‘Singapore is already showing signs of decline’: Ex-NMP Calvin Cheng sounds warning

SINGAPORE: For Singapore’s 61st birthday on Aug 9, former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng went against the grain. Instead of the more customary celebratory greetings, Mr Cheng stated in a social media post that he believes Singapore is already showing some deterioration.

“Every National Day, we celebrate Singapore’s extraordinary rise. This year, I think we should confront something far less comfortable: Singapore is already showing signs of decline, and if we continue along this path for long enough, I believe there is a real possibility that we will lose meaningful independence,” Mr Cheng, who is outspoken on local and global issues on social media, wrote in a Facebook post.

For him, this loss of independence may not necessarily come from an invasion from another state, but from aspects that are far more internal, such as Singapore’s ageing population and plummeting birth rate, which could cause Singaporeans to become “extinct.”

Added to these are the costs of doing business or simply living, which he admitted that to a large extent is not within Singaporeans’ control given the country’s import economy.

He also gave voice to the concerns young Singaporeans have, saying that many of them “increasingly question whether the sacrifices required to build families, businesses and careers here are worthwhile.”

And while he acknowledged Singapore’s prosperity, he added that this “can conceal deep, structural weakness,” such as the loss of the characteristics which made the city-state what it is.

Echoing a controversial comment made in a podcast by a recruiter earlier this year, Mr Cheng said that Singaporeans are less hungry, but added that they are also “less willing to accept hardship, more risk-averse, more demanding of government, while becoming less willing to accept the difficult trade-offs that good government sometimes requires.”

Even more worryingly, he claimed that Singaporeans have become more self-protective, nativist, xenophobic and less welcoming of immigrants, to the country’s detriment.

Finally, he pointed out the world has become increasingly more chaotic, which may disproportionately affect a small country such as Singapore.

“The decline has begun. National Day should therefore not only be a celebration of what Singapore has achieved.

It should be a warning. The founding generation worried about whether Singapore could survive. Perhaps our generation needs to start asking it again,” wrote Mr Cheng.

Many Singaporeans responded to his post, with a number of them agreeing with the points he raised.

“Such an honest but heartbreaking post! Well said and very sad but true,” wrote one.

“As much as I disagree with some of your previous posts, I agree with you on this one. We are declining slowly and quietly. Numbers don't lie,” added another.

Others, however, say they’re continuing to keep fighting on.

“I believe that a warning is fair. However, the resilience and tenacity are still in many of us. We have to be positive to survive; negatives never bring any nation forward!” a netizen commented.

“I think that’s a too-pessimistic mentality. Young and old Singaporeans want to fight for their future; they just want a FAIR platform. Nor are they asking for handouts. People want to feel heard and acknowledged. Their feedback and an honest ear is needed. Acknowledge the challenges and come with a realistic plan for the future,” another wrote. /TISG