Under The Angsana Tree: What is it like to be a Singaporean?

01/08/2017

What is it like to be a Singaporean?

Update 1 Oct 2019: Singapore: A 1st World country with 3rd World citizens

Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh laments that Singapore is a First World country with Third World people. Many Singaporeans lack the civic-mindedness that citizens of an advanced country should have, he said on Tuesday (Oct 1).

"I am more critical of Singaporeans than of the Government. Many of our people don't give a damn for the environment when they should. Many of our people are selfish and unkind. Just look at the way they drive," Prof Koh said, drawing laughter from his audience.

He was speaking at the Singapore Bicentennial Conference, organised by the Institute of Policy Studies. It was held at Raffles City Convention Centre and ended on Tuesday.

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Here’s a quick and easy guide:

You are born.
You study.
You serve NS and are put under a 10 years reservist and IPPT cycle that can stretch into your 40s while you have to juggle family and work commitments at the same time.
After NS you come out to work and fall in love,married and start up a family.
A wedding cost a lot so most Singaporeans married in their late 20s,mid 30s or even later.
Now we come to the house. Upon successfully balloting for the house one need to wait at least 3 years for it or you can buy from open market or private developers where price will be even much higher.
Once you get your keys your entire CPF OA will be depleted totally and the rest of the mortgage balance will be paid by your monthly CPF every month for a maximum of up to over a decade or 25 years max.
During this time every month of your CPF will not be able to save and accumulate CPF interests because you need to use it to settle house loan.
So 25 years finally finish and your house is fully paid up but by then you will be 55 or into your 60s already.
You want to rest and retire but you can’t because your CPF OA account is empty and CPF minimum sum of 161k is set in place to prevent you from cashing out your CPF in full to use to finance your retirement.
So in your 50s or 60s you still need to work until you die or at least for another 10 to 20 years in order to build up your CPF OA account.
By the time you can really rest you will be in your 70s or 80s already. Most will have meet their maker by that age already. Lol How to look forward to retirement bliss?
Also the health could be failing or no one is willing to employ the elderly Singaporeans and what are they going to survive on?
In the end their CPF Medisave accounts got wipe out and they either rent their flats out to sustain themselves or sell back their flats and lease to downgrade in order to survive in their dying years.
If anyone can still say Singaporeans are living a blessed life then I clap for you.

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Poor in the Land of Crazy Rich Asians

An old woman with a cart sits in front of a Buddhist temple Chinatown, Singapore. Mapa Melvin / Shutterstock.com

Park Royal Hotel along Pickering Street in Singapore is nothing short of spectacular. Lush greenery lines the undulating planes of its facade, mimicking the vibrant green of paddy fields that are common sights in the country’s Southeast Asian neighbours. The building has won numerous architectural and design accolades, and been featured as a location in the Hollywood film Hitman: Agent 47.

But walk a few paces past this impressive glass facade, deeper into the heart of Chinatown, and the surroundings start looking a little different.

Pieces of paper are strewn carelessly on the ground; there’s a seemingly impenetrable layer of grime. Here, the buildings are older, tinted yellow from long exposure to the elements. Come nightfall, men and women, carrying their possessions in backpacks or plastic bags, will discreetly unfurl blankets and newspapers on street corners or stone benches to get some rest for the night.

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