I find it very amusing that Bro Loong had the nerve to make an utter fool out of himself in front of the international media. It puzzles me as to how he got the impression that Singaporeans have trust in his government to act in a bona fide manner and that the only reason why the opposition have made inroads because Singaporeans want more varied views in parliament.
Just look around us to see that the conditions average Singaporeans suffer in because of his policies and we are expected to believe that his government has done what is best? Over-crowing in hospitals, train breakdowns, high housing prices and how Singaporeans are treated as second-class citizens in their own home is unforgivable for any government. Here are some situations which have come about under his leadership.
National service liability: This is the most unjust thing that can ever happen to males who have to spend 2 years of their lives serving for no other reason than the fact that they are Singaporean. They have to delay their entry to the workforce, sacrifice so much, and yet the government treats them like cheap labour, refusing to provide care even as they get permanently disabled due to their commitments. Alternative parties such as SDP and Reform party have suggested reducing the duration by half.
Locals displaced in the workforce: Because of the apathetic labour laws unlike that of countries like Europe, we have seen an increasing number of foreigners who have displaced helpless PMETs while MOM has refused to do anything on the grounds that one has a salary exceeding $4500 or that it is a contractual agreement between 2 parties. Even with supposedly tighter laws, there are still many cases of under-the-table deal which have no laws to tackle them. SDP has suggested - rightfully - a shock therapy which would allow cheap foreigners to be redundant.
Scholarships to foreigners: Even as Singaporeans struggle with education inflation year after year of up to as much as 8%, the government continues to spend at least $240 million a year on foreign scholarships. There are two issues I take here. First, only 8 in 10 actually fulfil their bond. Secondly, what is so essential about serving a bond when there are Singaporeans who can actually fill up these places should they be given places in Universities anyway? Clearly, this is outrageous as so many diploma holders have no choice but to go to SIM.
Allowing foreigners to profit from our public housing: Through a failed “asset-enhancement” policy, the people who have benefitted are mainly the thousands of PRs from third-world countries who have been allowed to come in around 2005 and have stayed for about 5 to 7 years where HDB resale index has peaked before gaining substantial asset appreciation while Singaporeans bear the brunt: 9 in 15 young Singaporeans feel that they can no longer afford a home and a car.
These are just some of the problems which they have caused. After being paid millions of dollars of taxpayers ’monies for their incompetence, it seems like our multi-millionaire ministers still have not learnt from the bashing they got from the 2011 general elections. It seems like they genuinely need to be kicked out and send to hell just like the wretched 90 year-old man whose legitimacy has been bruised after he threatened Aljunied residents to repent.
Joseph Kheng-Liang Tan
* The author is a 21 year-old polytechnic graduate who is currently pursuing his law degree in Australia. Widely quoted for his views, he has contributed extensively in his personal capacity to top socio-political sites such as TRS and TRE. He is also supremely homophobic and would rather vote for the PAP should the opposition send in a homosexual representative.