44 Years ago...this was what happened!

In August 1990, as part of Singapore's 25th Anniversary Celebrations, the Straits Times reproduced the FRONT PAGE NEWS of 9 August 1965...which was sponsored by Rank Xerox Company of Singapore also celebrating their 25 years of operations here.

The 1st official announcement of the Separation took place at 10 am sharp over RADIO SINGAPORE.

Then at precisely 4.30 pm, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew began his press conference which was telecast later that night to a nation still reeling from the shock of the news which had spread swiftly everywhere.

All Malaysian flags were removed from buildings and replaced by Singapore's own flags by 12 noon...that day.

At homes and community centres, people, friends and family members gathered around our black and white TV sets to listen to the PM's press conference. Many of us were in great anxiety and had feelings of uncertainties about the near future. However, many of the shopkeepers and businessmen in Chinatown set off fire crackers...to celebrate the occasion. They knew better. For them, it was as if Singapore had been released from a kind of stranglehold, a prison of sorts.

Suddenly, the people around my age and my generation realised that we were treated like castaways from a stable ship and left to drift and fend for ourselves in uncertain waters, with many a predator lurking in the deep.

It is with a great sense of pride to say this today...our citizens, our people rallied round the Singapore government and its leaders to begin the task of building a nation....homes and schools for the people, creating jobs, building up our SAF, Police, Navy, health services., attracting foreign investments.

But the dramatic events of those weeks prior to Separation on 9 August 1965 is something that should be retold to the younger generation.

The best account I've read is from the Singapore Story...Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew.

Read it. It is that gripping!

Ps: The news clippings came from my enormous store of archived material.

History was made at 8.22 pm on 9 Aug 2009

This year the NDP was held at Marina Bay. We decided way before hand to watch the parade as an extended family with friends of Redsports. It was also because we wanted very much to be together for the nation's first ever mass island -wide and worldwide recitation of that solemn Pledge...Our Singapore Pledge.

We watched the Parade together with our grandkids and other family members...on the Box.

This year's Parade was truly impressive and very exciting...with many new ideas and sets. The colours were really bright and brilliant. For most of us the segment that we found most entertaining was the re-enaction of Sang Nila Utama's landing on Temasek ( Singapore). Comediennes Mark Lee, acting as the Admiral for the King and Suhaimi Yusuf as another key official, stole the show with their hilarious Singlish and their antics.

When Mark Lee was asked by Sang Nila, " What is ahead? Can you find us a safe place to land?"..

he answered, " You ask me I ask who? "all of us rocked with laughter. Even

our little cutie ones burst out in laughter!
I am glad that the NDP organisers and controllers allowed such light-hearted banter even on such an occasion. Past NDPs were too serious throughout. There should be a nice balance between the solemnity and the entertainment side of the items.

I hope to see more of such in the future.
As we sat watching the Parade, the seconds ticked by and soon the clock struck 8.22 pm.

What's so special about 8.22 pm?

It had been announced and publicised that at that exact time all Singaporeans, citizens or PRs, were invited to join in, where ever they may be, to reaffirm and recite The Pledge.

Everywhere, at home and abroad, and happening in real time..we all stood up to be counted. Yes, count on me Singapore! Yes, count on us Singapore!

It was only 30 seconds. But history was being made right that moment for all who were spirited enough to be counted!

So, our people affirmed the Pledge...giving it the deep meaning and respect it fully deserved. Our country has been the better for it all these years since it was first recited in 1966 ( see my previous post ).

My daughter and her kids made this tray of fruits done in a way that cannot be mistaken for anything else other than the crescent and the 5 stars D, P, P, E, J.

Do you know what those alphabets mean?

The 5 stars each represent:

Democracy, Peace, Prosperity, Equality and Justice.

It was our nation's 44th birthday since independence and 50th birthday since self-govt in 1959.

So on that day we all shouted out....

Majullah Singapura!