To The Moon

Once upon a time, I knew every neighbour in my apartment. We celebrated festive seasons together, shared food, and chatted at the lift lobby. But things have changed. These days, the faces around me are unfamiliar — mostly expatriates. I no longer hear the familiar dialects, nor do I catch the aroma of local dishes being cooked at home. Instead, the neighbourhood is filled with foreign food chains and franchises — many serving pre-prepared meals from central kitchens, lacking the soul and authenticity of traditional Singaporean cooking.. Slowly, I’ve come to realise: I might be the only Singaporean left in my community.

I’m not saying this out of xenophobia — far from it. I welcome diversity. But when the familiar is replaced entirely, it’s hard not to feel like a stranger in your own home. It’s a quiet kind of loneliness that creeps up on you.

Our leaders, including SM Lee, have said that Singaporeans must help new citizens integrate, and that foreign talent creates jobs and strengthens the economy. I understand the logic — and yes, we’ve benefited from global talent and new perspectives. But let’s not ignore the price we pay too: overcrowded public transport, longer waits at hospitals, higher cost of living, fiercer job competition, and housing prices driven higher by PRs, new citizens and their descendents. These aren't just numbers — they’re daily stress points for ordinary Singaporeans. 

It feels like we’re chasing GDP growth at all costs — even if it means opening the floodgates without considering the social cost. More and more white-collar jobs are going to newly arrived immigrants, and yet we continue importing more. It makes you wonder: has our education system fallen so short that we constantly need to look outside for talent?

At work, the pressure is relentless. We’re constantly chasing deadlines, staying late, skipping meals. And then on top of that, we’re told to upskill — attend night classes, learn AI, cloud, coding. It’s like being told to climb higher when you're already hanging by your fingertips.

How do we upskill when we’re already burned out?

And what happens when we try to find new opportunities? My new company HR told me that over 500 people applied for my role. I only got it because I was introduced by an ex-client. Without that connection, I might not even have gotten an interview. That’s how bad the job market is. It's no longer just about merit — nowadays, you need connections just to get a foot in the door.

I think of those who don’t have that network — fresh grads, mid-career switchers, caregivers coming back to work. How are they supposed to compete?

We need to have an honest conversation. One that acknowledges the contributions of foreign talent and the frustrations of locals. One that doesn’t just push upskilling as a silver bullet, but understands the realities Singaporeans are living with every day.

I don’t have all the answers. But I do know this: if we don’t look out for our own people — if we keep telling them to run faster without giving them better shoes — we risk losing not just skills, but hope.

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