Singapore  29th April

I don’t usually get into Singapore.  I don’t really understand Singapore.  Almost twenty years ago William Gibson famously labeled the Lion City as “Disneyland with the death penalty” and ‘a city that feels like it was designed by the accounts department at IBM.’  Lee Kuan Yew really liked those comments. But then I thought parts of Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore did have that feel to it – if Orchard Road was a cheese it would be a Kraft Cheddar not a mouldy Italian gorgonzola or a rich French brie, or even an English Stilton.  That shopping precinct would  definitely be Kraft Cheddar; presliced and plastic wrapped.

When Linda and I came here with our children 8 years ago it was still Lee Kuan Yew’s city.  Mitch and I actually met the one democratically elected member of the opposition.  He was pulling a cart around the streets trying to sell books to make a living.  He had been a barrister, but almost as soon as he was elected various government ministers took turns suing him. Always the case was thrown out but eventually he was made bankrupt which disqualified him from sitting in parliament – the democratic way to execute anyone with the temerity to question the dictator.  Apart from drugs and guns of course, j-walking was illegal, long hair prohibited, smoking in a public place was a finable offence, littering could get you arrested and chewing gum was totally banned.

Singapore has changed.  I have seen young people with tattoos and dyed hair.  I have seen evidence of  an Arts culture starting to emerge.  I have seen couples who are obviously and openly gay.  And this year a law was passed allowing Singaporeans to buy chewing gum – for medical reasons only of course. But at least you can now choose your Kraft cheddar in slices that aren’t entirely uniform.

There have always been things about Singapore I have loved since I first came here in 1975.  I love the old Chinatown and Little India districts and the fact that they’re still there and still thriving.  I love eating here, certainly one of my top two food cities in the world.  I love places like La Pa Sat where your green tea is served in glasses that are of different vintages and random sizes.  I love seeing the old men and women who still pray at the family shrine in front of the shop. Singapore does multi-culturalism FAR better than Australia and Australians.  And I think I will enjoy Singapore even more as it becomes less restricted.   Lee Kuan Yew would be horrified at how much his son has let things slip, but me, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. Now if only they could bake a decent loaf of bread to go with that Kraft cheddar………….