• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Recognise, not avoid, our differences – an essay for SG50

by onlinecitizen
03/08/2015
in Community
Reading Time: 5 mins read
0

My Sg My Future contest skyline WikipediaBy Low Siew Ching

When our Founder Mr Lee Kwan Yew passed away, we witnessed the country’s unity as we mourned and shed tears together. When 10 Singaporeans were killed during the trekking expedition in Mount Kinabalu, we grieved regardless of the victims’ race and origins. Disasters and deaths happen everywhere but we feel close to the heart for one reason – We are Singaporeans.

As host to the 28th SEA Games, our athletes won a tremendous 259 medals. Many Singaporeans signed up as volunteers and others involved by cheering for our athletes; some also brought their young children along to show them the Singapore spirit at work. We strive to show the world our capability of hosting international events is not constrained by the country’s size.

This year we march into our 50th year of independence where we celebrate our rise from a rural island to successful country. Our achievements in nation-building are contributed by working together as a team and playing our role in society, regardless of race, language or religion.

Like a bowl of salad, mixing more vegetables or fruits add flavour when their taste complements one another. Singapore has a mix of different races, social and cultural habits. Instead of allowing this diversity to become a hindrance to our progress, we want to recreate these differences to our advantages. This implies recognising, not avoiding, our differences. We need to find the balance between national and ethnic identity.

English language has become such an essential platform for communication that many children in Chinese families do not speak Mandarin unless it is absolutely necessary. Occasions like Chinese New Year gradually become just another travel opportunity.

Losing our ethnic identity means lowering our competitive edge over other homogeneous countries. It is easier for Singaporeans to understand the business culture in China in comparison to other western countries such as Finland. However over-emphasis on ethnic identity may segregate races and derail our goal of building strong national identity.

To cope with the conflict between national and ethnic identity, the essential key is not to bind each race to their individual ethnic identity. For instances, instead of targeting only the Chinese communities in the Speak Mandarin campaign, we can encourage other races to participate by having booths to translate their names into Mandarin. Different communities can share the origins of their “New Year”, wedding traditions, interesting legends or beliefs through regularly-held carnivals or story-telling sessions to instill interest among all the races.

I once heard a really beautiful song played during a Malay wedding but to my regret, I did not know the title and how to go about finding out about it. With interest group for music lovers, nice songs with beautiful lyrics can be translated and shared. For food-lovers, we can have a recipe exchange where different races can learn from one another and improvise, such as making Halal dumplings and adding some Indian spices.

Schools or community clubs should continue to conduct more bilingual cultural activities. There are existing cultural classes conducted in English but more information should be provided to avoid erroneous assumptions. For example, I may stir clear of the Bharathanatyam, an Indian classical dance course because I thought it is strictly for Indians or assume it is conducted only in Tamil.

There are many reasons that make me a proud Singaporean. Our low crime rate makes me feel safe walking down the street. The cleanliness and greenery are common sights everywhere, not just Changi Airport and attractions for tourists are.

We have equal opportunity to pursue education and career without discrimination. Most amazing is how far and fast we have progressed from third world to first world country with a strong economy and a high quality of life. Our economic success and achievements in education, where our students are ranked high internationally for Maths and Science, are reflected in foreigners’ overall positive opinion of Singaporeans as hardworking, diligent and intelligent.

We achieved all this with pride because we learned to respect and be tolerant of other cultures and beliefs in our journey of nation-building, instead of creating chaos to disrupt our progress.

Our long term goal is to raise our dominance globally and ensure our future generations continue to prosper. With so many challenges ahead, we need a stronger sense of national identity to bind us more tightly as a team, with a common belief that our diversity is what makes Singapore unique.

This essay was submitted for the “My Singapore, My Future” essay contest organised by The Opinion Collaborative Ltd, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Singapore’s nationhood.

Comments from the judges –

“Lots of great ideas, thought-provoking.”


Our Supporter:

The Monsoons Book Club is a non-profit-making association of concerned individuals interested in books and ideas relevant to the social, political and economic progress in the South East Asian. It aims to create a platform for people from all walks of life, including writers, intellectuals, artists, researchers and politicians to inform, share their thoughts, challenge conventional views; and to disseminate reports and recordings of such events to a wider audience through written and audio visual media. Monsoons Book Club is the trading name of Monsoons Book Club Limited (registered in Cardiff, UK).

Monsoons Book Club logo


About The Opinion Collaborative Ltd

The Opinion Collaborative Ltd (TOC Ltd) is a social enterprise registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority under the Companies Act. TOC Ltd is interested in the development of the online media sphere in Singapore, with the view of promoting an open and diverse media environment that values the constructive collaboration of ideas and views. It aims to do so by supporting websites that seek to enlighten readers and provide diversity of opinion, so as to ignite passion and responsibility in nation-building.

TOC Ltd logo

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.
Tags: featuredSG50

Related Posts

Current Affairs

China cannot be absent: Xi Jinping, in new year message

01/01/2016
Current Affairs

Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss launches Mountbatten Manifesto

31/08/2015
Current Affairs

AHPETC Chairman’s Review

31/08/2015
Current Affairs

Is the “controversial” AHPETC management fee really that controversial?

31/08/2015
Current Affairs

Workers’ Party releases video of candidates

31/08/2015
Commentaries

Is the PAP really listening, or just hearing us?

31/08/2015
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Singapore detains student for planning attacks on city

Singapore detains student for planning attacks on city

01/02/2023
Hundreds of Myanmar anti-junta protesters rally in Bangkok

Hundreds of Myanmar anti-junta protesters rally in Bangkok

01/02/2023

6.0-magnitude quake rocks southern Philippines: USGS

01/02/2023
Myanmar streets empty in protest on coup anniversary

Myanmar streets empty in protest on coup anniversary

01/02/2023
MOM says labour market for 2022 improved, but many occupations see decrease in real income

MOM says labour market for 2022 improved, but many occupations see decrease in real income

01/02/2023
Sengkang Town Council is now directly-managed without a Managing Agent

Sengkang Town Council is now directly-managed without a Managing Agent

01/02/2023
高庭驳回迪哥达索取警方录供的刑事动议

CEO of D1 Racing sues a woman to claim S$3 million for “emotional trauma” suffered from being friend-zoned

01/02/2023
Thai police chief apologises for Taiwanese celebrity’s alleged extortion case by police officers

Thai police chief apologises for Taiwanese celebrity’s alleged extortion case by police officers

01/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
19

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
41

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
68

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
58

...

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
28

...

August 2015
M T W T F S S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  
« Jul   Oct »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz