Freedom to voice your views

I am posting this comment by Clara Hwang (with her permission), and have done some minor editing. The original comment was posted in my Facebook (www.facebook.com/kinlian)

I am a Singaporean who moved to Aussie at the age of 26. I agree with absolutely everything Pamela says.

Certainly, there  are problems with every system in every country. There doesn't exist a flawless system that every citizen is happy with.

However, I feel that the biggest problem with Singapore is that the most basic needs, food (eg ntuc, hawker centers), transportation (mrt, taxis, buses etc), healthcare and so on have been monopolized or in some way or another linked back to the government.

It is designed to be money making enterprises, which is not entirely a bad thing, but one wonders at the end of the day, who does it truly benefit now that problems are arising and no one wants to take responsibility nor listen to the citizens, which is ironic because that's who they are meant to serve and to provide that service.

People make up a country. The government, the multi-million dollar buildings, the expansive greenery that gave us the garden city namesake, a country does not make.

The system was designed for a rapid economic growth and expansion, and granted, that has worked well for the initial 3rd world years up till this flourishing state.

However, in this day and age, Singaporeans are getting increasingly well traveled and well educated and THAT is a huge problem to that same said system because it isn't designed to answer questions or solve your problems, it exists to make money, at all costs including their people's opinions.

That freedom exists here in Australia and look what it has done for the country? People aren't afraid to speak up, or tell you to get up from your seat so the pregnant lady can have it. They are free to voice their opinions and live life however they want without the societal pressure that the cars they are driving or bags they are carrying or flats they are living in aren't fancy enough. That only exists in a tiny denomination here.

People here stop to admire and get inspired by the beauty of an alleyway that has been taken by graffiti artists. Singapore they point and look and say "woah die this fella sure tio caning and jail" and then gossip about it in forums and Facebook.

That's what Singapore needs, to develop a personality from the freedom to voice their rights and unhappiness and most importantly actually be able to physically do something about it.

Clara Hwang