Singapore not a good model for developing countries

[theRBK]

we have inherited (whether you realised it or not), the whole british administration for public services. this includes a strong entrepot, stable efficient and reliable public service system, along with foreign missions that were located in sg which paved the path for foreign diplomatic relations.

we really didn't start from ground 0. a lot much better off. thugs gangsters everywhere have. even until now also have.

actually, we inherited quite some significant industrial capability and support services industries from the British in 1959... unfortunately, most of it was in support of the British armed forces... their bases covered the whole island, with a mega base (by Singapore standards) stretching from Jurong to Bukit Merah and up to Tanglin in one contiguous facility, a large facility in Sembawang-Seletar, and many other bases across the island... we are still using some of them, and a good deal of them are still around...

that constituted directly about 1/5 of the Singapore economy and indirectly up to 1/3, and that was ripped out when the British armed forces left, and left ahead of a previously agreed time-frame... so when the abrupt withdrawal came about, and was completed in about 3 years, the Singapore Gov had to quickly find ways to create employment for a huge number of Singaporeans, in a minimum of time for creation of the jobs and training of the people... that's why they depended so much on foreign direct investment... how else to create so many jobs in 3 years?... and in a place without mineral resources, not much land, not even enough water or food...

that was not a situation faced in Taiwan or S Korea... what model did we have from history to follow?... and friendly govts to give a helping hand? like the one that kicked us out of the federation? the one that decided to set-off a few bombs in our country? or those that stood by when we were asking for help in teaching us how to defend ourselves but ignored us...

Singapore did the best with what was available... if people want to learn from that fine, if not, no prob...

 

[9V-Orion Images]

Many Singaporeans seems to forget about this man.

Also, the "Mexican" advisors from the Middle East whose faces shall not be revealed.

 

[theRBK]

Many Singaporeans seems to forget about this man.

Also, the "Mexican" advisors from the Middle East whose faces shall not be revealed.

ah, Mr Winsemius, a true friend to Singapore, who taught us how to utilize foreign investments to rapidly create jobs for our people... we should really find a way to commemorate his contribution to Singapore :thumbsup:


and of course, when nobody else would help us in teaching us how to defend ourselves, we approached the one country who nobody could openly ask for help... viva la "Mexico"

 

[kaixax555]

my opinion of why sg is not a good model is different

sg is trade based... it has the edge of being a trade and transshipment hub

i dun think it will work as welll in developing countries

anyway people in EDMW likes to take these to criticize the government... sometimes even crappier articles than these can be used to support their point...

 

[Yutaka Go]

Singapore can be a good model for developing countries.
But if people think that they can just copy everything and become successful, they are stupid.

 

[ed9119]

i think the article reeks of western sour grapes from a chow ang moh who came and failed and went back

Singapore has remained one of Myanmar's few friends for many many years both on official level as well as on business and social levels .... we have a good population of Burmese professionals living and working in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand

Myanmar will not forget who her friends are .... nor will she forget those that tried to turn her into an embargoed Cuba, Iran or North Korea

 

[cws77]

i think "singapore" would be friends with any countries as long as there are benefits...

 

[kei1309]

i think "singapore" would be friends with any countries as long as there are benefits...

Friends with Benefits?

that's like screwing each other

 

[cks2k2]

i think "singapore" would be friends with any countries as long as there are benefits...

"America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests."

Know who said this? Henry Kissinger, former US sec. of state and a master of realpolitik.

 

[diver-hloc]

i think "singapore" would be friends with any countries as long as there are benefits...

Singapore like any other nation... should act for its own, or mutual benefits... or do you think both Gulf War is really about 'Freedom' :think:

 

[s1221ljc]

Nobody said we started from ground zero. I read about it. So if we started from level 1, & with the so called British “inheritance”, you mean our future was assured, our success was guaranteed, everything was smooth sailing hence? Books are guides to knowledge but not necessarily the absolute truth.

As to my mention of gangsters & thugs, if you "exists" then, you should know, unless you are living in some ivory tower, sheltered in some rich man’s enclave. I wont go into detail how the problem of secret societies was weeded out unless you are interested to know. But I have a few questions which perhaps you can answer? How many cases you heard/know of or when was the last time you come across a case of kidnapping with a demand for ransom payment, armed robbery of goldsmith shop or bank, gang clash involving lorry loads of gangsters armed with parangs, bicycle chains, iron pipes, ball bearing scrappers, knuckle-dusters etc? Or have you came across any shops or stall owners telling you of constant extortions, of having some punks stepped into their shops or places of business demanding “protection money”, else the next morning they find their shop windows smashed by bricks or have acid splashed on them. Or you know of streets that one not dare venture into like in Tiong Bahru, Chinatown & elsewhere, where you may go in but not return unharmed? Have you seen the red Police riot vans at the corner of like every lorongs in Toa Payoh at night? Perhaps not. But in those times, there was quite a lot of lawlessness that’s not conducive to business or assure a person's safety unlike what we have today. Many lived in fear then. This is not a myth but a reality for those who have been through it. Today's gangsters are limited, tame & emasculated in comparision

And oh, in 1964, we had the terrible racial riots resulting in the final separation from neighbour up north a year later. Ever seen communities killing one another & living in fear? Even the mere thought of it now send the chills down my spine.

That’s why I say that guy was talking crock on this.

not true. check out another book by bilveer singh. written by a singaporean prof.

we have inherited (whether you realised it or not), the whole british administration for public services. this includes a strong entrepot, stable efficient and reliable public service system, along with foreign missions that were located in sg which paved the path for foreign diplomatic relations.

we really didn't start from ground 0. a lot much better off. thugs gangsters everywhere have. even until now also have.

 

[cws77]

Singapore like any other nation... should act for its own, or mutual benefits... or do you think both Gulf War is really about 'Freedom' :think:

yeap that's why i dun think singapore is better than any other country.... asian or western .... and i never said anything about US being better.... saying
that singapore is not noble does not imply that i meant the US are noble ....

well at least the US do have noble pretensions....they bother pretending to be nice..China.... doesn't even pretend or bother to be nice... i would prefer US over China anytime as a "super power" .... and i would prefer "no superpower" over the existence of any.....

 

[cws77]

Friends with Benefits?

that's like screwing each other

the pleasurable type or the annoying type of screwing haha????

 

[cws77]

"America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests."

Know who said this? Henry Kissinger, former US sec. of state and a master of realpolitik.

OT a bit haha :so what if he said that? he cannot truly represent US... just as our pm cannot truly represent singapore....but just the government of both countries...
of course, the govt in us do change... but that in singapore doesn't....

and i don't know why the two replies i got from that particular post i wrote got reponses about the US...cos my only point was singapore being"friend" ... hmmm i am skeptical ...and i still don't understand why US came into the picture... and i certainly hope singapore did not in any way contribute to the political situation in myanmmar... though it cannot be discussed here in this forum...

 

[ricohflex]

Singapore like any other nation... should act for its own, or mutual benefits... or do you think both Gulf War is really about 'Freedom' :think:

We all know Gulf War was about oil security. The US statesman Ron Paul and Alan Greenspan Chairman of the Federal Reserve merely confirmed the obvious.

Greenspan: Ouster Of Hussein Crucial For Oil Security

Alan Greenspan says Iraq war was over oil | failing gracefully

Ron Paul: "We go to war over oil. We went to war over oil in the Persian Gulf." - YouTube

That explains why Syria with very little oil, is allowed to continue killing its citizens without any "coalition of the willing" intervention.

 

[cks2k2]

OT a bit haha :so what if he said that? he cannot truly represent US... just as our pm cannot truly represent singapore....but just the government of both countries...
of course, the govt in us do change... but that in singapore doesn't....

and i don't know why the two replies i got from that particular post i wrote got reponses about the US...cos my only point was singapore being"friend" ... hmmm i am skeptical ...and i still don't understand why US came into the picture... and i certainly hope singapore did not in any way contribute to the political situation in myanmmar... though it cannot be discussed here in this forum...

Different guy in the White House; same old US foreign policy.
Jimmy Carter was considered a nice guy, yet the Carter Doctrine explicitly says the US will use political and military force, if necessary, to protect its energy supply in the Middle East.

Why bring ol' Kissinger up? Because no nation is friendly for the sake of being friends. Every nation wants something in return: "quid pro quo".
Just in real life I might hate some guy but as long as I need him I have to be "nice" to him. Realpolitik at play. Especially necessary for SG, a little red dot among big neighbours.

 

[cws77]

Different guy in the White House; same old US foreign policy.

Why bring ol' Kissinger up? Because no nation is friendly for the sake of being friends. Every nation wants something in return: "quid pro quo".
Just in real life I might hate some guy but as long as I need him I have to be "nice" to him. Realpolitik at play. Especially necessary for SG, a little red dot among big neighbours.

i agree with you for the most part

 

[diver-hloc]

Why bring ol' Kissinger up? Because no nation is friendly for the sake of being friends. Every nation wants something in return: "quid pro quo". Just in real life I might hate some guy but as long as I need him I have to be "nice" to him. Realpolitik at play. Especially necessary for SG, a little red dot among big neighbours.

Which was my point on post #50 :think:

No one here is sooooo pro Singapore that we believe that we are the 'Best' and everyone should learn from us or that our method will work with every national. But anyone who think there are 'certain' national out there doing 'good' for the sake of all mankind out of their own good heart is basically not facing the true.... which is that even these nation require some form of repayment... be it to allow their military to operate out of your soils.... Pakistan and Philippines for the US comes to mind. Or the huge amount of $$$$ 'donated' to African countries from China in return for buying up Farmlands for food or Mining for resources.

Don't forget... someone's "Noble Pretensions" could be nothing more than "Interference" to another person.... :think:

 

[ed9119]

Sooooo..... which country (apart from Singapore) should be Myanmar's role model ? The US ? UK? Scandinavia ? South Africa ? China ? Brazil ? Australia ?

 

[Sion]

Many Singaporeans seems to forget about this man.

David Marshall - Singapore's First Chief Minister?