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

I do share the same feeling as Mr Lim Zi Rui, 10 years ago if you ask me whether will i die for my country i will definiety say YES... Now, sad to say that i don't even want my sons to serve the NS as i really don't feel belong to S'pore anymore due to the increase of FT's here... Next GE don't expect to have my vote Mr Goh...
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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.

I am also against the idea of the government wanting to push the population to 7-8 million....

At present of 4 million, I already feel a bit crowded, can't imagine they want to push to 8 million...

If tax money and growing economy is what they are after, I am very disappointed. Find something else please...

We are following the foot step of HK where a family of 10 squeeze in a 400 square feet flat.

5 years ago we thought it was crazy when they come up with shoe box flat in orchard road. Now they even have shoe box flat in Pasir Ris. I think the next "in" thing will be coffin flat.

I fine with employing foreign workers but should keep at a ratio of 3:1.

Agree with above 2 members. Too crowded, weekend go shopping centre need to wait 30mins for carpark.

Let leave government politics out of our beautiful game of golf....when a ship moves toward the harbour, the current will bring it tiward the port.

Trust in God and pray for our future leader....

Please leave Government politics outside here. we are golfers.....


UL

8)

ya lor, if no ft, then kk wont be here. i will still be driving my lousy proton saga....

May be it be proton sehko... Liao.....

Wish i can golf....

Khorkar wrote:

ya lor, if no ft, then kk wont be here. i will still be driving my lousy proton saga....

May be it be proton sehko... Liao.....

Wish i can golf....

Dare to said it out... cos of u lor spore over flooded laoi...hahha.

Was driving a RR & now mrt lor. hahhaah

Uncle Lau wrote:

when a ship moves toward the harbour, the current will bring it tiward the port.

Trust in God and pray for our future leader....
8)

UL, I'm very worried abt your kind of mentality! U can rest well at your age but u sld be very worry about your boy's future if more FTs are coming in for cheaper wages, taking up free scholarship at our expense and driving up public housing pricing.

We can TCSS here, enjoy our weekly JB games and a jug of beer afterthat pretending that everything is going to be all right! One day, your NUS/NTU graduated son tell u that he lost his job to a FT whose pay is only 1/2 of his. Will u advice your son that it's ok....when a ship moves towards the harbour, the current will bring it toward the point?

This is no longer the era where "Government knows best!!!" works best!

give it a serious thought......

Seiko, my answer to that, i probably learn to compete better and harder.

If SG dont bring the competition here to its shore and play at a level where it succeed. The fight will goes else where. Its people needs to have a bigger of picture. A country cant be over protective, if so, then it will need to slowly learn to open up or get left out.

Singapore is small, it doesn't have natural resource. But it has facilities that is envy of many countries and something they cant do in 10 years. 3 refineries, 2 cat cracker, many chemical companies, a few dry docks, a business financial hub, Top tier of world largest shipping/airport and etc.

Its needs to have foreign talent in order sustain. Mindfully, the country's citizens are not reproducing fast enough or even at all. This country is not like China or India or even Indonesia where has the mass domestic consumptions. So what can you do? Get foreign talents.

How will one feel if during CNY or Christmas Day all the fast food restaurants or the "24hrs" stalls are closed? During these period who are the manager and staffs running it?
We are not "M" country....every priorities goes first to the "M" people.

moi™ wrote:

How will one feel if during CNY or Christmas Day all the fast food restaurants or the "24hrs" stalls are closed? During these period who are the manager and staffs running it?
We are not "M" country. Every priorities goes first to the "M" people.

Hi moi,

I still remember those old days when all shops and restaurants are closed during CNY and only our malay friends selling satays. In facts i really missed those days and our family bonding are much much more stronger than today as we tend to visit and eat at our friends and relatives house.

Those who born in the late 60's and early 70's will agreed with me...

z101 wrote:

moi™ wrote:

How will one feel if during CNY or Christmas Day all the fast food restaurants or the "24hrs" stalls are closed? During these period who are the manager and staffs running it?
We are not "M" country. Every priorities goes first to the "M" people.

Hi moi,

I still remember those old days when all shops and restaurants are closed during CNY and only our malay friends selling satays. In facts i really missed those days and our family bonding are much much more stronger than today as we tend to visit and eat at our friends and relatives house.

Those who born in the late 60's and early 70's will agreed with me...

Bro, late 60s i not around.

Khorkar wrote:

Seiko, my answer to that, i probably learn to compete better and harder.

If SG dont bring the competition here to its shore and play at a level where it succeed. The fight will goes else where. Its people needs to have a bigger of picture. A country cant be over protective, if so, then it will need to slowly learn to open up or get left out.

Singapore is small, it doesn't have natural resource. But it has facilities that is envy of many countries and something they cant do in 10 years. 3 refineries, 2 cat cracker, many chemical companies, a few dry docks, a business financial hub, Top tier of world largest shipping/airport and etc.

Its needs to have foreign talent in order sustain. Mindfully, the country's citizens are not reproducing fast enough or even at all. This country is not like China or India or even Indonesia where has the mass domestic consumptions. So what can you do? Get foreign talents.

Yes KK! U hit the right spot..recently our NTUC chief also asked us to be "cheaper, better & Faster". but it's a fact that many companies employed FT because of low wages. While our ministers adjusted their own wages to world best, how about our low wage workers? Everytime when someone asked for wage adjustment, S'pore govt will warned that it will bring another round of inflation. They asked us to be "C.B.F" but they cant...this thing I cant understand.

I agreed that we cannot to be over-protective our market but does it mean even the receptionist also need to be a FT? pump attendant? cashier? Is these all considered as FT?

Every developing countries encounter low birth rates. It's not just to S'pore! For example Japan. Does it mean we can just bring in FTs relentlessly to fill-up the number? how many of them will really stay in S'pore? This is also why the NUS student is questioning "I don't know what I'm defending anymore".

Does bringing in FTs really solve the low birth rate problem?

Govt should look into root cause why pple not having enough babies!

My question to u is how u compete better and harder compared to the FTs so that we can learn from u?

Wah... damn serious topic here siah

I proposed to shelve thread, very senstitive !

8)

Bro seiko u r rite. As for me now is abit worry for my kid lor. If he can grad fr bla blah sch & cant find a job cos of salary or bla bla.

I think its ok as long as we do not insult or deflame the govt to discuss about Singapore politics.

I too agree that the policies are a joke and are slowly starving our ppl. Like seiko mentioned, and I wun flinch to agree, we are facing issues that would spill over to our kids.

Not just losing out at work, with NS, our boys are placed further down the competitiveness in the job market as they enter the working class later while these ft clocked up 2 extra yrs of experience and occupy available scholarships available. Look at how many FT taking up scholarships and breaking their bond!!!

Some talents will make SG good, but some will really add troubles to SG. Maybe the government will have to apply a more stringent approach when granting Citizenship

My feel is that FT or FW will inadvertably increase our "costs" of living as they will surely compete for our limited resources. I am more for growing our economy thru' foreign expansion (meaning getting singapore companies to grow bigger) then getting in FT to fill voids and that also means the FTs must be capable of growing local companies and grooming local managers. But this is easier said than done.

Jobs unwilling to be filled by Singaporeans are usually menial jobs and maybe also shift jobs, so now will ICA really give out citizenships to such FW? On the otherhand, if FW readily acquire citizenships, then it would mean they would be more expensive to employ. Think CPF comes into play, they need to pay taxes, etc, thus making them almost costing the same as locals.

Actually we r blessed. We can play golf, hv house to stay, hv food to eat. sometimes we hv wine to drink........ We should thank god.

For me.. having traveled a fair bit in my younger days.. and stayed quite extensively in some developed, developing and even underdeveloped countries.. my view here is that we are living a too comfortable and stable life.

Why does the youth today think that the government owe them a living? If you feel you do not belong here, then shift out.. and you will begin to understand and miss singapore when you are being called a "yellow bast**d".. and I agreed with UL.. learn to compete better, and Singapore being what it is today has and will (i hope) based on the "the best gets the job".

Look at our neighbours.. preferential and over protective measure does not help.. and despite SG having no natural resources.. its has proven itself and become world no.1 in some areas.

I have no issues with FT, but with the government aim of 8 million?? Do they need 100% replacement or what?

FT should be kept at a good ratio... 4 : 1

golfchowmk wrote:

Bro seiko u r rite. As for me now is abit worry for my kid lor. If he can grad fr bla blah sch & cant find a job cos of salary or bla bla.

Actually I am also worried about my Kids.... but as parents.. I will do my very best to equip them with the necessary skills to compete and survive.. and hopefully a head start, and rest is it is up to them to achieve.

foreign workers might be an issue to a country.... but putting it as a problem I think it's way too serious and worst is to pose the question whether to welcome or not. It's the same as Singaporean working overseas. Do you like being questioned or being labeled as "problem"? Quoting on Australia, some flocks there to studies some go to work and some work and settle down. Welcome or not they do partly indirectly or directly contributes to the boom of the industries over there in Austalia.

Back to Singapore. An island with no natural resources, one can only depending on human factors to boost the economy. Lacking that the country is as good as nothing.