A middle-aged Singaporean man feels exhausted by the local pace of life and says he wants to give up his high annual salary of SGD 100,000 (about MYR 330,000) to live in Kuala Lumpur. He asked netizens on social media whether they would give up the "Singapore dream."
Going by the username serstay, the man posted on the social forum Reddit, revealing that he is 35 years old this year, married with three children, and has a stable job in the education industry in Singapore, with an annual salary of about SGD 100,000.
The man continued, saying that he has recently grown weary of life in Singapore and has always been planning to leave, but wants to live closer to his family, so escaping to a neighboring country seems to be a good option.
"Kuala Lumpur feels like a pretty good place, and opportunities may be greater than in other parts of Malaysia, but I don't know where to start looking for a company job, and I'm not even sure what I really want. I just wanted to share my thoughts here."
The man also asked whether anyone else had ever had similar thoughts, giving up the "Singapore dream" and choosing to live in Malaysia, wanting to learn about this kind of experience and whether there would be any regrets.
He also revealed in the comments section of the post that one of the reasons that prompted his desire to leave is Singapore's "absurd education system," which he believes affects his children's physical and mental well-being.
He said that he understands if he chooses to go to Malaysia, his income will not be as high as before, but for a more balanced lifestyle and to allow his children a more comprehensive and happier learning environment, he is willing to accept this unknown challenge.
The related post sparked heated discussion among netizens. Some believe that if he already has considerable savings and is not fixated on material enjoyment, moving to Kuala Lumpur is indeed a good option.
Other netizens commented that the income gap between the two countries is significant, and since he needs to raise three children, he should think twice.
Some netizens suggested that the man should first take an extended vacation or check if his employer has an office in Malaysia, and only consider moving if realistic conditions allow.