November 19, 2012
Singapore: Softer Part of Nation Building
By Seah Chiang Nee (11-17-12) @www.thestar.com.my
For decades, a supervision had regarded chasing after sum made during home product as good as accumulation of reserves as a autarchic objective, finished during a expense of alternative developments. However, it still lacks a "graces of a courteous society" such as music, enlightenment as good as a arts.
WITH a unfamiliar race commanding a ancestral two million mark, materialistic Singapore is looking to turn some-more towards values it was rarely famous for.
"We can't just magnitude a success by GDP growthbut additionally by a expansion of a values: compassion, empathy, altruism, adore for a fellow citizens," pronounced Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
This is a second time in three months Lee has referred to a softer partial of nation-building, something not often emphasised in 47 years of independence.
It comes during a time when multiplication in this over-crowded city is growing in in between locals as good as foreigners as good as in in between Singaporeans themselves.
In his National Day Rally in August, Lee dwelt upon how Singapore could turn a home with heart, where people turn some-more gracious.He additionally set up a "national conversation" in which values became a regular theme.
Society is undergoing a duration of mutation as some-more foreigners continue to be certified to fuel its mercantile expansion as good as have up for a low birthrate.
At end of 2011, a series of unfamiliar workers, together with permanent residents, reached 1.926 million, though by mid-2! 012, it totaled 2.027 million 38% of a race of 5.3 million.
For decades, a supervision had regarded chasing after sum made during home product as good as accumulation of reserves as a autarchic objective, finished during a expense of alternative developments.
The outcome has been a "golden era" of mercantile growth. But as Lee Kuan Yew, afterwards Senior Minister, himself certified eight years ago Singapore was each bit a First World nation.
However, it still lacked a "graces of a courteous society" such as music, enlightenment as good as a arts.
"The generation now in their 30s to 50s can take Singapore there in a next
15 to 20 years. The many appropriate is yet to be," Lee added. It implied he was withdrawal a problem to a current care under his son to resolve, as good as could be a cause of PM Lee to begin emphasising upon "compassion, empathy, altruism, adore for a fellow citizens."
The office of a dollar from a supervision as good as corporations downwards to a ordinary adults has turn so clever which it has clouded some Singaporeans' clarity of ethics as good as morality.
This income engrossment stems from many of a immature to comparison adults who flock to 4-D shops as good as casinos.It includes employers who exploit unfamiliar workers before packing them home as good as girls traded in to prostitution by boyfriends, all under a change of creation money.
I have listened cases of kids expressing contrition during their father's small Japanese automobile "when their friends were being driven in luxury vehicles".One kid reportedly told his father not to collect him up in his aged automobile as good tighten to his school gate.
Some teachers commented which it began with a schools as good as a choice of studies. For many stu! dents ac quiring knowledge or serving multitude is a final thing upon their mind.
"By as good as large students select subject they can easily score distinctions rsther than than what they similar to or need," pronounced a late school principal.
As a outcome few readily select to investigate novel or history, which have been utilitarian to sense though tough to score good grades, she said.They have been additionally shunned by relatives since they don't have money.
Yet these subjects often teach immature people about humanity about what is right as good as what is wrong about life.
I remember a arise when (then Deputy Prime Minister) Dr Goh Keng Swee called for a wider teaching of Humanities not usually for people though multitude as a whole.
Books similar to Shakespeare, a Three Kingdoms or English novel have been not usually interesting, though have been a value inlet upon ethics as good as morals.Science, Math as good as Engineering have been useful, though just as important to any multitude is a aged knowledge or values.
In Singapore you have as good many who select to investigate finance, medicine as good as law where a income is.
The habit of sitting quietly to review a novel book or a humanities helps to moderate temptations of modern times as good as provides a offset clarity of right as good as wrong.It teaches us to express ourselves as good as articulate well.
"We sense what you should do or not do, what you should contend or not say.Literature is not a renouned subject between Singapore's students. Our preparation complement as everybody good knows places a outrageous importance upon scores as good as grades," wrote Elaine Ee.
Holding a masters grade in Comparative Post Colonial Literature from a Univers! ity of L ondon, she said: "Waxing musical about a benefits of study novel doesn't address a emanate which Singapore schools face either.As long as grades sojourn what creates or breaks a tyro in a system."
A internal DJ, Anna Lim commented to Lianhe Wanbao which Singaporeans have been good educated though have poor upbringing.
"Singaporeans reserve seats with tissue paper packets as good as they leave rabble at a back of after gatherings", she said.
"On a MRT, they do not give up their seats to a needy, conjunction do they concede ingress passengers to get off before squeezing their way in to a carriage."
Students compete both academically as good as in a sporting arena, she said. "It certainly creates us fearful as good as it saddens their teachers," she said.
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