DO YOU WANT SRI LANKA TO BE LIKE “SINGAPORE?”
Posted on June 15th, 2017
By M D P DISSANAYAKE
A President or Prime Minister need not be an academically qualified Economist. They need to be good listeners, listening to those who have achieved recognized credentials in key areas, including Economics. Some of them in the team may be elected MPs and Professionals without allegiance to Party politics.
Starting from base line, what qualifies a person to become a member of a political party and obtain nomination to contest an election in Sri Lanka? Is it Brain Power? Is it academic and/or professional qualifications?
In Sri Lanka basic qualification to get the nomination from a major political party or alliance, would nothing but MONEY. Most of uneducated MPs in our parliaments were filthy RICH. They spend large sums to win the elections, supported by drug dealers, contractors. Once they win, they provide the SUPPLY line to the drug lords, contractors etc.
In Singapore, to obtain a general Membership of the People’s Action Party (PAP), the person must be an Extremist “X”, totally committed to PAP agenda, regardless of consequence. To receive a Nomination to contest the person must be an XX, to become a Minister the person must be an XXX. It is not easy to become at least a member of PAP due to strict guidelines.
Mr Lee Kwan Yew, a Lawyer, Dr Goh Kwan Swies PhD, S Rajaratnam, a Ceylonese Lawyer, Dr Tony Tan, MSc, Phd, Goh Chok Tong, MA were front line fighters in economic management of Singapore.
The western world was non supportive of Lee Kwan Yew for establishing Changi Prison. They played the same old record of human rights violations. LKY said in 1980 “Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him. Or give it up. This is not a game of cards! This is your life and mine! I’ve spent a whole lifetime building this and as long as I’m in charge, nobody is going to knock it down”. Now LKY is no more, but his Son in power.
Chewing Gum lover President Reagan was searched and removed remaining stocks in his possession, before granting entry Visa to Singapore. LKY said “Putting chewing gum on our subway train doors so they don’t open, I don’t call that creativity. I call that mischief-making,” Lee replied. “If you can’t think because you can’t chew, try a banana.”
A Singaporean wrote a telegram in the post office, to inform his family about a sudden death of a family member. The man was full of emotions and unstable. He made a mistake in writing the first telegram form, he threw it away, got to the second form, again made a mistake and threw it away. Just when he started writing the third Form, a Policeman caught him for littering and fined heavily.
My dear Sri Lankans, We know you like Singapore, We know you want Sri Lanka to be like Singapore. Those who have money, please come to Singapore for just one month. Start crossing roads from anywhere and see what will happen to you. Spit on the Road, then see what will happen to you. Drive your vehicle, like you drive in Sri Lanka, then see what will happen to you. Start pasting posters on walls, then see what will happen to you. Start criticising politicians unreasonably, then see what will happen to you.
Start parking your vehicle anywhere in Singapore, then see what will happen to you. Start throwing your home garbage in Railway Stations or anywhere in Singapore, then see what will happen.
Start drawing graffiti anywhere, then see what will happen to you. A 19 year old American Student living with his mum in Singapore, was beaten by 4 strokes of canning for vandalism. The boy suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, yet he was punished.
Try calling your President or Prime Minister in public HORA, HORA ( THIEF, THIEF) and then see what will happen to you instantly. The Changi Prison is still open for Business.
My dear Sri Lankans, now you have spent one month in Singapore, please tell whether you want Sri Lanka to be like Singapore. Your instant answer will be OH NO, NO’.
If you are not prepared to be disciplined, law abiding person, please don’t come to Singapore.
Quote:
At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up? My life.” Lee Kwan Yew
June 14th, 2017 at 7:36 pm
A good question.
The answer is yes and no. Yes to economic development, positive and high balance of payment and foreign reserves, higher quality of material life, diplomatic and international power that comes with money, better law and order and social discipline and more choices in defence, politics and economics. No to suppression of dissent, civil liberties and nepotism. Despite a horror human rights record, the UNHRC dare not harass Singapore as it does to Sri Lanka due to its clout derived from economic success.
Overall, the answer is closer to a yes than a no, while retaining Sri Lankan characters. This choice of retaining Sri Lankan characters will be ours if we have economic power. If we don’t have economic power, the nation loses choice.
Coming back to expertise in the national leader, I strongly believe Sri Lanka needs its own LKY and Mahathir – an expert in economics. Having advisors alone is not going to work because the final decision is made by the leader and he picks and chooses the advisors of his choice. For instance, Bharata Lakshman Premachandra was a presidential advisor and Duminda Silva was an advisor to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development. Previously, Sanath Gunatilake was a presidential advisor.
An advisor is only as good as his advice and the amount that was put in practice.
June 14th, 2017 at 9:58 pm
Singapore is lucky it is NOT in the neighborhood of the STINKIEST, MOST RACIST and MOST DISGUSTING Tamil Madu.
NO politician can save SL. Only a MILITARY-SANGHA takeover can save SL.
People DESERVE the leaders they get!!
June 15th, 2017 at 4:42 am
As long as we have this power hungry, money hungry individuals called politicians on both sides we cannot have a decent government in Sri Lanka. First of all we need to have qualified personnel to govern a country as they were the one’s who make laws. Money and experience not enough to become an M.P. he or she should be qualified to do a job on behalf of their Constitution and it’s people. Now people knows very well about our politicians and how they work and do business. No one can be trusted but still our stupids bring these scoundrels back and suffer again and again. The voter should not repeat the same mistakes again and again instead they should think wisely and choose a candidate with good education, good manners, trustworthy, energetic young blood who can sincerely fight for the rights of the poor people. It is very difficult job to find such individuals these days but we can try to make that happen. If we don’t send good people to the parliament then it will be the same old story with these current underworld thugs who are there without any education or any decency or respect to the parliament or to the Constitution. Damn these poltical thugs who cheat the public day and night.
June 15th, 2017 at 5:21 am
The two things Lee did was:
1. No more drugs.
The drug users were the majority Chinese and dealers were the powerful Indian Colonial Parasites. In our island nation drug users are the majority Sinhalese and major dealers are Indian Colonial Parasites.
2. Economy in to the hands pf the majority.
The economy was in the hands of the Indian Colonial Parasites and Lee got the Chinese. Before Lee the biggest Emporium in Singapore was owned by an Indian colonial Parasite family who owned our biggest Emporium in Colombo. The ones in Singapore are not doing well now but the ones here are one of the biggest conglomerates in the island with businesses overseas.
June 15th, 2017 at 7:06 am
Good article.
I have my Chinese extended family of my wife live there. They are no nonsense serious people one hardly get a smile out of my relatives. KY was a great man and my hero and I would like be him in SL and set up a prison bigger than Changi.
LKY helped to set up Air Lanka and my brother in law was in the team leading the restructure from the utterly corrupt Air Lanka.
When My wife and I visited SL in 1978,wanted to see my Bill,but he was disgusted with our utterly corrupt culture was angry with my wife for marrying a Sri Lankan.We chased him from office to office and cornered him fat the Katamaran Hotel at Brown beach where he used that place to make sudden unannounced visits to the airport.He only spoke to us a few words at Katamaran and the next time he met us was in the aircraft leaving for London berating the air crew.
I had to prove that we Sri Lankans are not all what he thinks and without feeling disheartened I reacted by working extra hard for the former colonials in UK and bought one of the very few detached houses in Singapore at Orchard grove, just off Orchard road. I surprised them by inviting some British Sudda friends to come and stay in my 6 bed room house and invited the the Singapore clan to a meal at 5 star hotel but to get that clan to my house was difficult but got my wife to fall sick (fake)and go and stay in that house, looked after by the English wife of my work mate. They (Clan)all came reluctantly to see my wife in my house and it took them some time realize that I owned it and they promptly checked my ownership by phoning some people in authority. From then on the smiles and niceties arrived with caution.
Moral of this is that the good Singaporeans respect the honest and hardworking people who have archived something in life not the losers like servants and domestics who go from our country. My Sudda friends were baffled by the way I had to prove my self that I am worthy of being a husband to one of them.This gave me even more determination go even further up the ladder in life.Glad to say I sold that house several time the price I bought.Things were even worse for me in Japan but I am battling on.
Coming back to LKY,a few years back(2013) my chinese relative of my son’s marriage from Batam Indonesia was touring Singapore in several cars and we stopped at LKY’s residence and videoed and photographed his residence, soon after we were followed by two police unmarked cars and was stopped. We had to explain That I admired LKY and wanted to take a photo of his house but they were not amused but after showing our warrant cards, they checked our ID with their contacts in London and they wished us a happy stay.
It’s a good country for no-nonsense honest hard working people but lack sense of humour and I wouldn’t spend all my precious free time there.
We in SL must follow them a bit but I doubt our stupid culture will ever allow it.
June 15th, 2017 at 12:17 pm
Our thanks to Dr Dissanayake for this article.
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In Sri Lanka, the present govt is trying hard to bring CONTROL of the Jnt Opposition through unlawful & unfair moves, crashed the Economy soundly right after coming into power with the Central Bank scam, appointed various fallen politicos to top posts to suit the west/Interntional Community, messed with the ancient cultural practices, neglected the masses in Disasters, lack of accountability etc. None of these aspects of Yahap apply to S’pore style of governance.
In Sri Lanka, breaking the Law seems to be the norm, rather than keeping the Law.
In Sri Lanka, Democracy appears to mean for politicos to treat the Country like their own backyard, to selll and steal from with no accountability ! Just try these larks in S’pore and see what happens !
Also, people who blithely say that Sri Lanka should follow S’pore style of governance are not aware of the major facts about the two countries.
There are vast differences in the two countries. Size, culture, History, Colonisation, internal dissent, and who the large neighboring countries are are just a few of the major differences.
Suggestions :
* New laws/ways to handle the Political party system (limit number of parties), Security, Economy, & Development, must be put forward.
* Sri Lanka can do with teaching our school children PATRIOTISM.
* As a mostly Sinhala/Buddhist country, MEDITATION should be taught in schools. The advantages are many, leading to better mental & physical health, discipline, self control, awareness of lifes true needs/realities, etc.
Many more – do write in !
June 16th, 2017 at 1:01 am
Very interesting comments. Nimal you are frank in telling us your life experiences. From my life experiences what I have learned is simple.
Indians know how to divide and rule as they have done for more than 4-6 thousand years with the Untouchables. For Indians and Indian colonial parasites we are all untouchables in their colonies.
So the only solution we have is unite and stand up to India and Indian colonial parasites.
June 16th, 2017 at 4:44 am
Nimal,
So you ran “Air Fast Services” from Seletar Air base ? You gave me a lift one day.
June 20th, 2017 at 8:46 am
At this very moment I have to put up with a close Singaporean Chinese family, the husband has a short fuse and always there are arguments among them and they just told me that their late leader(LKY) too had disagreements in the family over his property. Sad people there I say. Like to see the back of them. My relative from the North-western countries are the best I have, so helpful and peaceful. This why I associate with my burgher friends in SL and some will join me for August holidays.