[skinnylatte]

I joined because I'm frankly a little amused by some of these comments.

More totalitarian: how do you quantify that?

I was born and brought up in Singapore and do business in all those countries (tech startup). That sentiment is alien (and not just because I'm Singaporean), it's because Malaysia for example is more totalitarian and is also on the way to becoming a failed state economically and socially. You seem to be reasonably well-versed in the cultural aspects of those countries, but how much of the political institutions do you know — to back up such a claim, anyway? Have you seen Thailand and the junta lately?

[jpatokal]

Dictionary definition: "Totalitarianism is a political system in which the state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever possible." Singapore is pretty much the poster boy for this.

Malaysia certainly has aspirations to be as totalitarian as Singapore; however, the government is too incompetent and consumed with in-fighting to actually accomplish it.

Thailand is just a garden-variety military dictatorship, the junta hold the levers of power but doesn't really appear to know what to do with them.

[contingencies]

What a surprise that you are Singaporean, lah.

[skinnylatte]

What a surprise that you're an American who believes that your visits to such locations give you the divine right to tell us off (looking at your ignorant comments in the other threads). And that you would use 'lah' inappropriately.

[contingencies]

More baseless personal attacks. I'm neither American nor ignorant, and non-Singaporeans can surely see that. I am however deeply troubled by the assertion that my use of 'lah' may have been judged inappropriate! Singlish is clearly both stylish and useful, and has a definitively bright future in brainwashing, lah. Keep the language pure, latte. Live life on the edge: have another coffee. Political opposition indeed. More like forcibly conscripted psychological operations government mouthpiece.

[skinnylatte]

I'm troubled by your continued assertion that only your thoughts on Singapore count, more than that of any Singaporeans.

And that only you get to make personal attacks on anybody. Your thoughts are so clever and I am so intimidated. I must surely be wrong.

[doppp]

Just like how you were troubled by her being a 7 karma point naysayer.

[sleepyhead]

Stand back people - expert coming through - this guy knows the local lingo.