It's only natural to have doubt as there's no doubt that
Singapore is a small nation and population have been kind of a
problem. And comparing Singapore to Switzerland,Finland,taiwan or
South Korea,isn't it a little way too much ? And to think of
that,aren't we fortunate enough that we can be compared to them as
how you compared our system to theirs. It shows that we are
somewhere there. Of cuz i hope that we can one day reach their
standards too if its what's best for our citizens.And as of that
Question " what do you think Singapore should be in this 21st
century ? " i should say, i have not much complains and am
contended as of how things are going nowadays,with the opening of
IR and the universal studios,there should be an increase in
Singapores' wealth ? But maybe i'll have much to complain when i
get older ? Who knows. Just feel that, one should be concentrating
on how to provide for their family as it is ones' priority cum
responsibility. Only then,can i, have a say in the nations affair.
But i'll hope for the same peace we have now in Singapore both
present and the future. Couldn't ask for more yeah ?
Nice talking to you Atobe. Gained some knowledge here =]
Why should we doubt in our own ability ?
The generations before us that were migrants did not doubt
themselves in picking this place, but had doubted the
feasibility of Singapore being merged into a larger country
called Malaysia - based on the unequal terms that were hurriedly
rushed through a false referendum, which ended in the failure
of merger two painful years later.
Small nation was never a problem, and has been an advantage in
certain situation - like allowing a tin-pot Autocrat to
believe itself to have supreme ability to run a small
nation and engineering from a Third World into his own
vision of a false First World.
Population size has always been a problem for big and small
nation - either too big, or too small; either too fast expanding,
or too slow in replacing the aging population.
Unfortunately, when Autocrat believe that controlling population
is like playing God or like playing a game - it will turn out
disastrous when the Autocrat believe itself more then social
planners and those more knowledgeable than itself.
Population Control is not like flipping a switch to
turn off and control population growth rates to suit its own
political and economic development plans; and then twenty years
later - flipping it back ON when it is felt that the population
growth is urgently needed.
Regrettably, LKY did not listen to those in the 1960s when
Family Planning was first introduced , and it took him more then 40
years later to admit recently he was wrong.
Why will you say that "comparing Singapore to Switzerland,
Finland,taiwan or South Korea,isn't it a little way too
much" ?
Singapore population or land size may not be the same as these
countries - but are we comparing physical size, or are we comparing
system of governments and policies that result in the quality in
the standard of living for the population, the standards of
creativitiy and productivity that help the country to gain
wealth ?
It certainly did not prevent SM Goh Chok Tong to announce his
short-lived hope to lead Singaporeans to enjoy the
Swiss Standards of Living - which unfortunately fell flat and
forgotten after he stepped down as PM, and left Singaporeans with
the Swiss Cost of
Living without the same Swiss Standard of Living.
Can Singapore be anywhere near to the standard of living, or
even the quality of life as those countries that I had mentioned
?
Sadly, after 53 years of PAP autocratic rule - with all the
decisions made by them - Singaporeans today are struggling as hard
as the generations that were supposed to be struggling during
Colonial Rule.
Even then - the Colonial Government had shown compassion towards
Singaporeans that the PAP could not show to its own Singaporeans in
a supposedly independent nation.
The Colonial Government did not look and say so loudly and
publicly that we are no better then animals that need training,
disciplining, and worst - to
have the spurs dug into our hind.
Only the arrogance of 53 years in political power has given MM
LKY the ability to insult the generations who had supported him and
rallied to the PAP - despite his poor judgment in merger with
Malaysia, his dogmatic Family Planning Program, his stubborn
refusal to modify the implementation of Learning Mandarin as a
standard for entry into Tertiary education, and worst still the
introduction of the Women's Charter - which he lamented prevented
persons with strong genes to start second families.
With regards to the starting of the Casino and the parallel
introduction of the Universal Studio to combine both as an
Integrated Resort - it is nothing more then exposing the bankrupt
minds of the PAP after 53 years in power.
It was LKY's insistence that the Motor Grand Prix races
held in the 1960s was stopped - when he and his founding fathers
could not appreciate the positive knock on effects to the Singapore
economy, and resulted in a delay of almost 40 years before the
Formul-1 returned to Singapore.
Singapore had resisted the introduction of a
casino for over 40 years since our forced and sudden
independence - and we saw Macau and the Genting Highlands
brought wealth for their economies due to their unique economic
circumstance.
Singapore developed ourselves based on efforts entirely
from Government Linked Companies controlling the economy and
industrialisation while the private capital and entrepreneurship
shrunk, and the population almost entirely working for the GLCs who
are the biggest employer in Singapore.
This was repeatedly single out in several economic reviews in
1987, 1997 and more recently after the 2003-2005 economic downturn
that require the Government to devolve itself from stifling private
capital and encourage entrepreneurship.
It saw a charade acts of Government devolving its ownership of
GLCs by privatising these companies - but with their
corporate capital still tied to the government, as were the
Board of Directors all being government appointees, and the staff
were Civil Servants being "retrenched" and re-employed.
The Integrated Resorts is a packaged proposal to make the
introduction of Casino more palatable and to disguise the U-Turn in
the 53 year old PAP policy not to have Singapore any casion on
Singapore soil - and to safeguard the situation it came up with all
the other supposed safeguards and safety nets to prevent
Singaporeans from entering these local casinos.
The effects of social engineering can only be seen over time,
and the PAP or LKY's social engineering records have been
disastrous - can we hope to see any positive outcome to the present
directions taken ?
Your idea that "one
should be concentrating on how to provide for their family as it is
ones' priority cum responsibility" - in order to have a say in the
nation's affair" - is exactly the kind of mind set that
LKY and his PAP has indoctrinated into the minds of ordinary
Singaporeans, and have made these minds politically apathetic.
Providing for one family is one priority and responsibility - as
much as it is the social and political responsibility of every
Singaporeans to provide for the Nation's future - whether in the
areas of politics, economics or social matters.
It has been LKY's efforts to prevent Singaporeans from getting
involve in national policy matters - and prefer to have
Singaporeans involve only in community matters that are at the
local district or constituency levels.
Sadly, this skewed political attitude has allowed LKY and the
PAP to get away with paying themselves the million dollar wages
paid from our National Reseves, while implementing policies that
restrict the wage levels and cost of living for every level of
Singaporean income groups - and all done without Singaporean having
any say.
When Citizens have no say at the national level, do we
have any control of our own political future ?
Politics is not merely about government and policies - it
is about the fabric of our society that dictates how we live our
lives, our economic survival, and our future.