What if S'pore doesn't survive?

Two possible scenarios - Singaporeans as Malaysians or British subjects.

Michael Y.P. Ang| April 14, 05:44 PM

Can you imagine being a non-Singaporean? Have you ever thought what our lives would be like if our beloved nation ceases to be a sovereign state sometime in the future?

With the passing of Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, and with the Republic's Jubilee year just four months away, the topic of the Lion City's survivability could very well be on the minds of many Singaporeans.

In fact, one week before Lee's death, the book "Can Singapore Survive?" was launched. Its author, former Singaporean diplomat and the Dean of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Kishore Mahbubani, calls on Singaporeans to reflect on whether our tiny island nation can survive as a city state.

Can_Spore_Survive Source

 

Possible overpopulation

Last July, Singapore's former chief urban planner Liu Thai Ker raised the issue of the Republic's long-term survivability while calling for a national plan that would allow the island to accommodate 10 million people by 2090.

The former CEO of the Urban Redevelopment Authority said, “How long do you want Singapore to exist as a sovereign state? Certainly beyond 2030, so we should plan for the longer term and for this 10 million figure as we cannot curb population growth after 2030."

Singaporeans to become Malaysians?

Whether overpopulation will become so severe a problem by the end of the century and cause Singapore to lose its independence is uncertain.

But what's certain is that the government will do everything it can to maintain the Republic's sovereignty. Nevertheless, we should be prepared for the unthinkable, just in case Singapore doesn't survive. The late Lee had doubts about our long-term independence and spoken about the possibility of Singapore rejoining Malaysia.

After all, when the Republic separated from its Causeway neighbour in 1965, "the expectation was that we would fail and we will go back".

Besides such a scenario, let's consider an alternative.

A British territory again

PM_Prince_William Source: Lee Hsien Loong Facebook

 

Is it possible for Singapore to return to British rule? Would Britain even consider this? Note that the UK's global stature has diminished, and recolonising Singapore could stengthen its role as a global player, considering that South-east Asia is a region in which there is escalating Sino-US strategic competition.

Returning to Britain, rather than Malaysia, would likely be more palatable. 140 years of British rule, from 1819 to 1959, had seemingly cast a spell on Singaporeans, who go gaga over various aspects of British culture.

Imagine what would happen if Singtel and StarHub both consider English Premier League (EPL) broadcast rights too costly, and EPL matches are consequently not televised here.

It's a guarantee for another Hong Lim Park protest. No other sporting competition involving teams from a single country has such a stranglehold on Singaporeans.

When William and Kate visited Singapore in 2012, thousands rushed to catch a glimpse of the royal couple. Many were even waving the Union Jack.

Furthermore, most of us are more proficient in English than in any of the other three official languages.

So what could our lives be like under British rule? Return tomorrow to find out.

 

Tomorrow's Part Two will show how British rule could potentially save Singaporean taxpayers billions of dollars every year, give Singaporeans more public holidays, eliminate the ERP, and lead to a massive cut in politicians' salaries.

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 YourSingapore Facebook page.

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