Just a letter

I came across this very well argued article from The Temasek Review which is well worth a read. It fanned a flame of indignation that I felt when I first came across news on the msm that a $10 million Integration Fund has been set up to sponsor projects such as cultural gatherings, seminars and social outings for the newcomers and Singaporeans.

First of all, let me just say this out loud. I detest the majority of these foreign 'talent'. I'm not going to be diplomatic, I'm going to be speaking from my heart, and I know many locals, both young and old, feel the same way.

I believe that, being born and bred in this country is a privilege, a stroke of fate, not by choice. Good or bad, we had and will continue to be Singaporeans. I believe that it is our birthright. We are not mercenaries, not opportunist, we do not look at countries that we believe offer the best opportunities and migrate their in the masses. We are not invaders or colonist! WE, the people of Singapore built the country into what it is today, and with all due respect, NOT our ancestors from long long ago that come from across the globe, not the PAP, but US, the people of Singapore since independence. The real Singaporeans.

These FT comes along to compete for places and receive special no bond scholarships in OUR local universities, forcing the locals to bear the burden of paying more in going for more expensive overseas university, take away OUR jobs right after graduation while WE have to go through mind-numbing, stupidity-inducing 2 (or 2.5) years of National Service and 10 - 15 years of disruptive yearly reservist trainings after that, they bring their 3rd world habits into OUR world class infrastructure WE painstaking build over the years. And to rub salt to the wound, the govt decides that they are worth spending $10 million to help them integrate while locals struggle to find jobs or even their next meal. I'm flabbergasted.

The govt wonders why we don't feel a sense of belonging, a pride in our country etc. To tell the truth, I feel like a 2nd class citizen in my own country. Its like your parents just suddenly adopted many new brothers and sisters from a strange country (which although they look the same, spoke in a way that you totally cannot understand) to share a room that you were living in, and while they are running amok, your parents started scolding you about not cleaning up your room (which you had painstakingly designed, built and maintained in tip top condition over the years), not sharing your stuff (that you had worked painstaking over many hours of part time jobs for to own) with them, while throwing parties and gifts at them on a daily basis and blaming you for not being understanding, not seeing how they can help you, its because you don't wanna do or lack skills to do certain things that's why I need to bring them here to help me you etc etc.... Well, I think you get the idea.

The govt can say what they want about how we need them blah blah blah... I've grown numb, and fashioned the ability to filter out bullshit and propaganda. For every reason they can muster, I can similarly refute their flaw reasoning, but I don't have the energy to really do that anymore. Besides, there are many other bloggers out there with facts and figures in hand waiting, if they care to listen to us at all.

I don't want to argue anymore as it feels like I'm always talking to myself. We probably know that we had never, and will probably never ever see the ruling party admiting any error. I am speaking from the heart, as a true blue Singaporean, and this is how I am feeling now, if you still have a heart, stop for a moment, drop your defensive stance, and just feel my scream within.