Singapore is a multi-ethnic country with people from many different racial, cultural and religious backgrounds. Despite these differences, it is possible for people to live in peace and harmony.
We recite the Singapore pledge every morning during the flag raising ceremony. However, have we ever wondered what it means?
“We, the citizens of Singapore,
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society
based on justice and equality
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity
and progress for our nation.”
Focus on the words in italics and bold, what does it mean? In Singapore, we do not regard ourselves as Chinese, Malays, Indians or different religions, but as a nation. So, what is a nation you may ask? A nation is formed when a group of people accept one another and see themselves as having something in common.3 Like many government talks, or other speeches, we seldom say Chinese, Malays or Indians. Instead, we call ourselves Singaporeans. Benefits given do not go to respective races or religions, but as a nation, a nationality, and that is Singaporeans.
Even though English is the most dominant language in Singapore, the government does not forget about other languages! For instance, all schools in Singapore are written in four languages, which is the language of four main races. This shows how fair our government is.
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