If you are so disenchanted, why not leave Singapore?
December 16th, 2009 | 
Author: OPINION
During a YPAP Forum held last week, a participant (Bernard Leong) challenged a critic (Alex Tan) who was embarrassing the PAP MPs present with point-blank attacks on the PAP to leave if he was so disenchanted with Singapore.
How often do we hear the same sentence uttered to us in one form or another whenever we want to voice out our grievances, frustrations and resentment?
There are two assumptions in the statement which are fundamentally flawed.
1. Criticising the government/ruling party is an act of betrayal to Singapore:
Due to the dominance of the ruling party in Singapore, the boundary between the state and the party has been blurred so much so that an attack on the PAP is often misconstrued as an attack on Singapore. But the PAP is only a political party which has to be voted into office by the people every five years and not Singapore itself which encompasses not only political parties, but civil society, NGOs, religious organizations and much more. So when Singaporeans criticize the ruling party, they are not necessarily disenchanted or unhappy with Singapore itself, but rather at the way Singapore is being governed or mis-governed. On the contrary, it is precisely because they still care about Singapore that they bother to speak up.
2. Critics should stop complaining because they have a choice of leaving Singapore:
Unfortunately, many Singaporeans do not have the option or luxury of emigrating elsewhere due to other considerations and constraints. According to the Home Affairs Ministry, about 1,000 Singaporeans give up their citizenships yearly, some of whom must have done so because of sheer disenchantment with the place. For those of us remaining in Singapore, many have harbored thoughts of emigrating at one time or another, but unable to do so for a variety of reasons. First, it is not easy to uproot oneself completely and start life afresh in another country especially when one is doing well in his career or just started a family. Second, emigrating to another country will necessitate leaving one’s parents and friends in Singapore for good and simply isn’t an option for many Singaporeans who have to take care of their aged parents. And lastly, despite our intense hatred of the ruling party, we still have some feelings for Singapore and are not quite prepared to sever ties with it completely.
The government is nothing more than a servant of the people. Just like diners in a restaurant have the right to complain against lousy food or poor service, citizens have the right to provide feedback to the government, constructive or otherwise.
Imagine complaining about long-waiting hours for buses to SBS and it reply is: “If you are so unhappy with our buses, why not take taxis?” or service staff who cannot understand English in a posh hotel and the manager retorts: “If you cannot communicate with our staff, why not leave our hotel?”
Are commuters supposed to give suggestions to SBS on how to improve their services when lodging their complaints and guests expected to brainstorm of ways to improve the operations of the hotel before they can provide feedback?
The ruling party often makes major decisions concerning the lives of ordinary people with ease and haste in parliament without much of a discussion or debate and it is us who have to bear the brunt of their mistakes, not them.
If we are not even allowed to complain or told to “shut up and sit down” whenever we tried to make ourselves heard, then how is the government able to know if its policies are working well on the ground for the people?
It is the duty of the government with access to state resources to think of ways to improve the lives of Singaporeans and not the other way round.
Citizens do not have the obligation to help the government do its job, at least not when they are the most expensive government in the world.
Our job is merely to provide them with a frank, if not blunt assessment of their performance, point out their flaws and exert pressure on them to tweak and reverse unpopular policies which are hurting us.
Deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng said recently that a government must have the courage to implement unpopular policies for the benefit of the people, but he forgot the basic fact that the government is merely a representative of the people and therefore must be subjected to the collective will of the citizenry.
A government which thinks it knows best and acts arbitrarily on behalf of the people without consulting them is tantamount to tyranny. Hitler, Mao, and Pol Pot all thought they were rendering a great service to their nations, but ended up causing immense suffering to their people instead.
During a speech made in 1962, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said:
“If I were in authority in Singapore indefinitely without having to ask those who are governed whether they like what is being done, then I would not have the slightest doubt that I could govern much more effectively in their interests.”
How can he be sure that he is governing Singapore in our interests and not in the interests of the ruling party especially when the identities of the state and the party have become almost synonymous with each other?
As a result of this “blind spot”, what is beneficial to the ruling party may be detrimental to Singapore. For example, the relentless influx of foreigners helps to keep Singapore’s GDP figures up which translate into higher pay for the ministers, but end up depressing the wages of ordinary Singaporeans, especially those from the lower income group.
In another instance, Lee was reported by the Straits Times in 1987 to say:
““I am often accused of interfering in the private lives of citizens. Yes, if I did not, had I not done that, we wouldn’t be here today. And I say without the slightest remorse, that we wouldn’t be here, we would not have made economic progress, if we had not intervened on very personal matters – who your neighbour is, how you live, the noise you make, how you spit, or what language you use. We decide what is right. Never mind what the people think.”
Lee was proven wrong on many counts and admitted himself lately that he messed up Singapore’s bilingual language policy, but why didn’t any ministers, MPs or civil servants point that out to him earlier? Because there is no space for any views contrarian to the establishment’s to be aired in the public domain and there is no opposition in parliament to debate with the ruling parties on issues and policies affecting the nation.
The era of “government knows best” is gone. Nobody in this world has a monopoly on wisdom, let alone an octogenerian whose world view is still stuck in the 1960s.
If the government continues to talk down on Singaporeans and turns a deaf ear to their complaints, there will really be more and more Singaporeans who leave Singapore because they are so disenchaned with it.
Posted in Opinion
48 Responses to “If you are so disenchanted, why not leave Singapore?”
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Aiyoh! The same **theory** applies to the main-street-men: If you are so ##disenchanted##, why not “VOTE” **for the** oppositions?
Does this idiot imply that if you do not like to eat fish/fishes, why not kill all the fish/fishes?? If this is the future generation of potential million-dollar miw’s, I opine that the doom-day for the miw will be foreseeable in the not so far future!!!
By the way, I opine that I have better commanded of English than this idiotic-nerd who proclaims this stupid statement so loudly, ok, my dear!!!!
Alex is a Singaporean and he has every right to voice his discontent with any govt policies. So do every Singaporean.
PAP is just a political party which happened to form the govt today. If the PAP wants to be re-elected, they must listen to what the electorate have to say and adjusts policies if necessary to meet the aspirations of the people or to rectify the problems caused by policy failures.
To ask Singaporeans to leave Singapore if they are not happy with the PAP policies shows how arrogant the PAP party is. Even a YPAP member has such mentality demonstrates how widespread such attitude is within the ruling party.
If we are unhappy with Singapore, we will leave Singapore. If we are unhappy with the PAP govt, we don’t leave Singapore, we vote them out. We must have a clear distinction between State and political party forming the govt.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a viable 2-party system in place to offer Singaporean a choice.
Had we such a system, would the PAP be so arrogant ?
i am sure bernard leong is the person that is disenchanted and has given up hope of a freer singapore due to some self interest that is working in his mind . he is hoping that the establishment will heed his call and recruit him for the coming election to be an umbrella carrier just in case the sun got too hot or the rain got too heavy.
There is NO COUNTRY here, only a brothel!
It is official!
Singapore belongs to Singaporeans not LKY or PAP.
People are entitiled to agree or disafree with PAP, some may like while others may dislike LKY.
Just because someone do not agree with PAP or its policies is no excuse to ask the person to leave Singapore.
Whoever at YPAP who suggested this must lack rationale thinking and understanding of the real world, his words reflect poorly on YPAP
I rather PAP leave Singapore and not the other way round. 82 of them are easy to deal with and not the innocent 3.5 mil Singaporeans. Those who challenge Alex to leave Singapore should be stoned in public as a critical reminder not to show any disloyalty using remark like this to our fellow Singaporeans who served NS. Bernard Leong should be marked and imprisoned for the good of loyal Singaporeans.
Such stupid comments just confirm the quality of the leaders we have as well as their proteges. It does make one puke!
everyone can say what they want right? there is no right or wrong here. just a matter of open, forward statements that each individual feels. i am a pr here in sg and there are loves and hates. but compared to many countries, singapore is still the better option.
Even if Alex Tan is disenchanted with Singapore, let me say this:
There is a stark difference between loyalty and BLIND loyalty.
To which Alex obviously belongs to the former and Bernard to the latter.
It is also obvious which is better and positive for Singapore.
I am surprised that even a small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small small fly at YPAPies have such arrogance and audacity to utter such statement, as if he OWNS Sinkapore.
If I were in the system, this is one instance I would not hesitate to abuse the law and detain this idiot for ‘inciting civil disharmony’ under the ISA
this guy is antiquated!
at least “dinosaurs” like me still know better.
i am serious,if the PM were to consider such goons
for election and officialdom,it will only spells not only
the nations’s doom but also that of the PM.
Even,PM’S dad,MM Lee,used to have “disenchanted” loyalists
who countered his ideas;otherwise, we would still lag behind.
htis guy is barking nonsense and he doesn’t seem quite understand the meaning of “taking onus” nor does he value his
god-given or ancestor-given CITIZENSHIP!
…SEND HIM TO THE GALLOWS AND HANG HIM BY THE B@@Ls!
There are two Bernard Leong that are well-known in Singapore blogosphere. One is from http://www.SGEntrepeneurs.com and another that is well-known now for been a PAP lackey telling Alex to leave Singapore if he is disenchanted. Better put the his photo here so as not to wrong the innocent BL.
1. If shitting is taking up your time, why not don’t eat?
2. If you will spend the money, why put it in the bank?
3. If you know GST will increase after GE, why vote for papa?
4. If papa feel opposition wards flats are run-down, why not upgrade for them?
5. If singaporeans are complaining, why not papa listen to them????
Lots of if-s…. If you can’t win an argument, why not just admit? We won’t blame you… We need leaders who know when to admit mistake and apologize…
What type of party will produce the same type of followers ” Extremely arrogant and snobbish ”
Leong beranrd need to leave the party and country for good !
Mr Alex Tan stay because he is being honest…
walau…..this kind of treatment towards a normal citizen. Somebody need to spit some sense into leong bernard……phew phew phew Idiot !!!
Here is some food for thought.
To be fair there are Singaporeans and families that were indeed going to pack up and leave, only to be told to put down 100K as ‘randsom’ for each son they have. You surely know what I am talking about.
Or if there already overseas, they were told to come back from which ever country they are, AND WHATEVER they are doing once they reach 16 1/2. Still don’t get it?
So tell me what nonsense are they spewing about leaving if you are not happy. They are doing just that, but whos calling the boys back?
If any of you dogs have the gut, why don’t you mention this?
“If any of you dogs have the gut, why don’t you mention this?”
I mean P-Dogs.
bernand is behaving like the grumpy popular food stall owner who tell those customers who complain of the long wait to go away, as he still has a lot of customers who are willing to wait.
this will only work if the stall remain popular, but if the food quality deteriorates, the owner has to beg customers to come back.
Why don’t that arrogant YPAP idiot BL engage TR forum and share his notion why Singaporeans feeling disenchanted leaves Singapore. What’s makes him think he is more Singaporean than others, just because he is YPAP?
If I have to leave every instance I am not happy with the level of service I am getting, I guess I will be in constant motion. Not only that, it shows I got no interest in helping to improve the level of service. Singapore is not a restaurant which I have the option of not to patron if I find the level of service the gahment provide is not good.
Today paper a stat board announced new regulations on telcos.
Mobile contracts are to be limited to 2 years. Huh? Is that not the case since the very beginning? What is so great about this new regulation? I thought if the contract are limited to 1 year, then it is a cause for celebration. This is like a “non-news” to me.
What are we paying these people for? Telling us the obvious?
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=77865194499&ref=ts#/group.php?v=feed&story_fbid=199246019499&gid=77865194499
“Bernard Leong:
for the record, I was the one who threw that question for Alex. Why? I wanted to see what is Alex’s reaction.”
He only wanted to see Alex’s reaction, not a verbal blunder. So please cut him some slack. He also said this when being challenged by Alex to have a debate in HLP:
“So I already retired from fighting with others and placed restrictions on fighting including debate. Cos I moved to a greater cause to be a independent observer which I find it more challenging. Sorry, you should find the others who is clearly more pro PAP to debate with Alex.”
But debate is not equate to fighting… maybe he is a peaceful person.
Disenchanted? Vote PAP out.
I am one of the disenchanted true blood Singapore citizen and I felt that the political and social are too unfairly played in a unbalanced field. I am planning my move to other countries such as looking for careers in other countries and making myself more relevant to immigrant requirements to that I can qualify to be PR and citizen of the other country.
This YPAP fellow must be stupid because he cannot just say leave and tomorrow I will leave. Have to plan for it and never turn my head back if I started the move to another country. Unless, PAP is being toppled by freak election results, I will stay, but most likely I will leave.
I am outside singapore. You are spot on about leaving behind our society (no matter how lousy they have become) and our beloved land (no matter how modern and distorted it has become) and our parents.
PAP is holding many citizens hostage, and their mitigation is to import more and more foreign people to shore up the shortages. This is singapore genocide and cultural suicide. And do they care? I think they take home their million dollar pay and are “damm proud of it”.
Maybe sending drug-trafficker to gallow is part of his KPI for year end bonus and promotion ? The more the death of these drug-trafficker, the higher his performance bonus ? Anyone confirm that ?
To those who criticise the people who complain:
Who give you the right to stop us from criticizing?
If you like, return us our CPF monies and let us be an FT here, while you take up arms to defend fts.
As a Singaporean from day one, I do not think anyone has the right to ask me to leave! Just because I do not feel that the current administration has done a good job the last few years, means that I am less of a Singaporean. To all the destractors, please do not mix up my love and loyalty for my country against my disappointment for the current administration whom I feel could have done much better the last few years. I have voted for the ruling party as well as the opposition in the past 20 years. I look forward to more transparency, affordable and better healthcare and housing for the Ordinary Singaporeans, better distribution of wealth for the ordinarily employees, especially the contract workers vis a vis the high-end administrators who are paid not peanuts, yet have lost billions!
Tho I may be disenchanted, I will stay and make my stand come the next election (If there is no walkover) I want to make a difference for myself, my fellow Singaporeans and future generations. I won’t leave Singapore, why shld I?Singapore is my home, I was born here. I served my NS with my brothers-in-arms. I will not stand by and watch my Singapore be ruined.
@Exposer
you are quite close…ask the experts at these game.
WKS nad his traffic team!
strange,i don’t see them these days helping to smooth the flow of jammed traffic…but nevertheless,like a David Copperfield,they can do the “appearing act” when they want to improve their KPI?
…waste of public monies…their salaries as well as the “extortion” money.
…some guys are not doing an honest job!
What right Bernand Leong tolds citizen to leave Singapore.Why not told thew FT to leave Singpaore (idiot).
Next Election will vote to unseat the PAP then Bernand Leong had to run out of Singapore. (idiot)
this young lackey is a total disgrace to his YPAP mentors.
if he thinks that Sinagpore is PAP,he may want to take a look at LDP?
But if he thought that he could be MP by his stupidity,i think
he better join the WP.Maybe he could learn better his political ABC from LTK?
The honorable YPAP of Singapore, the young high and mighty warrior of the PAP, what is your decision to Alex’s challenge? YES OR NO?
May I suggest that you challenge the citizens of SG on the coming election what you have just said, “If you are so disenchanted, why not leave Singapore?”. Better still make it your party platform for the coming election.
Why do you guys want to join a sure win team like PAP? Let me put it to you, that you love the good life when you are with PAP, the prospect of making money and you will never lose your pant when you are on the side of the PAP. By joining PAP, its definitely good to advance your career and may even one day earn millions as a Minister in Singapore.
Seow Hong, the courtesan, loves the good life of the brothel, the great money making opportunity and she can always drop her pants. What a great career!! Marry a minister from PAP and enjoy his millions lavishly.
Other youth have to pack their bags and go to other countries and become second class citizens. So sad and too bad.
Thats the kind of so-called talents you get when the sole criteria for choosing such is based on his ability to SIT and BARK when told to, not forgetting carrying balls, of course.
Bernard Leong,
You are the one who should leave Singapore. That will make Singapore a much better place for all of us!!
Singapore does not belong to you. It belongs to Alex Tan and all Singaporeans who are born here and have a stake in this country!!
Shame on you, you even have the audacity to ask Alex Tan, who had served his National Service, to leave!!?
It’s sad but the same thing happens here in Malaysia, and WORSE as much of it is uttered with a racial slant esp towards non-Mlaay Opposition politicians who legitimately bring up issues pertinent to national interest, eg. last week when a Perak MP questioned the RM748.26 million spent by the government to build 611 mosques between 2000 and 2008 while it did not build any house of worship of the other religions. If there are say 60% Muslims in a country and 40% non-Muslims, shouldn’t aT least RM490 million be spent on non-Muslims IF a GOVERNMENT RESPECTED ALL ITS CITIZENS?
Sigh… instead we get police reports lodged against non-Muslim politicians for insulting Malays and Islam, hurled abuse and told to “go back to where you came from”… Very sad.
Aiyoooooo . .
Didn’t you know the bad-mouthing bloggers have already LEFT Singapore.
Just that they’re regretting cos they’re now in a SHITHOLE.
So . . . Sink Sinka Poor
meaning try to destabalise and sink Singapore.
Human nature lah.
@Rainnix
So do you question the old man why his son become pm just to see his reaction? Think twice…
World-class government recruits low-class, bad-tasting members. It wouldn’t be world-class for long. While a party leader claimed to be world-class, its supporters are behaving quite the opposite. Identity issues ah? Some PAP members REALLY should take a mirror and take a good look at themselves and ‘do something about those, pimples, acne and zits.’ Stop thinking you’re gorgeous and heaven-sent!
##“Bernard Leong:
for the record, I was the one who threw that question for Alex. Why? I wanted to see what is Alex’s reaction.”##
Well Ber-nerd, Alex’s reaction is to challenge you to debate at Hong Lim and TR. What’s your REACTION to that?
If you do not react can we presume you have emigrated or even died?
This place does not belong to PAP and so any logic for people to leave just because they cannot agree with the ruling party ? Alex like to be the running dog for PAP but don’t expect others to be like him !
This place does not belong to PAP and so any logic for people to leave just because they cannot agree with the ruling party ? Bernand like to be the running dog for PAP but don’t expect others to be like him !
Sorry Alex, typo error !!!!
Let me correct what Bernard Leong have said.
Instead of asking Alex Tan to leave if he was so disenchanted with Singapore, he should ask him to ‘vote for the opposition’. But i doubt this Bernard fellow will say this out in public, because he is just another coward – a boot-licker for PAP.
The problem with what Bernard Leong said is that this is what MIW will wish for. Please all opposition people leave and unfortunately sizeable amount are indeed leaving. Haiz…
Our Singapore society is neatly stratified and segregated into clearly defined categories.
The ruling and the serfs. The ruling is “THE ESTABLISHMENT” and the serfs ‘ NOT PART OF THE ESTABLISHMENT”. When frictions arise, THE ESTABLISHMENT is very quick, acidic of reminder to the serfs that it is the ESTABLISHMENT SOLE PREROGATIVE to do the talking, the serfs, if disenchanted with the command and slavery imposed by THE ESTABLISHMENT, has only one option, leave the Kingdom.
The typical language of oppression is ” You can speak against THE ESTABLISHMENT AT YOUR RISKS” because you don’t belong to THE ESTABLISHMENT. It is NOT a country, no citizen, no rights – it is EITHER YOU HAVE BEEN DULY ANNOINTED AND INITIATED into the THE ESTABLISHMENT or you are our enemies by definition of our exclusion of your imaginery integral part belonging of THE ESTABLISHMENT.
Of course, the message import is clear – we do the selection of who is or who is NOT in THE ESTABLISHMENT.
Voters, please remember if you are IN or OUTSIDE this elitist THE ESTABLISHMENT.
“If I were in authority in Singapore indefinitely without having to ask those who are governed whether they like what is being done, then I would not have the slightest doubt that I could govern much more effectively in their interests.” I say people, hear your god speaking, mm lky.Thank your lucky stars he is mortal.
BL should not leave…he probably should end his worthless life.
I read this article n one of the MP rebuked the person who told Alex to leave this country. The MP also dared not tell people to go away, let alone those bootlickers.
I feel passionate for Singapore, and I can see there are many disenchanted Singaporean, especially the new working generations of our youth. I feel PAP has become too arrogant to the point of tyranny in many approaches to bring law and order, peace and prosperity without realising the harm they’re creating. I feel this youthful generation has matured mentally and emotionally and is ready for the next level of progression for our nation. Despite our prosperity and harmony on the surface___the discontentment of majority of Singaporean must be taken seriously by PAP. So many intelligent minds are out there in the internet pouring their voices. These are passionate Singaporeans; these are dynamites ready to explode. PAP parental authoritarian policy to the nation and it’s people has carried far too many years__it is stifling the mind & soul of it’s people. PAP I urge you to serve and represent the people “with justice and equality” that we sing in our pledge, but is missing in our everyday live around us.