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reality bites we just a very small country. Internally we very strong but cannot control external events.
A lot of the things that we take for granted everyday comes from our neighbors without having good relations with them life can be very difficult here.
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(14-03-2014, 10:53 AM)sgd Wrote: reality bites we just a very small country. Internally we very strong but cannot control external events.
A lot of the things that we take for granted everyday comes from our neighbors without having good relations with them life can be very difficult here.
Yes, agree.
Whenever I heard comparison of Singapore with other countries like Australia, Malaysia etc, I will remind myself on that point. The survival of Singapore is a miracle, isn't it? May be Singapore is different now, survival doesn't need miracle anymore, but extraordinary effort/measures still needed to compensate for the inborn lackings, IMO
I reckon there is a good reason to tag Singapore as Sampan version 2, instead of a cruise ship by PM Lee.
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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it's a miracle only with our neighbors cooperation, if nobody cooperated with SG no government here can do it. but leaders come and go every leader has a different way of doing things. Last x our r/s with indonesia was very cosy with suharto but now like gone downhill. last x r/s with malaysia during Dr M was not so good but now quite ok with the current gov but who knows what the future may bring.
We actually very vulnerable. Our grain from thailand, our meat and lng gas from indonesia, our veg and water from msia, the air we breathe depends on their cooperation. security in shipping lanes depends on cooperation.
Reality hit me last year a slap in the face, I was at esplanade looking over at MBS and all the other world class attractions that has been built looks so nice if only it wasn't all covered in thick haze.