Under The Angsana Tree: Singapore: A 1st World country with 3rd World citizens

Tommy Koh laments

Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh laments that Singapore is a First World country with Third World people. Many Singaporeans lack the civic-mindedness that citizens of an advanced country should have, he said on Tuesday (Oct 1).

"I am more critical of Singaporeans than of the Government. Many of our people don't give a damn for the environment when they should. Many of our people are selfish and unkind. Just look at the way they drive," Prof Koh said, drawing laughter from his audience.

He was speaking at the Singapore Bicentennial Conference, organised by the Institute of Policy Studies. It was held at Raffles City Convention Centre and ended on Tuesday.

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Prof Koh tells 4G leaders: We don’t want more S’poreans to become Grab drivers and angry voters

At the Singapore Bicentennial Conference yesterday (1 Oct), the former Singapore’s UN Permanent Representative Professor Tommy Koh cautioned the 4th generation PAP leaders that two of their priorities should be to maintain racial and religious harmony and make Singapore a more equal society.

These include looking into allegations of discriminatory hiring practices and working to make Singapore a classless society, he told the audience. He said, “Today, Singapore is not a classless society. We are divided by wealth, by income, by profession, by place of residence, and even by the school we attend.”

He hopes the 4G leaders will help establish a more caring and inclusive society in Singapore, with employers and the Government stepping in to help those who will be laid off as the economy restructures.

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Online users agree with Prof Tommy Koh’s that Singapore is a first world country with third world people

On Tuesday (1 October), National University of Singapore Professor Dr Tommy Koh opined that Singapore is a first world country with third world citizens as many of them don’t have the civic-mindedness that is required out of people in an advanced country.

“I am more critical of Singaporeans than of the Government. Many of our people don’t give a damn for the environment when they should. Many of our people are selfish and unkind. Just look at the way they drive,” explained the Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said this while speaking at the Singapore Bicentennial Conference, conducted at Raffles City Convention Centre. The conference was organised by the Institute of Policy Studies. During the dialogue, Prof Koh and Bloomberg News editor-in-chief John Micklethwait came together to discuss areas in which the people of Singapore can improve.

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Diplomat Tommy Koh spells out wish list for 4G leaders

Professor Tommy Koh (left) speaking at a dialogue at the Singapore Bicentennial Conference yesterday, with The Straits Times editor Warren Fernandez (centre), who was chairing the panel, and Bloomberg News editor-in-chief John Micklethwait. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

As Singapore's fourth-generation leaders prepare to step up to the plate, two of their priorities should be to maintain racial and religious harmony and make Singapore a more equal society, Professor Tommy Koh said yesterday.

These include looking into allegations of discriminatory hiring practices and working to make Singapore a classless society, he said.

"Today, Singapore is not a classless society. We are divided by wealth, by income, by profession, by place of residence, and even by the school we attend."

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Singaporeans can be more civic-minded, considerate, says Prof Koh

Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh laments that Singapore is a First World country with Third World people. Many Singaporeans lack the civic-mindedness that citizens of an advanced country should have, he said yesterday.

“I am more critical of Singaporeans than of the Government. Many of our people don’t give a damn for the environment when they should. Many of our people are selfish and unkind. Just look at the way they drive,” Prof Koh said, drawing laughter from his audience.

He was at the Singapore Bicentennial Conference, organised by the Institute of Policy Studies.

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Tommy Koh laments that Singapore is a First World country with Third World citizens

Professor Tommy Koh, Straits Times editor and editor-in-chief of Singapore Press Holdings English/Malay/Tamil Media Group Warren Fernandez and Bloomberg News editor-in-chief John Micklethwait during a dialogue at the Singapore Bicentennial Conference on Oct 1, 2019.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh laments that Singapore is a First World country with Third World people. Many Singaporeans lack the civic-mindedness that citizens of an advanced country should have, he said on Tuesday (Oct 1).

"I am more critical of Singaporeans than of the Government. Many of our people don't give a damn for the environment when they should. Many of our people are selfish and unkind. Just look at the way they drive," Prof Koh said, drawing laughter from his audience.

He was speaking at the Singapore Bicentennial Conference, organised by the Institute of Policy Studies. It was held at Raffles City Convention Centre and ended on Tuesday.

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Tommy Koh spoke his mind & was full of quotable quotes at S’pore Bicentennial Conference

First-World country, Third-World citizens

During the dialogue, Koh shared some observations he had about Singapore, which was reported by The Straits Times on Oct. 1.

Koh noted that many Singaporeans “don’t give a damn for the environment when they should” and that he is “more critical of Singaporeans than of the government”. “Many of our people are selfish and unkind. Just look at the way they drive,” he said.

Koh also put forth several suggestions for the 4G leaders via an eight-point agenda which he drew up for the country’s next prime minister and his team to consider as part of their priorities in governance.

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Freedom of speech is the “right to agree with government and the right to disagree” – Tommy Koh

"We should not demonise Alfian Sa’at. He is one of our most talented playwrights. I regard him as a loving critic of Singapore. He is not anti-Singapore," said Tommy Koh in defence of the playwright

The comments of Singapore’s Education Minister Ong Ye Kung while responding to questions from Members of Parliament over the Yale-NUS out-of-classroom programme, created another controversy as he allegedly singled out playwright Alfian Sa’at for his role behind the scrapped dissent and protest programme.

Several prominent figures in the arts community — as well as Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh — spoke up for playwright Alfian Sa’at and said, “We should not demonise Alfian Sa’at. He is one of our most talented playwrights. I regard him as a loving critic of Singapore. He is not anti-Singapore.”

“It is of course true that some (of) his writings are critical of Singapore,” Prof Koh said, adding: “But freedom of speech means the right to agree with the Government as well as the right to disagree. I feel that I should defend him at this moment when he must feel discouraged and worried and friendless,” he said.

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People’s Voice Lim Tean in agreement with veteran architect that MPs are not “estate managers”

Tay Kheng Soon calls for a separate full-time manager to handle daily tasks of a constituency

People’s Voice founding leader Lim Tean took to his Facebook on Monday (18 November) to pen his agreement with veteran architect Tay Kheng Soon who stated that the role of a Member of Parliament (MP) is to be a “legislator in Parliament to enact laws” and not exactly “be the manager of the everyday municipal affairs of his constituency”.

“We agree totally with Tay Kheng Soon that an MP is not an estate manager! I said this during the television debate in GE 2015. If you want an estate manager as MP, then make sure your MP has professional qualification to be an estate manager,” Lim Tean wrote in his post. He also noted that even if the MPs are expected to be estate managers, People’s Action Party (PAP) MPs “fare poorly compared to the Opposition ones”.

“Was very impressed with how squeaky clean Jalan Damai under Pritam Singh is, whereas parts of Woodlands under PAP are the slums Lee Kuan Yew said Opposition wards would turn into. That has not happened!” Lim Tean explained.

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Lim Tean shared a post. November 18 at 9:30 PM

We Agree Totally With Tay Kheng Soon That An MP Is Not An Estate Manager!

I said this during the televised debate in GE 2015. If you want an estate manager as MP, then make sure your MP has professional qualifications to be an estate manager.

Even if we want the MP to be an estate manager, the PAP MPs fare poorly compared to the Opposition ones. Was very impressed with how squeaky clean Jalan Damai under Pritam Singh is, whereas parts of Woodlands under the PAP are the slums Lee Kuan Yew said Opposition wards would turn into. That has not happened!

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Tay Kheng Soon November 18 at 5:13 PM

The role of an MP is primarily that of a legislator in Parliament to enact laws. His role in his constituency is to learn and reflect the views of his constituents regarding the laws of the land.

There has been a great misunderstanding of this role as it evolved over the years. The MP is not and never meant to be the manager of the everyday municiple affairs of his constituency. This is and should be done by full time managers employed for this.

As legislator he will of course want to seek out the views of his constituents on the laws and regulations that affect the country and also his constituents. Laws such as disallowing PMDs on footpaths or CECA or foreign policy relations with China and USA. His meet the people sessions us for this. To demand that an MP be responsible for a locked firehose in a fire is totally wrong.

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