Sep 16, 2009
IN HIS commentary last Wednesday ("The Republic of Common Sense"), Professor Kishore Mahbubani compared the PUB's 99.9 per cent water delivery record with the problem of irregular maintenance of hundreds of miles of water pipes in the United States to illustrate Singapore's superior public policies.
But the US is so much bigger with so many more pipes to maintain. The US infrastructure is also much older. The recent stink about the Pasir Ris coast being contaminated by old, leaking sewerage pipes shows just how difficult it is to tackle the problem of aged infrastructure.
Singapore may often be cited as one of the models of development, but that does not mean Singapore is unique in and of its own in its rapid development. What is often forgotten is that Singapore is merely one of four East Asian dragons and much of the success of our policies and institutions is rooted in who we are - East Asians.
It would be good indeed if the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, which Prof Mahbubani heads, can help raise the level of reflection and questioning in Singapore.
Ng Kok Lim
[So by raising the level of reflection and questioning, we would conclude that the success of our policies and institutions is because we are East Asians? So Hong Kong, Taiwan & S. Korea being the other 4 dragons also have good and sound public policies?
Then what about Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, and the Indochina countries? They are East Asians too? Ng's letter is ironic evidence that there is a lack of reflection and questioning by Singaporeans, if his conclusion is based more on cultural/racial prejudice rather than well thought out arguments.
(edit: In other words, thinly veiled racism)
As for the Pasir Ris problem, Ng apparently makes no differentiation between water pipes and sewerage pipes. He may be taking Newater a little too literally. But not to sweep the problem under the carpet, at least the authorities recognise there is a problem and is acting to solve the problem, and there is a plan to resolve the problem. It is not unknown for other countries to deny there is a problem and let people swim in contaminated waters, or give up on the problem - no budget and other priorities, and make vague promises to solve the problem... which then drags on for decades without resolution. That's poor public policy.
There are some cities in the US that uses a tagline "The city that works" If any city deserves such a tag, it is Singapore.]
IN HIS commentary last Wednesday ("The Republic of Common Sense"), Professor Kishore Mahbubani compared the PUB's 99.9 per cent water delivery record with the problem of irregular maintenance of hundreds of miles of water pipes in the United States to illustrate Singapore's superior public policies.
But the US is so much bigger with so many more pipes to maintain. The US infrastructure is also much older. The recent stink about the Pasir Ris coast being contaminated by old, leaking sewerage pipes shows just how difficult it is to tackle the problem of aged infrastructure.
Singapore may often be cited as one of the models of development, but that does not mean Singapore is unique in and of its own in its rapid development. What is often forgotten is that Singapore is merely one of four East Asian dragons and much of the success of our policies and institutions is rooted in who we are - East Asians.
It would be good indeed if the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, which Prof Mahbubani heads, can help raise the level of reflection and questioning in Singapore.
Ng Kok Lim
[So by raising the level of reflection and questioning, we would conclude that the success of our policies and institutions is because we are East Asians? So Hong Kong, Taiwan & S. Korea being the other 4 dragons also have good and sound public policies?
Then what about Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, and the Indochina countries? They are East Asians too? Ng's letter is ironic evidence that there is a lack of reflection and questioning by Singaporeans, if his conclusion is based more on cultural/racial prejudice rather than well thought out arguments.
(edit: In other words, thinly veiled racism)
As for the Pasir Ris problem, Ng apparently makes no differentiation between water pipes and sewerage pipes. He may be taking Newater a little too literally. But not to sweep the problem under the carpet, at least the authorities recognise there is a problem and is acting to solve the problem, and there is a plan to resolve the problem. It is not unknown for other countries to deny there is a problem and let people swim in contaminated waters, or give up on the problem - no budget and other priorities, and make vague promises to solve the problem... which then drags on for decades without resolution. That's poor public policy.
There are some cities in the US that uses a tagline "The city that works" If any city deserves such a tag, it is Singapore.]
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