9th August, 47 years ago, Singapore was expelled from the newly formed Malaysia.
Blogger KTemoc reports, and many have
confirmed this, that “When LKY had no further choice but to accept the expulsion he actually broke down during a televised press conference, stating emotionally:
“For me, it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult life, I … I believed in Malaysian merger and unity of the two territories. You know that we, as a people are connected by geography, economics, by ties of kinship … It broke everything we stood for ……. “
Forty-five years later, in 2010, in an interview with the New York Times, LKY had this to say :
“Well, first I regret having been turfed out of Malaysia. I think if the Tunku had kept us together, what we did in Singapore, had Malaysia accepted a multiracial base for their society, much of what we’ve achieved in Singapore would be achieved in Malaysia. But not as much because it’s a much broader base. We would have improved inter-racial relations and an improved holistic situation. Now we have a very polarized Malaysia, Malays, Chinese and Indians in separate schools, living separate lives and not really getting on with one another”.
So, what did Singapore achieve, that LKY asserts we in Malaysia did not, and, if he is right, why did we not?
In my view, four recent reports say it all.
On 15th August, this year, The Wall Street Journal, relying on a report released by Knight Frank and Citi Private Wealth, reported that Singapore is “the wealthiest nation in the world by GDP per capita, beating out Norway, the U.S., Hong Kong and Switzerland”.
This, the islanders south of Johor achieved notwithstanding the island nation state being, as described by The New York Times, in its edited report of that interview with LKY, a ‘resource-poor island’.
Below are excerpts from that LKY interview that give an insight on his views on some of the things that Singapore did right to get to where they are now.
“We made quite sure whatever your race, language or religion, you are an equal citizen and we’ll drum that into the people and I think our Chinese understand and today we have an integrated society. Our Malays are English-educated, they’re no longer like the Malays in Malaysia and you can see there are some still wearing headscarves but very modern looking.”
…if you chose the easy way… and switch to racial politics, this society is finished. The easiest way to get majority vote is vote for me, we’re Chinese, they’re Indians, they’re Malays. Our society will be ripped apart. If you do not have a cohesive society, you cannot make progress.”
…All are thoroughly mixed. Willy-nilly, your neighbours are Indians, Malays, you go to the same shopping malls, you go to the same schools, the same playing fields, you go up and down the same lifts. We cannot allow segregation.”
…don’t play race, language, religion. We’ve got here, we’ve become cohesive, keep it that way. We’ve not used Chinese as a majority language because it will split the population. We have English as our working language, it’s equal for everybody, and it’s given us the progress because we’re connected to the world”.
And his thoughts on where we went wrong?
“Malaysia took the different line; Malaysians saw it as a Malay country, all others are lodgers, “orang tumpangan”, and they the Bumiputras, sons of the soil, run the show. So the Sultans, the Chief Justice and judges, generals, police commissioner, the whole hierarchy is Malay. All the big contracts for Malays. Malay is the language of the schools although it does not get them into modern knowledge. So the Chinese build and find their own independent schools to teach Chinese, the Tamils create their own Tamil schools, which do not get them jobs. It’s a most unhappy situation”.
The three other reports I will refer to after this, I believe, will bear out that the short excerpt below from LKY’s interview puts in sharp contrast Mahathir, Pak Lah and Najib, on the one hand, and their Singapore counterparts, on the other, and best explains why, even as Singapore is today touted as the world’s richest nation, we may be on the brink of financial disaster, if not bankruptcy.
“We are non-corrupt. We lead modest lives”.
Whilst Singapore, with scant natural resources at its disposal, has made it to the top, Sabah, probably the most blessed resources-wise, is
reported by the World Bank in a report in November, 2010, as the poorest. The report, in PDF, is linked below. Read from page 64 on if you want to get straight to the part in question.
World Bank Malaysian Economic Monitor
Awang Abdillah, in his comment in FMT earlier this month, offers one very important perspective.
First, both Sabah and Sarawak were duped, the former, it seems by means most foul, to part with their oil for a miserly royalty of 5% of all the oil that rightfully belongs to the people of Sabah and Sarawak.
Then, quoting Awang, “the oil revenues allocated to Sarawak and Sabah are meagre sums. However, the actual development funds returned and allocated to the two states from the petroleum revenue earned by the federal government fall far below
the requirements of the two states. This can be judged by the slow development of the state transport and infrastructure projects such as highways and bridges ,and the state of poverty prevalent in the rural areas. Even if there are substantial allocations of funds for development projects, most of them would go to the BN crony companies with very much inflated, unreasonable contract prices”.
The third and fourth reports probably sum up all that is wrong in Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak today and why, even as Singapore sits on the pinnacle, we languish at the bottom on almost all fronts.
On 2nd August, this year, FMT reported that Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman was the subject of simultaneous investigations in 4 countries over alleged money laundering of funds that run into billions, if not trillions.
And last week, the Bruno Manser Fund released a report that Sarawak Chief Minister is worth US$15 billion, making him the richest man in Malaysia.
To-date, the Najib administration has not moved to take any action.
He will not.
During Pak Lah’s term, when the scandal broke linking Najib to the RM500 million commission in the Scorpene deal, no action was taken.
And during Mahathir’s watch, it was the same.
No action.
Such is the way of UMNO.
What was it LKY said?
“We are non-corrupt. We lead modest lives”.
LKY said one other thing towards the end of that interview.
“I’m not saying that everything I did was right, but everything I did was for an honourable purpose”.
Can Mahathir, Pak Lah and Najib, in all good conscience, say the same?
Where did we go wrong?
At the risk of stating the case too simplistically, I will touch on just two points.
First, as LKY put it, we allowed UMNO to divide us along racial lines and, when they saw the need, to pit us one against the other.
Once divided, they would rule us ad infinitum.
Then, in my view, the NEP, quite in order conceptually, provided the perfect vehicle, from the days of Mahathir to the present, to facilitate huge and surreptitious leakages from the national coffers.
Today, they have become so accustomed to helping themselves to whatever they will, that little shame is felt even as scandal upon financial scandal is exposed.
Will we not learn?
Will we not put in place a system that never allows this dark episode in our national history to ever repeat, should we succeed, come the 13th General Election, of removing the UMNO / BN scourge from Putrajaya and installing a new pro-reform government?
In a few hours from now, starting at 10am, a civil society initiative called the Social Inclusion Agenda will be discussed at a dialogue convened at the Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia and to which political parties on both side of the divide have been invited.
A daft bill to give effect to the fullest aspirations of this effort has also been drawn up for the consideration of the political parties.
In my honest view, it seeks to address all that went wrong in the implementation of the NEP since the era of Mahathir up to the present.
And it will set the platform for a comprehensive program to address the needs of those long marginalised in this country, without considerations of ethnicity.
I call on the Pakatan parties and all other non-BN parties to give this effort their fullest support and to pledge that if the people mandate you to administer the nation from Putrajaya post the 13th GE, you will make the Social Inclusion Agenda a reality.
To my fellow anak bangsa Malaysia, I urge you to make every effort to familiarise yourselves with the Social Inclusion Agenda and, if, as I do, you see its worth, to lend it your fullest support.
A media statement was issued on 14th August when this effort was first launched. You can read the same HERE.
Farida has written up a report of that launch. You can read that HERE.
The draft Social Inclusion Agenda bill, in PDF, is linked below.
It is never too late to do right by our people.
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
September 29, 2012
Haris,
Thanks for a new insight and associated URL links re the expulsion of Singapore from the Federation,eg the KTemoc link was fascinating.
The Singaporean phenomena since it’s explusion is, indeed, quite something to behold and one can only wonder of “what might have been” if the Malaysia of today remained intact with Singapore in the fold.
The draft Social Inclusion Act was also interesting reading for a feeble-brained person like me. 🙂 On a cursory reading, such an Act, if enacted, can go a long way towards national reconciliation between the various ethnicities which make up Malaysia. It is probably not hard to guess why the current Government does not advocate such an Act 🙂
My only real comment re this proposed Act is that it appears to lack the powers of prosecution but then maybe I have missed something as I have never been too good with the convoluted language which make up such instruments.
As is usual and in conclusion, more power to you, Haris Ibrahim. 🙂
Taikohtai
September 29, 2012
Would have, should have, could have………..yes, Malaysians lament and grieve.
But are they prepared to take action and vote for change?
What? And let the pendatangs rule us? Not over my dead body!
Would have, should have, could have…………
Frankie
September 29, 2012
The mentality that has been drummed into the minds of the bumis is that it is ok not to be able to run with the others as long as we make sure they are handicapped. Hence the abuse of the NEP.
najib manaukau
September 29, 2012
What the politicians dare not comment is that nothing good will ever come from the innate corrupt kind, I am saying it because I am not a politician and above all I just want to reveal the truth.
Why is Singapore that has nothing, not even sands to build the housing for their people or to develop the country or the water for their daily needs and had to depend on supply from Malaysia. The grand son of the pariah from Kerala, the shenanigan Mahathir knew that and acted accordingly, he so regularly threatened to cut off the water supply when things didn’t go his ways. He even went as far as to ban sands to be sold to Singapore just to ensure it would retard Singapore’s development so that the world would see Singapore behind Malaysia under the shenanigan. But he overlooked that as a consequent of the shenanigan’s actions Singapore became more resolved to overcome those problems.
They built more reservoirs to store enough water for their own need without having to depend on Malaysia, to date they have a total of 17 reservoirs and on top of that they now are able to renew the used water and desalinate the endless supply of seawater that surrounds the island. They even terminated one of the water supply agreements that came up for renewal a few years back and gave one of the reservoirs they built to Malaysia.All the threats the Umno morons came up with came to nothing, zero. To day Singapore is even rated as the richest nation in the world, what has the shenanigan got say about this despite his numerous efforts to retard their development just to show his growth.
Even with the many white elephants the shenanigan built, in the name of development , Malaysia to day still remains in the third world. Why ? They were built for the mega commission that went with it ! Where have all the wealth of the nation gone to ?
During the 23 years tenure as P.M.of Malaysia one thing for sure he did was to segregate the population and have the Malaysian civil service employed 96% Malay when he wished very much to have that to be 100% but he was impeded to have Malays employed in several areas that handle or have anything to do with dogs and pigs.
As a result the remaining 4% employed in the civil service are Pendatangs ! When these Pendatangs who are Malaysian born, who are also 90% of the tax payers consist of the more than 40% of the total population. Why is that ratio not reflected in the civil services ? When the Malays are only 50% of the population, according to his figures, which included the fast track muslim immigrants from southern Philppines and Indonesia. He merely wanted to justify the many pro Malay policies he implemented when the real situation is without these fast track immigrant ‘Malays’ the real population in the country if the red ID card holders Malaysian born non Malays were taken into accounts the Pendatang could well be more than the Malays. The shenanigan knows that very well and that the morons from Umno would not be the watchdogs in Putrajaya if the Malaysian born ID cards holders became Malaysians and voters. The joke is he track the muslims ‘immigrants’ to become Malaysian when most, if not all, of these Malaysian born pendatang are only given red IC cards to live in Malaysia and also to pay their taxes but do not have the right to vote. These are only some of his tactics for him and Umo to remain in Putrajaya and the real reasons why Malaysia is in such terrible shambles !
Amaranathan
October 4, 2012
With such a rascist diatribe against Malays, Keralites and Muslims in your comments, why bother speaking out against racsist polices of the Govt? It’s like the pot calling the kettle black. Speak out against a person’s or persons’ behaviour or actions, not his race, religion, father or mother
Gan
September 29, 2012
great efforts! thank you!
john pak
September 29, 2012
The “tun” will not like comparison to Singapore for these very obvious reasons.
Paul Warren
September 29, 2012
Lee Kuan Yew’s views of Malaysia are so much more relevant to Malaysia than Mahathir’s or Najib’s. But they will not allow the masses here to listen or read it. They will discredit his views and ensure only their views are the only views to consider.
suz
September 29, 2012
Haris… This is a great write-up which should be distributed far & wide.
Re: Social Inclusion Agenda
Hope you will not be drawing up a “daft bill”…
LOL! 😉
Ming Chew
October 1, 2012
Bugger them all! Just arrest all those responsible, strip them of their possessions, and finally place them into the dwellings of the deprived because their selfish greed. Bring on a new government & hopefully equate to justice which have been so blind. Let’s face reality here – Malaysia will never be anywhere near to Singapore’s achievements. SGD1 = MYR ??? Better still, MYR1 = SGD???cents. I remember to equation was MYR1 = SGD1 . Malaysia Boleh? More like Bodoh!!!
fairijus
September 29, 2012
Thanks for the insight. As a teacher and HM during the great Tun’s reign, I witness how schools were swamped and run to the ground by incompetents whose majors in their undergraduate days were Religious Studies and Malay Studies. You can tell the incompetents because they will start some religious activities, which over time become entrenched. The people and ideas who dominate the school environment/culture are the less technically educated ustaz and ustazah. Everything they say is sensitive and cannot be questioned. The weak HMs surrendered the school wholesale to the religious mafia. So from saying prayers once a while, to every assembly to every morning to every lesson, were we surprise when the non-Malays children were leaving?
The small number of good/competent Malay officers were lost among the flood PPDs, State Directors, Assistants and all Divisions and Departments who were fast tracked to their positions because they were bumiputras…SO while the pupils were going to the Tamil and Chinese schools the good and able non-Malay teachers were migrating to Singpore, Brunei, Australia and elsewhere. Those who were forced to stay behind could only watched and say nothing. DO your work and go home and do tuition…and that’s how the education system went to the dogs…
Pendatang
September 29, 2012
Well said n v need change!
iggy
September 29, 2012
“A daft bill to give effect to the fullest aspirations of this effort has also been drawn up for the consideration of the political parties.”
A daft bill, Harris? Surely you jest. 😛
Thank you for the insightful post, btw.
iggy
September 29, 2012
Oops, I meant 'Haris'. Apologies. My bad.
No worries
KL Man
September 29, 2012
These gangs of warlords know that the middle class can access internet so can’t bluff them but majority of our people are in rural areas with no IT and this is the job assigned to our %$#@*! editors to paint the nicest picture of the govt.and command simple folks to be grateful to these leaders (read Amno and his chinese maid and indian office boy) These gangsters have raped our nation dry and our next 2 generations need to be poor by default to pay back.Yet not even ONE MP feel shameful,remorseful seeing pictures of how our poorer countrymen families suffer while their big fat kids educate overseas, drive sleekest cars, have sexiest girlfriends,live in mansions , partying mad etc.When people power triumps, all these gangsters must be brought to justice and this is non-negotiable whatever ketuanan,titles, crap
Das
September 29, 2012
Bro! A very soul stirring article though it was compiled! The way I see it, Malaysia certainly needs a change of regime if she is to see any tangible progress say in the next 50 years. My fellow brothers and sisters, look at Singapore and the results are there for all to see ableit she being smaller than Malaysia. After 47 years of independence, say what you like about the PAP in Singapore, worse still, the “plight” of the Malays as Mahathir would frequently mention in his swaps against the island state, they and all other ethnic Singaporeans are leading a far better life than their Malaysian counterparts! I say this in a very matter-of-fact manner! Like to lead the same kind of life style the next 50 years, vote UMNO….rest assured they will make sure its history! In short, I say this….this is the price you pay for having SMM (Screwed up Malayasian (Malay) Mentality jokers running the helm of Government!
Das
ana
September 29, 2012
bullshit!
Malayan Boey
September 30, 2012
Haris, even you, are unable to accept that the concept of Ketuanan Melayu was entrenched by our first Prime Minister, when he was unable to accept LKY as an equal within Malaysia. THAT was the basic reason that Singapore was ousted. That, the heads of Sarawak, then, Sabah were replaced, via unsavoury means.
The Prime Ministers, who followed, simply continued & further entrenched the concept.
I walked out when I was able to. But, I am back to help give my country another chance to do it right. Sadly, it appears that the alternative power-to-be is also built in the same mould, with some exceptions (luckily) – old rejected wine packaged in a new bottle and being served out to the gullible people of Malaysia. It is most apparent in Sabah.
Amus
September 30, 2012
http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?file=/2008/2/23/columnists/insightdownsouth/20418042&sec=Insighthttp://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?file=/2008/2/23/columnists/insightdownsouth/20418042&sec=Insight
LOYALMALAYSIAN
September 30, 2012
Dear Haris,
I am a Malaysian and have lived and worked in both Malaysia and Singapore, the latter for over 30 years. What you wrote and quoted is not new to me, thanks to the vantage point of being able to see and appreciate policies and development of both countries. Sadly not many of my countrymen back home (Yes, Malaysia is still home to me) enjoy this advantage and are therefore easily hoodwinked by all the misinformation and sometimes outright lies dished out by the MSM and sometimes even some government leaders. One grossly distorted untruth is that the Malays in Singapore are marginalized. For those who still believe this myth please talk to some of Singapore’s Malay leaders. There is no magic in Singapore’s achievement. It’s all due to far-sighted and well-considered policies for ALL citizens and effective implementation with minimum (zero if possible) corruption. As a LEADER isn’t LKY stating the obvious when he said: “but everything I did was for an honourable purpose”. If only leaders have the will and discipline to follow this simple but noble aim. But isn’t that what a leader is supposed to be – HONOURABLE? Ah! there are leaders and there are “leaders”. So what ails Malaysia can be summed up in two words: DIVISIVENESS and CORRUPTION. Get rid of these two evils and Malaysia will be a better country capable of achieving its full potential.
Taipan
October 1, 2012
We have different politicians across the divide. One is a statesman who has the foresight and builds a nation out of nothing. The other one believes in creating family empires to enrich himself and his cronies. Our education system is designed as such as to stagnant the development of creativity in the minds of the younger generation and turn them into zombies. Intellectual is not what you need in a dictatorial government. What is needed is to open our doors to millions of those social discards from third world countries and made them into instant citizens so that they may continue to rule over us. Our national emblem has the phrase “Unity is Strength” (Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu) written on it but the irony of it is, this is what the Umno government fears the most! No wonder then, Malaysia is a failed state in the eyes of the world!
Lexman
October 1, 2012
Do not believe all that LKY says. He has been a liar all the way. Ask the former president of Singapore on how LKY manipulates people, discredits them and then dumps them into the street. Yes, agreed that Singapore is prosperous nation at what expense? Loss of freedom and ( the rest of this comment has been deleted by the moderator, perceiving the same to be racist in nature ).
sohanle
October 2, 2012
LKY is not perfect, but he had surely done a gtreat job!!
Amaranathan
October 4, 2012
Great article, Haris. However, I think it would be comparing apples with oranges. Singapore is a city state with an almost homogenous population ( 85% Chinese, I believe) ruled by a nearly dictatorial leader who accepts no dissent. Malaysia is a much larger nation spanning the South China Sea with large minority races, with dictatorial leaders no doubt, but with definately more dissent tolerated, witness the rise of PR, the cybermedia and civil society NGOs. Nonetheless, what LKY had commented above, if it had been applied to Malaysia, especially with all our natural and human ( a lot of it cabut to S’pore) resources, our nation would at least be on par with the best in the world
Lexman
October 5, 2012
I agree with this. Managing Singapore is not a big issue. Moreover, most of the population and foreigners and Malaysian who comply with anything the government wants. Simply put, yes Singapore has a great economy and less corruption but is overwhelmed by dictatorship, racial monopoly (by Majority Chinese) and severe loss of freedom for the individual. So all that glory that has been posted on Singapore is all about business and money not about people, happiness and freedom. Why do you think most Singaporeans run across to Malaysia on holidays??
Taipan
October 5, 2012
There is no point in denying what is already fact. Singapore has no need to claim for all the credits for what it is today. The world stands as its witness. What is this talk of being overwhelmed by dictatorship and racial monopoly? Are we not having the same in Malaysia and, in fact, far worst than it is in Singapore as you claimed? What is it that the majority malays here cannot achieve that the majority chinese there were able to do so? Where do you think the problem lies? Are the Singaporean being deprived of their individual freedom to associate and move around? How about then, the wearing of yellow shirts was deemed to be against the law? Do you call this a severe loss of freedom? Time you take off that blinkers and call a spade a spade. Malaysia is badly managed by the Umno politicians!
james lau
October 9, 2012
Why ? The exchange rate of course.
S$1.00 I get RM 2.485 At times as high as Rm 2.50
Amaranathan
October 9, 2012
Yes, Taipan, I will not deny that Singapore is a success story and that Malaysia would benefit greatly if our leaders had been as visionary as LKY. What I was trying to point out is that it might have been easier to manage a city-state where the population is doctrined and taught to believe that their island is flawless and that they shouldnt dissent or complain, as opposed to managing a larger country like Malaysia, with definately more dissent, even after being stifled by the powers that be. Likewise, it would have even more difficult to manage larger but more democratic nations like post-Suharto Indonesia, post-Marcos Philipines, or post-socialist-mentality India.
Taipan
October 9, 2012
Amaranathan, My response to you shall be short and simple. If, in your view, that Malaysia is by and far too large a country to manage with all introspective views taken, then look at it as states and name me one that is equal to or even near to that of Singapore today under the BN/Umno rule over the years? How much longer do you wish to live with all these excuses? Two wrongs don’t make a right!
andrew
October 5, 2012
Even if PKR were to win the coming elections, the the $64 question is whether they can rule and implement their policies. I doubt it as the civil society or the Malay Civil Society will not implement the policies or will put up obtstacles. They are a law unto themselves. This problem has to be addressed.
Lexman
October 6, 2012
Andrew, good point there. The former PM has created a Malaysian State that is so corrupt and so pervasive that in sunk deep into the roots of all government agencies and civils servants. Example, today a guy who supported PKR gets promoted to CEO of a GLC and he suddenly turns a new leave by supporting BN. Why? He didnt support PKR because he believed that PKR can deliver but he did it because he can promoted and be part of the corrupt chain of BN. The roots of the BN corruption is so far sunk that Anwar can never clean up the mess in the next 100 years to come! That too if he survives the election after that because the grass roots loyal to BN will play him to the ground. The only thing Anwar can do is to constantly battle these warlords and demons. Frankly, the state of our nation is in the quicksand and will continue to sink. The only way out may be is a people’s revolution to overthrow the government and all the rats in it. That will never happen because the majority race here is so lazy they rather lepak and settle for any handouts given. Moreover we are also racial divided and DAP is no good party to trust either. Sad for Malaysia and pity for Malaysians.
In All Fairness
January 16, 2013
[That will never happen because the majority race here is so lazy they rather lepak and settle for any handouts given.]
By the ‘majority race’, I assume you mean the Malays? If you imply that all Malays are lazy, there goes your credibility and all your arguments, Lexman.
AC Kan
October 21, 2012
Andrew,
The problem is already addressed if you look at Penang and Selangor. Immediately after GE 12, I admit there were latent resistance and non-cooperation from some UMNO-indoctrinated civil servants. I think this has been largely overcome. Civil servants are mere government employees. Going against policies mean insubordination. You think these servants want to risk their jobs?
shakuntala
October 9, 2012
We went wrong and we are still going wrong because we cling on to the out-moded special previleges…a dire shame carried like precious breadth and life, in ‘Malaysia truly Asia” What a bluff.story.
Some years ago LKY came to Malaysia and upon meeting with smiling Mahathir asked him why he will not as the Malaysian PM use meritocracy as a yardstick to measure progress and reward.
The unmistakably crafty, then Malaysian PM replied that his people were not ready yet…..after 55 years of handicap, still not ready? Shame, shame!
The most striking thing about Singapore city is that wherever you travel you notice people well attired, clean-looking, going about their business, with a sense of purpose..even when they live in HDB flats which are kept perpetually clean (you wonder how)…they are happy, look dignified, albeit in a tiny space.What is more striking is that a Singaporean never, never mentions his/her origin. They do have problems, the living costs, medical costs and so on.
On the other hand, the Government of Singapore pays due attention to health matters, talk about a clean environment and Singapore has won medals as a garden city,…in the coffe shops all attendants needs must wear caps and aprons, constant inspections are carried out of the premises… the Government incessantly tells the people how to manage their health….their food courts are hygienic….no rats, no eternal flies!!!!!
How is all this so well managed? Part of it is benign democracy,sure. Going further religion is your own precious look-out, safeguard it and respect it and never, never disrespect other peoples’ Gods. It is to Singapore’s great credit that no one has ever dared to disrespect another person’s Deity. We need to applaud them for this humility..
They have too, such a brilliant transport system which one has to take seriously…the MRT and the ever punctual one man operated buses and respectful chatty taxi drivers. One does not need a car at all, to live in Singapore, another plus point for the Government.
But the most outstanding factor is that a Singaporean behaves as a Singaporean. On no account will he allow himself to be degraded into race lines,he will not be called Cina, or Melayu, or Keling/India…..you are either Singaporean or you are nothing else…..full stop.