Letters
From the heart
Three Singaporeans write about their heart-felt concerns about the state of the nation and the leadership.
Apr 22, 2009

From Tan Kin Lian
I received (these) two e-mails from a visitor to my blog, www.tankinlian.blogspot.com.

First e-mail
Hi Mr Tan,
I have been following with interest your blog on and off especially during the period of “minibonds”.

I respect your sense of social justice and your courage and willingness to fight for the underdogs.

I myself have always been neutral to politics. I only write today because on the spur of the moment, I want to pass a few observations about the passing away of the Singapore I grew up in.

I am in my 30s. When I am young, I felt that the government was willing to develop us Singaporeans. Life was simple, relations with people were sincere.

That Singapore is no more! In almost any job I have worked, foreigners equal Singaporeans in number, sometimes they exceed.

Even when you interact with people, the locals don’t care for and about the locals. Money is all everyone thinks about.

Perhaps it is because we are all forced to struggle with the influx of so many FTs (foreign talents).

When we need employers to give us a chance, we find that the job has gone to some more experienced FT.

But they were given chances, even sponsored to take courses, back in their own countries to hone the skills that they have today.

All familial ties are no more; we have become disposable entities to our companies and our bosses.

It is a very lope-sided system where the employer is king. Even some bosses, used to maids, treat employees in the same disposable manner.

Forget about receiving any training, you are paid to serve them. Retrenchment and dismissal is sometimes the excuse of poor senior management. The same goes for the present government.

I am neither bitter nor resigned. I am just sad that I cannot identify this country with the one I knew and grew up in.

You might tell me I am being sentimental, we must all adapt to the world, there is no free lunch.

Yes I have heard that many times. And home-grown Singaporeans are largely a docile bunch willing to bend over backwards with the govt. But why does it seem that the govt makes our problems worse instead of better?

You are very capable man. By writing to you, I don’t dare to aspire for anything.

I have signed your petitions and I have written encouraging messages on your blog. I just want to share with you, Singaporean to Singaporean, the loss of the soul and essence of my country.

Second e-mail
Hi Mr Tan,
I have visited your blog again and have read the comments to my email. I’m not upset, don’t worry.

I respect what you are doing. But I do not know whether it will succeed. Singapore has changed.

The younger Singaporeans are pleasure-loving and hedonistic, the older ones are too busy struggling.

And all of us are struggling in this over-populated country and intimidated by a government that can do whatever they like and manipulate whatever law they want.

The worst is seeing younger Singaporeans sell out their countrymen for the love of money.

I empathize with those who are poor and suffering. I would not mind contributing if you have any schemes to help them.

Under the present government, they are reduced to getting scraps” qiu sheng bu si, qiu si bu neng” (seeking life is difficult, seeking death is not possible).

Perhaps it is possible to set up some sort of recruitment so that matches these people to employers who are willing to pay them fair wages and not exploit them.

As for me, I am thinking of leaving the country next time.

I am tired, Mr Tan. I am quite well educated, but I still have some integrity. I don’t want to sell my soul for money like what some people are doing.

Tan Kin Lian comments (excerpts)
This reader, although much younger than me, expressed the sentiments felt by me and some Singaporeans of my generation.
We were proud and happy to be Singaporeans many years ago. We were part of the struggle to build an independent nation, based on equality and justice, which is respected by many nations around the world.
Today, Singaporeans are disappointed. We are not sure if Singapore still belongs to us or only to those who are in power.
Our views are not sought. Even if we struggle to be heard, we are ignored. We can see fellow Singaporeans, who are weak, being exploited. Even if they are cheated, they are asked to open their eyes.
What is more worrisome to me is that many people care for their own self interest. If they are not affected, they will stay on the sideline. Maybe they are too busy struggling to make a living. This is probably just an excuse....
I like to ask Singaporeans: Are you willing to speak up for others, against injustice and suppression?

Letter to PM

The third posting addressed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is from blogger FeedMeToTheFish

Dear Mr Prime Minister,
While you have your lymphoma, I have my share of heart attack and ventricular fibrillation.

While you are concerned about your mum's health, I had the greatest understanding of the fragility of life and the inevitability of death while taking care of my dad (as old as your dad if he's alive today) when he was down with his degenerative disease.

While you were growing up as the son of a prime minister in big but shabby Oxley Rise house (so said your sister [Link]), I was growing up with 8 other siblings in a $25-per-month-rented-one-room flat as the son of a Singapore Traction Company bus conductor moonlighting as a pirate taxi driver so that his family could survive.

You did Harvard and Cambridge and whatever you fancy, the best I did was Senior Cambridge Certificate (today's 'O Level' equivalent).

Today you are the highest paid politician in the whole wide world earning $3.7m (excluding your BG and after-55-PM-pension), I'm making do with about $24,000 per annum hawking my skills as a self employed.

I have no pension and I'm not entitled to any of the benefits which your PAP so often makes a song and dance about at every election and/or Budget Statement.

Please do not tell me about my GST rebate as it's nauseating since the GST went to your salary too.

No, I'm not complaining of my state of being. Being rich and happy is where your mind is at, not what you can suck out of others!

As my kids can take care of themselves, $2,000 a month is enough for me and my wife to have a simple comfortable life. My family and I are blessed with what we are happy with!

How much is enough?

Enough for what?

It depends on the individual's sense of value, contentment, greed, sense of power and one's one-upmanship. Does it feel good to be paid 6 times the POTUS?

You tell me!

Though we are of about the same age, we were made differently. I guess the only thing we have in common is that we are, born-in-Singapore, Singaporeans.

As much as I'm a pauper compared to your riches, I'm delighted that I do not have to bear the responsibilities that you do.

My wish for you is that you'd be blessed with grandfatherhood which I'm most grateful for when my child gave birth to another child.

When one loves life, when one truly cares and has the free will to do so without the hindrance of position, power and face value, one is always free . . . . . . . . even to blog until one is caught :)

I sincerely hope that the job you do now is the job that you love, not the job imposed by your father or whoever.

Though I have been told by those who know you that you are not as useless (ie. for the magic salary you pay yourself, people expect magic performance too) and callous as you appear to be, I still have my doubt.

From the pedigree that you were inseminated with (what with your dad laughing again at dummies like me for not having university education [Link]), I was shocked to hear of your "mee siam mai hum" and "fix opposition and buy votes". Which devil made you do that?

You were silent for many days when Mas Selamat jalan.

You were silent for many days when Singaporeans were hurt by the Lehman fiasco and toxic financial products.

You were silent for many days when Town Councils burned themselves with Lehman too.

I have never written to politicians especially ministers level as I know what I write doesn't mean squat to them . . . just another tiny voice in the wilderness.

However, I'm writing now to do my part as a Singaporean before I die from my next heart attack.

Mr Lee, please say something!

Yes, before I'm fedtothefish, I hope that as highest paid prime minister of the universe, you will do the gracious thing of investigating why your PAP MP Dr Ong Seh Hong is in such a fix right now with the Ren Ci CEO Ming Yi saga.

Silence may be golden but your reticence in commenting on the crucial happenings in Singapore lately is not helping you in your job.

It is not helping people to "Staying Together Moving Ahead" It makes a joke of your PAP manifesto. If you are still at a loss on what to say, Singaporeans will be wondering, "WTF is he doing?"

Please say something worthy of your salary and position for the benefit of all Singaporeans on Ren Ci/Dr Ong's issue.

Even if you were to tell us that "it's not an issue at all as he became whiter-than-white MP only after he cleared the loan", we would still be happier than to have you keep your mouth shut again.
We look forward to it.
Thank you.
feedmetothefish.
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