A big dose of sensitivity and humility needed when dealing with our neighbours

The Straits Times, February 13, 2007


The article by The Economist, 'Let's all bash Singapore' (ST, Feb 10), described the string of recent disputes that Singapore have with our three closest neighbours - Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

While Warren Fernandez rationalised in his article, 'What's behind 'triple whammy' attacks on S'pore?' (ST, Feb 10), that all the verbal attacks against Singapore may be political tricks employed by leaders in these countries to turn the attention of its citizens away from domestic policy failures, and that external pressures on Singapore could be used to mobilise the island nation into developing more ingenious solutions such as Newsand to overcome the political hindrances thrown in our path, I am not certain that this is the best way to conduct ourselves.

Singapore businesses are making healthy profits from the investments we have made in our neighbours. Singtel's successful investment in Telkomsel is often held up as an example. However, do we have an assessment of the accumulated nationalistic feelings and hostility that certain segments of the populations of our neighbours may be harbouring towards us? Having done the analysis, are the economic profits well worth the long-term political price we are paying?

In a certain way, the bashing that we are experiencing is reminiscent of the recent inconclusive debate on elitism in Singapore. One of the common threads among the debate is that not only are the have-nots disappointed that they are not doing as well as their more prosperous neighbours, but they are also angrier by their neighbour's lack of compassion.

If we can understand as a society the need to be sensitive towards one another in Singapore as social divide widens, all the more we should appreciate the different stages of development Singapore is at relative to its neighbours' and therefore exercise the requisite discretion.

I am not advocating that we should immediately kowtow to all who bash us, nor am I suggesting that we should abandon our vital overseas investments strategy. Nevertheless, given the sensitivity of our neighbours and the long-term interests of our nation, perhaps the best investments that we can make in the neighbourhood is a big dose of sensitivity and humility.

Singaporeans are a compassionate lot, as shown by our first-off-the-block disaster relief efforts and the large donations we have made to the victims. I believe there are other people out there who will be looking to Singapore as a nation not taking an overly rigid principled position all the time, and to exercise the rational flexibility needed to rekindle the goodwill and admiration by our neighbours of our little miracle.

A good test of success is that we no longer proclaim proudly that we have developed another new form of product because of restrictions imposed by our neighbours. And, yes, the other test is whether you need the protection of the police to watch a football match in our neighbour's stadiums.

Lee Weng Foo
ST Forum