The Singapore Bicentennial gives me an opportunity to interact with fellow Singaporeans, so we can appreciate our place together in 21st century Singapore."
On admiration for wartime heroine Elizabeth Choy
I chanced upon Elizabeth Choy while looking into the National Archives of Singapore. I only knew her as a wartime heroine, so I searched her interviews. A lot of what she said gave me a glimpse into thoughts that only someone who went through a war would have experienced. They were new to me, yet so precious that I wish to let everyone know.
So I picked out three key things from her interview transcripts that gave me a clear picture of her personal experience of the Japanese Occupation. One was that sounds from war times were not always loud. They can be something as insignificant as a creaky bicycle, a noodle seller rhythmically hitting a piece of bamboo with wooden chopsticks and a traditional Scottish song. Secondly, sounds can be a reminder of freedom, hunger and hope. Last but not least, Choy's poignant quote: "If I have to die for telling the truth, I will die because truth is very important. I would not tell a lie to save my life. I will die telling the truth."
The significance of the Singapore Bicentennial
Being part of The Singapore Bicentennial is to know myself and appreciate my position in this timeline of history. Knowing what’s come and gone, in order to fully immerse in the present. So this is a chance to better understand my own identity, discover where we came from and how we arrive to where we are today.