I din say I envy ah... but for many people a garmen job is super senang and super safe. You can't lose your job unless you are superx1000 lousy or committed an offense. You CAN be sure you'll reach a certain level of earnings (at least you know you WILL get $X after certain time), you get all sorts of welfare, and even public recognition (for those who think such things are important).
Anyway, it's all about stability vs uncertainty, slow n steady vs faster route to riches and other such comparisons. For my hb, he's definitely not the enterprising one and it's best he sticks to his civil service job or something related to academia. I feel good knowing he's making some contribution to our country, although ironically, he's not a S'porean! He's fine with a routine and doing something he believes in besides making a living or chasing some dreams. For me, I abhor the routine, the hierarchy and the smallmindedness of garmen depts.
Not all pple are cut out to wheel and deal, be a towkay, earn big bucks and live happily ever after... so for those who are less enterprising, not bothered by the a slow and steady rise, and want a job with regular hours (this is v important for me and hb) a job in the garmen service is definitely better than most choices. Dun say garmen job like machiam prison like that lah... or like pple in public service got no dreams... v mundane lives like that. To you, your dream job is your dream job alone, to others, that garmen job is their dream job. So long as everyone is happy, making the level of income they are happy with, then everything's fine.