A Singaporean In Australia

Once in a while when I have nothing better to do I will do a short review on one of the biggest factor behind my decision to leave Singapore - population growth. It is probably unimportant to most and I don't expect many to share my views. I had guests over the weekend and there was mention of the possibility of returning to Singapore during the conversation. After living almost 5 years in Perth (and over 3 decades in Singapore), it gave me a clearer perspective about living in both countries.

I wouldn't have the opportunity for the eagle-eye view if I didn't take the chance to give myself a year or two by doing on a trip of self-discovery. My wife was pregnant and we were both flat tired at our work and lifestyles. We got our Australian PRs which gave us the eligibility to live and work in Australia. So I thought it would be a good idea to go on this trip to recharge our soul batteries. I tried to learn as much as I can about Perth over the last 5 years. There are still much more to learn, so much imperfections to pick on. I can probably write a book on it. 

The long and the short of it, I found that there is something about living in a place like Singapore that just isn't for me. I always had some sort of an incurable disease that make me allergic to everything in the city. The queues for virtually anything, the rush to buy-out 5039 4D tickets, zerging at Hougang, sending kids for heavy tuition just to "stay average", the culture of everyone doing anything that everybody is doing everywhere. The noisy, the buzz, the lights are just too much for me to take. I don't think any of my friends or even my family take me seriously when I tell them that. Perhaps a few of them may even think I was trying to be funny. I don't blame them. You probably think the same for that dyslexic kid who can't spell.

The last time I checked, Singapore remains at 700 plus square kilometres and nothing in the URA Masterplan for the next 30 years suggest that there will be a significant increase in land mass by reclamation or invasion. However, 6.9 million population projection (remember, it is not a target), is still progressing really well. By the end of 2016, Singapore's population will be expected to reach a projected figure of 5,775,626. 

5,775,626 at the end of 2016 

That is:

144 live births average per day 

70 deaths average per day
231 immigrants average per day

Some of my friends living in Singapore still think the figure is around 5 million or so today.

At this rate, Singapore's population will definitely hit 6 million before the end of year 2020, which is only 3 years and 4 months away lest you didn't notice. The 6.9 million population projection (and not target) would be reality before the turn of the next decade. Of course that is not the target, they are definitely gunning for something more horrendous, like 10 million.

We already have some human congestion cases happening this year. As sure as someone's death is going to be directly caused by playing Pokemon Go, we are just a royal cock up away from a human crush disaster of Hillsborough's scale. With the way things are being handled around Singapore these days, I won't bet a dime against it.

Peace and security doesn't necessarily mean safety.

These are the type of conditions that prompted many friends to claim that having a car in Singapore is a "necessity". You wouldn't relish dragging your 3 kids along in that MRT crowd shown in the picture above, would you? Or your heavily pregnant wife. Every working day. Fair enough, I will give it to them but it also prove my point. There are too many pre-requisites to live a life in Singapore. It comes to a point no having children, travelling light all the time and getting out of Singapore for the annual holiday trip is a good living model until we get shipped to JB to die one day. The alternative is lifelong debt servicing, getting your kids through the tuition grind, chronic stress and bad sleep. With or without Marilyn.