tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081742307252789733.post1519681184017079388..comments2024-02-14T04:53:18.295-08:00Comments on Singapore Dissident: Letter from Shermaine ChanGopalan Nairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15399145588654603667noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081742307252789733.post-63574547192536375192010-01-18T05:06:30.273-08:002010-01-18T05:06:30.273-08:00Dear friends and countrymen,
I am a Singaporean l...Dear friends and countrymen,<br /><br />I am a Singaporean living and working in western Europe. I graduated from the UK in 98 and headed home(SG) to start my career. However, by 99 I decided to return to Europe after a year in a country that favour "foreign talents"(FT) at the expense of local boys. Most of my friends were having a hard time looking for jobs after graduation, with the economic downturn of the 97-99, and an influx of foreigner working for local terms. We homeboys were really at a disadvantage. Given the same age group, Local boys have 3 years less work exp. due to NS. We also may be recall for reservist activities while FT will never be. From an employers' point of view if I am to employ on local terms the choice is a no-brainer.<br /><br />Coming to Europe, I got a job doing export sales. Given that I am a Singapore Chinese my language skills (English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien) made me a "foreign talent" in Europe. Now I have also mastered the local language. I am assign to the East Asia market and my dialect was a great help. It allow me to network with business people within these 2 dialect very well. In Singapore I am just an AhBeng with a degree. But out here I feel appreciated and treated as an equal. My wife who is European gets better treatment in Singapore than me. All those talks about rasism in Europe or USA you get in Straits time is only to scare people from venturing out. There maybe rasism in Europe, but nothing is worse than been discriminated in your own country.<br /><br />Even though I could have taken up citizenship here 6 years ago, I am still proud to remain Singaporean. I believe that one day there will be real changes and Singaporean can really feel that they truly have a say in their country and have real ownership over it (just like my father shouting Medaka with LKY at the padang all those years ago, feeling proud to be the first generation of Singaporean).<br /><br />I am lucky to be able to learn dialects from my parents and refine my Hokkien during NS when I am assign to the Hokkien platoon. I know alot of chinese friends that can hardly speak mandarin or indian friends that can't speak Hindi. Now with both India and China the new Asia Economic power, they regret not learning their dialects as it was not a cool thing to speak them back in the 70s and 80s. <br /><br />My advise to Singaporean is <br />1. start standing up and ask question. It is our country and I believe that everyone should have a say. <br />2. Opposing a government or a political party in a country don't make one unpatriotic. The ruling party is only a steward of the country acting for the best interest of the people.<br />3. We should be grateful that there are dissidents from Singapore. At least there are some people that love Singapore enough to dare make a differences.<br /><br /><br /><br />Sadly our steward has crown themselves King and the people's interest are just a figment of their imagination.<br /><br />Ah Beng from EuropeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081742307252789733.post-62900128008264037032010-01-17T03:28:23.253-08:002010-01-17T03:28:23.253-08:00Exactly. And what an utterly embarrassing thing to...Exactly. And what an utterly embarrassing thing to hear. And through no fault of any Singaporean. <br /><br />I've tried picking up Hainanese to no avail because I want to communicate with my grandmother who is suffering from dementia. Only God knows how much longer she has.<br /><br />I also read LKY's "Third World to First" book. It was written that he is a Hakka and he had a hard time learning Hokkien to communicate with the people at that time. And what does he do after winning their votes? He tells us, the future generation, that dialects are stupid and unnecessary.<br /><br />What hypocrisy!Shermaine Channoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081742307252789733.post-27936920763077867802010-01-16T14:46:22.887-08:002010-01-16T14:46:22.887-08:00During my forced confinement in Singapore island i...During my forced confinement in Singapore island in 2008 under Lee Kuan Yew's orders, I was one night at Singapore's Chinatown food center in the street. Not finding a table for myself and my lady friend, I shared one with a Chinese immigrant and his wife both from mainland China.<br /><br />Suprised to see him speak excellent English unlike the vast majority of his countrymen, I complimented him on it, to which he replied very succinctly that "Singaporeans speak bad English and bad Mandarin". <br /><br />He was spot on.Gopalan Nairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15399145588654603667noreply@blogger.com