What I want my Singapore to be

Apr 05, 2013

DURING my seven-day stay in ward 11C of Tan Tock Seng Hospital, I was taken care of by a group of registered nurses, enrolled nurses and Nanyang Polytechnic trainee nurses. They were from different countries, such as India, Malaysia and the Philippines, with varying backgrounds.

As they worked together, it was clear that they had respect for one another's differences and culture, while they discharged their duties swiftly and quietly.

This is what I want my Singapore to be.

This stay reminded me of the Singapore I grew up in - with my Chinese friends, Indian classmates and Malay neighbours. We were all very different, yet got along well.

Having been based outside Singapore for eight years, I find that people always seem to be able to spot a Singaporean from a mile away - we speak English, Hokkien and Malay all in the same sentence, and are honest, hard-working and not prone to taking unethical short-cuts.

People say this is the result of growing up in a multiracial and meritocratic country.

I would like to thank the nurses who brought warmth to my heart - Ms Mary George, Mr Kelvin Chin, Ms Felicia Yap and Mr Mohd An-nur.

Moses Tan Beng Teck

[Sadly the online comments to this letter were not very sympathetic. Most totally missed the point and went off on a tangent for their pet peeves. Do Singaporeans only appreciate Singapore after they have left Singapore for a while?

Maybe.]