The two sides of the Singapore coin — Karim Raslan
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The two sides of the Singapore coin — Karim Raslan
Singapore has always been a small and extremely crowded island. With a current population of 4.9 million (projected to rise to 6.5 million by 2020), the city-state is bursting at the seams.
Still, the Singapore economy is on the mend. People are talking of a possible GDP growth of 13-15 per cent this year. At the same time, however, the economic turn-around has sparked off a dramatic escalation in property prices, tourist arrivals and living costs.
All of this has exacerbated the growing income divide and put pressure on the island republic’s all-too limited resources.
While no one is accusing the city-state of festering poverty, there is clearly a growing polarisation between the have’s cruising around in their Lexus and patronising the expensive marble-lined hotels and the have-nots in tucked away in their Housing Development Board (or HDB) flats.
The latter’s feelings of deprivation and disenchantment has been made worse by a gnawing sense that foreigners are the main beneficiaries of the Singapore prosperity.
Last week, I set out to explore the contrasts as well as the attendant strains that this growth spurt must be engendering in Singapore. Their political leaders and policy-makers are clearly watching these developments closely as elections (expected in mid-2011) loom on the horizon.
The newly-opened Marina Bay Sands casino (dubbed MBS) represents one end of the socio-economic divide. It looms over the city, symbolising Singapore’s determination to reinvent itself as a services and tourist hub in the face of constantly shifting global trends.
As I approached the casino complex, with its three separate 55-storey hotel wings capped by a bizarre floating garden, I asked my taxi-driver if he’d ever visited the MBS. He shook his head, replying: “It’s only for high-class people.”
The casino itself was a revelation. I’m not a gambling man but its main gaming floor was huge and strangely enthralling. It was crammed with tables for countless games (including blackjack and baccarat) as well as the ubiquitous one-armed bandits.
Despite it being a Monday evening the casino was still one-third full. Most of the patrons appeared to be from mainland China or elsewhere. Indeed, Singaporeans must pay to get in, but foreigners enter for free.
The casino’s upper floors contain private gaming rooms and a handful of very high-end restaurants. These specialised in serving dishes with luxurious ingredients, like rare seafood and champagne.
What struck me as I passed through the casino on my way to the hotel was the constant noise. The mix of piped music, human voices and the electronic beeps and whirrs of machines resulted in a weird melange of sound, like ghostly organ fugue.
The next morning, however, I was shown a completely different side to Singapore. A young artist and friend, Alecia Neo, took me on a tour of her neighbourhood, Queenstown, a well-maintained, albeit distinctly working-class area to the west of the Central Business District (CBD).
Born and brought up in Queenstown, Alecia is a proud local girl. Nonetheless she is well aware of the difficulties many locals are facing. Indeed her photographs of the neighbourhood’s personalities are infused with a sense of belonging, tenderness and compassion.
“People here are generally cash-poor. Medical costs are high and property is so expensive. If there’s an emergency it can be very tough. My father has a small sundry shop and elderly folks (well into their 70s) are always asking for part-time work but the foreigners, especially the mainland Chinese, are always willing to work harder for less,” Alecia said.
While Singaporeans enjoy better health standards, the downside is that many blue-collar workers have found themselves growing old while their retirement funds run out.
This is a serious public policy challenge anywhere. Singapore’s gentrification, however, has accentuated its growing socio-economic disparities.
Many Singaporeans are struggling to afford basic housing. For instance, an executive apartment in Singapore now costs around S$840,000 (RM2 million), far more than a two-room HDB flat at S$255,000.
Of course, wealthy non-Singaporeans are hardly deterred by such prices. These are the buyers sought out by private bankers.
This means that foreigners are competing with local Singaporeans for housing and jobs at all socio-economic levels.
Still, it must be said that, Singaporeans of any class are generally much better off than their compatriots elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, the problems faced by lower-income Singaporeans remains a major headache for the PAP government.
Interestingly Singapore authorities have become far less generous in granting permanent residencies to foreigners, perhaps mindful of the backlash this policy has created.
Queenstown reveals that there are definite structural weaknesses in Singapore’s economic model.
While the PAP control of the media allows it to manage these imbalances, the fast-approaching elections mean that more permanent solutions are needed.
On our part, we Malaysians must acknowledge that such disparities also occur in our own country. The socio-economic differences are equally stark. In the past race was the sole determinant of poverty or indeed wealth. That has changed. How we manage this divide will be a major test for Malaysia. — mysinchew.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or the publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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Bloody hokkien taiwanese stay out of Singaporean politics.
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The coming election will not come out with any solution as the promise made during the last election have yet to be materialised.
As for whether they will be brave enough to deal with real issues like flooding and over-crowding, the front page today already telling you what the answer will be.
You will be expected to accept the discomfort and dream their big dreams.
It will be leave here or endure it type of scenerio.
None of the sugary coating and false appearance put forward will be sufficient as they did not deliver any real results with all the excess funding rendered.
All of the wayang stuff on putting sg in the world arena will be meaningless if the people's feedback are already ignored.
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The gap between PAP propaganda in state media and the reality of people's feelings and views seems to be wider and wider.
The ruling party is moving further and further away from reality.
rulers and ruled getting more alienated from each other.
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When you reared too many dogs, they will be too scared to tell you the truth as you have already sacked the old dogs who spoke out against you.
So, the present bunch of dogs have to paint your a rosy picture that the ground is filled with grass and you are well supported.
Coupled with all the falsehood you experienced when you visit the ground, you will believe that the truth is what you saw when you burn your weekend to plant a tree or break some meaningless record on doing tai ji.
You begin to believe you are a good ruler and you are well supported and the things that you said will be obeyed.
That will be the end of your rule.
I guess your old man are becoming as foolish as you.
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Somemore the media in Singapore is all controlled and manipulated by PAP regime.
So much bullshit in state media that I always feel like vomiting.
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While the entire article is on Singapore, this is what he is getting at.
On our part, we Malaysians must acknowledge that such disparities also occur in our own country. The socio-economic differences are equally stark. In the past race was the sole determinant of poverty or indeed wealth. That has changed. How we manage this divide will be a major test for Malaysia.
Karim Raslan knows how not to incur the wrath of the ruling elite of his country, and at the same time gain political points.
There are cowards everywhere.
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My Father Lee Kuan Yew. Please help me. I youngster is feeling the heat and pressure pressing on me.
Earn money very difficult sia. U think if i get marry. Wedding need around 40-50k with housing and furniture. I almost bankrupt. What make u think 25-35 we can earn 100k. Never even care for us. I hate you LKY. :(
With you, our life is hard. Me even national day also must work 12hrs. All thanks to you LKY. I remenber that for life.
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here very safe - this is not a joke - come here REALLY - DON'T COME YOU SURE REGRET
we welcome the super rich to park their $ here! here got monies you are kings/queens!
"thanks you" for not allowing me to use my media save for my dental treatment
if not treated would lead to heart problem in a few years
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'Window dressing' is a well known accounting term that every Accountant know. Over some time in their career, all Accountants will 'window dress' the fiancial statement.
The problem is that Singapore has a beaufiful window and the world knows better of our house that ppl who are living in there.
What are Singapore problems?
1. Our government has shown that we cannot manage a economic downturn and the 2008 financial crisis has proven it. We lost billions to the American and those responsible are given national day award for doing it.
2. We show fantistic statistic that foreigners are first to be retrenched and jobs are retained during the downturn for local. This is shameless lie as Singapore are cost more than foreigner and first to go in any cost saving exercise.
3. When econcomic pick up, jobs go first to 'FT' because import are cheap and there is no CPF or whatever cost that need to pay for local. Also, employers often dont want disruption due to national service by local men.
4. Positions at senior level are increasing fill by foreigners as they move up the ladder and the consequence it more of the same kind is recruited. This is normal as we prefer our own ppl.
5. So we dress up the window because by making the city more welcoming to foreigner, including the riches, we have hot money coming in and chasing for the scarce real estate.
6. Unfortunately, our share market cannot compete well with the exchange in London or Hongkong because Singapore banks are more conservative than Hong Kong. Also we dont have sufficient ppl who can speak Chinese well. ALL HongKee can write and speak two languages.
7. Singapore are push down the value chain to compete at all level with the cheap import. The spiral continue downward. Less income less spending. Money earned by forginer will return to thier own economy.
8.. Where would Singapore be heading..? We need to build a bigger floor control gate because we need more drains.
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aiyah.................all these nagging and grumbling..............not sian ah ?
if the elections are not rigged..........there's only 2 things to do..........
1) psycho more people to vote for opposition...........
2) vote for opposition yourself..............
no need to talk about PAP anymore lah.................we all know how ''good'' they've been to us.............
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Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
Bloody hokkien taiwanese stay out of Singaporean politics.
Karim is a muslime taiwanese, not hokkien like me hor...ho bo -
Originally posted by Asromanista2001:
aiyah.................all these nagging and grumbling..............not sian ah ?
if the elections are not rigged..........there's only 2 things to do..........
1) psycho more people to vote for opposition...........
2) vote for opposition yourself..............
no need to talk about PAP anymore lah.................we all know how ''good'' they've been to us.............
dun vote, just enjoy the holidays
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The voting day will be at the weekend.
So, no holiday for any one.
As more and more dirt surfaced, we have ourselves to made the judgement on whether do we want to step forward to push the millionsters to do their job instead of indulging in meaningless record of the number of pple doing tai ji.
If they continue to be in self-denial and choose to live in their ivory tower, they have to face the true action of the pledge.
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got cooling day mah, extra day off, extra business here ok