Dear Dr Chee and the SDP,
I am currently 20 and slaving in the Armed Force as an officer, having completed JC 2 years earlier.
This mail finds its inspiration from a documentary I recently saw, entitled Singapore Rebel and it also extracts memories from my reading the SDP newspaper sometime in 2003, when Dr Chee was giving them out in a train station.
I feel strongly about Singapore politics and I sense the growing awareness of this notion of ‘freedom’ among Singaporeans. My personal belief is that Singaporeans do not feel or understand freedom. They may appreciate it intellectually, but they certainly do not comprehend this concept emotionally.
In the West, freedom is a feeling as much as it is an idea. Over here, a people who have never tasted true liberty know only to fear it because of its price.
What then do we do? I find that my discontent even spills into my analysis of NS. I believe it is a social control mechanism more than a defence system. Here, the concept of force is literal where people are made to stand in line, and not question. This alteration of the minds of men leaves people in a state of fear when they leave the service. People will always say, “Aiyah, don’t play punk” or “Don’t extra lah”. There seems to be no way to combat this…sigh.
I really want to hear the methods of the SDP in attempting to unplug the Singaporeans minds from this ‘matrix’ platonic cave world that we live in where people decide to go for $$ as opposed to freedom.
MATTHEW
SDP: Dear Matthew,
Winston Churchill once said: “Never despair.” It is when the situation seems the darkest that light will shine through. Let us endure the hardship and persevere with our work to bring freedom and democracy to our nation.
Read history. It is important to get a perspective of developments. Many countries and peoples have gone through what we’re currently experiencing and felt exactly the same kind of despondency and hopelessness. Many of them today enjoy democracy.
It is the PAP who should feel a sense of dread and unease because it is on the wrong side of history. Don’t get sad, get busy. The best way to change the mindset of Singaporeans are for those who are aware to become active. Remember: all change come from the few who come forth to take the lead.
Come and join the people who know what the country wants and are willing to sweat and bleed for it. Come and help build the foundation on which a free Singapore will rest. Come and be a proud Singapore Democrat!