<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Integrating new citizens and PRs a more pressing concern
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to Wednesday's report, 'NMP urges Singapore: Let's stick to Pledge principles'. Although I agree to some of Mr Viswa Sadasivan's views and call, Singapore should focus more on how to integrate new Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) into society rather than call for patriotism among native-born Singaporeans.
New Singaporeans and PRs must understand the depth and fundamentals of native-born Singaporeans and how they have contributed to Singapore to make it what it is now. This group should never let the Singapore banner down.
Mr Viswa and I were colleagues on the Remaking Singapore Committee, a group initiated by the Government in 2004. We discussed the issue then, but I feel that after five years, the topic of patriotism is surfacing again.
In the past five years, Singapore has undergone tremendous change in the area of national development. The skyline has changed, urbanisation has improved, new Singaporeans and PRs have arrived, new foreign companies have set up base here and the People's Action Party has taken the mantle again with a better majority.
It is a totally new Singapore after five years. We did it without emphasising patriotism or knowing the National Pledge by heart. It comes naturally as Singaporeans are known to be hardworking and united as one nation. It is in the blood of each Singaporean.
As reported, migration to another country does not make one less patriotic. For instance, an Indian or Chinese national who has migrated to Singapore for greener pastures is not less Indian or Chinese. In fact, he is still patriotic. When a Singaporean goes overseas, he is still Singaporean at heart.
Joshua Selvakumar
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to Wednesday's report, 'NMP urges Singapore: Let's stick to Pledge principles'. Although I agree to some of Mr Viswa Sadasivan's views and call, Singapore should focus more on how to integrate new Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) into society rather than call for patriotism among native-born Singaporeans.
New Singaporeans and PRs must understand the depth and fundamentals of native-born Singaporeans and how they have contributed to Singapore to make it what it is now. This group should never let the Singapore banner down.
Mr Viswa and I were colleagues on the Remaking Singapore Committee, a group initiated by the Government in 2004. We discussed the issue then, but I feel that after five years, the topic of patriotism is surfacing again.
In the past five years, Singapore has undergone tremendous change in the area of national development. The skyline has changed, urbanisation has improved, new Singaporeans and PRs have arrived, new foreign companies have set up base here and the People's Action Party has taken the mantle again with a better majority.
It is a totally new Singapore after five years. We did it without emphasising patriotism or knowing the National Pledge by heart. It comes naturally as Singaporeans are known to be hardworking and united as one nation. It is in the blood of each Singaporean.
As reported, migration to another country does not make one less patriotic. For instance, an Indian or Chinese national who has migrated to Singapore for greener pastures is not less Indian or Chinese. In fact, he is still patriotic. When a Singaporean goes overseas, he is still Singaporean at heart.
Joshua Selvakumar
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