SINGAPORE: A Reddit user who expressed a lot of regrets over how his life was gone with regards to National Service, going to university and his future overseas was criticized by commenters for being entitled and lacking loyalty to Singapore.
The post, titled “PSA to all PRs with male kids or those looking to take on SPR,” isfrom u/ReformedandCurious was published on r/Singapore on Tuesday (Apr 18), where the post author introduced himself as “a PR who went through NS without having the maturity to decide for myself whether I really wanted to at the time alongside having parents who didn’t really look out for what I wanted.”
“My goal was simple; study local Uni for 4 years then head abroad to experience what else life could offer and eventually retire in my country of birth,” he added.
However, this has not happened, and he added that NS was an unpleasant experience that “left a sour taste in my mouth given how much disrespect me and my fellow NSFs received by regulars.”
Additionally, he says he missed out on some fine print for going to university.
“I thought the 3 year bond was for international students and not PRs. If I wanted to afford local Uni I would need to push back leaving Singapore until I was 28. I do feel slighted by the bond, having shed sweat blood and tears during my NS to be told I’m basically an intl student in the eyes of MOE.”
At the moment he feels “currently lost” and may need to go to his home country to study, “which is a shame as I would have been graduating next year if I had just stayed in the first place. I have become quite bitter as well as pessimistic, which is sad looking back at how I used to be.”
u/ReformedandCurious added that the reason for his post is “because when I was younger looking for info on whether I should do NS I didn’t find much out there and seeing this post may have helped me. So I want this post up to share my experience to help inform others kids and their parents.”
Netizens didn’t take too kindly to his post.
“To be honest, this sounds like a rather long-winded & self-entitled post to say that you only want all the benefits but none of the responsibility of being a long-term resident of Singapore,” wrote one.
“I pay my taxes to fund people like you? Everybody who went to NS shed blood sweat and tears and you’re merely using Singapore as a stepping stone and are now whining because of the 3yr tuition bond? Wow,” another said.
One asked him, “So your plan was to take SG subsidy for uni, then gtfo? Thats the entire reason why SG has the bond.”
“Blame it on parents, MoE and NS,” a Reddit user said sarcastically.
“So you’re upset you’re unable to take advantage of the system?” another asked.
/TISG