The octogenarian is a sore loser. He is unable to stop the emigration of the "educated", the "well off", "talented" and "top grade" Singaporeans from the little country that he lords over. So he now vomits out his silly little childish tricks of trying to disparage these Singaporeans who choose to leave his country as those who "can't" find "top jobs"in Singapore.
"...LEE: No you have changed, I mean the Australia I came to in 1965 was a very different Australia, you were a white Australia, there was the Asian exclusion act, and in 1960s the US changed their rules and in 1967 or 68 you changed yours, and Canadians followed suit and we lost a lot of talent. And today we've not only lost Malaysians and others who used to come to Singapore, in your last census there were 50-thousand Singapore born persons now in Australia, and more will come over time because they find when they can't make the top jobs and it's easier living here." Radio Australia, March 23, 2007He must be pretty desperate to think that the "educated", "well off", "talented" and "top grade" Singaporeans will fall for his silly jibes. Here's what he said earlier about the very people who he now claims "can't" find "top jobs" in Singapore.
"...Other countries can go bad because they got oil, gas, timber, copper mines, whatever, it's okay, carry on. But we go bad, investments disappear, we have nothing. The educated and the well-off will emigrate to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America. The uneducated, the less well-off will stay here and rot. That's what we're fighting for - to prevent that from happening...." Lee Kuan Yew 'We're going to get better men and we'll fight', Straits Times, 09 May 2006*********
"SINGAPORE has got to face the problem of emigration squarely or risk getting "creamed off" by countries looking for able and talented Asians to contribute to their development, the Prime Minister told the nation last night....
...Giving the global perspective, Mr Lee said the "jet age pattern of emigration" of the educated and talented began in 1965 when the United States reversed its anti-Asian immigration laws.
..."Now Singaporeans themselves are going to get creamed off unless we face this problem in a rational, cool, intelligent way, make adjustments, educate our people so that they can weigh the pros and cons and not go by rumour or hearsay.
..."To show how vulnerable Singapore was when "white countries no longer disdain to collect Asian talents", Mr Lee said that the National Computer Board and nine information technology companies had lost 67 systems analysts and other top grade staff in the last four years. About half were permanent residents..." Lee Kuan Yew, "S'pore must face brain-drain squarely or risk losing talent", Straits Times, 21 August 1989
I am not ric, very well-educated or very talented, but I left! I left because I see little future for my children in the future of Singapore. While we may be born in this land, I find our government value foreigners more than us. They are quick to praise, promote, employ and encourage the foreigners to lure them and keep them in Singapore. What do we citizens get? Slapped with increasing costs and stagnant incomes, reduced CPF contributions and then a load of bullshit why costs must go up and pay must come down, we are at the shorter end of the stick. Then we are being bombarded with messages that we need to be MORE productive, MORE hardworking, MORE giving, MORE willing to work odd hours at odd jobs with low pay and spend MORE time upgrading because we are never good enough.... I am tired of chasing the end of the rainbow and reaching for the stars. Family life, quality of life, relationships have suffered because we need to spend MORE time at work and upgrading. At the end of the day, we are feeding the foreign talents and the rich. We work while they play golf, enjoy numerous overseas holidays, have picnics in their chic clubs... I do not begrudge their good quality of life. I just believe every Singaporean should have a quality of life that is satisfying and fulfilling. We need time for family and friends, for children and old parents.
ReplyDeleteI am in NZ now with my family. We take walks in the park behind our rental house everyday. Every weekend we have picnics in the hills. My children enjoy school and are never compared with "better" peers or students from A class schools. My children love school and develop at a pace comfortable for them, in fact they are excelling way beyond how they were doing in Singapore. They are never told they are not good enough but always told they have done well and can strive for higher achievement. With such encouragement my daughter whose Maths had always been borderline has achieved beyound her wildest imagination! Math is now her favourite subject and is doing equally well in all other areas. As for us, we are constantly told we have equal rights and we can feel free to speak our mind and air our opinions without fear of reprisal. I can tell my employer I do not agree with a certain way of doing things and I do not fear I will be sacked or marginalised. My opinions are explored and discussed. If they work better, they are adopted, if they don't work, I become convinced through the open discussions and we are all happy to have been heard and valued.
Am I glad we left? Yes. Of course we miss the food back home, we miss the family and freinds, but we find we are getting a better quality of life here. We are healthier, happier, more adventurous and more adaptable. We don't need to be told all the time we are no good, we are motivated becuase we are good and can strive for better!
For all Singaporeans who want to leave and think you need to be rich or very highly educated to do so, be encouraged by my experience. We took a very bold step with little money and no job offer. We were scared shitless. We never thought with our so many disadvantages that we could, but we came. Sure we don't own this home, but we have a nice, spacious roof over our head. Sure we don't hold very high positions in our jobs, but we have job satisafaction because we are valued. Most importantly, we have the kind of quality of life we can never dream to have in Singapore. Here, we are not the "not so rich, not so talented, not so well-educated group that just rots". We are humans with equal rights and equal opportunities, just like everyone else. My children are happy! They are gauranteed a place in university as long as that is what they want to do, they have equal opportunities and are not "lower class" than the EM1, the SAP stream, the gifted, the through-train students! What more can a parent ask for?
Mayeb I can't see the BIG Singapore picture, maybe I don't understand the policies of our leaders wekll enough, maybe I don't grasp the intensity of competition from neighbouring countries but what the heck! We are happy and living TODAY!
Good for you. Congratulations and I for one wish you and your family all the best in NZ.
ReplyDeleteMy family also left Singapore. Our children used to fail in the Singapore school system but are doing so well now in Australia. they had talents they never knew they had. They dared to try and dared to make mistakes. They are never compared with other children "better" than themselves. If we had stayed in Singapore, they would never have discovered how good they are in their studies. In Singapore the teachers always tell them they are not working hard enough, they are not paying attention enough, they are not as good as the EM1 and express stream students Over time my children actually believed that lie. My daughter failed in school and my eldest son went to Normal stream. They have been told if they don;t work hard enough they cannot go uni because must compete with the best, not just from Singapore, but from overseas as well. Guess what? After 2 years in Australia, my 2 kids are excelling. My daughter even scored well enough to be in the top 100 in the National exams. Is it because the exams here are easier? No way! As for my son, he is now representing his school in National competitions like soccer, rugby and cricket. He is also in the school choir and gets to compete nationally! What was the difference between here and Singapore? The teachers believed in them and valued them for THEIR individuality and talents, they do not need to compete with foreigners (they are foreigners themselves here) but are given every chance and opportunity to try everything and anything whether or not they are good at it (if you don't try you don't know right?). In Singapore, my son (in primary school) had to audition to join the basketball team (at Primary 3!) and was finally told he wasn't good enough to join!!! I thought it was just a sport for children to learn, try out and enjoy!!!! Even CCA must be good enough then can join!!!??? Well, we were not happy and since we can't speak with our votes (walkovers every time!), we spoke with our feet!
ReplyDeleteAnon 4.20 pm
ReplyDeleteI see you have made the right choice. Well done and I wish you and your family all the best that life can offer.
I too left, many years ago. I have 3 sons all uni graduates and doing very well for themselves and very happy with life. Glad I went.
Who're the first class citizen in Singapore? The foreigners! They stay in private housing while heartlanders in public housing.
ReplyDeleteHow does Singapore pay system like?
2 types:
- Politician's pay: never high is high enough
- Heartlander's pay: Must be less than China
If not ruch, no very educated also can migrate, we should all try to migrate! PAP won't miss us because we not the cream mah but they forget something! We go, our kids also go. Then more old people and less young people, then they have to lure our children back next time as foreign talents. Not bad, Born in Singapore, raised overseas, come back as foreign talents, no need to go army some more!Foreign "ex-Singaporeans" will get good deal while Singaporeans will still be competing for jobs with foreign talents. PAP got brains or not? Pay them so high to guard their own interests and the rich! Long term Singapore will suffer. You think your rich and elite will take rifle go fight for you? Yay, now I go check how to migrate, then my 2 boys no need go army and can come back as foreign talents! Good deal!
ReplyDeleteDo you think the Lee family cares about Singapore and its people? I always have this consipiracy theory concerning the operation of Singapore governing system. On the surface, it seems that the elites are selected based on their talent and ability to service the Singapore public. However, my personal opinion is that the elites are chosen based on their loyalty and cowardice towards the monarchy, their great mechanical strength and inflexibility, and their absolute belief of the elitist system. The Lee family paid them highly to be their watchdogs, to safeguard their family from being disposition from the pinnacle status they held in this country. In fact, the ministers and civil servants are no different from private bodyguards, or even worse, backyard dogs that wag their tails when the beef is good.
ReplyDeleteNora M.
Nora M,
ReplyDeleteThe most unimaginable is usually closer to the truth. The signs are all there and there is no smoke without fire. Like NKF, no one believed the worst until it all came crashing down. The Lees and their cronies have made the country their own personal fiefdom. Meritocracy does exists here, just like all other countries. But there are different grades and beyond a certain level what matters is one's undying conviction and obedience to the familee that will propel one further. GCT is a good example, and basically the inner circle or the gerontocracy of the PAP.
2 more for the list. My son and daughter are both now Australia PR.
ReplyDeletehey guys. i nd help and more infomation on getting a job at NZ during my holiday trip soon. any idea?
ReplyDelete-local citizen