43 years ago, on August 9th, 1965, our nation became independent. We are the only country in recorded history to have independence thrust unwillingly upon us but our founding fathers took us through those early trying times and built us a foundation for peace and prosperity.

It’s often said we can’t choose our family. We can’t choose our place of birth either. The probability of being born here in Singapore is minuscule. Our forefathers could easily have stepped off the boat in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. Every time we meet an ethnic Chinese, Indian, Malay or Eurasian from another country in South East Asia, we know we look alike, but we live quite different lives.

We now live in a land where we are given job opportunities on merit and not by the size of the bribe or by the colour of our skin. We now live in land where you can walk safely on the streets at night and no child is denied a chance to study because his family can’t afford his school fees.

This is not a perfect place. No place is. But it is where we were born and this is where we were raised. It is a place where the taste of coffee is incomparable, the trees are old and magnificent, and where a blue sky day is not just a figure of speech.

And so, August 9th is a special day, a good day. It is a day to remember our parents who have raised us; it is a day to remember our friends we grew up with in school; it is a day to recall the times spent with teammates on the field of play.

For it is on the field of play that we learn how to work together for school and country, to learn humility in defeat and graciousness in victory. For it is on the field of play that we push ourselves faster, stronger, higher, for no victory comes without sacrifice, no prize comes without toil.

And so as we run, jump, kick and hit our way to new levels of sporting achievements, we train not just our bodies but also our minds for the challenges of life.

May the year ahead be a good one for you.

Happy National Day.

Red Sports. Always Game.

Les

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ7i-Ydlapg