Trulysingapore.wordpress.com, 23 Apr 2014
I refer to the 18 Apr 2014 Straits Times letter “a question of fairness” by Mr Jeffrey Law.
Mr Law claims that xenophobia has reared its ugly head when Singaporeans condemn the public celebration of the Philippines’ Independence. It is Mr Law who is mistaken; there is nothing xenophobic about the protection of Singapore’s sovereignty which is the sacred right and duty of every Singaporean including Mr Law. To absolve oneself of such duty and to denigrate it as being xenophobic is to display the utmost disrespect and betrayal to our nation and to Singaporeans.
We have a law that forbids flags of other nations from being flown in Singapore except in Embassies and the like. The reason is simple, the flag symbolizes sovereignty and the right to raise the flags of other nations symbolizes the sovereignty of other nations which correspondingly reduces the sovereignty of our own nation. The celebration of Independence Day cannot be anything but the celebration of a nation’s sovereignty. So the public celebration of a nation’s independence is the public celebration of a nation’s sovereignty which is like the flying of a nation’s flag in public. Unless Ngee Ann City has suddenly become the Philippines Embassy, allowing the public celebration of the Philippines National Day at Ngee Ann City is akin to recognizing Philippines sovereignty on Singapore soil. That would be the utmost betrayal to our nation. Full story
