Sinkie or Singaporean or a simpler term

When I used the term Sinkie to refer to Singaporean, it was more or a convenience without any negative connotations. Over time the term Sinkie has becoming more meaningful and prophetic. Many Sinkies or Singaporeans are having this sinking feeling and feeling very unease about it.

Many Sinkies would not mind using this term in its most innocent sense. I also notice that some feel very offended by it and get very heated under the collar. They all prefer to be addressed as Singaporeans. I must say that for Sinkies to want to be called Singaporeans is a good thing. There is still pride and identity left in this diminishing specie. Those abroad, some taken up PRs or foreign citizenships, still feel very Singaporean in them. You can take away his citizenship but you cannot take away their Singaporeaness, of having been a Singaporean.

Would Singaporean be a dying breed just like the peranakans? I will henceforth, in due respect to those Singaporeans who just want to be called Singaporeans, to avoid using the term Sinkie. I will have to find a shorter version to type.

There is still hope that the identity of true blue Singaporeans may survive the current crisis it is going through. Only when Singaporeans want to be Singaporeans, to want to maintain this unique identity in us, not some international citizen label or hotel guests that can go any where they like, will this Singaporean identity continue to exist in the form that we know, a kind of special feeling. But it is a losing battle if we are to constantly dilute it with more and more foreigners that are quite different from us. Another 1.6m is going to do more damage not just the characteristics of being a Singaporean, but we will become more like them, another new concoction, another rojak in the making.