Lion without teeth - Book Review of "The Singapore Miracle" by Rodney King


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not sure why some of us is waiting for a Gov rebuttal. :dunno:
 

gooseberry said:
Might be an interesting read, not sure if it will be available in local bookstores....

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/07/03/book/book_30038759.php

What are your thoughts and some quotes from the article and book below ?


Most Singaporeans are not as affluent as their government makes out, King says in his extensively documented, 500-page tome.

Multinational companies and state enterprises predominate, and the economy has "low entrepreneurial and innovative capacities and an under-educated workforce".

The city-state's supposed affluence is also largely a myth.

"About 30 per cent of the population still lives in poverty by Western living standards," he says. And Singapore's Housing Development Board, Central Provident Fund and state-run health schemes have severe shortcomings.

What Singapore has been good at, he says, is marketing itself.
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wah, finally a book is out on this topic. finally the rest of the world knows that there are many poor ppl in spore and that the economic growth spouted like nobody buiz are bull crap.
 

Canew said:
Is it sold here in Singapore?
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as far as i can infer, most of the posts here so far are based on that one single review of the book.

but whatever it is, it does raise some questions n eyebrows all the same.
 

Stereobox said:
as far as i can infer, most of the posts here so far are based on that one single review of the book.

but whatever it is, it does raise some questions n eyebrows all the same.
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Some didn't even read the reivew! :bsmilie:
 

kcuf2 said:
wah, finally a book is out on this topic. finally the rest of the world knows that there are many poor ppl in spore and that the economic growth spouted like nobody buiz are bull crap.
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So we can be officially re-classified as "Developing country" as opposed to "Developed / First World" country?

Aniway, some of it claims are very true. We have a "low entrepreneurial and innovative capacities and an under-educated workforce" compared to other First World countries. Even our "brightest" are educated overseas.

And I dunnoe about others but due to limited land... "King counters claims of high home-ownership levels, saying 86 per cent of Singaporeans rent government flats from the Housing Development Board on 99-year leases." This is very true... the fact that 99 years are already very optimistic as it can be seen that some of the older precincts that are not being "renewed" would be SERS or Enbloc... the bottom line is that the property is yours only in name.
 

Instead of outright condemning the book and urging all not to read it. Why not read it and see if it makes sense or it is just a load of rubbish? All the posts opposing the book are basing their decision on a review..... is it a case or blind support for the party, a case of blind patriotism or just refusal to hear opposing views? Or is it a case of undercover party members urging us all not to read anything that opposes the party's views?

I would say get the book, read it and then judge for yourselves. Great empires fell in the past cos they felt they were great and any cricitism was regarded as hogwash, treason or just slander by enemies of the state.... result? They died from in within as the country rotted from inside out...
 

centuryegg said:
Instead of outright condemning the book and urging all not to read it. Why not read it and see if it makes sense or it is just a load of rubbish? All the posts opposing the book are basing their decision on a review..... is it a case or blind support for the party, a case of blind patriotism or just refusal to hear opposing views? Or is it a case of undercover party members urging us all not to read anything that opposes the party's views?

I would say get the book, read it and then judge for yourselves. Great empires fell in the past cos they felt they were great and any cricitism was regarded as hogwash, treason or just slander by enemies of the state.... result? They died from in within as the country rotted from inside out...
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Sg allow tis book meh?

mabbe got ebook version to read. ;p
 

centuryegg said:
Instead of outright condemning the book and urging all not to read it. Why not read it and see if it makes sense or it is just a load of rubbish? All the posts opposing the book are basing their decision on a review..... is it a case or blind support for the party, a case of blind patriotism or just refusal to hear opposing views? Or is it a case of undercover party members urging us all not to read anything that opposes the party's views?

I would say get the book, read it and then judge for yourselves. Great empires fell in the past cos they felt they were great and any cricitism was regarded as hogwash, treason or just slander by enemies of the state.... result? They died from in within as the country rotted from inside out...
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After you buy The Book, can pass around? :)
 

centuryegg said:
Instead of outright condemning the book and urging all not to read it. Why not read it and see if it makes sense or it is just a load of rubbish? All the posts opposing the book are basing their decision on a review..... is it a case or blind support for the party, a case of blind patriotism or just refusal to hear opposing views? Or is it a case of undercover party members urging us all not to read anything that opposes the party's views?

I would say get the book, read it and then judge for yourselves. Great empires fell in the past cos they felt they were great and any cricitism was regarded as hogwash, treason or just slander by enemies of the state.... result? They died from in within as the country rotted from inside out...
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:thumbsup:
 

reminds of another book - Escape from Paradise...... ;p
 

RodneyKingBook.jpg


:thumbsup:
 

This book should provide some counter-balance to the propaganda we've been having to put up with for a long time.

Everyone has an agenda, and the truth is often in between two places. Problem is, the second place is hard to access at times.:bsmilie:
 

major_tom said:
reminds of another book - Escape from Paradise...... ;p
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Seen snatches of that book. :bsmilie: Well, some ppl swear by this book. Some swear about the book. And some take the book as a complete truth encyclopedia digesting conspiracy theories wholesale.

The truth? Well, we will probably never know. Just like the United States govt and Alien conspiracy theories about it, its nice to know that there's some interesting conspiracy theories going around in our little red dot. :D

Glad to know that our island isn't as boring as I'd thought.
 

Some interesting comments.

When I read the review and some of the quotes from the book, I tended to agree with the assessments, though I'd have to reserve judgement until I've actually read the book.

The main comment that interested me was the comment that Singaporeans as not as affluent as what the government portrays to the rest of the world. Wanted to hear other views on that. I'd say, I agree with this comment. On the surface, Singapore seems to be a largely affluent society, but there is a sizeble portion whose living standards are far from so called "first world" conditions (a larger portion than most people realise) - don't get me wrong, even in first world countries there are some members who are not so well off, but there is a larger gap in living standards here than what is potrayed in the media, by the government etc. Cetainly, the living standard gap is not as great as say in Indonesia or rural and urban China, but the gap is there and it is much larger than most people readily admit.

Obviously those that are well off and are comfortable will dismiss what is said to be from the book, as they say, having a good portion of the population who is comfortable will prevent other portions from "rocking the boat".

For those that dismiss the book offhand as rubbish or cast doubts on it via "conspiracy" theories, having a healthy critical debate is important for a society. I think one of the problems here in Singapore is the lack of any critical dsicussions on issues - any alternative view is suppressed in a number of ways.

I'd certainly be wanting to borrow the book from the library if it was available. Someone has asked me to pick up a copy for them the next time I'm travelling out of the country since they doubt they can get it in Singapore bookshops.
 

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