Singapore’s national day is on the 9th of August and it is customary to have a National Day Parade (NDP). This year’s parade will celebrate the Singapore Spirit. The NDP2008 website speaks about what this spirit does, but what exactly is it?
Is it comaraderie, patriotism and sacrificial love for the country? Or the determination to pursue an even better life and more material rewards?
What is this annual celebration about? To foster and strengthen bonds between the people or to show the world that Singapore has arrived, in 43 short years? What is the basis of national pride?
I am still mulling over these questions, but one thing is for sure – pompous NDP celebrations are meaningless unless they remain second fiddle to National Day. And every day would be a National Day if the Singapore Spirit is real. Otherwise, it would only be superficial make believe.
But the sight of those super-duper jets zooming across the sky never fails to evoke a strange feeling within. It is not how expensive or technologically sophisticated those machines are, but the sacrifices those men in uniform have made, putting their lives on the line for the sake of the country, that appeals.
So, here is a salute to all Singaporean National Servicemen, past present and future:
Now, will every Singaporean sing ‘Majulah Singapura’…and mean it?
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