Tuesday, January 26, 2010 7:13 PM
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Chaba Gryphon" <...........@gmail.com>
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To: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
Dear Mr. Nair,
As you can see my name is Chaba Gryphon and I'm an entrepreneur living in Los Angeles. You can "google me" if you'd like.
I have to admit that I have been fascinated with Singapore for a long time and initially I was a big fan, until I found out what's really going on. I even bought Lee Kuan Yew's book mostly for the solutions he implemented, like the HDB, the CPF and others.
I'm German but I was born in Hungary and several years ago I was preparing to go back to run for office there. I did lots of research to find solutions for common things like taxation, health care, pensions, elections without money etc. Everything was great until I realized that Hungarians SAY they want change but they really don't. So, I gave up on that idea and focused on business instead. However, I still have this urge for nation building because I have a very wide field of interest.
I recently came across your blog and I'm reading it now but I wanted to ask you something, if I may.
In your opinion, are Singapore's laws and regulations and political system fundamentally sound but mismanaged and misused by Lee, his family and their cronies OR are the laws, regulations and political system of Singapore basically flawed and need major change?
I'm aware that certain aspects like suppression of free speech, free media and other heavy handed things would need to be done away with, but do most things in Singapore basically provide a solid foundation? A good foundation.
Having lived in a communist and socialist country and then having lived here in the U.S. I've seen and studied many systems and in my opinion Singapore is the most workable (with the above mentioned exceptions) and the least likely to be taken advantage of by large corporations and individuals with money and power. After all even here in the U.S. money talks and most lose out to the few on the top. And I'm a business man who is for capitalism. BUT after these past couple of years we now know that unbridled capitalism needs checks, or otherwise it can destroy a country.
What is your opinion on this? Please let me know.
Sincerely,
Chaba Gryphon
MY RESPONSE
Question on Singapore
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 12:44 AM
From: "Gopalan Nair"
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To: "Chaba Gryphon" <.........@gmail.com>
Hello Chaba,
Thank you for your Email. Your Email can be best be answered by quoting George Orwell in 1984 "All you need is able to say 2 and 2 is 4. Then everything falls into place".
That is the problem with Singapore. In the US there is corruption, mismanagement and everything else. But you can complain publicly. In Singpaore you cannot. That is why Lee Kuan Yew can get away with anything he wants. That is what China is. That is what Singapore is.
Both Singapore and China have strong economic growth. So had Nazi Germany. But still they are very unpleasant places to live in.
There are several books you can read about the true side of Singapore.
Thanks for your interest.
Gopalan Nair
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