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By Ong Sze Ying
Singapore is officially 42 years old!
9th August 2007 was indeed a very special day in everyone’s heart. It marked the nation’s birthday and it was also a celebration for every Singaporean, of every colour and physical attributes. As a Singaporean, I felt the pride swelling up within me as I watched the throngs marching on the floating platform at Marina Bay and yelping in joy while fireworks exploded in an array of colours across the night sky.
Similarly, our wheelchair racers definitely felt that surge of pride within them as they watched themselves on television screens all across Singapore. For this year’s National Day video, wheelchair racers - Norsilawati Bin Mohd. Sa’at, Mohd. Firdaus Bin Nordin and Mohd. Firdhaus Bin Osman, were some of the featured Singaporeans included to illustrate Singapore as a ‘City of Possibilities’.
Through the short clip aired on our free-to-air television channels, it is obvious to all Singaporeans that we have come a long way and that Singapore is a country with heart and a can-do attitude. Our wheelchair racers’ prowess in their respective events is further testament to how perseverance and sheer grit allowed Singapore and themselves to make a mark in this world and their sporting events respectively.
An interview with the featured wheelchair racers revealed the significance of this video, not only to the nation but to the individuals themselves. Firdaus said that being featured in the National Day video was not only an issue of duty and pride. In fact, it was also a fun affair as he felt “great to be part of the event”! After all, he had 2 seconds worth of fame on TV! However, what matters most to him is to see the nation prosper in the years to come.
If you have watched the National Day Parade, you might also have caught national swimmer Lim Keng Joo on TV. 20-year-old Keng Joo was one of the 40 pledgetakers selected for the parade this year, as a representative from the disability sports arena. According to Keng Joo, he felt that he was seeing an old friend when he spoke to President S.R. Nathan during the parade. The two had met previously at the Istana Appreciation Dinner earlier this year, during which medalists from the 9th Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled (FESPIC) were invited to. And President S.R. Nathan had been very kind to the athletes who were present.
We look forward to seeing more inclusion of the disabled sector in our nation’s biggest celebrations every year! After all, we are “…One people, one nation, one Singapore!”