A Sound in Asia

Ho Wen Yu (Singapore)

Greetings! My name is Elton and I hail from the sunny little island of Singapore, a tiny red dot at the southern tip of the Malayan Peninsula. My column is entitled A Sound in Asia or just ASIA for short. Each time, I hope to share my personal views on recent events in Asia as well as to introduce a country in Asia, so as to allow readers to better understand our dynamic region.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

The major headlines this week are from India and Pakistan. As most of you are already aware, these two nuclear powers are currently on the brink of war, with troops being massed along the Kashmir border. I believe it is everyone's greatest wish that war be avoided, since there is already one being waged in nearby Afghanistan. Clearly, India has every right to be furious after the attack on the Indian Parliament in December by suspected Pakistani militants. That incident represented a rather humiliating breach of security, which India is trying to cover up. However, Pakistan has reacted in a positive way too, banning two militant parties involved and clamping down on extremist teachings. The restraint on both sides is commendable given that tensions have been running dangerously high over the past few weeks. Frankly, both sides should resume talks at the negiotiating table immediately instead of issuing demands for withdrawals, ceasefires and arrests. India and Pakistan should use the very opportunity which has forced them to cooperate or face war, to settle their outstanding issues once and for all. The question of Kashmir has been plaguing both countries for half a century and should be resolved as quickly as possible.

Here, I am not being pro-Pakistan but praise must be heaped on President Musharraf for his handling of the issue. At a time when he is facing intense pressure for supporting the American invasion of Afghanistan, this problem with India was surely the last thing he wanted. International pressure is on him to crack down on the militants, yet he cannot appear subservient to the West's demands. By taking firm actions and yet defending his country's honour, he has indeed walked this political tightrope well. Kudos to him. Also, in Afghanistan, the slow and painful process of rebuilding is slowly starting. After 20 odd years of war, the Afghans have finally known some semblance of peace. The West cannot ignore Afghanistan any more. Any and all forms of help should be rendered immediately to speed up the rebuilding process. History has shown how Afghanistan fell apart into civil war after the Americans pulled out in the early 1990s.

Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic society, with Uzbeks, Tajiks and Pashtuns all in sizable numbers. Hopefully, Mr Karzai's government will take a leaf out of the book of peaceful multi-ethnic countries like Singapore. Tolerance and undestanding are a must. Already, the signs of recovery are there and one can only hope that they will be allowed to continue so that Afghanistan may one day reclaim her place in the world.

INTRODUCTION – SINGAPORE

Now, on to my inroduction of an Asian country. As a Singaporean, it seems only apt that I introduce my home in my very first column. Singapore is a tiny little island situated on the southern tip of the Malayan Peninsula, barely 650 square kilometres in size. It has a population of nearly 4 million, which makes it one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The weather is hot and wet year round, with more rain especially during the monsoon periods. Temperatures in excess of 32 degrees Celsius are common and humidity is always very high.

Historically, Singapore has been linked with Malaysia. In 1826, Penang, Malacca and Singapore were combined to form the Straits Settlements, a common administrative unit of these 3 British colonies. This system continued until World War 2, when the Japanese conquered Singapore and brought much suffering. After the war, Singapore was made a separate Crown Colony till self-government was granted in 1959. Singapore merged with Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963, but this union ended in 1965 when Singapore declared independence. However, the close social links between the two countries continues on today. Singapore has largely relied on entrepot trade to survive. Since it's founding in 1819, it served as a centre for trade in South-East Asia and still does today. Singapore's port and airport are constantly ranked among the top few in the world. Now, tourism constitues a major proportion of Singapore's economy but there has been a shift to the life sciences, which the Singapore government considers the next big economic revolution. Western views of Singapore are usually negative, labelling it as a nanny state, since the Singapore government runs various campaigns every year, encouraging people not to smoke, drink and drive and to be more courteous. For all the criticisms, these campaigns have helped improve Singapore. Singapore is a cleaner and healthier place than many Western cities and our crime rates are amongst the lowest in the world. Tourists have commented that they feel safe walking around at 2 in the morning, something they would not dare to do in places like New York. Another misguided view of Singapore is that it is a inhumane place, with speech and freedom restricted. This is probably due to a case involving an American vandal in 1994, who was caned by Singaporem authorities. Many labelled such punishments draconian. Frankly, such punishments were carried out commonly in the West not too long ago and they are remarkably effective. If such punishments were draconian, why do we not see Asian students suing their European headmasters for canings meted out to them 50 years ago? Besides, such punishments are painful deterrents but do not leave the offender any physical disablities bar a few scars.

With regard to free speech, many have criticized the Singapore government for wantonly suing opponents and restricting their freedom. The general public should look carefully at such things. If someone has made a statement about someone else, he or she must be prepared to defend that statement in court, if necessary. You are responsible for what you do and say after all. Free speech is allowed in Singapore contary to media reports, it is just a matter of standing up for what you say when challenged. Those who cannot do that after having been proven to have defamed others will naturally claim a lack of free speech but they should look hard in the mirror and wonder who is responsible. Singapore is a peaceful multi-racial and multi-religious hub. Chinese, Malays and Indians all live and play peacefully together. There are numerous major faiths, like Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism, etc. However, there have been no major conflicts for the past 30 years. This shows the benifits of a tolerant and understanding government policy. Many countries have modelled themselves after Singapore. It is my sincere hope that places like Kosovo and Afghanistan will achieve a peaceful multi-ethnic community like Singapore's, and the world will be much more peaceful.