Complacency.
Channel Newsasia:MM Lee says Mas Selamat’s escape is a severe lesson on complacency
This is a recurrent worry, and it is precisely my worry too:
My worry is that if these ruling party MPs continue to not be contested in Parliament, they will become too contended and eventually lose their function, which is evidently happening...
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Link to clarification/addentum
In view of this, I again urge everyone:
1. The most important thing now is, stay very vigilant - actively report anything suspicious and take those national security videos in the MRT stations seriously. Although they say that the escape is not planned but you really never know - after such an incident the risk of having a terrorist attack in Singapore definitely increased. Trust the police and the army but do not COMPLETELY rely on them - actively report everything when you feel that you need to.
2. In the long run, don't assume that the government will always act according to yours and the country's best interest. Be active and be sufficiently prepared, so that when the sky falls on you you know how to react. I know it sounds very patriotic to 'die with your country' but if you died immediately after crisis hit you won't be able to fight for your country and you won't be around when your country needs you to rebuild everything.
3. Don't just complain - use your brain when dealing with national issues and be actively aware of all opinions. Know what is best for you and what is best for the country - so when your input is needed you can give honest and constructive comments, suggestions and criticisms.
4. Active civil participation is what makes democracy work. Our government is not completely oblivious to opinions, so voice them if you have any! If you realise that the government is compromising on the interest of society, you know where to exercise your power. This can only work if you are actively aware of what is happening in the country - if not you will basically be just rambling nonsense and voting blindly!
5. I believe this is in Singapore's best interest in the long run. So if you are capable try to be part of it - you don't have to be Mr. Brown or Diodati but you can always just stay intelligent. Anyway, don't take what Mr. Brown and Diodati say whole sail too - that is also not using brain.
Although I say that I have been actively trying to plan for escape routes, honestly I do not hope to put them to use; but I believe that it makes a lot of sense to have some idea of what I can do if everything doesn't work out. Like I have been telling sushi, you have to have some control over or alternative plans for everything - be it asking for money back from the school, buying air tickets through travel agents, arranging for transport to the train station/airport, arranging for summer internship - if you trust the school/travel agent/traffic/whatever completely, you'll either be completely screwed or you'll have to go through a lot of trouble/pay a huge price to get whatever rectified.
Sushi learnt this the hard way, and I made sure that she did - while she can still afford to.
So don't let it happen to you too!
Labels: Policy and Politics
