Singapore National Day 2009

The 44th birthday of Singapore is on 9 August 2009. The theme of this year Singapore National Day (Independence Day) is “Come Together – Reaching Out, Reaching Up”

In view of the current recession, that is really a very bold theme. While most countries are thinking of surviving the recession, and providing enough jobs for their people, Singapore is thinking of Reaching Out, Reaching Up. Reaching Out and Reaching Up means that Singapore is not merely thinking of survival, Singapore is ready for expansion economically.

Boldness and Courage to chart forward is nothing new to Singapore. In 1965, Singapore was kicked out of Malaysia. To use a modern terminology, Malaysia retrenched Singapore, without retrenchment benefit. Independence Day 9th August 1965 was a day of anguish for Singapore.

For a small country that had no money, no army, no management (governmental) structure, no personalized company policies (legal structure and laws), many hungry and desperate people, Singapore was obviously not in a position to start the Singapore business. Most of the Singapore laws were made after Independence Day 1965, before that, all the laws were borrowed from the British.

However, there was no choice. Nobody wanted to hire Singapore anymore. For the sake of national survival, Independence was the only choice, however difficult it was.

Actually, I think Singaporeans have lost the national pioneering spirit of Singapore. In times of recession, we look forward to the government to provide assistance. So many people approach the MP for assistance, meaning to get some vouchers or financial aid. If the pioneering leaders of Singapore had this kind of attitude back in 1965, we would never have a successful and independence nation, Singapore, today.

It is a pity that the government of Singapore is forward looking, and gear to the future, and many people of Singapore lose the pioneering spirit. The negativity spirit displays by many jobless people are simply not healthy. Many are thinking of taking aids from government, thinking of under-employment, thinking of merely survival, instead of the national spirit of “Reaching Up”.

There is less than a month to 9th August 2009, the 44th National Day (Independence Day) of Singapore. The stock market in Singapore reflects the mood of Singaporeans in anticipation of Singapore National Day. The stock market in Singapore is rallying stronger and stronger every day. Through the movement in the shares prices, I can feel the upbeat of the unknown investors.

Most investors and businessmen are looking forward to the National Day Speech, rather than the parade. National Day Speech is always very educating, and shows the direction that the Singapore government is taking.

I think the stock market in Singapore will remain strong until the National Day of Singapore, based on historical trend. However, there is always a possibility that someone or something will cause the stock market in Singapore to panic.

The acts of terrorism in Indonesia are too close to home for comfort. If the suicidal terrorists can bomb the hotels in Indonesia, they can also cause a panic in Singapore. After all, Singapore has so many luxurious hotels. There is no way to stop people from checking in the hotel, and cause the bomb to go off during check in or check out. The security guards are unlikely to ask every tourist to open the luggage for inspection.

I hope nothing bad happens. With the recession, and the swine flu (H1N1) virus causing one death and many patients still in hospital, Singapore is having a bad enough time. The El Nino is coming, and being a natural weather phenomenon, nobody can stop it coming, and nobody can predict the strength of the coming El Nino.

I hope the forest fires in Indonesia will be under control, and not causing haze in Singapore.

After celebration of 44th Singapore National Day, the next event will be the starting of the month long hungry ghost month. Hungry Ghost Month is always a gloomy month for investors. The stock market in Singapore is usually very quiet, with lesser transactions, and the share prices will not go higher.

The fact that the governments, those big companies, financial experts warn of bad third quarter result, plus the local sentiment, it will be a miracle to see any strong rally in the Singapore stock market.