7/09/2008

Same bed different dreams

When the foreigners landed in paradise, it is like waking up to a dream comes true. Everything is exactly what they want and are looking for. The beautiful infrastructure, the gleaming buildings that they can desire to be home, the first world lifestyle, and jobs aplenty. Then the great hosts welcoming them with red carpets and open arms. What a beautiful dream. The elite too wake up to a reality that many could only dream off. Everyday is wine, women and song. No need to work too. Just manage their assets well. Make sure that property prices and all prices go up. Property prices up means asset value increase. Rental up means income increase. Higher ERP means having the road to themselves. Jobs, no need jobs. No need to work. Some are even luckier. Being paid in millions to go on holidays or sipping teas attending board meetings. The citizens, the Singaporeans, wake up to a different dream. Tighten your belt, don't expect charity or welfare. Look after yourself and live within your means. Work till you die. Downgrade lifestyle and expectations. Eat less, use less, take bus or walk. Actually the writing is on the wall. Move out if you can't fit in. Even the foreigners are singing the same song. Move out if you are so unhappy. We are here to replace you. All you ingrates, not knowing how lucky you are. And the system is designed for the locals to move out. Money lock up in CPF cannot touch. So got money as good as no money. When one is going to work till he drops dead, there is no need for savings for retirement anymore. Outdated concept. The message is very clear, that you can have your money only if you move out. Migrate, denounce your citizenship and the money will be returned to you. And good bye, good riddance. All in the same bed but different dreams.

4 comments:

Mockingbird said...

Problem is: Only people with adequate financial means can afford to migrate to greener pastures. Majority of average-salaried Singaporean workers have to slog unti their dying day. Can't even afford a decent retirement, let alone emigrating to another country.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

and been politely told to tighten belt while prices of everything just keep going up.

Mockingbird said...

Precisely. Our salary increment, if any, only comes with single-digit growth, while the prices of goods keep growing at double-digits.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

the problem now is that with prices of everything going up, the poor buggers are actually having a pay cut. their $100 can now buy less, probably worth $80.

and for those with little, this is a mean cut in their income.

we should conduct a mean test on the poor buggers to see how bad they are hit.