The Changes that came after the mid eighties were pretty much due to the emphasis on wealth creations without corresponding cares for the developments of social, cultural and ethical wellbeings. The money-centred policies somehow morphed into money loving individuals who benchmark success based on wealth. A very unhealthy culture has since taken root since then.

No turning back is possible now as most space has been used in this tiny landmass without the least of resources. Economic progress in the present era, I believe is consumption dependent. So, other than attracting investors which is the right strategy applicable to all nations, there is also the need to bring in foreigners to aid in the consumptions or spendings so to say.

Unfortunately, due to the limited space we have and lack of resources, the additional influx of foreigners will add to the complexities in managing them. As it is, many cabinet members are foreign born and there is imminent danger that indigenous Singaporeans will one day be governed by majority foreign born cabinet members.

At this point of discussion, we are only talking about domestic issues, other aspects are far more complex to deal with. I am just glad that the Internet has enable us to discuss such matters independent from the interference of the authority.

Though a layman with little education, I have tried my best to actively participate in nation building for about three decades in a quiet way but found it very unproductive. Hopefully, what little I do in cyberspace could be constructive contributions. I thank you once more.

Citizens could have plenty of savings given the initial good growths of economy from early 1970s till sometime around early 1980s.

When Dr. Goh Keng Swee was still around there was some hope of Singapore upgrading to a value-adding technology-oriented economic model matching that of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Finland, Denmark or Switzerland because he was truly a hands-on result-oriented talent who has created a whole Jurong, etc.

However after 1980s, the main emphasis of government has been rather theoretical focusing on elevating all the academic scholars to be ministers and top civil servants, with little efforts made to promote practical knowledge applications, innovations, or investing in facilities which nurtured the domestic sector of the economy. Many projects were launched without much direction or focus or consistent implementation based on some master planning and nothing much was heard of the progress of many economic restructuring plans launched.

The departure of GKS probably was the turning point from practical hands-on master planning and implementation of holistic and strategic economic restructuring plans which in later years fizzled into a conceptual pro-foreign investment approach which failed to compete with other cheaper locations.

Yet our ministers lost directions and neglected pursuit of mass broad-based knowledge application in all fields which were responsible for competitive technology and knowledge applications in other diverse economies.

If the economic planning has been consistently carried out aimed at motivating the local businesses instead on one-way taxing and profiteering against the local citizens, we could have reached a different route and different level of development and dropped back to helpless third world wages and lost opportunities.

Only a proactive economic master planning combined with good practical implementation will Singapore accomplish its intended value-adding and diverse mass application of knowledge and technology start-up to catch up with the rest and many years of neglect due to conceptual piecemeal approaches put up by the scholars.

I see your point. However the focus in this instance was an personal opinion on what are Singapore’s good points. And thats that.

Well it is undeniably true that in some places the chance of getting pickpocketed is nil, there is just something about Singapore which makes u feel more secure.

Furthermore, having been to some countries, I have noticed incidents of pickpocketing or incidents of near pickpocketing. And apparently in some countries the tour guide will warn the tourist not to help a kid who falls on the road for whatever reason because that will only set u up as a victim of pickpocketing.

Insouciant and Capricious,
If u note the sentence, i only talked about the desire to improve society and nothing else. I did not intend to link the issue with ministerial salaries. In fact personally i am unhappy about the issue for several reasons.

I disagree. Toiling under the lightning bolt, with a salary that makes that of the US President’s seem like peanuts, is not patriotism in any extent.

For example, here is a good example showing as long as ministers are telling half truths the many problems presently faced by the people will not disappear so soon even with growth in GDP or success in IR.

The following posts will serve to illustrate such fundamental problems affecting our particular system of top-down government:-

*Edited by moderator for lengthy-ness.

*Robert, please refrain from posting lengthy comments and from cutting and pasting lengthy comments/articles from other blogs or forums. You can quote a short paragraph and provide a link to them if you want. We want to allow you to have your say but comments running into the thousands of words will be moderated. Thanks. :)