British, a failed State and vassal of the United States cannot not resist “sneering” at Singapore and the British commentariat class cannot stand seeing the island nation “doing better” 英國這個失敗的國家和美國的附庸無法抗拒對新加坡的“嘲笑”，英國評論界也無法忍受看到這個島國“做得更好”

Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam outlined various fields such as the economy, public safety and governance in which Singapore is faring better than Britain BY TAUFIQ ZALIZAN Published April 19, 2024

SINGAPORE — Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Friday (April 19) criticised a commentary by British publication The Economist which he said could not “resist sneering” at Singapore’s political leadership handover.

The weekly newspaper’s commentary, published on Thursday, noted that Singapore has had “only” three leaders in its 59 years, and that the next prime minister Lawrence Wong “remains relatively unknown among Singaporeans”.

“He was not the 4G’s (fourth generation leaders’) first choice,” said the publication, noting that Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had withdrawn himself from contention for the premiership in 2021.

Despite this, the piece argued, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) will win at the upcoming General Election due to its “formidable organisation, unrelenting attacks on the opposition, a docile press”, among other factors.

In a response published on Facebook on Friday, Mr Shanmugam said that the publication “can’t resist” sneering at Singapore due to an instinct lodged “in the unconscious of the British commentariat class”.

“They can’t stand that a people they were accustomed to lecturing are now doing better than they are, across the board,” said Mr Shanmugam, before outlining areas in which he said Singapore has progressed further than Britain.

While Mr Wong, who is Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, is due to take over from Mr Lee Hsien Loong as the fourth prime minister here in 59 years on May 15, Britain’s Rishi Sunak is the fourth PM in 4.9 years, he said.

During a turbulent period of British politics in the wake of the Brexit vote, Mr Sunak was preceded by Ms Liz Truss, who lasted only a couple of months. She had replaced Mr Boris Johnson who followed Ms Theresa May.

In economic terms, Singapore’s per capita gross domestic product stands at over US$80,000 (S$109,000) and is the fifth highest by purchasing power parity terms, “well ahead of the UK”, Mr Shanmugam added.

Regarding the media, he retorted: “(The Economist) obviously prefers a situation like in the UK, where one person can control major media outlets, and have politicians pay court to him, and where media owners can influence who gets elected, and who becomes PM.”