Julian’s reply: Hey sgcynic, im glad we are on the same page for its improvement. In the same regards as evolution, one must evolve to survive the new environment and conditions. Your voice just like the many others will continue to catalyze this necessary improvement.

Know the difference between country (nation) and government, and when the latter must give way for the former to flourish. For our family and future generations.

Julian’s reply: I believe the latter must not rest on its laurels and constantly seek to improve! Unless a very strong and credible alternative is available, i see the improvement (of course in many areas) of the latter as necessary and vital for our family and future generations (:

In Singapore, it’s the angriest who are the most verbose.

Times call for people like you to engage positive voices hiding in the crowd. Don’t give up. Learn to cope with negative attitudes. And stay positive

Julian’s reply: Hey Singashadow, thank you for that vote of confidence (: Yes i agree, the happier people usually stay silent, but sometimes i feel its all about attitude, it will take time to see the glass as half full. That is why i believe in these “naysayers” that their concern depicted through their verbosity can be channeled into positive action, starting even with simple actions of filial piety in their families.

Do note the difference between slamming and justified criticism.
Do note that difference between government and country.

Julian’s reply: Hi Sgcynic, hope you read through my post. Thanks for sharing your thoughts as well. I am glad we are both on the same page on wanting to make Singapore a better place for our family and for our future generations (:

anyone that has the financial ability to go UK to study medicine belongs to at least the top 10% of income in singapore

Julian’s reply: Hi there, i thank you for your comments. I appreciate critiques on the writing not at the person. I urge you not to be so quick to judge. For what you say is by what you perceive and not what you actually know. When i make that statement i make it in full confidence that it is the truth, according to whichever economic yardstick you use to measure. I have nothing to hide and nothing to prove (: Have a good day.

middle class family? what nonsense? clearly you are studying medicine in UK, that’s hardly middle class in singapore.
your one year of school fees is alot more than a one year of average family total income

You voted for PAP, and they peg power to the price of oil even when 80% of Singapore’s power comes from natural gas.

You voted for PAP and your CPF money gets lock up for another 3 years more than the original.

You voted for PAP, and your ministers demanded a 85% pay raises.

You voted for PAP, and your job went to a foreigner.

You voted for PAP, and your neighbors become foreigners.

You voted for PAP, and your elderly gets to enjoy the dignity of employment by cleaning toilets, scavenging trash bins for aluminum cans and selling tissue papers.

You voted for PAP, and your minsters tell you it is your fault that Mas Selemat escaped.

You voted for PAP, and your government would rather lose millions at sinking foreign banks rather than to save you from starvation.

You voted for PAP, and not only do your ministers literally spit on you, but their scions tell you to “get out of their elite uncaring faces”.

You voted for PAP, and you are amply rewarded with ERPs at your doorstep.

You voted for PAP, and Lee Hsien Loong pledged to fix the oppositions.

You voted for PAP, and you got a Division 3 Prime Minister who needs 2 mentors to hold his hand.

You voted for PAP, and you got a large serving of Mee Siam Mai Hum, at your own expense.

You voted for PAP, and your salary stayed stagnant for more than a decade while the cost of living shoot sky high.

You voted for PAP, and you see the foreign kids get a place in school while you child get zilch.

You voted for PAP, and you find that your public transport is no longer “public”.

You voted for PAP, and your ministers want to house 1,500 foreign workers right smacked in the middle of a peaceful neighborhood without any concerns for you.

You voted for PAP, and the government readily reward your men with more hookers than they can ever poked in Geylang.

You voted for PAP, and your government happily demands $5000 ang pao from you when your maid runaway or get pregnant even though you had nothing to do with it.

You voted for PAP, and your government glorify themselves with Olympic sized banners of their ghastly faces to scare away ghosts during the Chinese 7th month, courtesy of your

S&C contribution to your town councils which is suppose to go toward making life in your neighborhood better.

You voted for PAP, and they protect the interests of the petrol companies by making you pump 3/4 tank before you cross the causeway.

You voted for PAP, and they see nothing wrong with fining you for driving a foreign registered car into Singapore.

You voted for PAP, and you discover that world-class super talented multi-million dollar minister with all the state resources and manpowers cannot even catch a limping man in this tiny island state after more than half a year.

You voted for PAP, and you realise that your MP’s job is not to speak out for you in parliament, but to tell you to tighten the belt, bite the bullet, eat lesser and work longer.

You voted for PAP, and your kids have to stay with you till 40 years old, as they cannot afford the cheapest “public” housing.

You voted for PAP, and your government tells you that their interpretation of subsidies is the profit that they forgo making, instead of actually paying part of the cost.

You voted for PAP, and everyone in Singapore suddenly got elevated to Swiss standard of living, except you, and everyone around you.

You voted for PAP, and your neighbors can sell your home for you (en-block), whether you like it or not.

You voted for PAP, and your organs automatically belongs to the government (HOTA).

You voted for PAP, and you have to pay administration fee to use your own money when you are sick (Medisave).

You voted for PAP, and your sons get to spend 2 or more years as free labour in National Service and 13 more years as reservists, so that the foreigners can have a safe country to work in.

You voted for PAP, and you found out that each of your son is worth $30k, because that is what you are going to get if your son die while serving the foreigners.

You voted for PAP, and you get a grand party every year on 9th August celebrating more salaries for PAP.Not everyone is invited though, you will still have to ballot for it.

You voted for PAP, and they tell you that there is a corner called Hong Lim Park where you can go to talk all you want, other than that, shut up unless you have something nice to say.

You voted for PAP, and you get a world-bottom “nation-building” press serving you the latest propagandas, regardless of truth.

You voted for PAP, and in order to buy a car, you have to first pay for a piece of paper that cost more than the car itself.

You voted for PAP, and you must vote for PAP! You cannot even think about not voting for PAP. Because a certain inaccurate old man said that he will call in the army if you don’t.

So vote for PAP. Read the list above again, and vote for PAP. Go ahead, vote for PAP.

More good years eh? Vote for PAP. For Swiss standard of living. Vote for PAP. Mee Siam Mai Hum ok?

You voted for PAP, and they tell you consider staying at nursing home in johore because it is cheaper.

You voted for PAP, empty promises come your way, brutal awaits you, bitter medicines all the way.

You voted for PAP, the pledge becomes aspiration that never come rather than promise to be made.

You voted for PAP, HoJinx live a life of no regret using your money as gambling stake.

When win, the FamilLee claim credit and rip it all, when lose, it is due to globalization and economy and you taxplayer have to pay the price.

You voted for PAP, minister become god and demigod to ridicule the lesser mortal.

You voted for PAP, you rather die than to pay your hospital fee.

You voted for PAP, MRT packs you like sardine fish.

You voted for PAP and they pay 8 months bonus to their RC staff and then claim no knowledge of it.

You voted for PAP and rat poison is laid out in a market and no one is informed of it, resulting in mass food poisoning and the deaths of 2 people, and yet only the hawker is held responsible for it.

You voted for PAP and a millionaire’s nephew sells poison and passes it off as a herbal weight-loss supplement, and escapes criminal prosecution for it.

You voted for PAP and the senior editor of a local newspaper kills someone in an accident due to reckless driving and gets away with it with only a slap on the wrist.

You voted for PAP and the best jobs are reserved for the elite, the good jobs are reserved for foreigners, and crap left behind for the locals.

You voted for PAP and blunders by the elite scholars and the ministers are entirely unintentional so “we should all just move on”, whereas minor mistakes by us lesser mortals must be punished.

You voted for PAP and you are told that government handouts will create a crutch mentality among the poor, so all we lesser mortals should donate money to private charities to support them instead as though the poor cares who gives them the money.

You voted for PAP, and you are reminded that your wife and daughter will become maids if you do not continue to do so.

You voted for PAP, and they made sure you do not get to vote for the President.

You voted for PAP, and the outcome in our system of justice can be fixed by one famiLee.

You voted for PAP, and the more you save, the more unlikely you have enough for retirement.

You voted for PAP, and you become utterly confused about all virtues such as integrity, truth, fairness, sense of shame, honour, empathy, humility, because you see none in the govt.

You vote for PAP, and you find that your public transport companies charge you more for a profit since they have monopoly.

You vote for PAP, you will find that they “feel so rich” by looking at their monthly CPF statements and sing you the Upturn the Downturn” song while you worrying about how to get by next month.

Julian’s reply: Dear Sir/Madam, i really liked mrbrown’s rendition of mee siam mai hum Still i note your frustrations. In fact, i come from a middle class family that struggles with this same financial woes as you painted and not receive help, and i also did not get into a local university. But that does not stop me from stretching out a helping hand to the less fortunate around me or even in other countries. I hope if you caught a glimpsed of what i shared, despite your struggles, you would still be a positive difference to your friends and family. At the end of the day when i vote, i will vote character (humility, integrity, honesty) competence (abilities and qualifications) and compassion (with the heart to serve). Who you vote that is up to you (:

I was expecting to read more about how we should be responsible about what we write online, talk about with our friends, etc., especially because what we write or say have the power to influence other people, including those who lack the discernment to critically assess what they read and sieve the good from the bad, and hence we should take it upon ourselves to not write anything irresponsible, etc.

Instead, you went on to talk about our responsibility to DO SOMETHING and not just talk about it online (and basically do the whole NATO thing). Like Sgcynic, I do contribute to the community through volunteer work. (I disagree with his choice of action for political change, but that’s another story.) I don’t think it’s fair to assume that just because we’re active contributors here, that this is our ONLY contribution platform.

However, I must echo your rallying cry – If you are someone who has been reading and contributing regularly on this blog or any other blog, but who has not actually given community or volunteer work a try, then by all means please do go out there and contribute in real life as well.

The community does not need geniuses or multi-million-dollar-salaried people to make a difference to people’s lives in very real ways. It just needs people. You and me – that’s what makes up a community. And that’s what the community needs.

Julian’s reply: Hi Adrian, thank you for your feedback. Well what i shared in this post is my heartfelt feelings about Singapore. Sometimes all this negativity and slamming of our country saddens me. I agree our government is not perfect and because of people like sgcynic and his vote, it will force the government to improve and not be complacent with previous successes. I am elated that you share my sentiments about being that positive difference. Im sure the lives you touched are definitely grateful (:

How many Singaporeans trust our government to do the right thing? Here I mean the government simply standing up for the common folk and not just having the right policies in macro economic issues. (I do not agree with their policies either. Thanks to ex-NMP Siew Kum Hong, I learn that if the principles are not right, the outcome cannot be good even if policies are implemented well.) This government’s past actions has completely lost my trust in them.

Thanks Julian. I do contribute to Singapore and my community through forms of service, not just writing. Politically, my action for change is through the vote.

For one participate in a system, one has to trust the system, or trust that the system is able and willing to change for the better through our contribution. However, I do not trust the present government’s competence. I do not trust that it’s heart is in the right place. I do not trust that it is for the people. I do not trust that it can change on its own. My positive acton for my family and country is to change it through the vote.