It has been a very turbulent year with the world in recession after the credit crisis hit. Now, the economy is showing signs of improvement and the light at the end of the tunnel seem to be closing in. National Day is a perfect time to look at Singapore in retrospect and see what we have done.
Currently, Singapore’s population has grown to 4.6 million and it is still going to grow to the projected size of 6.5 million. This will make Singapore’s population density one of the highest in the world and it cannot be doubted that this feat would have been impossible without the long term planning that goes beyond housing or just employment.
Today, Singapore enjoys one of the best education systems in the world, one of the lowest levels of official corruption in the world and a country that has embraced its multiracial community with mutual respect.
Granted, the path of nation building has still put us far from a perfect country, but Singapore till today has achieved a lot. Nation building is a continuous process to find the best solutions for Singapore and to meet new global challenges. Thankfully, we have been in a good position over the many years to make hard choices that allowed us to flourish.
Moreover, the true Singapore heartbeat emerges with the people sector taking leading roles in their communities, and wanting to take an active part in making the country a better place.
I remember attending the discussion groups on the national day rally at the Peopleís Association. There were people from all walks of life and the youth did not hold back at giving their thoughts of the rally and the feedback they received from their community. The Youth Executive Committee volunteers were dedicated and ready to put out suggestions or brainstorm new ideas to bring the community together.
Likewise in the civil society, many know that they have a part to play in building and shaping Singaporeís civic affairs. [Groups such as Acres that was started to address animal abuse, One Singapore that created the Stand Up, Take Action campaign or Wilson Ang, who started ECO-Singapore that started a chain reaction of followers taking to the streets to promote an eco-friendly country–these are just a few of the many groups of people who have stepped up and became participants. They are well informed, dedicated and have our country’s interest at heart. Everyone’s participation comes at a timely period and their shared responsibility of molding Singapore is key if we are going to effetively face coming future challenges.
My feeling is that the p65 generation is definitely not an apathetic generation, neither is it a generation that lacks activism. It is a generation that is inquisitive, open-minded, will continue to voice their opinions and will not fail to take lead in future despite the challenges ahead.
Happy Birthday Singapore! Hope Singapore will continue to prosper and be an inclusive society.
Leon is an opinionated student, loves to be with people and enjoys contemplating about everything under the sun. He is restless and is always looking for every opportunity to travel to see the world. At 16, he ventured off to Trieste, Italy for his pre-university, embracing the wonderful Mediterranean culture. In Italy, he was also a conflict resolution facilitator, working on youth engagement in Europe. He volunteers regularly for youth development to support ways to seek social change. On the side, Leon is an avid fan of the series Mythbusters, is a facebook addict and a food fanatic.