Letter from Singaporean to MM Lee protesting against rising number of PRCs in Singapore
November 8th, 2009 | 
Author: Republic of Singapore
Attn: Mr Lee Kuan Yew
Prime Minister’s Office
Istana Annexe, Orchard Road, Singapore 238823
Dear Mr. Lee,
I applaud your son’s recent comment on SMRT’s crowded train and SMRT’s diligent move to increase trains schedule. But it is still a pack during non peak hours.
It would be a good opportunity for your son to come and ride on the public buses and MRTs again. Perhaps your son may learn a thing or two on public image, from Taiwan President Ma Ying Jeou by visiting neighbourhood retail shops, to witness another social isssue at hand. This time involving Chinese immigrants.
I no longer think it is a fluke when Chinese people in the service sector serve with a bad attitude.
I no longer think it is abnormal for Chinese people to be loud in public places. I no longer believe that I can live here with that for too long.
I no longer think that it’s funny when an entire section of my BMT platoon consists of Chinese students. I no longer hold much regard for this pink IC, because at the end of the day anyone can get it by serving NS.
Don’t get me wrong, I have no problems with Chinese people. I have a great Chinese buddy from BMT and I wish to visit his hometown some day.
I recognise that Chinese who come over are contributing to the economy. To what limit is there on emphasis on economy and to what extent will the govt bring in these people to artificially boost the economy and the population?
I cannot believe my eyes and my ears each day when I take the public transport everyday. To commoners like us, it is nothing like what you imagine we put up with.
Lee Kuan Yew, this is not just your country. Single-handedly, you have upheaved Singapore culture by banning dialects on television media.
But let’s move on from there. 20 years on, when people are about to get settled, and Singapore is slowly beginning to form our own sense of identity and we’re beginning to develop some feeling of our unique Singapore flavoured culture, you find the burning need to infuse hundreds of thousands of Chinese people, from an entirely different social conditioning and background, into Singapore society which was just beginning to take some shape.
In National Service, I raised the issue of why young Singapore males don’t have a sense of belonging and are unwilling to fight for their country, to the then Chief of Defence, LTG Desmond Quek. He could only ask me back with a blank, “Is that really happening?”
I now know the answer to that question.
The Uniquely Singapore campaign that the government has been promoting of late? You can flush that down the drain.
I believe your grandson has just finished his national service, why don’t you try asking what his peers think about this country now? Why not try conducting a poll among young people to have a feel what is on the ground? But of course, I don’t expect you to do that. Anyway, it doesn’t matter how we Singaporeans feel, lah. It’s how the new Singaporeans feel that really matters.
Anyway, Singapore no longer feels like my country.
When people outside Singapore do ask, I will tell them it is a province in China.
Yours faithfully,
Teoh Tian Jing
EDITORS’ NOTE: This letter was first published in Sammyboy Forum on 6 November 2009
Posted in Letters
22 Responses to “Letter from Singaporean to MM Lee protesting against rising number of PRCs in Singapore”
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Hi Teoh Tian Jing
I shared the same sentiment as you.
However, I will go one step further.
Someone corner me, I will try my best to corner him in future.
Just gun down those who take advantages of us. If the want
money, burn the paper money for the greedy free.
just show it using your votes. remember, the country is yours.
It’s the next election or never. That’s our last chance to change the government. If all else fail, plan your exit strategy. In the interim do all possible to convince your family members, relatives and friends why we need to change this government. It’s vital that we do.
TR,
you might be interested to add Molly Meek’s excellent analysis of why increasing frequency and removal of seats in MRT is not the cure. Well, seem that you need to seek permission from the kitten to avoid getting the taste of her paw.
From http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/202149.html
MRT Seat Removal: More space = More crowded
Q: What happens when you come up with logic- . . . no . . . common-sense-defying “solutions” to problems which practically everyone don’t believe would work?
A: Justify the decisions with more common-sense-defying reasons. Talk to people like they are devoid of IQ and hope that treating them thus would make them thus.
The LTA-SMRT “initiative” to cope with overcrowding (hah, I think they actually hate the term “overcrowding”; the furthest they go is to acknowledge that there is “crowding”) by hacking away train seats is probably the most senseless initiative I have seen for a long time.
The results of taking away seats are clear:
(i) There will be fewer seats (duh),
(ii) and a number of passengers that would previously have gotten to sit would have to stand.
(iii) So, while there is more standing space, this space is taken up by passengers who have “lost” their seats.
(iv) Even if there is really more space left after taking the above into account, more passengers could enter the train—especially during peak hours when the stream of passengers is endless. (It’s just like how some people will get into a bus even if they have to flatten their noses against the front doors. As long as there’s space, people can get up.)
So why hack away seats? It creates more standing space! (Hah, the LTA and SMRT are right!) But no one can guarantee that the additional standing space won’t be taken up by more passengers.
Perhaps this is what happens when brainy people who might have no experience taking trains come up with hare-brained schemes and try to sell them to customers whom they assume to be bird-brained.
Come on, I’m bimbotic, but not that stupid.
There have been enough public objection to the taking away of seats that the LTA and SMRT departments of justification PR people have to jointly write a letter to “explain” . . . I’m not sure what they are trying to explain. I don’t see an explicit claim that the idea is working in practice. They are explaining the rationale, not proving the effectiveness of their initiative.
The points made by the LTA and SMRT Justification Team:
1. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT jointly developed the initiative to remove some seats on some trains based on feedback from commuters about increased crowding during peak periods.
Note that the decision was supposedly made based on feedback that trains are too crowded, not suggestions for seats to be removed.
I expect that the next initiative is this: reduce train frequencies to overcome crowding. Yes, reduce. It will cause trains to be less crowded because commuters will have to explore alternative modes of transport such as equally crowded buses or cabs with absurd peak hour surcharges, buying a car with $2 COE, etc. The possibilities are limitless. Same sort of logic as reducing the number of seats to deal with crowding.
2. We agree wholeheartedly with suggestions to explore adding more carriages or increase train frequencies. We wish to assure readers that this has been fully exploited. Currently, the number of cars per train is already at the maximum of six. [Duh] Since February, SMRT has added nearly 900 additional train trips a week.
Let me summarize your point: we will NOT increase frequencies.
Adding 900 additional train trips? This says nothing about how much less crowded trains have become (if they have become less crowded at all). Aren’t there reports that the number of passengers have been increasing as well. It could well be that, because of the increase in passengers, the additional trips don’t alleviate crowding at all.
Furthermore, even before train frequencies were increased, passengers found themselves having not being able to board trains because they are too crowded. When train frequencies increase, there might be more space. But this space could well be taken up by the passengers who would previously have been unable to board the trains. Less crowded? Not necessarily.
3. To put the initiative in context, of the more than 100 trains in service on the North-South and East-West lines, only 10 trains will have 84 out of their 300 seats each or about 30 per cent removed. These modified trains are deployed mostly during peak periods. The objective is to create more standing room in train cabins, so doorways will be less congested, and commuters will find it easier to board and alight.
Now, that’s exactly where the problem lies. Peak hours are precisely the times when the stream of passengers is endless and many people are just desperate to get to work or get home. In other words, that is precisely when the “additional” standing space will simply be taken up by more commuters. (If not, blame commuters for failing to move to the center of the carriages and things like that).
I get the sense that this whole initiative stems from a much more serious problem than overcrowding in trains, a problem that is worsening by the day. It’s more like a problem of over-population and under-developed infrastructure in the country. I doubt the LTA is really in helping SMRT make more profits by coming up with a method to increase the potential number of passengers in their trains. But it has to address the problem that the whole darn country is so crowded, the roads are ridiculously congested partly because they have not been expanded in tandem with the increase in the number of vehicles, the buses are spilling with passengers . . . . You don’t want to put more buses into the roads and cause even more traffic jams, with flattened passengers staring haplessly at the crawling traffic as they are harassed by TVMobiles. You can’t keep on increasing train frequencies during peak hours. Some people also don’t want buses to travel similar routes as trains to avoid “duplication”…. Come up with this idea: create more standing space. Tell people that it’s created for their comfort. Whether it works or not, it doesn’t matter. The authorities always have the last say because its Singapore. And those stupid peasants won’t vent their frustrations during elections anyway.
4. LTA and SMRT have monitored the situation and gathered feedback. In a survey of over 700 commuters conducted after [so the decision wasn’t made based on this survey] deployment of the modified trains on Oct 31,
(a) nine in 10 commuters on platforms and seven in 10 in trains preferred being able to board a train quickly to having a seat.
Yes, of course. If you have a “No Standing” policies, passengers would probably have to wait till the second coming of Christ before they can get into a train. Most people don’t mind standing if they don’t have to stand _and_ squeeze at the same time. But this says nothing about whether they welcome the new initiative or not. Don’t try to fool me just because I’m a bimbo.
(b) Most commuters also felt it was important to have more standing space in the cabins.
This depends on how you phrased the question. I would say I want more standing space too. But I would qualify by saying that I want more standing space by having fewer passengers around and not by having seats taken away.
(c) And six in 10 felt that LTA and SMRT have modified the correct proportion of trains.
I’m utterly confused by what “correct proportion” means. Modified in what sense? Correct in what sense? What proportion???
Why don’t you simply prove that people now have more space instead of resorting to a survey which might have had dubiously phrased questions that would yield certain results for your manipulations of logic.
5. Aside from seats, other initiatives to better manage crowding have been put in place. SMRT has deployed service ambassadors to encourage commuters to move to the ends of the platform and the centre of trains, an initiative which seven in 10 commuters found effective.
Effective for what ends??? Personally, I tend to move to the ends of the platform without anymore directing me. And I sometimes still find myself unable to board the train. No, don’t blame people for not moving inside. As far as I could see, whenever I couldn’t get into a train, there wasn’t space to move in unless you want strangers hugging one another tightly in the train . . .
Ultimately, I’m just being driven to one conclusion. Perhaps it’s wrong and illogical. (But, hey, I’m bimbotic and quite stupid.) The gahmen, the LTA included, wants to increase the population but doesn’t want to or doesn’t know how to address the problems that come with the increase.
…………………………………………
The Letter:
MRT seats removed after public feedback à Exactly what’s the feedback??!! We complain that the trains are STILL too crowded after you have added 900 trips a week. So you take away our seats. Lamentable.
To read more go to http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/202149.html
“When people outside Singapore do ask, I will tell them it is a province in China.”
It is true – Singapore has become singtiongpore (新中坡).
For 44 years, they screwed up this economy and pretended they did a wonderful job. Now in desperation, they are looking short term relief ( not solution) by bringing in millions of immigrant to create artificial demand. Never mind the miserable mess on the stress to infrastructure caused to Singaporeans now and dire burden of overpopulation incapable of any solution in the future forced upon our the future generations.
Mass migration for what of these rubbish quality influx?
The benefit aimed for is 1% to 2% GDP growth to justify themselves remaining in office to collect an insanely amount of salary and benefits for another 10 years while Singaporeans can sink into hell in consequence.
I just can’t wait a day longer to sweep these faces from the public stage into the dustbin of shameful history.
singaporeans shld learn that we epitomize multiculturalism and cosmopolitanism which are qualities a developed nation would bear.
you cant protect your borders for long thanks to globalization.
more so for singapore when our economy DEPENDS on foreign investment.
singaporeans shld first familiarize themselves with where their wealth comes from, where their jobs come from. the government are not magicians who can dish out jobs as and when they wish, they PLAN and create the environment in which our economy can flourish. nothing is set in stone. havent you learnt that after the intl economic crisis where even a mighty economy such as America’s fell??
Yes. i would certainly wish less PRCs would be arnd in singapore, afterall, i feel they are uncouth, uncultured and have no respect for anyone. They are loud, embarrassing and awful to be around. But our heartlanders are at times, no better. As we get increasingly educated, Singaporeans become more polite. But our history clearly shows we were just as equally uncultured. we’re small, we learn fast, the uncouthed and uneducated form only a minority at present. Ive met PRCS overseas who are HORRIBLE to citizens of other nations, but have also met wonderful, well read and educated PRCS. i offer no solution, but urge the gov to address this social problem that affects singaporeans socially.
Secondly. again, open your eyes and try to figure out what the GOV is doing. cheap labour has crazy benefits for our economy. what you might say but tell me how many singaporeans are willing to be laborers for the price these people are paid? and seriously. the gov is creating better jobs for singaporeans. -.-
many wont believe as they dont see. singaporeans want to be spoon fed, they want the jobs to be placed right before them, they want to be invited into careers.
this does not happen anymore. get with the times. competition is everywhere and we have one of the highest standards of living AND YET, social problems and disparities have remained relatively LOWER than other asian nations.
…
so young singaporeans. think more, read more, realize that questioning and being critical of our government is important. but the political apathetic cannot participate in such discussions as the insinuations made sound ridiculous and racist. vv racist indeed.
the Greeks were right, only the trained politicians are in the best position to make decisions for the nation since politics bears heavy consequences. maybe more ppl in Spore shld get into politics since singaporeans are beginning to speak up so passionately.
I can’t see the logic in Molly Meek post.
background info of author- nothing against his political stand,just need to be transparent
Another Young Democrat who has been embraced by the “pop” stage is Mr Teoh Tian Jing who won the Mr Singapore Universe 2006 title because of his handsome, boyish looks and charming personality. The women Democrats in the party roundly endorse the award.
Beauty and brains don’t go together, you say? Tian Jing was one of the few brave souls who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with six activists at the Hong Lim Park standoff during the WB-IMF meeting in Sept 2006
“I can’t see the logic in Molly Meek post.”
What Molly Meek said is whatever measurement taken to crux the overcrowding of MRT are futile as it is offset by continuous foreigner intake that overwhelm the capacity. Hence, the overcrowding problem is not solved at all.
eg—
MRT is already overcrowding like sardine. So MRT increase the frequency and remove of seats to reduce overcrowding. As a result, the gov now says that the measurement allow for more capacity, therefore introducing more foreigners into Singapore, resulting in the same overcrowding as before. The fix is to reduce the foreigner intake not ‘fixing’ the MRT.
Molly Meek is a “out-of-the-box” kitten and sometimes people have to read a few times to understand the meaning behind her wit-ful post.
I don’t see the word foreigner in the post. and ya everything blame the foreigner..
Even if they remove all the seats in the MRT trains it won’t help if they keep bringing in millions and millions of foreigners.
This is madness. Please stop it. I can’t take it anymore!
When I take the MRT, I am surrounded by strange people, all speaking a different language. What is happening to my country?
Please stop it now!
You have a future young man. You certainly have the rights to tell lky and able to stand by it – thats the type of young Singaporeans we need. Well done man. Send a copy to ST.
I really hope something can be done about our smrt trains. They are always packed even though I avoid peak hours. I am in my fifties and suffered from heel spurs so I cannot stand for too long but it is often difficult to ask others to give their seats to you because most of the passengers would close their eyes as if they are sleeping oblivous to what is happening around them. Once, a train was so packed at the entrance but if only passengers could move to the middle aisle, more can move in. There was this PRC couple especially the lady, she literally used her elbow to push me out and when I tried to move in again, her male partner used his back to block me from moving in. Somehow, I managed to push my way and I starred hard at this selfish couple. They knew I was mad but simply ignored me and carried on with their conversation. These are the kind of foreigners that irked Singaporeans.
I think it is about time our government spend money to educate foreigners the importance of social etiquette behaviour in Singapore
Also, it is about time to have compartments for ladies, children and the elderly in the trains as well as pipe-in music and songs to make travelling on public transport more pleasant.
Mr TEOH tian Jing
you are one helluva YOUNG LION!
you roar but graciously in typical singapore style;honest,
simple, yet full of truth!
Fts,PRs,fellow still-well-off fellow countrymen and most of all
DEAR LEADERS of singapore,lend us-the workers who need to make an honest and decent living for ourselves and our families-your
ears…and more importantly your hearts.
…less greed, more compassion should and must be the new
economic equation!
Hoorah,mr teoh,i am with you!
Who employ these Foreigners?
Mostly GLCs. Sunset Industries owned by Temasek Holdings ad GLCs…….
WHY? so that the SGP will continue to “grow” …afterall the Politicians’ BONUS is based on GDP…..even the millions of dollars spent on looking for MAS Selamat is counted as GDP…
The fact that the letter is addressed to MM Lee seems to indicate how cynical we are of our PM. Why does he need SM Goh and MM Lee to weigh in on these issues? Who is the leader and secretary general of the government and the party?
Yes, our economy needs foreign workers.
However, this issue could have been handled better if the PM addressed it directly to Singaporeans instead of silently flooding our little country with foreigners. He must be foolish to have thought that it would have little consequences. Total lack of empathy. I wonder if he is even aware of the crowd in the MRT trains every morning.
Check out SBS and SMRT bus drivers. 60% it seems are now PRCs.
Foreign workers are good reason why we still can have $3 coffee shop meals and good bargains at supermarket etc.. The mid-level executive who is still employed in the manufacturing firm he is working at can still attribute his employment to the foreign worker who made manufacturing in Singapore viable.. They greatly reduce the overheads of firms, but limited to the lower end of the economy where they can be effectively employed.
It is just that the lower strata of society who they compete for jobs with suffer unequally and our PAP government insist on “responsible” assistance to this group of fellow Singaporean. We can afford it and even if this aid misses a part of the intended target, it is still greatly beneficial to society overall.
All Singaporeans have been affected by this ridiculous influx of cheap foreign labour. Singaporean males doing reservists and Singaporean females who get pregnant are greatly at risk of losing their jobs when the next influx of foreigners come here after the elections.
Spread the word. It is Time for Change. Vote for Change.
Influx on new citizens to balance the graying population is by itself not a bad idea but there must be an adequate quality standard.
But to me new citizens are not the real problem its the PRs or worse still the FT/FWs on work permits who come in take our jobs just because they come from a lesser developed country where a lower wage is still superior than what they could earn back home.
Still we will need some of these PRs, FT/FWs but there must be adequate safety nets set such as minimal wage level and minimal benefits/subsidies around housing, medical tax etc etc.
Right now the difference is too marginal making PRs unwilling to commit happy to say on as PRs sucking the benefits funded by Singaporean’s coffers.
If the leaders remain blind and deaf to this increasingly acute issue I am pretty sure we will see more opposition in parliament after the next elections which may not be a bad thing but meanwhile many singaporeans will end up with the short end of the stick.
The morale of the story is people who stay in power for too long loose their sense of understanding of common people and thinks that they know all and can do no wrong.