While researching for an essay on Singapore's recent history, I chanced upon this article, from Time.com, dated 1 Jan 1966, which only serves to remind us how far we've come.

The Boom That Went Bust

The tiny island of Singapore, strategically situated midway between India and China, has long been a commercial center of Southeast Asia. It processes and exports rubber, tin, pepper and copra from Malaya and Borneo, imports machinery from Australia, Britain and the U.S. Its trade has made it a leading banking, warehousing and insurance city in Asia. When Singapore joined with neighboring Malaya, nearby Sarawak and North Borneo in 1963 to form the rich Federation of Malaysia its 1.8 million people prepared expectantly for a boom in business.

The boom began all right—but it went bust after Singapore's expulsion from the federation last August as a result of racial and political conflicts. Instead of a boom, Singapore now faces such critical problems as widespread unemployment (13.5%), dwindling trade (down 20%), and tense relations with Malaya, on which Singapore depends for, among other things, its water supply and its raw materials. Singapore's leaders are trying to keep their nation's economy afloat by a massive switch from trade to manufacturing, are urging industrial countries to set up plants in Singapore and buy its products. If the switch fails, says Defense Minister Goh Keng Swee, "it's a certain deduction that the Communists will eventually win power by free elections"—a statement that is clearly made to elicit help and sympathy from the U.S.

Production Cutbacks. The push for industry is centered in a new 9,000-acre manufacturing city called Jurong that has been hacked out of mangrove swamps and jungled hills. So far, 47 factories there make products ranging from ships and socks to tires and toothpaste, and another 16 plants are abuilding. But the factories were designed to supply the federation's 11 million customers, and since the breakup Malaysia has erected high tariff walls against Singapore-made goods. Result: most factories have cut production drastically, are searching for overseas markets to take up the slack. They are plagued by strike-prone unions, face increasingly stiff competition from aggressive and more experienced manufacturers in Hong Kong, Japan and Formosa.

Pleasure Dome. As one step to boost employment, Singapore hopes to resume its profitable $500 million-a-year trade with Indonesia, halted 18 months ago in protest against Indonesia's guerrilla war with Malaya. The island's dire need for business has led it since October to sell the U.S. more than $2,000,000 worth of supplies for Viet Nam, though it disapproves of U.S. policy there. Premier Lee Kuan Yew is also considering making Singapore available as a rest spot for dollar-laden U.S. troops from Viet Nam. The most intriguing proposal, however, is for a gambling and tourist resort on Pulau Sajahat ("Naughty Island") off Singapore's coast. This Asian pleasure dome would feature greyhound racing, nightspots and hotels, could double Singapore's 90,000 tourists a year.

Despite these prospects, Singapore may face insurmountable odds. Manufacturing provides only 20% of its gross national product, and the vast British naval and military bases provide 23%. Thus more than half Singapore's economy is still dependent upon trade, and as the country's relations with its neighbors remain tense, other Asian lands are eagerly grabbing its business.



Meanwhile, I drag my feet on essays, revisions and etc. So do not expect the 2007 year end entry to be published on 31 Dec 2007, it will instead be out 15 Jan 2008. Will be home a day after. :)

夜幕低垂，虽然现在只不过是五点半，房里却是那么得安静。在新加坡的老家，这个时间可热闹了，从我的屋里就能听到汽车在旁边的马路行驶，和孩子们在回家途中发出嚷嚷的笑声，而夕下的太阳把外头的天空染成绚烂的红橘色。

我在北京已住了近七十天，生活也渐渐有了规律。那一天我在宜家购物，商场里竟然播放着圣诞歌曲，忽然提醒我年关将近（又该为年底的回顾篇动脑筋了）。时间过得真快，我一年前正式退伍，结束了一年零八个月的兵役。那时候我们为新的生活欢呼，大学的时光对我们而言好像离得很远似的。因为学校九月开课，当时嫌着没事干，自己就打工去了。首先，是找了份导游的工作，乘观光车带来自世界各地的朋友到名胜地走走。后来，待新学年的开始，回到了母校当临时的历史老师。

其实做的事并不多吗，时间却像流沙在我手指间流失。这是成人都会面对的问题吗？难道生命真的有如乘坐过山车，刚开始时缓缓而行，快速地转了几圈后，又慢慢地回到了原点，连停下来回味的机会都没有吗？生活节奏快，快到我们忘了什么是快乐，什么是幸福。在忙着打报告时，你是否忽略了周围的家人、朋友？他们可是你回忆的全部，你幸福的泉源，是你年老时可依靠的精神支柱。

虽然我那么说，但自己也做不到，让我深感惭愧。不过，仍然得努力，加油！

Since I’ve been unable to study productively, I might as well attempt to wax lyrical of life these days. It’s probably 6 degrees in Beijing tonight, and man do I hate winter: waking up cold, shivering while walking on the streets, and sunsets at 5.00 p.m. I have frostbite, an unfamiliar term till recently – it’s basically when blood begins to ooze out from the lines on your skin without you knowing.

Otherwise, life has been quiet. The group of Singaporean freshmen went to 九寨沟, 黄龙, 乐山, and 峨眉山 over the Chinese National Day holidays to literally 游山玩水. School is in full swing, though I’m only beginning to feel it now. I’m still trying to adjust to studying because I think I have devoted too much time to living – doing household chores and procuring essential items for the room.

Pardon my melancholic bout; it’s likely the choice of music, a mix of Corrinne May and Chen Qi Zhen that has set this tone. What’s my, borrowing a phrase from Facebook, “current status”? Empty. I guess this sense of emptiness has not gone away since JC days – this feeling of, well, really nothing at all. I’ve not been too ecstatic, neither have I been overly depressed. I’m still trying to figure out who I am, really, so the passing of my 21st birthday has not been, in my opinion, anything to rejoice at. For that’s not a milestone of any kind.

I guess there’s no answer. Meanwhile, I can only live life as it is, and attempt to be healthier. Too many people have been asking me if I was sick ever since I arrived in Beijing, when I’m perfectly fine. Maybe it’s the little humidity. Maybe it’s the pollution. Maybe it’s the lack of nutritious food. Maybe…

I lost my temper yesterday, screaming at an unreasonable ticket attendant who accused us of entering with used tickets when the attendant at the door has already torn it. I haven’t lost my cool in years. You meet all sorts of people here, most are nice but some are just plain weird. Like this girl who calls or messages me very randomly, to the point that I am utterly exasperated at her rather childish behaviour.

I look forward to my sister (and my new red ipod nano – because I misplaced the other one) arriving in Beijing in mid-November. Hopefully life will get better from then.

I am in Beijing, the capital of People’s Republic of China, which is one of the world’s ten most polluted cities in the world, home to the Forbidden Palace and Tiananmen Square, host city of the 2008 Olympics, and a place where 13 million people reside in.

Life has been good so far. Weather’s still similar to Singapore’s though I was told after one week of continuous gusts of winds, it will be winter where temperature can drop to below zero degrees. Food comes in mega portions but I am fine with more oil and salt, and not forgetting the price! For S$4.50, you can have an 8 course meal in a decent restaurant. So it’s certainly good news for me.

We had our convocation last week, which is not compulsory for foreigners but hey, we might as well go for it, right? And it was a true to nature Chinese affair. 4 mega red flags flank the university’s logo, and the event started off with 4 male singers, decked in tuxedos, along with a soprano, teaching us en-masse how to sing the school song. When the VIPs finally came, the anthem was played by a student orchestra, followed by the usual speeches and videos.



My room is almost done up. We live in this dingy old place but precisely because of that, we have the maximum creativity to do home improvements – things like linoleum from Jin Wu Xing, which is a wholesale market three times the size of Expo that sells everything, and cupboards from Ikea. When it’s fully complete, I will post pictures. Right now I’m trying to find that stalk of Vanda Miss Joaquim…

Till then. :)

轻轻闭上眼睛 此刻我觉得清醒
已经不需要 一些挽留字句
这绚烂新世纪 深情已不受欢迎
爱你那么用力 却好像一场闹剧

嘿我要走了
昨天的对白已不再重要
我已见过最美的一幕
只是在此刻都要结束

你我不断找寻 然后再不断放弃
不断的犯错 然后再不断远离
如果你还肯听 我想说声我爱你
反正自做多情 是我看家本领

嘿我要走了
昨天的对白已不再重要
我已见过最美的一幕
只是在此刻都要结束

轻轻闭上眼睛 此刻我觉得清醒
已经不需要 一些挽留字句
这绚烂新世纪 深情已不受欢迎
收拾我的行李去找寻新的自己

都要结束