Singapore—Fresh on the heels of its successful launch earlier this month, the country’s newest political party—Progress Singapore Party (PSP) celebrated it’s first National Day Dinner.
PSP leader Dr Tan Cheng Bock, former PAP member who had served Singapore for 26 years as a Member of Parliament, thanked the people who had attended the dinner via a post on his Facebook account. He also added a video of a song entitled “Try a little kindness” that Dr Tan and his friends sang that night.
He wrote, “New members of all ages took to the stage to share their thoughts, hopes and dreams for our nation. It was very inspiring.
We ate, shared, laughed, listened and dreamed. Many also shared their thoughts in song, among which were ‘Impossible Dream’, ‘Madu Dan Racun’, ‘Count on me Singapore’.”
Dr Tan also wrote about the taxi drivers who sang “Ai Pia Jia Eh Yiah” in Hokkien just before the night ended, and said that he “felt very blessed indeed to be surrounded by so many enthusiastic and passionate Singaporeans.”
He also included the lyrics to the words to “Try a little kindness…” writing,
“It is my hope also that we can become a more compassionate society, working together to take care of one another throughout our lives.
For country. For people.”
https://www.facebook.com/TanChengBock/videos/358767715051396/
Try a little kindness
If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he’s sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and say “You’re going the wrong way”
Chorus:
You got to try a little kindness, yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness then you’ll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets
Don’t walk around the down and out
Lend a helping hand instead of doubt
And the kindness that you show every day
Will help someone along their way
Chorus:
You got to try a little kindness, yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness then you’ll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets
Netizens thanked Dr Tan for sharing the video, as well as for the heart-warming message of the song.
Veteran architect Tay Kheng Soon, a guest that night, wrote about PSP’s National Day Dinner, and specifically Dr Tan’s song on kindness, in glowing terms in a Facebook post of his own.
“My wife and I were guests at PSP’S National Day Dinner this evening and we thoroughly enjoyed it with a ballroom full of members and friends. There was a palpable sense of fellowship and joyfulness and delightful sense of humour. I particularly was impressed by an 18yo young lady who joined the PSP because she felt there was a future embodied by the party.
“She spoke so confidently of pain and compassion as political philosophy. Wow! Then there was a wonderful rhymic malay song, honey and poison, “madu dan racun” followed by a lifely hokkien song sung by a taxi driver gang with the crowd joining in! Both songs rang so true to the slightly devil-may-care irreverent singapore spirit, zestful yet rhythmic and funny!”
Then Dr Cheng Bock took to the stage with ukulele with a song; “a little kindness.” That really set the tone for the future so different from the cold humourless calculation that makes for a culture of trade offs, no free lunches and hard truth joylessness singaporeans endure. This evening felt more like family rather than a political movement. I felt good. My thanks to my hosts and to Doc my old friend of 35years!”
/ TISG