Thursday, January 19, 2006

Little Pavin

While the furor over Mr. Tan’s return has finally boiled over and that the law of the land has passed its first reading, there seems to still be background noise of those who decided that National Service is beneath them. One of them, which I read with utter distaste, was a letter by a little runt who decided that his motherland is nothing more than a nuisance.

The letters is as follows:

Jan 18, 2006Let those who intend to emigrate opt out of NS I REFER to the Insight article, 'Doers & dodgers: Time to heal the rift?' (ST, Jan 14). I share the same sentiment as Mr. Paul Wong, feeling no allegiance to Singapore and not being able to assimilate into Singaporean culture even though I was born and raised here.As a child, I grew up watching classic American movies and cartoons, and listening to American-genre music like country, southern gospel and classic American oldies.My paternal aunts and uncles are Ivy League students and speak with a slight American accent and use American grammar in speech. I was influenced by them.Because I am the child of a Thai father and a Singaporean mother, I am a citizen of both Thailand and Singapore. I hold a Singapore passport and will have to serve national service next year.I do not intend to live in Singapore and, in fact, have made serious plans to emigrate to the United States in future.Many friends of mine who have gone overseas to study intend to settle down in their host country after serving national service. I do not support the evasion of national service but I appeal to the Government to make some changes to the policy.For those who do not intend to live in Singapore, there is no purpose in serving national service. It is a waste of resources for the Government and a waste of time for those affected. In my case, I will renounce my Singapore citizenship at age 21 and take on Thai citizenship. The US will be my home in future and if a war breaks out between Singapore and the US, God forbid, obviously I would help to defend the US and fight Singapore if need be.Therefore, I do not see the purpose of training men who might 'turn against' their country in unforeseen circumstances.Perhaps the Ministry of Defence could come up with a policy to permit those who intend to emigrate to opt out of national service but if they do not leave by a certain age, then they would be drafted. Patriotism and loyalty cannot be forced. It is ultimately up to an individual whether he wants to serve the country.Pavin Limanont

Little Pavin, There is only 1 thing that I give you, that is you actually have the gall to say such things. You are probably outspoken and truthful but really, I hope you are not out to just get your 15 min of fame.
Well, if its infirmary that you want, you had achieve it. In fact, while some corners of Singapore might honor Mr. Melvin Tan for his return and his accomplishment in music, we really have nothing but scorn for you. First off, for 17 years of your miserable life, you have been given a somewhat safe environment to grow up in, your parents need not fear that you have been kidnapped nor worried that you have either take too much marijuana or shot yourselves in the stupor that follows. Neither was there fear that your skin color might not be accepted among equals and be relegated to being second-class citizen.

Your education, while might not have been the best in the world and perfect, had allowed you to write a letter that is legible despite its distasteful content. Unfortunately, you are still a failure of the system, as it did not inculcate a value of honor and patriotism to the country that you grew up in. It could be by your very nature vile and lack of a sound morale fiber. As such, you are more a liability than an asset to any country that you pledge your allegiance to. If 17 years did not leave a single shred of belongingness to a country which did you no wrong, woes to the 1 that you are disgruntled or might eventually be disillusioned to as you will not hesitate to sell your gun to whomever that caught your fancy. The lacking in principle likens you to a snake, which has no spine and bends. (Sorry to all the snakes that I offended, ok, worm…. sorry to the worms too)

I was born in Malaysia and am now a Singapore Citizen. The path that I partook was not easy and that I always remember the difficulties that my mother and I went through just so that I can be a Singapore Citizen. It was more of a struggle that took 15 years and I always look back with a tinge of pride when I received my pink IC. While I might not agree with some of the policies and the rationale of the Nation, but if asked to, taking up arms and laying down my life is something that I would not hesitate to do.

I in fact feel sorry for your mother and your paternal aunts and uncles, which are probably good people capable in their own rights, to have someone like you associated with them is probably tarnish to their good names. Having relatives that are Ivy League graduate does not qualify you automatically to greatness. You probably have to prove it and work at it rather than just coming here and bitch about it.

Little Pavin, if you are not happy with being called up to serve the nation, just go. You are free to go to that Ivy league colleague of yours and study and get your little head-start in life like so many who did. In fact, some of them were sponsored by this nation, which you spurned and while not all, a great many of them do come back, served their time for this nation. That in a word is called gratitude, the meaning of which might be alien to one such as you.

The only reason that I see you writing this letter at this time is that, you do not cut it for Ivy League, In fact, I even wonder if your O level was anything to write home about. Which is why you are writing this letter in a hope that they will let you get away with it without your parents needing to pay a bomb for an oversea education that will be lost on you, not to mentioned the 30K bond that they will need to put up of which you will surely caused it to be forfeited.

All in all, I would say that you are lost cause, while you come out and say what you feel, you just reaffirm that you and others like you are nothing more than some self-centered pukes that I despise.

Really, if you want out, go now; just get out, right now.

29 comments:

DK said...

Well said!!!

Anonymous said...

I believe loyalty and patriotism cannot be forced. Just as you, a born-Malaysian, felt no pride or joy being one and subsequently became a Singaporean, why do you fault Pavin for having similar emotions about the country of his birth ?

putitthisway said...

Yes, it cannot be forced, but if you dun like it, just get out... why ask a government of a nation that you are willing o foresake allegiance to cut you some slack just so that you can get it easy with life. If someone wants to leave, just leave and dun expect any favours just because you want to have it easy. There is no such thing as having your cake and eat it without paying.

Anonymous said...

Unless I've read his letter wrongly, his point was that the govt should allow those who intend to leave Singapore to opt out of NS. Currently the laws do not allow that ie. if you're a Singaporean, you can only renounce your citizenship after serving NS. What favours are you referring to ? He's not asking the govt to pay for his airline ticket or relocation expenses.

putitthisway said...

And what next? maybe we should also allow him to buy a HDB flat at the "Discounted" price despite the fact that he is no longer a Singapore citizen???

Look, asking to be let off without any repercussion just because his heart is not here is worst than asking for relocation and airfare. Its like saying in a marriage that Ihave all intend to divorce, I will commit adultery now, but please do not haul me to court and sue me for half my asset and let me keep the children as well. As long as you are still holding that pink IC, you will be required to meet your obligation as a citizen. Plain and Simple. Was that so difficult to understand???

Anonymous said...

Tsk, tsk, hasn't anyone ever told you analogies are almost always fallacious ? I'll point out which part of yours is. Before you can divorce, you'd have to go through marriage right ? So, you chose to get married, hence it is right for you to say that each party in a marriage has obligations that needs to be fulfilled.

On the other hand, most people cannot choose what citizenship they're accorded at birth. So, in the case of Pavin, he's probably asking why am I asked to fulfill some supposed obligation to a country I never chose to be a citizen of ?

And if you don't already know, any child born in Singapore whose parents, at least one of whom is a Singapore citizen, automatically gets conferred Singapore citizenship. There is no choice given to the parents to not have their child take up Singapore citizenship even if the child is entitled to another nationality. To put it bluntly, the 'democratic' govt of Singapore forces its citizenship status down the throats of these babies. Now it is inevitable there will be some among them, like Pavin who will grow up and decide Singapore isn't the place they want to call home anymore. And since they weren't given the choice to not be Singaporean in the first place, why should they be asked to fulfill any obligations to Singapore.

Plain and Simple. Was that so difficult to understand???

Anonymous said...

-->As long as you are still holding that pink IC, you will be required to meet your obligation as a citizen.--<

Nothing wrong with your assertion per se but why doesn't the govt allow those below 21 who no longer wish to hold the pink i/c give it up then ? if they allow it, then the question of obligation doesn't arise, don't you agree ?

putitthisway said...

If you do not like this analogy try this, which I read from somewhere : "Can you imagine living with your parents - not unhappy, but always feeling that there's a better home with your friend's parents... but would you go around knocking your own parents and promising to beat them up should they get into a fight with your friend's parents... wierd, to say the least."

You might be able to choose your spouse, but not your parents. The same thing, try going to your parent and tell them that sux, you wish to disown them but as I still cannot make enough money, can you give me some pocket money and not throw me out of the hous....

This is not a unique situation to singapore. In every country that I know of, born in the country with a parent of that nationality will give you the citizenship. If he really din like it, tough, go tell his parent to let him go oversea to study or migrate today. nothing to it. You are born in a nation just as you are born to a parent. We can never choose it. We owe to our parent a debt of life and to a country an identity, even if we disagree or dislike it, the identity make us a part of who we are. All I am saying is that, quit whinning and get out if you don't like it.

Anonymous said...

--> ... and to a country an identity, even if we disagree or dislike it, the identity make us a part of who we are.<--

Hahaha, do you even notice how shallow that sounds, and coming from someone who quitted on his own birth country at that. A country didn't nurtue a baby with food, drink and clothing. The baby's parents did that. Trying to equate parents to country is the ultimate fallacy. Extending your twisted logic then, do you think you owe a debt to Malaysia and if so, how or have you repaid it yet ?

I'm sure Pavin would gladly leave if he was allowed to. You're missing the point. He won't be allowed to till he completes NS but he doesn't want to because he has no feelings for Singapore, that's the issue. For someone who talks so passionately about NS, did you even go through NS yourself, seeing as how you were a quitter from another country ?

And who says almost every country also forces anyone born in the country to be conferred citizenship ? I know for a fact Australia doesn't and the country you quitted from doesn't either. I know because I have children born in each of those countries.

putitthisway said...

First off, I did not quit that country as I grew up here and that this is in all intend my homeland. I was bought here just days after I was born.

I did not served NS, in fact, I was a regular in the forces and I gave 6 good years of my life.

putitthisway said...

First off, I did not quit that country as I grew up here and that this is in all intend my homeland. I was bought here just days after I was born.

I did not served NS, in fact, I was a regular in the forces and I gave 6 good years of my life.

Anonymous said...

Idiot doesn't want to serve NS. I can understand.

I didn't want to waste 2 years of my life, but I did so anyway.

The hilarious part of the mail is to express his "attachment" to another country by pulling his TV watching habits and his Ivy League aunts and uncles out of his ass.

Nabei. Dowan to serve just say dowan mah...

I hear he was an SJI boy. (just a comment in general, nothing malicious intended)

Anonymous said...

It's alright if you wish to fly to the US. It's okay if you don't want to serve NS. I don't feel that you have been wronged here.

But what the hell,you "would help to defend the US and fight Singapore if need be" ?? I can understand everything but that. Pavin, my friend, ought to be shot for saying that. Good work, putitthisway.

Anonymous said...

Fine then, you made the choice to call Singapore home in spite of being born elsewhere. Pavin shouldn't be denied the same right to make some other country his home too despite being born in Singapore.

Anonymous said...

Agreed. The govt should just revoke his citizenship, give him 2 weeks to settle any matters and then deport him to Thailand.

putitthisway said...

I did not deny his right to fly away, just his desire to be let off NS and the vile threat to raise arms against a country that did him no wrong except to call him one of our own.....disturbing..

Anonymous said...

putitthisway, he was just stating the obvious. If he becomes a US citizen and say the US does an Iraq on us, then of course he will fight on the side of the US. He's now a citizen of the US, for crying out loud, notwithstanding the fact he once was a Singapore citizen. Put yourself in his shoes. If an armed conflict occurs with the country you once was a citizen of, wouldn't you say you would still take up arms aginst that country because you are now a Singaporean despite the fact you once was a citizen of that coutnry ? Duh ! You're barking up the wrong tree, dude.

Anonymous said...

anonymous, it is fine and dandy to have such a sentiment if you are a citizen of that country and ask to bear arms against one your forswear allegiance. To openly state that you will bear arms against your own nation and that you have all intention of foreswearing all allegiance to, as long as he is a citizen, by birth or oath, tantamounts to treason...He is free to say which country he wants to help his dream land to fight. But all I ask is for him to go first, get his citizenship before he open his mouth. And so, today, he can openly goes up to verbally abuse his father and/or mother just because he want to disown them for no wrong on his parent's part except letting him have the liberty to be free and you are fine with it?????

Values are lost on you, dude...

Anonymous said...

Whose values ? Yours ? If so, perhaps, they're lost on me because I don't subscribe to them.

Look it doesn't matter whether he's got US citizenship or not when he uttered those supposedly treacherous statements. Fact of the matter is, he has lost any feelings for Singapore. Period. You're the one in denial. You can't force someone to love a country he clearly does not just as you can't force a person to love some other person or persons when he does not too, even though that person be his parents. Sheesh, are you that naive ?

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous,

I wonder which Anonymous are you but anyway, why are you so bothered by what putitthisway has to say on his blog? Is he being naive simply because your point wasn't taken? Sore. Period.

Scroll your mouse to top right hand corner of your browser. See that little red button with a "X" on it? Left click it, WORLD PEACE.

Anonymous said...

To i speak singlish said...

I thought a blog is a medium for exchanging views. And that's what I am doing, putting across my views, and putitthisway is being magnanimous in allowing opposing viewpoints to be articulated on his blog. Are you bothered because you can't handle someone who has a different view point ? If so, you're the one who's sore. Period.

putitthisway said...

A basic value about respect and honouring people that pays with their time and for some their life to do their bit to keep this country safe just so that they can sit in comfort, enjoy the fruit of peace and prosperity and begs to be let off the hook just because they feel that they dun belong. I am not asking him to love them, at least honour them as they did him no wrong. I am not that naive but I still believe in duty and responsibility. if you dun... thats your problem and I really do not want to go that way. While open discussion is welcome, snubbing other people's views and going back to hide in the guise of open and frank discussion only reeks of hypocrisy.....no???

Anonymous said...

Frankly, I don't see what all the hullabaloo is for.

All I see is some kid who wants his 5 mins fame by having to announce it to the world. True, he may be trying sincerely to get the government to change its execution of National Service but the next point I am gonna point out is a very simple plan for him to take with no hassle at all.

Pavin, if you do not want to serve NS, just go ahead and leave the country. All it does for you is leave a record and surely IF you do return, you will be arrested and jailed. But that is of no concern to you anyway, since you won't be returning to the country that raised you, fed you and educated you.

putitthisway said...

Actually, the entire letter reads "Flame-bait". But since there are people out to be flamed, I dun mind adding to the fire. It sure is a nice distraction to all the goodies for election

DK said...

Singapore has given so much to this fellow. From birth his medical bills are subsidised. Then his education are being subsidised. He get EduSave. His parents stay in HDB flat that is being subsidised. Singapore provided him a safe place to live.

And he now saying he will fight for a country that has never given him ANYTHING before. Idiot right?

If I emigrate and my new country going to fight the country I was in before. I rather AWOL, face the punishment than go kill the people who provided me so much things when I'm young. I don't want to go into the battlefield and face my childhood friends.

Anonymous said...

putitthisway,it is difficult for people like you and dk to understand where I'm coming from because you guys still have medieval, romantic notions about "duty and honour to Cuntry". I say, that's a whole lot of hogwash in today's era of globalization.

I believe in self-empowerment. Let's face it, Singapore's not going to come to my aid if I hit a rough patch in my life in spite of me having been a good tax-paying citizen and having paid my dues with 2.5 years of slavery. Similarly, Singapore should not expect any favours from me if it runs into trouble. I do what's best in MY interests.

With that I conclude my participation in this discourse. Cheerio.

Anonymous said...

Actually that Pavin has a point. I have a few friends in school that I know of feeling the same way as he does. They keep on bragging about the faults of Singapore and never about the good points. I told them that if they are so unhappy, they should just leave! But being only in their teens, it is beyond their capacity to do so. Another thing that Pavin should note, he shouldn't have voiced out his opinion so strongly and should be more sensitive to issues like that. Those "Singapore-hating" friends of mine are wise to keep their opinions to themselves.

Anonymous said...

putitthisway, i think Pavin is rich enough to sue you for defamation on your blog man! Must be rich right if he talks about migrating to america? Haha.

putitthisway said...

I admit that he has both a point and priviledge that people like him should not serve NS, that is given if they just skip the dual citizenship, take on the other that has a less onerous requirement of them. While he might be rich enought to sue me, what I say reflects what I felt of the statement he made. I am not loosing sleep for posting my thoughts and that he is welcome to hurl me to court if he finds the statement defamatory.