‘I can't really find my people': Young Singaporean wonders if others know what it's like to grow up in a low-income family
SINGAPORE: After a Singaporean who grew up in a low-income family said they 'have some sort of hatred towards' others with more financial stability, they received a lot of support and encouragement from other Reddit users.
In a June 22 (Sunday) post on r/SingaporeRaw, u/Ready_Cap3661 got brutally honest about their feelings and wanted to know if anyone else who had grown up in a household with an income below S$2,000 had negative feelings towards those who grew up with more.
The post author, now 18, explained that when they were growing up, the monthly income in their family was less than S$500. Both of their parents are ill, and their other family members do not work. They were able to go to school for free, and their family received donated food every week.
While their parents received a small amount by way of a welfare cheque each month, their household bills went unpaid for years. Nevertheless, HDB 'somehow' turned a blind eye to this.
However, the post author's sibling had to stop schooling to support the family.
Understandably, these straitened circumstances were very difficult for the post author to deal with, perhaps especially in prosperous Singapore.
'I look at kids my age and have somewhat of a hatred for them. All the friends that I've had have parents with cars, a daily or weekly allowance, and their own room. I still don't have any of that. Instead, I'm working every single day trying to find money for myself, but no matter how much I work, I still know that most kids my age are still gonna be richer than me even if they don't put the effort that I put in,' they added, recalling that when they were 14, they saved for months to buy an inexpensive bike from Decathlon, but even after they got it, their feelings were somewhat spoiled because they knew others had better bikes.
They ended the post by writing, 'I feel somewhat isolated, like no one in public actually went through what we had to go through. Like, I can't really find my people.'
Fortunately, many Reddit users showed up in support of the post author.
A commenter who said they had grown up under similar circumstances wrote, 'Everyone has a different starting point and we need to accept that … We all are exposed to different resources and experiences that it's unfair to compare yourself to someone else, and it's not your fault or anyone's… It's just circumstances.
'You have the ability to survive in harsh financial conditions compared to someone who hasn't seen such hardships…so it honestly puts you in an advantageous position…
'Survival of the fittest. So chin up!! You have come a long way!!'
'Rather than resentment, I feel envious that people got it easier. I know, even how hard I try, it's impossible to break into the upper tier. People have inheritance lining up, while we have debt lining up. My goal is to avoid putting my kids through what I have been through. You can do it too!' wrote another.
A commenter who also grew up in a low-income household, 'I can honestly tell you that you will be more resilient and grateful for whatever positive that comes in your way at your stage in life as compared to your peers from more stable backgrounds. These traits will prepare you for survival when you're older in the working world.
'Chin up! Use it as motivation to break through this low-income vicious cycle. You can do it! Jiayou!' /TISG
Read also: 'Is S$200k low income now?' — Singaporean says even a condo or new car feels unaffordable
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Former Pasir Panjang English School, NatSteel pavilion and 20 Turf City buildings to be conserved
SINGAPORE: The former Pasir Panjang English School, the NatSteel pavilion in Jurong and 20 buildings at Bukit Timah's Turf City will be conserved under the country's latest land use master plan. This expands on an earlier list of five sites announced in May – including the Singapore Badminton Hall and Jurong Hill Tower – that were earmarked for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). 'We will continue to incorporate greenery and heritage considerations into our planning processes, and balance these carefully with developmental needs, ' National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said at the launch of an exhibition for URA's Draft Master Plan 2025 on Wednesday (Jun 25). URA said it has developed a new thematic framework to guide conservation efforts, aligned with four key aspects of Singapore's post-independence growth – economy, housing, social and defence. The former Pasir Panjang English School and buildings at Turf City fall under the 'social' theme, while the NatSteel Steel Pavilion represents Singapore's early industrialisation under the 'economy' theme. 'This thematic framework will support the identification of selected sites that represent Singapore's history and development over the past 60 years,' said the country's urban planning agency. FORMER PASIR PANJANG ENGLISH SCHOOL The former Pasir Panjang English School, located along Yew Siang Road, was established in January 1933 as an all-boys school. In 1936, it was selected – along with two other government schools – to pilot co-educational classes. It also served as a registration centre for emergency evacuees before the outbreak of World War II in December 1941. The school buildings were damaged in the war and reconstruction efforts began in November 1947. The school eventually closed in 1986 and was used as a drug rehabilitation centre between 1999 and 2024. According to URA, the school remains a strong identity marker for residents in the area and represents a rare example of standardised school buildings constructed with timber during the 1920s and 1930s. The main building features a largely intact U-shaped classroom block, complete with a pitched tile roof and overhanging eaves. The agency said the proposed conservation of the school would commemorate a milestone in Singapore's educational development. NATSTEEL PAVILION The NatSteel Steel Pavilion, located at Tanjong Kling Road, traces its origins to the early 1960s when it operated under the name National Iron and Steel Mills. It was the first heavy industry factory to be built in Jurong Industrial Estate. The original foundation stone for the mills, laid by then-Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee in 1962, can still be found near the entrance of the Steel Pavilion. Officially opened in January 1964, the facility played a vital role in Singapore's early industrialisation efforts, supplying steel for the Housing and Development Board's first-generation public housing, the MRT system and the construction of Changi Airport. Its main two-storey office building, including the Steel Pavilion, was designed by the Malayan Architects Co-partnership, one of Singapore's pioneering architectural firms responsible for some of the country's most iconic buildings such as the Singapore Conference Hall and Trade Union House. The pavilion features steel-framed glass windows and exposed fair-faced brick walls, as well as a curved umbrella-shaped steel roof structure that URA described as an engineering feat of its time. Over the years, the firm diversified into other businesses alongside changes in ownership. Today, NatSteel is owned by Toptip Holding, a Singapore-based steel and iron ore trading firm. 20 BUILDINGS AT BUKIT TIMAH TURF CITY Turf City in Bukit Timah was formerly home to Singapore's second racecourse from 1933 to 1999 and a popular horseracing venue, before the Singapore Turf Club's (STC) relocation to Kranji. The site later served as a recreational and commercial hub, with spaces leased out for lifestyle and recreational uses until the end of 2023. URA has announced plans to develop a new housing estate in the area with 15,000 to 20,000 public and private homes over the next 20 to 30 years. The authority has proposed to conserve both the north and south grandstands. Twenty other buildings across different clusters, building types, ages and architectural styles are now being considered for conservation, given their different representations of the site's history. These include the Fairways Quarters and Community Centre at 53 Fairways Drive, buildings at 192, 198 and 232 Turf Club Road which once housed Turf Club management and their families, the former Bukit Timah Saddle Club clubhouse at 51 Fairways Drive and the nearby two-storey Fairways Bungalow, as well as the Dunearn Water Depot located at 752 Dunearn Road. 'Repurposing these selected buildings as part of the future housing estate will create a distinctive environment for future residents and communities,' URA said. TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE The draft master plan is a statutory land use plan that guides Singapore's development for the next 10 to 15 years and is reviewed every five years. It also outlines Singapore's strategies to address climate change, such as the 'Long island' project to guard against rising sea levels, enhance water security and create new land for future generations. The plan involves reclaiming about 800 hectares of land, with a reservoir in between. Environmental and engineering studies for the project began in early 2024, and site investigation works in the waters off East Coast Park will start in July this year to examine seabed and geological conditions. Singapore is also looking underground to optimise land use. Mr Chee cited the Jurong Rock Caverns, a massive underground oil storage facility that opened in 2014, as an example. Located 150m beneath Jurong Island, the facility can store up to 1.47 million cubic metres of oil products and has freed up about 60 hectares of land, or the equivalent of 70 football fields. 'Looking ahead, we are exploring underground uses in places like Gali Batu for construction materials storage, and supporting more research and development to unlock new possibilities for future underground developments,' the minister said. At the same time, Singapore is looking at vertical intensification to optimise space. The potential relaxation of building height limits near airports could unlock new opportunities, which the authorities will study in tandem with infrastructure capacity and urban design considerations, said Mr Chee.
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Former Pasir Panjang English School, NatSteel pavillion and 20 Turf City buildings to be conserved
SINGAPORE: The former Pasir Panjang English School, the NatSteel pavilion in Jurong and 20 buildings at Bukit Timah's Turf City will be conserved under the country's latest land use master plan. This expands on an earlier list of five sites announced in May – including the Singapore Badminton Hall and Jurong Hill Tower – that were earmarked for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). 'We will continue to incorporate greenery and heritage considerations into our planning processes, and balance these carefully with developmental needs, ' National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said at the launch of an exhibition for URA's Draft Master Plan 2025 on Wednesday (Jun 25). URA said it has developed a new thematic framework to guide conservation efforts, aligned with four key aspects of Singapore's post-independence growth – economy, housing, social and defence. The former Pasir Panjang English School and buildings at Turf City fall under the 'social' theme, while the NatSteel Steel Pavilion represents Singapore's early industrialisation under the 'economy' theme. 'This thematic framework will support the identification of selected sites that represent Singapore's history and development over the past 60 years,' said the country's urban planning agency. FORMER PASIR PANJANG ENGLISH SCHOOL The former Pasir Panjang English School, located along Yew Siang Road, was established in January 1933 as an all-boys school. In 1936, it was selected – along with two other government schools – to pilot co-educational classes. It also served as a registration centre for emergency evacuees before the outbreak of World War II in December 1941. The school buildings were damaged in the war and reconstruction efforts began in November 1947. The school eventually closed in 1986 and was used as a drug rehabilitation centre between 1999 and 2024. According to URA, the school remains a strong identity marker for residents in the area and represents a rare example of standardised school buildings constructed with timber during the 1920s and 1930s. The main building features a largely intact U-shaped classroom block, complete with a pitched tile roof and overhanging eaves. The agency said the proposed conservation of the school would commemorate a milestone in Singapore's educational development. NATSTEEL PAVILION The NatSteel Steel Pavilion, located at Tanjong Kling Road, traces its origins to the early 1960s when it operated under the name National Iron and Steel Mills. It was the first heavy industry factory to be built in Jurong Industrial Estate. The original foundation stone for the mills, laid by then-Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee in 1962, can still be found near the entrance of the Steel Pavilion. Officially opened in January 1964, the facility played a vital role in Singapore's early industrialisation efforts, supplying steel for the Housing and Development Board's first-generation public housing, the MRT system and the construction of Changi Airport. Its main two-storey office building, including the Steel Pavilion, was designed by the Malayan Architects Co-partnership, one of Singapore's pioneering architectural firms responsible for some of the country's most iconic buildings such as the Singapore Conference Hall and Trade Union House. The pavilion features steel-framed glass windows and exposed fair-faced brick walls, as well as a curved umbrella-shaped steel roof structure that URA described as an engineering feat of its time. Over the years, the firm diversified into other businesses alongside changes in ownership. Today, NatSteel is owned by Toptip Holding, a Singapore-based steel and iron ore trading firm. 20 BUILDINGS AT BUKIT TIMAH TURF CITY Turf City in Bukit Timah was formerly home to Singapore's second racecourse from 1933 to 1999 and a popular horseracing venue, before the Singapore Turf Club's (STC) relocation to Kranji. The site later served as a recreational and commercial hub, with spaces leased out for lifestyle and recreational uses until the end of 2023. URA has announced plans to develop a new housing estate in the area with 15,000 to 20,000 public and private homes over the next 20 to 30 years. The authority has proposed to conserve both the north and south grandstands. Twenty other buildings across different clusters, building types, ages and architectural styles are now being considered for conservation, given their different representations of the site's history. These include the Fairways Quarters and Community Centre at 53 Fairways Drive, buildings at 192, 198 and 232 Turf Club Road which once housed Turf Club management and their families, the former Bukit Timah Saddle Club clubhouse at 51 Fairways Drive and the nearby two-storey Fairways Bungalow, as well as the Dunearn Water Depot located at 752 Dunearn Road. 'Repurposing these selected buildings as part of the future housing estate will create a distinctive environment for future residents and communities,' URA said. TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE The draft master plan is a statutory land use plan that guides Singapore's development for the next 10 to 15 years and is reviewed every five years. It also outlines Singapore's strategies to address climate change, such as the 'Long island' project to guard against rising sea levels, enhance water security and create new land for future generations. The plan involves reclaiming about 800 hectares of land, with a reservoir in between. Environmental and engineering studies for the project began in early 2024, and site investigation works in the waters off East Coast Park will start in July this year to examine seabed and geological conditions. Singapore is also looking underground to optimise land use. Mr Chee cited the Jurong Rock Caverns, a massive underground oil storage facility that opened in 2014, as an example. Located 150m beneath Jurong Island, the facility can store up to 1.47 million cubic metres of oil products and has freed up about 60 hectares of land, or the equivalent of 70 football fields. 'Looking ahead, we are exploring underground uses in places like Gali Batu for construction materials storage, and supporting more research and development to unlock new possibilities for future underground developments,' the minister said. At the same time, Singapore is looking at vertical intensification to optimise space. The potential relaxation of building height limits near airports could unlock new opportunities, which the authorities will study in tandem with infrastructure capacity and urban design considerations, said Mr Chee.
Independent Singapore
6 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Singaporean asks why MRT toilets are ‘so filthy' in one of the richest Asian countries
SINGAPORE: An exasperated local Reddit user lamented the sorry state of some bathrooms in Singapore, asking why toilets at MRT stations are 'so filthy', even though the country has the budget to keep them clean. In a post on r/askSingapore late last week, u/Scarface6342 listed the faults of MRT toilets, including the lack of toilet paper refills, tissue packets scattered all over the floor, and urine everywhere. 'Is this a cultural issue of people not caring or is there not enough cleaners?' they asked, adding that they had had an urgent need to use the bathroom on their way to work, but when they did so at the MRT station, they were 'appalled' by the dirtiness of the toilet. The post author added that in contrast, when they had visited Taiwan, South Korea, and 'even Vietnam, a random toilet is even cleaner than the MRT toilets'. They also don't believe that it's a budget issue, adding, 'I know this is a first-world problem, but we are one of the richest Asian countries. Can we not have basic hygiene in the toilets?' A commenter who received a lot of upvotes seemed to agree that instead of a budget problem, it's a matter of perspective. 'It's a 'not my house, so not my responsibility' kind of mindset, and they know there will be someone cleaning up after them. Basically selfish and inconsiderate users.' Another pointed out, however, that while this is by no means a new problem, toilets seemed to be cleaned more frequently in the past. However, another countered this by writing, 'Instead of expecting cleaners to constantly clean up after them, why not have some basic civility to at least minimise the mess? At the rate the toilets get dirtied, no amount of cleaning can keep up.' 'This is the typical attitude that most Singaporeans have. I mean, look at Japan, the people take care of things outside their homes, thus clean toilets that the cleaners maintain. In Singapore, they have to clean,' a commenter chimed in. Another had this to say about Taiwan: 'The ironic thing is in Taiwan, due to the constraints of their sewerage system, you can't throw toilet paper in the toilet bowl. Have to throw it in a bin next to the bowl, so even though their system is more backward, their toilet etiquette is excellent. Always find their toilets clean. Perhaps it's due to their education system where school children have to participate in cleaning up their school, and this includes cleaning toilets.' 'It's people not caring. Applies to both locals and long-staying foreigners. I went to a toilet/shower at ECP. A mom just showered her toddler and simply left the soaked diaper on the floor. Overlooked? Forgot? Maybe after dressing the child, they'd come back for the diaper. Nope. I used the toilet/shower again a couple of hours later. The diaper was still there,' contributed another. 'It takes less than an hour before toilets become filthy after cleaning,' a commenter observed. /TISG Read also: Singaporeans 'infuriated' with coffee shop toilets being the dirtiest in SG despite operators earning 'tons from drink sales'
