There are a few things that do bug me nowadays:
1) monstrous salaries of top civil servants (including judges) which suggest they should be able to solve all problems (rather than telling us to hunker down and grit our teeth).
2) questionable court judgements handed down to non-elite people (usually deterrent sentences) and as well as to all political opposition.
3) abominable performance by our government controlled media.
4) technical near-impossibility of unseating the ruling party through elections.
5) the over-crowding and the weather (can we really have 7 million here?).
6) the extra rights enjoyed by SG women (Women's Charter/NS/jail sentences without rotan).
7) the privileges demanded by SG women and given by SG men (in return for you-know-what). Even the very plain ones think they deserve it!
8) the police as instruments of political maintenance rather than civil protection.
9) overpriced housing and transport.
10) purported dealings with Burma in arms and laundering drug money.
This would seem quite exhaustive but the one that takes the cake is the FT policy. I refer in particular to Malaysian Chinese FT whom I meet most often (rather than PRC or Angmohs). This is a pity because I find Malaysian Chinese nice people and less anal than SG Chinese and have a few good friends among them.
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But other than for the reason of maintaining racial balance in SG, I find no reason for them to be here. They are not the super-rare stem cell researchers, filthy rich investors or the chaps that do the dirty stuff none of us care to do. They are actually the middle class people who have the abilities that all middle class SG people have.
Ironically, I am from that stock. My parents moved here from up north in the 50s and I was born here. I gamely did my NS as punishment for my parents' actions.
Admittedly, my father did do a little better than his friends that remained behind. But then SG and Malaysia had a different political relationship in the 50s so my case may be a little different.
The crux of the matter is that I live in a country where I do not come first, although I am a citizen. Probably SG is one of the very few places that treat its own as 'Untermenschen'.
My peers and I find ourselves ousted by our northern cousins. Many of us are sitting on our hands while they are doing the jobs we used to do.
Maybe their children will pay for their actions like I did for my parents, doing NS and being displaced in the universities and job market.
But that is the future. Politically speaking, there seem to be 5 'estates': (1) a particular group of people (2) top civil servants (3) FT (4) SG women (5) SG men.
To illustrate a point, when I graduated, there was an ad in the newspaper by a big bank for an officer. All of the people I knew who majored in Economics applied for the post. (Back then, in the arts faculty, one had to major in 2 subjects and minor in 1 subject - literally, the result being pig swill.
At the end of 3 years, if one excelled in either of the majors, he would be offered a place to do a 4th honours year). One of the people who applied for the bank job was a brilliant chap who did well enough to be offered honours in both majors. He had chosen Economics and obtained a 2nd Upper. Nope, he did not get the job. Neither did any Singaporean. A Malaysian bloke with a 2nd Upper from a Malaysian uni got it. Why?
Although my friend was undeniably brilliant, he did mish-mash for 3 years and pure Econs in the 4th. The Malaysian chap did
pure Econs for 4 years (although *only* STPM Econs for the 1st year).
Counting modules, he did a few more modules than my friend. So while both were nice chaps who were unquestionably competent, my friend lost out in content. So the Malaysian guy got the job and is doing well. My friend? He got a crap civil service job, resigned after a few years, continued studies on his other major, and is now an assistant professor at a local uni.
My point is: the local education system was disadvantageous to my friend in that by doing 3 subjects initially, he lost out in content. But anyone can see that he was just as, if not more, competent than the Malaysian guy. Any SG company should give the first go to him, especially since the bank in question was govt-linked.
Even now, I see that many Stinkaporeans are jobless while Malaysian Chinese are still preferred by employers.
The worst part is - my parents read "147" exclusively and think that the emperor is God and SG is paradise.
I know some of you who are doing well will tell me to get out. I find that option difficult as I am poorly qualified and experienced. I do not qualify as a refugee since SG has always maintained a democratic facade.
Please flame me all you like as I will not be answering. I just wanted to get this off my chest so thanks for lending me your eyeballs.
P/S: One thing that I hope the brudders can help me with: how to get a transcript of the LKY vs Francis Seow debate at the Law Society? It was about the Newspaper Printing Act. Heard it was spectacular. If possible, please email me.
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Cheers.
