Friday 6 November 2009

Republic of Chinapore

Republic of Chinapore
Attn: Mr Lee Kuan Yew
Prime Minister's Office
Istana Annexe, Orchard Road, Singapore 238823

1 comment:

Guanyu said...

Republic of Chinapore
Attn: Mr Lee Kuan Yew
Prime Minister's Office
Istana Annexe, Orchard Road, Singapore 238823

Dear Mr. Lee,

I applaud your son's recent comment on SMRT's crowded train and SMRT's diligent move to increase trains schedule. But it is still a pack during non peak hours. It would be a good opportunity for your son to come and ride on the public buses and MRTs again. Perhaps your son may learn a thing or two on public image, from Taiwan President Ma Ying Jeou by visiting neighbourhood retail shops, to witness another social issue at hand. This time involving Chinese immigrants.

I no longer think it is a fluke when Chinese people in the service sector serve with a bad attitude.

I no longer think it is abnormal for Chinese people to be loud in public places. I no longer believe that I can live here with that for too long.

I no longer think that it's funny when an entire section of my BMT platoon consists of Chinese students. I no longer hold much regard for this pink IC, because at the end of the day anyone can get it by serving NS.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problems with Chinese people. I have a great Chinese buddy from BMT and I wish to visit his hometown some day.

I recognise that Chinese who come over are contributing to the economy. To what limit is there on emphasis on economy and to what extent will the govt bring in these people to artificially boost the economy and the population?

I cannot believe my eyes and my ears each day when I take the public transport everyday. To commoners like us, it is nothing like what you imagine we put up with.

Lee Kuan Yew, this is not just your country. Single-handedly, you have upheaved Singapore culture by banning dialects on television media.

But let's move on from there. 20 years on, when people are about to get settled, and Singapore is slowly beginning to form our own sense of identity and we're beginning to develop some feeling of our unique Singapore flavoured culture, you find the burning need to infuse hundreds of thousands of Chinese people, from an entirely different social conditioning and background, into Singapore society which was just beginning to take some shape.

In National Service, I raised the issue of why young Singapore males don't have a sense of belonging and are unwilling to fight for their country, to the then Chief of Defence, LTG Desmond Quek. He could only ask me back with a blank, "Is that really happening?"

I now know the answer to that question.

The Uniquely Singapore campaign that the government has been promoting of late? You can flush that down the drain.

I believe your grandson has just finished his national service, why don't you try asking what his peers think about this country now? Why not try conducting a poll among young people to have a feel what is on the ground? But of course, I don't expect you to do that. Anyway, it doesn't matter how we Singaporeans feel, lah. It's how the new Singaporeans feel that really matters.

Anyway, Singapore no longer feels like my country.

When people outside Singapore do ask, I will tell them it is a province in China.

Yours faithfully,
Teoh Tian Jing