News that shook my world
Bangkok bedlam
THE highlight of the year for me was the seizure of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport by thousands of anti-Thaksin protesters for nine days from Nov 25.
I was awed by the sheer audacity of the protesters and the scale of their plan.
Even the police, armed with court orders, could not evict them from the airport grounds.
But while it was a potent demonstration of people’s power, there could not have been a worse blow to Thailand’s crucial tourism industry – already reeling from similar protests at the airports of Krabi and Phuket in August – than paralysing the capital city’s main airport.
If even airports are no longer safe during political crises, many potential visitors, myself included, will likely give Thailand a miss.
This episode will go down in history as one of the most audacious and costly protests ever to be staged and executed successfully.
Jason Zhou, 23, is a third-year Economics student at Singapore Management University.
Rallying together as one
I HAPPENED to visit Peninsula Plaza two days after Cyclone Nargis slammed into Myanmar on May 2. As the hang-out point for Myanmar nationals in Singapore, it was also the site of a packaging operation for clothing aid to the cyclone’s victims.
What surprised me was the person directing the operation was a 23-year-old SMU student from Myanmar, instead of an older, more experienced expatriate.
Assisting him were a dozen-plus young Myanmar nationals – there were 16-year-olds moving boxes and toddlers tying parcels.
When I spoke to them, their passion showed through. ‘The junta must allow foreign humanitarian aid in,’ declared their leader. ‘Sorry for yelling, I am really angry.’
These youth had united in a time of crisis. They felt they could make a difference, beyond just getting good grades and a lucrative career. I can only hope that Singaporean youth will rise equally to the occasion in the event of a similar crisis.
Lim Heng Liang, 21, is a first-year English student at National University of Singapore.
One quandary, two paths
THOUGH not as newsworthy or widely covered as other major events, the boy who jumped to his death over his co-curricular activity (CCA) back in February – 15-year-old Tan Wen Yi – left the deepest impression on me.
I was in his exact predicament in secondary school and I understood where he was coming from.
Like him, my parents had advised me to join a CCA against my wishes and I detested every moment of it.
But while he chose suicide as his only way out, I decided to put my foot down and boldly switched CCAs after one year, though only after enduring much drama at home and at school.
I believe such an issue is not worth taking one’s own life for. I am deeply saddened by his decision and wish that he could have found a better solution to his problem.
Though one’s freedom of choice may be restricted by higher authority, it is ultimately up to yourself to fight for what you truly want in life.
Chew Zhi Wen, 21, is a first-year Law student at NUS.
A timely wake-up call
YOU know that feeling you get when you proudly boast about your achievements, only to be proven wrong afterwards? That’s what happened to Singapore when detained Jemaah Islamiah head Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from captivity on Feb 27, and has not been found since.
Suddenly, Singaporeans, myself included – who took pride in their country being one of the safest and most secure in the world – felt like they had been slapped in the face. Indeed, vigilance does wear off with time and can give rise to complacency; Mas Selamat used that to his advantage.
Our once polished reputation is now tarnished. You know what they say, nobody’s perfect – countries too.
Perhaps Singaporeans in general should exercise some humility the next time we feel like boasting about our achievements.
I, for one, will not be too trusting of situations any more – sometimes the status quo is not as solid as it seems.
Oliver Sayson, 20, is a full-time national serviceman.
Tags: Chew Zhi Wen, Jason Zhou, Lim Heng Liang, Oliver Sayson
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