Singapore an island in denial. An ostridge with the head buried in the sand.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If you were to read the state owned newspapers in Singapore (by the way, there are no independent newspapers) today, you will think nothing is amiss and all is simply bliss and serendipity, milk and honey. Unless you know something else like I do.

Singapore is actually facing today problems almost existential, and this is by no means a metaphor. Let me give you the bad news, which you may already know, being the discerning gentleman or gentlewoman who reads this blog.

First you have the huge brain drain, the principal destination being Australia. By now the number of Singaporeans abroad is already so large, they continue to attract local Singaporeans like a huge magnet, by default. Except the magnet gets bigger and bigger with each passing day.

The Singaporean who has gone abroad suddenly realizes that life there is far superior to a life under Lee Kuan Yew and his son. For the first time he tastes freedom; he can say what he wants; and walk straight with his head held high, instead of having to constantly to look back to see whether the ever present Lee Kuan Yew's Internal Security State Police is following him.

This has a huge multiplier effect. Singaporeans who have acquired Australian nationality, petition for their parents, siblings and persuade their relatives and friends to join them. They in turn, once in  Australia do the same; petitioning their parents, children, bothers and persuade their friends and others to do the same.

As each day passes, by default the numbers leaving progressively increases.

This flow of migrants away from Singapore has now turned into an unstoppable flood with increasing numbers, either new immigrants, or dependents of those already there continuing to deplete the Singaporean population at a progressive rate.

And let me remind you here that Singapore is not a large country like the United States. With migration at this level, in a tiny island with reportedly 5 million people of which no more than 2 million are native born and declining fast, there is not going to be any Singaporean in the real sense left.

Understandably there is not a single report for a long time on this depleting population going fast into total extinction. I suppose, from the Singaporean viewpoint, it makes sense not to report anything like this, since they have state owned papers, which can conveniently report only what they want their people to hear. After all why should they alarm the entire island with the bad news, about which there is nothing they can do anyway, eh?

Then you have the bloated economy, far too large for a tiny island banana grove, like that. So with all these ubiquitous foreign companies allowed to operate, unless you want a total financial depression in your hands, you simply have to allow as many foreigners into the island to replace all those disgruntled Singaporeans who are leaving.

You cannot stop the influx unless you want to commit suicide. What happens as a result? The island loses its character entirely. The island becomes a Communist China enclave like Chengdu. Only, it is not in China. Remember Lee Kuan Yew and Son's chosen people are the Chinese.

What happens with transforming it into another Chinese city? The handful of Malays and Indians who are left in the island, have to somehow adapt to Chinese and become Chinese. I am sorry but as for me, I would find that rather distasteful. Why should I behave like a Chinese?

And that is the question the Malays and Indians are asking. In fact it has already become disgusting. Have you ever heard an Indian speak English in Singapore? You would have a hard time even recognizing the language as English. In the end people become disgruntled, unhappy and depressed. A depressed Malay is not a good Malay, surely you can appreciate that.

Then you have the lowest fertility rate in the world. No children are being born. The island is on a default mode of self-destruct. The people are unhappy. And unhappy people do not reproduce. I don't have to tell you that. So what does the island millionaire ministers do? They bring in even more Chinese from the Peoples Republic, thus speeding up the island's transformation into the total Chinese enclave.

As if all this is not bad enough, it has the largest proportion of old people. Citizens above 60 years and dying. That too is contributing to the destruction of the island.

But what does then government do? Nothing. But I don't blame them. The damage has already been done. They honestly can do nothing now. It is simply too late. In as little as five years, there won't be anymore Singapore born Singaporeans left within the island.

I do not honestly know what will happen then. But I do know that something really big is going to happen. And whatever that is, is not going to be good. That much I know.

And while we wait, the Singaporean state owned and controlled newspapers maintain their eerie silence. The silence of the cemetery. With their heads in the sand. Like the Kalahari ostrich.

Gopalan Nair
Attorney at Law
A Singaporean in Exile
Fremont, California USA
Tel: 510 491 8525
Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com