend ignorance. You are so young, well-qualified and an engineer – wish I am that bright and this is NO leg pulling – but found yourself in such onerous circumstances. It is tragic and reading blogs elsewhere, I see complaints of local talents being displaced by foreigners or more euphemistically called “foreign talent” as if locals should be quietly labelled “local dumb” without intend to offend you. This is apalling result of INDISCRIMINATE RELAXATION OF MIGRATION RULES here without regards for social consequences for Singaporean-born. I have NOTHING against foreigner coming here to seek their fortune BUT THERE MUST BE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD because locals are stuck with the inequities of time and career costs of national service and enduring defence obligations until late into their career.

If migration rules here make this a honey pot for temporary “foreign talent” to exploit local vulnerabilities, it will be glad exploited by foreigners. It is natural in a borderless world now.

Australia also has migration policy but if foreigners are not committed to Australia, there Permanent Residency status gets revoked as reported for one Singapore dental couple. Those who are Australian PRs must spend at least 2 years living in the last 5 years before the permanent residency status is renewed. That is fair to Australians – they don’t want “passengers” of convenience on the transport to better welfare care and access of public facilities like medical, education, better living environment for those without PERSONAL COMMITMENT to share and contribute directly to their society.

Why can’t we be the same? Why MUST SINGAPORE BE FOR FOREIGNERS FIRST and those native-born disadvantaged, used and caste aside as though it is past use-bye date except in national emergency of war needing blood on the battlefield to protect its sovereignty? It is COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS.

Singapore should have new IMMIGRATION LAW that require those who have access to public funding support like education etc must elect (from the date of receipt of some public benefits) to take up citizenship or have their PR status revoked back to temporary residence. PRs have rights to buy into HDB without any commitment to this country of sharing and contribution – IT IS ABSURB AND MAKES A MOCKERY OF LOYALTY TO NATION AND FLAG. Of course we cannot forced foreign nationals to be conscripted for national service BUT WE CAN GET AROUND THIS BY FORCING AT LEAST THOSE WHO RECEIVED PUBLIC-FUNDED BENEFITS to become citizens and upon that, they must commit within 5 years elect any 2 years to perform national services like us.

EQUAL LOAD OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR EQUAL RECEIPT OF NATIONALLY DISTRIBUTED BENEFITS. PR has also subsidized medical benefits and if they lose their PR status, they have to sell their HDB if they lose their residency rights to remain in Singapore, lost their medical subsidy as well.

That way, we can get a level playing field. IT CANNOT BE SINGAPOREANS MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS, MAKING ALL THE SACRIFICE FOR THE COMFORT AND FORTUNE OF FOREIGN PRs only – a one way sacrifice and disadvantage. It makes PR status become the obscenity of what one blogger called ‘PREVILEGED RESIDENCE”

But is this going to change anytime soon? IT IS PROBABLY EASIER FOR ME TO GET ELECTED TO THE NEXT POPE IN THE CATHOLIC WORLD THAN THIS TO HAPPEN…. MY RELIGIION HAPPENS TO BE $$$$ AND CENTS.

Why is this pessimism?? Look at the 9 recently selected MPs, how many ( if any) are from strong legal background who can debate the law robustly and introduce a private members bills for consideration?? I am really so disapointed that opening the door wider is NOT OPENING THE DOOR for SERIOUS CHANGE for the good of my country men.

This is very very wrong!! Singapore and Singaporeans must come first.

sangui:

Bitter Singaporean,

Your bitterness is very much understandable. It does not make sense that our tax monies are being used for purposes and foreigners that put ourselves personally in a disadvantageous position.

It’s gone to to the extent that we are seen to be pandering to the foreigners. And to add oil to fire, the foreigners seem to realise this and maintain an attitude as if they are sniggering at us. Or it is just my self-consciousness….

My opinion is that that we still need NS, unfortunately. But to inadvertantly make those having to serve NS lose out some significantly is wrong. The token recognition in the form of tax relief and rebates that NSmen get is laughable and hardly compensate for the losses.

Yes, I agree with your last sentence. While the SAF is may be useful as a deterrence against some specific threats, the Singaporeans are already threatened on the home soil. The battle is being lost within the hearts of the people. More loyalty will be lost and more will decide to ship out.

XisD Tay:

Kevin Ng, you have correctly depicted the exact mentality and thoughts and modus operandi of the famiLEE.

This is exactly what they are planning for and what they wanted.