In the collective histories of nations and communities, there are days of death which live on in infamy.

America has 9/11. Spain has the Madrid train bombings of March 11, 2004. In London, the July 7, 2005 attacks on public transport. Indonesia has seen its share: Bali in 2002, as well as the 2003 Jakarta Marriott Hotel and 2004 Australian Embassy bombings. In all of these, innocent civilians were killed.

In Singapore, we remember March 10, 1965, when two Indonesian marines detonated a bomb at MacDonald House that killed three Singapore civilians and injured 35.

Hence, it is troubling and saddening that the navy of Indonesia, a country with which Singapore has had many years of good bilateral relations, chose to name a ship after the two marines who carried out the attack.

Perhaps it was a younger generation of Indonesian officers, who did not quite realise the implications of such naming. In any case, Singapore has exercised our sovereign right to protest, calmly and confidently.

NO SMALL MATTER

History reminds us that sovereignty is no small matter for smaller nations. Back in 416 BC, Athens attacked the island of Melos. As Thucydides put it: “Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”

In modern times, small wealthy Kuwait was invaded by Iraq in 1990. In the late 2000s, Ukraine faced energy security vulnerabilities.

Sovereignty is no mere academic concept. It is a matter of life and death for a nation and its people. Eloquent advocacy at international tribunals may decide restitution for the survivors of conflict, but sovereignty determines whether rightful possession is preserved in the first place, and whether a people have the chance to govern themselves and shape their own destiny.

A country can thrive only if it has relevance to others and the strength to defend itself. Singapore’s sovereignty is anchored by a cohesive society, economic progress and our military strength.

Economic growth is not an end in and of itself. It allows the redistribution of wealth through social spending, while investing in public infrastructure and defence hardware and manpower.

Military strength, in turn, is supported by investment, to equip and train our national servicemen and regulars. No matter how cordial our neighbourly relations today, a strong defence is insurance against unexpected changes in the geopolitical climate.

A cohesive society ensures that every able citizen is ready and willing to defend their fellow Singaporeans — instead of making a beeline to Changi Airport at the first sign of serious trouble.

The collective steel of social cohesion can be the X-factor in a conflict. During the Nazis’ strategic bombing Blitz against Britain during World War II, stoic British cohesion helped the island nation hold out against challenging odds.

REINFORCE BONDS UNDER TENSION

But three sustained trends are diluting our social cohesion.

Wealth inequality has increased social distance between successful and less-well-off Singaporeans. Growth in non-resident labour and immigration has strained national identity; there is a difference in culture between the new immigrant and the grandchild of pre-1965 immigrants.

Our ageing population challenges existing business models and current notions of labour policy. Increased spending on healthcare and social support is needful and the right thing to do, but social cohesion will be tested as more of a youthful workforce’s tax dollars are redistributed to their seniors.

To preserve our social cohesion, we must share the benefits of progress with all Singaporeans. MediShield Life and the Pioneer Generation Package will come with fiscal costs. Yet, for more Singaporeans to accept redistribution, there must, in turn, be a willingness to share — to accept higher premiums or personal contributions so that others will not fall behind.

This tension must be addressed, to create a virtuous circle rather than a vicious cycle.

There are three areas where social cohesion can be strengthened, to ensure willing redistribution as part of a fair and just society.

First, we must reinforce the sense of Singaporean identity.

We can highlight our Housing and Development Board heartlands and take pride in local food and culture. We should continue recognising local heroes from different fields: The men and women who braved Everest’s peak; the gutsy soldier who lost his legs but stands taller than us in courage; the nurses who faced airborne death daily during the SARS crisis.

What binds a nation is not bricks and mortar, but a sense of community arising from extended relationships and trust.

EXPAND OUR COMMON SPACES

Second, we must protect and build more common spaces so that Singaporeans of all backgrounds can come together — hawker centres, parks without admission fees and attractions at low cost.

Values and social cohesion are nurtured from childhood. Even while we provide each child with tailored education to maximise his potential, we must help students with differing gifts mix together as peers, so younger Singaporeans do not judge a person’s worth by school stream or academic certificate.

While every school can and must be a good school, there is a special responsibility for independent schools to ensure access for students of all backgrounds. If a fundraising machinery can marshal resources to construct a swimming pool, it can also support bursaries such that no deserving student is afraid to apply, for fear that he might not win a scholarship or not fit in.

Third, we must ensure that the rule of law applies to all and continues to be seen to be applied to all. Legal Aid and other measures must maintain access to legal assistance and support, for equal justice operates not only at adjudication, but also at the point of entry to the justice system.

Singapore celebrates Total Defence Day on Feb 15. It is a little more than a year before our 50th anniversary as an independent nation. Social cohesion, economic progress and military strength undergird our existence as a sovereign state. All three must be in synergy.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Tan Wu Meng is a medical doctor working in a public sector hospital. Soon Sze Meng is a Senior Director in a multinational corporation. Both are Singaporeans.