Choo Zheng Xi / Editor-at-Large / New York
The Singapore we know will change.
This revelation wasn’t immediately apparent to me, reading reports of this Parliamentary session’s debate.
A continent away, the anger and helplessness I felt at our Finance Minister’s stonewalling over the Temasek debacle threatened to overwhelm me. I felt like I was punched in the gut when MM derided our “high-falutin” Pledge. I despaired at Ng Eng Hen’s colourless and pedantic rebuttal of Mr Viswa Sadasivan’s moving speech.
Surely Mr Ng must have felt some sense of irony in praising the PAP’s accountability, when just two days before his colleague had thrown a blanket over the eyes of Parliament?
One would rightly ask, for how long more are Singaporeans damned to suffer such arrogance and insensitivity?
It is precisely this visionless and petty bullying that has convinced me that soon Singaporeans will be able to take it no longer.
Even as I write, there is a new generation of Singaporeans who are willing to stand up and say: not one day more will we stand for this. These are Singaporeans who believe that the words of our Pledge are meant to be lived, not laughed at. Around me I see Singaporeans who give me hope that our country will change.
Singaporeans like Bernard Chen, a 24 year old polytechnic student and member of the Workers’ Party Youth Wing. Bernard gives his weekends to WP walkabouts, and is actively trying to get young people interested in the future of our country. He believes in a “democratic society, based on justice and equality”.
Singaporeans like Wee Yeong Wei, a 20 year old who has just finished his National Service, waiting to begin university, but already embarking on the second phase of his National Service: giving time and energy to help civil society group Maruah organize public forums to share the message of human rights with Singaporeans. He believes in a “democratic society, based on justice and equality”.
Singaporeans like my friend and colleague Andrew Loh, who devotes every single day to working full time on creating an open media culture and truly accountable and transparent government. He works with a team of Singaporeans who believe in a “democratic society, based on justice and equality”.
Singaporeans like those who serve Parliament and the People more faithfully than PAP MPs bound by the party whip: former NMP Siew Kum Hong and now Mr Viswa Sadasivan. Intelligent and successful professionals who do not need a Ministerial salary to fight for a “democratic society, based on justice and equality”.
Singaporeans like those in opposition, who have chosen to stake everything to face overwhelming odds because they believe that every Singaporean deserves to be heard. And every day, their numbers increase slowly but surely with new faces who believe in a “democratic society, based on justice and equality”.
As the ranks of patriotic Singaporeans who share these ideals swell, the fear will fade, as it is beginning to.
All that is missing now, readers, is you. Do you share that vision?
If you do, then I promise you, surely change will come. Change will come from those citizens of our country who put their hands to their chest and mean every word of our National Pledge, not from those who deride it as impractical aspiration.
Change will come despite those who deride the impracticality of a “democratic society, based on justice and equality”. The day has come, a line has been drawn in the sand, between those who believe in living Rajaratnam’s vision, and the men who see it as empty rhetoric.
And the day will come when those callow men who toe their party line realize that their hollow repetitions of the creed of an ailing patrician has to make way for a new Singapore: the Singapore of our National Pledge.
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Change will come! Change is the only constant! But the ‘change’ you envision, is it a ‘change’ for the better or the worse? You mean the people in WP do not toe party-lines? Any change, must be a change of substance from men and women of substance. And these change can also come from within.
I do! MM’s mockery of our national pledge is the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Is MM really that senile that he does not know the meaning of a “pledge”?
He is making a mockery out of the tens of thousands of citizens who recite the pledge everyday. He is demeaning every single patriotism any Singaporean ever felt during national day.
This is a bloody joke. The PAP is a complete and utter failure. The are not even worth a common man’s salt; not to mention that sky-high salary they are drawing.
Count me in, there are many readers and bloggers all over Singapore can differentiate between Wayang in invory tower and what is real from the ground. The hand gestures from LHL, during his ND message, is strong evidences to that wayang part.
To silence all critics out there, the MIW will change the pledge next
What does the word “falutin” means.
falutin means pretentious
I sincerely encourage Mr Choo Zheng Xi to stand in the outcoming elections and run for prime minister.
Then all his complaints will become reality.
I recite our pledge every morning. I believe in it with all my heart and soul, and I teared when I read Viswa’s Parliament speech. Yes – change MUST come!
However, I believe that this change cannot, should not, and MUST not come from only those outside of the establishment. In fact, I believe that in the interests of Singapore and all Singaporeans, this change should be driven by those within the establishment, in collaboration with those outside the establishment.
An unrealisic dream? Perhaps. But isn’t that where all change starts from? If even we do not dare to dream, then what hope is there for the common man out there?
I anticipate a change to the contents in the pledge, the old man must have realised the whole of Singapore will view him and his PAP members as humbugs.
A rather sensitive issue considering many citizens recite the pledge in the last 40+ years. Everything the PAP stands for in their activities is contrary to the ideals in the pledge.
I expect the old man to decree changes to our national pledge and he should have no qualms doing so. Afterall he has an unmatched track record of “fixing things”…..media, judiciary, election system, laws + enforcement, parliament, etc,etc,…all very very compliant.
as i said before, if i EVER attend any function that required the pledge to be made,
i would SIT down and turned my BACK!
period!
if anybody would to challenge me
i would mentioned leekuanyew’s deeds on which part of the pledge has he NOT broken includin his SON the prime minister and the president himself
are they not SINGAPOREANS? are they not EDUCATED?
Dear Cheng Xi
I am encouraged to see the fire and zeal in you. I hope when you return you could one day speak on our behalf in parliament. I also hope that you maintain your courage when the day comes.
All the best.
It is very sad to see the old man having nothing left in his belly and his brains. When was the last time we heard anything new from him? When was the last time he contributed anything of substance that is worth crowing about to this country? Since the day he handed over the PMship, he has been living on his laurels – nothing more.
The constant reference to the days of old is boring us to death. He has let the cat out of the bag by his recent comments in parliament. We now know for sure that all the reminiscing and references to the Singapore of old are his doing. The Shitty Times is indeed the LEE Times. That’s all the old man have these days – a biscuit tin of old, useless and worthless collectibles.
How many of our younger citizens can relate to a broken record? I wasn’t trying to be humorous when I suggested he “Shut Up, Sit Down and Drop Dead”. I really meant it. I hope he is listening.
Yah, then why we recite it everyday and when our National PLEDGE become an ASPIRATION?
I hated MM Lee in that speech.
He was tearing at straws to find ways to discredit Mr Viswa, and in doing so, dug PAP further into a grave.
I wish more PAP MPs will now wake up and walk out of PAP fold.
Did MM Lee make a racial slur within the Indian community by drawing a fault line between Brahmins and non Brahmin
Is this the best he could offer as a conclusion to his speech?
He is a sad man and he had my pity.
Lee Hsien Loong, Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang has my pity as well.
“Children, stop that. From today we will say the National Aspiration……”
Duh….
#12 gemami
Couldnt agree with you more.
Actually what MM Lee is displaying is typical of elderly person – hoarding. He is trying to keep laurels and achievement of what Singapore has become, to be his.
Reminiscing to the old days, he has the likes of Lim Kim San, Rajaratnam, Goh Keng Swee and more (sorry cant think at this moment) to help out in the development of Singapore. But these people are gone and who else – to blow trumpet … well the last one still standing around here (for those still alive and not in Singapore, that doesnt count).
Personally he should have said to Rajaratnam could you make an aspiration instead of pledge .. that way, aspiration can be amended to suit the climate/condition of the day.
I am sad to learn the very pledge we proudly recite every morning since school days was an aspiration which may be not achievable. Then what are we pledging for all these years. Very sad, was fool all these years
We, the citizens of Singapore
ASPIRE to be one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To built a democratic society
BASED ON HIGH-FALUTIN IDEAS
So as to BE BROUGHT BACK DOWN TO EARTH !
LOL!
I agree with Choo.
Singapore is, in my personal opinion, on the Verge of Changing.
It Will Change as it Must Change.
Now, like minded individuals should come together and synergise to push for the change we long for.
Nothing lasts forever.
Period.
The Singaporean spirit died a little more with MM Lee’s speech. I’m thoroughly sadden by his views on the pledge.
We will continue to see more of such behaviour as long as we do not exercise our rights and get pass our fears.
Nobody can deny that there are Singaporeans who while are upset at the PAP, are unwilling to do anything to change their fate because of the fear that the opposition will ruin Singapore.
But they want change, and change never comes without a price. How can we gain if we never want to venture and take required risks in the first place? Nothing is FOC in this world.
Let’s see the results of the next elections. I hope I can vote, because I hate how I could not cast my very first vote a few years ago because of the dumb walkover rule.
Judging by how much noise the Singaporeans are making and how the displeasure is actually on a steady rise, if the voting levels remain more or less the same as the previous election, I guess I can safely say this again: SINGAPOREANS HAVE NO BALLS.
PS. I hope my fellow countrymen will prove me wrong. Remember, nothing is FOC in this world, including a positive change!
Like it or not, Change will happen.
A simple illustration will enlighten people:
TIME is never Constant.
And
With TIME
Life decays.
#20,
our only hope is passing the message thru to the apathetic / oblivious / innocent / too busy youths and adults.
Time is running out! but with such bad economics, i wonder would it be next year instead? hahaha
sinkees’ mindset : Change? can or cannot ah?
Just a question: WHERE IS LHL, OUR PM. I think he is sleeping out there. Still in need his father to speak for him. He is useless, how to lead by example. Brothers and sisters, vote him out. Replace him! Dare not to stand up for justices.
change the pledge?
will this be another expensive “rebranding” exercise?
Finally, Singaporeans are beginning to wake up, late; but better than never. Dare I say; much damage has been done and they had all along being done before our very own eyes. To a large extent, most of the Citizens themselves have as much to be blamed to have blindly followed a man who was and is clearly egoistic.
To believe and pay reverrence to a man who had cleared his ways of all oppositions by hooks or by crooks, with reasons or without and FIXING ANYONE AND ANY IDEOLOGY THAT OBSTRUCT HIS AMBITION, is in itself, THE GREATEST MISTAKE OF THE PEOPLE.
In fairness, I like to say; Lee Kuan Yew has developed and is developing SIN with substantial supports from the Citizens all along. Whatever he planned and whatever he did, they were all done openly and he got supports OR NO RESISTANCE and CONCERTED OPPOSITION from the Citizens. His Capitalist inclination was/is bare for all to see and most Singaporeans actually worked with him to fulfill the materialistic cravings that MM Lee call Excellence, Prosperity and First World.
MM Lee used the English Language to overwhelm the Languages of Origins of the Multi Races of Chinese, Malay, Indian and others in the name of unity. However, the move did not clear him from the suspicion of Anglicizing the population to further his political ambition against the Vernacular and Culturally Traditional Locally Formed Oppositions Parties such as Barisan Socialis, PKMS etc. His Language Policy as far as I know, is still much supported today and will be more so as most Singaporeans are ‘more comfortable’ with the English Language and PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ENGLISH. Singaporeans like to claim that ‘without English how to be advanced and do business?’ Many Singaporeans even laughed and jeered othe Nationals of not able to understand and speak English; notice the false pride ?
Yes! FALSE PRIDE and EGO, the MATERIAL First World Singapore that we see is not an illusion, BUT it has given Singaporeans the FALSE PRIDE.
AND
That’s the Making of Lee Kuan Yew.
patriot
hi mice #25,
if PAP actually moots to amend the National Pledge, I think there might be major protest beyond the size of Speakers’ Corner. This pledge has been our moral compass for 44 years. How can the indoctrinated values just go away at a switch of a hand?
I guess its time either the old man step down immediately or give an open apology to the entire nation for changing the meaning of our singapore pledge that we the citizens been taking seriously and reciting it everyday all these 40+ years. Men and women, young and old including all those serving the nation in uniforms, the military and the spf can now realised what they’ve been doing all these years are nothing but some cheap slogans that can be change overnight just to please one man.
Oxford Dude, hands got switch one meh?
The pledge is not an ideology. Neither should it be an aspiration. The ideology of Singapore is survivalism, pragmatism and realism. The aspiration of Singapore is to remain a nation for as long as possible. MM Lee had mentioned in the second volume of his memoirs that in the history of mankind, city states were either destroyed or got absorbed as part of a bigger nation.
The National Pledge is all wrong, right from its very beginning. It was drafted by an Indian, who naturally had the welfare of his race in mind. That is what that “regardless of race, language and religion” is all about in the Pledge, to protect the interest of the minority Indians. That is why Indians are so keen to speak up to defend the Pledge.
The Pledge is nothing but idealistic rubbish. “one people” is intolerant, non-inclusive and against diversity. Regardless of race? It was written by a member of an ethnic race with the interest of his race in mind. Regardless of language? English is much more highly regarded than our own native vernacular languages. Compared to it, the National Anthem is more realistic. It sings about “Progress” and “A new Spirit”. No specific mention of race, language or religion or justice and equality.
It is time to work out a new National Pledge, one which reminds us about our vulnerability, our determination to survive, pragmatism and realism. Let’s hope it will be in time for our 50th year of Independence.
It has always been common practice of PAP MPs to adopt examples of failed democracy in other countries to justify the PAP way of governance in Singapore. But they often fail to reflect on their own model of governance with the back drop of Singapore.
It is therefore very uncomfortable to hear Mr Ng Eng Heng quoting pledges of Rywanda and it’s unstable social and politcal landscape, and to conquer that pledges do not always achieve what they were meant to acheieve.
To that I say, what in God’s name has Rywanda anything to do with being a SINGAPOREAN?
Mr Viswa has correctly position his concerns from a Singaporean point of view and didn’t compare the concerns of Singaporeans to smiliar concerns of other countries. He has completely zeroed in on the real problems in our own model of governance with respect to the national pledge.
Everyone that has read his maiden speech is either moved or touch and very much empowered by his words, because they hold true to our plight as being Singaporeans.
And with MM Lee’s notion that the pledge is mere aspiration and not an idealogy is blasphomy and worse, ‘treason’ in the eyes of nationhood. I’m am thoroughly saddened by this unfolding.
Wonder what the old man will do next, maybe re-designing our singapore flag to include the lightning bolt this time, or better put his photo in it.
“That is why Indians are so keen to speak up to defend the Pledge. ”
“The Pledge is nothing but idealistic rubbish. “one people” is intolerant, non-inclusive and against diversity. Regardless of race? It was written by a member of an ethnic race with the interest of his race in mind.”
No idea what this guy has against Singaporean born Indians, or what particular political agenda he might have. What utter rubbish (in his own words). Are the majority of the posters here defending the pledge ethnic Indians or ethnic Chinese? I would wager the latter. Hopefully the ethnic Indian PAP Ministers, MPs and supporters are not offended by your tone.
“Regardless of language? English is much more highly regarded than our own native vernacular languages.”
I would agree except that unfortunately speaking as a Chinese, the vast majority of Chinese publications are filled with tabloid drivel and subject matters that totally disinterest the educated.
“It is time to work out a new National Pledge, one which reminds us about our vulnerability, our determination to survive, pragmatism and realism.”
You mean the PAP’s determination to survive at all costs, in spite of gross incompetence, non accountability and hare-brained visionaries, like suggesting to turn Singapore into a Venice?
Mr Choo, if you don’t mind, can you run a feature on poor Singaporeans like Mr Cheng and conduct interviews whether the PAP assistance is meeting their needs or not, and whether do they feel that the $40 billion of state money lost is an impractical concern?
Hopefully Mr Cheng has the money to immigrate if the PAP is defeated in the coming election.
I agree about the Temasek sham and I think there isnt any accountability at all.
However in terms of Lee’s speech about the Pledge… i personally dont think he was making a mockery out of it…
if you watched the video of the speech, I think one needs to realise that he is saying that our pledge is the ideal state. Maybe his choice of words was poor… however, his take home message was that the pledge is something we should work towards to but we definitely have not reached that end state. Why do we recite it everyday? so that we never forget that this is the end state we want to achieve.
I dont think he was trying to deride the pledge… but I think Lao Lee is trying to point out that we have made big steps towards this end state which is our pledge, we are not there yet but slowly we will and we MUST continue to try our best. Race is a senstitive issue and can never be easily solved… Im not saying it cant but it takes alot of effort etc… but 1 simple thing can destroy many years of effort.
just my 2 cents worth.
First I see photo of Ho Ching – apparently she is not wearing any make-up. When am I without any make-up? When I’ m in my own home.
Then I see LKY standing – in Parliament! – wearing a causal jacket and no tie. Its like how my grandpa would attire at home when the aircon is on.
When you are in your own house where you own everything, and everyone is either a relative or a somebody you are boss to, there is no need to dress up and wear make -up (if lady) or a tie (if man) or be otherwise formally attired.
After all, the people around you are not of any importance nor are they anyone you need to show respect for by being formally attired – even if it is a (SPH) Press conference, in Partiament or other location in Spore.
Change in this society will come slowly and surely. But the mere reciting of the Pledge does not change our mindset of society a bit. It doesn’t make us any more patriotic. Real change will only come when the Old Man passes away and our new leaders will become more pro people and less concern about getting bonuses and pay increase (their salary increase is pegged to GDP growth). People have to realise that PAP’s very own policies is causing all sorts of problems plaguing us today like low birth rates, homeless people, large gap between the rich and poor, overcrowded MRT etc. We need to convince our friends that PAP is the root cause of the nations ills and voting for the opposition is the way to show PAP that they can’t always get their way.
“”"25) mice is nice on August 21st, 2009 5.44 pm
change the pledge?
will this be another expensive “rebranding” exercise?”"”
============
the impression i get is it is plausible that there may be change to the pledge.
but this is merely methink.
If change is to come it can only come at the next election. And this time lets all not make the same mistake again of all talk and no action. I feel the PAP are definitely afraid this time come the next election because it’s a different time.
The generation is different, the people are no more fearful of speaking up as is see here and so if change is to come it will come and when best to show the government that we want a change, we need a change and we will get a change now more than ever.
Be that change and make that change all singaporeans. Lets not just talk about wanting it.
“Have you had no income for 2 years ? I had and I thank the government for pulling me through the last 2 years with assistance.”
2 years without a job ? Have you been too lazy or too choosy for jobs ? too old 2 be employed ? 2 years of assistance ? Do all these sound all too familiar ?
now you know why people are making so much noise.
“You will just mislead more people. Maybe ask your parents why they have been able to bring you up ? It is because they have a job or a business that can earn an income and give you a roof over your head and an education.”
That has been possible in the old days. Now tougher lah. Not true ? Ask yourself about your situation and your own parents situation in the past. Did they need 2 years of assistance.
now you know why people are making so much noise.
“Can you provide for my basic needs ? What do you hope to achieve with this type of articles ? You will just mislead more people.”
Why not ask the same question to your friends up there whether they can provide you with your basic needs on their own personal basis ? Really, try it ? Who are you trying to kid ?
“MM derided our “high-falutin” Pledge.”
It is more like Singapore is run by “highfalutin” Pappy ideology perpetuated by “highfartin” gahmen.
Yes, I fully agree with you. The last few days’ parliament sessions starring the three “wise” men or “witches” ( I don’t mean “wizards”), while the world’s highest paid PM continues to keep silent (like a mouse as usual when his father speaks), spelt doom for ordinary Singaporeans. They are the last straw to me too.
A pledge, when we stand at full attention with your right fist placed at your heart, sincerely and honesty, with feeling and meaningfulness of will and resolve, which we recite every morning in school, on Armed Forces Day, on National Day (the very sacred day of our little nation) is now deemed as an “Inspiration”. What does it mean? All that we believed in in the past 30 years simple went down the gutters!
And that old man keeps looking back to the past. How are we going to advance when one man keep dragging all of us down, into his glorious past?
Something seriously must be done from now on. There is no time and money to continue to lay waste upon those incompetent lot who keep pretending that they are the best and nothing but the best. What a joke!
Yes, I too believe in a real democratic society based on justice and equality. On my part, I will do whatever little things I can to promote this democracy, justice and equality.
We, the citizens of Singapore aspire to be 1 united ppl, regardless of race language, religion or political affilation ….
Now he said the pledge is just an aspiration..so what’s next?
Change our Flag’s Cresent and Stars to Hammer & Sickle? Duh…
C’mon, you all are too highfaluting here.
All hot air and no balls come GE2012.
MM said it is ASPIRATION, and you all wasted so much energy criticising MM just becasue he said so.
MM said it is IDEOLOGY and you all will waste so much energy criticising MM that it is a tool of PAP to control Oppostion.
The Fate lies in your hands to turn it into an IDEOLOGY, an ASPIRATION or “whatnots”
Walk the Talk; don’t NATO-ing so much.
I’m not sure whether such reasoning has any basis. I may be wrong as this seems a bit far stretched.
Sg gov policies in favoring foreign talents/workers, but caused much unhappiness among citizens.
Decreased in fixed deposits interest rate, lower than inflation, caused people to seek avenues to grow their wealth.
Recent changes to cpf, annuity no longer guarantees amount paid in future, people are afraid, better to use it to invest in something, cpf can be used to buy houses, and real estate is a good hedge against inflation but provided the price is not too high.
Wtih GLCs/TLCs owning stakes in the three main local banks should have the means to increase/decrease SIBOR. You may wonder why SIBOR is low now.
Given that Singapore citizens stood at 3 million with birth rate at 1.29 and decreasing, without favorable foreign talents/workers policies, the three main factors – jobs, incomes and population that determine whether real estate will worth more than now 10 years or more later, will be undesirable for those owning rental properties.
At the end of the day, even though there are many reasons to dislike current gov, some people may have no choice but to vote them in due to investments in properties at too high a price and need the tenants from “grow GDP at all costs.”
Other opposition parties and Singaporeans in general know that certain foreign talents/workers policies are detrimental to their futures and jobs but once again like the estate upgrading, smart for one but dumb for all.
Singapore was built on a rationalist/realist acknowledgment that the world sucks, for lack of a better word. The responses that emerge from such a pragmatic point of view have shaped our country for better or worse.
From the point of a view of a rational person, LKY’s modus operandi has worked for Singapore and will continue to work.
From the point of view of the emotional (if not idealistic) patriot, we cry foul and beat our breasts, but dare we acknowledge the hard truths that the ground has weeds and thorns that need to be worked upon – hence still an aspiration we continually pursue?
I finally piece together from pieces of article and decipher LKY’s thought on the pledge of Singapore. How shrewd can he be ? Notice that the old fart and his pappies gave themselves away by posting affirmative headline without explaining how and why they say that they never fail to honour the pledge.
The title “PAP upholds pledge ideals”
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_418943.html
It is indeed true that the pledge is meant to be “aspired” and cannot be realized if the pledge is to stay “true” since its inception to tomorrow unless the “offending” statements of the pledge is changed to alter the status and make it true !
The pledge is created at that time in 1966 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_National_Pledge) to aspire those ideas that Singapore has to achieved and hence the pledge make sense. But since then, the world has changed and Singapore has gone a long way into becoming a affluent country that has long overdue to realize those ideas of Singapore, but the pledge surprisingly remains unchanged and this in fact the crux of the problem (remember our clowns will always interpret the law and policy and whatever in their own way, and unfortunately certain content of the pledge give them the leeway to do it , and they can do so without telling us).
It turns out that the English word “to” is the main culprit of Singapore’s of not achieving democracy and also “so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress” (In this context, Singapore refers to general population of Singaporean but those gahmen elite)
Before I start, here’s the pledge of Singapore
“We, the citizens of Singapore
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society,
based on justice and equality,
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.”
Guess which are the offending statements ?
It turns out to be what we desire long ago.
“to build a democratic society,”
&
“so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.”
Yes, that very statement that aspire Singapore in 1966 towards in realizing those idea is the same statement that holding back Singapore towards a democratic society now , quite unbelieveable.
Rest of the content of the pledge is exactly the basis elements towards the building of democratic society and result of it. But unsurprisingly what is done in Singapore all along is exactly the opposite of those elements as many blogs and TOC posts have reviewed. However, because of that offending “to build a democratic society,” statement, Singapore must always be in the process “of building a democratic society” if the pledge is to be true forever. Hence whatever is done by the Pappy today is obviously to prevent a democratic society to fulfil the statement.
Rajaratnam did not screw us when he write the pledge but the pappy screw us by literally interpreting the pledge as it is.
Indeed, to turn the tide around, the pledge must be changed to reflect its status from ASPIRATION to REALITY. The “to” word has to go, replace by “ing”. Only by then, can we question and bring to accountability of Pappy of why the pledge is not been fulfiled when pledge indicate that we should be achieving now.
The new pledge
“We, the citizens of Singapore
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
living in a democratic society,
based on justice and equality,
achieving happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.”
Remember that “ing” means that we are still in process of having it now.
Even if the opp party win the election, it will be useless as the Pappy will do whatever way to make the pledge come true (army for freak electon). The pledge represent Singapore must be changed first. Until we do that, the Lee Dynasty will be here for a very very very very very very long time.
Ironically, we ourselves are the one preventing democratic society when we pledge ourselve reciting it.
Now, anyone get it ?
Yes We want Change! People should not be afraid of the government, it’s the government that should be afraid of its people.
Ho Zheng Xi
This is my first post in TOC because I am scare of being monitored after commenting in your website.
But I jsut wonder why you are at London and called Editor-At-LArge? Have you been “forced out” because you setup this very successful website?
You got a bright future. It’s better that we let the politicians handle these matters. Here there is no room for discourse. Let’s face it.
Thanks.