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These opening lines of Singapore's first specially composed national song 'Stand Up For Singapore' epitomise the cohesion and resilience that enabled Singapore to overcome numerous obstacles since its sudden separation from Malaysia in 1965. The island stood alone in its battle against unemployment, poor housing and health facilities, and over-population. If Singapore were to survive the challenges ahead, it was imperative to foster a sense of belonging and resilience in the people.

The first steps began in schools. Flag-raising and oath-taking ceremonies were made compulsory each day with a solemn assembly, where the State Flag was raised to the strains of 'Majulah Singapura', and the Pledge taken to stay "as one united people regardless of race, language or religion". This continues today and has laid the foundation for building a community that stands as one.

The introduction of National Service in 1967 for all young Singapore men further cemented the bonds and resilience among the youth and also enabled the build-up of a citizen army.

For the population at large, the government gave every citizen a stake in the country by creating a home-owning society. Racial enclaves gave way to multi-racial housing estates, mirroring the population profile. This deliberate housing policy promoted better cohesion and shared understanding among the different races. In tandem, the government inculcated a strong survival mindset through activities involving physical fitness and mental resilience, based on the "rugged society" concept that our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, envisioned for Singapore. With each passing year, Singaporeans became more resilient and confident of the future, adapting to new challenges.

In 1984, the government introduced Total Defence to involve every Singaporean in building a secure and cohesive nation, ready to deal with any crisis. Total Defence comprised five components - Military, Civil, Economic, Social and Psychological Defence. The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) was tasked with promoting and building Psychological Defence.

1984 also marked the republic's 25th year of nation-building. The Ministry decided to use songs as another means to bond and rally the people. The specially composed celebratory song 'Stand Up For Singapore' was a clarion call for all Singaporeans to do their best for the nation. In 1986, the Ministry introduced pledge-taking by a citizen contingent, comprising people from all walks of life, across age and racial groups to further rally the people. The contingent led the spectators in reciting the National Pledge in unison . The overwhelming emotional response of Singaporeans to the song, 'Stand Up For Singapore', led to the composition of more inspiring songs to lift the recessionary gloom of the mid-1980s. Songs like 'Count On Me Singapore' infused Singaporeans with a "can-do" spirit, through uplifting lyrics like "we're going to show the world what Singapore can be" . 'We are Singapore', the National Day Parade theme song of 1987 and 1988, carried the lyrics - "This is my country, this is my flag, this is my future..." - which echoed the vision of Mr Lee Kuan Yew in 1966 "to produce a community that feels together" .

In 1988, the Ministry introduced "Sing Singapore", a nation-wide community singing programme as a further means to build emotional connection and national bonding. MCI also embarked on a series of talks and seminars to foster pride in being Singaporean, emphasising how citizens could play their part in the country's defence and survival. The private sector was encouraged to play their part through partnerships and promotion of various national campaigns, and sponsorship of National Day events .

Building resilience and psychological confidence is an ongoing effort. It begins in families, continues in schools and encompasses the wider society through pro-active actions and ground-up initiatives. The digital age too has brought about fresh challenges. Indeed, 2019 saw the government add a sixth pillar - Digital Defence - to the Total Defence concept, highlighting how Singaporeans are ready to "be secure, alert and responsible online" . These efforts enable Singaporeans to be ready to face any threats, including potential digital disruptions.

Over the years, our track record shows that the conscious effort at inculcating a national awareness and will to overcome adversity has borne fruit, especially in the way Singaporeans respond to crises and incidents. While our security forces have proved equal to threats like the SQ117 hijack (1991) and the Jemaah Islamiyah plot (2001), our people also united as one whenever civil emergencies tested their resolve. The 2003 SARS outbreak brought out the best in Singaporeans, with many proactively starting grassroots movements to reach out and care for the vulnerable. The same spirit of care and resilience is evident as Singapore faces "the crisis of a generation" in our fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. As healthcare workers battle the disease on the frontline, Singaporeans from all walks of life have come together to do their part. Community volunteers sewed face masks for distribution, bought groceries for families under quarantine, and refurbished computers for needy students learning from home. Our national servicemen's round-the-clock packing ensured that 5.2 million surgical masks reached all 1.3 million households in good time. It is this spirit of resilience and willingness to tackle any challenge as "one people, one nation, one Singapore" that inspires confidence that Singapore will emerge from crisis renewed and stronger.

By Ministry of Communications and Information. Published August 2020.