A Singaporean In Australia

I am a student of history. No, I don't mean I study history in secondary school. What I learnt from life was that lessons from the past often explain the present and may very well foretell the future. 

The same year when Brigadier General Lee Hsien Loong first became a full member of the Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Industry and Second Minister for Defence in 1987, it seemed that he also took on the role of the Minister of Communications. That explained foremost how a talented ophthalmologist such as Vivian Balakrishnan could be a Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, overspent a little for the YOG, skipped to MICA, then MTI before finally switched to delivering letters to Indonesia as the world most expensive postman. Looks like multi-classing was already a trend way back in 1987. So it wasn't a surprise for me to read how the then BG Lee artfully set policies to handle foreign journals so that Singaporeans could read the right news back in the good old days.

By next year in 2014, PM Lee will celebrate his 30th year anniversary in politics. With three decades of delivering the right news to Singaporeans in his hands, it was heartening to see the great Prime Minister has kept up with times by working with his own Minister of Communications and Information, whathisname and MDA just a month or so ago to continue his legacy of delivery the right news to your doorsteps since 1987. Meanwhile our Acting Minister of Manpower, Tan Chuan Jin, kept up the multi-classing tradition by appearing on some talk show to explain stuff that whathisname should had done to eager Singaporeans in front of televisions waiting for the right news.

The basics of history, any student will know, is that history repeats itself because human stupidity is a common factor through the ages. Now you, the new student of history, tell us what will the future holds?

So, according to one, I was supposed to be in serious condition and I was lucky to be transferred from Royal Perth Hospital to Kaleeya Hospital. My appointment was on the 28 June and I dutifully made my way to have a look at my hospice. Kaleeya Hospital was situated right in the middle of what we would call 'private estate' in Singapore. If you weren't looking specifically for a hospital, you would probably drive right past mistaking its presence as part of the residential landscape.

I found a parking lot immediately, locked up and took a walk to look at the surroundings since I was 15 minutes early. The parking area reminded me of a country club in Singapore rather than a hospital. Unlike King Edward Hospital where Albany was born and Royal Perth where I had my surgery, Kaleeya Hospital was a lot smaller and its single-storey building looked much less threatening. The surroundings was quiet and serene, the echoes of hoots and chirps of birds from far distance completed the placidity in the air. I had a feeling I would be well taken care of.

I was served by a team of perfect people for the right job. I was greeted warmly by the receptionist and invited to have a sit in the waiting lounge. I took a casual snap of the place and spent the rest of the time watching how the receptionist work. She treated everyone with the same vigour and totally made the reception area her ownership. It was a sight of somebody thoroughly enjoying her work. I was called in by the clerk who spent the next ten minutes going through my documents. I asked her about my transfer and she told me Kaleeya Hospital was actually converted to a public hospital not long ago but the doctors working there were considered private doctors. Couldn't figure how that works, neither could she, a hospital staff herself.

I didn't had to wait very long before I was attended. I guessed that was the difference between a real public hospital and this - pretty much a private hospital feel to me right from the start. A big elderly Cacausian nurse was assigned to 'take care' of me. She was the type who wouldn't look out of place coming out of the kitchen with a big freshly baked pie smiling widely to her joyful grandchildren. She talked to me like her own grandson while going through my medical records and made sure I listed my drug allergies, the standard things. Grandma even took the trouble to explain to me what was to be expected later and laughed when I told her I was scared.

When it was all done, she personally ushered me to the changing room grabbing my arm tightly and hugged it to her breasts as we walked along and told me I would be okay. Even my maternal grandmother had never done anything like that for me before. I was never brought up in the hugging culture and neither were my friends. It was unusual to see people in their adulthood hugging their grandmothers in Singapore. Over here, it was a common sight. I took a mental note to bring up my children this way, because this grandma nurse just made me realise how assuring it felt, even from a complete stranger.

The procedure was thankfully short but slightly disturbing for a first timer. I was fully awake while the doctor meddled with my penis, rather roughly in fact. I sympathized her slightly. It wasn't a nice thing to work with something on daily basis that you were supposed to play with. I had heard of male gynaecologists completely the ability to be sexually turned on after being too long on their jobs. Even doctors have their own share of job hazards, I suppose.

Doctor did something rough to the precious which jolted me, I felt a very hot sensation around the pelvis region. It was probably local anesthetic. Though I had protection from pain, I felt the sharp insertion of the viewing equipment right through and I was told to relax so that the channel would be wider and easier to slide all the way up to the bladder. That doctor had a good sense of humor. Just like the chaps who told me not to blink when they sent a pencil drill right into my eye to drill the splinters out of my eyes on both occasions.

The view of my bladder soon came to sight on the big tv screen right in front of us. It was the typical meaty, wet look that you would expect the insides of any part of your body to look like. Doctor twisted and turned sharply to get whatever views she wanted. I felt that the uncomfortable jolts would be greatly lessen if she had change the camera directions a bit more slowly. I was introduced to two separate openings that looked like just two black dots to me. There were supposed to be the openings to the hose that connects to my kidneys.

At the end of the ordeal, the doctor slid the tube out and declared there wasn't any visible tumors. That was the best results I could hope for though there wasn't a place for complacency, knowing very well cancer cells would be always present in much smaller forms and it would be an eternal project to keep them from building a base.

For the shortsighted, investing on health care for the people is a very expensive thing to do. That is because they fail to see the intrinsic and intangible value as rich returns of the investment. A good healthcare system is an attraction itself and speaks volumes about the intention of how a government is prepared to take care of its people. Instead, our government thinks that investing in health care is foolish and train the public to think likewise, to be fools like themselves and to echo their stupidity like parrots. Instead, they invested in billions in scholarships for foreign students only to see many returning to their countries right after, some even failing to serve their bonds. Instead, they invested in 'asset enhancement', only to see foreigners selling up their inflated assets and bringing millions out of Singapore to build buildings and farms elsewhere. 

If investing in health care is unwise, what makes losing cold hard cash in these manner? At the very least, you can only enjoy good health care if you are physically committed to the country and are prepared to contribute to it in the long run. Isn't that also a way (a possibly better one) to reduce brain drain and attract talents?

I refer to Roger Poh's article, "Singapore 6th most expensive city: allow small businesses and petty trading" [link]

In this article the author described the drastic change in our trading demographics where the number of small businesses have dwindled to almost non-existence. One of the main reason why these "petty traders" disappeared from the scene was the clamping down on such activities by authorities. As stated in the article, even ice cream vendors face more restrictions to peddle their wares these days. 

In my days (I'm an old fuck), not only "Mama" shops were a common sight in HDB void decks, there were other interesting hawkers that plied their trades at the void decks or door to door through the pigeon holes. There was an elderly Malay lady who sold authentic Sng Pao in her own house. I swear upon the black book that her Sng Pao was the best in Singapore. The commercial versions didn't stand a chance at $0.20 each. Her own $0.20 versions was majestic, twice as big, twice as flavourful and was "organic" as compared to the commercial counterparts. Her menu was was follow:

1) Rich, generous, milky Bandung Sng Pao

2) Sng Muay (sour plum) Sng Pao 

3) Pineapple Sng Pao (with real chunks of fruits)

I kid you not, no adults in the neighbourbood knew the existence of this underground Sng Pao stall. As kids, we loved it. It felt like a secret base, illegal trading. Something so wrong yet so right. I promise you, none of the kiddy customers of this Malay lady will have forgotten these memories.

There was a fat Chinese lady who would carry two huge pots of Soon Kueh door to door. To think of it today, it was really hard work for a young lady to do so. I know I will sound biased to say this, her Soon Kueh was really the best I have ever eaten. That is the second swear on the black book today in the span of 3 minutes. My sisters and I loved her Soon Kuehs and would be salivating like caged monkeys behind the steel gates of our HDB flats in Holland Village Block 12 when we heard the fat lady coming our way.

At random void decks, it was a common sight to see "Ting ting Candy" vendors with their huge floury trays, Malt Candy Grandma vendors squatted in their malt full galvanised steel buckets and twisted the stubborn malt with wooden skewers. And who could forget the Muah Chee sellers? In the name of hygiene, by mid 90s, most if not all vendors were wiped from the surface of Singapore's glorious hawking history. Propaganda was a great success, resulting in citizens believing in the evils of unlicensed street hawkers. If hygiene was a legitimate reason, how do we explain the disappearance of casual road-side newspaper vendors but Buzz! kiosks popping up around like mushrooms? Want to know why the Ah Peh cobblers went, just visit your nearest Mister Mint. Did they lose out to competition? Hell no. They were commercially vanquished.

混口饭吃而以，何必赶尽杀绝？

In Liverpool, street vendors from all walks of life hawk their handmade merchandise of their local football club Liverpool FC for decades. The authorities did not clamp down on these activities because the football club has never made a complain about this despite the fact that the existence of these illegal merchants reduce the club's official merchandises sales resulting in the loss of potential revenue. The reason being, the football club has a philosophy of Community First. Despite the lack of success for decades since the club has fallen from grace, the club refuses to maximise profits that it badly needs to return to its former glory by clamping down the community to eliminate all illegal merchandise. Being the sole merchant of the club's products, it can easily increase prices of their official goods chop carrot heads. But they didn't. Community first. This is one of the key reason why the club still boast a very strong local support after years of mediocrity while the other clubs have to rely on tourists and blue plastic flags to spice up their stadiums. 

Back to our shores, would Kopitiam take it kindly if someone peddles their home made Nasi Lemak at the nearby void deck? How tolerant would Would Breadtalk take it graciously if a child tries honing his entrepreneurial skills by selling home made muffins made by the wide eyed little girl with pony tails next door? No - the authorities will tell you, you need a license for that.

Singaporeans in my days were brought up in a structured manner. From young, we learnt how the system worked and to us the world operated that way. That could be a reason why many Singaporeans are poor travelers and tend to look for a city in Western Australia or an LRT in Malaysia. I find it largely odd that we tend to look out for good traits that we have in Singapore such as a clean, well maintained street when we tour. As a result, we feel miserable if we don't find the country as good as home. But the good thing is that, many of us will hug and lick whatever they see first when they touch down at Changi Airport. We were taught to believe that Singapore is the best place on earth and other countries are shit, or next to shit.

Perhaps the leaders are a bit too proud with their work and tend to go, "Look at X country, they're shit. We have Y, they have shit." and we grow up chanting the same mantra. Inception at its best. It could be better for our country as a whole if the mantra changes to, "Go out, find the good and bring back practices to make our home the best." Not only it contributes to cultivate a better thinking culture and reduce the snobbishness trait we refused to acknowledge, at least one day when things began to go ugly, the people would not point their fingers straight at the government and demand. The government should shut up and be more modest to save their sorry asses in future. It is good for everyone in the long run.

This is a perspective that Ah Fun unintentionally made me realise when I found myself asking her, "What is good here over Singapore?" to which her answers were something as obvious as no road tolls and a lot less bad traffic. The Singaporean in me tends to steer back into the DNA of looking things that dont't exist in the first place and dim out the brilliant stuff dished before our eyes.

The above is one of the things that doesn't happen in Singapore so I didn't know how to react to it. In my realm, it is an impossibility and I have to remind myself the world doesn't rotates the way it did for Singapore. I received this letter asking me to make a decision to agree or disagree to be converted into a private patient from a public patient. The catch is that I have to change my future follow ups to another hospital. It is one of their projects to reduce the queues in public hospitals so that poor fucks like me can see the doctor before we die.

The first question, being Singaporean, was of course if it will cost me anything. Fortunately it was clearly stated in the letter that the patient will not incur any out of pocket expenses so I shall be able to receive treatment for my condition without a further financial worry. That will ease the burden in the mind, if anything.

The second question is how this initiative works and why can't Singapore implement something like that for the people?

In every crisis, there are opportunities. Where there is a human community, a part of the population will turn opportunists to benefit themselves. Then there will be another portion of the community who will go beyond their self to help the others.  As the saying goes, "患难见真情" - a crisis brings out the best and worst out of people, merchants and governments.

Our little haze debacle is a speck as a magnitude compared to the Japanese Occupation that we once suffered merely a few decades ago. Back then, there were radical differences with how the world operated but the dynamics of people have never changed. There were people who turned translators for the enemies for survival, including our notable "Father of Modern Singapore",  there were merchants who enriched themselves with economic opportunities and unsung heroes who helped feed, defend and protect their loved ones and even strangers for the bigger hearts.

A little haze this time displayed clearly the capabilities of our government, their heart for the people. It showed us who were the online lackeys who defended the inadequacies of the government blindfolded and the ones who ground their axes to attack the government with their agenda while a small group of Singaporeans stood out like a breath of fresh air in the smog to help their people with their own initiatives. The rest of the population remained like sitting ducks waiting for the government to issue emergency status, distribute masks and my favourite of all, to grant public holidays - if that makes sense. I couldn't help wonder if the dwellers of Singapore asked their colonial masters for public holidays back in 1942.

Long ago, someone in the government said Singaporeans are too dependent on their government. That is something I cannot disagree with, however I try. You will be surprised that the majority of us still expect the government to take care of the people. I cannot be sure if it is the fault of the government or the people themselves for instilling this idea into the minds of the population. Any government in the world is run by politicians, a better name for crooks, whose main aim from the first day their butts touch the cushy seats in the parliament has been keeping themselves in power as long as they can. Nothing more, nothing less. Should they perform actions of love for the people, those are merely the convergence of their paths to remain in posts and your needs

This, my friends, is most important lesson for all Singaporeans to learn from this haze attack. The responsibility of the well being of your loved ones is in your hands. Be prepared to be disappointed, failed or even endangered if you hand this responsibility to anyone else. The government has already warned Singaporeans never to be complacent. That is the most glaring hint they can ever do for you on a political level. It is good to know they still have hearts embedded their chests to do so. Do yourselves a favour and understand the hint and do something about it. For a start, ask yourself if you will be trapped in the same position in the haze attack next year?

******

1.   It is a common practice of asingaporeanson.blogspot.com to reply emails starting with 'Hi bro!' to reflect the casual environment we created as our vision.  However, we are responding to your email in formally as a mark of respect to an email drafted in stat-board format.

Alright, cut this crap...let's get to business.

As an ex-employee of the National Parks Board (NParks) in 2007, I annoyed a couple of my ex-colleagues in my department on regular basis during our lunch debates on various government policies and their effects on Singaporeans' future. Back then, I lost every single debate because the only justification I had was the crystal ball in my hands. While my ex-colleagues licked up meaningless triumphs, they would be begging me for a glance in that same crystal ball today if they met me on the streets. But they knew they wouldn't because we would be walking on streets separated by an ocean and a straits.

Six years had passed since then. Today, it is your turn to share what is the vision of Singapore in 5-6 years time in YOUR crystal ball?

2.   Thank you for your offer. I will be sticking to GuildWars2 for a while because of my childhood friend, who plays and communicates with me via the game. Perhaps one day we will meet in another game when we are done with GW2.

Brother, do not mourn for lost time. I too, did the same and found it meaningless to do so. Take the chance to remind yourself that you would not want to experience a deja vu upon yourself for the next three decades. Your future still remain in your hands and you get to choose the paths to take at this crossroad.

3.    You were granted the Permanent Resident Visa (Subclass 175) in 2011. Why did you apply for that in the first place? Because you have a spendthrift wife who will spent every cent in your bank and you felt that was a wiser way to spend your $3,000? Did you apply for the PR by mistaking that for a French culinary course? Definitely not, brother. Give yourself a quiet hour and to explore the depths of your mind and bring yourself back in time to find out your rationale. You need to know that because that answers your next dilemma.

4.    Do not assume complacency had consumed you. Having a good, stable job, a well picked shelter bought at a more manageable price in earlier times are proper reasons NOT to leave. Bear in mind, Singapore is by no means a bad place to live and work in. In fact, given the legions of foreigners willing to bust a gut to take your place on the island, we have to even agree Singapore is still one of the best places in the world to hang around today. For now, at least. Why go Australia? That was the best and the most important question you asked. Only you can provide the answer and if you are truthful to yourself, you will know what to do. Never be affected by the opinions of the others. If you need to go, go. If you need to stay, rip up Subclass 175, forget about the whole thing and do your best for your future in Singapore.

5.     Till date, I had never imposed my opinion on the others where it comes to which Australian state to move to. There are two reasons. 1) I don't want to impose my opinion on the others. 2) I don't want anyone to come to Perth at all, for my personal selfish reasons. So please do me a favour and FO to the East. Just kidding brother. For my crudeness, I will make up to you by making an exception to share little opinion. I will have nothing to say if someone were to tell me they are moving to Adelaide because they love festivals, arts and culture. Tasmania for the beauty of the land. Melbourne for its vibrancy.

Sydney for jobs? Wtf? Can a Singaporean ever stop thinking about work? Migration is one of the biggest decision you will make in your life and all you are thinking is work? Come on bro, loosen up. Stat board life is the disease you are suffering from now, not complacency.

Put it this way. A man only needs 1 full time job. Well, perhaps you have plans to juggle 2-3 jobs when you move to Sydney that I wasn't aware about. Else, a job is a job. Why is the rationale of moving to a place because it has a larger job market? Bear in mind, in a larger job market, there is an equally large workforce competing with you for jobs. Is there really a difference in chances in a smaller, less competitive market? Let's put it in another perspective. If a Singaporean man is looking for a mail bride order, does he choose China over Vietnam as his hunting source because there are obviously more women in China? He doesn't. The traits of his bride will always be the number one priority. That is how odd it sounds to me when someone tells me they are moving to whichever place because of the assumed large job market.

A good friend who is willing to offer cheap accommodation sounds so much better to me. I was impressed with that good friend - not the cheap accommodation, in case you got it wrong. A friend in need is a friend indeed. A place with a ready-made friend to sit down for coffee and chat during free time. Does it makes sense to venture to other strange places over this? Sydney you must go, brother.

Air. Now we are talking.... Keep going my friend. You are getting closer. Good luck and do drop me a note or two to update me your own incredible adventure.

6.     Your wife's mentality reminded me of my own. We have to congratulate ourselves for marrying wives with great motivation skills. If there is something I thought may be useful to you, it may be this tip. I came to Perth believing in what my wife told me. It was very similar to what you wife said. When we touched down and I asked, "What now?", my wife said something like, "I don't know, I'm pregnant." It was then I - and you, in the future should you move, got to understand quickly that we have to find our strength within ourselves and not from external sources, even from someone as close as your next-of-kin.

If our forefathers could do it, why couldn't we? If the Bangalahs can survive the exploitation from their Singapore employers, why can't we do the same elsewhere? After all we are Singaporean sons, right? Wrong. Many of our forefathers worked as coolies and had to juggle rice sacks while balancing themselves on narrow Chengal planks. Take a tour around one of our foreign workers' dormitory at Yishun Ave 7 or Jalan Murai and have a look at their living conditions. Are you willing to go through similar conditions at worst case to continue the migration destiny in your bloodline? Bear in mind of the items hanging on the other side of the balance. High rise beautiful HDB flat in Punggol/Seng Kang, a comfortable job which you can hang on to till retirement, a familiar home with good friends to hang out with and fireworks to watch every August. 

Regards,

asingaporeanson

Dear Nix (A Singaporean Son)

My name is Francis and i email to ask whether my wife and i stand a chance to emigrate to Australia. My highest qualification is only GCE O levels and i am already 54 years young. How can i emigrate and what category of emigration visa can i apply? Please advise? My wife is 53 years young and she is a nurse at the KK hospital. Bty , i am a admin staff  working in the medical records office at the Jurong medical centre.

Warmest Regards

Francis ( love to read your blog)

******

Thanks for your email and encouragement. Say hi to your wife for me. I had my first wisdom tooth extracted at her company and she might very well be the staff who helped arranged my records.

You know Francis, at times when I receive emails like that, I felt like I should go and get certified as a migration agent. (I might as well) so that I am able to give legal, accurate and responsible answers. Right now, be forwarned this is only some friendly advice to my best knowledge. Don't take it at face value. Do not be encouraged or discouraged by my opinions. The truth is always out there for the seekers. There are always hidden paths off the main road for the unobservant, unadventurous and uninformed. Thus keep finding out more.

You did not specify your occupation so I am not sure if you can qualify by other trades. Your academic level will make it unlikely for you to apply for Skilled Migration (Skill select). Business visa (subclass 188) only accepts migrants less than 55 years of age. If you are going for this you have to act immediately to make the deadline. The most viable option for you appears to be the Investor Retirement (subclass 405) visa. This visa is not a Permanent Resident visa and it does not lead to the eligibility of applying for one but it allows you to live and work (up to 40 hours a week) for a period of 4 years. The permit is renewable as long as you continue to fulfill the investment requirement. The investment you will be required to make has to be up to the value of AUD$750,000 in the metropolitan area or AUD$500,000 in the regional areas. You can read more about it here. [link]