Starting My Singapore Saga

The airplane that will take me to Singapore is late, an inauspicious start to my first trip to Singapore. Almost universally, when I've told people I'm headed to this modern city-state on the Equator, people make dumb jokes about chewing gum and flogging, a reference to an unfortunate incident of more than a decade ago. It seems to me that people--including me--know nearly nothing about the Republic of Singapore, a great reason to go there and see a bit of it for myself.

Singaporeans seem a bit puzzled by the harsh jdgements Americans are so quick to make. But then, these days, Americans are becoming know for its hastily made harsh judgements. Singapore has an equivalent standard of living to America, with an arguably better education system. It's inarguably a world center for rresearch and development, something the USA was once known for. For example, its government has invested $3 billion into Biosphere, a Life Science research park, where stem cells are freely used for all forms of legitimate research--performed by PhDs from most of the world's finest educational institutions. It has a high school, with a 40% placement rate in American Ivy League Colleges, better than any US-based school including the East Coast preps.

I'm there not to investigate their politics, but to cover a conference called ComunicAsia--sort of the Asian version of Comdex. I'm writing not just for Conferenzaa>, but I'll be doing some op ed work for NetworkWorld on Singapore's broadband policy. Singapore is paying my airplane ticket, but they are placing no restrictions on what I say or where and how I say it. They appear puzzled by questions along this line.

It has been 35 years since I've worried about late flights as a journalist, and I find my hands a bit gritty with the perspiration of anticipation. It seems to me that anyone in the U.S. who wants to understand what will happen in the next decade needs to nderstand Asia--and Singapore with its 100-year-old trade relationships into India, China and elsewhere is of fundamental improtance.

Comments

[Andy Ruff]

Have a good trip Shel... FYI, Wrigley recently lobbied Singapore to legalize gum as part of the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. As of mid-May, gum may be purchased for "medicinal" purposes. Dentists and pharmacists are allowed to sell gum but are required to record the names of individuals who purchase packs.

Also, don't spit in a public place or even hint at littering, both result in a hefty fine as Singapore has a very strong respect for preserving commons.

[Aik Hong]

you don't know me but I read your blog occasionally. Anyway, I'm a 24 year old Singaporean and the title of your entry caught my eye. So I thought I'll give my two cents worth. I think Singapore can be justifiably proud of it educational system although it has been criticised in recent times as been too focused on rote learning. As such, huge changes have been made to introduce more creative learning, so much so that a native Singaporean like me can't really recognise the high school system anymore, as it is radically different from what I went through about 8 years ago. Both the anti-littering and spitting policies are a little overrated. The odds of being caught are pretty low and most people don't do it simply because of the abundance of rubbish bins and common courtesy. While I did know about the Biosphere investment, I didn't know Singapore was so highly regarded as a research center. If you think Americans judge Singapore harshly, you should check out the Forum page in the national daily, the Straits Times and you can see how much harder Singaporeans are on themselves and the country. Its far more common to see a foreigner or expat arguing the case for Singapore. And yes, we all think the entire chewing gum saga is ridiculous, both the original ban and the subsequent backtrack. Hope my comments add a little to your understanding of Singapore!

[Bob Peworchik]

I just returned from a trip to Singapore, I was really impressed. As an ex-pat living in the Philippines and turned off after two years here, it was a like a new awakening to find order, clean air, streets, laws and people that obey them. It is a real pearl of the Orient and I am looking into moving from here to there. The only negative comment I have to make is I stayed in the red light district, OK to take a look but don't stay there.