As Singapore marks 50 years of independence, The Straits Times (ST) has put together a book about love. This intimate study of the things we know and love about Singapore is written by some of ST’s most authoritative beat reporters. It is a dossier of modern Singapore halfway through her first century, an often surprising composite portrait of the little quirks, incongruities and rhythms of life in Singapore, which we chortle, ruminate and worry over, with familial affection but sometimes also exasperation.
It delves into the ironies of nanny state policies and political instincts that die hard among rulers and ruled alike, pricey cars and real estate, a land-scarce city which prizes greenery to the point of fashioning vertical gardens, Singapore’s prowess at the most oddball sports and penchant for setting all manner of world records, her own brand of guided multi-racialism, her citizens’ preference to complain rather than protest, the fast-growing global cult that is Singapore maths, and the skilful codeswitching that makes it so natural for Singaporeans to eat across many cultural andculinary cost divides.But enduring love is not blind. The writers do not flinch from looking at where Singapore is showing her age and what she has had to leave behind in the quest forher next edge.
There is much to love about Singapore at 50. But this has been no easy ask-noquestions, take-her-as-she-is love.
CONTENTS:
1 Scrabble board 2 Speaking good Singlish 3 Maths rockstars 4 Affluent and thrifty 5 Campaign trail to health 6 Certified entitled 7 The state will help you get along 8 Blooming city 9 Nation of runners 10 Armchair film critics 11 Culinary codeswitching 12 Merlion poems 13 Levelling up 14 Metropolis of millionaires 15 Rise of the eco warrior 16 Complain, not protest 17 For whom the toll beeps 18 Knock, knock, help’s here 19 D-I-Y music adventurers 20 Men in white 21 Kueh tart 22 Welfare for a few, fairness for most 23 Activist artists 24 Eagle breeds a gryphon 25 Sticky surgery supremo 26 Love that is legislated 27 Football fanaticism 28 Chart-topping kids 29 Uniquely Singapore 30 Trophy cabinet 31 Edible meritocracy 32 The Singapore way 33 Help that works 34 Science city 35 Hub of all trades 36 Paying top dollar 37 Urban jungle 38 Yellow Ribbons 39 Zouk: A raving success 40 Talk, don’t strike 41 Luckiest little ones in the world 42 65 monuments and counting 43 Global statesmen, local heroes 44 Stuff of diplomacy legend 45 Oddball champs 46 OCD nation 47 Common corridors 48 Field of dreams 49 Made in Singapore 50 The national mascot
THE EDITOR:
Among her peers, journalist Susan Long is known as Singapore’s interviewer par excellence, and as the velvet-gloved, iron-fisted former Editor of The Straits Times Enterprise Desk, behind many sprawling, investigative Saturday Special Reports. But to Singaporeans, she is known as the NKF Assassin, after a commentary she wrote in 2004 on the country’s biggest charity, the National Kidney Foundation, led to a defamation suit, the mass resignation of its board of directors and an overhaul of the non-profit sector. The tireless editrix resisted the entreaties of her irreverent team to title this book 50 Long Years. |
