There is no serious need to give citizenship to so many as we
have done the past few years. Lets not forget, those who
became citizens early in their working life, will face similar
issues to deal with, just like other Singaporeans, and they may end
up not marrying or having a very small family. And we will be back
to square one. By then they already have citizenship
rights.
If we can keep most foreigners as PRs or work passes, the
financial burden on the government will also not increase so much
more as we add services for families and the elderly.
Therefore the need to increase taxes or GST will be limited.
Like in the middle east, Singapore citizens also get regular
handouts from the government, sharing some of the economic surplus
dished out during the annual budget. It has been very useful for
the lower income group. If we are strict in granting new
citizenship, the size of the handouts and other welfare budget will
not increase so much.
Singaporeans whose families have been here since before & after
the 2nd world war, and since before and after the independence of
Malaya (1957), as part of Malaysia (1963) and then independent
Singapore (1965) have at least some common short history
together as one people.
In the 1960s to the 1980s, as we embarked on economic development
programme, people were asked to make early sacrifices for the sake
of the country. One of which is when the Government
acquired their land at around $1 psf for economic
purposes.
Most villages were torn down and the established communities were
dissolved. People were uprooted from their villages and moved to
housing estates. Everyone had to adjust to new surroundings.
My village head used to own a 50-acre coconut plantation. We were
all moved to Toa Payoh, Hougang, Kallang and Whampoa. We still
stayed in touch. I met the children of the village head recently.
They are mostly taxi drivers, property agents & hawkers.
They had to struggle hard to make a living and could only
imagine what it would be like if their land (estimated to be worth
a few billion dollars today) had remained with the
family.
There are many other stories of locals working with the Government
to ensure Singapore’s survival as the future looked very uncertain
in 1960s. We all felt that we were all in ONE TEAM, as if
everyone were looking after each other and have a greater common
interest in mind. The government was seen as very caring
and the people responded accordingly.
Back then we rode on Democratic-Socialist values – a mix of
democracy with some essence of socialism that allowed us to come up
with pro-people national policies – cheap education, housing,
medical care and welfare assistance for the needy. We even erected
stand pipes in villages.
I think we were all poorer but somehow I could feel that
THE SENSE OF UNITY WERE A LOT STRONGER. This include the SENSE OF
BELONGING and TEAM SPIRIT between the people and the government. It
felt like we were all ONE BIG MULTI-RACIAL FAMILY. We moved as one,
act as one – all for the good of the people and the
nation.
Today we are so much richer – one of the richest country by per
capita income. But I am not sure if the SENSE OF UNITY, SENSE OF
PURPOSE & NATIONAL TEAM SPIRIT between the people and the
Government have all become stronger. I suspect it has not grown
stronger. Not everyone is doing as well. Not everyone earns as much
as the per capita income number. But property prices had
skyrocketed.
Naturally with one of the highest income in the world, our
cost of living here is also one of the highest. Everyone
understand this. But I cant say that THE SPECIAL FEELING OF
BEING ONE BIG SINGAPORE FAMILY STRUGGLING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON
GOOD is still there. Maybe not as strong as it used to be.
Although it should have become stronger.
And I suspect the newer development motto of Singapore Inc –
CAPITALISM – had a lot to do with this situation. Capitalism, in
extreme and especially as it is advocated in America, means to each
his own. You do well, you enjoy your good life (even to the
extreme). If you don’t do well, that’s too bad. Its your own fate
or fault.
While some argued that capitalism will also bring out some good in
people and the nation, I worry it will bring about some serious
social problem. It can weaken, even tear, the fabric of our
society. We may end up with a class society – the super rich, the
rich, the upper-middle income, lower middle and the lower class –
the ordinary folks.
The problem is, under such a system, everything will be priced
according ‘to the market value’ – be it housing, medical care, food
etc. And such prices are easily affordable by the richer people in
our society. The not so rich will face problems.
For example, in 1971 when my family moved to Toa payoh, my
father could only afford a 3-room flat. The price was $6,800. While
his salary was so small, he had no problem to service the
loan. While most people today are earning many times more
than my late father’s generation then, they will not feel as easy
to own and service the loan of a 3-room flat. The price has
gone up like 30 times.
Somehow this and many more experiences of our people, has eroded
the sense of ‘being cared’ by the Government. More people felt they
had to struggle on their own all their lives, beginning at
kindergarten age, in order to have a life here.
And today, with so many ‘new citizens’ included, whatever
surpluses and economic benefits through Government ‘giveaways’ had
to be shared with all the ‘new Singaporeans’. More people
sharing the same cake.
But they, their fathers and
grandparents, were not here then in our poorer days. Back then our
parents and grandparents had to make sacrifices (land, home,
kampungs etc) and sweat it out for our families, the people and the
country.
This will forever mark the
difference between the original citizens of Singapore and the
newbies.
Will the capitalist system that the Government adopted and the big
jump in demographic changes that has occurred the past few years
create a wider gap between the people and government? Will
we end up with LESSER UNITY AS ONE NATION, ONE PEOPLE? I feel it
has happened. I just hope it wont get worst.
If we are to move ahead stronger and more united, I think the
Government need to study these carefully and make the necessary
move to RE-UNITE THE NATION, so that we can all MOVE AS ONE again.
I doubt we are.
It has become more fashionable these days for people to disagree
with the government. That is to be expected as the people becomes
more educated and discerning.
The more worrying trend is, many more people than before simply
disagree with everything that the Government does. They even
criticise good government efforts. But why? For them, its
like there is no more trust left. They have entered a mode of less
trusting the government.
It’s sad if we end-up a more fractious society with the people
looking at the Government far differently than the earlier
generation used to. Whatever has happened since about a decade ago,
must have caused some hurt in the hearts and minds of the people.
It caused a rift to occur. We need to do something to address and
heal this.
The key to this healing is to BUILD TRUST between the people and
the government. Otherwise, a DISUNITED Singapore, is not at all
good for this little red dot’s future.
regards
Maidin Packer, Singapore
