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  Today Online 24 Mar 07
What makes a truly world-class brand
Singapore is First World in certain ways, but it has yet to create a unique identity
Letter from Lai Yew Chan

Today Online 23 Mar 07
National pride with a sense of proportion
Let us think beyond East and West to develop a better world
Letter from Chia Hern Keng

Business Times 22 Mar 07
S'pore faces image problem in region: Kishore Mahbubani
He offers three branding ideas for S'pore in lecture on the national brand
By Janice Heng

Channel NewsAsia 20 Mar 07
Singapore's aim to be world class has exceeded past standards: Kishore

Today Online 22 Mar 07
World class, we already are
Let's now develop greater self-confidence: Mahbubani
Tor Ching Li chingli@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE should stop trying so hard to be world class, simply because it already is. This was stressed repeatedly by Mr Kishore Mahbubani, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, at the inaugural Distinguished Speakers Lecture Series held yesterday by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

So, what lies behind Singapore's claim to the big league?

A key indicator is Singapore's treatment of the little ones: The fact that the Republic has the world's lowest infant mortality rate — babies who die before reaching one year of age — at 2.5 babies for every 1,000 live births.

"The real strength of a country is measured by the fate of the most vulnerable members of society, which is its babies," he said.

He cited nine other areas in which Singapore's world class governance was evident: High standards of education, the low incidence of homeless people or slums, high life expectancy and home ownership rates, strong economic growth, political stability, ethnic harmony, good environmental management and rich cultural assets.

And while 0.008 per cent the size of the US, Singapore has greater biodiversity than the 9.1 million sq km giant. Singapore has also made the impossible happen by being on track for self-sufficiency in water.

"The paradox here is that while Asian states have become competent and pragmatic, the Western states are moving in the opposite direction," he told 140 participants, calling the phenomenon a " spectre of Western incompetence".

The West is failing in major challenges such as international security, global warming and trade talks. Mr Mahbubani cited political failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, the issue of global warming where " the US refuses to reduce emissions" and "potential failure in the Doha round of trade talks".

Domestically, several Western states are also having difficulty adjusting to globalisation with their cradle-to-grave social welfare model. They are also daunted by the perceived threat from the Islamic world.

And yet, such countries that are "becoming progressively incompetent are passing judgment on countries which are becoming progressively competent".

He said: "Singapore must develop greater self-confidence in its own judgment."

Moving forward, one challenge Singapore will have to face is convincing its immediate neighbours that its rise is beneficial to them too.

He said: "One of Singapore's biggest challenges is to demonstrate to our neighbours that the old image of Singapore as a parasite on the region is wrong. It is very difficult to explain the point that Singapore adds value to the region, and does not subtract value."

For example, Singapore provides services in many areas that enhance the economic competitiveness of South-east Asia. In this respect, the fact that Malaysia has invited Singapore to invest in the Iskandar Development Region in Southern Johor is a positive sign, he said.

Channel NewsAsia 20 Mar 07
Singapore's aim to be world class has exceeded past standards: Kishore

SINGAPORE: Singapore as a garden city, a water city and a place where the East meets West.

These are three areas which a leading academic believes will give the Singapore national brand global recognition. Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy made these points at a lecture organised by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) on Wednesday.

Singapore must develop greater self-confidence in its own judgement, argued the country's well-known critic and former ambassador to the United Nations.

And he finds it puzzling that Singapore is still aspiring to be world class when, in many areas, it has exceeded world-class standards.

He said: "In the past, it was good for Singapore to copy the best practices of others. But today, at Singapore's stage of development, it has really got to think twice before copying from others.

"Today, many western cities, including London, believe every good city must have a ferris wheel to show the tourists. So Singapore decides it must have a ferris wheel. Do we really have to copy others?"

Even though Singapore has attained world-class standards in several areas, there is always the word of caution not to become complacent. That is because the world is always facing new challenges and Singapore and Singaporeans must always continue to adapt to these challenges to ensure that the national flag is always flying high internationally.

And Professor Kishore believes Singapore's neighbours will benefit by engaging the republic.

He said: "One of Singapore's greatest challenges is to demonstrate to its neighbours that the old image of Singapore as being a parasite of the region is wrong and that Singapore actually adds value to the region and doesn't subtract value.

"If Singapore is removed from the map of Southeast Asia, the impact will not be felt just on Singapore, it will be felt by the whole region."

That the Malaysian government has asked Singapore to participate in the Iskandar Development Region is a very positive sign, said Professor Kishore, as it indicates Singapore can contribute to its success.

Business Times 22 Mar 07
S'pore faces image problem in region: Kishore Mahbubani
He offers three branding ideas for S'pore in lecture on the national brand
By Janice Heng

(SINGAPORE) One of Singapore's biggest challenges is to demonstrate to its neighbours that the old image of the island 'as a parasite on the region is wrong', academic and former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani said yesterday.

Singapore has to persuade its neighbours that its economic role is not that of 'a middleman taking a cut', he said. Rather, 'Singapore actually adds value to the region'.

Mr Mahbubani was speaking during the question-and-answer session of the first lecture in the Distinguished Speakers Lecture Series organised by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with Performance Motors Limited.

Speaking to reporters at the event, Mr Mahbubani said that Singapore 'will always have problems with its neighbours' but there is now 'a much greater comfort level' among Asean members.

'The critical thing is the chemistry of the relationship,' he said. And that chemistry is 'overall, still positive'.

As for how Singapore might improve its image, Mr Mahbubani said patience is the key. 'Singapore should not try to explain its case,' he said. 'I think it has got to wait for its case to become clear.'

In his lecture, the first in a twice-yearly series, Mr Mahbubani spoke about the 'paradox' of Singapore's national brand - that it tries to be world-class despite already having achieved world-class standards in many areas, such as health care and education. 'Singapore must develop greater self-confidence in its own judgment,' he said.

And according to him, the current 'gold standard' of nation branding - insofar as there is one - is determined by countries in decline.

Singapore used to copy the best practices of other countries to gain an advantage, but such an approach may no longer work, he said.

Instead, he offered three possible branding ideas: Singapore as a garden city, as a water city, and as a city where East meets West.

Mr Mahbubani concluded his lecture by exhorting companies to promote the Singapore brand, as both the country and its companies will benefit from a better national image.

Today Online 23 Mar 07
National pride with a sense of proportion
Let us think beyond East and West to develop a better world
Letter from Chia Hern Keng

The report, "World class, we already are" (March 22) citing Mr Kishore Mahbubani's thoughts on Singapore smacks too much of national pride.

We need a sense of proportion. Comparing the achievements of Singapore to those of countries — Western in this instance — thousands of times bigger is not realistic.

In any case, with regards to our insignificant geographical size, when the late Chairman Deng Xiao Ping visited Singapore in the '70s he was impressed, and remarked: "If only I had a country as small as Singapore to govern ... "

Today, China which is thousands of times bigger in physical size and with more than 300 times our population, has been humming along quite well, continually defying the dire predictions of observers over the last two and a half decades that it would collapse through this and that.

According to press reports, a few Chinese cities are said to be even more well developed than Singapore. Now that is something to think about.

Mr Mahbubani also said: "While Asian states have become competent and pragmatic, the Western states are moving in the opposite direction."

That, however, is not surprising because of the life cycle of nations, and also by no means writes off whatever good the Western states have done for the world. If there has been arrogance and superiority complex among the West, may not it now be infecting our own consciousness by thinking too greatly about our own national achievements.

There is no need to, because there are simply too many critical problems for the world to tackle together.

Let's think beyond East and West and try to be completely eclectic in our approach. The human mind, which is the fount of all progress, knows no limitation in development and in learning from all sources.

But by thinking within geographical and racial "boxes" of what we are, we are limiting its scope in tackling problems and creating a better world for everyone.

The world has never been in a better shape for collective evolution than today. Thought leaders worth that name everywhere should come together to work out global issues as one organism. Now, what happens in one part of the world has critical impact on another.

It is no longer so, as the saying goes, that when Wall Street sneezes, the whole world catches a flu. Now, even the Shanghai stock market is creating this phenomenon if the recent stock market turbulence is any indication.

Let's start thinking of the world as one organism.

Today Online 24 Mar 07
What makes a truly world-class brand
Singapore is First World in certain ways, but it has yet to create a unique identity
Letter from Lai Yew Chan

I refer to the article, "World class, we already are" (March 22). The web encyclopaedia Wikipedia defines First World as countries that are capitalist democracies, technologically advanced and characterised by a high standard of living for its citizens. Going by this definition, we would be regarded as a First World nation.

However, in my view, it takes more than these to be regarded as world class. We have yet to develop a brand identity that associates us with a product, culture or system that is a world trailblazer in its own class.

For example, we associate Italy with designer labels and Finland with Nokia. Singapore has yet to produce a world trailblazer that is uniquely Singapore, to borrow a term commonly found on our tourism brochures.

Our upcoming Integrated Resorts, the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel and the Formula One race that may come our way are all concepts that had been tried and tested elsewhere.

Besides, in a global study of high-flying cities conducted by Pricewaterhouse- Coopers and the Partnership for New York City, Singapore scored a first only for ease of doing business, as expected.

Given sufficient economic resources and proper governance, other countries that are now lagging behind us economically can also in time achieve a low infant mortality rate, a high standard of education, a slum-free cityscape, a green environment and water self-sufficiency.

But we are not competing with these countries. We are pitting ourselves against those that already possess these assets and more — the X-factor that makes them truly world class.

Drawing an analogy with soccer, a club that has just reached the first division of a league does not automatically become a league champion. It requires star players that will help catapult it to the position of title-holder. Until our star players can hold their own on the world stage, it is not time yet to pat ourselves on the back.
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