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From Humble Beginnings to Cosmopolitan City

-by Kelvin Yang

In the previous article, “Celebrating the Singapore Spirit – The Layman Says His Word”, the idea of a Singapore Spirit was discussed. This article, the second in the four-part series on Celebrating the Singapore Spirit, looks at the Singapore Spirit from the dimension of time: how different generations of Singaporeans from the founding of Singapore to today might have regarded this concept of the Singapore Spirit, and what are the implications for us as we come to understand it.

The phrase “the Singapore Spirit” concerns people. To be exact, Singaporeans. By virtue of the word “spirit”, it is intricately linked with the human element.

Yet the idea that the Singapore Spirit derives itself from all Singaporeans comes with a problem. Singaporeans are always changing with time, in more than one sense of the phrase. Their wants and desires change; their values and beliefs change; even their identities change as new babies are born and new immigrants come to call Singapore home. These changes are in turn partially caused by various events taking place in Singapore and the world at large. It would thus be difficult to come out with a definition of the Singapore Spirit that transcends the boundaries of time.

That though, is not all there is to time. Time was when going to the airport meant going to Paya Lebar; time was when typewriters and large ceiling fans were the norm in offices. Try as we all might, we cannot erase the baggage of memories that comes with the idea of time. This, in itself, is closely connected with the Singapore Spirit, for our past experiences impact who we really are and what we believe in, just as the history of Singapore influences the Singapore Spirit as we see it today. The author, who cannot in all honesty admit to be much of a historian, tries here to look at what the Singapore Spirit might have meant in the context of Singapore's history.

It would be fair to say that our ancestors back then had an equal claim to the Singapore Spirit – they too lived in what we call Singapore today. Our forefathers in the time of Sir Stamford Raffles, be they from China, Malaya, India or any other faraway land, placed their survival first and foremost as they struggled to establish better lives for themselves and their family. They were the pioneers of Singapore, and the country was their new frontier. Perhaps the Singapore Spirit back then was the spirit of indomitable courage, braving the uncertainties of life in early Singapore.

Then came the Second World War, and the people of Singapore stared grimly in the face of death and destruction. One might see the Singapore Spirit at that point in time as one of steadfast endurance and loyalty to one's home and fellow men. In the aftermath of the war, Singaporeans had to rebuild all they held dear from scratch. The endurance and loyalty earlier seen had transformed into an ability to adapt in the face of adversity, and that possibly encapsulated the Singapore Spirit of that generation.

After years of rebuilding, the joys and pains of union with Malaya and the eventual split characterised the 1960s. The mood then was one of disappointment amidst high hopes. Yet the Singapore Spirit shone through in the perseverance of Singaporeans as they continued their search for a better life via nationhood, come what may.

The next chapter was the 1980s and the road to modernisation. Being already a successful city-state, Singaporeans pressed forward in their quest to make their country one of the most prosperous in the world. The Singapore Spirit matured into an unwillingness to rest on one's laurels, a constant urge to move forward with the times.

Just a few years ago, in 2000, we celebrated the new millennium, one in which millions around the globe hope for peace and stability amidst the brave new era that humanity has trudged into. Standing on the threshold of an age, Singaporeans faced the challenge of staying relevant in the modern, or as some would say, post-modern world. With the tragic events of 9/11, terrorism reared its ugly head and little doubt was left in the minds of Singaporeans that this was a time of uncertainty as much as it was one of opportunity. In response, the Singapore Spirit possibly became one of adaptability and steadfastness.

Today, 8 years past the turn of the millennium, the SARS crisis of 2003 has come and gone, and the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 is but a distant memory. Singapore today is a cosmopolitan city, a far cry from its humble beginnings as a simple port of call for sailors and traders alike. A new chapter of the Singapore Spirit has begun, and we are part and parcel of it.

Looking at how the Singapore Spirit has changed over the generations, one sees the making of the Singapore Spirit as we see it today – circumstances, experiences, hopes and dreams of our ancestors have been passed on to us in the form of stories and anecdotes. Indeed, from the dimension of time, perhaps the Singapore Spirit is best defined, if it might be possible to define it at all, by our experiences and the experiences of those who came before us.

At the same time, we also see that the Singapore Spirit is in a constant state of flux – never staying constant, but rather changing with the times and its people. This thought is aptly reflected in the element of mobility shown in the Show segment of NDP 2008 by the performers and spectators. Just as the Singapore Spirit is never stagnant, so the Show itself is always moving forward through the new acts and scenes.

With that in mind, NDP 2008 would be a timely tribute to the Singapore Spirit – both to the spirit of our forefathers, and to the prevailing spirit of our time.