Born in Singapore

Born in Singapore is going to make a difference as we become a nation of Singaporeans plus foreigners. In the early years of nation building, when the bulk of the population was of migrant stocks, being a migrant or a citizen did not matter much. Citizenship was a fairly new concept as the island was established as a colony of the British Empire. The locals were not really citizens as we knew it today, but subjects of an Empire, a foreign overlord who treated the subjects as lesser beans than their citizens.

The immigrant mentality must change as we progress. We started off as nobody and the island was like no owners but temporarily occupied by the usurpers, the colonial masters. Since given independence by Malaysia, a lot of sacrifices had been made to make this island what it is today by the pioneers who paid a heavy price in the building of a country but did not really benefitted from it. The only people deserving to benefit from the sacrifices of our forefathers must be their descendants, their children as a part of them.

Born in Singapore, Made in Singapore, must be the legitimate trademark for ownership of the island. The island did not become what it is today by accident. It is acceptable and generous for the children of the founding fathers of the island to share the wealth and inheritance with some newcomers if they are willing to. It is foolish of anyone to think that this inheritance should be given away freely to anyone. Only reckless prodigal sons will squander their inheritance away without any inkling of how hard it was down this road. It was covered with blood, sweat and tears of our forefathers. Perhaps the layering of fine material have covered and removed all traces of the past, the smell and marks of old. But look carefully, they are still there. And be thankful for what the forefathers have done for what we have today. It is sinful and irresponsible to throw them away to benefit new migrants at the expense of the descendants of the original nation building. It is not graciousness but sheer stupidity to do so.

Born in Singapore is not the same as Printed in Singapore. The more mature countries like the USA also have special provisions in their constitution to guard the privileges of local born citizens. The President of the USA must be born in America. The local born in the island since 1965 should be in their 40s. There are enough local borns to take over the country from here onwards. It is time to consider amending the constitution to protect the local borns from losing their privileges to the foreign borns and new citizens.

We are a nation with our very own people. The Born In Singapore are not migrants. This is what a country and a nation are all about. It is not a hotel, and hotel guests must not be allowed to usurp the wealth and privileges of the real owners of the country. Those thoughtless people who think of nothing about giving the rights of ownership of the island to any Tom, Dick and Harry should be prepared to give their own properties away first, share their private wealth with foreigners if they think it is ok to give the country away to foreigners. Bet you none of them would want to give away anything that belongs to them simply because it belongs to them, they own them. Why then would anyone think of given the country away so freely? Do they not own the country too?

Or they have plans to leave when everything has been given away and the place no longer pleasant to live in? Hopefully this is not in the thinking. The Born In Singapore must exert their rights to protect their interests in the country built and willed to them by their forefathers’ hands before it ended up as someone else property. This island belongs to those Born In Singapore. But if they are so careless and callous, they could lose it or share it with people that came along without contributing to it.

Do not become a prodigal son and lose your inheritance. Do not be deceived into giving everything away as if they don’t belong to you. As Born In Singapore, this island is yours. Anyone thinking of giving it away needs your permission to do so. This is your inheritance.