The NS Award

You can be an unemployed NS man, and continue to be unemployed for another ten years of your life, but be assured that you will have $10, 000 waiting for you in your CPF. That is the government's promise to citizens with effect to today.

On surface level, it may only seem like a token policy but in fact, there is a deeper meaning to this "award".

For a long time, citizens have been complaining about how foreign workers or talents have stripped them of promotion opportunities, how they have caused house price to rise, how they have caused unemployment amongst Singaporeans, and the list of complains goes on.

It is not impossible to understand how and why such complains are rampant. After all, we are the ones who went through the difficulties - all the way from the Japanese Invasion, building this nation, the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, and the 2008 economic recession, to serving our nation through hard work, menial work, and perhaps 2 years of our life in NS. Go to a white-collar citizen and this will probably be a typical answer he will "passionately" tell you.

It is not just the money, but the intention. NS is probably epitome of sacrifices in the long list, and that is why the government wants to use this award to show that it appreciates and recognizes the effort citizens put in for its nation.

As corruption prevails in increasing number of countries, another concern that bothers the government is the rising skepticism about the government itself, how it uses funds, and how transparent it is.

This move is also effective in showing and proving to Singaporeans that extra surplus, when not needed, will be given back to citizens in ways like this.

Personally, I feel that as citizens, we should be grateful for what we already have, and not depend on such policies to get a sense of patriotism. Let us ask not what our country has done for us, but what we have done for our country.

Youth Olympics Games

It is the first, and probably the last that can pull it off in such a fashion.

It has been a day since the closure of this excitement-packed 12-days affair, but some take-aways stay. Throughout the 1st ever games, friendships have been forged, the olympics spirit has been inculcated into Singaporeans, and most importantly, a new generation of potential Singapore sports stars have been identified.

US Virgin Islands sailor Ian Barrows, gold medallist in the boys' Byte CII event, danced at the disco in the Village, happily mingled with athletes from other nations, and will go home with a bunch of photographs.

The Youths Olympics Games has gone beyond broadcasting fees and country promotion. Above all, it has taught our youth athletes the values of excellence, friendship and respect, and gave them a $330 million taste of what a international sports event empowered by a indescribable spirit is like.

Singapore has without qualms, impressed International Olympic Committee president Jacque Rogge. His response to our organization was a thumbs-up. "Hats off to Singapore for its success in organizing such a spectacular show!"

If there was any imperfections, applause is indubitably due to the hardworking volunteers and helpers who took playback videos, provided athletes umbrella shelter whenever it rained, served drinks and the list goes on.

Well done Singapore! Let us continue the olympic spirit even without any physical remains of the games.