
If
you have read my “About Me” page, you would probably have realised that I am
pro-government.
“And
if you ask me: why politics? Well, I have an unabashed deep admiration for my
Singapore government…”
It
was probably a risk to have made that statement in my introductory page.
Fervent opposition party supporters would probably have blacklisted my blog or
swore never to come by again. (Not that I’ve actually ever blogged about
politics.) Yet, being the passionate person that I am, I had no qualms in professing
my ardent support of the incumbent government, albeit not explaining why.
Today,
on the 50th birthday of this country that I love with all my heart –
that in order to protect it, (if need be) I’m willing to die on the battlefield
– I will endeavour to justify my utmost support for the government: not with
political arguments but with day-to-day experiences.
To
begin, I confess that I used to be a naïve – critics call it “brainwashed” –
supporter of the PAP. I would volunteer at the local Meet-the-People Session
religiously every week. I would read the news and take the ministers’ words as
it is. I would aggressively defend against irrationalised opinions of
government policies. I chose to study Politics with a great intent to
understand the psyche of politicians, to be well equipped to combat any
accusations of the government that were poorly thought of.
I
completed my freshmen year as a Politics and International Relations
undergraduate in the United Kingdom (University of Manchester). What I learnt
in university turned out to be different from what I had expected. Instead of
reinforcing my beliefs, it made me more critical. Liberal democracy, checks and balances, free press, freedom of speech…
The more I studied, the more I realised how my government was under the attack
of the prodemocrats. However, at the
same time, something else seemed to be invigorating my allegiance to the
Singapore government. It wasn’t what I was learning in university. It was my
everyday experiences – the long walks down the streets of Manchester, the trips
to the Underground Tube in London, and the interaction with friends from all
around the world – that bolstered my faith in how Singapore is being run, and my
sense of pride to be called a Singaporean.
I
walked to college and back every day, saddened by the sight of homeless men and
women begging for spare change. I visited the city center every weekend to immerse
myself in the vibrant city life, only to be tainted by the ugly streets
plastered with splotches of unwanted gum. I tried my best to go home before the
sun went down; otherwise, I would be jumping at every alarming sound that could
possibly have been a gunshot or a violent attack. I ran to the bus stop on
Sunday mornings, hoping and praying that I didn’t missed the bus (for I would
never know when the next one would come). I walked to the nearby Underground
Tube when I was in London for the weekend, half expecting the station not to be
operating on that day. I learnt about the concerns of my peers in finding a job
back in their home country upon graduation. I heard about their plans of not
returning to their country, in search of better prospects elsewhere.
All
of these are things I would rarely – if not, never – experience in Singapore.
And on one of the occasions when I sought the opinion of a European friend of
mine on Singapore’s lack of freedom of expression, his reply took me by
surprise. “Who cares? You have money.” His reply brought things into
perspective. I’m not saying (and I believe that’s not what he meant) that such
freedoms aren’t important. What I’m saying, reader, is that compared to the
people living in many other countries, in fact even in most of the 1st
world countries, we are very fortunate to be living in Singapore. Before the
anything-but-PAP supporters rebut with their arguments on how we – the average
citizen - “technically” don’t have money, or that money isn’t everything, I
would like to remind them that despite how financially handicapped you are, you
still have the freedom to food security and personal safety that more than a
handful of Europeans do not even have. My point is simply: do not take it for
granted.
On
the 23rd of March this year at about 9p.m., I was on a trip to
London, waiting for my scrumptious dinner to be served at the very sought-after
Burger and Lobster. While waiting for my platter of steamed lobster to appear
in front of me, I was scrolling through Facebook. That was when I first caught
sight of PM Lee’s official statement on the passing of former MM Lee Kuan Yew. My
first instinct told me that his Facebook account was probably hacked, again.
Denial. It was only after confirming with the various sources that I finally
came to terms with reality. I, along with my fellow Singaporean friends who
were on holiday with me, continued dining as though nothing had happened. Yet,
deep inside, we all knew that something had changed. There was an extremely
unsettling feeling within me – a subtle amalgamation of grief and anxiety. I
was tempted to pour out my feelings in a blog post a few days after his death;
to lament the death our dearest founding father, to vent my anger at those who
were disrespectful, to express the innumerous worries that I was harbouring for
the future of Singapore. However, I
abstained from doing so in order not to pass off as non-objective and
emotional.
Today,
more than 4 months after the death of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, I vindicate the anxiety
that I had harboured and I restore the right to write this blog post. The
general elections are coming. There are speculations that it would be in
September. If that is the case, I wouldn’t get to vote – I would be a month
late. Yet, I hope that through this post, I would convince at least one person
to consider where Singapore is right now, in the light of what is happening in
the world – what is happening to our neighbours, what is happening to our
former colonial authorities, what is happening to the supposed 1st
world. In the light of all these, there is a reason to be grateful to our
government. There is a reason to rejoice for your birth in this blessed nation.
There is a reason to stay and fight for the country amidst its challenges.
I do
not want to sound over-optimistic. There are a myriad of issues and policies
that I have started to question ever since I have been exposed to liberal democracy
outside the country. I hate the inequality; my family struggled for more than a
year with the meager earnings of my father’s small business. I do not believe
in gerrymandering; I reckon that a capable party should compete based on fair
elections. I don’t think that ministers should be paid so much; a genuine
servant of the country ought not to be motivated by money. I disagree with
certain aspects of how the public service is being run; more than 2 years in
the Armed Forces has showed me more than enough flaws to convince me of the
inefficiencies of the public service. Yet, unlike many who turn these
frustrations into blind hatred for the government, I choose to accept that no
government is perfect.
I’m
no longer pro-PAP. I’m pro-Singapore. I love my country and I would support the
party that proves its mettle and worth. For taking care of my country for the
past 50 years and nurturing her to whom she is today, I’m grateful to the PAP.
However, if there comes a day when the country is being wrecked in the hands of
this party that I have placed my trust in, I will not hold back my vote for the
opposition, if there be a more capable one.
And on a final note, to the Singaporeans who claim that they hate the country (especially because of the huge influx of foreigners) and are eager to leave for another country: by doing so, you are a hypocrite and you are no different from the foreigners in our country that you so very hate. You are not welcomed in another country either.
And on a final note, to the Singaporeans who claim that they hate the country (especially because of the huge influx of foreigners) and are eager to leave for another country: by doing so, you are a hypocrite and you are no different from the foreigners in our country that you so very hate. You are not welcomed in another country either.
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