The year 2015 has been significant for Singapore, marking the 50th year of the country’s independence as well as the death of its founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

The first 50 years of Singapore’s history as a sovereign nation-state can be read as “Singapore Story 1.0” — where Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP old guard led Singapore “From Third World to First” in a single generation.

Amid the recent launch of the dialogue series, SGfuture, it is worth bearing in mind that this story of “national struggle” amid trying times, however, is far removed from the personal experience of young Singaporeans.

… Ong Weichong is Assistant Professor with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University.