Dear Mr Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,
I refer to your declaration at the Indian new year festival celebrated over last weekend and reported via zeenews that “”Singaporeans, new arrivals, people who are on permanent residence here, people who are on employment pass here, all participating in one big Singapore family… So that we feel that this is a place which is special, which belongs to all of us and where we all celebrate one another’s festivals and happy events together.”
Many Singaporeans are displeased by your current pro-foreigner stance and likely will feel threatened that you are siding with the 2 million foreigners residing here than your own people.
Its akin to having a father who suddenly opens up his home to other strangers living together and treat them the same as his own children.
Singapore must be for Singaporeans only and many of us don’t want to share our country with others as its our birth right. We welcome foreigners to work in our midst but disagreed that many of them are able to convert to be citizens so easily.
There’s this speculation that you are quickly converting many foreigners into new citizens for their loyal votes and unless you step in to stem the rumour, your intention is sinister and self-centred.
Singaporeans have all along live in harmony with our fellow foreigners – we have welcome hundreds of thousands of domestic workers caring for our household so that we can work in peace, constructions workers are also appreciated for their hard laborious work so that we can live in modern gleaning HDB housing and expats are ushered in to bring along their special skills with them so that we can have a top-notch economy that we can be proud of.
Moreever, your previous chastisement of Singaporeans protesting against the Philippines Independence Celebration (PIC) at Orchard Road made us wondered where your loyalty lies?
Your words of “thugs” and “disgraceful” hurt alot and many Singaporeans feel embarassed and sidelined by a leader that they have voted in.
As the leader of our country, its not only morally wrong but ethically incorrect to scold your own people for voicing out against a deeply-serious issue of sovereignty as thousands of foreigners from another land is waving their flag and celebrating their independence day in full public view at down Orchard.
How do you think Filipinos will react if we celebrate our national day in Manila shopping belt or even Beijing’s Tianamen Square, they will come running after us with their parang and there will be a riot!
Singaporeans by and large are law-abiding people who want to just make a honest living and try to live life simply.
However, if our sovereignty is tested and more so allowed by our own state chosen leader, we will defend our country even with our own lives if necessary.
Trust is lost when many people could not accept the huge influx of foreigners in our midst without a proper referendum.
Mr Prime Minister, the country is not dictated by one man alone and do consider how Singaporeans will feel when making decision for the country.
There is already a online poll currently going around now asking for your resignation.
I also apologised for asking protestors to deface your photo at our last labour day protest.
Such is the hatred we have for you – not because we don’t like you but more for the many pro-foreigner statements you have issued lately.
We are more hurt than angry actually as how can our own father betrayed us this way? Are we not good enough to be your children?
Please love us Mr Prime Minister, we are like little children yearning for the attention of their own father.
Many of us felt that you have neglected us and going after your new idols – the well-heeled foreigners who are more educated and affluent.
We all felt left out and even threatened by your deliberate insensitive slighting.
We also want back our old Singapore – a country that we used to be proud of but now no longer…
Yours sincerely,
Gilbert Goh
Transitioning.org
*Article first appeared on http://www.transitioning.org/2014/05/06/please-love-us-mr-prime-minister...