Amnesia In Singapore

Historical amnesia is evitable. Although most of the first world countries such as America(1) and Japan discerningly remember historical events while forgetting unfavorable significant occasions or tends, “amnesia is not an option” (2) in the process of building Singapore as a nation. Singapore is a young nation with very little history background and almost no natural resources, however, was able to pull it off as a first world country within thirty years of nation building (1997). It is a world phenomenon as Singapore emerged decades after post war period, as one of the smallest bustling ‘red dot’. It was a great ‘jump’ from a third world country (after post war), to one of the leading country in terms of economy, technology and education

“Due to our lack of appreciation for history, we suffer from a lack of vision.” (7) In the speech (2) Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong used US’s success in shaping national identity as an example in pursuance of drawing attention to the need of National Education in Singapore. American heritage such as the Declaration of Independence and the Civil Rights movement is taught in American schools to pass on American values to every child. Singapore does not have a long history and rooted devotion unlike the US, would need to build a concerted endeavor to infuse the proper value in the young Singapore generation. Singapore significant heritage events such as the Racial Harmony Day on July 21 to remember the racial riot happened before the Separation, Total Defense Day on Feb 15 to commemorate the surrender of British to the Japanese, Singapore National Day on Aug 9 to celebrate Singapore’s independence from Malaysia. With these shared culture values, consciousness of common vision, all Singaporeans, regardless race, language or religion, would unite together as one people and solve any setback as one nation.