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To other countries, Singapore’s case shows the importance of political enlightenment and institutional direction. We contend that while individuals can respond, react and adapt to their own environments, the long term sustained relationships with the environment cannot be left to individual judgements and actions. Good leadership and government are necessary to steer and mobilize the polity to ensure a sustainable environment.
At a very pragmatic level, Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore’s Ambassador –at-Large, has articulated this need for commitment by the leadership. Urging heads of government and state to show support to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development ion June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro by their attendance, he argued that only when there is a fundamental change in thinking at the top is it possible for environmental considerations to be worked into development policies and for economic progress to be balanced with the need to protect the earth (Straits Times 20/4/91,23).
Unfortunately, in many Third World urban scenarios there has been an amorphous and plural polity, fragmented by ethnic, religious and class cleavages; there has also been a lack of political commitment, strong leadership, and hence direction. As a result, the fragmented and individualistic human activities are often out of sync with the urban environment, giving rise to the inevitable problems of environmental degradation.
Southeast Asian countries should brace itself for the future because in the decades to come, with population agglomerations in the cities are likely to exceed the five million, ecosystem problem-solving might well extend beyond the existing economic abilities and administrative capabilities of many states. What must also not be lacking is the political will and some of the lessons learnt in the Singapore context can be learnt in such countries as well.
And with this, part of the Singapore story has been told.
This report is jointly written by :
Magdalene Wong Shy Lin
Wong Wan Lin
Wu Hsiang Ying
Yeo Seow Nan
Yeo Sumi
National University of
Singapore
School of Real Estate
You are welcome to send your comments to bem60112@leonis.nus.edu.sg
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