I refer to the 5 Aug 2014 Straits Times letter “Be proud S’poreans, fly the flag” by Mr David Tan Kok Kheng.
National pride and political affiliation ought to be separate issues but sadly in real life they are not. On National Day, there will be a PAP and an NTUC contingent in the parade square. Every title, every accolade that the nation wins, the PAP is too eager to claim as theirs. How to separate national pride from political affiliation when political elements permeate all things national?
There are grave national issues at stake at the moment and the people feel betrayed. Flying the national flag means endorsing the policies of this nation which the people are against. The people’s feelings and actions are understandable. No one should be forced to fly the flag when he or she feels betrayed. No one should be accused of not loving the country when he or she is making a statement about how he or she feels towards the national agenda. This is the collective show of force by the silent majority.
Why should we be the laughing stock when we display the moral consistency of rejecting the over-flux of foreigners and not flying our flags to show our displeasure? On the contrary, the laughing stock belongs to those who claim to be unhappy with the PAP yet fly the flag to show solidarity with the PAP. Is how other countries view us more important than how we feel about our country? Our country is already divided at the core. No amount of flag flying can change that.
If this continues on Singapore’s 50th Independence Day, Singaporeans can pat themselves on their backs because they would have shown that they have the backbone and the pride to demonstrate in their own small ways what they want for their country.
Singaporeans don’t have to fly our flags to be proud Singaporeans. We can be proud that collectively and silently, we can show the ruling party, the strength of our unity.
This unique episode shows that ultimately it is the people, not the state that can demonstrate national pride. Without the people, national pride is meaningless even if the state were to plant flags everywhere. What better time to demonstrate this than the National Day?
Thank you
Ng Kok Lim
Straits Times, Be proud S’poreans, fly the flag, 5 Aug 2014WHEN I walk around my estate in Tampines, I find that many Singaporeans are not displaying our flag. Other than a few blocks decorated with flags by grassroots members, fewer blocks are adorned with symbols of our national pride this year.
I visited another part of Singapore and observed the same trend.
In my block, there is only one flag flying – from my apartment. I cannot help but ask if Singaporeans have lost their national pride.
Could it be that they are demonstrating their unhappiness with life in Singapore? Or could it be a show of unhappiness with the Government, which they equate with the country?
National pride and political affiliation are separate issues. I fly my flag because I love my country and want to show the world that I stand united with my fellow Singaporeans, regardless of race, language, religion and political affiliation.
We will be a laughing stock if we continually complain about the influx of foreigners, yet do not even bother to fly our flag in the lead-up to National Day. How would other countries view us? Would they regard us as a country united on the surface but divided at the core?
We will be celebrating our 50th anniversary of nation-building next year and it would be very sad if Singaporeans do not feel proud about it.
I urge my fellow citizens to fly the flag and be proud Singaporeans.
With National Day around the corner, what better time to demonstrate national pride?
David Tan Kok Kheng