Majula Singapura – Are we ready for a Singapore story?

By Shyamalee Mahibalan Murugesu

(September 01, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I noticed that among many Sri Lankan’s the euphoria of post war has created once again a heady elation that we are headed towards becoming another Singapore. At a time where borders and boundaries are re defined, when cultures and ethnicities have intertwined creating unique individual identities, one might agree that a post war Sri Lanka cannot afford to make the mistakes of post independence Ceylon. Singapore’s success story did not evolve overnight it was a collective effort by all its citizens, a desire to create a successful discipline nation and share the fruits of its labour across language race and religion. Indeed an ideology that was beyond politics.

It is infact interesting to trace history itself to the events that reshaped the two countries doing so I might shatter the illusions of many here. I think that we are here today due to our past mistakes a legacy of petty politics.

Singapore and Sri Lanka were both Islands despite the differences of sizes and crown colonies of Britain. Singapore a part of Malaya was much smaller with no infrastructure or resources, and when it gained independence Singapore was left to fend for itself. Sri Lanka by far had all this. In his first Visit to Sri Lanka Lee kuan Yew highlights that he was impressed by the city of Colombo and its public Buildings. Quote “Ceylon had more resources and infrastructure than Singapore. This was the year Solomon Dias Bandaranaike was sworn in as Prime minister”. “He promised to make Sinhala the national language and Buddhism the national religion. This was the start of unraveling of Ceylon” he says. Unravel indeed, it unleashed an era of terror and bloodshed and created Asia’s longest Civil war. To day Lee Kuan Yew says no country should follow the Ceylon Model.

If it was Solomon Dias Bandaranaike’s short sighted thinking to fuel his political ambitions in a predominant Buddhist country that dragged Sri Lanka through a Civil War, it was Lee Kuan Yew’s far sighted vision that might have created a racially tolerant, multiracial and vibrant Singapore. He seemed to have got it right from day one, a formula that worked well for Singapore and designed to work in the future too. Singapore’s main emphasis from its inception has been to provide a great education and instill a discipline system where every citizen will be governed by its rules. He increased the salaries of civil servants to maintain a clean house and introduced legislations to clean the house of corrupt practices. By creating these simple foundations to day Singapore has flourished in to a first world nation. A medical research/ and the financial hub of the world, and Singapore’s world class education system is an inspiration to the world. A country that is safe and secure for Children and women, a country where woman could walk the streets in the wee hours of the night. I remember a Singaporean exchange student who was leaving to Toronto recently asked me what kind of a city Toronto is, and my advice for her was Toronto is not Singapore it is perfectly normal for women to go missing out of streets, so stick with your crowd if it is a late night. All across North America I find this to be very common.

To me the historical soul of this ethnically diverse multicultural country remains in the east, west and north to the Singapore River. On the east of the river is the sights and sounds of Chinatown with its colorful street shops and temples, to the west is the hustle and bustle of Little India where the south Asian culture is alive with its multitude of restaurants, temples and shops, and to the north within the backdrop of the Sultan Mosque is the Kampong Glam district of Malay Heritage centre with roads that snakes out to Arab Street, kandahar street. This is the place for Moroccan cous cuos, Turkish Kebab, and the best Arabic coffee. This historical soul of Singapore is a creative paradise where these culture infuse a uniquely Singapore experience. This is the place for dreamers and artists who seek inspiration.

As Singapore celebrated its 44th national day last week, a day when every Singaporean renewed their pledge as the citizens of Singapore, to unite, 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 the nation. It was written in 1966 by then Foreign Affairs minister of Sri Lankan origin Mr S Rajaratnam . Mr Rajaratnam had revealed that the dream was about building a Singapore that everyone can be proud of. He believed that language, race and religion were divisive factors, but the Pledge emphasizes that these differences can be overcome if Singaporeans cared enough about their country.

Recently I came across a group of Singaporean Malay teenagers who were humming a tune upon inquiry I found out that they were humming the tune of Majula Singapura or onward Singapore, the national anthem of Singapore. The anthem which was composed by Zubair Zaid is infact sung in Malay. The national flag consists of a crescent and five tiny stars. Singapore’s population consists of 43 percent Buddhist Chinese, 15 percent Malay Muslims, 15 percent Christians, 8 percent Taoist and 4 percent Hindus.

Since its inception English has remained Singapore’s common workplace language while mandarin, Malay and Tamil are also considered as other official languages.

When English was made the official language in the 70’s initial teething issues were reported to be many. When the Nan yang University students were faced with un employment problems due to English proficiency Lee Kuan Yew merged the Nan yang university with the English Language University of Singapore and thus launched the National university of Singapore.

We Sri Lankan’s are seems to be living in a political enclave to the point that a book I read recently on Surveying and Mapping of Colonial Sri Lanka by Ian J Barrow highlights that, “looking at maps of Sri Lanka published throughout the 20th century, the surveyors were trying to fix the political meaning of a territory, even when public sentiments have moved beyond that understanding”. Since independence we have had too many elections, too much money wasted and too many political powers with too many political ideologies, each busy trying to create history by building political edifices. The future of Sri Lanka remains and will depend upon the decisions taken now. On the commitment to clean up the house, to clean the streets of illegal weapons and arms, to uphold Justice law and order and create a discipline law abiding society where every citizen while reaping its benefits could live in peace and harmony.

Then again can we sing the national anthem in Tamil?

-Sri Lanka Guardian