In every crisis, there are opportunities. Where there is a human community, a part of the population will turn opportunists to benefit themselves. Then there will be another portion of the community who will go beyond their self to help the others. As the saying goes, "患难见真情" - a crisis brings out the best and worst out of people, merchants and governments.
Our little haze debacle is a speck as a magnitude compared to the Japanese Occupation that we once suffered merely a few decades ago. Back then, there were radical differences with how the world operated but the dynamics of people have never changed. There were people who turned translators for the enemies for survival, including our notable "Father of Modern Singapore", there were merchants who enriched themselves with economic opportunities and unsung heroes who helped feed, defend and protect their loved ones and even strangers for the bigger hearts.
A little haze this time displayed clearly the capabilities of our government, their heart for the people. It showed us who were the online lackeys who defended the inadequacies of the government blindfolded and the ones who ground their axes to attack the government with their agenda while a small group of Singaporeans stood out like a breath of fresh air in the smog to help their people with their own initiatives. The rest of the population remained like sitting ducks waiting for the government to issue emergency status, distribute masks and my favourite of all, to grant public holidays - if that makes sense. I couldn't help wonder if the dwellers of Singapore asked their colonial masters for public holidays back in 1942.
Long ago, someone in the government said Singaporeans are too dependent on their government. That is something I cannot disagree with, however I try. You will be surprised that the majority of us still expect the government to take care of the people. I cannot be sure if it is the fault of the government or the people themselves for instilling this idea into the minds of the population. Any government in the world is run by politicians, a better name for crooks, whose main aim from the first day their butts touch the cushy seats in the parliament has been keeping themselves in power as long as they can. Nothing more, nothing less. Should they perform actions of love for the people, those are merely the convergence of their paths to remain in posts and your needs
This, my friends, is most important lesson for all Singaporeans to learn from this haze attack. The responsibility of the well being of your loved ones is in your hands. Be prepared to be disappointed, failed or even endangered if you hand this responsibility to anyone else. The government has already warned Singaporeans never to be complacent. That is the most glaring hint they can ever do for you on a political level. It is good to know they still have hearts embedded their chests to do so. Do yourselves a favour and understand the hint and do something about it. For a start, ask yourself if you will be trapped in the same position in the haze attack next year?
A Singaporean Son
*The author blogs at http://asingaporeanson.blogspot.sg/