by Lim Tean
Long years ago , our Nation was conceived on the ideals set out in our Pledge .
Every child from a tender age learns the hallowed words ” We the citizens of Singapore , pledge ourselves as one united people regardless of race , language or religion…”. These words taught them to learn together , play together , eat together and hold hands together regardless of the colour of their skin. Every young man bears arms to defend these sacred words. This Ideal allowed us to create unity out of our wonderful diversity. Our multiculturalism and multiracialism we wear as proud badges when we introduce ourselves to the World.
Over the last 2 years , our Ideal has been steadily eroded by the Establishment. They did not seek to replace it with a better or a greater Ideal. Instead , they replaced it with a false god called racialism. These false prophets will divide our Nation along racial lines for their own advantage.
We may think that our Ideal finally came crashing down on 9/11. But now , more than ever , is the time for us to renew our Pledge. Out of the ashes and debris , our Ideal will emerge even stronger and more resilient than before.
Let the Establishment have their President. She can be the President of the Elites who seek only to preserve their own privileges. She will not be the People’s President.
But we will not allow this injustice that has been visited upon us to be forgotten. Etched in our minds and on our foreheads will be the words “Lest We Forget”. Over the centuries these words have been a constant reminder to people of the heroic sacrifices made by the war dead. In our time , they will remind us of the calumny that the Establishment have wrought upon Us. Come the next judgment day , we must cast out these false prophets in the General Elections
A post-PAP government must commit to removing this curse , known as the reserved Presidency , from our land on their very first day in Office.
