Went around the city yesterday. Suprisingly for me, I covered a lot of ground. Out to Bugis and had some lunch checking my hawker center chicken rice x in the block. Walked back past Raffles after having been over to Arab Street. It was mid-day and the call to prayer was sounding out from the mosque. Sounded to me like a cat having its tail pulled. Looked at rugs and scarves-I’ll need to go back so I get one for the S.O.
The papers here are talking about the opening of Parliment here. Interesting make up if read it right. 82 of 84 seats are held by the Peoples Action Party. For what appears to be a robust population that is suprising to me. It shouldn’t though. Especially when you consider that Lee Kuan Yew is still showing up in the government-despite the fact he has not been the Prime Minister for 16 years.
It made me wonder. This is not really a democracy and the people here are smart. Why don’t they complain about it more? The simple answer is that the population is living well and really is more concerned about day to day life. I don’t necessarily agree with that. I think what you find is that the government here ensures that there is conformity. They have sued and jailed some of their opponents. Did you know that? Its true.
What I think is really the case is that as long as Lee Kwaun Yew is around, Singapore will do what he says. I read in the paper today his ideas about governing. It sounds good till you get to the meat of it, namely doing what is right for the majority. Which is Chinese like he is.
It seems to me that LKY’s attitude does the citizens if Singapore a huge disservice. He presumes to tell them what they want. Could you imagine if his son the Prime Minister was facing a revolt in Parliment? Except thanks to the way they have arranged that, it cannot happen. Geroge Bush would love this place…………
