on Aug 18th, 2008Li Jia Wei IS a Singaporean [Response to Iantimothy]
This blog post is in response to Ian Timothy’s post . It was too long a response to comment, so Ian you can read it here instead 
I agree with you completely about donating money. You never know which ones are lying to you. But what we do is between us and our God(s) and what they do with the money is between them and their God(s).
HOWEVER….
I disagree with you saying that Li Jia Wei and the likes are taking Singapore for a ride, or that they are mercenaries.
You see, when I see Li Jiawei, I see a foreign talent and not a Singaporean. Sure, she is a Singapore citizen, but I doubt whether her heart has any place for Singapore. I see someone who is a mercenary. Feng Tian Wei’s case is much less redeeming.
Part of my indignation stems from the fear that they are just taking Singaporeans for a ride. They are just trying to clean us out. Sure, some may argue that we are using them too. Wrong. The powers that be are the ones who are using them. The ordinary citizens foot the bills.
They are on the same level as our construction workers, our domestic maids, our rich ang moh expats… they give us what we don’t have, and in return, they earn a living in this safe and peaceful sunny island.
Is it really wrong of these people to come here to seek a way of life, to seek for opportunity, to seek for riches and happiness? Aren’t these the very reasons why our forefathers, our ancestors arrived to this land?
What more do you want Li Jia Wei to do to prove that she’s a worthy Singaporean? I can’t think of much. She earned us a medal, gained glory for Singapore in numerous table tennis championships, paid her taxes, contribute to the economy of Singapore just by living here. That’s more than what we can say of many “true Singaporeans” like the fake beggars that has been reported, or that you have met.
Sadly, we consider these scums of society, these Singaporeans that have hands and legs and con and cheat us of our monies, true Singaporeans. What? They’re shit but at least they’re our shit?
At least our “foreign talents” earn an honest living, working as athletes, lead a decent life and continue to fight for Singapore, despite getting spit on the face by other Singaporeans.
We keep whining and bitching about how these foreigners are disrupting our way of life. They talk too loud, they don’t speak English, they smell funny etc. etc. When push comes to shove, we’re Asians, us Chinese and Indians are practical and money driven people. If it was a choice between a failing economy and bearing with slightly noisier and smeller neighbours, I bet majority of the Singaporeans would still chose the later.
If you want to criticize these “foreign talents” for coming to our country to “steal” our money, fine, go ahead and stop living in houses, stop patronizing kopitiams that hire China aunties, tell the maids to go back to Indonesia and Philippines, and as a result pay, more taxes because of the decline in women wanting to have babies due to the lack in domestic help. Don’t be a hypocrite just because foreign talents in the sports field are earning much more than these construction workers or maids.
Yes, we are all here for one reason, money. Perhaps you should go find more Singaporeans that are willing to devote their lives to building houses, doing household chores, playing table tennis day and night… not for the money… then we start talking.
Sure, maybe we should question the policy that got them here, even review it, maybe change it, but since none of us really have the monopoly on the truth about the hearts of these individuals, now that they are here, we should treat them as one of us, as a Singaporean.
Let the sin be on them, not us.
Go away.
