ID :
138612
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 03:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/138612
The shortlink copeid
WHAT MAKES SINGAPORE TICK
By Zakaria Abdul Wahab
SINGAPORE, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- On the opening night of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games last week, host Singapore showcased to the world how the island nation grew from a 19th century trading port to a modern-day metropolis.
In the eight-minute segment of video clip presentation and stage
performance, the Singapore story of survival, true grit and hardship in
developing the nation was told to the millions of world audience which watched
the event live on television.
Scenes of coolies loading sacks of goods on their backs from tongkangs,
polluted rivers, strewn rubbish on the streets, workers toiling at construction
sites, poor Singaporeans doing their basic chores, to leaders of the time doing
their rounds were plainly shown.
Left high and dry, following the separation from Malaysia, and without
natural resources but only limited land after obtaining independence in 1965,
Singapore and the population struggled with whatever scraps they had to build
and develop the country to what it is today.
And days earlier, during the National Day parade to mark Singapore's 45th
anniversary on Aug 9, the country put up a spectacular show of its achievements
and the biggest display ever of the might of the Singapore Armed Forces.
Long mobile columns of over 200 military vehicles, from the latest Leopard
main battle tanks to locally-made armoured machines carrying artillery and
defence weapon systems, rumbled the parade venue at the Padang to the awe of
Singaporeans, as well as foreigners alike.
A number of the Republic of Singapore Air Force aircraft, including its
newest addition, the US-made F-15SG fighter jets and the Gulfstream 550 Airborne
Early Warning plane, also gleamed the sky showing its prowess in shielding the
country's sky from any potential enemy.
The two occasions, in a nutshell, was the Singapore way of telling the world
how far and fast the country has developed and progressed since it was left to
mend herself, 45 years ago, from an old trading post to an up-to-a-minute
contemporary modern city-state.
In another way, it was also to attest that even though the country was on
the brink of hopelessness then, it was still capable and very much successful in
bringing development and prosperity, and dignity to its multi-racial population.
Singapore is now a strong and proud nation where its five million people,
with a per capita income of almost US$50,000, would greatly depend on for their
survival and to where the people unfailingly would sacrifice their self for the
keep of the country.
One may ask how Singapore was able to get to this stage so rapidly,
transforming itself from a Third World nation to First, and more so, if it is to
be compared with other nations that had achieved independence longer, and have
ample resources to exploit on, but still behind in development.
The answer to the question is unthinkable to many, especially to outsiders,
and even to one of the founding fathers of Singapore, who among many, was the
mastermind behind the insightful development of the island nation.
"It is a most improbable story," Lee Kuan Yew told his constituents of
Singapore astute development at a gathering to commemorate the country's
National Day in Tanjong Pagar this week.
He said the country unexpectedly had defied the odds in the face of
uncertainty then and was able to overcome all the obstacles and challenges in
its arduous journey to survive and build the small island nation.
"No one gave us any hope of survival," he said, pointing that in 1965,
Singapore was surrounded by hostile neighbours, "confrontation" from Indonesia,
and expulsion from Malaysia, and both imposing economic embargoes on the
country.
At one stage, Lee, who was then the first prime minister, embarked on a "Two
is Enough" policy where Singaporean families were not allowed to have more than
two children because he was worried the country could not support the newcomers.
Without natural resources but only left with about two million people then,
and that too, many were immigrants from China, India and Indonesia and having
diverse socio-culture values, Singapore had no other choice but to bank on the
human capital available to develop the country.
First, the government had to unite the incompatible people from different
roots, religions and languages into one by putting them under one roof in a
multitude of Housing Development Board flats, ensuring they learn to respect
one another as neighbours, and live in harmony.
The population was also 'disciplined' by a string of laws and regulations to
ensure they got rid of old and deep-rooted negative habits such as polluting
the rivers and dirtying the streets, in order to create a healthy living
environment, and had good social etiquettes.
Over time, the country has earned the reputation as one of the most clean,
safe and orderly countries in the world, so much so some people have joked that
Singapore is a "fine city", referring not to the excellent part of the city but
rather the introduction of the numerous city by-laws which imposed big fines to
those who breached them.
But, Lee said the Singapore success story today was also due to the quality
and foresight of its early leaders who had laid a strong foundation for the
country to be able to stand on its own and grow unhindered.
At the same gathering, he said Singapore was nurtured by leaders of high
competence and integrity, and the country's meritocracy policy had allowed every
citizen to get to anywhere in the society strata based on merit, and not
nepotism or corruption.
The leaders also ensured that government policies were not skewed to their
personal benefits or profits, so much so Singapore had been rated as the
cleanest government in Asia, and among the first three cleanest in the world,
noted Lee.
The country also made sure that all its citizens, whatever their race,
language or religion, had a level-playing field in any endeavour, with no one
being disadvantaged by its national policies.
To glue the multi-racial population so that it truly sticks, the government
also declared English as the country's working language, for communication and
in doing business, especially with the global world.
We did not choose Chinese, the language of the majority," Lee told his
crowd, and saying that English gave everyone an equal chance to master the
language.
"It is a language of the world of trade and individuals, the Internet and
new knowledge. It has made us the hub we now are, for businesses, industries,
banking and financial services, and communications," Lee, 86, explained.
What also makes Singapore tick is that the country has the great flexibility
to adapt to the ever-changing environment, what more for a trading nation which
largely relies on the world for its economic growth and prosperity.
"Our policies are not set in stone," pointed Lee, adding that Singapore
would always re-examine old policies and positions, and changed them with
changing world circumstances.
He gave examples of how the government was initially against F1 race and
casino for many decades because they were not suitable for the country and the
local community but allowed them only recently, after realising how it could
generate economic spin-offs for the people.
Next month, Singapore will be hosting the F1 race for the third year, and
again, the country will have another round of opportunity to showcase to the
world, how the country which did not have anything could host the greatest car
race on earth.
-- BERNAMA
SINGAPORE, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- On the opening night of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games last week, host Singapore showcased to the world how the island nation grew from a 19th century trading port to a modern-day metropolis.
In the eight-minute segment of video clip presentation and stage
performance, the Singapore story of survival, true grit and hardship in
developing the nation was told to the millions of world audience which watched
the event live on television.
Scenes of coolies loading sacks of goods on their backs from tongkangs,
polluted rivers, strewn rubbish on the streets, workers toiling at construction
sites, poor Singaporeans doing their basic chores, to leaders of the time doing
their rounds were plainly shown.
Left high and dry, following the separation from Malaysia, and without
natural resources but only limited land after obtaining independence in 1965,
Singapore and the population struggled with whatever scraps they had to build
and develop the country to what it is today.
And days earlier, during the National Day parade to mark Singapore's 45th
anniversary on Aug 9, the country put up a spectacular show of its achievements
and the biggest display ever of the might of the Singapore Armed Forces.
Long mobile columns of over 200 military vehicles, from the latest Leopard
main battle tanks to locally-made armoured machines carrying artillery and
defence weapon systems, rumbled the parade venue at the Padang to the awe of
Singaporeans, as well as foreigners alike.
A number of the Republic of Singapore Air Force aircraft, including its
newest addition, the US-made F-15SG fighter jets and the Gulfstream 550 Airborne
Early Warning plane, also gleamed the sky showing its prowess in shielding the
country's sky from any potential enemy.
The two occasions, in a nutshell, was the Singapore way of telling the world
how far and fast the country has developed and progressed since it was left to
mend herself, 45 years ago, from an old trading post to an up-to-a-minute
contemporary modern city-state.
In another way, it was also to attest that even though the country was on
the brink of hopelessness then, it was still capable and very much successful in
bringing development and prosperity, and dignity to its multi-racial population.
Singapore is now a strong and proud nation where its five million people,
with a per capita income of almost US$50,000, would greatly depend on for their
survival and to where the people unfailingly would sacrifice their self for the
keep of the country.
One may ask how Singapore was able to get to this stage so rapidly,
transforming itself from a Third World nation to First, and more so, if it is to
be compared with other nations that had achieved independence longer, and have
ample resources to exploit on, but still behind in development.
The answer to the question is unthinkable to many, especially to outsiders,
and even to one of the founding fathers of Singapore, who among many, was the
mastermind behind the insightful development of the island nation.
"It is a most improbable story," Lee Kuan Yew told his constituents of
Singapore astute development at a gathering to commemorate the country's
National Day in Tanjong Pagar this week.
He said the country unexpectedly had defied the odds in the face of
uncertainty then and was able to overcome all the obstacles and challenges in
its arduous journey to survive and build the small island nation.
"No one gave us any hope of survival," he said, pointing that in 1965,
Singapore was surrounded by hostile neighbours, "confrontation" from Indonesia,
and expulsion from Malaysia, and both imposing economic embargoes on the
country.
At one stage, Lee, who was then the first prime minister, embarked on a "Two
is Enough" policy where Singaporean families were not allowed to have more than
two children because he was worried the country could not support the newcomers.
Without natural resources but only left with about two million people then,
and that too, many were immigrants from China, India and Indonesia and having
diverse socio-culture values, Singapore had no other choice but to bank on the
human capital available to develop the country.
First, the government had to unite the incompatible people from different
roots, religions and languages into one by putting them under one roof in a
multitude of Housing Development Board flats, ensuring they learn to respect
one another as neighbours, and live in harmony.
The population was also 'disciplined' by a string of laws and regulations to
ensure they got rid of old and deep-rooted negative habits such as polluting
the rivers and dirtying the streets, in order to create a healthy living
environment, and had good social etiquettes.
Over time, the country has earned the reputation as one of the most clean,
safe and orderly countries in the world, so much so some people have joked that
Singapore is a "fine city", referring not to the excellent part of the city but
rather the introduction of the numerous city by-laws which imposed big fines to
those who breached them.
But, Lee said the Singapore success story today was also due to the quality
and foresight of its early leaders who had laid a strong foundation for the
country to be able to stand on its own and grow unhindered.
At the same gathering, he said Singapore was nurtured by leaders of high
competence and integrity, and the country's meritocracy policy had allowed every
citizen to get to anywhere in the society strata based on merit, and not
nepotism or corruption.
The leaders also ensured that government policies were not skewed to their
personal benefits or profits, so much so Singapore had been rated as the
cleanest government in Asia, and among the first three cleanest in the world,
noted Lee.
The country also made sure that all its citizens, whatever their race,
language or religion, had a level-playing field in any endeavour, with no one
being disadvantaged by its national policies.
To glue the multi-racial population so that it truly sticks, the government
also declared English as the country's working language, for communication and
in doing business, especially with the global world.
We did not choose Chinese, the language of the majority," Lee told his
crowd, and saying that English gave everyone an equal chance to master the
language.
"It is a language of the world of trade and individuals, the Internet and
new knowledge. It has made us the hub we now are, for businesses, industries,
banking and financial services, and communications," Lee, 86, explained.
What also makes Singapore tick is that the country has the great flexibility
to adapt to the ever-changing environment, what more for a trading nation which
largely relies on the world for its economic growth and prosperity.
"Our policies are not set in stone," pointed Lee, adding that Singapore
would always re-examine old policies and positions, and changed them with
changing world circumstances.
He gave examples of how the government was initially against F1 race and
casino for many decades because they were not suitable for the country and the
local community but allowed them only recently, after realising how it could
generate economic spin-offs for the people.
Next month, Singapore will be hosting the F1 race for the third year, and
again, the country will have another round of opportunity to showcase to the
world, how the country which did not have anything could host the greatest car
race on earth.
-- BERNAMA
