<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>July 12, 2009
YOUR LETTER
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Complaints can help us to progress
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I refer to Street View on June 21, which highlighted Singaporeans' habit of complaining, and their higher expectations compared to foreigners'.
I do not think it is wrong to complain even if Singapore has already done well compared with other countries.
Complaints are a propelling force for progress when taken constructively and acted upon. It is this spirit of non-complacency and continuous improvement that has driven inventors to conceptualise ideas far ahead of their time.
For instance, it was Leonardo da Vinci's ability to imagine and dream beyond the boundaries of contemporary precedence that made him a talented visionary.
If Singapore is striving to be a pioneer among nations, it must not merely compete with other countries, but also challenge itself to break contemporary standards.
For instance, while Singapore's public transport may be better than that in other countries, it should not rest on its laurels, but aim to build a public transport system of the 22nd or even 23rd century.
In this case, the purported habit of Singaporeans to complain is not a defect, but a valuable source of feedback.
By pointing out deficiencies, those who complain challenge us to pioneer the solutions and ideas of tomorrow.
It will be beneficial for us, therefore, to see complaints as a healthy challenge, and in response, we should pursue improvements and innovations without complacency.
We should recognise hard work and give credit where it is due, but we should also reserve the right to complain.
Ng Junrong
YOUR LETTER
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Complaints can help us to progress
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I refer to Street View on June 21, which highlighted Singaporeans' habit of complaining, and their higher expectations compared to foreigners'.
I do not think it is wrong to complain even if Singapore has already done well compared with other countries.
Complaints are a propelling force for progress when taken constructively and acted upon. It is this spirit of non-complacency and continuous improvement that has driven inventors to conceptualise ideas far ahead of their time.
For instance, it was Leonardo da Vinci's ability to imagine and dream beyond the boundaries of contemporary precedence that made him a talented visionary.
If Singapore is striving to be a pioneer among nations, it must not merely compete with other countries, but also challenge itself to break contemporary standards.
For instance, while Singapore's public transport may be better than that in other countries, it should not rest on its laurels, but aim to build a public transport system of the 22nd or even 23rd century.
In this case, the purported habit of Singaporeans to complain is not a defect, but a valuable source of feedback.
By pointing out deficiencies, those who complain challenge us to pioneer the solutions and ideas of tomorrow.
It will be beneficial for us, therefore, to see complaints as a healthy challenge, and in response, we should pursue improvements and innovations without complacency.
We should recognise hard work and give credit where it is due, but we should also reserve the right to complain.
Ng Junrong
