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  The Star 3 Feb 07
A rude reminder of dependency
By Seah Chiang Nee

Sand is a mundane item to most people, but Indonesia's recent decision to ban its export can have a fundamental impact on the lives of Singaporeans.

INDONESIA'S ban on the export of sand, a year after Malaysia's move, has come as a rude reminder to Singapore of its vulnerability as a small state without natural resources.

Having enough sand--just like energy and water--is crucial to the state's survival as a nation, all three of which have been subjected to supply uncertainties at various times. Whenever shortage hits, it has dislocated life and business, and the latest Jakarta action, explained as an environment preservation measure, is no exception.

For Indonesia (and Malaysia to a lesser extent), sand is plentiful, such that many of its citizens do not really consider it as having any economic value.

For Singapore, it is a different story. Many development projects, including its reclamation and the casino projects, could be affected unless alternate supplies at reasonable cost are found.

This is why Singaporeans who disbelieve the Indonesian motive is environmentally driven, are annoyed with it. It has immediately raised the costs, not to mention uncertainties, for the construction industry, which is coming out of years of stagnation.

To cope with the crisis, the government has begun to release sand from its stockpiles, enough for several months.

'Preserving their islands'

"They have 14,000 of them. The sand exported to us wouldn't even make a dent on them," said a businessman who sees a political reason behind it.

Others say the greater environment need for the archipelago--and its suffering neighbours--is stopping the haze, which is harming tourism and citizens' health.

The sand ban is reminding Singaporeans that sudden policy shifts in the neighbourhood can have a fundamental impact on their lives.

The city-state is simply too dependent on others for their daily needs.

It was only in recent years that Singapore has succeeded in reducing its reliance on water from Johor with recycling and increasing its own storage reservoirs.

But it still needs imported water, and the supply agreement with Malaysia runs out in 2060.

Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew had once asked if Singapore would still be around as a nation in 50 years' time, and this reliance on imported oil, water, food supply, manpower--and, of course, sand, was a factor. Lee was worried it would go the way of a string of ancient city-states lining the old Silk Road, which disappeared or were swallowed up by bigger states.

When Lee made this comment it shocked the new generation of Singaporeans who were raised in affluence and stability.

During the recent floods in Johor, Singaporeans had a small reality check when the supply of imported vegetables and poultry fell and prices shot up.

The same dependency has historically applied to manpower. Some 800,000 foreign workers are working here, ranging from scientists and bankers from the developed countries to Thai builders, Bangladeshi road workers and Filipino maids, etc, on the lower scale. They keep business humming, transport flowing; they help to build homes and offices, repair ships and tend to their children and aged parents so that Mr and Mrs Singapore can go to work.

"You can search all you want and you'll probably not find a single Singaporean carpenter," rued a furniture shop owner. "They're all Malaysians."

The same is largely true of plumbers, car mechanics and electricians, many of them Johoreans who commute here to work daily on their motorcycles. If a sufficient number were to pull out suddenly, life and business could come to a standstill.

The first real shock for a contented Singapore was in 1974 when the price of oil increased four-fold.

A fresh accountancy graduate wrote at the time: "That's when many of us first realise that the world is an uncertain place and we are so vulnerable."

The economy plunged, jobs were scarce and when one offer came he was offered S$600 (RM1,370) a month, less than half the normal start-up pay. "I felt insulted," he said.

Last year when the price of oil hit US$80 (RM280), the economy was better placed to withstand the blow, but it affected confidence here more than it did many larger countries.

The run-up had sparked off a frantic search for alternative energy sources, especially gas and liquefied petroleum gas.

The fourth-biggest oil refinery in the world, Singapore quickly signed gas agreements with Malaysia and Indonesia and, recently, an oil and gas pact with Uzbekistan.

A government policy group on energy supplies has been set up to diversify energy sources and ensure that the city will not be held hostage by any single supplier. Bio-fuels and geothermal power were explored, including nuclear plants (which was quickly turned down).

British engine maker Rolls-Royce Group and a Singapore state-linked consortium announced a US$100mil (RM350mil) project to develop a power system based on fuel cell technology.

Being so small and vulnerable has turned Singaporeans into neurotic worriers who often overreact to crises, always looking for alternatives and solutions even when things are normal.

Some see the benefit side of character building.

A stock remisier and well-known blogger, redbean, wrote: "We thrive under adversities. We find solutions to our problems systematically, and overcome them."

He recalled that 30 years ago, the city had only three reservoirs, the biggest being MacRitchie. "Today we have 15 reservoirs, plus new water and desalination plant in the pipeline."

And sand? "Soon we will be harvesting the sea for sand using technology. And with supply from other sources, we too will be self-sufficient in sand."
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