PHV driver regrets renouncing M'sian citizenship to be S'porean, says he has to 'work until he's dead'
A man who gave up his Malaysian citizenship to be a Singaporean expressed regret in a now-deleted Reddit post, claiming he has to "work until he's dead".
The post, which has since been removed from the r/Malaysia subreddit, was reported by Malaysian news site WeirdKaya on Jan 21.
In the post, the Redditor shared an exchange with a private-hire driver, who questioned whether it was worth renouncing his Malaysian citizenship to be a Singaporean.
"He told me he regretted being a Singaporean citizen as he envisions himself working till dead since cost [sic] of living in Singapore is high and getting higher soon," the Redditor wrote.
Although the driver's wife is a Malaysian citizen, which gives them the option to return to Malaysia for retirement, their two children are Singapore citizens and must fulfil their national service (NS) obligations.
The Reddit user agreed with the driver's sentiments, pointing out that Malaysians generally have access to more land and can live further from city centres. On the other hand, Singaporeans typically reside in public housing flats with strict regulations on daily life.
He added that Singapore is "densely populated" and new citizens may find themselves "surrounded by buildings for the rest of their lives".
"I think most Malaysians should come to Singapore only for work and focus on getting the money and go back retire [sic]," he said.
"I don't know what's Malaysians' [sic] fascination about Singapore other than safety and convenience."
Netizens divided over cost of living debate
WeirdKaya's Facebook post about the Reddit thread garnered more than 100 comments, sparking debate over whether the user's remarks were justified.
Some agreed that high costs of living have become a barrier for prospective citizens, as another user remarked: "Singapore is very good if you are rich. But if you are poor, it is hard to retire there. Life becomes stressful, with little quality."
Others disagreed, noting that Singapore offers benefits such as CDC vouchers — a scheme that provides financial support for all Singaporean households.
"It is funny that one thinks that wealth does not require hardship, is this how the people think over there? Getting paid handsomely without sacrifice?" another user said.
