Singaporeans, grow up!

I reproduce the letter from Cheyenne Yee, that was printed in Today 19 January. I agree with the views expressed in the letter. We need to mature as a society.

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SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE

Dear Mervyn Tan,

I pity you.

I pity you because you were born in a country where we would rather see you in jail than embrace your talent. Although you left the country and renounced your citizenship, we still want you to pay for an offence you commited almost 20 years ago.

You did not go through the same suffering as we did, and maybe we bear a grudge against people like you. We will not forgive you since we are not mature enough.

Maybe if you were a woman, it would be easier since women in Singapore do not serve National Service (NS). It is okay for them not to do it. But it is not okay for you. You have no choice.

The moment you are born male here, you have to serve NS even if your family decided to raise you elsewhere - even if you have few memories of this place, and no longer have a sense of belonging here. Sounds illogical, but this is how we work.

So, stay away. We really do not want you back. Even if you are world-famous. Come back ony when we grow up.

Cheyenne Yee