Taiwanese perspective on Singapore

Offering a lot to learn from
Straits Times 9 Sep 08;

Taiwan's CommonWealth magazine ran a series of articles on Singapore last month and an interview with PM Lee Hsien Loong. We carried the interview last week and today we carry excerpts of the reports by Alice Yang and Ting Chia-lin.
COMPLEX emotions have always accompanied the relationship between the two Asian dragons, Taiwan and Singapore. Singaporeans often criticise the kinetic nature of Taiwanese democracy, yet Taiwanese entertainment programmes are popular among many Chinese Singaporeans.

'It's fortunate that Taiwan is there as a 'model of democracy' which makes Singaporeans uninterested in pursuing democracy,' quips Nanyang Technological University's Tan Khee Giap.

Still, many Singaporeans privately envy the Taiwanese for being able to curse their government. And many Taiwanese decline to feel awe for Singapore, feeling that such a small place is naturally easy to administer.

When it comes to people, both Singapore and Taiwan have their charms. Taiwan is full of enterprising energy - when one coffee shop folds, another pops up in its place. Singapore is dominated by big franchises and international brands, while mom-and-pop stores are few and far between. The entrepreneurial spirit there pales in comparison to Taiwan's, but the people are restrained, diligent and law-abiding.

Having one party in power for so long has admittedly helped tiny Singapore. Yet there are many small countries around the world, and many of them are weak. Similarly, many countries have a single ruling party, but most of these are beset with corruption and graft.

A comparison is telling: Last year, Singapore's per capita income was US$35,000 (S$50,000), surpassing Germany's, while Taiwan's was US$15,000. When it comes to quality of life, according to the World Values Survey, Singapore is the world's 31st happiest country, while Taiwan is 48th. In the 2008 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, Singapore ranked second, Taiwan 13th. And when it comes to transparency, Singapore came out top, while Taiwan hovers just outside the top 30.

Singapore offers a lot to learn from. Thanks to long-term planning, Singapore is neither anxious nor chaotic, but instead moves forward steadily. Amidst the tide of globalisation, Singapore analysed its strengths and weaknesses, and has cautiously invested in China. With the rise of Asia, it seeks to become a gateway to the region. The Middle East is flush with wealth, yet it suffers from shortages of water, electricity and energy, and Singapore is looking to make an impact on the Arab world.

Hardworking, committed and never taking anything for granted, Singaporean officials consider and reconsider each proposal. Cabinet members receive e-mail messages from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at two or three o'clock in the morning. 'In the past, you could 'think three times' before taking action, but now you have to think several times every 10 minutes,' PM Lee explains in an interview with CommonWealth Magazine.

All this can be largely attributed to Singapore's ability to do things systematically. Thinking systematically means setting goals, and proceeding step by step, not reactively responding to issues as they arrive. For instance, Taiwan is still bickering about water issues, with discussion concentrating largely on how to build dams and dredge waterways. In Singapore, water is managed as a comprehensive cycle.

On the very first day of her independence in 1965, Singapore put water policy first, establishing an inter-ministerial water resources agency. As Mr Lee Kuan Yew asserted, all policies must bow to ensuring the liquid that gives life.

Singapore is equally systematic and methodical when it comes to attracting manpower. For example, Singapore used to attract foreign high school students to study. Now it looks for top students from primary schools in China and India, giving them scholarships and assisting their entire families to immigrate. 'We grab them a bit earlier, so in the future they will have a closer bond with Singapore,' says Professor Tan.

But just as the danger of falling down increases the higher one climbs, Singapore is vulnerable to every little movement on the international scene.

Can Singapore keep the good times going for another 50 years? Will its skyscrapers end up as dinosaurs?

'At least history has Venice, which has managed to survive for 600 years,' reflects Professor Wang Gungwu, chairman of the Governing Board of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, revealing the optimistic yet guarded attitude of most Singaporeans.

Translated by David Toman