'I don

[Sgnick]

Do any of you feel this way too?

 

http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/10/30/i-...ending-anymore/

 

 

[Kieran1975]

Yes, they will not have my vote on the next GE for sure.... I see myself like living in a foreign land now..

Edited October 31, 2010 by Kieran1975

[1fast1]

Do any of you feel this way too?

 

http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/10/30/i-...ending-anymore/

 

‘I don’t know what I’m defending anymore’

 

Young Singaporeans like Lim Zi Rui are becoming increasingly disillusioned and they’re not afraid to let it show.

 

The 23-year-old final-year aerospace engineering student was among a 1,000-strong crowd who attended a Ministerial Forum organised on Friday by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Students’ Union.

 

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was the guest-of-honour.

 

During a dialogue session after SM Goh’s main address, Lim stood up and asked if the Minister was aware that many young people no longer felt a sense of ownership in Singapore.

 

“When I was younger, I was very proud of being a Singaporean,” said Lim as reported in The Straits Times.

 

“But that was about five, ten years ago. Five years later, with all the changes in policies and the influx of foreign talent, I really don’t know what I’m defending any more.”

 

He said this was a view that many of the men he served with during National Service also held.

 

“I feel that there is a dilution of the Singapore spirit in youth… We don’t really feel comfortable in our country any more,” he said.

 

Mr Goh replied, “‘This is one early sign of danger… If this is happening, it is very serious.” He went on to ask Mr Lim why he felt disconnected.

 

Mr Lim told SM Goh, ”‘I’m still serving as an officer and I definitely would love to defend Singapore.”

 

But he said the key difference between him and his foreign friends was, “I tell them, this is my country. I can’t just leave here whenever I want to. You can come and play and work here, but I have to stay here.”

 

SM Goh responded by defending the government’s policy of welcoming foreigners.

 

“You want to have a home. Who’s going to build your HDB flat?” said the Minister.

 

Lim replied that due to the inability to afford the sky-high public housing prices, his brother had to call off his engagement.

 

“My brother got engaged, but lost his engagement because he could not afford an HDB flat,” said Lim, who went on to state that his question was not about “integrating foreigners”.

 

“My question was, how are we going to help the younger generation feel a sense of belonging to Singapore? I don’t think it’s about integrating foreigners,” said Lim.

 

“This is your country,” SM Goh replied. “What do you want me to do to make you feel you belong?”

 

“For my part, don’t worry about me,” Mr Lim said. “I will definitely do something, if I can, for Singapore. But I can tell you honestly that the sentiment on the ground is a bit different.”

 

“If this is happening, it is very serious,” said SM Goh.

 

“If the majority feel they don’t belong here, then we have a fundamental problem. Then I would ask myself: What am I doing here? Why should I be working for people who don’t feel they belong over here?” asked SM Goh.

 

Earlier on during the dialogue session, the Minister made the point that the next General Elections, due to be held by February 2012, would be a “watershed” for the future of Singapore from which a “fourth Prime Minister and a core team of younger ministers will emerge”.

 

SM Goh also challenged the young undergrads in his audience to “make a difference to Singapore” by joining local politics.

 

Brave young man - how many others would have had the courage to do this in public and face-to-face? An officer some more - sincerely hope there are no repercussions on his career/livelihood.

 

And he spoke the truth. In fact, having gone that far, he might as well have gone further - when GCT asked "who's going to build your HDB flat?", he should've replied that born-and-bred Singaporeans are more concerned about who's *competing* with them for housing (be it HDB or private). As I type this (landed estate), I'm surrounded on three sides by Caucasian foreigners (and on the last by what I think are Indian expats).

 

I don't think this momentous exchange is ever going to get to see the light of day in the MSM, do you? Sh*t Times doesn't believe in presenting the unvarnished picture, as usual.

Edited October 31, 2010 by Turboflat4

[Timex1441]

Brave young man - how many others would have had the courage to do this in public and face-to-face? An officer some more - sincerely hope there are no repercussions on his career/livelihood.

 

And he spoke the truth. In fact, having gone that far, he might as well have gone further - when GCT asked "who's going to build your HDB flat?", he should've replied that born-and-bred Singaporeans are more concerned about who's *competing* with them for housing (be it HDB or private). As I type this (landed estate), I'm surrounded on three sides by Caucasian foreigners.

 

I don't think this momentous exchange is ever going to get to see the light of day in the MSM, do you? Sh*t Times doesn't believe in presenting the unvarnished picture, as usual.

 

He should have pressed GCT on why his brother can't afford to buy a flat (since it's built by "cheap" foreign labour, why is the flat so expensive?).

[Curahee]

[Icedbs]

guys...ask not what your country can do for you...ask what you can do for your country.

 

remember that.

 

I never had any problems with this foreigner policy thing because I understood why they are neccessary.

Edited October 31, 2010 by Icedbs

[Sabretan]

Mmm...indeed very serious prb....when the country is in need, will the foreign talent stay behind? I am sure highly unlikely, since they r mostly here only for the quick bucks n safe environment as compared to their homeland...

 

so tell the young officer, u r still defending ur family, ur homeland n ur country, unless of coz, ur family has uprooted n emigrated elsewhere...

 

however, we do need to address this foreign talent balance w the needs of the citizens who r expected to remain loyal n lay down their lives for this land they called home, before even more young officers like this chap get disillusioned....since men n their section commanders had been "enlightened" years b4...juz tat I didn't realize the officers had been "enlightened" recently as well.....There will always be a disparity between the vision of those in the ivory tower vs those on the ground....the issue is how big is the disparity..

[Curahee]

guys...ask not what your country can do for you...ask what you can do for your country.

 

In spore context is ask not what PAP can do for you... ask what you can do for your PAP. I think this should be the appropriate quote for us sporean.

[Ichibawa]

This guy is brave. Respect. At least he speak what bothers the majority and seek an answer that most of us can't find. Still I hope he is not "blacklisted".

[Sgnick]

[Sgnick]

Edited October 31, 2010 by Sgnick

[Vid]

 

[Vid]

 

[Sosaria]

...

Lim replied that due to the inability to afford the sky-high public housing prices, his brother had to call off his engagement.

 

“My brother got engaged, but lost his engagement because he could not afford an HDB flat,” said Lim, who went on to state that his question was not about “integrating foreigners”.

...

 

What a pathetic guy. No wonder he and his family member feel that they're losing out to foreigners.

 

When i graduated, i also had study loans to pay off. And hdb flat cov was not very low either. I remember opting for resale, still, paying around 35k in cov. No car for the first few years. Get married and settled first. Many sacrifices.

 

It is possible to do all that, with savings from first 2-3 years of working and with wife-to-be chipping in. All I can see now is that the youth are complaining this and that expensive, because they did not build up their savings. Spend a lot on entertainment, clothes, gadgets, clubbing, and now blame other that things are expensive??

 

I addressed the 'low cash' problem by working part-time after a-levels, giving tuition during undergrad years - all to build up savings with a view of paying off study loans. Definitely no spare cash for iPhone, etc. (not invented yet, anyway), no mobile phone bill - only pager, no clubbing, no fancy clothes or grooming stuff.

 

I would say that the expenses to start a family did not change much; except that the 'strawberry' generation these days are just waiting for things to happen to them, instead of taking positive action. They should ask themselves: how come these FTs, with their lower currency value, and a handicap of being a newcomer with no established roots and no advantage, can afford to build up their lives in singapore? Strange, right?

Edited October 31, 2010 by Sosaria

[Galantspeedz]

Tend to agree to certain extent that there is less of a sense of belonging now. But blaming his bro's engagement failure due to rising housing prices is crazy. In fact, I say the rising houses prices saved his bro froma failed marriage. No flat so call off engagement? So marry is for flat and not love........crazy

[Sgnick]

What a pathetic guy. No wonder he and his family member feel that they're losing out to foreigners.

 

When i graduated, i also had study loans to pay off. And hdb flat cov was not very low either. I remember opting for resale, still, paying around 35k in cov. No car for the first few years. Get married and settled first. Many sacrifices.

 

It is possible to do all that, with savings from first 2-3 years of working and with wife-to-be chipping in. All I can see now is that the youth are complaining this and that expensive, because they did not build up their savings. Spend a lot on entertainment, clothes, gadgets, clubbing, and now blame other that things are expensive??

 

I addressed the 'low cash' problem by working part-time after a-levels, giving tuition during undergrad years - all to build up savings with a view of paying off study loans. Definitely no spare cash for iPhone, etc. (not invented yet, anyway), no mobile phone bill - only pager, no clubbing, no fancy clothes or grooming stuff.

 

I would say that the expenses to start a family did not change much; except that the 'strawberry' generation these days are just waiting for things to happen to them, instead of taking positive action.

 

Hmmm, maybe u have a point, but have u compared the Singapore average salary increase for the past 5,10,15,20 years VERSUS the average property price increase? Is it same?

[questionedfish]

in short, i respect the officer for voicing out and pinpointing the issues

[questionedfish]

guys...ask not what your country can do for you...ask what you can do for your country.

 

remember that.

 

I never had any problems with this foreigner policy thing because I understood why they are neccessary.

 

moderation is the key. too much of FT is too much.