YOUR VIEW: Singapore is not perfect, but what is the right balance?
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I am quite amused by the “Don’t come home to soulless Singapore” piece written by Brian Vittachi.
Let me begin by saying that Singapore is not a perfect country and anyone who thinks they are living in a perfect place on earth is either lying or delusional.
Brian has described his Singapore born sister as having grown up in Sri Lanka, won numerous accolades, married a CEO husband, produced academically brilliant children, living in a nice house and making a good living in a thriving and dynamic Sri Lanka.
Why then would such a person even have the slightest intent to reclaim her Singapore citizenship? She presumably must be aware that she would have to revoke all her other citizenships if she becomes a Singaporean.
If I remember my history correctly, Sri Lanka was once (in its old name) a glowing country far more prosperous than Singapore. Now, by Brian’s own admission, Singapore has political, social and economic stability and the government of Sri Lanka is corrupt and inefficient. A detailed discussion of how Sri Lanka has fallen in economic, political and social status is definitely beyond the scope of this essay but I would urge readers to do some research on the subject. It might have something to do with good government/bad government.
Brian has made some unkind remarks about Singapore which I think are not unreasonable. He mentions, “the government’s obsession with GDP growth without adequately considering the intangible negative side effects. Much of the country is an ugly construction site which creates pollution, traffic jams and the occasional flood. There is the public transport problem, high HDB and private housing prices and liberal immigration and job policies which have created a backlash against the so-called foreign talents and new immigrants.”
But he doesn’t stop there. Brian goes on to make vehement and ruthless comments, saying that “Singapore has sold its soul, has no sense of nationhood and welcomes mega-rich tax evaders and the greedy people of this world” (I would personally prefer to use the term tax-avoiders).
All these issues have been correctly brought to the fore and there are many more to add to the list. These issues (and more) are being debated almost daily in Singapore and I am sure keep Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong awake at night occasionally.
What seems ironic to me is that despite condemning the government’s liberal foreign talent policy, Brian encourages his sister to come live in Singapore for a few years,make a pile of money and return to Sri Lanka. Isn’t this precisely the same thing that he, being a Singaporean, would despise about our country’s foreign talent policy?
The perennial question about the allocation of scarce resources like jobs, cars and housing in Singapore boils down to whether Singapore should function as (1) a global city where locals and foreigners compete ferociously for jobs, cars and housing or (2) a sovereign nation with a strong national identity where Singaporeans are accorded high priority and social and economic protection as their their birthright. Before attempting to answer that question, I would like to add that both options comes with its own set of economic, political and social challenges.
For the past decade or so, the government has been trying to accomplish a fine balance, which is far from easy. It is a complex problem and the arguments run deep and emotional at times. But there is no clear definition as to what should be the right balance. Hopefully the right balance will evolve with time, experience, education and wisdom.
Chow He Shen, 54
Private investor
Other Your View letters:
YOUR VIEW: Don't come home to soulless Singapore
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YOUR VIEW: Let's not criticise for sake of it
YOUR VIEW: Govt cannot ignore silent majority for 377A
