A Singaporean is a Singaporean

Singaporeans should start to call themselves Singaporeans and not Chinese, Malay, Indian or Others. What's wrong with calling yourself what you really are? It may be an artificial construct, but given time, it will sink in and will be accepted by the rest of the world. And Europeans call themselves Americans, the Africans call themselves Americans, the Asians call themselves Americans. And American is a well regarded nationality that they are so proud off. They would not call themselves European Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, but simply Americans. It is time every Singaporean starts to call himself/herself 'I am a Singaporean'. The only drawback is that Singaporeans are so bashful and spineless that they may be smacked by foreigners if the foreigners know that they Singaporeans. It can be quite shameful to be smacked by foreigners in your own country. But that is the price to be paid to be Singaporeans. And that is the price to be paid for not being proud of your own nationality. Any foreigner dares try to smack an American in America or an Arab in his own country, or a Malaysian in Malaysia? No way. Only in a country when the citizens have a mindset that they are inferior, would they allow foreigners to slap them left and right and feel so proud about it. And they need to respect foreigners and respect their cultures too. A Singaporean is a Singaporean, albeit a shameless one.

Must read for the heartless who acted like having a big heart

From temasek review: 28 year old Singapore teacher burdened by hefty mortgage loan for HDB flat before marriage March 24, 2010 by admin Dear TR, Thanks for publishing the article by Ms Judy Eng. (read article here) It really strikes a chord in my heart as I am in the same situation as her too. I am 28 this year now working as a teacher in a secondary school. My fiancee just found a job in a GLC as an engineer after six months of looking for one. The pay isn’t fantastic as there is an abundance of foreign engineers in Singapore. He considered himself lucky to finally secure a full-time job after months of being on contract. We are planning to get married in July and just bought a 4-room resale flat at Sin Ming. Guess how much it costs? You won’t believe it, we bought it at almost $500,000. No kidding, it’s true! All the flats in the vicinity cost above $500K. After paying about $30,000 in COV partially paid for by our parents, we do not have a single cent left for our wedding which we will have a simple afternoon tea buffet at our church instead of the traditional 8-course Chinese dinner. I am really worried about our future. We earn barely $5,000 together and the mortgage loan already took up 30 percent of our income. We still have to cough out some cash after using up the entire CPFs. The moment I think of this, I lost all the mood already. People used to say that marriage is the happiest moment in a girl’s life, but I am not looking forward to it. I feel very heavy, like a burden placeed on my chest, sometimes choking me, it is so suffocating. Can we buy a new flat? I do not wish to wait for another 3 to 4 years, anything can happen to our relationship during this period of time. It is a risk I cannot afford to take. My hubby-to-be is burnt out everyday from work – OT, OT and OT and he is not paid for it. For me, my weekends are either burnt in school CCAs or marking the homeworks of my students. We hardly meet each other at all, sometimes just enough time to have a meal or catch a movie. Somehow I feel apprehensive startinig life together with another person, am I ready for it? I don’t think we can start a family, at least for the next three years or so. How to have children when we are not financially stable? I will pay the loan mostly on my own as my hubby still have to pay for his student loan and car loan. I have only a few thousand dollars in my savings now and I wonder how long they can last me. What happens when there is an emergency? Or if we are retrenched? I dread to think of the worst…but women being women, they always think alot. Every month, my pay gets used up almost immediately after it’s deposited into my POSB account – living expenses, allowances for parents, and now with housing loan, I really don’t know how far we can continue like this. Did we do our Maths before we make the purchase? Yes, but what can we do, the flats are expensive everywhere and we want to stay near our parents. Even 4-room flats in Jurong are calling above $400,000 nowadays! The prices are really going crazy, the agents told us that they will only go up in the future as the govt will never allow them to come down. Sorry for the ramblings. There are so many things on my mind now, I can’t think or type clearly…..Thanks for providing me an outlet to vent my frustrations, who can understand what we are going through? Sigh, maybe I am one of those few unlucky souls. Please edit and publish this rant of mine as you see fit. Thanks again for listening. Melissa Quek This is what we are doing to our young. All mercy, compassion and caring. Really? I see it more as being ruthless, uncaring and simply irresponsible.And this type of letters will not change the govt's policy on housing. They will see it as pressurising them to act and they would not be seen to be pressured to do anything. Redbean

Almost Singaporean

I am very proud of 3 year old Prateek Garg. The son of a PR, he feels every inch a Singaporean. He gave a smack to a Singaporean boy for calling him otherwise. He only sees himself as a Singaporean and felt offended. "'I'm Singaporean!' bawled the child, whose favourite food is chicken rice." I am also glad that ST printed this heart warming news with pride. And the stupid Singaporean boy deserved to be smacked for not knowing his place. Singapore should welcome more PRs who are prouder than Singaporeans. Never mind if they do not want to take up citizenship. And of course some of them may feel that the new policies of giving more privileges to Singapore a bit unfair to them. This is understandable. And if they want to move on to greener pasture, it will be a waste of talent and Singapore will be much poorer without their contribution. Singaporeans better be nicer to PRs. Please don't smack me, I am just a Singaporean.

Is the world getting better?

The Pope is under pressure to take a stand against paedophile priests and to reveal what Vatican knew over centuries of abuse cover ups. London MPs were accused of collecting money to lobby for causes, bankers are now called crooks everywhere, politicians are infamous for sensuous affairs. What else is new? Robin Hood turns robber? It is now very difficult and confusing to tell who are the crooks and who are the good guys.

Notable quote by Liat Teng Lit

Your heart rate would not go up 'When you come to this hospital, your blood pressure and heart rate won't go up.' Liak Teng Lit, CEO Khoo Teck Puat Hospital I am still trying to figure out what he meant. People with high blood pressure can get instant relief, pressure will go down by visiting KTPH? People with hearts beating too rapidly can go to KTPH and the hearts will beat slower? Amazing. And a ear check cost only $2! This is getting ridiculous. How could a modern and well equipped hospital charged this kind of rate? Is it just a gimmick? If not the hospital will soon lose money or the standard will drop. They need to charge more to ensure that the quality is good and be able to pay for good doctors and medical professionals. Or maybe Khoo Teck Puat is subsidising the cost. Thank you Khoo Teck Puat.