Nov 2, 2010
Embrace all who make S'pore a better place
I AM an ordinary citizen of Singapore who occasionally makes critical comments about government policies, laughs at the idiosyncrasies of some of our leaders and am sceptical of some of their undertakings.
Notwithstanding that, I am proud to be a Singaporean and I would rather live here and defend my country than die in any other 'more democratic' country.
So I read with concern the comment made by final-year engineering student Lim Zi Rui during the dialogue with Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Ministerial Forum last Friday night.
I certainly hope that his sentiment about a disconnection with Singapore and not feeling sure of 'what I am defending any more' is felt by only a few. If not, Singapore would be doomed.
It would be good for Mr Lim to ask himself why he was proud to be a Singaporean five to 10 years ago and what were the factors that made him feel so? What has changed since then? Have the changes made Singapore a worse place to live and work and bring up a family? The answer will be a definite 'no'.
All we need to do is look outside our borders and we will feel thankful and proud that Singapore is a safe, progressing and stable society, not given to riots and strikes. Are we taking all these for granted? In fact, I would argue that the changes that made Mr Lim feel 'insecure' are the very factors that have made Singapore the peaceful and progressive society it is today.
If we just focus on what we can get out of society and what society owes us, then we will always feel discontented and confused. If one always thinks of Singapore as Singaporeans versus non-Singaporeans and what Singaporeans should be entitled to, then one would end up unhappy. It is time to change our mindset.
Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, aptly put it: 'America does not consist of groups. A man who thinks of himself as belonging to a particular national group has not yet become an American.'
Anyone who has a stake in this country, who is passionate about Singapore and is every day doing whatever he can to make Singapore a better place for all of us to live in, should be welcomed.
With this mindset, I am sure that when it is time to protect this beautiful country, all of us, whether Singaporeans or not, will rise and defend our nation, and die for this place we call home.
Thng Tien Guan
Embrace all who make S'pore a better place
I AM an ordinary citizen of Singapore who occasionally makes critical comments about government policies, laughs at the idiosyncrasies of some of our leaders and am sceptical of some of their undertakings.
Notwithstanding that, I am proud to be a Singaporean and I would rather live here and defend my country than die in any other 'more democratic' country.
So I read with concern the comment made by final-year engineering student Lim Zi Rui during the dialogue with Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Ministerial Forum last Friday night.
I certainly hope that his sentiment about a disconnection with Singapore and not feeling sure of 'what I am defending any more' is felt by only a few. If not, Singapore would be doomed.
It would be good for Mr Lim to ask himself why he was proud to be a Singaporean five to 10 years ago and what were the factors that made him feel so? What has changed since then? Have the changes made Singapore a worse place to live and work and bring up a family? The answer will be a definite 'no'.
All we need to do is look outside our borders and we will feel thankful and proud that Singapore is a safe, progressing and stable society, not given to riots and strikes. Are we taking all these for granted? In fact, I would argue that the changes that made Mr Lim feel 'insecure' are the very factors that have made Singapore the peaceful and progressive society it is today.
If we just focus on what we can get out of society and what society owes us, then we will always feel discontented and confused. If one always thinks of Singapore as Singaporeans versus non-Singaporeans and what Singaporeans should be entitled to, then one would end up unhappy. It is time to change our mindset.
Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, aptly put it: 'America does not consist of groups. A man who thinks of himself as belonging to a particular national group has not yet become an American.'
Anyone who has a stake in this country, who is passionate about Singapore and is every day doing whatever he can to make Singapore a better place for all of us to live in, should be welcomed.
With this mindset, I am sure that when it is time to protect this beautiful country, all of us, whether Singaporeans or not, will rise and defend our nation, and die for this place we call home.
Thng Tien Guan
