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OPINION

The Singaporeans Lack the Human Touch?
After relishing Vedette's vignette on the versatile Singaporeans and the pane gyric fireworks on their city of lions (Star. July 2). it would not be uncharitable to round up the image of their strength; because, paradoxically enough, their weakness lies in their very strength — the lack of human touch.
The Singaporeans are ad mirable company during office and business hours: deadly keen on paging their efficiency. But how do you communicate with them during the leisure hours (not business lunch/dinner/parties: and outside the hotel)? That is the dilemma of the tourists, visitors. and resident foreigners. Of course the Singaporeans are far better than the Japanese (stress on formality) — some wit dubbed the J tourists as mobile Islands.
About one and a half years ago, I wrote a piece on this lack of lackness (for the Singapore press). The situation has been improving rapidly since the venerable old man decided on an active retirement. Three cheers for the leadership for cultivating the power of the blndu (the dot called Singapura). From the centre the aura spreads, and it is time for outsiders to enjoy the fringe pleasure of the company of Singaporeans. They are coming out of their shells (note the show on BTV).
The key question is "After development, what else, or what next?" It is encouraging to watch that the dehumanizing' process is on. (1 would prefer a softer term than 'dehumanizing'): and the robots are trying to loosen their fixation on efficiency, and fumbling to tackle the leisure hours with state sponsored friendship clubs and other attractive props; keeping one eye on beiow-zero population growth rate, and the other on the attractive non-spinsters.
The modern narcissism with the minute hand of the watch la deplorable phtfosoph ically. In my country the first advice I used to offer to the foreign experts was to forget the minute hand, as we go by the hour hand (due to clrcum stances beyond our control). While window-shopping in Geneva. I came across a wrist watch which showed time by colour windows changing its aperture. Hence the time could only be read to only within two minutes of the correct time — the tension remover watch of the modern age! I bought one. but found it to be useless in the developing countries, where time is timeless! '
1 am very much tempted to ask a Singaporean: what would you like to have which money cannot buy? How to remove this invisible wall which inhibit. fraternization? To be self-sufficient within one's own -society is one of the lesser goals of life, and a very limited objective. Why we do not aspire to be citizens of the world?
In Singapore, what do you do after the business, and the shopping? You cannot talk to a self-regimented mind obsessed with self-Improvement. Personalities come in various geometric shapes. The best company is a sphere. A triangle has three sharp projections: a square or rectangle has four. How do you match with a cone or pyramid? One move I appreciated was publicizing the thoughts of Conhicius.
Singapore appears to be saturated, and brain drain is causing concern. Some foreign factories have shifted or are shifting to other ASEAN countries. The new factories are robot and high-tech oriented. Singapore has been depending on services rather than exports. Besides, the Singapore dollar is getting stronger and stronger. The problem is how to prevent flattening of the development curve at the top. This Is the current challenge facing Singapore, hence we hear of new and enterprising schemes to remain at the top
What Is life, if full of care, there is no time to stand and stare?
My last message: "Singapore. here I come r
A Mawaz