From one heart to many - a call across the rivers and homes of Singapore
I have long steered clear of the turbulent tides of politics, choosing instead the quiet dignity of civic duty. Much like a risk officer maintains impartiality from operational noise. However, when the governance and stewardship of my nation come into question, it demands, and rightly so, the full attention of every citizen, including myself.
When the call of one’s homeland summons the soul to attention. Today, I answer that call.
As a Singaporean (born, bred here - 3rd Gen), my veins pulse with the spirit of this extraordinary nation, feeling a deep pride in our nation. I yearn, with every fibre of my being, to see Singapore flourish under the stewardship of a leader both capable and wise. My hopes for our future are rooted in one uncompromising principle: leadership must always meet the highest standards of fitness and propriety. In every institution, be it financial, governmental, or corporate, the custodians of power must be rigorously assessed not only for their intent, but for their proven competence, resilience under pressure, and their ability to withstand scrutiny in the harshest environments.
Admittedly, certain decisions of the ruling party have provoked intense debate. These decisions inevitably have shaken our comforts and challenged our assumptions. I hear you and I acknowledge that. Yet I request my fellow citizens: Pause. Reflect. Dive beneath the surface. How often have we truly dissected the intricate rationale behind these hard choices? Too often, we lash out before we ponder; we condemn before we comprehend. Sadly, reaction has displaced reflection.
From a risk management lens, we must ask ourselves: Have we truly undertaken due diligence before we judge? Have we truly comprehended the thoughts that were contemplated behind these “unpopular” decisions, understanding the long-term strategic objectives rather than reacting to short-term pain?
During this general election period, it is common for many of us to engage in public discourse without applying the basic frameworks of accountability we demand elsewhere. In the fevered echo chambers of the internet, I hear the commotion of outrage constituting of voices quick to dismiss, even quicker to dismantle.
But again, I ask: Are these not the very leaders who stood at the vanguard when the world was plunged into darkness during the pandemic? Who shielded our nation with swift, decisive action, setting an international gold standard for resilience, recovery, and compassion? Are these not the architects of Singapore’s enviable standing: A beacon of stability, safety and security, talent, innovation, and hope?
Actually, you know what? For a moment, let me entertain the critics and imagine an alternative. Let me pose a sincere question to those who demand for change:
- Are these opposition figures truly prepared for the crucible of leadership?
- Can they articulate Singapore’s interests in the furnace of international trade negotiations?
- What is the governance track record?
- What is the risk mitigation history?
- Where is the proven competence at the highest levels of international negotiation, trade diplomacy, crisis management, or policy execution?
- Can they hold their own in the grand theatres of diplomacy where one misstep could cost a generation’s future?
- Or shall we entrust our destiny to leaders whose philosophies oscillate between secrecy and superficial promises, without the depth of experience that real leadership demands?
During the gravest of times, the COVID-19 pandemic, our existing leadership demonstrated both operational resilience and strategic foresight, becoming a global benchmark. This was not luck. It was the result of established, tested governance structures, experienced leadership, and the constant application of a risk-based approach to national crisis management. Would we so easily discard this proven risk framework for untested and inexperienced alternatives?
Let us take a hiring process in a job market for example. Job applicants are scrutinized relentlessly: their skills, more importantly their experience, their history laid bare before a single opportunity is granted. Their CVs, experiences, and references are assessed with minute detail. Why then, when it comes to choosing those who would shape ours and our children’s futures, do we abandon such rigor? Why should those seeking public office be subject to any less? Words, after all, are not substitutes for demonstrable experience and verifiable track records. No responsible board, no vigilant compliance committee, would ever appoint an untested individual to helm an entity’s future on charisma alone. So why, as citizens, should we appoint national leaders by lower standards? Why would we gamble with the very soul of our nation?
Imagine, for a moment, that we treated political leadership with the same fit and proper assessment rigor demanded by regulators for directors, CEOs, or responsible officers in financial institutions.
• Would all candidates meet the standards of competence, and capability?
• Would they pass stringent reviews of past actions, decisions under stress, and consistency of ethical judgement?
• Would they have demonstrated the resilience to manage crisis, the prudence to oversee critical negotiations, the independence to make unpopular but necessary decisions for the collective good?
Before we act impulsively, we must reflect, as responsible stewards of our own nation, whether those seeking leadership have passed even the most basic thresholds of governance due diligence. These are the grave questions we must wrestle with (not in haste, not in anger, but with the sincere weight of duty). Remember: we are one people, one nation, one Singapore. When we stand united, undivided by reckless promises, unswayed by the hollow chants of inexperience, we are unstoppable. We are the invincible red dot that roars on the global stage, a nation that defies its size to command respect, admiration, and awe. We are the living testament that greatness is not measured by breadth, but by spirit.
We must protect Singapore’s legacy. Our brand as a stable, world-class jurisdiction, a hub of excellence, a benchmark for governance, security, education, and innovation. That brand was not built overnight, nor should it be jeopardized by emotional, uncalibrated choices.
Let us not forsake what generations before us bled, worked, and dreamed for. Let us not surrender the future to whim and fancy. Instead, let us rise (hand in hand, heart to heart) and forge ever forward, keeping the flame of Singapore burning fiercely against the winds of uncertainty. When we stay true to these principles (refusing to be swayed by populism or talks without substance) we remain indomitable, a red dot that outshines even the brightest stars.
For deep in my heart, I know:
With vigilance, we will grow.
With prudence, we will endure.
With unity, we will rise.
Hand in hand, with rigour and responsibility,
We will get there.
Your Singaporean Sister signing off
