The contrast could not be sharper.
In Washington, adoring crowds and music legends celebrated the arrival of President elect Barack Obama, who responded with a rousing message of hope despite the economic crisis and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Despite the enormity of the task that lies ahead, I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure, that it will prevail, that the dream of our founders will live on in our time,” he said.
What gives him hope is his fellow Americans, he said. “It is you — Americans of every race and region and station who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there,” he said at the Lincoln Memorial concert.
Singapore’s leaders, meanwhile, seemed overwhelmed by the global economic downturn.
“There is very little we can do to try and mitigate the impact of such a major decline in external demand,” said Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang, speaking in Parliament.
The economy won't recover from the current “sharp” recession until the second half of this year, he said.
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said the government might dip into government reserves for the first time to boost the ailing economy, but that might not be enough, he added.
“Of course, to have economic growth, you've got to stimulate demand. But this time it's a global recession, and it's beyond us. We can do what we can in Singapore, but it's not going to solve our economic growth problem,” he said.
Such admissions are poignant, from the lips of leaders with an enviable record of success.
Senior Minister Goh, as prime minister, pulled Singapore through the Asian economic crisis in 1998 and the economic downturn in 2001.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was his able deputy at the time.
When even they plead helplessness, the problem must be colossal.
Obama can confront his problems in Washington with one big advantage Singapore lacks.
America is a big country with enough resources not to be completely dependent on the global economy like Singapore. Some sectors of the US economy may even gain from protection.
Singapore, on the other hand, could not survive without international trade. With a population of 4.84 million and a land area of 707 square kilometres, about half the size of Greater London, it is too small to sustain even the local industries.
The Singapore recession will continue till the global economy recovers.
People in Singapore understand this.
But the government is taking no chances if the Financial Times is to be believed. It reports:
Singapore has signalled that it will adopt a carrot-and-stick approach in dealing with possible public unrest as the city-state enters would could be its worst post-war recession by increasing spending and tightening laws against political protests.
Goh Chok Tong, Singapore’s senior minister, suggested that the government will tap government reserves for the first time to increase spending in this year’s budget in an effort to save jobs.
The government also unveiled plans to crack down on acts of civil disobedience, with a new law expected to be in place before Singapore hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November, said Wong Kan Seng, the home minister. Police would be given pre-emptive powers to prevent people gathering at important government buildings, he said.
Although Singapore is known for imposing strict limits on public assembly, banning those of five people or more, Mr Wong claimed that current laws were inadequate in dealing with civil disobedience actions. ”This cannot go on,” he said.
The move appears aimed at curbing the Singapore Democratic Party, the most outspoken of the opposition groups, which has focused on the issues of growing income inequality and restrictions on civil liberties by staging civil disobedience acts.
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Well, the real work starts now. Obamamania felt good, and it still feels good. How that translates into good (or real change) is another question altogether. Americans may feel jubilant — I don’t begrudge them that — but they have many issues with which to contend, as Obama acknowledged. First off, a national debt of US$10 trillion. Now, you can’t talk your way out of debt.
I take your point though: who wouldn’t want a leader of charisma? At the same time, we can’t fault our ministers for being so bland. You either have charisma, or you don’t. It’s not something that one can learn or be taught. So yes, our ministers are a very soulless lot.