There is a small Singapore flag sitting on the border between our my desk and my colleague’s. It’s unassuming, only giving the residents in our newsroom a brief little wave now and then when the air con is angled towards its direction. I suspect it’s been left there simply because it’s more convenient to let it stay there permanently rather than find another spot to keep it in. And while most days I simply ignore it, partially because the neighbouring calendar takes up more attention and also because, well, it’s not much use until National Day rolls by.
While I think some Singaporeans don’t feel that same pride and passion for the Republic’s birthday as my colleague Julia, I also think it’s because they forget about the little things in life: Singapore, small as she may be, has much to offer. Safe surroundings, almost never has natural disasters, food is available 24 hours, transport system is quite well-developed, Arts scene is growing slowly but surely. There’s lots to love about the island.
And for those who say disagree, fair enough, Singapore, she has her problems too. But in her defence, there’s got to be good reason why so many people want to become permanent residents and citizens right?
But personally, having lived overseas for a while, the allure of a foreign land has less sparkle than before. The experiences I’ve had, some positive, others less so, I’ll never regret. And while I’m not saying I would never want to work or live somewhere else, Singapore, as a whole, ain’t too bad a place to settle down in. And how does this tie in with National Day? I say why not make it a time to forget all the disappoints you have with the country and just celebrate her achievements.
As for the little flag, I have moved it a little closer to the aircon. Hopefully, it’ll wave a little more cheerfully each time someone walks past.
It was with much glee that I went to hang out the national flag outside my balcony.
It is 3 weeks to Singapore’s 44th National Day. And I bet I am the first in my HDB housing estate to proudly display the state flag.
I am not so sure though if my family members are as thrilled as I am over this public show of patriotism – as they call it. Just a few days ago, when I fished out the crisp, new flag which I bought from NTUC Fairprice, my sister exclaimed in mock horror.
“Another flag this year?! So few people put up a flag and our unit always sticks out from miles away. So embarrassing! Why, you love Singapore that much, huh?”
It took me a while to muster up enough courage to utter a come-back line, “Ya, I lurrvve Singapore! What’s wrong with that!”
But proud as I am to be a Singaporean, I am not sure if ‘love’ is what I really feel about my motherland.
Like many Singaporeans, I am not most enchanted with some of the government policies. Especially when it comes to what I feel are rather unfair and unfriendly housing and HR policies towards working single women like me with an elderly parent to look after. I am also not smitten with the oft paternalistic way in which the Government nannies this overgrown 44-year old baby called Singapore. And I am definitely not proud of the third-world, uncivilised behaviour of some Singaporeans while we tout ourselves as a first-world nation.
Granted, I have my share of grouses about this young island-state. But in all fairness, the Singapore system afforded me a good education, and opportunities to acquire skills for improving my lot. All in all, not a bad life. Singaporeans may not openly admit it. But all it takes is a trip to some less-developed countries in the region and most would return with a renewed sense of pride, thankful to be able to come back to the safe, peaceful and efficiently-run Singapore which we call home.
What then, is keeping Singaporeans from a public show of nationalism – from doing something as simple as hanging the national flag to celebrate the nation’s birthday?
I suspect many mistakenly think being ‘pro-Singapore’ is being ‘pro-Government’, or even ‘pro-PAP’.
Some years back, a group of enthusiastic Residents Committee members came knocking door-to-door in my estate delivering national flags and urging residents to put out the flags ahead of National Day. But few households did so. No, not even when the flags were sent right to their doorstep and came totally free of charge. I was baffled.
Maybe they were too busy, or lazy to make the effort. Yet Singaporeans could queue ten over hours and spend hundreds of dollars just to be among the first to lay their hands on their reserved set of the latest 3G iPhone.
I remember being filled with admiration during trips through Asia, from Vietnam to China and India, and being greeted by these countries’ state flags displayed in some of the least expected places. Even in some remote and and impoverished areas, there is no lack of locals flying their national pride and identity atop some rundown huts. And I certainly do not think the local authorities; communist or otherwise, would have driven miles into the villages to hand them free flags – just to show off to a handful of off-the-beaten-track tourists.
If humble villagers can make the effort, what does that say about our highly-educated, affluent people? Are they being pathetically shy, or just plain apathetic?
Some may argue that many, especially the younger generations think it is ‘not cool’ to openly profess their love for their country. Most people have no qualms about wearing t-shirts with bold prints of “I ♥ NY”. But here at home, they would not want to be caught dead in a “I♥ SG” t-shirt – like the one overseas Singaporeans donned on Singapore Day in New York, Melbourne and London.
Personally I thought the t-shirt looked quite cool. Perhaps the Prime Minister’s Office could consider patenting the design and make the t-shirts commercially available. Better yet, pack the t-shirt into this year’s NDP goodie bags so that all 27,000 spectators could wear them on the spot! Sometimes all you need is some tasteful repackaging and promotion tactics to ease in the more inhibited Singaporeans among us. Think of patriotism as a desired product to be marketed to all Singaporeans, and the right mix of branding and packaging could coax better buy-in.
Until that t-shirt hits our shops, I shall wear my love and well-wishes for Singapore not on my sleeves, but on the wall outside my balcony 
Once again, Happy Birthday Singapore!
At last year's NDP at Marina Bay
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Julia Ng is the Editor overseeing Channel NewsAsia’s coverage of this year’s National Day Parade