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Instant reporting by Straits Times on Singapore being the 2nd “freest” economy in the world

January 20, 2010 by admin  
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Written by Our Correspondent

Even before the news made the headlines around the world, the Straits Times is the first newspaper to publish it in big titles on its online “breaking news” section:

“Spore is 2nd freest economy”

The ranking is based on The Index of Economic Freedom, published by The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation, an conservative American think-tank.

However when Wall Street Journal published an article last week on the negative impact of the relentless influx of foreigners on Singaporeans, the Straits Times is surprisingly silent on it.

Neither did it carry any reports on the latest release of the Quality of Life Index by Ireland-based lifestyle magazine “International Living” which ranked Singapore as the 70th best place to live in the world below the likes of Bulgaria, Namibia and Romania.

As expected, the article was entirely one-sided and devoid of any analysis of the findings.

So what if Singapore is ranked the 2nd freest economy in the world? Does it translate into a better life for ordinary Singaporeans?

Given the pro-business policies of the ruling party which has allowed large numbers of foreigners to flood the labor market at the expense of the locals, it is not surprising that Singapore is the second freest economy in the world after Hong Kong.

The figure should be interpreted in a wider context together with other indices such as the income gap and the quality of life index.

Though Singapore’s economy is relatively free, it has the highest income-gap between the rich and the poor among the thirty most developed nations in the world.

This means that the fruits from the nation’s economic development are not distributed equally among the people with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer resulting in an overall lower standard of living than before.

Unfortunately, the Singapore media, which is used to being a propaganda mouthpiece of the ruling party will not dare to tell Singaporeans the truth by such selective reporting and censorship.

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32 Comments on "Instant reporting by Straits Times on Singapore being the 2nd “freest” economy in the world"

  1. ed on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 9:37 pm 

    “Given the pro-business policies of the ruling party which has allowed large numbers of foreigners to flood the labor market at the expense of the locals, it is not surprising that Singapore is the second freest economy in the world after Hong Kong.”

    Take 2,

    “Given the pro-business policies of the ruling party which has segregated the population by race and brought increased advantages to the chinese at the expense of other locals, it is not surprising that Singapore is the second freest economy in the world after Hong Kong.”

    TR bias?

  2. Myanmar NOT WELCOME IN SG on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 9:38 pm 

    Yes, Singapore is 2nd freest economy. Companies are free to deny locals jobs. Foreigners are free to insult Singaporeans in their own country. Ministers are free to fight for foreigners’ rights. Public housing is freely rented to foreign workers. Only thing not free is Singaporeans must pay even to be homeless in Sembawang park.

  3. The Patriot on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 9:49 pm 

    What is the point of being the 2nd freest economy if the economy does not benefit the citizens in terms of salaries, wages and standard of living.

    To be a free economy is just as easy as letting the houseflies into the house. Just open the door.

  4. ABNN@hotmail.com on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 10:08 pm 

    PAP and its media still don’t change its tactics , its dooms day for them . Wake up and acknowlege its the INTERNET AGE ,

  5. Skolari on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 10:15 pm 

    Freest in what sense. That is key.

    Freest in Freedom of Expression?

    This non-reporting of low ranking but reporting of high ranking can be evidence to show the unawakened or used to question certain people such that they most like will choke on it.

    This is such a wonderful evidence. Everyone should know about it given its a fact. Imagine LTK asking one of them on national tv.

  6. talknonsense on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 10:30 pm 

    Ya,and we are the freest when it comes to chastising our world
    acclaimed workers as being not hard-driven when workers are working past the ILO mandated 48-hours and be blamed for not finding time to make babies so much so that it ‘worry’ the government to the extent that they have to implement the FT-cum-PR policy.
    Very clever,you multi-million “minstrels”…talk cock sing song
    is all you all day long.

  7. harry on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 10:36 pm 

    Screw the Shitty Times by canceling your subscription or not buying it at all. It is nothing more than a pap propaganda tool to condition and control the minds of Singaporeans.
    The higher the ranking the worst it is for the working Singaporeans. It is good for the rich business people as it means they are at liberty to screw Singaporeans. Now u see why people like Eric How lick the arses and suck the cocks of the papist leegime so well.

  8. Band of Brothers on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 10:49 pm 

    In the last last 2 elections, I was of the impression that the oppositions were sore losers because they claimed that the MSM – ST & Mediacorp has blackout their campaigns, providing a lopsided advantage to PAP.

    Now with new media, I now know who the real losers are by controlling state media through selective and lopsided reporting to glorify, justify their agendas.

  9. Hum De Clock on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 10:55 pm 

    I have not bought any news for a long time, as long as i can remember. Saving is not much . About many hundreds of dollars a year only. Like FD interest only.

    Why pay when i can read for free?

    All major news are in the internet. Period.

  10. Pete Tseng on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 11:07 pm 

    It is not easy for the PAP to make Singapore such a FREE place. They have to try VERY hard to do “NOTHING”. Come on, let’s clap clap for the PAP for such great effort.

  11. J on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 11:29 pm 

    I am in Canada now. Maybe I can add something about how Canada is “not free”.

    I have a colleague who is from the USA, working with me for the last half a year. He brought his wife along, and due to the terms of his work permit, his wife cannot find work in Canada. His wife ended up volunteering, but even then, there are Canadian laws that say that she cannot volunteer for more than 4 hours a week. This sounds silly in some sense (and it is between the USA and Canada) but it does protect Canadian interests.

  12. KennaSai on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 12:18 am 

    Dear Editor

    Can you please do us a big, big favour???

    Please remove the pictures of Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Law Minister Shanmugam. I think readers have had enough of them. They are not pretty at all.

    Also please remove the captions – “An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep.” This statement is so stupid that you would not expect a seasoned politician to make let a lone a S$ 3 Million a year Minister. Maybe this statement came out from the wrong orifice.

    Thanks a million.

  13. andy on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 12:23 am 

    HK is No.1….and Singapore No.2. Life in HK actually sucks. It is a rat race. So is Singapore.

  14. citizenofSG on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 12:25 am 

    Why is it so important to be a free economy? Does it mean we earn a lot of money? Does it mean everything we buy is free?

    Free economy means our government does not interfere with the way business is done. Then it resulted in big fish eat small fishes. They do not regulate the prices of housing resulting in high price housing. They don’t interfere with Sheng Siong taking over wet markets. They do not interfere with the influx of cheap labor, pricing out our local people.

    So far it does not gives Singaporean direct advantages. However it is great for the PAP who will be greatly honored by the newspaper. The MSM is so quick to show what the MIW is doing or rather not doing, so that the public opinion of them can rise higher. The public as a whole is always being lead by the nose to move around Timbuktu.

  15. Goal@hotmail.com on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 12:32 am 

    This got nothing to do with free speech .

  16. Young@hotmail.com on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 12:35 am 

    I am a young graduate . My friends ( all uni graduates ) are not happy with media control. we even have big problem finding jobs that suit our skills . We are think its time for a change before the country get worse . Thanks for TR , we now know what is reallt go on .

  17. onion on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 1:12 am 

    Singaporan should wake-up now and don’t hold ramson by the ruling PAP government thinking that PAP is indepensable. If the ruling PAP has already lost the touch with the ground, we should vote them out and replace them with another party. The opposition party will become better if they are supported as more capabale and credible person will join them. In fact, not all PAP members are real talent e.g. Teo Ser Luck, Wang Kang Seng, Mah Bow Tan.

  18. Exposer on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 1:57 am 

    “Singapore is the second freest economy in the world after Hong Kong.””

    Wow, it is so free that SinGov and the companies can resort to screwing and exploitation of citizens. No wonder companies love the FREE SinCity and after all, where else can you find FI and educational, and China-con companies that scam the nation with evil structured FI products and scamming service and yet get away with the scam untouchable ? Oh..Old fart even says investors went in with their eyes wide open, and yet with town council and public gov body losing unprecedented amount of money on that evil product !

    And yet, Hong Kong with all its democracy get the first place position with strong support of justice and human right. Just look at how Hong Kong handle the MiniBomb versus Singapore, and you find that Hong Kong not only the been free-est but the safest and better choice for investors. As for SinCity, it commit so much SIN that it should be avoided for investors unless the investors are the early bird.

    Hong Kong shows that it pays to be good and “Don’t be evil”.

    As for SinCity, pegging the GDP for MIW’s pay ? How sinful can they be. and somemore with God of No Mercy running the show ?

  19. lplplpl on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 2:08 am 

    When it’s news about Singapore’s freedom of speech, ST will take their own sweet time to publish, always in a tiny column or may not even publish the news.

  20. Tangerine on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 3:28 am 

    Yes they will report on this but not on 2 SDP leaders being hauled to court in chains like SLAVES!

  21. Oracle on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 8:17 am 

    Singapore is actually the freest place in the world for foreign businesses to exploit Singapore workers. With the unions, police, courts, army and government in control by the PAP, what can you expect?

    It’s just silly for the Straits Times to think this is an accolade; in fact it’s damning evidence of the sorry state of Singaporeans in being helplessly exploited. This is what happens when you have a government-controlled press that could only believe in their own lies!

  22. MenInBlue on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 9:15 am 

    Maybe TR can consider consolidating all the “rankings” and see which ‘bad’ ones like the one “best places to live in” were being ignored or rebutted

  23. Bird Talk on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 9:25 am 

    With this report as 2nd freest economy will give the PAP an opportunity to propose salary increment again. Thats why ST only reported good news and black out (and avoided) the recent Singapore ranking in 70th position as best living place in the world.

    Smart people always waiting like vultures to take advantage of any given opportunity.

  24. A Francis on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 9:27 am 

    //andy on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 12:23 am

    HK is also No.1..NO GST.

  25. wat? on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 9:32 am 

    Anything by the Heritage Foundation is full of crap.

  26. small hum on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 9:37 am 

    Dear editor,

    instead of just removing the picture of GCT and the law minister, why not have a random picture per day of all political players in Singapore with a brief biographical note underneath to help educated the public?

    Even better, also have another set of pictures for political players in the asean region.

  27. David on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 10:21 am 

    Such selective reportings by PAP mouthpiece are strong evidents that politics should never be thought in school to the young because there is high tendency to hide the truth and paint PAP as god instead.

  28. Crystal Tein on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 1:41 pm 

    Hello, this is Crystal Tein here. Well, I have a relatively ok lifestyle thanks to my parents. But honestly, I think the PAP is just trying to protect the port. You know who is the only people who can help us? Zurich. But if they help one, they have to help others… I only know ministers are giving to charity. A lot of Americans are also in deep trouble… why don’t you visit America. Also, a lot of commercial buildings in Singapore are owned by foreigners. Wisma Atria is owned by Australians and Singaporeans. Takashimaya is owned by Australians and Japanese. Only all Capital Mall buildings are owned by government… Oh well, eating cereal and fried rice with the occasional indulgence in coffee…

  29. SoS(sons of singapore) on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 1:48 pm 

    If we are that ‘FREE’,then why don’t invite MAHATIR to come spar with HARRY in the HOUSE?
    Free? Is shitty times free,they put their ex-ministers to be the ST honchos all the time!.
    Ya.’FREE’ is another accolade they gather from the international market-place besides their other “awards” like TOP 50 MOST POWERFUL …for freely screwing up singaporean workers and their families at their will and fancy.
    How could sons and daughters of Singapore put people in PARLIAMENT just to mess up their lives and their livelihoods?
    Indeed,we need to call “SoS” to get help!
    Vote loyal citizens who sacrifice themselves standing up for all of us like the two scholars and the others.
    DON’T give your votes to disloyal,spoilt brats who think nothing of destroying us and our families.

  30. rc on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 9:20 pm 

    “Neither did it carry any reports on the latest release of the Quality of Life Index by Ireland-based lifestyle magazine “International Living” which ranked Singapore as the 70th best place to live in the world below the likes of Bulgaria, Namibia and Romania.”

    well… as was commented in an earlier post, this Irish lifestyle magazine is of questionable credibility. reasons being that there are other surveys which grossly contradict the findings of the list in the Irish lifestyle magazine, the authors of the list in the irish lifestyle magazine openly admit that their list is tinted by their own personal biasness and no matter how terrible Singapore is, it is hard to imagine that Singapore can score worse grades in environment and climate compared to Afghanistan and Ethiopia (maybe cos they have less cars there so their air there fresher?).

    yet despite this questionable credibility of the list in the Irish lifestyle magazine, TR keeps harping on the list. i.e. TR is just as guilty of what it is accusing the state media of.

  31. citizenofSG on Fri, 22nd Jan 2010 1:53 am 

    @rc – In fact I find the magazine is totally truthful and even state that the bias is based on their experience.

    “Our sources, staff, and contributing editors are all influenced by a Western bias. We have definite, preconceived ideas about what constitutes a high or low standard of living, what constitutes culture and entertainment, and what climate is the most enjoyable.We also consider the world from the point of view of the majority of our readers—Americans spending U.S. dollars.”

    Even The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation are influenced by a Western bias in some way. They also take to an American point of view of the economy and not Singapore point of view.

    Since they are used as a source of reference, if you have a better alternative perhaps you should point out to TR.

    Please don’t tell us that the state media is a credible media, just because they are government mouthpieces and propaganda machines. People here knows that TR never restrict either the ruling party or opposition supporters or members airing their view here. It outclass the state media in term of unbiasedness.

  32. rc on Fri, 22nd Jan 2010 9:17 am 

    oh but i already have. Mercer survey as well as a separate (albeit less current) quality of life survey by the Economic Intelligence Unit, both of which have findings that are grossly different from that in this ‘irish’ magazine. besides, what makes this ‘irish’ magazine so credible? what authority does the editors of the magazine have to comment on the quality of life? are they experienced urban planners? learned sociologists? and what’s this magazine about anyway? who are its readers? what is its readership? as much as it could be a respectable magazine, it could also be a fly-by-night operation.

    my point is not about the magazine. but by the fact that TR did nothing to show why this magazine and its list is supposedly credible. it seems to suggest that TR only takes anything which critcise Singapore and puts Singapore in a bad light as credible. and then it comes around and seem to suggest the mainstream media as being not credible because it only takes anything that praises and commends Singapore as credible. isn’t the hypocrisy clear?