Just Another Public Holiday
She becomes 41 and I have to spend 24hrs on her birthday guarding gates.
Folks, Wednesday Singapore celebrated her 41st independence while I was on 24hr guard duty with a 1st time guard commander who looked and acted like a boy scout.
I do get a day off for my efforts but now I can take pride and tell my descendents that on Singapore’s 41st birthday I was on guard duty opening and closing the main gates of a camp no body gives a fuck about. And please don’t give me the terrorist B.S.
Why do we celebrate National Day? Are we as Singaporean’s truly celebrating our way of life? And just what is the Singaporean way of life?
To me it’s all about eye candy, the fireworks, the parades, the costumes and performance. The national day has become a variety show that takes months of preparation wasting tax payers’ money which much rather be spent on the essential needs for the country.
I know some people will disagree with me and I offer no apologizes. Independence is more than a word. It’s about being acknowledged that we are a sovereign state that has to take its responsibility in maintaining world order. In truth, there is no independence. It is the illusion of dependence.
Singapore is a sore thumb in this region. She stands out among her neighbours and also is the envy of them. She is a manipulative country. Even our neighbours are in her mercy esp. Malaysia. In more ways than one, Singapore is the biggest hindrance to Malaysia’s growth.
My only wish for Singapore is that She works with all her neighbours to replicate the European model. Because whether you like it or not, Singapore is the country most equipped in this region to see a unity among its neighbours.
Imagine a day, when we go to Thailand we can use a common currency. Maybe we can even call it the Asean Dollar. Not only will all our neighbours be able to grow, the gap of the ultra rich and the super poor won’t be so wide.
Life is about living. Money is essential for almost everything today. We need good standards to live better. To get good standards we need money. I think you can see the picture. If the South East Asia countries can stop gathering wealth to themselves and segregate its wealth among its neighbours, the standard of living will improve thus improving life in the region.
There is no point in celebrating in close doors among ourselves when the whole region is suffering economically. I believe if we have the means to help, we should help. Those who have the power to take responsibility must take responsibility because only then can we work towards a future.
Have you asked yourselves why we are 30 years behind our European counterparts? It’s not that Asean doesn’t have the means to compete with Europe, we have no unity among our neighbours. Our leaders in the region cannot see a future of togetherness. They spend more time arguing among themselves than working on a solid model to ensure Asean has a shared future.
Some of the leaders know that the future is together. But they have no avenue to express their ideal and thoughts. The mere though of giving away your country’s wealth to help your neighbours frightens them. After all will you give your next door neighbour your hard earn saving so that he can be a little better off? Well no. nobody in their right mind will do such a thing. That is why most of us always close our doors and do our own things in our own houses.
If indeed Singapore wants to be a global city it must take responsibility in helping her region first rather than parading herself as a 1st world country at the expense of her poorer neighbours.
Maybe then, I feel an urge to celebrate other wise, it’s just another public holiday.
So till my next post ya, its bye from Ganz.
1 Comments:
Guard duty huh.
It sucks. There is no reward in being in the army today. People sign on either for the money ir they have no where else to go.
BTW, you have a great point.
8/12/2006 10:25 pm
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