Singapore's 44th Birthday

I chanced upon a rather interesting article on a Filipino news website. The celebration of our nation's independence, in the eyes of an outsider. :)
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BEYOND ORCHARD ROAD - By Marites Danguilan Vitug, abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak

At first, it felt like we were in a huge TV studio, wrapped in the humid afternoon heat, being entertained by celebrity hosts. Then after the rousing welcome, the stunning feat of sky jumpers, dotting the hazy sky, gracefully landing before our eyes, and an audience cheering "Happy birthday, Singapore!", the scene abruptly shifted.

We jumped out of the studio into a country under threat. A video clip on a giant eye-shaped screen showed a newscaster announcing that terrorists had planted a bomb in the Marina Bay area, where thousands were that Sunday, celebrating the city-state's 44th independence day.

I looked at others' reaction as sirens wailed, policemen rushed to the site and detonated the bomb, and an ambulance sped off with a few injured civilians. If this were in Manila, there may have been a scare.

But this is Singapore, where citizens trusted their leaders and the event organizers not to foist a bad joke on them. A happy event appeared momentarily snatched by terrorists—but there was no reason to worry. Singapore's ever-prepared defense forces, with their full might, were quick to the rescue.

A defused bomb. Zero casualties. Singapore is a safe place. The big bash must go on.

National days are routinely observed with parades displaying the armed forces, men and women in their crisp uniforms and polished firearms. But for Singapore, it was part of a script, highlighting the readiness and dependability of its security forces. F-16 planes hovered above us. Army personnel carriers marched on the promenade. Army soldiers even went near the audience, aiming their rifles, as if hunting for terrorists in our midst.

Several of us Asean journalists were in the crowd in the open-air stadium facing the bay. We were hosted by the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts as part of its program to engage Southeast Asia’s journalists and introduce what they like to say is Singapore's "unique" situation, from its politics and social system to its economy.

As my colleagues from Indonesia, Thailand and I were walking to the Marina Bay area, we remarked at how organized everything was: we merely followed written and verbal directions, on brightly printed signs and repeatedly made via megaphones, and we had no trouble finding our way. We passed through metal detectors and we weren't allowed canned drinks. We walked past rows of portable toilets. We worried that we would be hungry during the two-and-a-half hour event and no street vendors were within sight.

As it turned out, our worries had no basis at all. Each one of us—about 20,000 who trekked to the stadium—was given a "funpack", meaning, a bag of goodies containing food and drinks (bottled water, soya milk and a sport drink in tetrapack, cookies), paraphernalia for audience participation (Singaporean flag, a heart-shaped battery-operated toy that lit up, a flat drum), raincoat (in case…), a little book of Singaporeans' reflections on their national day, hand sanitizers, a litter bag and more.

Apart from ushers, we had our "motivators", the young men and women who told us when to wave our lit-up hearts and gave the signal to beat our little drums and to what rhythm.

The centerpiece of the celebration was the story of Singapore told through a vibrant mix of song, dance and skit, with a cast of thousands in colourful costumes; they all came together on a giant stage with an amazing backdrop of lights and fireworks.

The three important men of Singapore—Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong—all in white, sat through the celebration, waving their flags and hearts like everybody else.

It was fascinating for an outsider to watch the event for it said a number of things about our neighbour. I've always considered Singapore just a city for conferences; associated it with the most entertaining airport and its extremely efficient airline as well as its famous shopping street, Orchard Road.

But this time, I saw it as a country, proud of itself despite its size. I saw a government that provided its people well while maintaining harmony among its diverse races and keeping its society secular, with space for all religions. And precisely because of its size, Singapore always tries to put its best foot forward.

It makes up for what it lacks in breadth and width by its tangible successes. It lets the world know of its capable Navy, Army, and Air Force.

At times, I felt that they tended to overstate their case—with lots of pep talk, feel-good love-of-country slogans. But it’s their way of reassuring themselves and reminding themselves of how far they have reached, from the kampong years of the 1960s to today's affluent society, a major financial and shipping hub. Temporarily, however, they're set back by the current global financial crisis.

As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told us in an interview, they've lost some ground. But, he said, "We're not waiting for the economic recovery, we're working now to move upstream with the use of new technology".

That, too, was a key message in their independence day anniversary: technology drives growth.

I wonder how it will be like on their 45th birthday.
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And this, is our national pledge. Super hilarious. :)



Happy belated birthday, Singapore! :D