15 Aug 2012
REMARKS BY AMBASSADOR TAN HUNG SENG
47TH NATIONAL DAY AND BUKA PUASA DINNER RECEPTION
AT THE RESIDENCE, 15 AUGUST 2012
A very good evening, dear friends and fellow Singaporeans. And to all the newly arrived students, I want to extend to you a special welcome. I am delighted to welcome all of you to the Singapore Residence this evening to celebrate our nation’s 47th birthday as well as buka puasa with our Muslim friends. It is a pleasure to see so many familiar faces again, particularly after the momentous events that have taken place in Egypt since 25 January 2011. The political transition in Egypt remains very much a work in progress and I believe that I speak for all of us in hoping that Egypt will emerge from this transition stronger and better.
2 As I watch my Egyptian friends angst over the challenges facing Egypt, and what it means to be an Egyptian, it reminded me of the theme of this year’s National Day Parade, which is “Loving Singapore, Our Home”. I believe that it is worth while for us to take some time to reflect a little deeper on what we appreciate about Singapore and what it means to love our country, which we all call “home”. “Our Home” also reminds us that we all have a stake in Singapore and I would like to share three personal thoughts on how we can express our love by contributing to create a brighter future for Singapore.
3 First, we must constantly strive to remain a cohesive society despite our diversity. As we commemorate Singapore’s 47th birthday, we have good reasons to celebrate Singapore’s many achievements against the odds. But equally important, we must remind ourselves that these cherished bonds did not come naturally in our nation’s early days. These common bonds have been carefully nurtured and fostered over many years, through shared experiences like National Service, public education, a passion for food, and even Singlish. In the words of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, “Singapore is an 80-storey building on marshy land. We’ve learnt how to put in stakes and floats so we can go up for another 20, maybe over a hundred storeys. Provided you understand and ensure that the foundation is strong.” I know that this is not a popular message among young Singaporeans today. Nevertheless, it is an important reminder for all of us, even as we live in Egypt, an ancient land with more than 5000 years of history, that we must constantly work to maintain interracial and interreligious harmony. In Mr Lee’s words, “without that, quarrelling with one another, we are doomed”.
4 Second, we must continue to be an inclusive society with a heart, to borrow PM Lee’s words. In his National Day Message, PM Lee highlighted that while we will continue to uphold meritocracy, we must encourage the more successful Singaporeans to contribute back to society and to share the fruits of success widely. Even as we continue to strengthen our common bonds and treat each other with dignity and respect, our society must learn to welcome new Singaporeans into our midst. After all, our forefathers were immigrants to Singapore just two to three generations ago. In this way, we can nurture a united community and do the best for ourselves and one another.
5 Third, we must continue to build a resilient society. As a people, we have remained strong and united in the face of adversity. As we look back at 47 years of nation-building, I think there is much that Singaporeans can be proud of. Everytime Singapore has encountered a crisis, like the 2003 SARS outbreak and the 2008 global financial crisis, Singaporeans have pulled together, endured the pain and overcome the challenges so that as a nation, we have emerged stronger. During the political upheaval in Egypt last year, it was a great encouragement for me to witness first-hand how our young students came together to assist one another. Those who were here would recall the exciting and challenging days. I am particularly proud that all our students have returned to Cairo to pursue their studies. I felt an even greater sense of pride when they produced some outstanding results in the rigorous Al Azhar University examinations last year. It spoke volumes about our students’ ability to weather abrupt changes and overcome difficulties.
6 To our new students, I urge you to learn from your seniors, to stay active in PERKEMAS, and to remain connected to Singapore. While it will not be easy since you are far from home, family and friends, you will not be alone as my colleagues and I, as well as your leaders in PERKEMAS, stand ever ready to guide and help you. Later on, as we watch a recording of the National Day Parade, I hope that it will evoke warm memories of home, family and friends. Before I conclude, I want to take this opportunity to say a big “Thank you” to all my colleagues at the Embassy, both Singaporean and Egyptian staff, for their hard work and support. On this note, let me wish everyone a Happy National Day, Ramadan Kareem and an advance Selamat Hari Raya Puasa. I hope that you will enjoy the buffet, which has been specially catered for this evening, particularly the ever popular satay. Thank you and have an enjoyable evening.
.....