"ST Forum Page letter writer Ace Kindred Cheong: If you are a young man in your 30s and a lawyer, and asked to contribute to Singapore to be a politician and join the PAP, would you oblige and forsake the high-paying salary as a lawyer to be a politician? If yes, why; and if no, why?

MM Lee: It depends on what kind of life I had before I reached 30. If I was brought up poor and I made the grade through government scholarships, then I'd probably feel a certain moral obligation and say, yes, I got to keep this system going because this system gave me that lift. But if I came from a fairly comfortable family and I've never had any hardships, and I got a career path ahead of me... "

so fewer top students are going for government scholarships. in the case of MM Lee's grandson, it was because he didn't wanna serve the bond. which i think mirrors many "scholarly" minds today. in the past, government scholarships were a direct ticket to career success and life fulfillment in Singapore. in today's circumstances, talent is spoilt for choices. and societal change has meant that these people do not feel the need to step up.

"if somebody can do it, let him do it." something that sounds a lot like Vietnam. is it the death of talent, or the dearth of talent?

a government scholarship was, and is, still my choice. despite the gruesome mental torture, and the seemingly pending financial catastrophe. maybe because i'm a foreigner (which is ironic). maybe because i've wanted to be with STB since my J1 (though i never thought it'd come true).

for sure, it is because it's part of my plan. i might not make it the way Mr Slim overtook the Mr Gates' long standing position on Forbes' World's Richest Man ranking yesterday. but that's not my plan anyway. i'd work to be unfucked. to make my plan.