I WRITE in response to the report, "Most Singaporeans are a satisfied lot" (my paper, Aug 17).

I was surprised to see the results of the survey, which asked if respondents were satisfied with their lives.

Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Bangladesh had the highest number of satisfied respondents, in descending order.

Sri Lanka recently saw the end of a long-running conflict between government forces and the Tamil Tiger separatists.

Vietnam is a developing country facing high inflation, and Bangladesh has to contend with natural disasters.

Singapore has a high level of gross domestic product per capita, a good public-housing policy, a well-maintained and efficient public-transport system, and a clean and effective government.

However, only 63 per cent of respondents from here said they were satisfied with their lives.

Perhaps we are not an easily satisfied lot. Or perhaps we have based our satisfaction on things that ultimately do not satisfy us much.

Maybe we have focused so much on performing and delivering results, whether in school or at work, that we have lost focus on other aspects of life, such as spending quality time with our families.

Perhaps we have become part of a system where excellence with few compromises is a given.

We are expected to deliver top-notch work, regardless of the industry we are in. This leaves us with little choice but to work harder and harder, sacrificing our quality of life.

We need to look inwards and reflect on what the survey results say.

I also echo the concerns of part-time tutor and mother of two Katherine Hor, who was quoted in the report as saying that rising costs led her to predict her finances would worsen.

Our wages and wealth may rise and fall, depending on the state of Singapore's economy.

However, the cost of basic necessities keeps rising.

Unhappiness with these rising costs would rank high in a survey on dissatisfaction with life.

Mr Charles Ong Hai Beng

For more my paper stories click here.

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