Is this home, truly?
Catching up with a friend over lunch a couple of months ago, I asked about her plans after she finished her final year of undergraduate studies.
I was appalled to learn that she intends to migrate overseas and I began to realise that she isn’t the only one. Over time, more friends have expressed their desire to move away from Singapore, choosing to seek opportunities elsewhere. Interacting with my peers are a sobering reminder that they might one day no longer be Singaporeans, and that worries me.
I asked myself: what are the driving factors behind the increasing trend?
Brain drain, defined as the emigration of highly trained or qualified people from a particular country, is not a new phenomenon. Statistics show that more Singaporean youths are interested in pursuing opportunities out of Singapore. In 2017, around 214,700 Singaporeans were living overseas in total, a 24% increase in the last 10 years compared to 172,000 Singaporeans in 2007, according to the Department of Statistics. Moreover, Singapore is not alone – youths in other Asian countries such as Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan are desirous of opportunities outside of their home country for a myriad of reasons, professional or personal.
Deconstructing the Singapore Identity
The biggest driving factor, in my opinion, is the diminishing Singapore identity. Here’s something to think about: what exactly is the Singapore identity? What makes us Singaporean?
There are two narratives: a hungry, boxed up Singapore chasing after social statuses in a never-ending rat race; and a Singapore brimming with opportunities, with a forward-looking Government that continually innovates, ensuring Singapore stays at the top of its game.
With changing social norms, young Singaporeans are increasingly concerned about social issues such as social mobility and inequality, feeling out of place with a poor work life balance. Some countries have more space, opportunities and a slower pace of life, making it attractive to younger Singaporeans.
The 2016 National Youth Survey also showed that youths are skeptical about sufficient opportunities in Singapore to fulfil their aspirations. Likewise, a Global Shapers Annual Survey conducted in 2017 by the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community also revealed that 7 in 10 Singapore youths are looking to move overseas.
Amidst global tectonic shifts, it is unrealistic to adopt an insular mindset. Thus, the Government encouraged youths to venture overseas and seek opportunities to learn, taking the newfound knowledge and experiences back home to contribute to Singapore. Yet, there is an increasing number of Singaporeans who choose to remain overseas with added opportunities and choices, gaining recognition for their value more than they would in Singapore.
In September, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong tweeted overseas-based Singaporean Twitter user @krysjez (Jessica Yang), encouraging her to come back to Singapore to take on job opportunities and contribute to the growing tech scene in Singapore in response to a tweet she sent to PM Lee.
Some believe that our Singapore identity has taken a backseat as a result of the push for exceptionalism. Is the Singapore exceptionalism still relevant today? Have we been moving too quickly at the expense of some Singaporeans?
With society less homogenous than ever, the biggest challenge is to accommodate diverse aspirations. Strengthening our Singapore spirit, among other factors, should be a key priority given the uncertainties in the coming decades. Citing declining economic prospects at home, many young Japanese have left their home country in search of greener pastures elsewhere, including Singapore. However, their hearts are still inextricably tied to Japan – the result of a strong Japanese identity. Unlike Japan, Singapore’s national identity is not a given. Thus, curating a national identity is key in ensuring that overseas Singaporeans come home.
Finding the right balance
While asking around for opinions on youth seeking opportunities out of Singapore, a friend shared with me a frank thought that stuck with me:
“If Singapore doesn’t serve your interest, why should you serve hers?”
Perhaps it is the way of life in Singapore, where success ingrained in the “third world to first” story built on pragmatism forms the bulk of Singapore’s DNA. More can be done to focus on Singapore’s heartware, ensuring that the Singapore compact is intact for the next generation and after. It is imperative to refresh our mindsets, and be willing to embrace risks and idealism.
Ideas to retain and attract top talent have been proposed. One such idea was put forward in Parliament by Senior Minister of State for Health and Transport Dr. Lam Pin Min in 2009, proposing dual citizenships in light of Singapore losing people the Government has tried hard to retain. In response, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng elaborated in a Committee of Supply Debate that acquiring a second citizenship is unlikely to enhance the commitment to Singapore, potentially diluting it in the process.
The Government has expressed concerns over the years about Singaporeans not returning, working hard to attract talent back to Singapore. The Overseas Singapore Unit organizes events such as Singapore Day around the world for Singaporeans to keep in touch, encouraging them to eventually move back.
Citizens desire opportunities to contribute in the decision making process. Engagement remains key – some are skeptical, but not cynical, about the Government’s long term direction and must convince to win the trust and confidence of Singaporeans. For a start, public policy approaches can become one of co-creation than a policy-first-consult-later approach. This results in effective governance, with open continuous consultations to better understand what Singaporeans think. Key stakeholders also play pivotal roles that can impact decisions. From employers grooming locals for top posts to civil servants feeling the social pulse on the ground during policy formulation, collective effort is essential in ensuring that every voice is heard and appreciated, or run the risk of losing even more talents in the long run.
What next?
There is no hiding that Singapore is well in its transition period. What remains to be seen, however, is how the Government intends to balance the necessary interventions against what is enough.
Increasingly, there are more voices speaking up in the community and that is precisely what Singapore needs. Co-Founder of local Social Enterprise The Thought Collective, Tong Yee, shared in a talk that hard choices must be navigated together with citizens and the complexity of problems cannot be handled by Government alone. Indeed, we have to chart our path together in the next phase of Singapore’s journey.
I do not have any hard and fast solutions but what I do know is that history hinges and sharpens national identities over time. We must build it on common consensus, on a social compact ensuring that Singapore remains attractive while being sensitive to the aspirations of the young. This can start by promoting diversity and building a stronger social fabric through collective Singapore stories shaped by individual stories and narratives, encouraging national consciousness.
The prospect of better things and the ancillary optimism should be a big part of the Singapore spirit. After all, Singaporeans can feel proud that we defied the odds of history and survived as an independent, sovereign state despite the challenges faced.
In the Annual Budget Debate earlier this year, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat explained that the pie should be grown so that all can enjoy a larger slice, rather than focus on how the pie is divided. Moving forward, flavors of the pie should be tweaked to form an all-inclusive pie, given the different palates and flavor preferences with cohesiveness forming the pie crust.
As the 4G leadership begins to transition and prepares to take on key leadership positions, the team must be prepared to take necessary or calculated risks to do what is right, given that every Singaporean is part of the Singapore ethos.
Here’s my plea to fellow young Singaporeans: let’s work together to make this home ours for future generations to enjoy.
Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew famously said in a speech, “There is a glorious rainbow that beckons those with a spirit of adventure. To the young and not-too-old, I say, look at the horizon, find that rainbow, go ride it.”
Will we choose to ride it elsewhere, or will we write this narrative together as one nation, one Singapore?