How I wished I could fly away with wings – on my own! As a child, I recalled, it took 9 months, for my elders to reach Mecca by ship. Today, NASA in USA has been exploring the possibility of humans living on planet MARS. It takes 17 months to reach it. In a continuously fast changing world, WARS, MARS and PANDEMIC will test our millennials. Can they cope?
Born after the WW2, the 1990s had turned me to be a VICTIM! When economic growth reached a dizzying height of 8-12% GDP, we forgot about the atrocity of 1989 WAR when US attacked Iraq in the Middle East. It was a case of misinformation that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. At the end of that decade, the Asian Financial Crisis hit us and brought the economy plunging down to a low of 2-3%.
What saved Singapore was the 30-year leadership of our founding father, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. I was part of the TV production team when he stepped down in Nov 1989. Having gone through the WW2 (1942-45) with 65 million people killed, Mr. Lee built a multiracial Singapore choosing his team carefully for their honesty and integrity for rapid growth.. Setting himself as an example, his Leadership gave us a clear vision and mission for a better future. For him, the Nation comes before Self. Never trapped by the past – the wisdom gained was added with new relevant knowledge to move on. In 1981, returning home from overseas’ training, I was tasked to produce the launch of MENDAKI by Mr. Lee himself. Soon after, both the Chinese and Indians set up similar community support organisations, each to be accountable for our own future. No ‘free makan’ but hardwork and perseverance!
By 1990s, when the explosion of Science and Technology brought the INTERNET access directly into our homes, fear and insecurity however led me to commit a fatal mistake. That ought to be a lesson for millennials. Never a Victim! Young Singaporeans will be continuously tested. Using virtual communications, social media and ZOOM – WARS, MARS, PANDEMIC and TECHNOLOGY – are they resilient enough to face the fractious globalized world in the Digital Age?
