Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Confidence in leaders

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Confidence in leaders

Dear Mr. Tan,
I fully agree with an article on your blog (The future of our country). I have very little confidence in the next generation of leaders. All of them have never contested in a fair and open election, thanks to the grossly unleveled playing field (eg. GRC, ruling party's use of the entire govt machinery against the opposition party cadres, heavily biased and tightly controlled mainstream media).

How can they claim to represent the people if they are not elected by the people? This explains why they don't have any clue what the people feel/think. They just enact policies according to their liking. They think they know best. They don't have the decency to apologise when they are wrong.

This sad state of affairs worries me. I now seriously wonder if I should get PR status in say Australia. Having a team of "strawberry" leaders, who make policies out of an ivory yower, steering this country scares me like hell.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...: Where in the World got GRC???; April 13, 2010 9:47 PM
leadbyaction said...: Thanks for sharing the letter with your readers, Kin Lian.

I wish to reaffirm similar sentiments of many young men whom I have the pleasure of knowing in my working environment.

It is painful to agree with those men under my charge that those leading the country are pathetic.
It is tragic to use them as examples of negative leadership to demonstrate a point.; April 13, 2010 9:55 PM
Conspiracy said...: Please do go to Australia to be a 2nd class FT there, do tell us how that experience is like too... Don't worry if you get PR, the white australians will still be able to tell you are just a Foreigner.

I've always wanted to hear from a singaporean how being an unwanted FT feels like. Maybe if you're indian, you might experience some racism too. But what the hell, with such a shitty singapore govt, what's a little racism?

Don't forget to force the companies there to differentiate their workforce in terms of locals and PRs, as PRs are just foreigners.; April 13, 2010 10:27 PM
Anonymous said...: I am not sure if i am able to survive in Singapore in the future. Housing and medical costs keep increasing. I hope the leaders can help. If not let others who have better capablilties to be leaders.; April 13, 2010 11:42 PM
Anonymous said...: To Anon 10:27PM, apparently you have not been to some first world countries. When I was studying and living in Canada, even as a foreigner I felt my rights as a person, a human being, was protected. On a few occasions some locals actually stood up for my rights.; April 14, 2010 12:52 AM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Many Singaporeans have migrated and lived in Australis for many years. They like the place and have adjusted to the life there. They do not feel discriminated. They may be a few odd incidences involving bad characters, but it is not common. This is told to me by friends who have migrated there.; April 14, 2010 2:19 AM
hang lian said...: Discrimination of various forms exists in most societies, but sometimes the extent gets exaggerated, either by people who have had extremely bad experiences of racism/discrimination or people who exaggerate hearsay information. People who have had good expriences may not even bother to talk about it, since they are enjoying it. There are always 2 sides of the coin.

Sometimes it boils down to one own's personality, different people will have different experience even within the same city.; April 14, 2010 9:32 AM
Anonymous said...: Decisions! Decisions!

First class citizen in Singapore VERSUS 2nd class citizen in Australia.

Somehow I get the feeling (and it's just a feeling), a 2nd class citizen in Australia gets better treatment.

Decisions! Decisions!; April 14, 2010 10:27 AM
I am a Singgie said...: Yes, go to Perth!.. there is a mini Ang Moh Kio town already.. has everything.. lemon grass, kunyit, pandan leaves, laksa leaves, and a road that you can drive for the next 24 hrs without seeing another car.
and no ERP too!

But school for kids is expensive and you'll have to be selective.. public schools are notorious for bad behaviour. Domestic waste is cleared once a week ( some places )
Eating out is costly, which means cooking at home.. which means many Singgies have to learn how to deal with chicken, pork and fish.

It is very suburban.. before you make a decision, stay there for at least 1 month, simulate applying for electricity, water, telephone ( mobile phone plans are expensive ) waste removal, school enrolment and visit the medical services for a imaginary ailment.

Next, simulate looking for a job, and how much income tax to pay.
Simulate looking for a home, buying a car and insurance for both.

Look for a dentist, barber, hairdresser, facials, supermarket and... lots to do eh?

Not so easy friend!.. talk is easy
Most Singgies go to Aussie land because their kids studied and worked there or they have had some business dealings and are able to move there with confidence. More than 90% are PRs only.. they return to SIN very often, to shop or to visit medical services here.

Ask them if they still have a CPF account.. many will not tell you that they still do. They did not burn the bridge.. ask them why.

My sister lives in Canada, over 25 years.. she still hold a SIN passport, she returns annually for medical services. She is married with kids and lives in a huge bungalow with 3 cars.. envious yah?
No maid, no gardener and every winter she has to clear her drive way of snow including the side walks because if she does not, she will be sued for causing danger to the public as they walk thru the side walks.

This our home. Lets defend it. Change the administrators if need be... but do not abandon our home.
Its hot, humid and crowded, but its still home.

We can make all the difference.
Stand up for your chicken rice!; April 14, 2010 11:18 AM
Anonymous said...: Singapore is the land of Distorted Capitalism. Did you know the hawker centre cum wet market at Seng Kang beside MRT is the first to be managed by private operator?
Kopitiam won the tender and pay a monthly rental of $500k (source: Channel 8 Chinese documentary). The next bid is $250k. The pork-seller there has a problem making ends meet as few customers use this market, and he has asked his MP for help. Due to rent arrears, Kopitiam was said to have cut-off electrical supply to his freezer/pork mince machine. His rental is around $5k ~ $6k per month. Is this a realistic rent? What is the rent for conventional wet markets?

Do you know who is been squeezed, and who is receiving the juice?

Arm66; April 14, 2010 11:31 AM
Anonymous said...: As a child I grew up loving S'pore. I was always proud of being S'porean. You should hear me whenever in a foreign country. So proud, always saying "S'pore is so good!" But now, I too have no confidence in my future as a S'porean. In fact I see no future at all.

I wish to migrate if things do not change.

DISILLUSIONED SINGAPOREAN; April 14, 2010 12:53 PM
Anonymous said...: Let's stay and fight to build Singapore into a country that we grow up calling it our home. Let's stop it from being continue to be run like a MNC where the bottomline supersede everything. We need the numbers to effect change in the next election.

There is no place in the world more comfortable than your own kennel. If the fat cats are causing you pain and suffering then just chase them out.

Merlion; April 14, 2010 2:51 PM
Anonymous said...: The issue is not whether we (new immigrants) will be happy in Australia.

The real issue is whether our kids (the next generation) and all other subsequent generations will be happy in Australia. After all, they will the "real" Australians.

So do we think they will be better off in Australia or in Singapore?

Remember. Our forefathers asked themselves the same question when they left China or India to come to Singapore which was then a British Colony.

There was absolutely no doubt in their minds that they are coming to Singapore as second class people (there wasn't even any hope of citizenship back then) since they were not white or British.

But even then, they knew Second Class in Singapore was still better than First Class in China or India.; April 14, 2010 8:02 PM
Anonymous said...: You only need 3 things to be happy and contented in Singapore.

1. Ear plugs - so that you will be deaf.

2. Sunglasses - so that you will be blind

3. face mask - so that your voice sounds muffled. If you are born dumb, even better.

Think like a frog when it comes to making money in Singapore. "Grabbit, Grabbit, Grabbit"; April 14, 2010 8:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Rex comments on Anon 8.02 pm

You said "But even then, they knew Second Class in Singapore was still better than First Class in China or India."

I don't think that is correct historically. The Chinese fled China because they were unhappy with Mao Tse Tung communist rule which can be very cruel if you are in the wrong side. I think they came to Singapore to seek greener pastures, not because they knew they had first class privilege in their homeland.

rex; April 14, 2010 10:19 PM
Anonymous said...: If the ruling party really have the confident in themselves, than they should do away with GRC and have single wards for singaporeans to elect their own MPs. Should the ruling party wins 100% than it is time for opposition to 'close down'. GRC is a way to being in MPs who does nothing into the Govt easily; April 15, 2010 6:00 AM
Anonymous said...: The ruling party is out to win and do all they can to reduce the risk of losing regardless of what anyone says.

Opposition must unite and I believe this election will have more baby boomers support than the last as there is a significant amount of them already out of job....; April 15, 2010 9:17 AM
Anonymous said...: We should vote against the current leaders instead of migrating. Most of us grew up here. Don't be so pessimistic. For the sake of our future don't give up.; April 15, 2010 9:40 AM
Anonymous said...: Our Govt is insecure like what the European parliament MP Mr. Van Banen said, or else why our PM has to hide behind a GRC constituency.
We would like him to stand in a single ward this coming election, show us he has guts.; April 15, 2010 2:55 PM