MUSINGS ON SINGAPORE'S 40TH BIRTHDAY
Not perfect but there's much to celebrate
BEING somewhat embarrassed with open displays of national pride, I must confess that I have been taking National Day for granted while I was in Singapore.
I will refrain from repeating how great a place Singapore is but living in Britain has made me treasure several aspects of life in the Republic.
While we may still face difficulties in fostering closer racial interaction and religious harmony, hate crimes have not been part of the routine existence of almost all living in Singapore.
Since the bombings in London on July 7, Islamphobia-related incidents in Britain have gone up by 600 per cent. Women with headscarfs were spat on and one Pakistani man was killed by a gang of white teens.
I may not be entirely sure that similar incidents will not happen in Singapore, but having lived in Singapore for three decades, I do not think my countrymen would do likewise.
Politics in Singapore would be considered a yawn for many political observers but, in 'mature democracies' where political mudslinging and brickbats are the order of the day, I am beginning to miss the more focused and rational discussion on resolving broader issues rather than name-calling.
While our political culture needs to be made more vibrant, critical and open, we should not dismiss it completely as being authoritarian.
I dare say that many Britons outside the sophisticated 'liberal circles' would yearn for a 'nanny state' where leaders persistently stress the need to be more employable through skills upgrading, changing attitudes, etc, rather than merely blaming certain personalities, institutions or groups.
The one aspect of Singapore I miss most is a slogan from the Singapore Police Force: 'Low crime doesn't mean no crime.' Living in an area with police warnings discouraging the use of mobile phones in public and advice to be discreet about personal belongings, I try to return home before midnight, learnt to look over my shoulder for suspicious persons, and avoid groups of loitering juvenile delinquents.
However, every time I return to Singapore, I drop my guard almost completely.
Singapore's achievement in these areas is not attributable to the Government alone. Without consensus from the citizens, no government policy, however well articulated, would bear fruit.
While there is room for improvement, there is also much to celebrate on our 40th National Day. I wish everyone in the land I call home 'Happy National Day'.
Liew Kai Khiun
London, UK