090806
9th August 2006 is the forty one National Day of Singapore.
Last year...while travelling along Emirates Hills...the morning sun was already hurting my eyes...not helped much by the rows of dull looking villas! Suddenly...i saw something very familiar...a singapore flag hanging outside the balcony of a single unit! It was one week before the National Day. Ironically, I wasn't excited at all!
I stopped observing the Day 10 years ago..."Just another public holiday!" And also partly because I associate the Day with the ruling government whom I have many issues with. A silent boycott?...perhaps. I am sure...Im not the only one.
On that Day...the difinitive event is the ONE BIG PARADE at the National Stadium...uniformed personnels, public servants...etc doing the march...singing patriotic songs....dance items depicting nation building, living in harmony...etc and finally....the fireworks! The 50,000 odd crowd at the stadium will goes into an euphoria...without fail.
This year the theme is "Our Global City...Our Home"...I wonder....I don't feel connected at all. Many policies implemented are suffocating the people. It is always "We talk...u listen!"....retrenched older skilled workers were told to "bite the bullet" and take jobs that pay peanuts while good jobs went to "foreign talent". Freedom of speech? it's one step forward and three steps backward!
Come September 2006...they want 4 million smiles for the IMF Summit in Singapore! "Listen boys and girls...no bad mouthing the government understand?"
So..I will stick by my gun...I will not hang the flag on this Day.
Photo source:
http://www.ndp.org.sg
posted by black feline at 6:26 AM
17 Comments:
I like Singapore, lived there for a bit and think that generally it has managed to preserve its culture whilst developing at an extraordinary rate. No mean feat.
I think that there are very close similarities between the government here and the government in SGP, you must feel really at home!
How did the visit of the tai-tais go?!
HMHB
12:13 PM
At the beginning of July we were in S'pore visiting my in-laws, and the flags were up all over the HDB blocks even then. The Singaporeans really get behind the event.
3:37 PM
Patriotism is not always a bad thing, Americans are patriotic despite our country's recent war-mongering, and I hated to miss 4th of July this year. Isn't Singapore a democracy? I'm not sure why the people don't vote in a more liberal gov't, but then again I don't know why America voted Bush in for a 2nd term.
7:20 PM
I served in the US Military and I can honestly say that I could not fly the US flag. I have issues with our government as well so I understand. It's the price that you pay with knowledge. Once I learned about what the US flag really stands for and continues to stand for it made it difficult to embrace it. Don't get me wrong because I don't hate the US flag or America. This is home for me whether I like it or not. In the end, Uncle Sam is my perverted uncle. He will sometimes protect me outside from harm while he abuses me here at home.
8:38 PM
In France we call what you want to do (not hang flag) "resistance passive" = to stand up passively...
That means not do something you don't aggree with.
12:10 AM
I heard that about Singapore - not much liberty for the citizens, media tightly controlled, etc.
That's a good way to express yourself by not flying the flag. It gets your point across but doesn't incite anyone.
4:46 PM
Never been to singapore. Would love to go there thought.
PS. Youre linked on my blog.
12:58 PM
beery...are we talking about the same Singapore? lol..anyway those tai tais love Dubai..especially the shopping..suspect they will be back soon!
seebee...im quite sure those blocks with flags were near the main roads/MRT/public amenities etc those were put up by the government's grassroot not the residents..
crystal...we have a pseudo form of democracy..they will only allow u to talk according to their bible..recently..arguably the most popular blogger...http://www.mrbrown.com/...was slammed for his light criticism of the ruling party's policies thats hurting the people on the local papers where he was a weekly columnist as well...guess what? he was suspended from writing ever again for the papers!
stephen...u r right..sometimes ignorance is a bliss!
cergie...resistance passive...new term for me..interesting!
junebee...im not alone..many young people are getting fed up with the silly paternal ruling style!
3anooda...i do love my country..it's a nice place..thanks for the link!
6:23 AM
I have been in Singapore and I don't really like it, maybe too much shopping centers and the bad impression from the hotel staff behavior- But this is such a clean city and food is great.
8:20 AM
that's funny. i'm the same way about the fourth of july here in the states. i can't really parade around talking about freedom and liberty when my ancestors were still slaves (or on their way across the atlantic to be enslaved)at that time. still, i understand the importance of celebrating these types of holidays. i just wish the government would stop fronting like everyone was free then.
4:42 PM
I think patriotism is usually a bad thing and don't participate in it myself. It is all about glorifying your own nation at the expense of others. Screw that! I remember the guy exiled to Sentosa island for being a 'communist'. I tried to search for him when I went there, but no luck. Singapore is no democracy...
7:50 AM
"Resistance passive", you know what ?
Children are very strong using that arm !
And dogs or sheeps too ( they sit down, rooted on the soil and you must pull the string to do them move) but unhappily for them, all of them, they can never win !
7:15 PM
godknows...frankly i hate the concrete jungle too..they have demolished too many of the old facades..tragic!
april...to me it's pompous..the whole meaning of nationhood is completely lost!
san nakji...he's none other than Mr. Chia Thye Poh...prisoner of conscience...23 yrs imprisonment without trial...9 yrs house arrest in Sentosa...and finally in 1998 all restrictions were lifted...we remember
Cergie...that's a good analogy..i think most pacifists use such strategy...peaceful demonstration
7:58 PM
Baluchi...oop sorry..u are now janet..ya sure..pigs can fly too!
6:15 AM
I don't really miss Singapore after I left more than a year ago for Al Ain. I love the desert here. Weather is great too. And I could afford not to have my wife working here. Can't afford to do that in Singapore. I do miss the food though.
3:58 PM
Zul,
thanks for popping by :) Glad u and your family are settling down well at Al Ain...
5:46 AM
Ola, well I started a simple blog and maybe you would like to see it. it's very simple and still unfamiliar but eventually I will be posting some more. So you are all welcome to check it out. Nothing fantastic tho :)
8:27 PM
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