is that a photo of your son trying to leap into oncoming train as his father never do NS but force him to do it ?
Guys, can you take it easy.
The issue is not with FTs per se. They are probabaly not aware how things have deteriorated since the mid 90s. The press which is controlled by govt management share arising from change of legislation in 1986 paints a rosy picture to foreigners.
Decades ago when I was showing a British gentleman around Singapore and made the proud claim how clean and safe Singapore is, his reply shocked me. He told me that he had been to Pyongyang and it was cleaner and safer than Singapore. He told me when you have travelled the world enough, you know what a free society will look like.
Aussie Pete is as sincere as they come and you more or less can tell from his posts that he is attempting to integrate rather than keep to the expat crowd.
In time, he will sense the undercurrents. He will eventually wonder why a highly qualified Singaporean needs to get endorsed by a relevant industry body in Australia vouching for his competency in that field and that there are inadequate candidates to fill industry needs before he is allowed into Australia. While in Singapore, any foreigner basically can obtain a 6mths visa to look for a job with no restrictions.
He will also wonder why first generation leaders and Singaporeans of the early era speak good English but subsequent generations did not receive the same attention so that an elite group with native coaching can command the masses.
He will also eventually realise why a minority Singaporean whose family have been in this country for generations cannot contest an elections without first seeking a partnership with a member of a majority race. When his wife decides to take up citizenship, she can contest the elections but an Indian, a Malay or any other minority whose family have been on this island for generations must team up with a majority race member of the country Its become truly insidious when a native Malay, whose land we live on can't contest as a single candidate while migrant race can.
He will realise that employers both local and foreigners rather pick a foreigner than a Singaporean to avoid losing the latter for up to 40 days each year for reservist duties until age 40 and for some until age 50.
He will begin to learn that well meaning social activist were detained twice for lengthy periods without trial under Operation Spectrum. These included people who were schooled in Harvard and other well known institutions.
He will learn that despite 49 years of continous rule, the 3 main races have been kept apart and with the older generations remembering the camaraderie between the races during the British colonial rule.
He will eventually learn that the DPM and Minister of the all powerful Home Affairs is the PM's first counsin's husband. The wife heads Temasek while his father heads GIC, the only 2 sovereign funds of this country.
He will eventually find a copy of "Wired" which wrote the seminal article on "death in disneyland"
He will evetually come to know how Don Dunstan, the colourful South Australian Premier and the Australians fought a rearguard action to save Singapore press from govt control. The battle raged with Europeans coming in and from a plethora of English and vernacular papers, it all came to one Singapore Press Holdings.
Finally he will learn that Madam Butterfly despite the thick make-up is a man.
So cut him some slack and don't get personal.
BTW - that's my little baby boy's feet to the left of the pic (in the pram).
