PSC defended Zulhaqem Zulkifli.

PSC stepped up to the plate. They defended Zulhaqem Zulkifli’s decision to pursue a master’s degree in Buddhist studies at Oxford University in September. 

You must know his brief background. Zulkifli, 27, “had read philosophy at Nanyang Technological University. He is one of the 93 newly minted PSC scholars”. 

For a period in his life, he and his siblings slept in a void deck because they were not only poor but their parents had divorced. Through all that, he and his siblings persevered and they are all doing well in their own field of work. 

But, what was PSC defending? Well, in the Forum letter section, some ST readers felt Zulkifli ought to study something more relevant to Singapore. Mr Cheng Choon Fei wrote: “Courses paid with scholarship funded by the public must be relevant to Singapore’s economy and development.”

Another reader Mr Stanley Ong wrote: “And why choose to do Buddhist studies at a high-cost, elitist tertiary institution in a high-cost country when there is no lack of Buddhist institutions of learning here?” 

Stanley “asked how a course in Buddhist studies would be of value to Singapore, compared with others in areas such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

I have no doubt that Choon Fei‘s and Stanley’s intentions are not misplaced, and their point is about relevance, opportunity costs, effectiveness and possibly, utility; most of which centers on what is largely measurable. 

However, Dr Ng Li Sa, from PSC, replied that they “want scholarship recipients in the humanities, arts and social sciences, besides fields such as engineering and technology”. 

She added: “In the Singapore context, secularism does not mean being devoid of religious content. Our public space is shared by Singaporeans of different religions. Policymakers in Singapore take an active role in working towards religious harmony.”

Dr Ng said that PSC is looking for recipients who are “authentic, open-minded individuals with clear thinking, who are aligned with public service values, eager to learn and driven to serve Singapore (and) in sending them to read a diversity of subjects, we hope that each one will bring back a special perspective to contribute to the team, to bring Singapore forward.”

Lesson? Just one.

I am grateful that PSC came forward to clarify their stand. They are looking for diversity, open-mindedness, and authenticity, with each recipient bringing back a special perspective to contribute to Singapore. 

This is in fact in line with the study of Buddhism. Associate Professor Karma Lekshe Tsomo said: - 

“The more I read about Buddhism, the more it confirmed the initial resonance I had felt as a child. The values of living kindness and compassion that I had learned from the Christian scriptures while growing up were also central Buddhist teachings and, along with equanimity and wisdom, were guidelines for everyday life.”

Reading that, my thoughts are that there is no greater disengagement in life than to make work our life and life our work, thereby leaving a trail of stunted relationships with loved ones behind as we pursue efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. 

We need equanimity and wisdom too, as guidelines for everyday life, and you can’t attain such peace, fulfilment and contentment of mind and soul from pursuits that leave you emotionally drained and spiritually vacant. 

If opportunity costs is the main consideration, and some of us are afraid Singapore may lose out in the long run when we encourage and support our PSC scholars to pursue religious studies or other areas of humanities studies, then my reply would be to bring to your attention a recent report by Joanna Seow (ST, June 28) with this ironic and wry title: “Almost 1 in 2 in Singapore stressed by thought of doing nothing: Survey.”

It reports that “of 600 Singaporeans and permanent residents polled in a recent survey, 31 per cent said they did not know how to relax...this is despite 52 per cent of respondents saying that they felt stuck in daily routine and 74 per cent wishing they could spend more time with their families and loved ones.”

I think this is a typical horse-and-carriage situation. The horse is work and the carriage is family and loved ones. 

As it stands, for the pursuit of economic development, and in the name of efficiency, quota targets and productivity, we Singaporeans are caught up in an endless (and most times, hapless) chase of the overhyped 5, 6 or 8Cs. 

And the bitter irony in our claim that we work for our family and loved ones is that we have left the carriage far behind with the often breathlessly running horses galloping far out in front. So, when we turn back to look out for them, our family, we find ourselves struggling to spot them (and they us). 

We may find ourselves rich, surrounded by a wall of material possessions, and adulated by many, but alas, empty inside, struggling with relationships, and life’s meaning and purpose. 

We may have satisfied our fleshly desires, but our soul remains worn out and torn, dessicated and lost. And before long, we have to confront our own mortality, and that is where the rubber meets the road, that is, it is where the testing of all our works meets the furnace of life’s purpose. 

Mind you, I dare say that those who come out gold or priceless metals are those who have benchmarked their life against values that endure beyond the earthly pleasures attained in this world. 

So I am back to Zulkifli’s pursuit of Buddhist studies and PSC’s support for diversity, open mindedness and religious content in society. And if the ultimate goal is for Singapore to flourish as a nation, we can’t afford to just feed the work-horses without sparing a thought for (or investing on) what truly drives and enriches our life beyond the endless and mindless pursuits of economic development and prosperity. 

In the end, when we leave the carriage too far behind, our soul will cry out for them in quiet desperation. Before long, that desperation will deepen, and threaten and undermine everything else, like the domino-effect; if it does not destroy what it means to be human first.