Cracks in Singapore's graciousness have been in the spotlight recently,
but they may only be signs of more troubling divisions in the country.
Last Sunday, Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong spent several minutes of his National Day Rally speech discussing
the rising trend of bad behaviour.
Over the past year, Singaporeans
have hit out at foreigners and their neighbours with seemingly increasing
frequency and viciousness.
Self-centredness has also been on
flagrant display, with cases of "Nimbyism" - shorthand for the
not-in-my-backyard syndrome - on the rise here.
The incidents prompted PM Lee to
note that "Singaporeans seem to be getting less patient, less tolerant and
less willing to compromise in order to get along".
This selfishness and rancour
towards each other and foreigners speak poorly of Singaporeans and could damage
the country, he said.
He explained: "It reflects
badly on us and damages our international reputation. People think that
Singapore is anti-foreigner and xenophobic."
Let's be clear. Nimbyism and
xenophobia are wrong and stains on the character of the country.
As PM Lee urged, Singaporeans
should strive to be more gracious, kind-hearted and respectful towards each
other and others.
But anti-social behaviour is
usually a symptom and not the disease itself. It often signals deeper,
underlying fears and problems in the country.
Behind a xenophobic attitude, for
example, could be someone afraid of losing his job, or someone who is tired of
waiting for three buses before being able to board one.
The naked self-interest in the
Nimby cases also suggests a pessimistic view of Singapore as a dog-eat-dog
society, where each person has to look out for his best interest at the expense
of other people.
These are fundamental worries and
disagreements about the goals and future of the country, and they need to be
aired and discussed.
Unless they are resolved or
addressed, calls for a more gracious and harmonious society are likely to go
unanswered.
More crucially, some thought
should also be given to why the culprits chose to lash out at the foreigners or
at their neighbours, instead of trying to change the policies.
PM Lee alluded to this in his
speech. Referring to the government's immigration policy, he acknowledged that
the influx of foreigners over the years has caused "real problems".
He said: "I think it's fair
enough for people to express concerns or to disagree with our immigration
trends or to oppose our immigration policies. That's part of the democratic
debate.
"But I'm worried by some of
the nasty views which are expressed, especially online, and especially
anonymously, which brings out the worst in people."
Since the first few cases of
xenophobia and Nimbyism, the government and a battalion of community leaders
have called for more healthy debate and less vitriol, but the trend continued.
This suggests that at least a
segment of Singaporeans have walked away from the communal table, and feel that
there is no point in discussion or lobbying the authorities to try and change
things.
This is worrisome. If left
unchecked, such fatalism is more insidious and destructive to Singapore's
future than disagreements over policy.
Distrust loosens the bonds
between the people, their government and the country, and cynicism makes
discussion and compromise all but impossible.
This trust gap between the
government and the people needs to be managed, and new ways found to bridge it.
The government seems to recognise
this. It has promised a more consultative approach in formulating policies in
future, and Education Minister Heng Swee Keat will chair a committee to relook
current policies, with input from the people.
In the past year, alongside the
chorus of selfishness and xenophobia, some Singaporeans have also spoken up to
advocate for a variety of causes. These range from conserving the Bukit Brown
Cemetery and forests here to protecting wild boar in the Lower Peirce area.
Since the general election last
year, Singaporeans seem to be re-energised about their stake in the country,
but some have used their newfound voice to bully and others to inspire.
In his speech, PM Lee asked:
"What sort of people do we want to be?", and he listed generosity,
decency, a warm heart and an open mind as aspirational qualities for
Singaporeans.
To these, I would add: scepticism
over cynicism, passion over resignation, and principled but not personal
disagreement.
This road forward is likely to be
more difficult and messy, and some disappointment is inevitable, but it will
take us and Singapore to a better place.
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