By John Burton in Singapore and Leora Moldofsky in Sydney
Published: June 22 2006 01:50 | Last updated: June 22 2006 01:50
Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s prime minister, has criticised Australia and New Zealand’s liberal democratic practices, suggesting that Singapore’s system, under which a single party has ruled since independence, is more efficient.
Mr Lee made the remarks at the end of a nine-day visit to the two countries, which are attracting a growing number of immigrants from the Asian city-state.
Although the democracies of Australia and New Zealand made for “more exciting” politics, the national interest could suffer in a multi-party system, said Mr Lee.
The comments could provoke controversy, particularly as Mr Lee’s visit was meant to improve economic and defence ties in spite of criticism about Singapore’s human rights record.
“Endless debates are seldom about achieving a better grasp of the issue but to score political points,” said Mr Lee about the political systems in Australia and New Zealand.
He said John Howard, the Australian prime minister, “spends all his time dealing with this party politics. The result is you don’t have a lot of time to worry about the long-term future.”
Dominant party rule was the best system for a small, multiracial country like Singapore, Mr Lee said, as he prepared to leave New Zealand, whose population of 4m is similar in size and ethnic complexity to that of the city-state.
The People’s Action Party has governed Singapore since 1959 when Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Lee’s father, was elected prime minister.
Mr Lee blamed Australia’s multi-party system for his failure to persuade Canberra to open its aviation market to state-owned Singapore Airlines, which is seeking to fly the transpacific route from Sydney to Los Angeles.
He said Australia’s National party, the minority partner in the ruling coalition, was against opening up the route because Qantas could threaten in response to cut unprofitable routes to rural areas where the party is strong. Qantas has opposed Singapore Airline’s entry on the transpacific route.
The decision was “a net loss” for Australia because it hurt tourism, Mr Lee said.
His remarks appeared aimed at Mark Vaile, the National party leader and trade minister, who will lead negotiators next month in a review of the bilateral trade pact with Singapore.
Mr Lee was questioned about the treatment of Singapore opposition leader, Chee Soon Juan, who was charged this week with speaking in public without a police licence. He said all political leaders had to respect the law, adding that Dr Chee engaged in “destructive” policies that were meant “to impress foreign supporters”.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2006
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What scares me isn’t the fact that we have one dominant political party. What scares me is that dominant political party actually believes that a single party rule (aka them) is best for Singapore. Are we not missing out something?
Sg films - like them or hate them. Whatever the case, considering doing something different for a change, stepping out of the box, and catching one or more of our local movies from the past, now showing at a screen in the heart of the National Museum:
It may or may not be what you’re used to, and that’s what makes it interesting! Now quit complaining there’s nothing to do in Singapore, and pop by one of the screenings. 
For more information and details, visit cine.sg
On behalf of Cine.sg:
Unarmed Combat
(2005, PG, directed by Han Yew Kwang)
A satire on human obsessions – a wife’s obsession for arm wrestling comes to an end due to her husband. The husband (Johnny Ng of I Not Stupid 2 fame) becomes obsessed with arm wrestling due to his wife. A drama and comedy, Unarmed Combat is about the things that people will do in order to get what they want. It starts simply and innocently enough when a beautiful stranger enters the life of a middle-aged laundry shop boss. Also stars WKRZ 91.3FM DJ Marilyn Lee (The Art of Flirting).
Running time: 94min
Key talents: Johnny Ng, Catherine Sng, Marilyn Lee, Han Yew Kwang
Screening format: Digibeta
Language: Mandarin, English, Tamil
Genre: Drama / Comedy
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Dear friends,
Come watch Unarmed Combat before it disappears from the big screen for a while! See the trailer. And here’s the official plug:
Cine Singapore (Cine.SG) – a showcase of Singapore films running from June to November 2006 – presents a delightful comedy by up-and-coming local filmmaker Han Yew Kwang. Starring Johnny Ng (I Not Stupid 2), Catherine Sng, WKRZ 91.3FM DJ Marilyn Lee (The Art of Flirting) and the director himself, Unarmed Combat is a satire on human obsessions: a wife’s obsession with arm wrestling, and a husband’s obsession with a beautiful stranger.
Unarmed Combat’s last 4 screenings are at:
The National Museum of Singapore’s Gallery Theatre
Fri 16 & Sun 18 June, 7.30pm
Tickets: $8, $6.50 concessions
Available at all Ticketcharge outlets and at the counter outside the theatre 45min before screening
TicketCharge hotline: 6296-2929
Fri 16 June - Q&A with Catherine Sng
Sun 18 June - Q&A with Han Yew Kwang, Johnny Ng, Marilyn Lee
The Cathay Cineplex
Sat 17 & Sun 18 June, 3.30pm
Tickets: $8 only
Available only from the Cathay box office
Cathay box office hotline: 6235-1155
On behalf of the Asian Film Archive:
The Asian Film Archive is releasing our second publication - Asian Film Archive Collection: Royston’s Shorts. Check out the DVD website here.
This time round, the Asian Film Archive made a decision to place some of the DVD’s special features online to encourage free access to its database of resources.
Available online are selected film stills, behind the scene stills, storyboards, as well as an essay on Royston Tan by film scholar and Chair of the Asian Film Archive, Dr. Kenneth Paul Tan.
The DVD will be officially launched at HMV and Kinokuniya on 17 June 2006. There will be a screening of clips from the DVD followed by an autograph session. The first 20 people who purchase the DVD during each launch event will receive limited edition posters of 4:30, the new Royston Tan film.
Details of launch events:
Launch @ HMV Heeren
Date: 17th June 2006
Time: 230pm - 4pm
Place: HMV, Heeren, 3rd level (DVD section)
Launch @ Kinokuniya Takashimaya
Date: 17th June 2006
Time: 430pm - 6pm
Place: Kinokuniya, Takashimaya
Price: $24.95
Available at:
- HMV (There are 2 days left for HMV customers to enjoy a presale discount of $2 off the retail price.)
- Kinokuniya (Takashimaya)
- Gramophone and other good music and book stores.
Delivery is available through Asian Film Archive Shop.
Proceeds from the sale of the DVD will benefit the Asian Film Archive, a registered charity organization. The Asian Film Archive thanks Royston Tan for his strong support and generous donation of all his short films. The Archive also appreciates the support of Axiom Technologies, fFurious, Infinite Frameworks and Ngee Ann Polytechnic (School of Film and Media Studies) in the making of this DVD.
The trailer:
Watch it on youtube.com
Now shoo, go buy the dvd, and while you’re there, get an extra one and donate it to me.
