Towards a more inclusive society
Ms Menon emphasised the need for an inclusive society built on respect and empathy toward the aged
As Singapore gears up to celebrate 50 years of independence, a group of individuals gathered at NUS on 10 March to share their views on the country's development thus far as well as discuss social, political, economic and cultural directions and challenges for the future. The symposium, titled "Singapore at 50: Reflections & Visions, was jointly organised by the Singapore Research Nexus, Social Science and Policy Research Cluster, and the NUS Department of Political Science.
Chaired by Associate Professor Reuben Wong from the Department of Political Science, the programme saw participants'Ms Chia Yong Yong, President of SPD and Nominated Member of Parliament; Mr Dominic Lim, Head of WeCare@MarineParide; Ms Sumytra Menon, Senior Assistant Director at the Centre for Biomedical Ethics, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine; and Ms PP Wong, Author of The Life of a Banana and Editor-in-Chief at Banana Writers'draw on their insights and experiences in the various sectors they represent. Topics included challenges faced by people with disabilities and the social service sector; legal and ethical issues of dying with dignity in Singapore, among others.
The speakers emphasised the need for change, particularly a shift in mindset to look at people as individuals rather than statistics. Ms Chia opined that such a change begins at home. "It's a question of whether we allow politics to get the better of us or we influence the politics. Where do we start? I think we start with each of us, she said.
Another widely debated topic was the seemingly overwhelming negative perception of failure in the Singaporean context. Agreeing that failure is part and parcel of life, the panellists cautioned against viewing setbacks as the end of the road as opposed to a learning tool that builds resilience.
According to Ms Wong, a fear of failure discourages self-worth and stifles creativity. "You need to be able to do something original and not look at what has been done before. You need to be able to put your mark on something and stand by it, to set the trend rather than follow the trend, she said. A member of the audience perhaps summed it up best when she said: "I think the first thing we need to do is stop calling people ‘failures'...it serves no purpose.
Ending the symposium on a high note, Mr Lim expressed optimism for a brighter Singapore in the next 50 years. "I'm optimistic that one day, when I have children, they'll be able to grow up in a society and Singapore that is more socially just; [one] that emphasises dignity, self-determination, and realising the potential of their being, he said. Echoing his sentiments, Ms Chia added: "There is room for improvement…because if there's no room for improvement, I think we're done for.
