today i saw a super long and elaborate funeral procession, stretching like about 1km+ end to end and replete with banners, costumed paraders, stilt-walkers and hearse bearers.
and oh, did i mention the super huge and intricate coffin which was carried by at least 8 people?
in ultra-modern singapore, seeing such a elaborate and traditional ritual is bigger than winning 4D. in our rush to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation, most of us have had no choice but to leave our roots, identity and ancestry behind. because change waits for no man; and because the very notion of being singaporean is to change. and change quickly.
in the 50s, we were still a fishing village. in the 60s, industrialisation set in. by the 70s and 80s, we were part of the asian dragons club, poised to take over the world. the rest, as you know, is history.
today, transformation is everywhere. just compare orchard road circa 2009 vs 2010. sleepy seletar? ditto. even the SAF is not spared as the winds of change howls mercilessly into the soul of the everyday man. everyday we strive to hit the benchmark, just to find that when we get there, the goalpost has been shifted. yet again.
and so yusof ishak is now what defines us. or rather, the national identity is the constant struggle to meet new government initiatives and economic targets. currently, as what our manpower minister said, we have to be "faster, cheaper, better". what next - "arbeit macht frei"?
there is a saying that it is better to die than to fall sick in singapore. because of the constant emphasis to be economically productive and rising cost of living, one can barely afford an extended stay at the hospital, or worse, afford not to work due to illness.
at today's funeral, nobody was thinking about these issues. but one thing is for sure: they would have, if they could, all paid a king's ransom just to see their dearly departed one more time. but what use is of money at the end?
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