Presidential hope Ng Kok Song believes that even as Singaporeans celebrate their respective ethnic cultures, it is critical for them to build on their shared identity as Singaporeans.
The former GIC chief investment officer spoke to the media at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre on Tuesday after visiting the Singapo(ren) : Discovering Chinese Singaporean Culture Exhibition and said that Singapore Chinese culture, although distinctive, is rooted in a multilingual, multiracial society. He says that while differences should be respected, they should not be allowed to deteriorate into divisions in society.
Last Wednesday, the 75-year-old announced his intention to run for President, using his left hand to illustrate how, although the tips of the fingers representing the different races in Singapore may be far apart, they connect at the palm, which he used as an example to represent a shared Singaporean identity.
Mr. Ng who visited a Sikh temple on Sunday, said that something he would like to do as President is unify all Singaporeans into this singular Singaporean identity, and said he hoped to visit other religious institutions in the coming days. He stated that while it was good for the various communities to help their own, it would be more powerful for these efforts to be complemented by people helping those of other races. He added that this was something we could get our children to do and educate them as to what the meaning of multiracial friendship was – that we care for one another regardless of our religion, our race or our language and reiterated his call for meditation in schools. He said that just 1 or 2 minutes of silence that they share together, without talking, or arguing and being together will be very powerful to show them that in our hearts and beyond our minds, we are together.
Mr. Ng said that the shared identity of being Singaporean should extend to the way Singapore Chinese grapple with United States – China tensions. He pointed out that although it was natural for Chinese people to be more sympathetic towards China, Singaporean Chinese culture was rooted in multiracialism. He said that amidst this geopolitical conflict, what was most important for the Chinese community, as well as other communities to realize was that the most significant thing was – they were Singaporeans and hence they should always consider what was in their best national interest.
When asked whether the recent political turmoil in Singapore, which included the resignation of Tan Chuan-Jin – Speaker of Parliament, would affect his own popularity as an independent candidate, he replied that what mattered most to him was that Singaporeans had a chance to choose their President. He went on to say that it was not terribly important to him whether the present circumstances favoured him, because he was happy as long as the people in Singapore got a chance to choose, and that he would be happier should the people of Singapore choose him to be their President. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/celebrate-racial-diversity-but-unite-as-singaporeans-presidential-hopeful-ng-kok-song?utm_source=emarsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ST_Newsletter_AM&utm_term=Celebrate+racial+diversity%2C+but+unite+as+Singaporeans%3A+Presidential+hopeful+Ng+Kok+Song&utm_content=26%2F07%2F2023
Mr. Ng revealed that one of his deepest regrets was that, although he was fluent in English and Teochew, he was not fluent in written Chinese or Mandarin. He went on to state that he was an example to the younger Singaporeans who were reluctant to become fluent in Chinese, and said it was not too late for him. He said that his heart was Chinese in the way he thinks, but that he could not express it fluently and that he wanted to learn to be fluent. He said he was starting to take Chinese lessons and was trying to learn Chinese by singing Mandarin songs.
Mr. Ng rounded up his visit by singing a line from the popular Mandarin song Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin (The Moon Represents My Heart).
