All these will tell you that your family and friends come first. Its will also tell you that Singapore is not your backyard but the world is. Country become an administrative archive to retrieve your personal records such as your birth certificate, schools certs and a roadhouse for laksa, kway teow and Koh Loh Mee.
Its a path that old man and the PAP has taken. Its an easy path when only economic indicators are needed. Its a legacy that old man will regret. Only last year did he reveal that one of his grandson was encouraging another not to take a OMS scholarship to avoid getting tied down in Singapore. Truly sad to see a man that built this country with blood sweat and tears for the first 25 years only to start tearing it down for the next 25 years.
Dear Scroobal,
Way back in 1997 right after the elections, I have written an article on this one.
I am not that pessimistic although I could see where PAP is getting us into. My stand back then and even now is that for our family and friends, either we just just shut up, make enough money and get the hell out of Singapore by migrating to somewhere more promising even though we would be second class residents there, or we stay and fight the battle to change the situation in Singapore.
In 2001, I made the choice to give the fight a chance, a real chance by joining WP under LTK. I carried through my choice and promise to fight in GE 2006.
Right after GE 2006, I was a bit disillusioned but I guess voters deserved what they voted for. I was seriously contemplating to leave the scene altogether after I left WP and prepare for the second option that I have stated for myself way back in 1997.
But with encouragement from all quarters, be it political allies and supporters, I have given myself another mission, to help Singapore opposition party like NSP to progress. This would mean spending another 5 years or so but heck, at least I don't get a boring life in return.
Leaving is a relative easy choice than staying to fight, especially so when you have to face all sorts of funny people with animosity from some dark corners. Some people still have such stigma about "loyalty" and would treat you instead of the common foe who monopolize power as "enemy number one" when you left them. I am not the only one who faces such treatment; many other people who have left face the same treatment. With such political scene, it really wonders whether it is worthy to carry on the fight that is necessary for the betterment of Singaporeans as a whole.
After all, as you have said, the world is our backyard and nobody would know whether we will ultimately end up in some other places of this world in our later life.
But still, I decided to stay on, for all those supporters of mine who have given me great encouragement. Just for one more fight to see it through.
I do hope that those who plan to move on to other greener pastures, would give Singapore a second chance. The time is near when Post-LKY era is pretty eminent. Ironically, as you have said, Singapore has made it partly due to LKY, but many people also view LKY as the hindrance for our progress to the future.
Faith, is the only thing that drive me on right now. Faith could either turn out well or just turn us belly up. I would just do it one more time and I guess I could just safely said that I have tried my best and I have no regret at the end of my life.
Goh Meng Seng