It was a race against time for Indian national Dhandapani Vignesh and his rail welding crew to finish joining new rail segments in about three days to fix a section of damaged tracks between Jurong and Clementi stations.
Originally contracted to work on depot renewal projects under the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the 36-year-old construction manager, together with 20 other foreign workers from his team, were alerted at 7pm on Sept 26 that they were being roped in to repair the damaged tracks.
The team immediately got down to work, putting in nine- to 10-hour shifts from Sept 27 to 30 to finish welding – or connecting – the new rail segments to existing ones along the westbound track so that trains could run smoothly again. The new rails replaced the ones damaged by the faulty train.
Despite the pressure of the task at hand, Mr Vignesh mused that he literally “did not feel the heat much” as rail welding, which involves heating rail segments placed between ceramic moulds to join them, was done in the shade in tents.
The main challenge, he added, was having only a limited working timeframe – from around 2.30pm to midnight daily. Welding was not possible at other times of the day since the rails would expand in the daytime heat and eat into the 30mm gaps required to insert welding materials.
Mr Vignesh and his team were also heartened by the steady stream of cold drinking water almost every hour and fast-food meals provided by LTA, rail operator SMRT and even members of the public.
They were among the more than 800 workers responsible for getting the EWL train services up and running again.
Integrity underpins good governance. It’s a non-negotiable. When public trust erodes, the country risks descending into dysfunction, as accountability falters, and public institutions lose legitimacy.
For many in Singapore – and around the world – the high-profile case of former minister S Iswaran was seen as an anomaly here, and yet at the same time a litmus test of the integrity of our system and governance.
Last week, Iswaran pleaded guilty to four Penal Code Section 165 charges, which make it an offence for a public servant to ask for or accept gifts as a public servant from someone with whom he has an official business relationship, and one charge for the obstruction of justice. Thirty other charges under Section 165 were taken into consideration in sentencing.
On Oct 3, Justice Vincent Hoong sentenced Iswaran to 12 months’ jail – twice the six to seven months the public prosecutor had argued for and about six times what the defence had put forward.
In his view, anything else would be a “manifestly inadequate sentence”.
The message was clear.
The paramount importance of trust and confidence in public institutions was writ large and robustly reiterated in the High Court’s 94-page ruling.
Perceptions and public institutions
At one level, the sentence underscores the court’s strong stance against any offence that undermines trust and confidence in public institutions.
Even perceptions of influence peddling by gift givers or abuse of office are highly detrimental as they have an insidious effect on public trust and confidence.
Perceptions often operate as reality. In other words, the harm caused can be significant even from perceptions. This is a reasonably compelling position to take.
The public interest in the integrity and trustworthiness of public institutions, which is necessarily hard-earned, is undermined and easily dissipated by perceptions that individuals could enjoy the patronage of public servants, or that public servants are susceptible to influence by pecuniary benefits. As such, perceptions of unethical conduct or unlawful actions must be vigorously avoided.
Is this too high an expectation and standard of public servants and public institutions?
Not at all. The public sector is such a vital part of our lives and its impact significant in all that we do. Should it fall into disrepute, governance can only become awry.
Notably, the judge recognised that distrust in the public sector can arise not just from outright corruption but also where public institutions become the target of influence peddling, the lack of impartiality in decision-making, and being prone to dispensing patronage.
Justice Hoong put it well: “The swift denunciation of such offences is necessary to deter the acquisition or cultivation of the patronage, loyalty or goodwill of public servants by valuables for the perceived benefits of persons with dealings connected to the official capacities of public servants”.
Zero tolerance
But this was also a case that demonstrated the various public institutions and the rule of law at its best even though the matter was hugely embarrassing for the Government and ruling party.
The judge found that Iswaran had abused his high office.
The mitigating factors he put forth, including his public service and contributions to Singapore, the voluntary disgorgement of benefits received, and a guilty plea at the start of the trial, did not sway the sentencing in his favour.
The judge made it clear that persons in high office with the “associated power and status” should generally be regarded as having acted with more culpability in abusing their position to obtain valuable gifts.
The investigation, prosecution and outcome of this case align with the longstanding position of zero tolerance of corruption.
Any doubt that there has been a wavering of the commitment on incorruptibility across the whole of government or that preferential treatment was accorded to Iswaran should now be banished.
On a Tuesday afternoon at a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio, Mr Glenn Poh returns to his waiting mother with two drinks: one hot and one iced. She picks the iced lemon tea.
“All my life she never used to drink cold drinks but now, she always wants something iced. It’s like she’s a small kid again,” he says of his 74-year-old mother, Madam Tan Sow Meng, who has Alzheimer’s disease.
“Whatever needs to be done needs to be done. It’s because I was raised like this,” he says. Having seen how his mother cared for his late father after a stroke, he knew he wanted to do the same for her.
In Singapore, with its rapidly ageing population and cultural norms of filial piety, many adult children find themselves thrust into the role of caregivers.
Life can be put on hold when mum or dad falls ill, and those without siblings or other home help can find themselves shouldering the whole load.
Data shows there were at least 128,800 only children with mothers above the age of 50 in 2023, more than triple the 39,800 in 2003.
In a population of 5.92 million, 1.36 million people have mothers above the age of 50. While the number of only children is just a fraction of that total, researchers and social workers warn that unlike in larger families where the caregiving load can be spread out, only children face immense stress. Among other health challenges, they are more likely to experience burnout.
A stout man with a buzz cut dressed casually in a polo shirt, shorts and sliders, Mr Poh, 44, is unfailingly polite. He says “thank you” or “pai seh” (Hokkien for “sorry to bother”) to anyone he interacts with, and thanks The Straits Times team profusely at each of our three interviews.
He talks about his days in a methodical way, ticking off each activity as if going down a list. He says drawing up lists and “standard operating procedures” helps him find structure amid the uncertainty and constantly evolving nature of his mother’s condition.
But ask him about challenging moments, and his upper lip quivers.
The week before, rather than take her shower at the usual time, his mother fussed around with throwing away rubbish and lighting the oil lamp at the family altar.
“I shouted at her, and I asked her to go and take a bath, which she did. By the time she came out of the bathroom, I apologised but she didn’t remember. I regret it when I lose my temper with her because she cannot remember,” he says, tearing up.
“So it’s not a good feeling. Because you did something wrong, but you’re not able to make up for it.”
He admits this often happened in the initial stages, especially when he had unrealistic expectations about his mother’s condition, and became frustrated that he could not do more to help her.
To be effective, public servants must understand political context, changing environment in which Govt functions: SM Lee
Public service must stay impartial as it renew ties with new leaders
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 18 Sep 2024
Public servants must understand the political context in which the Government functions to be effective, but cannot get embroiled in political debates, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sept 17.
As the public service renews its relationship with a new generation of political leaders, and Singapore does its best to renew its systems amid a changing world, good policies and good politics will continue to be key, he said.
But the public service has to stay impartial and out of politics, he said, addressing more than 850 public servants at the Annual Public Service Leadership Ceremony held at The Star Theatre in Buona Vista.
He noted that the public service does not make policies in a “technocratic vacuum”, and must be aware of the external, strategic environment in which Singapore exists, the national challenges the country faces, the hopes and concerns of the people, as well as the overarching national objectives the Government is striving to achieve.
But he cautioned: “The public service has to stay out of politics. Public officers cannot get embroiled in political debates, or party politics. You need to stay impartial.”
In his speech, SM Lee sketched out the roles of Singapore’s public service and its political leaders, and the relationship between them.
The country must have a public service driven by the right values and ethos, with the capability and operational know-how to design and implement the right policies, and continuously improve and innovate.
And public servants must also work hand in glove with a political leadership that has the political courage, conviction and touch to convince and inspire people and win their mandate.
“To deliver what is very rare in the world, but what Singaporeans have shown we can do – good government and steady progress,” said SM Lee.
These factors have contributed to Singapore’s success since its early years of nationhood, he noted.
The public service is principally concerned with making and implementing policies – a very demanding task, noted SM Lee.
“Unless this hard work is done, and done well, all our goals and ambitions will remain empty slogans, and the Government will fail to deliver results to Singaporeans,” he said. “That’s why it is vital to have a competent, professional and high-quality public service.”
Ministers must master policies
Singapore’s political leadership is principally concerned with the political aspects – ministers set the overall direction for the nation, with the best interests of the country and its citizens at heart, he said.
They also make political choices on how the country should move forward, and hold their own in the political contest.
About 60,000 jobless Singapore residents will stand to benefit each year from a new job seeker support scheme to be rolled out next April.
To be eligible for the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support, they must have earned $5,000 or less a month on average for the duration of their previous employment within the last 12 months. They also cannot live in a property with an annual value of more than $25,000.
The annual value of property is the estimated gross annual rent if it were to be rented out, according to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.
However, the monthly payouts are capped at an individual’s previous-drawn monthly salary, and they stop once the jobless person finds work.
Those who have received payouts will not be able to make another application within three years of their last scheme payout, but there is otherwise no limit on how many times they can be covered by this scheme.
They must also have worked for at least six out of the 12 months preceding their application for the scheme, which will be implemented by Workforce Singapore (WSG).
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng unveiled the scheme’s eligibility criteria during a visit to the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability in Jurong East on Aug 27 to witness a career coaching class.
More than 60 per cent of those who are involuntarily unemployed, which broadly refers to those who did not initiate their termination from previous employment, are set to qualify. They include those who are retrenched or dismissed, or whose companies have gone bust.
The scheme will be open to Singaporeans aged 21 and above at launch, before being extended to permanent residents aged 21 and above from the first quarter of 2026.
The Government will also provide a one-off concession to Singaporean job seekers who lost their jobs on or after April 1, 2024, and remain so even when the scheme kicks off in April 2025, despite them having not worked for at least six of the 12 months before their application.
Fewer than 2,000 people are expected to fall under the concession, a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokeswoman told reporters at a media briefing on Aug 27.
She also said the scheme, which will be reviewed regularly, is expected to cost about $200 million a year.
The $5,000 wage threshold, at slightly above the median gross monthly income of $4,550, was set to ensure that lower- and middle-income workers would be covered, she added.
Asked if the cap on monthly payouts to an individual’s previous-drawn monthly salary would mean job seekers previously earning less than the payouts have less support despite being more in need, she said the cap is meant to ensure that workers will not try to get involuntarily unemployed to earn more than their pay.
“It’s very important to come back to the principle that we want people to bounce back into employment... So, in order to do that, what’s most important is that the person holds on to the job, and the payout quantums do need to be designed in such a way as to incentivise this,” she added.
MOM and WSG said in a joint statement issued on Aug 27 that the scheme comes with support for an individual’s job search beyond the payouts, and complements other training and social support schemes.
“The payout quantum is not sized to meet the needs of households facing financial distress as a result of a household member becoming involuntarily unemployed, as (SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support) is not a social assistance scheme,” they said.
ComCare SMTA provides temporary financial aid and other forms of help to tide recipients over tough times as they are looking for a job or are ill, among other reasons.
MOM and WSG said those who undertake reskilling or upskilling can still receive additional training allowances that they qualify for separately, such as the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance.
Those receiving payouts will also need to demonstrate that they are actively seeking a job, such as through submitting job applications, attending career coaching, or participating in eligible training courses.
Asked to elaborate on how someone can show he is doing so, a WSG spokesman said: “I think these are details that we are still working on, but very broadly speaking, we do expect applicants to submit some form of documentation, and we will check this documentation.”
He added that more details will be shared closer to the launch date.
In response to a question from The Straits Times on whether eligible job seekers would be invited to apply for the scheme, the WSG spokesman said the agency already reaches out to employers who cut jobs to tell them about the support that affected workers can tap, which would include the new scheme moving forward.
In his speech, Dr Tan said the scheme marks a paradigm shift for the Government, in providing interim support to others who may face financial pressures when involuntarily unemployed, beyond the most vulnerable in society.
Tackling cost-of-living concerns and taking better care of seniors are two key areas of focus for the Government, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Aug 23.
In a press conference five days after his maiden National Day Rally speech, PM Wong said he is looking into longer-term care for seniors and their housing needs. This is a big issue that will continue to grow as more people age, he noted while outlining what Singaporeans can expect in the months ahead.
Besides helping older seniors who are in their 70s or 80s, there will also be support for their children – younger seniors who are entering or in their 50s and feel “sandwiched” with both ageing parents and children to look after, he said.
On cost-of-living concerns, PM Wong said his Government is looking at doling out more help to specific segments of the population, including those with larger families and more young children, where “costs add up quite quickly”.
Such additional support will add to broad-based schemes such as CDC vouchers, and cost-of-living payouts and U-Save rebates that target the lower- and middle-income groups.
During the press conference at the National Press Centre in Hill Street – PM Wong’s first after he took office as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15 – he said there are different aspects to the cost-of-living issue, which is a major concern.
There are day-to-day expenses such as groceries, food and daily essentials, as well as big-ticket items like housing, he noted.
Asked if the Government will provide more CDC vouchers, given that the $300 in vouchers to be disbursed in January 2025 is less than the $800 given to each Singaporean household in 2024, PM Wong replied: “We haven’t had the 2025 Budget yet. That’s next year.”
PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, added: “So whether or not there will be more CDC vouchers, I think everyone should just wait and see what is in the Budget announcement.”
The Government will continue to review how best to provide appropriate support, whether through broad-based or targeted measures, he added. “And we will do so in the Budget in 2025.”
At the rally on Aug 18, PM Wong had set out a major reset of policies, which included granting more paid leave for new parents, giving temporary financial help to lower- and middle-income workers who lose their jobs, and updating the Gifted Education Programme.
PM Wong said he had sought to flesh out, in more concrete terms, the aspirations and hopes that Singaporeans have shared during the Forward Singapore engagement exercise.
These are underpinned by two key pillars, he said – a renewed social compact and a refreshed Singapore Dream.
The renewed social compact relates to how all Singaporeans will get support despite their setbacks in life and get a fair shot in life, said PM Wong.
“At the same time, everyone has to do their part, work hard, make the effort to excel and uplift their families,” he said.
“If they do that, the Government will be there to support them every step of the way and help them to get ahead,” he added.
PM Wong said the refreshed Singapore Dream relates to how Singaporeans can find their own paths and not have to compare with one another.
“We can all be the best possible versions of ourselves,” he said. “In other words, we can thrive and flourish on our own terms and in ways that are less prescribed and more open.”
Realising these two shared goals requires a “major reset” of certain policies, attitudes and mindsets, he said.
Besides studying measures to help seniors and to address cost-of-living concerns, PM Wong said, his Government is also looking out for other issues that Singaporeans care about.
This is why regular engagement with Singaporeans is a very important aspect of his work, he added.
Since taking office, he has embarked on visits to several districts across the island. These are “very good opportunities for me to meet residents and to hear first-hand their perspectives and feedback”, he said.
PM Wong noted that he had previously committed to hold press conferences from time to time to share his thoughts with Singaporeans through the media.
He said he thought it useful to hold a press conference at this juncture, to take stock of what his Government has done and what is next on the agenda.
He also said he will continue to hold dialogues with different segments of society, and engage Singaporeans through social media and press conferences such as this one.
These engagements can help everyone see a common picture of why the Government is embarking on certain plans, where the nation is heading towards, and what everyone can do in big and small ways to realise a shared vision, he added.
“This is the commitment from me and my team,” he said.
“We are here to listen to you, understand first-hand your concerns, hopes and dreams, and build a stronger, more meaningful connection with every Singaporean.”
Asked if he had met his priorities after 100 days in office, PM Wong said his key priority after taking over was to think about the new directions that his Government would set to take Singapore forward in its next lap, and what that would mean for Singaporeans.
He took reference from the Forward Singapore exercise, and the rally was where he sought to “crystallise” these shared ambitions in clearer and more concrete terms, he added.
On the foreign policy front, PM Wong said he will, in the months ahead, visit more Asean countries before making trips to the country’s key partners outside of South-east Asia.
He is also set to attend a few international summits, including the Asean Summit in Laos from Oct 6 to 11, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru in November, and the Group of 20 summit in Brazil from Nov 18 to 19.
PM Wong said it is important for him to meet leaders of other countries in his new capacity to establish good personal relations with them, as this will set the tone for Singapore’s overall relationship with those countries.
PM Wong also said he will find future occasions to elaborate on Singapore’s foreign policy and the external environment.
“It’s important for me to engage Singaporeans on these issues because I think everyone needs to understand what’s at stake, especially on critical issues where our collective security and fundamental interests are involved,” he said.
“We must be able to come together as one people, despite our differences and perspectives, and take a common, pro-Singapore position to advance our national interest together.”
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sets out major reset of policies and his vision for Singapore
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 19 Aug 2024
New parents will have more paid leave while lower- and middle-income workers who lose their jobs will get temporary financial help, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as he outlined his vision for a refreshed Singapore dream.
In his maiden National Day Rally speech on Aug 18, PM Wong said the nation has reached a stage where everyone wants a Singapore where people thrive on their own terms, in ways that are less prescribed and determined; and where people support one another.
“Realising our new ambitions will require a major reset – a major reset in policies, to be sure; but also a reset in our attitudes,” he said.
PM Wong also pledged to look after various groups of Singaporeans, including the elderly, families and lower-income households, while asking for the people’s support in charting a new way forward amid an uncertain geopolitical environment.
The policy shifts will unfold over several years, he said, adding: “To achieve our shared goals, I need your help. Because making the lasting changes we are aiming for will require a mindset shift in all of us.”
“I am here to serve you and our country and I pledge to give my all to this endeavour.”
As Singapore writes the next chapter of its story, the country will have to contend with profound changes such as the intensifying rivalry between America and China, rapid technological disruptions and climate change, he said.
Recounting how founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had once said the country needs a government that is both prudent and bold, PM Wong said his team will adopt the same approach.
“We will be prudent. To honour and respect the past, to uphold the fundamentals that have served us well, and remain relevant to us. But we must and we will be bold.”
He added that the Government will look for fresh and better solutions, and choose the best way forward for Singapore.
One such shift is the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme to help lower- and middle-income workers who are involuntarily unemployed, for instance when they are retrenched or their companies go bust.
This will replace the current arrangement where husbands can share up to four weeks of their wives’ 16 weeks of maternity leave.
The new initiative will start with six weeks for babies born from April 1, 2025, and be increased to the full 10 weeks a year later, said PM Wong, as he stressed the need for a change in mindsets.
“Some of us still believe that fathers should be the exclusive breadwinners, and mothers, the main caregivers. That has to change,” he said.
PM Wong also called for attitudinal shifts in education, noting that while Singapore has a solid education system, it is also competitive and can lead to anxiety, pressure and stress.
“It’s important to refocus on the objectives of education: it’s about sparking a joy for learning; and helping every child realise their full potential,” he said.
Moves have been made in recent years to improve the education system, such as changes to the Primary School Leaving Examination scoring system and the removal of streaming – policies once termed as “sacred cows” by observers that have since seen new approaches.
Another longstanding policy will be updated after 40 years.
“This is a significant change. But it is also consistent with our philosophy in education… Whatever the start points, we will help everyone to learn, develop and grow, and realise your full potential,” said PM Wong.
Harking back to one of the themes of the Forward Singapore conversations, he also stressed the Government’s commitment to providing multiple pathways to success.
PM Wong said he wants to see a Singapore “where we don’t pigeonhole, or typecast, people based on their backgrounds or the schools they go to”.
“Where everyone can strive and excel, take pride in what they do, and be recognised for their efforts and work. Together we can make this happen.”
Turning to housing, he acknowledged the concerns of many Singaporeans about housing prices.
“This is my assurance to all young Singaporeans… we will make sure that there is an HDB flat that is within your budget, in every region. We will always keep public housing in Singapore affordable for you,” he said.
This includes building a new indoor arena, moving the Sports School over from Woodlands, consolidating the national training centres for several key sports under one roof, and having a community boulevard with sporting facilities and programmes.
Concluding his speech, PM Wong reiterated his belief that Singapore’s best days lie ahead of it.
“We have new ambitions to pursue. We are taking bold steps to turn our hopes into reality. We can be a society where every citizen is respected, every voice is heard, every dream is nurtured,” he said.
“We can be a nation where everyone can flourish, thrive, and be the best possible version of ourselves.”
The country’s journey was woven into the personal lives of older Singaporeans. Younger citizens can’t relate to that.
By Tan Tai Yong, The Straits Times, 17 Aug 2024
Addressing the nation in front of the 19th century Sri Temasek building at the Istana, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong opened his National Day message by recounting how, in 1965, founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had spent the night of Aug 8 there, just before formal separation from Malaysia, “consumed with worry over how to build a nation from scratch”. He added that the then Prime Minister and the founding leaders went on to overcome “enormous odds and laid the foundations” for the modern nation-state of Singapore.
The reference to history is a constant refrain at every National Day commemoration, when Singaporeans are reminded of the country’s journey from a small and vulnerable former colony to a thriving, successful nation-state.
Many older Singaporeans relate to the country’s journey of nation-building. They remember periods of labour unrest, urban poverty, ethnic conflicts, unstable times in Malaysia, and the domestic and international challenges following Singapore’s emergence as a new state. The Singapore Story is interwoven with their personal stories.
But for younger Singaporeans who did not live through these times, what does the Singapore Story mean? With each successive National Day, the events of Singapore’s early years will become more distant, and memories of the past will fade. History will be taught through our schools and public institutions, but a storytelling that does not resonate with personal memories and experiences runs the risk of raising scepticism, leading to a perception that official historical narratives and calls to remember our origin story are merely state-driven propaganda.
Engagements with history get further diluted when physical traces of the past start to vanish. Singapore’s rapid physical and social development since 1965 has challenged the different ways people remember and bind themselves to their community and country.
Herein lies the danger. A people that do not relate to their history will not fully appreciate the journey their country undertook, or why it adopted the values it did. Or why, in Singapore’s context, multiculturalism is such a key pillar, for example. It’s possible that such values will not be internalised and we may risk straying from them. That is why it is imperative that we imbibe our history and it strikes a chord with us, so that the values that the country upholds continue to be deeply and personally meaningful to us. At the same time, we need to understand the context of the decisions we took, so that we can adapt to changed circumstances instead of blindly mimicking past postures.
The future of our past
How, then, do we get the Singapore Story to resonate with younger Singaporeans and remain relevant for future generations?
At the ground-breaking of the Founders’ Memorial in June 2024, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong envisioned the Memorial as a space where Singaporeans can reflect on their ongoing nation-building journey, drawing on an understanding of our past and an appreciation of the “fundamental values and ideals” that set the long-term direction of Singapore.
His call to ensure that the Founders’ Memorial connects with future Singaporean generations presents an interesting task. It goes beyond recalling the words and deeds of Singapore’s founding fathers or knowing the history of those momentous years; it must engage younger Singaporeans who have only witnessed peace, stability and prosperity, and inspire them to understand the fundamental principles that define us as a society and country.
Singaporeans are not unfamiliar with the country’s history. The prevailing national narrative – the Singapore Story – features prominently within the educational curriculum, is recounted in biographies of political figures, showcased at National Day Parades, and exhibited across various national museums. With such frequent exposure, Singaporeans might believe they are fully knowledgeable about their country’s historical journey.
But merely knowing history might not be sufficient, as familiarity with events and personalities of the past does not necessarily make history personally relevant and meaningful. Beyond historical literacy – that is, knowing what happened – it is crucial to develop historical consciousness, which is the ability to make the past have meaning for us as individuals and as communities.
What does historical consciousness entail and how do we develop this in younger Singaporeans?
It is good to know our history, but we must be wary of invoking the past to make decisions about the present.
By Simon Tay, The Straits Times, 14 Aug 2024
Talking about the past of our country seems more evident today than ever before. Perhaps it is the National Day mood. As we marked our 59th year, there was a new president and a new prime minister in place, and yet the theme song and dance routines evoked the independence era.
Books, too, have contributed to such discussions, like the recently issued biography of our first foreign minister S. Rajaratnam. For me, personally, awareness is heightened because of Enigmas, my own book about my late father, Tay Seow Huah – a pioneer generation civil servant contributing to security for our then young country.
Singapore is old enough to look back on its founding decade with nostalgia. I felt this strongly when writing about Singapore’s first decade of independence in Enigmas. Beyond the work on pressing issues of the time, it is harmless and fun to remember markers of how we lived, like the eating places that my father and his generation frequented, and which I knew as a child.
But lifestyle aside, one must be wary of nostalgia slipping into decisions of policy. And yet, nostalgia seems to inform some current controversies, in public discussions and in social media.
How’s history relevant here?
A mural on the side of a Chinatown shophouse caused considerable debate with its depiction of a samsui woman, smoking and glamorous. The mural had sidestepped the usual processes of seeking permits for such public art, as well as guidelines that caution against the depiction of smoking.
But many reactions focused on the question of veracity: the fact that these women who contributed to literally building Singapore smoked, as a respite from hard labour. This reference to the past was evoked as a kind of trump card: to overcome current guidelines that censor most depictions of smoking.
That focus downplayed other elements of the mural – the woman was depicted as young, attractive and with elaborately and improbably manicured nails. Nor was its artistic merit much discussed.
My own interpretation was that this mural was not about historical fact. Rather I saw it as a comment about how Chinatown has now been gentrified and glamorised, with prices soaring for the once humble and rundown shop houses.
The final decision was a compromise. The mural with its depiction of smoking was not erased. But a fine was imposed as prior authorisation for this public art had not been obtained.
The past was also invoked in what would seem a commercial decision. This concerns the sale of a majority stake in Income Insurance to a foreign investor, Allianz. On top of the regulatory issues, some emphasised the original social mission of Income Insurance.
Much respected Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh was among those who took this line as he warned against Singapore becoming “a nation of people who know the price of everything but the value of nothing”, something our first foreign minister had cited.
No one can argue that it is not important to understand what was before. But past examples and statements are best set in context of the circumstances of their time. Otherwise, there is a risk that past incidents and statements can be invoked selectively in ways that may distort.
NTUC ventured into the insurance sector following a suggestion in 1969 by Dr Goh Keng Swee, who later served as deputy prime minister. Dr Goh had felt that a social enterprise by the unions was needed because “social security is in its rudimentary stages”.
Today presents a very different situation. There are many more insurers to provide for life, health and other forms of security for workers. There is, for instance, a nationwide scheme to insure full-time national servicemen on a voluntary and affordable basis. This scheme is provided by another insurer, not Income Insurance.
Can the current competitive market not meet the needs of Singaporeans? If NTUC were to be asked today about the need for unions to run an insurer, wouldn’t it, probably, arrive at a different decision?
These are among the contextual, “what if” questions to be considered if we are to apply past lessons and thinking to changing circumstances. Otherwise, if we allow the past to overly constrain current choices, history would be a heavy, dead hand.
