What if S'pore doesn't survive?

Let's imagine our lives as British subjects.

Michael Y.P. Ang| April 16, 09:35 AM

In yesterday's Part One, I raised the possibility of Singapore again becoming a British territory should we not survive as a sovereign state. Let's see what life as a British subject could be like for us.

Stress? What stress?

Returning to British rule could see Singapore gaining new public holidays, making life less stressful. It would make sense that a British territory observes British holidays, in addition to those related to local cultures.

In England, Easter Monday is a holiday, providing an extended long weekend when combined with Good Friday.

That's not all. Every year, the first and last Mondays in May as well as August's last Monday are all holidays. That's three more long weekends! Maybe life as a British subject isn't all that bad.

Compulsory NS axed; politicians' pay cut

The loss of sovereignty removes the need for a defence ministry, with the colonial ruler taking over military defence. Remember, even when Singapore began self-rule in 1959, the British were still responsible for our national defence and foreign affairs.

Without compulsory National Service, young Singaporean men would be able to enter the corporate world two years earlier. Two extra years building a career and raising a family might even boost Singapore's birth rate.

Without independence, a city state is just a city. There would neither be a parliament nor a prime minister. Instead, there would be a city council headed by an elected mayor.

Since the mayor of a British territory is naturally paid less than the British PM, our PM-turned-mayor will have to settle for a more down-to-earth salary. His salary cut and those of Cabinet ministers won't be the only sources of monetary gain for Singaporean taxpayers.

Another source comes from not having to maintain a defence ministry. Budget 2015 estimates Mindef will spend $13.12 billion this financial year. Even if we were to pay the UK a defence tax of £1 billion (S$2.03b) for military support, we would still be left with around $11.09 billion in annual savings. Remember, this amount doesn't even include politicians' salary reductions.

ERP eliminated?

Without compulsory NS, Pulau Tekong's army camp would become redundant, paving the way for Tekong to be transformed into a mini-Singapore, with residential and commercial real estate, schools, sports arenas and community centres, as well as a bridge linking the island to mainland Singapore.

A significant portion of CBD businesses could be enticed to relocate to Tekong. If those working in these relocated companies move to Tekong, peak-hour traffic on the ECP and AYE would be massively driven down, so much so that the ERP might become redundant.

GOAL 2050

With so much extra money (more than $11b) every year, perhaps we could pursue GOAL 2050 to wipe out that GOAL 2010 nightmare.

Imagine pumping $100m into football development every year, with $40m for player salaries. Assuming an eight-team S-League with each club having a 25-player squad, the average annual salary would be $200,000.

Do you see the '$' sign running through the eyes of Singaporean parents now? Even a $100,000 rookie-player salary would likely be enough to convince parents their sons should pursue a footballing career.

After spending $100m on football, Singapore would still be left with almost $11b in annual savings, on top of politicians' pay cuts.

Now, imagine what else we could do with all that money – every year.

Despite his desire for more long weekends, the writer, like all proud Singaporeans, wishes Singapore remains an independent republic.

 

Michael Y.P. Ang is a Singaporean freelance journalist. In 1999, he was among the core group of journalists who helped launch Channel NewsAsia (CNA), where he covered sports and entertainment events, crime, and the 2001 General Elections. Follow his Facebook page Michael Ang Sports for commentaries on Singaporean sport.

Top photo from Your Singapore Facebook.