Seven years later and still going strong

By: Warren E Carter

After being in Singapore for more than seven years now I am still learning about everything but have a pretty good feel for the most things or at least those things I care to expose my self too. I have had more exposure to the population thus increasing my knowledge of how some of the people feel and think about their country of Singapore. When ever someone is talking to me I try to keep and open mind and hear what they are saying, not just that but also how they are saying it. Complaining in one thing, while stating facts as they understand it is another. It is the ladder that I’ll base my write up on while adding in my own comments.

Living in a different country than you were raised can be a culture shock as any traveler can tell you. Coming from America to Singapore, Singapore has some major differences, some of them being culturally and the others being political. Singapore is starting on only its Second / Third generation of citizens depending or how where you start to count from. So because of this fact the country as a whole is still finding its self and the direction it wants to go.

Although Singapore wants to give a good impression of its self to the world as does any country. How are things for the person on the street, the everyday working person living from payday to payday trying to make ends meet and how do they feel Life in Singapore!

Chinese / Indian / Malaysian relations

Is Singapore the land of cultural bliss you hear so much about where ever one is happy and we all get along? Here is what I have heard from the locals and how they felt.

1. Can’t trust them / c >m / m >c / i >c
2. Lazy / c >m
3. Only look after their own kind / i-m >c
4. They will plan together against you or your kind /c >m / m>c
5. Stupid and slow learning / c >m
6. They don’t like to wash and are afraid of water / c >i
7. They will lie to you all the time / c >m
8. They don’t like our color at all so jobs are harder to get / i-m >c
9. They always scold use every time we do something wrong and never those other people / c >i
10. They think they are better then the rest of us / i-m >c
11. We are higher in status then they are / c >m
12. They will never hire one of us for a job like that / i >c

For myself when I hear comments like these I think back to growing up in the United States during the sixties and seventies and hearing comments like these about me and how it made it feel in side. General statements like those above about a race only show the intelligence level of the person saying it and sad to say some here have a very low I.Q but that is to be expected!

In October of 2005 three people were arrested for making racial remarks on their Blog sites. They we charges and fined in court and their  sites were  shut down. (You can read it in the 2005 News Section) which shows that the government is very serious about this issue in Singapore and not stand for and unrest among the different races. It also shows that the internet is being watched and one should take care about what they post.

Many from the other races feel that the Chinese Singaporean have it much better then every one else in the way of job opportunities and earning a higher wage even when given the same job as a non-Chinese. One man said to me; “Look at Chinatown, Orchard Road area, and anyplace else where there are mostly Chinese  and see how the area look, the improvements made then look a Little Indian and what do you see? The same thing you have seen of the 20 years. Nothing has changed!”

So is this a fair assessment of the over all picture of the cultural and how it is getting a long? Chances are, no!  But it is something to take note of and to keep in mind. As long as people feel this way about others in the group there will always be problems. Having so many different races living in such a small area like Singapore is bound to have it down falls no matter what kind of housing balancing act you do the HDB flats to keep it all balanced. Some non-Singaporean even believe that the capture of the territories cell members back in 2002 was staged to discredit a certain group in the country. So if this kind of thinking is going on by the people, where is the bliss everyone is told we have?

Working environment

When I came to Singapore my impression what wow what a rich country! Everyone has new cars here, dresses nice and so many high-raise buildings. On the surface everything looks great but stay here a while and it all starts to unfold before your eyes.

Doing the construction work on all the building you’ll find third world nationals living on the job site, working 7 days a week for less that S$1,500 a month on average. A wage freeze had been in place for many companies since 1999 and shows no sign of being lifted anytime soon. Right now it is an employers market in Singapore with the unemployment rate being at 4.5 percent. The workers fear loosing their jobs that have been with companies for a long time because they all know if you are close to mid-forties and looking for work most companies will not hire you and if you are over 50 it is just about impossible to find a job equal to the job you had before thus making them seek work in other fields such as security officers. Average income for a family is about S$4,000 (US$2,350) per month, which is just about enough to get by with each month with both husband and wife working.

The employer can pick and choose their new worker and will always look for the ones taking the lowest pay which in many case are the new workers to the growing work force. Adding the problem is now many jobs require some kind of certification before being hired. For the older workers many of there certifications have been lost over the years and can not be reissued or located in archived records which were poorly maintained by the issuing company. Because of this many are forced out of the job field although they are highly stilled workers. To add another twist to the knife for the older workers education levels have been raised. So what was not required back in 1970 is now being enforced and the man with a 6^th grade education that got hired then is now replaced since he can not improve his education level.

The government has in place training programs though the Ministry of Manpower (M.O.M.) and Work Force Development Agency (WDA) program to retrain the workers in other fields which are mostly labor intensive job but then we fall back to the ages and hiring practices of the employer and the number of older workers seeking jobs, often longer hours and less pay is what awaits them in their new fields of work.

High emphasis is placed on certificates and diplomas in the job markets making it an area for the fresh grads coming out of the universities in the country but even they find work hard to come by as the flock to the job fairs held by the MOM on a regular basic. A worker not having any higher education will sooner or later find them self in the unemployed line next time the company has to do any cut backs. Experience carries some weight depending on the job and the salary being paid but for more the high paying job you better have the paper work to back it up.

Looking at it from the point of and outsider to the country and with an American mentality I needed to do some serious readjustments in my work habits. Not being in a management position and starting from the bottom I knew I would have to humble myself in the work place to some degree and lay my pride aside.

Several things I noted right off was even while in the performance of your job you can be wrong when dealing with the other or even past employees and showing initiative can lead to you doing additional work and receiving nothing for it but lip service from the management on promotions. This is common in any job and nothing special but here in an Asia culture most are more concerned about their own hides and protecting their position and will not give credit where credit is due.

There is nothing in place to protect the workers since the unions are part of the government and strikes are against the law. If you tell your union representative about a problem then they will go to the government and state your case. If the government disagrees with you for any reason they say no, is it. There is no other course to take and the employer knows it. There is no minimum pay limit so you get what you get also. Factory workers working a 12 hour day 6 days a week may only make S$1000 to 1,400 a month. After you deduct your CPF, lunch money, travel money and dinner cost your take home is in the S$750 range. Not a lot when you look at the cost of day to day living in Singapore where in a single night on the town can easily cost you upwards of S$150 for 2 people and you wouldn’t even have done much.

So to say that Singapore is a wealth country would not be a truly accurate statement. While there is money here it falls in to very few hands when you consider the over all population. For those lucky enough to have S$2,500 to get a driver license and then buy a car which is on a 10 year lease, then you have to sell it for scrap or pay a high tax to renew the license. That is why you don’t see older cars here. The price of a new car will start in the S$65,000 range for a Honda and go up quickly as you move into the BMW’s and other high price cars. Along with your car payment you have road tax, parking is charged every where including in your HDB Estate. To get a credit card you have to make above S$2,500 or forget it. Since land is n short supply you can not buy your own place if you are unmarried until you reach the age of 35 and the number of apartments for rent are low so you are forced to live at home until you marry which so do solely for the reason of getting out of the house where the rest of the family may be living. So let’s say you’re married and looking at a 4 bedroom flat. Starting prices are in the 185,000 range for a 95cm place. After you get you place you then need to spend another 30 to 40,000 to make it livable since there is only a rough concrete floor and walls. Everything else has to be added by the owner of a brand new flat, cabinets, closets, lights, bathroom fixtures, kitchen cabinets, sinks, toilets, every thing has to be built. So now you have your home, you pay for parking, trash pick up, building maintenance, grounds keeping, property tax, yes property tax even though you are in a high rise, TV license, gas, electricity and water.

Here in Singapore you have to work to survive, there is no getting around it if you want to have a comfortable life. Sure you can live and just get by but that would be just what you would be doing. Prices go up every year but as I stated wages have not increased so times are getting harder on the working family yet it is said that things are better, where I don’t know and neither doesn’t any one I talk to.

Lets talk about Singapore and how things appear to work here when you refer to the working class of the country be it the factory worker or the bank executive. When Singapore became a country in 1965 there were many uneducated people living here that had migrated to the country for work. Small shop owner filled street selling their goods and employed a few helping hands. Mostly a shipping port doing export of the countries limited goods Singapore had to find a way to increase its out put and raise the economy to a higher level.

Those that had received an education or that were influential became government officials or started large companies to get things going. For those that where born back in 1965 their kids are just now moving into the job market when times are not at there best unlike the earlier days (pre-1997/98) when the economy was good and everyone was working. So each year the job market is flooded with new grads out of the school seeking the high paying job. But what is happening is that these grads are taking the job of the people that build the country and still have many years of work left in them that today are in their early 50’s and 60’s for lower pay.

What is there to do in Singapore?

Why do the Singaporean love to travel? Simple because there is nothing to do in Singapore after growing up here! And what there is to do cost too much or so the locals think. So what is there here to do, let talk a look at it and see, you can find more items and information on the sites under the Site to see in Singapore pages.

1. Sentosa Island - Underwater World / Fort Siloso / Butter Fly Park a beach area with a few bars, water slide, rides and The Merchant Museum.
2. Night Safari - Walking at night to see the animals. If you don’t have night vision goggle save your time and money.
3. The Zoo - Once you have seen one monkey you have seen them all so visit the one where you live and again save your time and money
4. The Bird Park - Never been so can’t comment or it.
5. Golf - I don’t play but hear the greens are pretty good.
6. Theater by the Bay, The Esplanade - Great concert hall for plays and music.
7. Museums - several around the island that give you a good feel for Singapore and its history and culture.
8. Wet and Wild water park – Theme water park
9. Battle Box -
10. Botanic Garden - If you are in to plants and want to enjoy a nice walk a god place to go. On Sundays they hold concerts but can’t recall which Sunday’s.
11. Chinese / Japanese Garden - Have nothing to do? This is the place to do it then.
12. Civilian War Memorial - Located by Suntec City.
13. Crocodile Farm - Never been and don’t know anyone that has!
14. Fort Canning Park - Live concerts
15. Snow City - What to go skiing this is the place.
16. Suntec City, Fountain of Wealth - Located in the middle of the Suntec towers.
17. Clarke Quay / Marina Bay - reverse buggie rides.
18. Turf Club - Horse Races
19. Night life - Over 900 bars, lounges, karaoke pub and lounges, pubs and Disco’s, 4 DRA's.
20. Go-karts - Kart World Pte Ltd Open Field, Yung Ho Road, Jurong (Behind Kentucky Fried Chicken)
21. Shopping - Orchard Road, lots of big name stores and malls on this 1.5 Km Road.
22. Changing of the Guard - Orchard Road - First Sunday of the month.
23. Botanic Gardens - Nice place to go and walk around, First Sunday of the month they have concerts in the park
24. Geylang Serai Malay Village - OK place  if you like that kind of stuff
25. National Museum of Singapore - NB
26. National Orchid Garden - NB
27. Singapore Science Centre - NB
28. Singapore Flyer Ferris Wheel in Marina Bay - It's the largest in the world
29. (Coming soon - Race Car Track, Formula 1 track) first race Sept 2008
30. (Coming soon - 2 Casino's - Marina Bay and Sentosa island ) 2010/11
31. (Deep water pier for the worlds large Cruise Ship Liners (2010)

So you have an idea of what is here but many come to Singapore for the food which it is famous for. Other reason to visit Singapore is the fact that it is very safe for the visitors and crime rates are low. With an exchange of 1.61 to 1.65 to the U.S. Dollar I don’t see much of advantage of trying to save money on some items bought here vice in the U.S. it all works out to about the same price and what you do save is some meaningless it is not worth mentioning.

Population drive: Is it intended for everyone or not?

The Singapore government is trying to get its young married couples to have babies by offering more time off from work after delivery, special trips to increase sexual drives of the couples and other packages. They have also changed the citizenship laws by saying that children born of Singaporean mother over seas will be given citizenship to Singapore which before was only granted to father of the child.

I don’t know why this has come about really and what could be the thinking behind it, the population growth rates are about 1.4 percent each year. Most Chinese-Singaporean has 2 children and stops there mostly due to the cost of raising them, school cost, housing cost and continued education after secondary school. If both parents work then they will need to hire a maid which will cost about 300 to 400 per month plus the same amount if not more to the government for having a maid. So the cost for having children in Singapore is something the couple needs to look long and hard at before taking of the prophylactics and going for it. 

Today’s Singaporean males and females are more focused on their careers and not families. For the Chinese-Singaporean many are waiting until their mid-twenty to get married while the Malay and Indian-Singaporean get married much younger and have having kids that can number up to 3 or4 on average. So given time the majority of the population will be come the minority if things continue along the same path!  

Some things will never change

People will always have their customs and beliefs that will get passed down from one generation to another. This is how we keep our way of life going and teach out children so they can pass the knowledge on to their children.

When I moved to Singapore I know little of Chinese, Malay or Indian customs. So the chance to be exposed to then at first was very interesting but after the first year I came to realization that some should fade away or at least be restricted to a certain location. The reason I say this is because of the area in which most people live. The high rise flats where families live are closely packed and reach 16 stories and higher. Under most of the building are open areas that can be used by the residence for wedding gathering, parties, funerals or anything else.

So let us take a closer look at this, during the funerals which can last 2 or 3 days the group will set up tables and chairs, tents, bring stoves to cook, portable bathroom and everything else needed for the event. During the ceremony they will begin to bang drums or some type of metal to make as much noise as possible. I assume to ward off evil sprites or something like that. This can last from early in the morning into the evening hours. Like I said before everyone is living close to each other so when you have someone banging on a tin sheet for 2 hours on a Saturday morning while you are trying to enjoy your off day, well you can for get it because it is too damn loud.

During the time of the ghost month or what is called the 7^th month is the time when the Chinese will burn fake (ghost) money in an attempt to have good luck in the next year. The belief being that the more you offer you more you will get back. If you had bad luck last year it was because you didn’t offer enough. So where does this burning take place? Yep you got it, right under your window on the grown floor. So besides having this banging noise filling your house now you have all this damn ash coming in your place landing on everything, smelling up your place and messing up your wash since few people have both washer and dryers and hang their close out to dry.

Sidewalk markets; these move from place to place and offer some great buys but on the down side they block the already thin crowded sidewalks.

Group rally's, funerals or other special events; usually held on weekends below the flats, another noisy event to get you out of bed early.

So if you chose to life in a HDB high rise these is what you have to look forward to and a few of the local customs you will become very familiar with very quickly. I understand people need to practice their customs and have a place to meet but at the same time this should be held in an area as not to bother those that are not of the beliefs but we all know this will never happen!

Overview

Singapore has it share of problems as dose any country. While some are specific to the country other are world wide. Most of the population are some what content but just about everyone has some grip of one kind or another about how things are done in Singapore. Most of the complaints come from the cost of daily items and the fact that wages are still so low while cost is going up. In the pass 2 years for example cigarettes have gone from S$6.50 to S$9.50 while wages have been frozen. It is recommended for companies to give out pay raises but with no law requiring it the companies do not feel the need to this to keep the profits high thus making them look good in the stock markets of the world. Add to that the unemployment rate the companies know that if someone is unhappy with the pay they receive and quit them a new worker can be hired and a lower rate saving them move even more money. As companies talk about cutting cost or retrenchments those close to or over the age of 50 begin to get very nervous because they know how things work in Singapore and they are most likely the ones to be cut. When the company recovers it will hire newer workers vice the older one again to save money.

In an attempt to draw more tourist Singapore is planning to build a Las Vegas style casino but plans to limit its population that can gamble there in fear that families will loss all they money and have nothing in saving to support them after have lost everything. The details are not out how this will be implemented yet but it should make for some interesting reading to say the least. So in a way what will happen if this plan is put in place you will find that Singapore will be come a two status country of the “haves and the haves not”. If you are well off and have enough money you get to enjoy all Singapore has to offer, if not, oh well sorry about that but you are not good enough to enjoy it!

The youth of Singapore have their eye on the grand prize when it come to job and the pay they expect to receive so most do not even consider factory, construction or other related jobs and they leave them to the Malaysians or other third world nationals to do. It is very rarely do see and young Singaporean working in a job that requires a 12 hours shift so over 50,000 Malaysians a day enter the country to do the work the locals find demeaning, undesirable and beneath them. In time this could change as job become harder and harder to find as the work force continues to grows limiting the number of quality 9 to 6 jobs that are offered.

When you talk to the average Singaporean you’ll find that many wish to move overseas to seek a career or after they retire to save money because to remain in Singapore would mean to continue to work because you need money to survive in Singapore. For those that obtain overseas employment work rarely return because of the new found freedom they find aboard and a richer life style that is more to their liking.

While working I had the chance to talk to many different Singaporean's from many different walks of live and age groups. This for me was a real eye-opener on Singapore. I had one student who was 70 years and and part of the Workers Party many years ago. To hear of the stories he told about  the mid-sixties and the and how things happen between  them and the People Action Party (PAP) is really interesting. While some of what he talked about I know  but the details he was able to add to the well know reports brought it all together for me.

So you may be wondering why I stay in Singapore? Well it’s like this, this is where my wife wishes to stay and it is as simple as that. If I could I would be living in the Philippines Island like a king. 

By: Kristoffer Tan

Life in Singapore - reply

MY DEAR FELLA

Singapore may have what you see as racial problem. The development of each ethnic group is base on how hard each ethnic works. It is not base on what the government gives to each ethnic. It is based on how hard each ethnic group works to develop their culture and business districts.

China Town, Malay village (Geylang Serai) and Little India.

You need investors to invest, rebuild, and attract new investment in the different areas. If there were no business opportunities, or lack of long term interest in developing the area there would be no investment pouring in to make the changes on the buildings and streets. China town Chinese has invested their money to upgrade the facilities of their building. As it is one of the more lucrative areas no doubt the government taxed businesses and most probably the government get more out of the area. Therefore the government spent more money on the infrastructures such as roads; lightings and etc. on Chinatown make sense.

Simple rule: Where the money comes where the money goes.

As for the Malay community. Geylang Serai has always been the same. The Malay community would rather have the same present Geylang Serai than an upgraded one, which simply changes everything. They are always happy with what they have.

As for the Indian community, you should read up on their history and what they are doing now and in the past. In the recent past ten years the Indian community student academic level have raised tremendously. Many worked as lawyers, businessman and teachers. Many work in the army as Physical Training Instructors or call the PTIs. Their group excels in certain areas. Since their group is small it is easy to separate the have and don’t haves. I have worked in a company, which was run by all Indians. They are hardworking and amiable people. I have a great time working for this company. I am glad that I have that experience to rectify the negative comments you made which is not totally true. I would rather build on the positive side to make things better for all the different races. Looking on the negative side breakdown the base work of a possible harmonious relationship between the ethnic groups.

For your information the Muslim in Singapore is heavily subsided in their education. Open your mouth an asked any Malay and they will tell you that their education is heavily subsidized by the government until junior college level. Another more important thing is that when the Muslim wanted to build a mosque. The Singapore government cannot say no. This is because we signed an agreement that the Muslim population will be well taken care of their needs especially on their religious practice.

(Do some research of your own country. Your country has enough troubles and problems to solve. Maybe you should voice out more for the native Indians that suffered under the so call American government who did not kept any of their promise after each election.)

You are An American. I supposed you have a good knowledge of your country’s rich historical background. The native American Indians have been neglected for the past 100 years after they had been resettled in so call reservations. In these reservations, not all of them have electrical and water supply to every home. I supposed such a “Developed” country should not have such problems. In a recent demographic by the America censorship previous year 2003, the majority American Indians still lives in a state of a third world undeveloped country status.

From Warren; I would but the site is about Singapore not the USA!

But overall, I am glad to read from a foreigner perspective about Singapore. Yes I do agree that there is a lot of changes needed to be done. But it will take time.