I had a ferocious argument with a friend, who started his conversation with "Why Singapore, an island country that started off with nothing, can be so strong and yet ....... (you can imagine that on your own)"
True. Singapore is an amazing example of what a successful society should strike to become like. High GDP, low cost of living, excellent public services and infrastructure, efficient business ambient, and united people.
I have to give it to Singapore and her Government to have attain advanced Nation status. They truly deserve it.
What I would like to correct my friend on, was the presumption that Singapore started from 'nothing', without 'resources'. This is not true.
Prior to independant, we were colonized by the British, according to our modern and contemporary history. We had defacto colonization in federated and non federated malay states through residents and advisers whom advices must be acted on, and also dejure colonization in the crown colonies of Straits Settlements (Melaka, Penang and Singapore), as well as North Borneo (Sabah).
During the British rule, both Financial/trade/economic and administrative hub were in Singapore. It was the "defacto" capital of British Colony of Malaya, Strait Settlements and Sabah, for decades.
The advantages of being the "Capital" is you get to enjoy the best of everything. Singapore, as a state was the face of Malaya, entrance point of the Peninsula, and also the conglomorate of the best talents in business, administration, professionals etc.
The first University of Malaya / King Edward College was set up not in Kuala Lumpur, but in Singapore. the best ports, best roads, best buildings, best talents were all in Singapore. It is the central of trading, finance, entreports, etc, and an encapsulation of wealth.
Singapore had a good start as a well resourced country. The best a country can ask for, is to have a best pool of talents running it's politics, business, and society. Singapore has it all. best professionals were trained and groomed in Singapore prior to independants. Business HQ were set up in the tiny island. Suffice to say, "Wealth" of the peninsula was concentrated in Singapore. Even the most recent Governor General of Straits Settlement did not stay in Melaka or Penang. He stays in Singapore.
I shall spare you from the nitty gritty and numbers which you can look up yourself in available history text books etc. What i wanted to say is that we should stop the notion/presumption that "Singapore started off with nothing". Not true.
Singapore starts by being the concentration of the Peninsula wealth, in the form of money, infrastructure, talents, and administration.
Sekian.
What I would like to correct my friend on, was the presumption that Singapore started from 'nothing', without 'resources'. This is not true.
Prior to independant, we were colonized by the British, according to our modern and contemporary history. We had defacto colonization in federated and non federated malay states through residents and advisers whom advices must be acted on, and also dejure colonization in the crown colonies of Straits Settlements (Melaka, Penang and Singapore), as well as North Borneo (Sabah).
During the British rule, both Financial/trade/economic and administrative hub were in Singapore. It was the "defacto" capital of British Colony of Malaya, Strait Settlements and Sabah, for decades.
The advantages of being the "Capital" is you get to enjoy the best of everything. Singapore, as a state was the face of Malaya, entrance point of the Peninsula, and also the conglomorate of the best talents in business, administration, professionals etc.
The first University of Malaya / King Edward College was set up not in Kuala Lumpur, but in Singapore. the best ports, best roads, best buildings, best talents were all in Singapore. It is the central of trading, finance, entreports, etc, and an encapsulation of wealth.
Singapore had a good start as a well resourced country. The best a country can ask for, is to have a best pool of talents running it's politics, business, and society. Singapore has it all. best professionals were trained and groomed in Singapore prior to independants. Business HQ were set up in the tiny island. Suffice to say, "Wealth" of the peninsula was concentrated in Singapore. Even the most recent Governor General of Straits Settlement did not stay in Melaka or Penang. He stays in Singapore.
I shall spare you from the nitty gritty and numbers which you can look up yourself in available history text books etc. What i wanted to say is that we should stop the notion/presumption that "Singapore started off with nothing". Not true.
Singapore starts by being the concentration of the Peninsula wealth, in the form of money, infrastructure, talents, and administration.
Sekian.
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