Disneyland with the Death Penalty(wired.com)
wired.com
Disneyland with the Death Penalty
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/1.04/gibson_pr.html?1
12 comments
Challenge the Lee dictatorship and comeback and tell us how little they care.
Yes they do care and yes they will execute you https://duckduckgo.com/?q=singapore+execute+australian even if you are not a king pin, just some dumb kid.
Also don't get stuck there with out health cover/travel insurance or you will regret it, its not malaysia/thailand.
Yes they do care and yes they will execute you https://duckduckgo.com/?q=singapore+execute+australian even if you are not a king pin, just some dumb kid.
Also don't get stuck there with out health cover/travel insurance or you will regret it, its not malaysia/thailand.
I can't say much about death punishment but..
"He said he was carrying them to Australia for a Sydney syndicate to help his brother Khoa, a former heroin addict, pay A$30,000 ($31,460) in debts."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a...
See how drugs forces people to do "dumb" things?
"He said he was carrying them to Australia for a Sydney syndicate to help his brother Khoa, a former heroin addict, pay A$30,000 ($31,460) in debts."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a...
See how drugs forces people to do "dumb" things?
no i dont really see how drugs are responsible, it was government ruled by a dictator that did/does/will do the killing.
anyway maybe you will find this interesting http://www.abc.net.au/tv/bigideas/stories/2010/11/02/3052373...
peace
anyway maybe you will find this interesting http://www.abc.net.au/tv/bigideas/stories/2010/11/02/3052373...
peace
Could you please elaborate on the health cover/travel insurance thing?
mate was fly back to aussie from india and had a stopover in singapore.
malaria hit him and he ended up in hospital, ended up costing him many thousand of dollars.
yes paying for things like that are foreign to us but the point is if he was stopping over in kuala lumpur or bangkok then he would have paid much less for basically the same high quality of treatment.
malaria hit him and he ended up in hospital, ended up costing him many thousand of dollars.
yes paying for things like that are foreign to us but the point is if he was stopping over in kuala lumpur or bangkok then he would have paid much less for basically the same high quality of treatment.
Their doctors don't work for free. If you seriously injure yourself in Singapore, you will have to pay money to have yourself fixed up.
This is confusing to people not from the US, apparently.
This is confusing to people not from the US, apparently.
Do you mean that you have to pay for emergency medical services like the ones needed when you are hit by a car or you have appendicitis?
> (The US seems upset about Singapore's death penalty, but we murder a lot more criminals than they do...)
We may execute more people, but there's nothing like the anecdotes from Singapore to make you feel like you're just one unlucky afternoon from a death sentence. When you're only this far away from being executed at all times, no matter how squeaky clean you live your life it's easy to get a little nervous.
I'm personally not necessarily against the death sentence, but I definitely appreciate that it is difficult to apply here in the US.
We may execute more people, but there's nothing like the anecdotes from Singapore to make you feel like you're just one unlucky afternoon from a death sentence. When you're only this far away from being executed at all times, no matter how squeaky clean you live your life it's easy to get a little nervous.
I'm personally not necessarily against the death sentence, but I definitely appreciate that it is difficult to apply here in the US.
If you only feel like "an unlucky afternoon can result in a death sentence", it is ok. But it is really far from the truth. Oh.. unless your daily life include smuggling drugs, kidnapping or something hideous.
I don't fear for my life everyday when I go to work. I am more concerned that I am late.
I don't fear for my life everyday when I go to work. I am more concerned that I am late.
I'm a fan of Gibson, but this isn't really an accurate description of Singapore. Singapore's overwhelmingly the most functional and prosperous place in Southeast Asia, by any metric or measure. People who love politics don't like Singapore, because Singaporean politics are boring. One group is in charge, they do a pretty good job, and everyone likes them. But outside of politics and drugs, you can do pretty much whatever you want in Singapore, you're really safe, and the culture's as vibrant as anywhere else. There's a nice mix of Chinese, Malay, Thai, Indian, American, Japanese, and other kinds of experiences to be had in music, food, clothing, and basically whatever else. Good art, technology, commerce, inventing, education.
After traveling a lot around the region, I can't wrap my mind around articles like these. The second most functional country in SE Asia is Thailand, and it's way more dangerous and less functional than Singapore. Where else? Vietnam? Cambodia? Malaysia? Laos?
I've been to all those places except Laos, and Singapore is nicer in pretty much every way. Don't let the article turn you off from visiting if you get a chance. It's a nice country, with friendly people, and plenty of things to do. If you went, you'd probably enjoy it.
After traveling a lot around the region, I can't wrap my mind around articles like these. The second most functional country in SE Asia is Thailand, and it's way more dangerous and less functional than Singapore. Where else? Vietnam? Cambodia? Malaysia? Laos?
I've been to all those places except Laos, and Singapore is nicer in pretty much every way. Don't let the article turn you off from visiting if you get a chance. It's a nice country, with friendly people, and plenty of things to do. If you went, you'd probably enjoy it.
The second most functional country in SE Asia is Thailand
Malaysia is a lot more functional than Thailand on most measures (GDP per capita, number of coups per decade, corruption perception index, etc.)
In the foreign press they get quite a bad rap ... not only do they hang Aussie drug smugglers like Singapore, but they also have racial discrimination laws, religious police who raid bars and hotels, ex-PMs who spout off about "the Jews", etc. And on the ground, they definitely have worse public safety, more drugs, and more cops asking for "tea money" than Singapore (fewer than Thailand, though).
On the other hand there's less alcohol, bigger houses, and cheaper schools, which means a lot of expats perceive it as more family-friendly than Singapore despite the obvious drawbacks. And in reality, KL still has good nightlife despite the occasional tussle with the Islamic Affairs officers (who don't have any authority over non-Muslims anyway).
The Malaysian legal system isn't great, but it's common law, and it's good enough that all the fund managers are happy to use Labuan as a tax haven and a conduit for investing ... into South Korea, who haven't been very successful in pressuring the Malaysians to take Labuan out of the double-taxation agreement. (This is for example how Newbridge Capital managed to avoid paying capital gains tax on Korea First Bank back in 1998). I can't imagine any fund manager or rich tax evader being happy to park his money in a bank in Bangkok even if their taxes were lower.
On the bright side, and directly on topic for Hacker News: both Malaysia and Singapore beat the pants off of any other place in Asia (including Hong Kong) for the level of support they're giving to startups. The talent pool is better in Singapore (simply cuz so many Malaysian grads end up there and don't want to come back), but the real estate costs are a much bigger barrier. See e.g.
http://www.cradle.com.my/
http://www.technopreneurdevelopment.net.my/
Malaysia is a lot more functional than Thailand on most measures (GDP per capita, number of coups per decade, corruption perception index, etc.)
In the foreign press they get quite a bad rap ... not only do they hang Aussie drug smugglers like Singapore, but they also have racial discrimination laws, religious police who raid bars and hotels, ex-PMs who spout off about "the Jews", etc. And on the ground, they definitely have worse public safety, more drugs, and more cops asking for "tea money" than Singapore (fewer than Thailand, though).
On the other hand there's less alcohol, bigger houses, and cheaper schools, which means a lot of expats perceive it as more family-friendly than Singapore despite the obvious drawbacks. And in reality, KL still has good nightlife despite the occasional tussle with the Islamic Affairs officers (who don't have any authority over non-Muslims anyway).
The Malaysian legal system isn't great, but it's common law, and it's good enough that all the fund managers are happy to use Labuan as a tax haven and a conduit for investing ... into South Korea, who haven't been very successful in pressuring the Malaysians to take Labuan out of the double-taxation agreement. (This is for example how Newbridge Capital managed to avoid paying capital gains tax on Korea First Bank back in 1998). I can't imagine any fund manager or rich tax evader being happy to park his money in a bank in Bangkok even if their taxes were lower.
On the bright side, and directly on topic for Hacker News: both Malaysia and Singapore beat the pants off of any other place in Asia (including Hong Kong) for the level of support they're giving to startups. The talent pool is better in Singapore (simply cuz so many Malaysian grads end up there and don't want to come back), but the real estate costs are a much bigger barrier. See e.g.
http://www.cradle.com.my/
http://www.technopreneurdevelopment.net.my/
except buy William Gibson novels etc. Anything you want? That sounds like what a contented citizen of 1984 is supposed to say.
> One group is in charge, they do a pretty good job, and everyone likes them.
That doesn't sound like any government I've ever heard of. I guess my concern is, what if they don't keep doing a good job? Like let's say they get corrupt and slovenly like every other long-running institution. It doesn't seem like there's any way to remove them.
It reminds me of a line from an old Dave Foley sketch. "In Canada we are ruled by a small boy with supernatural powers. (menacingly) Of whom we are all very fond."
That doesn't sound like any government I've ever heard of. I guess my concern is, what if they don't keep doing a good job? Like let's say they get corrupt and slovenly like every other long-running institution. It doesn't seem like there's any way to remove them.
It reminds me of a line from an old Dave Foley sketch. "In Canada we are ruled by a small boy with supernatural powers. (menacingly) Of whom we are all very fond."
I got to know Singapore really well last year while we were working on the Crunchpad there. It is a great place to start a company.
A lot of this article is outdated, but it is infamous. Singapore is still an autocratic regime, but steadily becoming more progressive. For instance, local bloggers used to be tailed/monitored and harassed, while today they are invited to official government events and given blogger passes (like a press pass) to cover events on behalf of the citizenry.
The city/country is very surreal, especially once you begin to dig under the surface.
I have a blog post about it that has been sitting in my drafts for over a year now with a bunch of observations (I met a lot of entrepreneurs, businesses, the government people etc.). I have a lot of interesting stories about Singapore. Reading about Singapore again today has prompted me to dig it up - I will publish it this weekend.
I love that place so much that I would seriously consider opening an office there, or at least hiring some people there, for my next startup. It is definitely the most 'Silicon Valley' like city in this hemisphere.
If anybody on HN needs some tips or intros re: Singapore, feel free to email me.
A lot of this article is outdated, but it is infamous. Singapore is still an autocratic regime, but steadily becoming more progressive. For instance, local bloggers used to be tailed/monitored and harassed, while today they are invited to official government events and given blogger passes (like a press pass) to cover events on behalf of the citizenry.
The city/country is very surreal, especially once you begin to dig under the surface.
I have a blog post about it that has been sitting in my drafts for over a year now with a bunch of observations (I met a lot of entrepreneurs, businesses, the government people etc.). I have a lot of interesting stories about Singapore. Reading about Singapore again today has prompted me to dig it up - I will publish it this weekend.
I love that place so much that I would seriously consider opening an office there, or at least hiring some people there, for my next startup. It is definitely the most 'Silicon Valley' like city in this hemisphere.
If anybody on HN needs some tips or intros re: Singapore, feel free to email me.
This is a famous article from 1993, notable enough to have its own Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland_with_the_Death_Penal...
What I find interesting is that this piece doesn't include the words "crime" or "murder". There are what, one or two (solved) murders per year on an island of 5 million people? Freedom includes bad things not happening to you.
Other freedoms you can enjoy (as far as I know): not having to drive anywhere, being able to hire whoever you want [1]
[1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1307133
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland_with_the_Death_Penal...
What I find interesting is that this piece doesn't include the words "crime" or "murder". There are what, one or two (solved) murders per year on an island of 5 million people? Freedom includes bad things not happening to you.
Other freedoms you can enjoy (as far as I know): not having to drive anywhere, being able to hire whoever you want [1]
[1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1307133
> Freedom includes bad things not happening to you.
I don't think that is the point being made at all. I think the writer is pointing out that there are multiple ways of experiencing "Freedom". My experience has been that in the US freedom is often viewed as the sum of permitted personal decisions that can occur without (Or with minimal) government restraint or influence, so typically we focus on things like freedom of speech, the freedom to ride motorcycles without a helmet, the freedom to own guns, the freedom to start a business, the freedom to vote, etc.(And these are just kind of randomly selected from various examples that popped to mind and not meant to be exhaustive). A "rugged individualist" approach to freedom if you will.
Singapore seems to take a "pragmatic collectivist" approach to freedom. Meaning that anti-social behaviour is strongly limited, and those limits are enforced by the power of the government, but the resulting society has a substantial "Freedom from fear" both from a personal safety perspective, and from a "social security" perspective. Now admittedly these tradeoffs are very different from the tradeoffs in the US, but there is certainly a certain freedom from worry that comes along with it.
Singapore seems to take a "pragmatic collectivist" approach to freedom. Meaning that anti-social behaviour is strongly limited, and those limits are enforced by the power of the government, but the resulting society has a substantial "Freedom from fear" both from a personal safety perspective, and from a "social security" perspective. Now admittedly these tradeoffs are very different from the tradeoffs in the US, but there is certainly a certain freedom from worry that comes along with it.
Hmm... I guess I don't see any part of the original sentence that implies what you just wrote.
It's not possible to guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen to someone. But I am definitely more free if the government actually prevents (ex-?)criminals from harming me. A sovereign is responsible when criminals harm people; they have the ability to institute high- and low-tech measures to vastly reduce crime. The government I'm familiar with (USG) does very little, because of structural problems.
Singapore had a homicide rate of 0.39 per 100,000 in 2006 (that’s more than one or two), Japan had a homicide rate of 0.44 per 100,000 in the same year. European nations like Germany (0.98) or the Netherlands (0.78) are not far off. The USA have the highest homicide rate of all highly developed nations with 5.7 per 100,000 in 2006. (I’m too lazy to look at the statistics right now but I have the strong suspicion that you can dodge most of that in the US by just living in the right kind of place and having the right kind of job.)
Highly developed nations in general seem to have very low homicide rates and very low crime rates. The gap between the Netherlands and Singapore is much smaller than the gap between the Netherlands and Russia (20 homicides per 100,000 in 2006).
Sure, low crime rates are one (of many) factors that make for a nice place but they are not the only one. I will take my freedom of speech and the one in two million chance of being mugged and killed in one year in Germany over probably something like a one in four million chance of the same happening to me in Singapore any day.
(We also don’t know whether something like Singapore can scale up to 100 million or 300 million people or whether you can turn a highly developed nation with a population of, say, 100 million in twenty Singapores without unwanted side-effects.)
Highly developed nations in general seem to have very low homicide rates and very low crime rates. The gap between the Netherlands and Singapore is much smaller than the gap between the Netherlands and Russia (20 homicides per 100,000 in 2006).
Sure, low crime rates are one (of many) factors that make for a nice place but they are not the only one. I will take my freedom of speech and the one in two million chance of being mugged and killed in one year in Germany over probably something like a one in four million chance of the same happening to me in Singapore any day.
(We also don’t know whether something like Singapore can scale up to 100 million or 300 million people or whether you can turn a highly developed nation with a population of, say, 100 million in twenty Singapores without unwanted side-effects.)
Thanks for those numbers. Singapore's (official) homicide rate has gone down even further in recent years, but maybe the others have too. (edit: never mind; my memory/googlefu is failing me)
A nitpick: Germany (and many other countries) don't really have free speech because of Holocaust denials laws; the laws are written rather broadly [1]. But sure, it's less onerous than in Singapore.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_against_Holocaust_denial
A nitpick: Germany (and many other countries) don't really have free speech because of Holocaust denials laws; the laws are written rather broadly [1]. But sure, it's less onerous than in Singapore.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_against_Holocaust_denial
I am from Germany and I know the law as well as all the other laws that make freedom of speech in Germany not quite as free as freedom of speech in, say, the USA. I would personally much prefer US-style freedom of speech but I also think that freedom of speech is not a binary property and that Germany as a whole is doing quite well.
No country, the US included, has free speech, because slander and threats are punishable everywhere, even though they are only speech. Countries just disagree on what constitutes slander, a threat and similar universally outlawed acts of speech.
My company is setup in singapore. Everything in singapore can be done online. You can log into every government service using the net. Which is all very convenient.
I think what westernerners misunderstand about singapore is exemplified by the "press button for green man" sign: http://www.flickr.com/photos/greta325/4906069350/
Singapore has a lot of people from cultures that don't pay attention to cleanliness and orderliness. So they have very clear and obvious signs and rules as well as punishments, so that people will conform. Westerners were already brought up in such cultures, they don't need to be shown so explicitly.
Also, Singapore has a lot of seedy stuff going on. They let in thai girls who act as hostesses on 6 month working visas to work in singapore as hostesses, for example. Singapore has organized seediness.
And if you talk to the people in singapore, almost everyone is perfectly satisfied with what the government is doing. It has made a very high standard of living and one of the best countries in south east asia. Why would they not be satisfied?
I think what westernerners misunderstand about singapore is exemplified by the "press button for green man" sign: http://www.flickr.com/photos/greta325/4906069350/
Singapore has a lot of people from cultures that don't pay attention to cleanliness and orderliness. So they have very clear and obvious signs and rules as well as punishments, so that people will conform. Westerners were already brought up in such cultures, they don't need to be shown so explicitly.
Also, Singapore has a lot of seedy stuff going on. They let in thai girls who act as hostesses on 6 month working visas to work in singapore as hostesses, for example. Singapore has organized seediness.
And if you talk to the people in singapore, almost everyone is perfectly satisfied with what the government is doing. It has made a very high standard of living and one of the best countries in south east asia. Why would they not be satisfied?
It is an old and famous article and there are some interesting facts about the article you should know. You would think that the person charged, "Monetary Authority of Singapore official Shanmugaratnam Tharman", would be facing the death penalty or exiled, but sorry to disappoint you, he is now a Minister for Finance, and with considerable clout.
Anyway, I live here and the article sounds exaggerated and over dramatized, and at the end, I felt it was really humorous. People changed, places changed, rules changed. A well written article doesn't make it real nor the well rehearsed words of a politician. So to say "The author hits it spot on about Singapore", is really bewildering.
I always like to compare the drugs laws here with the gun laws (or lack of) in US. If you care about effectiveness or deaths, which one has ended up with more deaths as a result of the laws based on per capita?
(For the skeptics, oh yeah, you are right, the lee dictatorship is forcing me to write this. Ok I am ready to be downvoted.)
Anyway, I live here and the article sounds exaggerated and over dramatized, and at the end, I felt it was really humorous. People changed, places changed, rules changed. A well written article doesn't make it real nor the well rehearsed words of a politician. So to say "The author hits it spot on about Singapore", is really bewildering.
I always like to compare the drugs laws here with the gun laws (or lack of) in US. If you care about effectiveness or deaths, which one has ended up with more deaths as a result of the laws based on per capita?
(For the skeptics, oh yeah, you are right, the lee dictatorship is forcing me to write this. Ok I am ready to be downvoted.)
This is fascinating. And terrifying. I can't imagine living in an environment like this. I'd be extremely interested to know what (if anything) has changed since 1993 when this when was written.
(Speaking of which, a (1993) in the title might be nice, since there's no date on the print version. The original is here: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/1.04/gibson.html)
(Speaking of which, a (1993) in the title might be nice, since there's no date on the print version. The original is here: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/1.04/gibson.html)
[deleted]
I am a Singaporean, born and raised here. Just starting out on my own after 4 plus years of enterprise work.
The one book which my secondary school teacher recommended and put how Singapore has developed into perspective is 'The Prince'. Although I would say my country is making some of the mistakes the book warned about.
With regards to freedom of speech, Singapore operates based on the principle of OB markers. Many factors have contributed to the existence of these markers, such as the turbulent times that occurred when the countries around the region were gaining independence, the demographics of the surrounding countries ...
Freedom of speech is great when each of us have the wisdom to know when to exercise it or the consequences of a misplaced whisper or misguided rant may not be catastrophic. The fear of certain things being said is from the fear of what the unforeseen consequences might be.
If anyone has questions about Singapore, or interested in starting out here, do contact me.
The one book which my secondary school teacher recommended and put how Singapore has developed into perspective is 'The Prince'. Although I would say my country is making some of the mistakes the book warned about.
With regards to freedom of speech, Singapore operates based on the principle of OB markers. Many factors have contributed to the existence of these markers, such as the turbulent times that occurred when the countries around the region were gaining independence, the demographics of the surrounding countries ...
Freedom of speech is great when each of us have the wisdom to know when to exercise it or the consequences of a misplaced whisper or misguided rant may not be catastrophic. The fear of certain things being said is from the fear of what the unforeseen consequences might be.
If anyone has questions about Singapore, or interested in starting out here, do contact me.
Throwaway account
I'm a born and raised Singaporean as well, as well as a member of an opposition party in Singapore.
Its true that while Singapore has draconian laws like the death penalty, or the Internal Security Act (equivalent of the Patriot Act which allows detention without trial) or even the Public Order Act[1], which allows police to charge a citizen for unlawful assembly even if he's just one person with a sign, one can live life pretty peacefully without any worries like any decent citizen in any other developed country.
But that's only if you're not involved in politics that opposes the current ruling party, the People's Action Party.
There is a great double standard in the lands when it comes to the things opposition parties can do and civil society.
For one, when CASE (Consumers Association of Singapore) held its May 1st 'protest', it was not hassled or stopped by the police.
But when another opposition party goes on to do the same, its activists were convicted and faces a fine ranging from $900 to $1,000 and six or seven days of imprisonment in default.[2]
On the other hand, things are slowly being improved, but opposition leaders still face a problem getting their views heard to the mass media (media is state-owned). Contrary to popular belief, political victory is still determined on the grassroots level which consists of mom and pops, uncles and aunties who do not know how to search or read alternative political news online.
The state-media are renown to be able to shape public opinion as well as discarding letters from the public or opposition leaders from being published[3].
If there's anyone who has any questions about being a member of an opposition party in Singapore, I'd be glad to share my input from the other side of the fence.
P/S: I am not affiliated with the Singapore Democratic Party.
[1] http://www.mha.gov.sg/news_details.aspx?nid=MTM5OQ%3D%3D-3Bt...
[2] http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4264-singapo...
[3] http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/10/22/singapores-press-fre...
I'm a born and raised Singaporean as well, as well as a member of an opposition party in Singapore.
Its true that while Singapore has draconian laws like the death penalty, or the Internal Security Act (equivalent of the Patriot Act which allows detention without trial) or even the Public Order Act[1], which allows police to charge a citizen for unlawful assembly even if he's just one person with a sign, one can live life pretty peacefully without any worries like any decent citizen in any other developed country.
But that's only if you're not involved in politics that opposes the current ruling party, the People's Action Party.
There is a great double standard in the lands when it comes to the things opposition parties can do and civil society.
For one, when CASE (Consumers Association of Singapore) held its May 1st 'protest', it was not hassled or stopped by the police.
But when another opposition party goes on to do the same, its activists were convicted and faces a fine ranging from $900 to $1,000 and six or seven days of imprisonment in default.[2]
On the other hand, things are slowly being improved, but opposition leaders still face a problem getting their views heard to the mass media (media is state-owned). Contrary to popular belief, political victory is still determined on the grassroots level which consists of mom and pops, uncles and aunties who do not know how to search or read alternative political news online.
The state-media are renown to be able to shape public opinion as well as discarding letters from the public or opposition leaders from being published[3].
If there's anyone who has any questions about being a member of an opposition party in Singapore, I'd be glad to share my input from the other side of the fence.
P/S: I am not affiliated with the Singapore Democratic Party.
[1] http://www.mha.gov.sg/news_details.aspx?nid=MTM5OQ%3D%3D-3Bt...
[2] http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4264-singapo...
[3] http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/10/22/singapores-press-fre...
(Disclaimer: I was born in Singapore, educated in the US and lived in the SF bay area for a while. Among other things, the overseas experience made me question a lot of things about Singapore and the US)
I beg to differ with the article and wonder if I'm a product of the system as the author described or that maybe he just hasn't lived long enough in Singapore. A lot of the content is outdated, in my opinion.
May I respectfully give a personal perspective on some remarks that I feel are rather over-the-top. Please let me know if you agree/disagree:
> A lot of people ask me what I think a free China would look like. I said possibly very similar to Singapore, and the truth is, there is a lot in common with China.
To be frank, I think that could not be further from the truth. As a Singaporean Chinese, I find my way of thinking very different from that of friends and even relatives from mainland China. It has been reported that Deng Xiaoping and other senior members of the Chinese government looked to Singapore for ideas on economic, social and political reform back then, but I think how policies were eventually implemented were very different.
> Don't forget to remember the simple guideline that epitomizes Singapore's reaction to lawbreaking on the back of the disembarkation card on the plane in bold, all-caps red letters: "Welcome to Singapore. Death to drug traffickers under Singapore law."
Like what someone else said, on paper, Singapore looks horrible but in reality, it's just like any other country. I chew gum on the streets, I could leave trash outside of bins if I wanted to, sometimes I forget to flush after using a public restroom... (silly examples but tongue firmly in cheek) all without penalty.
On one hand, some laws like the penalties for drug-trafficking seem draconian by comparison. On the other, I wonder if it is because of these strict laws that one is able to wander around alone almost anywhere at night without fear. Or simply, if you don't want to be arrested, don't bring illegal drugs into the country...
> Also don't get stuck there with out health cover/travel insurance or you will regret it, its not malaysia/thailand.
You're right that on average Malaysia/Thailand heathcare costs are probably cheaper. Currently I have no health insurance and pay less than US$30 every time I go into a public health clinic for a cold, an annual physical or a dental checkup. A lot of people from the region actually come to Singapore for good, reliable health-care, leading to a medical tourism boom in recent decades.
> Challenge the Lee dictatorship and comeback and tell us how little they care.
Well, I question government policies openly in public, and so far, I haven't found myself behind bars. Maybe I'm just not important enough ;)
Speaking about the government... I wish for more transparency on how the government invests money from its sovereign funds(i.e. taxpayers' money). I hope silly election tactics like redrawing of electoral boundaries won't be used anymore, etc.
But I do want the efficient, corruption-free(at certain levels, it still helps if one has the right connections though) bureaucratic processes to continue to flourish.
As a startup founder, I found it a breeze to get incorporated(2 days), rent an office and complete the administrative-type tasks. However, innovation certainly seems to be a problem. The jump from years of mainly being indoctrinated with "trust the government to do the right thing", "study hard and be a good worker" to "come up with your own ideas!", "be unique!"(which ironically, is being promoted by the government!) will take some time, I guess.
Government-supported investment funds may abound, but I get the impression that those guys are terribly risk-averse and want to back certain winners.
> Singapore Airlines is notorious for discriminating age, sex, and lookgs for its flight attendants.
I'm not a fan of Singapore Airlines, but one is certainly free to sue them for discriminatory practices.
Pardon my long, at times sarcastic response. I guess I get somewhat annoyed when binary statements are repeatedly made based on things that I think have obvious shades of gray.
Anyway, come to Singapore and let's have coffee sometime; I'd love to meet up with fellow HNers and chat about this funny island country of mine!
I beg to differ with the article and wonder if I'm a product of the system as the author described or that maybe he just hasn't lived long enough in Singapore. A lot of the content is outdated, in my opinion.
May I respectfully give a personal perspective on some remarks that I feel are rather over-the-top. Please let me know if you agree/disagree:
> A lot of people ask me what I think a free China would look like. I said possibly very similar to Singapore, and the truth is, there is a lot in common with China.
To be frank, I think that could not be further from the truth. As a Singaporean Chinese, I find my way of thinking very different from that of friends and even relatives from mainland China. It has been reported that Deng Xiaoping and other senior members of the Chinese government looked to Singapore for ideas on economic, social and political reform back then, but I think how policies were eventually implemented were very different.
> Don't forget to remember the simple guideline that epitomizes Singapore's reaction to lawbreaking on the back of the disembarkation card on the plane in bold, all-caps red letters: "Welcome to Singapore. Death to drug traffickers under Singapore law."
Like what someone else said, on paper, Singapore looks horrible but in reality, it's just like any other country. I chew gum on the streets, I could leave trash outside of bins if I wanted to, sometimes I forget to flush after using a public restroom... (silly examples but tongue firmly in cheek) all without penalty.
On one hand, some laws like the penalties for drug-trafficking seem draconian by comparison. On the other, I wonder if it is because of these strict laws that one is able to wander around alone almost anywhere at night without fear. Or simply, if you don't want to be arrested, don't bring illegal drugs into the country...
> Also don't get stuck there with out health cover/travel insurance or you will regret it, its not malaysia/thailand.
You're right that on average Malaysia/Thailand heathcare costs are probably cheaper. Currently I have no health insurance and pay less than US$30 every time I go into a public health clinic for a cold, an annual physical or a dental checkup. A lot of people from the region actually come to Singapore for good, reliable health-care, leading to a medical tourism boom in recent decades.
> Challenge the Lee dictatorship and comeback and tell us how little they care.
Well, I question government policies openly in public, and so far, I haven't found myself behind bars. Maybe I'm just not important enough ;)
Speaking about the government... I wish for more transparency on how the government invests money from its sovereign funds(i.e. taxpayers' money). I hope silly election tactics like redrawing of electoral boundaries won't be used anymore, etc.
But I do want the efficient, corruption-free(at certain levels, it still helps if one has the right connections though) bureaucratic processes to continue to flourish.
As a startup founder, I found it a breeze to get incorporated(2 days), rent an office and complete the administrative-type tasks. However, innovation certainly seems to be a problem. The jump from years of mainly being indoctrinated with "trust the government to do the right thing", "study hard and be a good worker" to "come up with your own ideas!", "be unique!"(which ironically, is being promoted by the government!) will take some time, I guess.
Government-supported investment funds may abound, but I get the impression that those guys are terribly risk-averse and want to back certain winners.
> Singapore Airlines is notorious for discriminating age, sex, and lookgs for its flight attendants.
I'm not a fan of Singapore Airlines, but one is certainly free to sue them for discriminatory practices.
Pardon my long, at times sarcastic response. I guess I get somewhat annoyed when binary statements are repeatedly made based on things that I think have obvious shades of gray.
Anyway, come to Singapore and let's have coffee sometime; I'd love to meet up with fellow HNers and chat about this funny island country of mine!
> Singapore Airlines is notorious for discriminating age, sex, and looks for its flight attendants.
That's kind of funny considering the opening of the article was written from the perspective of Hollywood, which isn't exactly known to foster the careers of talented but less attractive actresses, let alone ones past their 30's.
That's kind of funny considering the opening of the article was written from the perspective of Hollywood, which isn't exactly known to foster the careers of talented but less attractive actresses, let alone ones past their 30's.
I found this to be very interesting but at the same time nearly impossible to read. It might have something to do with the average number of commas per sentence being around 5.
Singapore is no longer a Disneyland as there are now two casinos, one is by Sands.
Funny thing is that Disneyland does have a death penalty...last time I checked...
As for the death penalty, yeah, they have it. Singapore talks tough but it does not feel like a police state there. When I come home to the US, I am asked 20 questions by the immigration agents. I live here, just let me in. In Singapore, they have "death to drug traffickers" written everywhere, but the immigration agents did not ask me a single question. I don't even recall the usual customs line (red lane / green lane). If you change planes in Singapore, you don't even go through security. You are released into the secure area and you just walk to the gate where your other flight leaves. If you want to traffic drugs, they may have the death penalty, but they don't really care. (They say they care, and they make an example out of one in a million people, but they don't really care. Interestingly, everything is like this in Singapore.)
Anyway, on paper, Singapore is terrible. In real life... it's not too different from any other country.
(The US seems upset about Singapore's death penalty, but we murder a lot more criminals than they do...)