tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452590323401882895.post2267433615949925386..comments2024-03-18T10:55:52.127-07:00Comments on Wink <br>and the world surprises you: Brunch with former bureaucratsWinking Dollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14045187430930181570noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452590323401882895.post-27147030975954048952013-04-27T15:18:20.565-07:002013-04-27T15:18:20.565-07:00Hi Nick,
Thanks for dropping by.
We didn't ...Hi Nick,<br /><br />Thanks for dropping by. <br /><br />We didn't talk about that over brunch that day. At previous brunches where I sat with the wives of the various (ex)-Singaporeans (I cannot recall if I was sitting specifically next to the wives of the ex-civil servants), I get the impression that they generally gave me the P.C. (i.e. politically correct) answers of better weather/climate, good pace of life for retirement, etc as their reasons for migrating to Canada. It is understandable, after all, I am new to the group.<br /><br />Hope that answers your question.<br /><br />Cheers, WD.Winking Dollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14045187430930181570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452590323401882895.post-34584390304853195212013-04-27T11:07:57.644-07:002013-04-27T11:07:57.644-07:00Hi WD,
By any chance, did those ex-Singapore civi...Hi WD,<br /><br />By any chance, did those ex-Singapore civil servants mention about their reasons for coming to Canada when working in the Singapore civil service is likened to "paradise with an iron rice bowl"<br /><br />Nick LimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452590323401882895.post-52942087270200009262013-04-26T00:39:10.927-07:002013-04-26T00:39:10.927-07:00Hi WD,
Yeah, it really illustrate the points stro...Hi WD,<br /><br />Yeah, it really illustrate the points strong enough.<br /><br />1. Sad to see that even though these gentlemen foresee the cons of the policies, for their own sake, they chose this path of disagreeing without being disagreeable.<br />2. Definitely true. It does makes me wonder how many Singaporeans realise that this is happening, that our policy makers had a way out, able to escape from the effects of the policies. Hard to believe that they make the policies for the good of the nation when they themselves don't live with the effect. Even worse is that because they have the inside information, they can plan for their exit path while many are still living the "frog stuck in the well" life. If only a few of them had been willing to step out and informed the people.<br /><br />Cheers,<br />ChronoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452590323401882895.post-39419716616410645142013-04-26T00:14:40.448-07:002013-04-26T00:14:40.448-07:00Hi Chrono,
Thank you for visiting and leaving you...Hi Chrono,<br /><br />Thank you for visiting and leaving your comments. I don't know these gentlemen well enough to comment. <br /><br />My point of sharing this encounter is to illustrate:<br />1. that there are ways to disagree without being disagreeable; and<br />2. the reality that "People who create the policies -- that Singaporeans do not like -- may or may not have to live with the effects of those policies".<br /><br />Cheers, WD.Winking Dollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14045187430930181570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452590323401882895.post-49439777227407607682013-04-25T18:58:14.281-07:002013-04-25T18:58:14.281-07:00Hi WD,
Your encounters with these "gentlemen...Hi WD,<br /><br />Your encounters with these "gentlemen" makes sad reading and only serve to reaffirm my view that Singapore is lost. It's disturbing that while these "gentlemen" were the ones who set and implemented all these failed policies, even knowing the possible problems, they did not dare to voice up for whatever reasons/fears etc. Are they really not concerned about their fellow Singaporeans then? Or has the high salary the govt paid them made them forsake any leftover moral values they have?<br /><br />It's disturbing to know of so many double standards in Singapore, from pays to benefits matter between the civil service and the rest of us. I strongly believe this is the one of the main reason why the ivory tower exist, built up over the years.<br /><br />Good for these "gentlemen" that they are now ex-Singaporeans, getting away from the mess we are mired in right now whose beginnings came from the policies they implemented. They have the inside knowledge and the money to make the move away. If only they have the moral values to make a stand or to voice out, things may have happened differently but alas it's not to be.<br /><br />Logic tells me that I shouldn't blame them because the govt has too many ways to bring them down (ISA, defamation etc), yet passion makes me curse them for selling Singapore out over their own interest despite of being there to serve Singapore and make life better.<br /><br />Makes me feels sad yet at the same time, I'm not surprised at this sort of development.<br /><br />ChronoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452590323401882895.post-52617338174474771952013-04-24T11:39:02.205-07:002013-04-24T11:39:02.205-07:00Hi Seraphim,
Without going into details, I have r...Hi Seraphim,<br /><br />Without going into details, I have reasons to believe that unless Singapore crashes, my immediate family members would be ok. [There may be some struggles, but they will survive lah!] Which is why I find my friend's suggestion that I want (or even have the ability!) to cause Singapore to crash rather paranoid, nonsensical and that she has ascribed a certain grandiose ability to me which I certainly do not posses.<br /><br />As for friends, acquaintances, <a href="http://winkingdoll.blogspot.ca/2009/03/procrastination-and-boredom.html" rel="nofollow">strangers</a>, my motley crew of association is such that some are/were struggling, and on the opposite end -- some are/were prospering with the "booming" Singapore economy. The fact that I chose to be an economic emigrant says that mine is a case of “泥菩萨过江,自身难保。” ["A mud Buddha crosses the river, it cannot ensure its own survival."] How to help? As they say in the airplane emergency instructions, "Help yourself first (to the oxygen masks), before you help others."<br /><br />So yes, I believe I will still follow some of the Singapore news and situations like you do. After all that is a country upon which I've spent more than half-my-lifetime (true at least until I've lived to a very ripe old age). What I am consciously telling myself though, is to let go and put some emotional distance between me and Singapore -- focus on my life in Canada instead. It would be more helpful to my family and friends if I do not need their support for my survival in Canada, right?<br /><br />Cheers, WD.Winking Dollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14045187430930181570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452590323401882895.post-46252671032968355272013-04-24T02:14:09.464-07:002013-04-24T02:14:09.464-07:00I still read about Singapore news and situation, e...I still read about Singapore news and situation, even though I do not care about the MIW. What I do care about, are my families and friends I grew up with. <br /><br />Even though what happens to Singapore will not affect me physically, it will still affect me mentally... So WD, if your family and friends fall into hardship back in Singapore, will it affect you?Seraphimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04313738311988021022noreply@blogger.com