the statement was “govern & control”… you are going off in a tangent .. economics… unless you equate them..

and what makes you think Spore doesnt have a hinterland..??..

have a kopi and think a little more.. maybe your understanding of economics will allow you to derive the answer …

and I reject your classification that Spore is 1st world…
you might be thinking only in economic terms… even then you are not necessarily correct… which 1st world economy has suffered 3 recessions in the last 10 years.. and is dependent on such a narrow scope of economic activity…

dont presume to educate others when you might need more education yourself…

Very much doubt you do know the answer to this. And I’ll tell you that, it is because, they have no new projects in the “pipeline” to match or even come close to the last one!

Waht’s sold and delivered it HISTORY! It’s the problems of the FUTURE that needs to be known by VISIONARIES and and PROACTIVE
Leaders who knows how to lead us FORTHRIGHTLY Forward. And NOT LIKE the CONTROLs and CURTAILMENT pattern of the past!

What recent laws WERE put into place recently are in the name of ‘Security”, BUT gives the Police & hence the MOHA “open-end discretionary powers of arrest or detention without even invoking the the ISA Act”? Is this a retrogressive OR a progressive step in the name of an “Open & INclusive” Civil Society in the word of the current PM?

They HAVE alluded and said that they will not use the wide ranging discretionary powers indiscremately, unjustly or unfairly. But aren’t they like the other “Broad-Stroke” OB Markers? For Politics and voicing in ‘certain’ public arenas and circumstances and subject to relevant Minister’s and related agencies under MOHA to interprete. Am no lawyer. But by plain common sense can’t one make head and tail of whether such “discretionary” powers of law administration CAN be abused or not? Come next GE and you WILL see a different poiltical Scenario AND gallible people like you will once again be lulled into giving the incumbent better support than good for our childrenss’ future!

Why do Singaporeeans never learn for experince a Hong Konger and a Taiwanese asked not too long ago? Well behaved parliament here anyone? Like, would you say this outside parliament privilege? What style is this please tel us! YOU and those like you don’t mind at all to be ALWAYS reminded of someone’s past achievements. BUT what you all can’t ever see is WHAT”S their present potential NOW for lifting up to a better plain for OUR children? Laurels of the past is HISstory!!!

And those Vietnamese guys are from a much larger and much more populated place whose war torn & landmines inmfested country came out out not too long ago from more than 1/2 a century of ardious strife of war. Still much backward in infractructure and developments spread over SUCH A MUCH LARGER LANDMASS! Where such improvements ARE thus LESS PHYSICALLY Visible right!
Were practical and humble enough and wise too and pointed this comparison to the visiting Vietnamese?

AM NOT SURPRISED THAT MANY SINGAPORE HAVE MINDS AND VISION AS SMALL AS OUR TINY TINY ISLAND IN THE SUN. Perhaps its an effect of the glaring tropical sunlight? More backward come to small and more easily visible material progress her will sure GASP AT OUR MAJESTIC ADVANCE IN MATERIAL PROGRESS! BUT what off our Civil Society Creative and Shared Values in OUT “National Creed” in the name of the late SR Rajaratnams “National Pledge”. ARE YOU William Soh and those like you feeling YOU ARE EQUAL to the incumbents or TOTALLY subordinated??? Be frank and perhaps the courage to tall us sincerely how you incumbent proponents really feel AND EXACTLY WHY TOO!!! Thanks you.

Follow not the vulgar way,
live not in heedlessness;
hold not false views;
linger not long in worldly existence.

One who look upon the world as a bubble and a mirage,
him the King of Death sees not.

Blind is this world;
here only a few possess insight.
Only a few, like birds escaping from a net,
go to the realms of bliss.

Better than sole sovereignty over the earth,
better than going to heaven,
better even than lordship over all the worlds
is the supramundane
Fruition of Stream Entrance.

( Supramundane = Being or situated above the world or above our system; celestial.
Stream Entrance = First stage of supramundane attainment ).

When self-praise is international disgrace, why do you think Singapore is touted as an economic miracle by the WORLD?

Look, if you’re going to compare with worst off countries and praise yourself for getting 80 marks over and over because the rest of them are worst off. Then I suggest perhaps you should stop evolving and stay happy for the rest of your life. North Pole might be a good choice to live in since there’s no war, poverty, control and plenty of air-conditioning to enjoy, besides the fact the land is getting smaller as more ice melts everyday.

What some people are trying to achieve, is to make a better place out of everything. “Things change, people change, only ONE thing never change, once a KIASU, always a KIASU.” Live up to the aspect of being a KIASU, you only want the better, not the worst. And thus stop comparing ourselves with countries that’re doing worst…it comes down to nothing. Compare ourselves with our better counterparts, only that way can we progress, evolve, whatever.

“Singapore is A LOT easier to govern and control than even Malysia, indonesia, vietnam, thailand,etc..”

Just passing by. Interesting . . . Can’t help but like to ask given that not all quiet readers here are uneducated and can’t think for themselves.

Is there another city-state (without the economies of scale) that’s in the 1st world league on the planet today?

Without a hinterland like HK (China), French-speaking Monaco (France) or Luxemborg (EEC), etc.

You don’t see a provision shop beside a mega mart, do you? Simple logic. Wonder if you did Economics at school?

this is not a criticism of your post…

the gret majority will accept that progress has been made, even incredible progress…. this however is not constructive.. it is just looking backward..

the question is WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE.. & HOW TO GET THERE

your line of thought is exactly what the PAP wants from the masses.. keep telling the people that things are indeed GREAT… it is NOT…

also, we are NOT the only Asian economic miracle.. & not the best example of economic progress..

Singapore is A LOT easier to govern and control than even Malysia, indonesia, vietnam, thailand,etc..

it doesn’t help if we keep looing backwards .. keep patting ourselves on the back.. keep reminding ourselves that we have come so far… when the reality is that we have only just begun & there is so much more we have to do..

There were some 50 home-bound Vietnamese civil servants on the same flight who had spent some 3 weeks here at Lee Kong Chian School, NUS under our governemnt ASEAN schorlarship plan.

They marvelled at Singapore. They couldn’t stop prasing Singapore through our conversation in halting English. From the transport to the HDB flats to the potable water to the education system. They were absolutely impressed beyond words. Some had even been to Moscow, Prague . . . before. And we at home think it’s a GIVEN!

They thought I had the answer. They simply couldn’t imagaine a tiny, resourceless island can do all these things! They have government(s) that fight and win battles but alas not in providing the kind of decent livlihood that they long for. I’m sure upon return they will be an instrument to change for the better.

There is no PERFECTION on earth. But our government, has made all these possible despite insumountable problems and envious neighbours. Thank you PAP.

DO YOU NOT know that Francis Seow WAS The Attorney-General AND THEN WAS The EX-AG WHEN HE Courageously went INTO The Oppositin Camp? Do YOU NOT even have enough sense to think OF The VERY POSSIBILTY THAT XisD Tay IS Francios Seow??? AND to us the lesser-mortals ARE NOT-STUPID THAT YOU AND tanjong8 MAY ALSO BE ONE & The SAME PERSON AND FROM the PApies Camp! So I’m iINSinKapore IS NOT SAFE? And XisD Tay IS surely SAFE. For HE ISN”T as Stupid AS recent Gopal Nair & Chee Soon Juan cases! AS their kind of courage IS The FoolHardy Types YOU GET IT!

In closing, know this simple and reality Mechanical First Principle of “For Every Action, Ther IS and EQUAL And Opposite REACTION”! WHY Am I writing these things here AT MY own VERY RISKs IF I DON’T CARE FOR TRUE, BUT WITHIN REASON CONTROLS AND LEVEL-PLAYING FIELD DEMOCRACY HERE. YOU WANT THIS FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR NOT. OR YOU DON’T MIND THEM GROWING UP TO LIVING IN A SUBERSERVIENT SO-CALLED CIVIL SOCIETY WHERE THE HIGHEST LEADERSHIP WILL ALWAYS SELF-PRAISE AND NEVER-EVER BE SAID TO HAVE MADE MISTAKES???????????????????????????????????????????

(Right NOW, you look more like a mom who’s NOT of “The COURAGE is The Better PArt of Valour” sort for YOUR Precious Children, Are You???!!! It IS NOT difficult AT ALL from your replies HOW You CUNNINGLY ‘SPIN’ Around and TRY you UTMOST to Skirmish, Skittle and Skate pass REAL ISSUE!!! Thanks for your praise of my intelligence mam. BUT IT’s LOTs of Emprical Wisdom That I have and NOT Intelligence. For I’ve Written Elsewhere Too that WISDOM IS HIGHER THAN INTELLIGENCE!!! YOU KNOW WHY! BUT AREN’T YOU’RE USING IT FOR SELFISH INTENTIONS? Some of the blogs have ended with mine comments as the last. Because when I saw that ENUFF of ALLOWING WP here to be “vumpoos” By People like YOU, it IS rather more sane to end the UNsubStantiated Volleys!!!!)