SINGAPORE: A Jan 15 social media post from philanthropist and entrepreneur Jack Sim, more commonly known as Mr Toilet, about a Singaporean who is choosing to live in Indonesia rather than in Singapore, has gotten attention, with many commenters seeming to agree with the man’s decision.

Mr Sim, who founded the World Toilet Organization and World Toilet Day initiative as well as the Restroom Association of Singapore, wrote that he had obtained permission from the man to share his story.

“He offered me a new perspective from a young Singaporean that I’ve never thought of before,” he wrote.

The man is planning on returning to his mother’s hometown in Malang, Indonesia, instead of purchasing an HDB flat and “slogging for the next 30 years,” he added, as this would allow him to “live a simple life.”

He told Mr Sim that US$300 ($S410) is enough for people in Malang to have “a very decent local quality” of life and that he plans to marry an Indonesian woman from a small town and raise a family with her “without the stress of Singapore.”

The man also appreciates the friendliness of the locals and the sense of community in Malang that he claims is “absent” in Singapore. He added that the local women “are not demanding in choosing a husband” and that internet speeds are sufficient for him to work online.

Also, when he wants to visit his mother in Singapore, flying over is not a problem, and he can also work nights as a part-time banquet waiter. His salary in doing so would be more than enough for his expenses for his trip to and from Malang.

As for ambition, Mr Sim wrote that the man said when his friends talk about the length of time needed to pay HDB loans, the man feels that they have to work continuously just to pay these loans back.

“The materialistic lifestyle of showing off is meaningless to him,” he wrote, adding, “In Malang, he gets what life is supposed to be with friends, traditional human values, strong community, low-cost street food, slow pace, wide space, a motorcycle, family bonding, and the most important things: Time and Freedom.”

Mr Sim asked the followers on his page if the lifestyle the man desires would be possible for them as well. The Independent Singapore has contacted Mr Sim for further comments or updates. /TISG

Featured photo by Annisa Alwita from Malang, Indonesia  (Wikipedia)

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