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The
Star, 28 Mar 04
At odds over casino plan
by Seah Chiang Nee
Insight: Down South
An online debate on the government’s proposal to build a casino has
shown that behind a worldly-wise, progressive facade, a large portion
of Singapore’s mindset remains unchanged. The outcome has dealt a
blow to the perception that the New Singapore reflects the views of
younger, better-educated citizens who are liberal, Westernised and
always favouring deregulation.
The casino discussion has brought out a different under-current. There
are Singaporeans wanting the ban to continue as there are people advocating
that it be lifted.
This is what happened. In a major shift, the government said it was
ready to allow a casino to be built as part of its 500-hectare resort
and residential development on the island.
For a long time, the People’s Action Party (PAP) government had refused
to follow Asia’s flourishing casino path. It had not relented even
when thousands of its citizens began to flock overseas to gamble,
losing substantial foreign exchange. Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew
had fretted about the impact of gambling on families in Singapore.
After all, the Chinese are known to be the world’s most avid gamblers.
That the government now allows a proposed casino on Sentosa Island
is a psychological milestone in Singapore. Approval seems to rest
on two conditions – one, it must be part of a bigger resort project
and not by itself; and two, there must be measures to keep away the
vulnerable, lower-income. The casino forms part of a large tourist
and residential development on Sentosa, 3km from the city centre,
and accessible by bridge, cable car and boat. It is modelled on Atlantis
on Paradise Island in the Bahamas and will have a range of facilities,
including beaches, hotels, high-class homes, marinas, health spas,
sports complexes, convention centres, and retail and food outlets.
Only last November, Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had turned
it down. “We have to consider the social implications, and I would
not support it,” he told Business Times. A final decision is awaited,
but the position has moved from a “no” to a “maybe” and now “probably”.
This added credence to Lee’s claim that he has an open mind and is
prepared to accept a rational argument against his own.
Singaporeans were shocked when Minister for Trade and Industry George
Yeo announced that the government was now ready to build one, under
safeguards (to admit only upper middle-class citizens). However, businessmen
and the liberal-minded welcomed it as another step to open up the
economy, make society vibrant and offer more choices to citizens.
How could anyone oppose a move that will help Singapore seek new economic
avenues and create more jobs, right? Wrong! The disagreements started
coming in. Strong views were expressed in the media, radio forums
and half a dozen Internet chat-sites that involve professionals, parents,
students and businessmen. Part of it was at the invitation of the
government consultation portal, seeking feedback that will go towards
a decision.
The exercise reflects a society in transition. For one thing, it shows
Singaporeans have become more divisive, less cohesive. The result
was a split down the middle. Most supporters are liberal youths who
advocate personal liberties and professionals and businessmen who
believe that a casino has big potential to revive a stagnant economy.
The most ardent are the unemployed or workers concerned about retrenchment.
For them, it represents opportunity, something that is in short supply
in recent years. A few say that flourishing Las Vegas, Monaco, Macau
or Genting Highlands have significantly benefited their national economies
without inflicting major harm on people.
On the other side are (at the risk of stereotyping) the older, conservative,
and Christians and Muslims who fear the social consequences. George
Yeo himself touched on their concerns about family break-ups and the
possibility of organised crime.
If the green light is given, there will be measures to limit the access
of Singaporeans. Unless they had the means, he said “Singaporeans
should stay away from the casino and stick to 4D, horse-racing and
Toto”. “If husbands go there after work, housewives go there and gamble
with their family money, then there will be problems,” Yeo added.
“We don’t want to be a Las Vegas, we don’t want to be a Macau. We
don’t want to have the crime and the sleaze,” he said when defending
the proposed entry restrictions on locals.
In a way, the debate is redundant. Thousands of Singaporeans are already
gambling in Genting or on board cruise ships that offer cheap voyages.
Wealthier gamblers go to Macau, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand
or England. Japan and Thailand are likely to enter the market, too.
Besides, today’s casinos are generally clean and well managed, unlike
the crime-ridden institutions of 20 years ago. The major threat now
comes from high-tech crooks using scanners and computers to cheat.
Conservative Singaporeans contend that gambling is immoral and unethical,
luring the weak-minded into its trap and making bankrupts of them.
The womenfolk are generally against it, saying there are other ways
of earning tourist dollars. A strong criticism is levelled against
the idea to exclude the lower-income from entry, which smacks of elitism
and discrimination. Singapore is already a disturbingly class-divided
society in which some of the better-off look down on lower-income
earners, according to one line of thought.
Those who want change say the Internet and the global economy have
brought so many changes that no country can protect citizens against
their own action. Singaporeans have to learn to take responsibility
for their own actions. “If people step into a casino or smoke or have
unprotected sex or go into a risky investment, they can be hit because
no government can help them,” read one comment.
On continuing with the ban, C.F. Lai wrote: “This shows that subconsciously,
Singaporeans still want the nanny state to be around. “Come on! We
are 38 years old. Surely, we are mature enough to cross the street
without nanny holding our hand or mature enough not to be seduced
by sirens of gambling.”
Seah Chiang Nee is a veteran journalist and editor of the information
website littlespeck.com |
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