I still remember when I was young I stayed at my aunty house at Johor Bahru. Because I don’t have a passport I couldn’t follow my cousin to Singapore. I used to blame my mom for not getting me a passport. Those days, Singapore is considered the best chance for one to step out from Malaysia for the first time because of geographical position.
While I was in primary, my parent sent me to this examination to apply for ASEAN scholarship. The ticket is a chance to study in Singapore with all those smart alects from across ASEAN. Well, I must admit I was not qualified. The standard is just too high for me that time. When I graduated from university, I got an offer to work in Singapore. However, the scope or work is not what I wanted. I’ve heard a lot and had many links to Singapore when I grew up.
How people knows of Singapore not the country above it.
How they give the finger to Malaysia on the water issue (by resorting to drink their own recycled water instead).
How good their education system is.
How good their anti-corruption system is in eradicating all those crooks away.
Also how the word ‘kiasu’ becomes my first Hokkien word in my dictionary.
Well, I guess that’s what made the country so developed. Learning that Singapore is venturing into tourism a few years back, it somehow raised my eyebrows. What on earth is this tiny country could offer besides Orchard Road?
I was wrong.
Having witnessed the staging of Formula One night race.
The success of building the Singapore Flyer (and making it permanent on the ground unlike the one in Malaysia).
The setting up of Universal Studio and Sands casino.
People are aware of the fact that the shoreline being shrunken down by a few centimeters every year. One would wonder whether this country is going to sink when so many tourists landed here. That’s why their Merlion is trying to pump out so much water every day.
I tried the Singapore Flyer. I felt a bit guilty that I’m not willing to pay for Eye on Malaysia and also London Eye but not this.
When all I got to see up there is the view of own state back home, Johor and Indonesia! Stupid me.
But without getting into this ride, it won’t come into my mind how feng shui contributes into the success of Singapore. Most of the people in Singapore are Chinese. Therefore, it‘s not uncommon to see people there believing in feng shui. I once watched Amazing Race show where it required the contestant to look for the fountain of wealth in Singapore. I decided to give it a visit there. A walk inside the fountain at Suntec City and encircling the fountain 3 times is believed to give you good luck.
Actually, one day is all you need to walk around Singapore city center. The max also is 2 days. I find that Singapore is of no difference with Malaysia. The Singaporean won’t even know you are from Malaysia when you walk along the street. Unlike if you are a European selling food like what we encountered in Chinatown lo. Some more you name your stall "We’ll Still Stand" "Wuerstelstand".
Also, when you start to add the word “la” in your conversation during the process of haggle the price, you have eliminated the Hong Kong tourists from the sellers’ mind. It’s so apparent that you are as though putting a stamp “Ini Malaysia Mari Punya” on your forehead.
Singapore is such a well-organized country that is blessed with preservation of historical buildings as well as building new futuristic structures.
Food wise, it is of nothing much spectacular with the Chinese cuisine back in Malaysia. However, the chicken rice, their own version of nasi lemak is so famous that Chef Anthony Bourdain claimed that it is so delicious that it can be eaten on its own. I speculate he must have listened to the radio advertisement of Gardenia bread in Malaysia before he left for Singapore.
Many of my course mates went to work in Singapore. Who wouldn’t? You get double pay. But then stay in Johor and pay cheap price for your food. I have seen people who even work in Singapore during the weekday and fly back to Kuala Lumpur every weekend. With the government still trying to get bullet train back to track between these two cities, it’s not unforeseen that one day that you can stay in Bangsar and take a train to Singapore everyday to work.
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