Ever since TRS first launched in 2011 and then went on Android and IOS App in 2013, TRS has become the most popular socio political must-read daily newsfeed for many of us. It is also recently ranked top 50 traffic-wise website in Singapore.
It has more than 130,000 likes on Facebook and each article has on average, more than 100,000 clicks.
For many of us, we read and if we like that article, we click "Like" and share it around and others comment on the article with the usual PAP-bashing tone.
Today, we pay tribute to 10 TRS popular articles, contributed by TRS contributors who blog and uncover more about the Real Singapore:
10) "I am a Republic Poly Student and I Miss My Exam Today Due to MRT Breakdown".
Written by Angry RP Student, this post received more than 11,000 likes on Facebook. The article talks about how the student is being unfairly penalised due to breakdowns and slow train traffic. Most of us have also encountered slow train traffic, resulting in some of us arriving late and then we had to face the music of being late for work.
It's unfair and unjust that we were penalised for something which we had no control of. And for that, this post was very popular.
9) "Ms Josephine Teo: Let Me Tell You Why My Family and I Are Angry"
Written by TRS Contributor, Angry Singaporean, this post received more than 2000 Likes. Ms Josephine Teo, being the Minister of State for Transport was the one being the fare hike and she casually mentioned in her Facebook post that WP are trying to claim credit for her work and doesn't understand why Singaporeans are so angry when we are doing quite well.
Her comments on Facebook went viral and TRS contributor, Angry Singaporean, blasted her for being insensitive as Singaporeans faced fare hikes, rising costs of living and fear of retrenchment.
8) "The Perfect Population Size for Me is 4 Million"
Written by TRS Contributor, CJ, this post has about 2000 Likes.
On 3 Feb 2014, Monday, after the long weekend of Chinese New Year, many of us had a pleasant surprise to see that our trains are not so packed because many of the foreigners choose to balik kampung and other SIngaporeans also took long leave to enjoy their weekends. TRS Contributor noticed this and snapped a few photos of our empty trains, shopping malls and empty roads to show to TRS readers why we don't need 6.9 million as proposed by PAP. We rather have a lower GDP, and have a better quality of life so that we need not squeeze ourselves anymore in the trains.
7) Singaporean Tells PM Lee to Resign
TRS Contributor Alex Tan responded to PM Lee's National Day Rally Speech and asked him to resign for the sad state we are in. This post has more than 5400 Likes on Facebook. Alex Tan once contested in Ang Mo Kio GRC under Reform Party and he could have used this TRS article for his rally speech back in 2011 GE but sadly, Ang Mo Kio Residents only gave Alex Tan a 30% vote margin.
6) "Fuck Your Fare Hike Speech"
Another TRS Article by Alex Tan which had more than 7000 likes. This post resonated with many Singaporeans. Why are we paying more for sloppy unreliable services when SMRT made record profits? When PTO said that fare hikes are poor performance of trains are 2 separate issues, we felt unjust and Alex Tan wrote this vulgarities-laden article to blast LTA, PTO and SMRT back.
5) PAP MPs Paid Million Dollar Salaries to Skip Parliament.
TRS Article by CJ. Yours truly spent more than 2 hours to compile the Parliament's Votes and Proceedings Records on the website and listed the AWOL offenders and Champions. Tampines GRC Irene Ng, Masagos and Mah Bow Tan were the triple AWOL Champions for missing Parliament sessions more than 10 times since 2011. Jessica Tan from East Coast GRC absented more than 13 times and Prof Fatimah Lateef from Marine Parade GRC absented herself more than 16 times. Tampines, Marine Parade and East Coast residents should be more than happy to send Masagos, Irene Ng and Mah Bow Tan, Fatimah and Jessica to early retirement come GE2016.
4) My Brother Got Fired by New Foreigner Manager Despite Working There For 2 years.
Nothing riles us up when we hear foreigners bullying Singaporeans. PAP opened the floodgates to foreigners and most of us can feel resentment by the over-crowdiness and salaries depression by them. Already, we feel out of place with so many foreigners and it takes this story to push us over the edge. TRS Contributor Ms Tan reported to us about how his brother got bullied and fired by his foreigner manager and made him lose his rice bowl.
3) Singapore Should Abolish PR Sceme
TRS Contributor William Leo argued why it is stupid for PAP to hope that foreigners will want to take up Singapore citizenship. This post generated more than 2600 likes. William Leo argued that most foreigners don't even want Singapore citizenship and just want to make money, and retire back in their home countries where they have bigger land, cheaper homes and that Singapore is just a springboard to them.
2) How PAP Policies Affect Malay Singaporeans.
TRS Contributor Sam Seng generated more than 2800 likes. This post has resonated among Malay Singaporeans who feel out of place in Singapore. And with so many foreigners around, Malay Singaporeans feel even more ostracised by PAP.
It is a well known open secret that Malays cannot serve in MINDEF Gombak and given higher security clearance.
Another Facebook netizen, Fadzri summarised it nicely. "I don't know how to defend a country which never even defended me"
1) Young Singaporean Muslim Against Circumcision.
TRS Contributor A Young Singaporean Muslim generated more than 52000 likes on Facebook.
It's amazing how circumcision can spilt Singaporean muslims apart and even non-muslims need to comment on this issue. It's just a piece of skin and apparently, but it does a lot of damage to a male's ego when you debate about circumcision with no right or wrong answers in addition to the religious tradition part.
CJ
TRS Contributor