The common response of a typical Singaporean when they hear about the 30% poverty rate in Singapore is something like: “You should not be complaining about poverty in Singapore, people who are truly poor in Syria and Middle East are much worse!”. And they’re right.
The people who are considered poor in Singapore are much better, they at least have a home to stay, food to eat if they work long enough, they’re not as bad as the kid in Syria who in a few days will probably die due to dehydration.
But that is in comparison to undeveloped, 3rd world countries. What about countries who are first world and have a developed economy, which is what Singapore supposedly is? And so you take a look at Scandinavian countries like Norway, their poverty rate is less than 5%, plus they have a high minimum wage and universal healthcare. Look at it that way and you find out the Singapore Government has been absolutely awful at taking care of its citizens, but instead of trying to push for left-wing economic policies to help the ones in poverty, a typical Singaporean will respond: “don’t complain, at least they’re still breathing".
This kind of indifference to human suffering is borderline callous, and if our country does indeed breed compassion, you would not stare at the old man who works 75 hours cleaning toilet floors and eating cheap white bread every meal and tell him: “Well, at least you’re not living in a slum”. Do reflect.
Amos Yee
A.S.S. Contributor
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