Singapore and its international politics 101
New foreign minister K. Shanmugam has restated Singapore's basically Realist outlook in its foreign policy. Responding to reporters' questions on the issues his ministry has to deal with, he said:
"There are several. I will just highlight one broad area. In international relations, size matters. It is an environment where every country projects and protects its interests. The bigger the country, often the greater the influence. If you look at history, tiny states need to protect themselves. Otherwise they disappear.
"Think of it as being in a jungle with animals of different sizes. If you are small, you are usually the first to be eaten. The bigger, fiercer animals are kings. Our task is not only to stay alive, but also to prosper in this environment."
Hmm. I thought of an emailed story I received a while back. I've tweaked it for my purpose here:
A wealthy tourist goes on a safari holiday in Africa, taking her faithful small poodle Cuddles along.
One day the poodle is chasing butterflies in the protected safari park beyond which is unprotected jungle. Cuddles chases the insects into the woods and becomes lost. Wandering about, he notices a leopard moving rapidly in his direction with lunch on its mind.
The little poodle thinks, "Oh, oh! I'm in deep doo-doo now!" Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching big cat. Just as the leopard is about to pounce, the poodle exclaims loudly, "Boy, that lunch was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more?"
Hearing this, the leopard halts his attack in mid-stride; a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees. "Whew!" says the leopard, "That was close! That little poodle nearly had me!"
Meanwhile, a monkey had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree.
He figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So off he goes, but the poodle sees him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figures that something must be up.
The monkey catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.
The leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says, "Here, monkey, hop on my back and see what will happen to that sneaky canine when I catch him!”
The poodle now sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thinks, "What am I going to do?" But instead of trying to run off on his tiny paws, the dog again sits down with his back to his attacker, pretending he hasn't seen the leopard yet.
When the leopard – with the monkey on his back -- gets close enough, the poodle says out loud: "Where's that damn monkey? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!”
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Singapore's social compactToday's Straits Times (21 May) also carried a very good interview with Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang. I like his take on the "new" social compact, ie after the 7 May general election:
"The old social compact was that the PAP would deliver economic benefits and goods and Singaporeans would just have to entrust things to the PAP.
"The second plank of the social compact was that you have been provided with a decent life according to the PAP standard of living, and you should be grateful and should not ask for more.
"But what the PAP Government has forgotten is we are entering a different era and different generation. The younger generation wants to see a fair government, accommodating different views, different aspirations and wants the Government to be responsive to (their) needs...
"I think Singaporeans also want to be treated with dignity whether in terms of retirement, even certain benefits and not one where you are told: This is your life, this is the best for you, you better trust the PAP or else you will repent (emphasis mine) for five years or, you know, your children will become maids in other countries.
"Singaporeans want... to be part of the political process, we are part of the nation, we want to be respected and whilst we are prepared to defend the country, I think the Government must be fair to us.
"I believe that had the PAP realised this much earlier, the ground may not have shifted in such a way. I think they underestimate the unhappiness on the ground in terms of cost pressure in various areas.
"I want to see the Workers' Party actively participate in this social compact, making it happen, and we can bond together as a nation as we move forward...
"The social compact is essentially a mutual understanding and trust between the people and the government as well as, in rhis case I think, the opposition, the Workers' Party... This social compact has, to me, seen the role of an opposition party recognised by Singaporeans -- which was non-existent in the last social compact... And I believe the PAP Government will have to recognise this."
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