Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Views of young people

Friday, July 09, 2010

Views of young people

Here are some views of your young people, in response to the survey

1. Leaders should engage their people more. PMETs may have good ideas which may be implemented to benefit everyone, such as education, transport and work-life balance. Show us believable statistics instead of numbers made from thin air.
2. Life looks bleak for me, so I won't marry or have children. I don't even know I can survive in five years time, most probably would get retrenched or replaced by foreigners.

3. Politicians tend to avoid recessions to remain in power. We should have gone into a healthier recession instead of opening the floodgates to foreigners to boost GDP numbers. I feel betrayed by the government and I am suffering from overcrowding and higher costs of living.

4. Nurses still can get a job, not much of a problem here.

5. No bonding left with Singapore. The PAP and system has shown me the truth -- You die your business. Whatever emotional ties I had with S'pore had been mercilessly cut during 2 years of slogging NS being tekaned while my foreigner classmates happily enjoy their 3-month holidays after A-levels and then straightaway go into NUS / NTU / SMU on subsidised school fees or even free scholarships. Plus seeing my 40+ and 50+ year-old relatives getting retrenched and having to take on $1K or $1.2K jobs even though they have polytechnic diplomas or many years of practical experience and know-how.

The Singapore system has only succeeded in turning all of us into self-centred bastards. Those who enjoy the privileges of the elite-class will want to stay on and lord it over the masses, squeezing them for more GDP growth. Those who are not elites just end-up fighting each other for scraps of garbage in order to survive. Those who can get off this god-forsaken mudhole will do so without remorse or hesitation. It is truly You Die Your Business!!

6. This country disadvantages it citizens in the mindless pursuit of ever increasing GDP. How that GDP benefits locals is any one's guess, as the GINI coefficient seems to be ever widening.

7. Please provide more options.
My job pays quite well - Strongly DISAGREE
My pay is adequate for the cost of living - Strongly DISAGREE
I find the HDB flat to be affordable - Strongly DISAGREE

8. It is one thing to be proud of our country and be disgusted at your government.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...: I am working in Doha, Qatar (near Dubai)

I am very suprise this country is willing to share its wealth with the people.

1. No Income tax for all including me.
2. No water and electrical bills for Qataris only regardless of house size.
3.Free medical if admmitted to emergency dept. My friend got discharge without paying a single cent after a minor opration.The country policy is to save and take care of those in need.
4.Parking in all public places is free except private malls and entertainment centres.
5.All Qataris receive USD 5,000 per month on top of many other perks in kind like rice, sugar etc
The government wants to make sure no one goes hungry. Most of the Qataris don't work. They depend on foreigners to serve them.
6. Qataris never heard of school fees from elementary to university.
There are many more things this country have for the people.
I believe Singaporeans are not asking for these kind of hand-outs.
Singapore is rich enough to lose Billions in investment but unable to take care of the poor and old age.
If only Singapore government is willing to stop squeezing and taxing the people.. I think that will be good enough.; July 09, 2010 10:39 PM
Anonymous said...: All Talk and No Action.; July 09, 2010 10:45 PM
Anonymous said...: Qatar land size approx.11,437 sg km and is Blessed with Oil,whereas Singapore land size is 693 sq.km and is Blessed with TAXES!
Tax on Tax on top of Tax??? as what I read in this Blog too.

Both are small,rich nations....
....but in Singapore you can see a pool of poor blind, handicapped entertainers struggling to make aliving at most MRT stations....
what an eyesore!; July 09, 2010 11:45 PM
Anonymous said...: The more experience & knowldge (degree??)u have, the more difficult it is to get a job if u are a PMET age over 40.
Scary.; July 10, 2010 7:06 AM
Anonymous said...: There is no guessing about the reason for higher GDP numbers.. it is their salary & bonus.

We also cannot go the same route as Qatar.. their natural resource will dry up one day. Our "one day" is now.
Because we have nothing except humans

Unfortunately, humans are a very mobile resource and will go where there is higher pay or more realistically a more caring and nurturing place.

Humans will stay in a low paying job if they are treated with respect, recognition and are rewarded ( does not have to be money ) This is the weakest area that we have, as evidenced by the results of the survey. ( "dislike my environment" ).

Survey the MPs and the Permananent Secretaries, and even MDs & CEO if they like working & living here.
Bet you, more than 80% will say:

"Hey! Singapore is a great place man! Food is cheap, I get to fly easily as there are so many connections here! I get to change a new car every year, and best of all, the people here are SO HARD WORKING!! they even work past 6pm and on weekends too!.. not like the Qataris or the Europeans or even their neighbours!! They also don't have babies!! That means no interruptions to my business!.. Yeah I like Singapore! Just dont understand why they grumble so much!!"

Not revelation is it?; July 10, 2010 10:52 AM