Holding firmly to the Singapore Pledge

Today, Singapore celebrates the 44th year of Independence. Happy Birthday Singapore! Happy National Day Singaporeans! It is time to say the Singapore Pledge – ''Say what you mean. Mean what you say''.

The Singapore Pledge

We, the citizens of Singapore,
Pledge ourselves as one united people,
Regardless of race, language or religion,
To build a democratic society,
Based on justice and equality,
So as to achieve happiness,
Prosperity and progress for our nation.

The Singapore Pledge was written in 1966 by the late S.Rajaratnam. From that year onwards, students in primary, secondary and post-secondary recite the Singapore pledge after singing the National Anthem during flag ceremony at the beginning of every school day. Every year during the National Day Celebration, Singaporeans say the pledge at the National Day Parade.

Today, after more than four decades, the words in the pledge are still strong holding Singaporeans together as one united nation, continuing to work for prosperity and progress so as to keep on achieving peace, stability and happiness. The words need not be updated for they still speak strongly to the Singaporeans. Indeed, the Singapore pledge is the Singaporeans' National identity in which the ideas, sentiment and spirit in it speaks to the Singaporeans through the years.

Present days Singapore is greatly different from it's past. Singapore had progressed so much through the years; from a trading port into a city-state with strong reserves; from having a very small defense force, relying on the British during the early years, to having robust defense force that is one of the most modern and cohesive in the world. Indeed, Singaporeans had gone through hard times and good times together, moving beyond the three Ps; Peace, Prosperity and Progress to the five Cs; Cash, Credit Card, Career, Car, and Condo.

Singaporeans have been staying united since the early days of independence, building the country, fighting together as one nation against poverty in the 1960s, working hard for developments in 1970s, coping with economic recessions in the 1980s, combating the currency crisis in 1997, battling against SARs in 2003 and now continuing working together, staying vigilant against H1N1 while at the same time, together they are coping up with the economic recession.

Personally, the pledge had worked well for me. I am truly thankful to Almighty Allah for giving me the chance to be part of Singapore’s transformation into one of a World-Class city. I was born in Singapore during the 1960s when Singapore was struggling to rise up to build an independent country. I was there in the 1970s as a student with an aspiration to make a difference when Singapore was progressing and developing rapidly, moving forward leaving the other Third World countries. I was there in the 1980s and 1990s joining the work force in full swing contributing to the economy of Singapore. And now here I am, truly transformed and all grown-up as mature as my Singapore, living in it peacefully in total happiness enjoying the fruits of success.

Truly, Singapore is my homeland. I am proud to be called Singaporean. I am proud to hold a pink NRIC with ''Race: Boyanese" printed on it. I feel blessed to have forefathers, the immigrants from Bawean Island, who were brave to undertake the chances of many uncertainties against all odds in an attempt to make a difference, choosing Singapore as the homeland of their future generations. If these pioneer immigrants did not take the chances, Singaporeans of Baweanese descent, will not be what they are today! I will not be what I am today!

... my Singapore

This is home truly
Where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me
Where the river always flows

This is home surely
As my senses tell me
This is where I won't be alone
For this is where I know it's home

(Extracted from Singapore National Day Song – 'Home' by Kit Chan)