Monday, May 02, 2011
With election fever heating up in Singapore, where rallies of opposition parties get huge turnouts, speckled with emotional scenes, I can't help but be bemused by it all.
This should have been my first Election, but here I am in Perth, attempting to complete my Honours year of my Chemical Engineering Degree, looking from miles away as everything occurs back home. The only information I get about the Election comes from Yahoo! Singapore and oh my gosh, am I not joking when I say I'm swarmed by the number of parties that have emerged. Not just the numerous parties, but also the names of them, and which candidate is from what party. It was much easier in the past when there was just PAP, WP, SDP (not even sure I got the last 2 right, and those are the only ones I remember).... Oh, but I have to admit I'm not that interested in politics and that the only party I am more familiar with is PAP.
This year, flipping through the pages on Yahoo! Singapore, I have reached a point where I have given up trying to follow what is going on, only clicking on those that interest me, like the huge turnouts at the rallies.
If I had to choose something that has really struck a chord in me, I would say it was the picture of Mr Chiam See Tong in a photo with the people from his party. He was slouched over, remnants of the aftermath of the stroke he suffered, and in my opinion, should be retired and sitting at home enjoying the golden years. Seeing his hardworking attitude, determination to participate in this election, showed how much the welfare of the people meant to him. The same can be said for our Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Even though I was not born in the era to know and experience firsthand of what he has done for Singapore, I still seriously believe that Singapore would not be what it is today if it was not for him. For that I deeply respect and salute him.
As I mentioned before, I have no interest in politics, in choosing sides, and I don't really care which party wins what as long as they are able to do their jobs properly. The only thing I am interested in, is what the individuals are up to (especially the ones I am familiar with), and not what the party as a whole does.
Something that puzzles me, is why some people would want to migrate away from Singapore. What is there not to like about Singapore?? Some say they don't like how Singapore is ruled by the one and only party, PAP (Like...so what??? Does that reduce your quality of life? Is it life-threatening? Does that cut some years off your lifespan??). Some don't like the education system cause it's stressful for the children (PLEASE, since when is school not stressful?!?! and I'm pretty sure the child's not going to stay in school for the rest of their life). Some ridicule Singapore by saying why do we need an army since an atomic bomb can make the whole island disappear (which is true....but we shall not entertain that thought and it's sure damn cool when such a small country can have such an advanced army).
If somebody has decided they don't like Singapore, and have decided to migrate to other countries, and find that life away from Singapore is better, then so be it. I don't get why some people find it necessary to criticize Singapore. Oh so now that you have migrated to say, for example Australia, you feel that you are a cut above the other Singaporeans just because you now belong to a Caucasian country instead of an Asian one? Bullshit is what I would say to your face. Some people should stop trying to act all high and mighty, cause at the end of the day, even if you have given up Singapore citizenship, you are just another Asian on foreign soil. This paragraph is especially aimed at the younger generation who has lived in Singapore, but whose family migrated when they were still young.
I for one, will always maintain that your heart will remain where your family and friend ties are, and for the younger generation who have migrated away from Singapore, your ties are the ones you have formed in your migrated country, and that is fine. Just shut up and do not criticize Singapore just because you don't have such fond memories. It's just irritating.
That being said, I am considering working here in Australia after I graduate and applying for PR, but Singapore will always be the place that I would ultimately return to, for that is where Home is, and always will be.