National Flags

• Eiizumi

  12 Aug 03, 09:41

  If you people realised, not so many people hang out our National Flag outside their units of HDB flats?
  
  Too lazy, not committed?
• MYPR

  12 Aug 03, 13:38

  There are a few likely reasons as followed:
  
  1. Silient Protest against the Gov due to recent price hike and unrest. Gov out of touch with the pple. Local losing confidence.
  2. Most people are jobless , not enough $$$ to buy bread liao where got enough to buy flag
  3. Some went oversea esp JB for tour during this period. Noticable at the causeway.
  4. More and more Foreigners in singapore. It's not their country's birthday. Why should they hang flag anyway.
  5. More and more singaporean migrated.
  
  I don't see many Flags on HBDs.... how come?
• kenhor

  12 Aug 03, 16:54

  We shouldn't have never tried to make residential places hang flags. Its too difficult. And the residents committee will go crazy trying to force people to do it.
  
  Should have just adopted what some of our neighbouring country does .. force BUSINESSES to hang the flag. House is optional. That way, don't need to think of all sorts of hidden meanings over the lack of flags this year.
  
  Of course, I did notice that there seem to be less flags in Marine Parade (along ECP) on the way to the airport .. may be the tip of the iceberg.
• SingaporeTyrannosaur

  12 Aug 03, 17:00

  Given the recent events, many Singaporeans just don't identify with Singapore as much as they did before. After all, with all the price hikes, retrenchments, and such hitting us one after the other, during which while the govt. protects the FTs like precious treasures while ordinary Singaporeans are used as ablative material to take the burn for them, it's no surprise that so many just feel alienated from the nation anymore.
  
  If you have no say, even the slightest one, in steering the boat, but are just considered an expendable resource, a cog in the machine to be put in or cast away at will, your fate decided by those up above who pay little heed to you, why bother to hang a flag? Patriotism is at an all time low, if you ask me.
• SingaporeTyrannosaur

  12 Aug 03, 17:21

  The thing about patriotism is that it is not an entirely pragamatic affair. And Singaporeans are a pragmatic bunch.
  
  Following recent events in which Singaporeans feel that they have been virtually silenced in whatever issue they have raised, their fates siezed by the govt. for "pragmatic" reasons, it is no surprise that we could just extend pragmatism to its logical limits and only stick with Singapore .inc when the going is good. Why stay here when we can make it better elsewhere?
  
  Why stand the stress here for some abstract concept of nation on an absurbly small island?
  
  In a sense, the govt.'s label of "quitters" on those who vote with their feet and bail out comes across as ineffective. Since they have been pragamatic with us all this while, is it any surprise that the populace can be as well?
  
  The general indefference to this years National Day as anything more then a expensive display that holds little meaning in the heart of Singaporeans is a sorry reminder of that.
• Eiizumi

  13 Aug 03, 11:18

  Why I think, hanging our National Flag on the National Day holds a significant meaning. It is not only about patriotism. It is about your sense of belonging.
  
  The initial years of independence all Singaporeans gladly hang the flags.
  
  But now, because of slow progressing economy, this and that. SIngaporeans don't hang them. This pretty shows Singaporeans attitude have a problem. Being too realistic.
  
  Our past histories shows our elders hang Japanese's Rising Sun and British's Union Jack, nobody like their imperial Nipponisation and colonial rule. Now we have a chance to do it, we should hang it.
  
  Hanging Singapore flag is national campaign. You'll be surprise it boost tourism and even encourage foreigners to invest here. To them, it does not show nationalism, its shows confidence of survival, stability and success. That's the Pride of Singapore, the pride that enable us to survive. The pride that Malaysia is unable to defeat.
  
  At least our government didn't expect us to hang PAP flags.
• Atobe

  13 Aug 03, 13:11

  
  If the Singapore Flag belong to Singaporeans, then we should be allowed to fly the flag each morning - proudly.
  
  Those who have a garden or an open space at their block, should be allowed to fly the flag.
  
  Those who have a clean wall within their home, should be allowed to raise the flag on the wall - WITHOUT any clutter around the flag.
  
  Unfortunately, while most citizens of other countries - including our immediate neighbors, and those further away - are encouraged to fly their flag proudly at home, SINGAPOREANS are NOT permitted to fly the Singapore Flag outside the designated period not allowed by any gazetted Government instruction.
  
  If the Flag belong to the Singaporeans, why should we subject ourselves to the instructions of the Singapore Government as to when we can or cannot fly the flag ?
  
  Is the display of patriotism only restricted during the 15 days before and after National Day ?