When tolerance becomes unbearable

Are the people angry with the govt? The govt will conveniently say, ‘What do you think?’ And they will say no problem when they did not hear any complaints, deliberately, by choice or being shielded by their feedback organs from hearing the complaints.

The Sinkies have been very tolerant of the abuses against them, their CPF being treated like tax and taken from them without their consent, the ridiculous high prices of public housing, the outrageous COE prices that put many average Sinkies out of reach to own a car when a car is an essential item to make life easier to get by. The influx of millions of foreigners that was shafted down their throats as good for them when everyone knows who they are good to and who really benefitted from this excesses. The high cost of living, the penalties and discriminations of being citizens while foreigners are given all the advantages to live better, get better jobs than the locals. Some given citizenship and appointed to high positions just to show that they are Sinkies and not foreigners. Despite all the flaws in obviously stupid and nonsensical policies, the citizens swallowed them like bitter pills as long as they could bear with them.

The tolerance of the citizens is breaking. A point is reached like the straw that broke the camel’s back. Everything, every nonsense, every ridiculous policies and their flaws will no longer be tolerated. The people used to be very polite by acting dumb and ignorant and allowed jokers to blare how clever they were. Now the Sinkies are so angry that they are calling a spade a spade, a donkey a donkey. Flawed policies and idiots are being paraded boldly.

Take the example of a letter by Tan Kin Lian, I think this is the same Tan Kin Lian who stood as a presidential candidate, in Today’s Voices. He not only made suggestions about what needs to be done to make the COE more equitable and fairer to all citizens, he pointedly spoke about the flaws of lesser intelligent and responsible people making those policies and regulations. How this flawed system could go on for so long is a manifestation of how tolerant Sinkies are.

Many have written to the media with very good and practical recommendations but all ignored by the gods. The gods only think that they are capable of making good decisions and policies. Whatever written by the people in the media, or spoken up to be heard were ignored. Then they would come out and shout from the podium, please tell us, please give us feedback, please help us to solve the problems. All the comments and recommendations in the main media and social media were not comments, recommendations or feedback. It is as if the people have all been so quiet and did not tell the govt of their pains and complaints.

Feedback is only feedback when they asked for it, and must be channeled to the little hole they put up. Only then would they regard them as feedback. But what happens to this feedback, only god knows.

The issue of housing and car ownership are hurting the people very badly and personally. The people are saying enough is enough to the rubbish regulations and policies which they all know are stupid and flawed but were willing to bear with them as long as they are within a certain threshold of pain. Now the tolerable is no longer bearable and the anger is showing.

The normally quite, unassuming, unthinking and apparently daft Sinkies are standing up and saying, ‘We are not stupid’. The policies are daft, flawed and like what Tan Kin Lian said, ‘Let us have responsible people to make the judgement of appropriate COE prices, rather than leave this to market vagaries and speculations. He fell short of saying people who made the flawed policies are irresponsible.