Malaysia tops in political freedom, Singapore in business, survey shows........
This led to Singapore beating out Malaysia in overall ranking — 20, compared to Malaysia’s 37 — in Newsweek’s Best Countries special survey. However, the island republic lost out in fundamental things like citizens’ engagement with politics, freedom of expression and belief and personal autonomy.
This is reflective of the relative freedom Malaysians have in being able to disagree with the government, as seen in the various blogs, books and gatherings that are still allowed here.
Singapore has been known to crack down quickly and efficiently on what it perceives as dissent. Most recently, writer Alan Shadrake was arrested in July for the contents of his book Once A Jolly Hangman which is about the death penalty and judicial system in Singapore. The book has now been banned.
Still, Singapore has much to brag about as it beat out Malaysia in education, health, quality of life and economic dynamism.
In the area of health, the average life expectancy in Singapore is 73 years while that in Malaysia is 64 years. Also, when it comes to quality of life, only 1.99 per cent of Singapore’s citizens are living on less than US$2 (RM6.40) a day compared to 7.8 per cent of Malaysians.
But the most glaring disparity comes in the area of economic dynamism. For ease of doing business, Singapore came out at No 1 while Malaysia only ranked 23. It takes only an average of three days to start a new business in Singapore compared to an average of 11 in Malaysia.
And finally when it comes to average Gross Domestic Product (GDP)/capita growth rate i.e. incremental US dollar of growth per person, Singapore came in at US$50,300 compared to Malaysia’s US$14,800.
Singapore’s economic dynamism is what clearly contributed to the wide gap in the ranking.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also made it to the survey’s list of Top 10 world leaders. Lee is described as “the steward of the fastest-growing economy in the world” and a “master at risk management.”
He is credited with “saving the banking shock that hit other nations” and international credit insurers now rate Singapore as the safest place to do business in the region.
Even better, “China wants to emulate Singapore’s feat of liberalising the economy while maintaining one-party rule.”
Newsweek’s survey listed 100 countries and basically set out to answer the question: “If you were born today, which country would provide you the very best opportunity to live a healthy, safe, reasonably prosperous, and upwardly mobile life?”
And in case you were wondering, Finland came out tops and Thailand (58), Indonesia (73) and Vietnam (81).
*Meaning, Malaysia's placing No.37 is considered not bad at all?! Lagi Boleh?
But don't forget, Malaysia declared independence earlier than Singapore. At that time, Malaysia already owned a country of estates and natural resources including minerals and oils, and Singapore was only a fishing village and a slump State!
What's Singapore today other than she is one of the 4th dragon in this region of Asia Pacific?
One can only see the whole hog of it when he happens to stay for long enough in the island Country. Given another 2 decades, can Malaysia catch up to par with Singapore the tiny dot at the Southern axis?!
A million dollar question worth to ponder over.
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