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The transcript reveals an intriguing behind-the-scenes reason for the secrecy. The authorities were hesitant to publicly acknowledge Harrison as the song's composer because he was not Singaporean. There was concern that revealing this detail could lead to rejection or diminish the song's reception.
Harrison recounts that initially, the song’s lyrics stated "we have a dream", but the committee deemed this phrase "too non-concrete" or perhaps too idealistic. They replaced it with "we can achieve," a more tangible and resolute phrase aimed at inspiring confidence.