I had the privilege of being one of the presenters at the Singapore Writers Festival (SWF2023) . The event "Sekali and Go-stan: Choices of Fate in Singapore's History" was held at the Arts House on 18 November 2023. The three other presenters were Tina, Sarafian, and Ee Waun.
Tina coined the term "Sekali and Go-stan" which resonated with the audience. The Blue Room of the Arts
House was full, packed with attendees eager to explore the stories behind these
intriguing words. "Sekali" means "once" in Malay. It has
taken on a local twist, now representing "what if". On the other
hand, "Go-stan" originated from "go-astern", signifying the
act of about-turn by rewinding time.
During the event, Tina discussed the ever-evolving life of
the Singapore River, shedding light on its historical significance. Ee Waun
delved into the history of World War II. What if Percival hadn't surrendered to
the Japanese, or somehow, Singapore hadn't fallen? Sarafian traced his Bugis
roots. Could we gostan the loss of Bugis heritage from not reclaiming the
Kallang River, or do without the clean-up of the Singapore River? For me, I articulated
what if our forefathers hadn't migrated to Singapore? I shared a short story
from the early years of industrialization, as witnessed through the eyes of my
father and myself.
Sekali moment
In 1949, my father left his rural peasant life in Heshan (鹤山),
Guangdong Province, China. He embarked on a journey to Singapore aboard a
steamship from Chung Wan (中环),
Hong Kong. The year 1949 holds great significance as it marks the
liberalisation of China under communist rule.
Upon arriving in Singapore, my father learned letterpress
printing and operated the Heidelberg platen press for many years. The printing
firm Tak Seng Press was located at 147 Hill Street and we lived three units
away at 141B Hill Street. They were just a mere 50 meters away from Coleman
Bridge, which spans the Singapore River. Occasionally we would have a bowl of sumptuous
Tai Wah Pork Noodle (大华肉脞面)
at the Tai Wah Coffee Shop next to the bridge.
Following Singapore's attainment of self-governance, the
state faced challenges with stagnant trade income and decided to embark on an
industrialisation journey. The formation of Malaysia was seen as an opportunity
for Singapore to tap into larger economies and expand its production reach to one
Malaysia. However, this vision did not come to fruition.
After the separation from Malaysia, Singapore shifted its
focus towards international markets and implemented attractive policies to welcome
multinational corporations (MNCs). In 1968, the Industrial Relations
(Amendment) Act was introduced to redefine the rights of employers and
employees, bringing about changes to the Industrial Relations Ordinance of
1960. Additionally, the Employment Act was enacted in 1968 to establish uniform
standards and regulations for employment terms and conditions. These changes in
labour laws removed substantially the welfare and rights of workers and trade
unions.
Lee Kuan Yew, in his meetings with trade unions, emphasised
the importance of job protection over salary increments. He also urged
employers to treat workers fairly and not to exploit them.
Despite these intentions, the new acts inadvertently gave
capitalists an asymmetrical power over workers. This was evident when my
father's boss took advantage of the situation and negotiated new terms with the
printing union. As a result, the union had to reluctantly agree that all
workers received an annual “13-month bonus!” of no less than $10, which they
would collect on the eve of the lunar new year. During that time, the average
salary for blue-collar workers ranged from $150 to $200.
When the clock struck 5 pm, the workers eagerly awaited their
fortunes. To their disappointment, each worker received a New Year ang bao
containing exactly $10. For workers, you know what a true 13-month bonus means
to them. This situation persisted for several years.
My father felt a deep sense of anguish. If he had not left
his rural peasant back then, he would have been considered a proletarian (无产阶级)
and honoured as one of the greatest in communist China.
After dinner, we would often stroll along the North bank of
the Singapore River. We walked from Coleman Bridge to the Victoria Theatre, and
continued to the tunnel next to Anderson Bridge. We sat on one of those stone benches at
Elizebeth Walk, looking at the cargo ships anchored on the sea. My father expressed his desire to go-stan,
meaning to return to China.
Sekali my father made up his mind and boarded a ship heading
north, what should I do? I found myself contemplating the various possibilities.
I couldn't help but wonder if life in China would be any better than in
Singapore, especially since our relatives there often wrote to us seeking help.
Despite this, I felt a sense of pride in being a proletarian in China, partly influenced
by the media and partly by the Barisan Sosialis kindergarten my sibling
attended. I even imagined myself as a red guard, holding a little red book and
singing the revolutionary song “东方红，太阳升，中国出了个毛泽东”
(The east is red, the sun is rising. Mao Zedong appears from China).
No go-stan
However, my father never returned to China. Instead, he
struggled to make ends meet in Singapore. Sekali he did it in a go-stan manner
and I had gone with him, I may have spent over half a century in China before
returning to speak in SWF2023 Singapore as a foreigner. Really hard to imagine.
During our lifelong journey, what if we had taken complete
about-turns at the most crucial junctures? Life comes with choices and fate can
take unexpected turns. For that, I afraid there is no true answer to sekali.
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