Driving taxis - the new aspiration of Singapore's well educated young and PMETs

The millennial taxi drivers who entered a sunset industry – and found meaning on the job

Despite the declining popularity of taxis, these drivers in their 30s chose to join the industry less than a year ago. They tell CNA about the satisfaction of leaving their comfort zones and their challenges on the road.

SINGAPORE: Whenever older passengers remark that they see fewer taxi drivers these days, Mr Delon Tuan responds with “a very realistic comment” that he believes some of them “might not stomach well”.

“I just say: ‘But nobody aspires for their children to be taxi drivers.’ Then some of them will keep quiet,” the taxi driver with ComfortDelGro told CNA.

“(Taxi driving is) one of those things that … you never realise how important it is in the cog of how society works and how things move along. People might make comments like, why would you aspire to be a taxi driver?

“But my question is, if there are no taxis around Singapore, do you think you can get things done?”  CNA

The above is from an article in CNA, in a way trying to console the pathetic plight of well educated Singaporeans that should be gainfully employed in their own country. Instead, many of the good jobs are now filled by foreigners, jobs that our Singaporeans can fill quite easily with their expensive education from the so called world best universities. The sad fact is that they cannot compete with foreign job seekers from half baked universities and some with fake degrees. Why is this allowed to happen at the expense of our very own citizens is mind boggling. And the Singaporeans happily voted for a govt to look after them and this is what they get, being sidelined and underemployed, with many unemployed and sacked or retired prematurely. And to add insult to injury, the the narrative is to con the Singaporeans that they are happy with their new stations in life. This is the sickest thing to read in the main media.

I admire these Singaporeans that have been neglected and shunned by their own country in favour of foreigners, ie PRs and EP holders,  but bravely take on sub standard jobs to get by, without complaining and trying to be happy. What is happening to Singaporeans, easily contented just to have a job, even driving taxis that were once the occupation of less educated or uneducated Singaporeans?

Am I seeing the Ah Q culture flourishing in competitive Singapore, that Singaporeans have resigned to be Ah Qs? Don't Singaporeans think they deserve better, to be treated better, to be preferred in good jobs than foreigners? Are they happy with what is going on in Singapore, that the low hanging fruits are now for the foreigners with many poorly educated, fakes but now preferred employees than Singaporeans? And which ass is saying that Singaporeans are choosy and difficult to retain as employees? The Singaporeans mentioned in the above article are the real Singaporeans that would take on any jobs to earn a decent living. How can they be accused of being choosy and thus unemployable?

It is a great shame to see the number of foreigners happily employed in Singapore's versions of Chennai Industrial Park and Mumbai Financial Centre while Singaporeans ended up underemployed and have to made do with driving taxis.

What I can say is that Singaporeans deserve to be what they are if they did not think of fighting for a better life in their own country. They deserve to lose the good jobs in their country to foreigners and even to lose their country to foreigners. The foreigners are here not only taking their jobs, eating their lunches, but taking over their country in great numbers. At the rate it is going, Singaporeans would be a minority in their own country, if not already is if all the new citizens are counted as foreigners.

Welcome to the Singapore of Ah Qs. The natives of North America could not fight against the foreign invasion and occupation of their land. Too late to fight back as they are now an absolute minority and the foreigners have taken over their land and are in full control of their lives. Is it too late for Singaporeans to take back their country from the foreigners, or it is also too late? The Ah Qs would not mind, would not do anything, and would try to find comfort in their own delusions of wellness. Maybe more Singaporeans would want to live a life as freegans. It sounds very classy instead of garbage pickers.

Would the media or any political leaders find it attractive and desirable to promote freegans as a way of life for Singaporeans? Would they also glorify driving taxis as a dream job for Singaporeans? Yes, taxi driving is a decent job, a respectable job. Any job is respectable and good. The thing is, should Singaporeans deserve better jobs in their own country?

PS.  Singaporeans better be thankful and grateful to our super talents. Without their pro Singaporean policies, Singaporeans may not even have a chance to be taxi drivers, to be their own boss, suka suka work any time they want, so much freedom and no stress. Where to find such wonderful jobs after losing their PMET jobs?

Say a big thank you to the super talents.

As the saying goes, no fish prawns also ok. If cannot buy a HDB flat, go and rent. I am thinking of renting an old unkept, unoccupied, dilapidated black and white house, preferably in Ridout Road since I can't afford to buy one.