Disclaimer. I am so fucking angry I am going to fucking swear. So if you don't like the word fuck, well you have the chance to surf away now. If you don't like personal attacks, then fuck off, go read another website. Now earlier today the website Theonlincitizen posted a link to the news report of this incident on their Facebook page which attracted a lot of xenophobic and heartless remarks from Singaporeans. This is going to be a Xiaxue-style naming and shaming exercise, because these fuckers are so fucking stupid that they don't realize they when they post a remark like that on Facebook, then you are putting your name next to that remark - you're not even doing it anonymously you fuckwits. So here we go, the following comments are taken from this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theonlinecitizen/posts/478963365475923 All the links for the Facebook links of these selfish fuckers are all active, so you can go directly to their Facebook profiles and see their fucking ugly faces.
Leon Chow Good move. I can't imagine we accepting 1 million People just because they turn up at our shore.
Oh yes, on Leow Chow's Facebook page he has the picture of a church. This guy is a fucking Christian - hey Leon, what does your Christian faith teach you about compassion? What does your Christian god say about the quality of mercy? You fucking hypocrite - you go to your church and sing your hymns but when it comes to showing a bit of compassion to 40 refugees in such desperate circumstances, all you can think of is yourself. You fucking hypocrite. You and your fucking hypocritical religion - you're showing the true face of how fucking selfish you Christians are. What an utter disgrace to your church, your religion and to yourself you are Leon Chow. What is the fucking point of going to your church when it creates fucking selfish monsters like you? What is the fucking point of your faith, your Jesus and your bible and all those teachings about mercy and compassion you fucking asshole?
Fazrin Affendi we have too many refugees from China and Philippines.. sorry but WE'RE FULL
Justin Tang Sorry we are really full
For fuck's sake Frankie, there are 5 million people in Singapore, not 8 million you fucking idiot. Get your facts right. If you don't even know the population of Singapore, then you should verify your facts before shooting off on Facebook and exposing your ignorance for the world to see.
Frankie Png There many countries which are huge with own resources cannot even accept them. We have no resources and land, how can we open our doors. Giving them food and medicines which is already a generosity for a small island with 8 million people. This is so hard to please, humanity or sustainability?
Pow Liang Wei Those people who say we are emotionless. Yes, we are. Also, why come Singapore? How about going a Muslim country instead, ie. Malaysia, Indonesia? In fact, Malaysia is closer!
Sharon Chia our little speck island is already overcrowded..why landed in singapore instead of other bigger countries nearby to where you came from? is it because we are richer than the rest? then don't call us selfish if we don't accept you, because it is your own fault that you wanted to come here. If we should give you space, home and job, you will probably bite the hands that feed you, and if we give you jobs, perhaps you will also start criticizing our own citizens..so dont call us heartless, we had enough crappy foreigners here who create trouble, problems and dirty our once clean country, and foreigners from 3rd world countries who dont appreciate living in our kind and generous country.. so sorry..but it's not that you are poor..but we just cannot open a can of worms and have many spill overs.. so it is your very own fault that you choose to land here.
Siow Jia Rui there is no reason for Singapore to accept these refugees. Larger countries like Australia or Malaysia have consistently turned away boatloads of refugees. The government cannot even take care of the needs of Singaporeans, what more refugees?
Siow Jia Rui we are not running a charity here! Foreigners (whether expats or refugees) without a proper job and who cannot contribute to our country should not be here. Simple as that!
There are far more fucking selfish and heartless Singaporeans I can name and shame - but sadly, there are just too many fucking assholes in Singapore for me to insult them all one by one by one. I do recognize that not all Singaporeans are that fucking selfish and heartless - sure there were plenty of messages of outrage and anger on that same Facebook page, but this is what I mean about Singaporeans being fucking selfish. These 40 refugees are in such a desperate situation and you have the fucking cheek to turn them away - may the people who made that decision meet a horrible death and may the lot of you who were shamed here end up stateless as refugees with no more than the clothes on your body (preferably without) - then you can beg for mercy and hope that others will not be as fucking selfish as you are.
My point is simple: these are refugees fleeing genocide. It's fucking genocide, do you know the meaning of that word you idiots or do you need a dictionary? They cannot be compared to foreign workers coming to Singapore to work as bus drivers - how can you confuse the two issues? Are you totally incapable of trying to be reasonable? How would you feel if you had to flee a genocide, to try to save your life?
My point is simple: these are refugees fleeing genocide. It's fucking genocide, do you know the meaning of that word you idiots or do you need a dictionary? They cannot be compared to foreign workers coming to Singapore to work as bus drivers - how can you confuse the two issues? Are you totally incapable of trying to be reasonable? How would you feel if you had to flee a genocide, to try to save your life?
I normally decorate my blog posts with pictures and videos, I even felt like posting a picture of Siow Jia Rui to name and shame her - but I don't want you to focus on how ugly her selfishness and heartlessness is, I don't want this to be about "ooh Limpeh posted a picture of that selfish nasty bitch" - instead I want you to remember the desperation of these Rohingya refugees. Shame on you Singapore, you are a fucking disgrace as a country.
Continue reading here Part 2 http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/rohingya-refugees-exposing-lies-of-pap.html Also, please remember to scroll down and read some of the comments left by my readers. Thanks. If you are visiting my blog for the first time, welcome. Please do check out the rest of my blog.
Continue reading here Part 2 http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/rohingya-refugees-exposing-lies-of-pap.html Also, please remember to scroll down and read some of the comments left by my readers. Thanks. If you are visiting my blog for the first time, welcome. Please do check out the rest of my blog.
this is absolutely disgusting. where is the compassion?
ReplyDeleteThere are two issues here - it's one thing to be selfish and heartless in private, it's another to go online and shout about it as if it is something to be proud about. Like, how totally screwed up are these people? Where do I begin? Nobody is expecting you to do anything at this stage - the ship has been turned away and is now headed towards Indonesia (where hopefully it'll be allowed to dock). But for these assholes to boast their nasty, seflish cruel ideas on Facebook like that ... they're asking for it. They need to learn to think before they open their mouths and post their thoughts on Facebook.
Deletexenophobic, hateful and nationalist attitudes are not any better if kept in private.
Deleteactually I feel it is good to see what people really think. then I know what I have to fight against.
so the problem is less that people post what they think, but their attitudes and 'values'.
this whole issue is definately interesting to analyse. where does this 'heartless and hateful' attitude come from?
This is horrible... Singaporeans seem to be so blinded by anger and discontent towards foreigners - but it is not an excuse :(
ReplyDeleteExactly. These are just 40 refugees fleeing GENOCIDE and all these Singaporeans can think about are foreign workers taking their jobs?!?! It's unreal. That's why I flipped and had to do this post. Normal service will resume shortly when Limpeh is no longer in "LIMPEH BUAY SONG" mode.
DeleteFrom response of many Singaporeans towards the SMRT driver stike and Rohinya refugee incidents, I am rather shocked. I am shocked that these people are ignorant or lazy to find out more facts before shooting off comments in public domain. These people have such strong emotions against foreigners that these emotions cloud their thinking ability. I am not too sure whether these people are immature and they may regret what they have said now. I respect their own rights to express their views, but I am just sad for myself that I am surrounded by these people.
ReplyDeleteHi - thanks for sharing your comments. The fact is, social media is not the same as having a chat with friends or family in the privacy of your home where no one else can hear what you say. You post it on Facebook or Twitter - it is in the public domain; even if these people are entitled to their opinion, they should really learn to think twice before they mouth off like that in social media. Didn't they learn a thing or two from the Xiaxue incident earlier this year? Apparently not.
DeleteWhat would you have done if you were the PM? - Henry Goh
ReplyDeleteHa! Good question. Singapore can afford to show some compassion. The fucking PAP is a bunch of over-paid useless fuckwits. I would reduce the salaries of all these inept fuckwits in the PAP by 80%, put the money in a special fund which will be dedicated to helping the underprivileged in Singapore as well as for refugees. I'm not asking for even a cent from hardworking Singaporeans - rather, I am saying, the fat cats at the top can afford to share. The PAP are such a corrupt bunch of liars, I'd sack the lot of them and with the money saved, I would use some of it to help the 40 refugees - give them the option of temporary refuge in Singapore
DeleteWhy do you Singaporeans always think "oh i am already struggling to make ends meet and you want me to support refugees?" Why don't you think for a minute, you have the world's most highly paid politicians in the world - the PAP is so fucking corrupt, fucking you guys over and over again day after day. Why not get them to show some compassion to the refugees? They're rich enough, they're all sitting on this big pile of money - what's wrong with you Singaporeans? Blind spot?
There was a small refugee camp at 25 Hawkins Road (Woodlands) - where Vietnamese refugees were given temporary shelter before either repatriated to Vietnam when the war was over, or resettled in a 3rd country.
well ... Singapore was from a fishing village to a city ...
Delete1. the 3rd world mentality is hard to lose
2. the selfishness of the new generation
3. those who never went thru poverty
4. paper driven mentality (enter an exceptional good school but no fucking morals)
We have more than 80 useless MPs in SG. What is $2 per day from their pockets to help feed these refugees (only 40 of them - half the size of ministers in cabinets) temporarily? Bloody hell PAP Government is surely inviting wrath of God in the form of natural disasters unto Singapore! Heartless Bastards..... Grrrrrr....
DeleteActually, fishing village folks are actually quite compassionate. It is city dwellers that tend to be hard-hearted.
DeleteI remember the Vietnamese boat people being turned away in the 1980s
ReplyDeleteThere was a small refugee camp at 25 Hawkins Road (Woodlands) - where Vietnamese refugees were given temporary shelter before either repatriated to Vietnam when the war was over, or resettled in a 3rd country. It is crazy what the Singapore government did back then, unless it was to direct them to Johor which is about 1 km away from the northern most tip of Singapore.
DeleteI like the system they have in the Netherlands - asylum seekers are processed very efficiently. Genuine cases are granted asylum and offered the help they need - those which cannot prove their case or are deemed bogus are deported swiftly. It's a system that works - that way, Netherlands fulfils its obligation to humanity by taking in genuine refugees whilst it is not seen as a 'soft-spot' or easy-target for those trying to shop around for the best country to go to.
The Navy used to intercept the boats, pass food to them, then tow them back out into international waters. I understand there were many unpleasant incidents.
DeleteUnpleasant? That's an understatement.
DeleteLeon Chow et al, one day when you turn up at heaven's gate, my guess is good old Peter will you away as heaven is full. Then again, you and your kind who only have the shallow-est understanding of christian teachings, wouldn't be heading up anyway.
ReplyDeleteWell said Yip! :)
DeleteJesus saves the worse of us
DeleteSo what the hell is your 'Jesus' doing for these Rohingyas eh? Where is your god when there is all this genocide happening? What are Singaporean Christians taught about the quality of mercy, of showing compassion and humanity?
DeleteI am an ex-Christian and have attended years of bible study and church and am rejecting religion after seeing so many ugly, nasty, selfish, evil christians who talk the talk but never walk the walk. They talk about all these christian principles but when it comes to practising them in real life - such as showing some compassion to refugees? Hell no. Such fucking hypocrites you Christians can be.
I was reading this article and wondering the point of it all and also whether the author (i read this blog often enough, and i don't think i know his name, so paiseh) has any right to chastise the people he did in that manner.
ReplyDeleteFirstly i disagree and agree with the thoughts of many on the issue of Singapore accepting those fleeing such terrible circumstances. But by far and large the comments showcased here display a lack of compassion for the human being that i find appalling, honestly. Even reading it i found that i foung myself muttering curses under my breath at these "idiots" (i'm capable of much more colourful language). So i guess, i'm no different than "limpeh", except that i do not explicitly state my stance on the issue of compassionless Singaporeans, atleast not so much to publish a blog article on it.
But i do see their point, somewhat, i just don't agree on their manner of expression. We (Singapore) do have a certain limitation on being able to accept refugees, i guess that would be part of the reason why the state has a position on not accepting refugees. But this problem is largely a space constraint issue, not really that we are lacking the resources (financial and material) to support these refugees. Some would step forward and say that the state's resources belong to Singaporeans and not every random group of refugees that come our way. But have we as Singaporeans no sense of Compassion?
We can't do everything, but we can do something. Usually i hate throwing money at a problem to make it go away, but we can maybe revisit that idea. These refugees are muslims, and i believe that the neighboring muslim countries would be atleast sympathetic to their plight. Can an arrangement be made perhaps that they be housed in these countries? But perhaps to remove the apprehension on our neighbours from accepting the refugees we could perhaps relieve them of some if not all of the financial burden? Provide them with education and training to be economically viable in their host countries? Teach them to fish per se?
This persecution of these people is obviously a problem, and refugees floating about makes it a regional one. We need to do our parts as responsible members of the regional/international community to help these people out.
Hi Brutus, I go by the name 'Limpeh' (Hokkien for 'yours truly' or literally, 'your father') or LIFT (the acronym for the title of my blog here). I'm here to write as a social commentator rather than do the Facebook thing and talk about myself - though I do use examples from my life to inspire my stories, such as the recent discussion on the healthcare system after I broke my ankle after a gymnastics accident.
DeleteSingapore used the 'space constraint', "oh we're a tiny island" argument in refusing to accept Vietnamese refugees during the Vietnam war - but wait a minute, the PAP is so desperate to aggressively grow the population from what was around 4 million to 6.5 million by desperately recruiting new Singaporeans from China? PRCs to you my friend - what gives? It is blatant self-contradiction - you claim there is no room for a few thousand refugees, yet you're going to find room for an extra 2.5 million new migrants (mostly from China)? Such blatant lies from the PAP - and you Singaporeans just sit back and take this PAP bullshit? And 60.14% of you still vote for that bunch of fucking liars?
As for the resources belonging to Singaporeans - think again. http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/why-averages-dont-matter.html Singapore has a HUGE wealth gap - Singapore is one of the richest countries in the world. Depending on which measure you use, Singapore is definitely top 3 in the world (no. 1 by some measures in fact) if you look at the country AS A WHOLE. Mind the gap Brutus - the wealth gap. If you were to however, look at some of the Singaporeans in the heartlands who are struggling to make ends meet, do they get any help from the government (who are so bloody rich BTW)? Is the wealth equally shared? Hell no. So even if you argue that the state's resources should belong to Singaporeans - I have news for you. The bulk of it is held by the PAP and their very corrupt cronies and you ordinary citizens see precious little of it. Wake up and smell the coffee.
As for your argument about the refugees being Muslims - good grief. I am appalled. I am an atheist who rejects all organized religion but I feel compassion on the basis of my HUMANITY - it is what makes me a human being, this very basic quality of being able to show mercy, compassion and love. Compassion is not dependent on religion, ethnicity, race, language, culture or any other man-made construct or definition. It comes from the heart, it is what makes us humans and not beasts.
And your fishing comment is just bloody condescending - refugees are NOT people who are economic migrants with no skills. They were happily living in their own communities until one day, disaster strikes - in this case, GENOCIDE. They had to flee, leaving behind everything they hold dear to them and flee for their lives. Many have seen parents, siblings and children butchered along the way. But these are not uneducated people without skills - many of them have had jobs back in their hometowns where they worked hard to support their families. How can you make a comment like "teach them to fish per se"? How fucking condescending is that for fuck's sake? Give them language lessons to help them adjust to a new country - but otherwise, ask them what they did in their home country and help them find work in the same industry so they can be productive and adjust quickly. These refugees don't expect hand outs - they want to be able to work and be productive and support their families. All they need is help with adjusting to a new country (language barrier etc).
Although I'm not as colourfully-expressive as LiFT I do believe anyone vile enough to make the comments those xenophobes made should be prepared to get back all the hate they initiated IMHO. They posted publically, what's wrong with shaming them again?
Delete40 people (who are fleeing death) aren't going to take up a lot of space anyway and Singapore is rich as hell.
Cheers!
PLEASE DON'T PAINT ALL SINGAPOREANS WITH THE SAME BRUSH
Deleteanyway... your arguments are also flawed and illogical
"If you were to however, look at some of the Singaporeans in the heartlands who are struggling to make ends meet, do they get any help from the government"
Dear Limpeh: if the government can't even help its own people.......... who will they choose to help? OWN PEOPLE or refugees..............
Official policy: Singapore cannot accept Rohingya refugees should they attempt to land, but would help them depart for another country
Some help is better than no help, and helping them go elsewhere is way better than deporting them back to their country.
"Give them language lessons to help them adjust to a new country - but otherwise, ask them what they did in their home country and help them find work in the same industry so they can be productive and adjust quickly."
What will they do? be an accountant in a big 4 firm? Work in macDs?
Is there any land in Singapore for you to farm?
Any open waters for you to fish?
If they are willing to work as domestic help for $500, sure. why not..
Singapore doesn't even have enough places in schools.. send all their kids to ITE?
"PAP is so desperate to aggressively grow the population from what was around 4 million to 6.5 million by desperately recruiting new Singaporeans from China? "
WTF. my friend's HUSBAND,legally married, from FIRST WORLD Sweden, with a MASTERS degree, couldn't even get a work permit here. its not like open season that everyone can come..
Dear Wong, thanks for your comment - life isn't interesting when everyone agrees with you, so thanks for playing the devil's advocate.
Delete1. The government CAN help its own people, but they choose not to. That's why foreigners like Sun Xu and Alvin Tan get very generous scholarships whilst locals have to queue up for 2nd hand textbooks. It's always been jobs for foreigners, NS for Singaporeans. The PAP doesn't love you - it's a hard fact to swallow, but tough shit, get used to it.
2. Singapore can do so much more - but doesn't. Your argument that "at least we don't deport them back" - WTF? Where is your humanity? This piece is all about humanity - with you being Singaporean, they've somehow bred the humanity out of you as well?
3. Read my part 2 here on the issue: http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/rohingya-refugees-exposing-lies-of-pap.html Many refugees have gone on to achieve great things - you're being racist in looking down on the Rohingyas, typical. I believe in giving them a chance to prove themselves - they're not stupid, they're just unfortunate to be born in a place like Myanmar where they don't have any chances. Do you think Singaporeans are more intelligent per se, or are they simply lucky enough to be born in a country with a decent education system and plenty of chances?
4. Ref schools: that's the PAP importing so many PRCs to take your kids' places at school, are you blind to that? Why do you think there are 1 million PRCs in Singapore today? No space for 40 refugees?
5. Sweden = not Chinese. The PAP are aggressively importing PRCs because Chinese people are not having enough babies and they want to maintain the Chinese majority ratio in Singapore. Open your eyes lah, tolong: where did all these PRCs come from? 1 million of them in Singapore - you've not noticed them yet, hello?
I fully concur too!!!
DeleteI fully concur
ReplyDeleteCheers mate, working on part 2 now!
DeleteThe intelligence - emotional as well as intellectual - of those people is directly proportional to the privacy levels they had set for their FB profiles.
ReplyDeleteOK people, part 2 is ready: http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/rohingya-refugees-exposing-lies-of-pap.html
ReplyDeleteLimpeh, amidst the multitude of profanities, I must say I enjoyed your rant. Nothing speaks more than a human being with true compassion for the human race which sadly, a lot of Singaporeans don't have. I think what all Singaporeans need is a lesson on emotional intelligence (which you can't teach unfortunately) and a hefty dose of mindfulness.
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy to shut people off turning them away when you happen to live in one of the most affluent countries in the world. Yes, you ungrateful brats. Go live in a 3rd world country (which I have) and then you might realize the cushion your arse sits on day in and day out. I've lived away from home for years and when you're the only one of a different skin colour (amidst subtle racial slurs) in a less than cosmopolitan city like Singapore, you begin to feel your 'mortality'. It humbles you and teaches you acceptance and tolerance. The reason why so many Singaporeans would turn refugees and immigrants away. They've never been on the receiving end. Period.
So thank you for your thoughts Limpeh. It's comforting to know there is still humanity left.
Peace.
Thanks ND. I am so happy to read your message and know that there world is a better place because people like you exist :)
DeleteLove & peace 2 u too :)
Hi ND and Limpeh
DeleteDitto. Seems like Singaporeans who are capable of making such xenophobic remarks are TYPICALLY those who have spent most of their lives in Singapore and have never lived abroad before. Their tunnel-vision view on current affairs is simply quite appalling. I am flabbergasted and utterly disgusted by some of these comments. It does not just demonstrate a lack of worldly knowledge, it also implies an innate lack of empathy. I dare say that if these people fleeing their homeland had a choice, they would probably prefer not being refugees... It is not something anyone would want for themselves or their families.
If Malaysia or China WERE TO EVER invade Singapore--which I suppose can be done in a couple of days--let's see what these Singaporeans would say...
Peace
Hi Peishan, you know what totally pisses me off? A lot of these xenophobic comments about Rohingyas becoming a burden on the state, being uneducated and unskilled- for crying out aloud, they're not stupid people, they are people who were denied basic rights like citizenship, health care and education. Give them a chance to prove themselves and they will show you that they are as intelligent and capable, if not more so, then your average Singaporean.
DeleteThink about your average spoonfed Singaporean who gets bludgeoned through the education system with the help of pushy parents and tuition teacher - and they think that on the basis of that privilege, they are somehow better than the Rohingyas? They are luckier, not better. This sense of arrogance on their part, it's fucking disgusting. It's downright racism - they don't even pause for a moment and think, "what if I was born in a country like Zimbabwe, Myanmar or Afganistan instead of Singapore?"
That's why I'm so bloody pissed off.
You are absolutely right. In the past, I pointed out some inaccuracies on a TOC article and was faced with nonsensical, unrelated replies. I dearly hope that it's just the TOC dwellers who are this imbecilic.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have children in future, I'll never let them grow up in a country full of such people, because they'll be getting rubbish influence from all these people
ReplyDeleteHi Yu Xuan, I actually did grow up in Singapore as well. I went to a Singaporean primary school, a secondary school, a JC and served NS - yet ... I managed to see the world (please read ND's comment above) and realized that so many things that Singaporeans take for granted ... allow me to quote him/her:
Delete"Go live in a 3rd world country (which I have) and then you might realize the cushion your arse sits on day in and day out. I've lived away from home for years and when you're the only one of a different skin colour (amidst subtle racial slurs) in a less than cosmopolitan city like Singapore, you begin to feel your 'mortality'. It humbles you and teaches you acceptance and tolerance. The reason why so many Singaporeans would turn refugees and immigrants away. They've never been on the receiving end. Period."
There you go. That's the answer. It is important to get out of Singapore to see the world - there is so much to experience and learn out there in this planet of ours. All the best.
While I agree that we should not be xenophobes, and I disagree with many of PAPs policies and stance - on global warming etc, helping in any way is better than doing nothing at all:
ReplyDeleteIF u see a homeless person in the park- will you buy him a a home?
Should the USA let all the Mexico illegal immigrants in to their country?
In my opinion, yours it too cynical.
Hello again. I believe there should be compromises for the 2 situations you have discussed above.
Delete1. Yes there are homeless people around (in London where I live) - the solution is for me to donate to a charity which helps these homeless people. There are charities like Shelter which runs a hostel, to make sure they're not sleeping rough on the streets and helps them on the road back to gainful employment and a meaningful life. I personally support a number of charities which do a range of such activities to help underprivileged people both locally and internationally.
2. America should accept that there are going to be plenty of Mexicans working in America legally or not - so they should relax their work permit policy, to enable Mexicans who can prove that they have a job to work legally in America. This should be restricted to skilled Mexicans: nurses, technicians, plumbers, electricians, physiotherapists etc - so the onus would be then on Mexicans to train and acquire such useful skills before applying for a work permit to come to America. There should also be an English test as well for potential Mexican migrant workers - so they will be welcomed in America as useful members of society, rather than illegals who are desperate, poor and don't even speak English.
There are many ways that the PAP can help these Rohingyas - you are way too defensive of the PAP, did it occur to you that they're totally salah?
1. a token donation really does not absolve your guilt for not doing more for the homeless, on the other hand you expect a nation to open its doors, grant citizenship to a load of uneducated and unskilled people all in the name of goodness. Honestly, is it just me that sees a double standards here? shouldn't you then, perhaps invite the homeless into your home for a hot meal and clothe them?
Delete2. America has little issues with Mexicans who has secured jobs in America before entering the country, they have an issue with Mexicans who illegally crosses the border to seek jobs in US.
So now your stand is that for US, the Mexicans suffering from the terror of the violent and exploitive cartels should educate themselves and learn a new skill before trying to move to America whereas Singapore should just open it's gates and grant citizenship to uneducated and unskilled people? whats the rationale here?
"Salah"or not is purely subjective, in objectivity, you do not have detailed economic analysis to have a substantiated case on whether the Rohingyas will be a liability or otherwise to the nation as a whole, you're simply thinking on an emotional high and like the old adage goes, "don't let emotions cloud your judgement"
If only running a nation is as easy and simple as you make it all sound.
ReiszRie - congratulations. You've won the prize - my next article is going to be a direct reply to you. Ever since my articles went viral on Facebook today (I am getting more hits on my blog in 24 hours than the entire month of January 2012) - I can't even respond to all the comments left here (as much as I want to) and I've only just had the time to look at my blog and all these comments coming in. But since you do represent a certain kind of Singaporean mind set that I particularly want to address, then I will do part 3 soon, addressing you directly. Please look out for it.
DeleteWong/ReiszRie,
DeleteI believe you are missing the bigger picture. We all are. Idealistic as it may sound, I hope that one day immigration control, border crossings, demarcations, segregation between countries/ethnicity would be done away with. The bigger worldview is that we are one human race. If we all could only think that way, the world would be such a more accepting place to live in. We would no longer look at what passport you hold, or what skin colour you are or what language you speak before extending a hand to help that individual.
With regards to your comment on the Mexicans in America. Even George Bush admitted that the illegal immigrants are necessary to their economy. No American in their right mind wants to do the shitty paid jobs that the illegal immigrants do.
Sure no one said running a nation was easy. But just think about yourself on the receiving end. What if Singapore suddenly erupted in civil turmoil and you had to escape as a refugee? With the tables turned, how would you feel being turned away by one of the most affluent countries in the world without an ounce of support? I doubt you would feel very good about it. I know I wouldn't. What about temporary refuge? The least Singapore could've done was to offer them that much.
Hi ND, I am still working on my reply to ReiszRie - so akan datang, please look out for it.
DeleteHeya Limpeh,
DeleteThe problem of illegal Mexican immigrants in the US is due mainly to 2 problems:
1. Poverty and mass unemployment caused by the United State's free-trade agreements with Mexico.
2. Drug-related violence due to US/Mexico's misguided war on drugs.
The US is just reaping the effects of its horrible neoliberal policies. The original poster's hypothetical question of whether US should accept all illegal Mexican immigrants is misdirection at best. It's a problem that can be solved through fairer trade policies.
Likewise Singapore would do well to use its diplomatic leverage at the national and ASEAN level with the Burmese government to stop the persecution of Rohingyas. What we also need is an proper regional human rights mechanism like the EU that can prevent this from happening in the future. All this hypothetical talk accommodating ALL refugees is really short-sighted and a major distraction.
Hi leadedbrain,
DeleteI agree that Singapore ought to use diplomatic leverage via ASEAN to help the Rohingyas in Myanmar - but would they? Could they? Just because someone is in a position to help doesn't mean they will. I am reminded of the way China is currently in bed with Mugabe because of trade with Zimbabwe, the Chinese government are the last people in the world to nag at Mugabe about human rights in Zimbabwe. Birds of a feather.
This is why I say it is important to look at the figures, statistics and facts before all these misinformed people start mouthing off, talking about hypothetical bullshit about accommodating ALL refugees. Good grief, there were 10.5 million refugees in 2011 - there are so many countries like France, Germany, UK, Canada, Sweden etc which are so friendly to refugees, so why don't the refugees go there? Please read my next article here for my analysis of the facts http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/some-facts-dealing-with-frankie-png.html
hey man..
ReplyDeletegeez u do like to judge people dont you? have you even thought that what i said was sarcasm and jump to conclusion that i am being a heartless jackass? If you still find me heartless hey its up to you man. You cant judge a person by their words but by their actions.
I have no say and i cant do anything to save these people. What have you done to society lately?
dude im muslim myself as you know THAT. I prayed for these people and those in crisis in the middle east. I fucking donate, i spread awareness.. and u just quote me base on my statement?
Dont be too righteous bro.. its not healthy..
Hello Fazrin,
DeleteI was hoping one of those people I had quoted would get back to me and I'm glad you're the first, thanks for your comment.
If what you said was meant to be sarcastic - then, no it didn't come across that way. If it was meant to be ironic, then no, it didn't come across that way either. You remind me of all those American politicians who are caught saying some rather nasty things then claim, "oh you misheard me" or "I misspoke" - misspoke, what an American word. If you want to claim that you were attempting to be ironic/sarcastic, then I hate to play the part of the English cikgu here, but it should be clear to the reader that you intend to be ironic/sarcastic - you weren't. Maaf bro, awak punya language fail lah.
And bro, I'm atheist. I don't believe in the concept of religion or god or divinity - I simply believe in humanity and the compassion that should come from our shared humanity. I don't see the world as Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Jews etc - I just see us all as human beings with this shared humanity. I may not be a believer, people have all kinds of words for atheists like me like infidel, pagan, godless etc - but I have shown far more compassion to the Palestinians and Rohingyas than so many religious people. So please, I implore you bro, don't drag religion into the argument. I'm talking about humanity, not religion, ok?
it sure grants you credibility when you exhibit an holier than thou attitude
ReplyDeleteLike I said, akan datang my reply to you in part 3.
Deletehey.. i do agree with you that people nowadays are getting heartless...
ReplyDeletebut.. i find you a very stereotypical person based on your comments on christians. and u commented to somebody saying "So please, I implore you bro, don't drag religion into the argument. I'm talking about humanity, not religion, ok?" yet "You and your fucking hypocritical religion - you're showing the true face of how fucking selfish you Christians are." was in your post?
Good Job contradicting yourself!
Edward, have a read of Fazrin's comment again - he claims that just because he is clearly a Malay (with a Malay name) and hence a Muslim, he couldn't possibly be guilty of not being compassionate towards the Rohingyas who are also Muslim.
DeleteI am disagreeing with him - I don't see the connection between his status as a person of Muslim faith and the rather offensive remark he posted on Facebook. I judge him on what he said, not his ethnicity (Malay) or his religion (Muslim) - thus I am saying that he should defend what he said rather than try to use his religion as a "get out of jail free" card.
There are Muslims who are hypocrites. There are Christians who are hypocrites. There are religious people who are guilty of all kinds of very bad things. One should never claim "because I am of this __________ (insert name of religion), I cannot possibly be guilty of this". No, I don't believe in religion, or any concept of a god/gods anyway, I am an atheist. So I judge people by their actions and I am warning Fazrin that if he had made a tactless remark which wasn't funny/amusing/ironic, then he should either defend what he said or simply apologize and just say, "Sorry, that came out wrong. I wasn't thinking."
Is Fazrin a bad person? Probably not. He's simply guilty of being bad with English and wrote something which he thought was ironic/sarcastic but clearly didn't come across the way he intended. I hate to play the part of the English teacher here - but he has to accept responsibility for his bad English if it didn't accurately reflect how he feels on the issue.
Thank you sir for this piece of writing. I totally agree with you on how this country is becoming increasingly heartless and selfish. We shouldn't be xenophobic and treat all foreigners as though they are some contagion. Sure, there are rotten eggs amongst them but i'm pretty damn sure that the majority of them are just like us Singaporeans. All they want is a better life for themselves and their families. I'm pretty sure that if given a choice, they wouldn't have chose to left their homeland to come to Singapore for work. So why can't we be more welcoming towards them. We complain that the foreigners are not well assimilated in our society. However has anyone wondered about the cause of it? It's because we isolate ourselves from them, we're not doing anything to help them blend into our society.
ReplyDeleteHEY Brutus...what is the deal with the Rohingyas being Muslims n they should b deported to the nearest Muslim country kind of mentality? Singapore is not a Muslim state but it is a Secular state. IT MEANS THAT ANYONE OF ANY FREAKING RELIGION IS ALLOWED HERE STUPID!!!! So in your nutcase of a brain, only non Muslims are allowed in? I support LIMPEH's views and come on man, its only 40 of them!!! The PAP have been snooping in Millions of PRCs, PINOYS n INDIANs under your noses this very minute!!!!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Khairul! Anyone with a heart, with any humanity, should feel compassion for the Rohingya regardless of their religion. It's ridiculous to put the burden of the Rohingya refugees solely on Muslim nations.
DeleteThe kind of excuses that some of these people cook up to justify their inaction is unbelievable - who the hell are they trying to convince with their bullshit excuses?
Singaporean's thought they are British people, truly most of them didnt able to survive in there native and migrated to singapore for food... became now singaporean ( Tribal people). Singapore govenrnment is sucking their children's blood day by day. Its not a finest country its a FINE Penalty country. They country now developing by its CASINO.Peoples Penalty fines, ERP Paying, Everything fucking expensive. Hate this country/government/Singaporeans....
ReplyDeleteHi Foreigners, You have lots of countries in the world to live.. please go there and survive, If all the foreigners comeout from singapore...there will be no action , even the plant never grow.