In the closing speech of the Debate of the President’s Address last month, I related the story of ”The Giving Tree”.
This is a story which I used to read to my children when they were much younger. It was published in 1964 by Harper and Row. It is a children’s book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. This book has become one of Silverstein’s best known titles and has been translated into more than 30 languages.
It reads:
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Once there was a tree and she loved a little boy. And everyday the boy would come, and he would gather leaves, make them into crowns and play king of the forest. He would climb up her trunk, swing from her branches and eat apples. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree And the tree was happy.
But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and asked, “Can you give me some money to buy things and have fun?” “I have no money,” said the tree, “Just apples, twigs and leaves.” “But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the city.” So he did. And the tree was happy.
But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree, “I’m now a man and I want a house to keep me warm.” “I can’t give you a house”, the tree said, “The forest is my house.” “But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home” So he did. And the tree was happy.
And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes. “I want a boat that will take me far away. Can you give me a boat?” “Cut down my trunk and make a boat,” said the tree, “Then you can sail away and be happy” So he did. And the tree was happy.
And after many years the boy came back, both of them were old. “I really cannot help you if you ask me for another gift.” “I’m nothing but an old stump…and sorry I’ve nothing more to give.”
“I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,” The boy whispered, with a weary smile. “Well”, said the tree, “An old stump is still good for that.” “Come, boy”, he said, “Sit down, sit down and rest.” So he did. And the tree was happy.
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Metaphorically, I see the tree was our country, Singapore, and the little boy – its people, like you and me. Like many Singaporeans, my siblings and I have benefited from the meritocracy and the social mobility Singapore has offered.
My siblings and I, four of us, grew up in a 3-room HDB flat in Tanglin Halt Road. Although there were two bedrooms, all of us squeezed into one. My parents slept on a bed, while the four of us slept on mattresses on the floor. We were contented. We were happy.
My father, who had only primary school education, supported all four of us through university locally, by sheer hard work and thrift. All of us have a decent job now, make a decent living, own our own homes and are now parents ourselves.
The PAP Government, like the tree, has done well in providing and caring for its people over the last 46 years. We should give credit, when credit is due. However we should also not rest on our laurels but must continue to do more to improve the lives of Singaporeans.
Mr. Lam,
Please allow me to respectfully disagree with your metaphor and point of view.
I see the tree as Singaporeans and the growing maturing male human as the PAP.
Singapore and her citizens have been around far longer than the PAP and will definitely outlive any government. Aside from natural disasters or poor policies, Singaporeans will be the majority in this country, providing the country with their countless sacrifices,
The PAP on the other hand has grown and matured, from a fledgling party in the 60s to the dominant force that it is now.
It has always been the people providing for the PAP, with our votes, our work and our lives. Not the other way around. The PAP should give credit, when credit is due.
While using yourself as a positive example may entice more to a political career, what of the common rank and file workers? The officers and executives and engineerings earning in a year including all bonuses and incentives what you do in 2-3 months.
I strongly believe that you are capable of doing much more than what you are doing now (without going in details) and having put our faith in you, I am sure the ‘commoners’ would want to see more tangible improvements in their lives.
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Pin Min’s Reply:
Jason,
Thanks for your comments and your personal perspective on the metaphor.
There is no doubt the success of Singapore is dependent on many factors, including good leadership and the hardwork and will of the people. The destiny of Singapore and Singaporeans are closely intertwined and it is therefore important for the the government to engage the citizens, get the support and buy-in so as to work towards to better future for all.
Being a meritocratic society, Singapore also offers social mobility which allows its citizens the opportunity to climb up the social ladder and to improve the quality of lives of its people. It’s not just about financial remuneration, but also the overall quality of life, including healthcare, housing, social support, social graces, socio-political stability and security etc.
Dear MP sk west,
Like Jason, I beg to differ on your point of view. This is especially so on the part on meritocracy in our society. I do not know how it was in the past but it’s definitely not true in today’s context. For one, I had one of the university professor (local uni) telling me there is no such thing as basing resources on merits but more on priorities that he sets out. Throughout my entire grad sch, that was the only instant when i requested help but was bluntly turned down because I was not on his priorit list. As he puts it, I will be thankful in the future to him for showing me early the harsh reality of life.
The phrase of a harsh reality does resonate somewhat. The world is pretty competitive out there. Thus I disagree with your statement about “our meritocratic society” offering citizens opportunities to improve their lives. More rightfully said, these opportunities are derived from singaporean’s hard work and not products of the society. It goes without saying that good leadership is important and I definitely attribute that to past successful policies that were implemented. However it is erroneous to give all the credit to the government forgetting that common people provided the painful sacrifices during difficult times. I cite examples of austerity measures of CPf and significant wage cuts during tough economic times. Imagine what would have happened if the events in Europe were to occur in Singapore.
Lastly I will like to iterate that respect needs to be earned and should not be based on past events. Afterall, the person at the helm has changed, the entire society has changed and it does not make sense to accord the new policy makers their due recognition unless they have proven themselves. That said, I would like to repeat Jason’s statement hoping to see more improvement in the sk west smc. For one, I simply cannot comprehend why a simple request like getting rid of the worm infestation in the sky garden around where i stayed would be dragging for more than 6 months without signs of improvement. I’m not certain if you read my emails too as I don’t get a respond either.
Thank you and have a nice day.
Regards,
Sj