Public sector worker says he’s “waiting eagerly for more layoffs” in Singapore if S’poreans don’t “let go of their ego, chasing private sector jobs”

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean faced severe backlash from other Singaporeans online for expressing on NTU Confessions Facebook page that he is ‘anticipating more layoff news ahead.’

“Let go of the ego and chasing private sector jobs, especially with the current wave of mass layoffs,” he wrote. “Waiting eagerly for more layoff news ahead and see how y’all perform,” he added.

He also argued that many technical skills people currently possess will soon become obsolete due to advancements in AI, leaving workers vulnerable to being replaced by technology.

Having secured a local scholarship himself, he urged others to pursue similar opportunities.

“As for me, I’m content and ready to contribute positively to SG, one united. We truly live in a meritocratic society, and those who think too highly of themselves will likely struggle in the coming years,” he went on.

“What we need are empathetic individuals to shape the future of this country—those with arrogance can be easily replaced by AI,” he exclaimed.

The post, shared on Sunday (Oct 20), was initially meant to encourage Singaporeans to consider pursuing careers in the public sector.

However, the Singaporean’s insensitive remarks toward those affected by job losses triggered widespread criticism from the online community.

“People like you should not be in the public sector.”

The post quickly gained traction, with many commenters condemning the man for his lack of empathy toward those who had lost their jobs.

One commenter bluntly wrote, “People like you should not be in the public sector. You just want to see others fail to feed your ego.

You’ll never make it far with this type of mentality. Even if you become a manager, you will constantly be weary of your subordinates outdoing you instead of trusting them to do well.

A one-man strong management will never get very far.”

Another pointed out the irony in the post: “You say you want to contribute to Singapore but are hoping for mass layoffs and retrenchment that will inevitably hurt Singapore’s economy. I hope you see a contradiction here.”

A third commenter remarked, “The last paragraph smacks of arrogance. This person takes delight in other people’s failures!”

Several others joined in, noting that retrenchment isn’t limited to the private sector, with one person saying:

“The public sector also got retrenchment, just that they do it discreetly, unlike those loud announcements made in the private sector. Don’t get too happy.

And joining public service is a noble job to serve the public, so your motivation is wrong to use it as an iron rice bowl to escape retrenchment; not sure how you will help yourself in the long run with this kind of mindset.”

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Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)