Singapore Archive

  • NAR Teachers’ Day Message ~ Word of the Day: Performativity

    No matter how good or bad the quality of the teaching, administrative fiat can compensate for it by controlling who takes the exams better than who prepares the students for exams, and ensuring that, no matter how they are taught, they work hard on their own.

    Continue Reading...

  • The reason being for the Youth Olympic Games. Perhaps it is time to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.

    Raison d’être pour les YOG

    The reason being for the Youth Olympic Games. Perhaps it is time to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.

    Continue Reading...

  • In the past, Singapore has been the uncontested intellectual leader of Asean, providing new ideas related to economic and security matters to reinvent and make Asean relevant to the global community.

    New intellectual leader emerges in ASEAN

    In the past, Singapore has been the uncontested intellectual leader of Asean, providing new ideas related to economic and security matters to reinvent and make Asean relevant to the global community.

    Continue Reading...

  • Not everyone is pleased that something is finally being done about cronyism, writes Eric Ellis.

    Singapore wishes Indonesian investigation into corruption wasn’t happening

    Not everyone is pleased that something is finally being done about cronyism, writes Eric Ellis.

    Continue Reading...

  • One year after the AWARE saga, there are more ordinary Christians who, having experienced first-hand the cost of sudden hurt and distrust, feel unafraid to express their disagreements with ideas that threaten a common space of citizenry.

    Speak Up or Be Spoken For!

    One year after the AWARE saga, there are more ordinary Christians who, having experienced first-hand the cost of sudden hurt and distrust, feel unafraid to express their disagreements with ideas that threaten a common space of citizenry.

    Continue Reading...

  • A gentle civil society can only be promoted with legislation that ensures that no one crosses the line inciting religiously motivated violence. The removal of the said legislation will accomplish nothing but establish the country as fertile ground for religious tribalism.

    Is Singapore a secular nation?

    A gentle civil society can only be promoted with legislation that ensures that no one crosses the line inciting religiously motivated violence. The removal of the said legislation will accomplish nothing but establish the country as fertile ground for religious tribalism.

    Continue Reading...

  • Singapore’s re-invention won’t be easy – but it doesn’t matter. Singapore has made mistakes in its attempt to push its economy in new directions. Attempts to promote the Singapore exchange to Chinese firms looking for a foreign listing, led to lower standards and a series of scandals, as I discussed here: Why you must tread carefully in emerging markets. The better Chinese firms have listed in Hong Kong and New York and won’t be back. The budget’s focus on productivity reinforces one thing. Singapore has failed to produce a single world-beating large company. Its largest government-linked companies (GLCs) are often inefficient and lack innovation. Their existence squeezes smaller, more innovative private-sector rivals. That’s unlikely to change until the politics does, irrespective of how much money is thrown at the problem.

    A cheap play on Asian growth

    Singapore’s re-invention won’t be easy – but it doesn’t matter. Singapore has made mistakes in its attempt to push its economy in new directions. Attempts to promote the Singapore exchange to Chinese firms looking for a foreign listing, led to lower standards and a series of scandals, as I discussed here: Why you must tread carefully in emerging markets. The better Chinese firms have listed in Hong Kong and New York and won’t be back. The budget’s focus on productivity reinforces one thing. Singapore has failed to produce a single world-beating large company. Its largest government-linked companies (GLCs) are often inefficient and lack innovation. Their existence squeezes smaller, more innovative private-sector rivals. That’s unlikely to change until the politics does, irrespective of how much money is thrown at the problem.

    Continue Reading...