SINGAPORE: Between the brutal job market, influx of foreign talents, sky-high housing prices, and now yet another round of transport fare hikes, one 25-year-old man has thrown his hands up and declared that he’s simply “no longer proud to call himself a Singaporean.”
In a post on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit, the man shared that he used to be filled with national pride, especially after completing his National Service. He said he served as “combat fit,” went through all the madness with his “bros” in a decent but exhausting unit, and despite the pain, he genuinely felt proud of wearing the uniform back then.
However, after stepping into the working world, that pride began to fade as he came to feel that locals are no longer valued in their own country. He remarked that those in power seem to prefer “foreigners more than locals, love the rich from other countries, while its own citizens suffer doing Grab deliveries and working overtime.”
He continued, “Eh, it’s okay, come enjoy some GST vouchers, enjoy some CDC vouchers. But how can we enjoy the loss of identity, when every day I go to work, I don’t even hear Singlish most of the time now?”
“Singapore may be a country I call home, where the rivers flow or whatever… but I no longer feel proud to call myself a Singaporean, and it’s diving deeper into a depressing and sad state. [I’ve stepped] into an unknown job market, where money is so unstable, housing is so expensive, and transport fares are increasing whenever the government wants to.”
“Every country has its own problems.”
In the discussion thread, numerous Singaporean Redditors echoed the post author’s sentiments, stating that they, too, are growing weary of being undervalued in their own homeland.
One said, “Same. You and me. I do not feel proud to be a Singaporean.”
Another wrote, “We are about the same age, and I share and empathise with your thinking. I too was once proud and patriotic to call this place my home, but in recent years, I have begun to question what really is Singapore?”
“It is unfortunate that our age group (those born in 95-early 00s) is facing the blunt of the aftereffects of large-scale migration of foreign talents.”
A third said, “You’re not alone. And welcome to the club of realisation. And imagine, people were already feeling like this since 5-10 years ago. Just keeps going downhill.”
Still, not everyone in the thread was on the same page. Some argued that Singaporeans, despite their frustrations, are still in a much better position than many others and continue to enjoy plenty of privileges that foreigners don’t.
One Redditor laid it all out, saying, “Things you’ve enjoyed as citizens — subsidised education, subsidised healthcare, a powerful passport, voting [rights], BTO, tax subsidies, government handouts, CPF, the ability to work here without needing a permit, and the right to reside in SG without any permit. [These are] things foreigners don’t get. So tell me again, how does the government love foreigners more than locals?”
Another chimed in, agreeing that while life in Singapore isn’t easy, the benefits and stability the country provides are things many others can only dream of.
“Travel more and you will realise Singapore is not as bad as you think,” they said. “I am not saying Singapore is great, but every country has its own problems.”
In related news, many Singaporeans expressed their dismay online after the Public Transport Council (PTC) announced on Tuesday (Oct 14) that the card fare for adults on public buses and trains will go up by 9 to 10 cents from Dec 27.
For cash fares, the increase will be 20 cents for adults and other commuters, 10 cents for seniors and people with disabilities, and five cents for students.
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