The past couple of weeks gave me a lot of time to reflect on the wider impact of this petition and what it means for the future of Singapore. I have since condensed these reflections and written them down, which you can read here if you're interested.
Although the call of the petition was not implemented exactly, the changes that have since been announced still shows me where the heart of the leadership of this country lies. In the past week, I was invited to speak with members of the NDP organising committee where we had a fruitful sharing of each others’ opinions. It showed me that we have leaders who do not take the ideals of democracy lightly and are open to receiving feedback from the population, no matter how young or inexperienced they might seem.
I sincerely thank the NDP organising committee for making the following sensible changes.
1. Renaming of the funpack to ‘Singapore Together Pack’, taking into account that there is nothing fun about fighting a pandemic and it could be seen as a mockery of those at the frontlines; not to mention those who might have lost a loved one.
2. Reducing the production of the funpacks to 80% of the initial amount, I am hopeful that the potential waste is going to be less.
3. Prioritising functionality over exuberance and luxury. It is a step in the right direction for Singapore, in terms of reducing single-use plastics and general care for the environment. Replacing a physical discount booklet with an e-booklet is also an extremely sensible decision. By moving the NDP towards a more eco-friendly direction, we are setting the right example for the population to follow, after all this is the biggest event in Singapore in scale.
It is wishful thinking and unrealistic to expect the whole of Singapore to become environmentalists, but if each one of us becomes a little more conscious of our actions and even makes a 1% improvement in our lives towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle, the overall impact will be significant due to compounding!
Thank you to all signatories who made this possible. Although this petition ends here, I sincerely wish you continue to have the love and compassion for one another and the environment.
Stay safe and healthy!