This is what Hsien Loong said during his tour of Britain to a British audience. The statement was an absolute truth 20 or 30 years ago but this is no longer the case as the sentiment has changed. And this is best proven by the electoral defeats in the last two by elections. Hsien Loong and his party could still believe that it is so, and this is expected as they must believe that they were doing the right thing. Can’t imagine the outcome if they did not believe that they were doing the right thing in the first place.
On the other extreme, especially the moods and comments in the social media, things are not looking right for his govt. There has never been so much anger among the people, so many grievances and so many ‘right’ policies but seen as bad policies being paraded as anti citizens or bad for the citizens. But this is just a perception of course, and depending on who you are, where you are, there are many who would still swear by the PAP as the best govt there is. Some are still enjoying their golden years with unbelieveable comfort and luxurious lifestyle they have never imagined could happen.
There are always many views and many angles to look at a situation. But some of the policies are going to have very serious impact on the nation and people in times to come and could make or destroy all the good works built over the last 40 years. The high cost of living, of properties, of medical, and of everything, are serious matters that cannot be ignored. But none is more threatening, divisive and dangerous than the open door immigration policies that led to the surge in population and the influx of foreigners. There are many signs of a mismatch and tensions, that the foreigners would supplant and undermine, undercut the docile population that have been domesticated and no longer know the law of the jungle, how to fight as a clan, how to cheat, and the survival of the fittest.
Singapore is in a way like Israel. The Israel of today is dominated by a new breed of Israelis, the migrants from Europe. They have taken over from the native Israelis, the original people of the land. They are the new rulers of the land. But the saving grace is that they are quite homogeneous in a way, with a very strong historical sense of being, of being a people with a common destiny.
The rojak citizenship of Singapore is itself a problem. Before this rojak becomes a complementary mix, the original people of the founding generations are now faced with a new threat from a breed of foreigners with very different attitude, aggressiveness and motivation. The new citizens are here to grab everything they could for themselves, from the founding generations. They may look similar but they are very different in many ways. They are aliens and they do not take kindly of the domesticated citizenry. Even at this early stage of their presence there are all the signs or repugnance, abrasiveness and thuggishness that the original citizens could be bullied, taken advantage of and dismissed as and when they pleased. And no one is holding them back.
The future Singaporean mix is not going to be like the Israelis, one people, one nation. It is going to be many people and no nation. Or worst, alien people ruling over the original Singaporeans, in a way more like Troy.
Are the govt really doing the right thing? This is a very subjective question and many would disagree as many would agree. What is the future holding for the original Singaporeans with the govt thinking they are doing the right thing?
Chua Chin Leng AKA Redbean
*The writer blogs at http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/