Friday, October 21, 2011To Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, What did you expect?
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(This is in reply to National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan of Singapore on his comments made on our country )
Dear Mr. Khaw,
I was not surprised when you said Bhutan is not the last Shangri-la on Earth, because I had a friend from your country who found Bhutan only "full of mountains and valleys". When you visited Bhutan, what did you expect? Those flying mountains you saw in Avatar? or Every Bhutanese merrily dancing in designer clothes? Well, you must have at least expected fancier cars and taller buildings but we only have taller mountains (not flying ones) and thicker forest (truly natural).
I am not surprised even when you said "Most of the time, I saw unhappy people, toiling in the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products." because I heard a proverb in school that goes, "Two men looked through the prison window, one saw the m&d and other saw the horizon". I am only surprised that you have spend "Most of your time" in Bhutan looking in the fields. I am amazed at your ability to figure out whether the people are happy or unhappy just by looking at them- O' you even knew they were "worried about the next harvest". No wonder you country export human resources.
The Man who didn't find happiness in Bhutan. Source:channelnewsasia
I visited your wonderful country sometime ago, and it felt like a city from the future. The transportation system held me spell bound, Cleanliness of the street is so much that I didn't find a fragment of dust on my shoes after walking for the hours, Every building and car looks new, and there is no question about the civic sense among the people. Four days after I landed in Bhutan I woke up and started sharing the stories of your wonderful country- yes it took me four days of sleeping to shake of the hangover of many sleepless nights in your 24X7 country. I read the amazing history of your country and thought to myself, if Bhutan's to develop, Singapore can be our vision.
But since you questioned the presence of happiness in Bhutan, let me answer by telling you few things that you overlooked when you visited my country. Those people you saw in the fields weren't unhappy, if you have gone closer you would have heard them singing and enjoying the social lives, perhaps you won't understand that. If you have spent a little longer time watching them, you would have seen and a woman with basket on her back and holding arms with several children coming with steaming food- we don't have McDonald or KFC. Then everybody will sit down to eat their lunch, laughing and joking, feeding babies, for over an hour- you wouldn't have had so much time to sit and watch I know, times means money in your country. But we have luxury of time. People don't worry "about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products." In fact, we don't do much commercial farming, we do most of them to keep with the tradition. And when the sun sets, doesn't really matter what time, people leave for their homes where they have a large family waiting. Large family because we don't chase away our children when they become 18 or children cast away their parents when they age.
We don't need Health Insurance to survive, no have to go for Education Loan for educating our children. We don't hang the drug users, we counsel them to hang on to their lives, we don't have to have a job to survive, and when we fall sick even the furthest cousin comes to attend without having to update Facebook status.
If you reread our history you will find that our wise kings have hidden us from the outside world so that we could remain the way we are today. If we start mining our mountains and lumbering our forests, we can become Singapore in a year but no matter what you do you can never become Bhutan. It is far too difficult. We shall be the last breath of oxygen on earth.
Bhutan may not be the Last Shangri-la but we are happy.
By PaSsu at 1:01 AM
Labels: Bhutan, Gross National Happiness, Happiness, Last Shangri-la, Letter, Singapore, Singapore Visit 69 READER COMMENT:
Langa Tenzin said...
Wonderful post sir. Your reply to his comments on Bhutan is awesome. I was waiting for someone to come up with such a reply. Thanks you did it. keep posting!
10/21/2011 8:00 AM
Peldhen Sonam Nima said...
Well said,.....I don't know how he became a member of parliament in such a civilized and developed country.
He was simply bluffing about Bhutan the way I used to Bluff in my B.Com Exams......Go to hell Mr.Khaw......
As Passa rightly said, Bhutan can become Singapore, But no matter what, Singapore can never Become Bhutan......
10/21/2011 10:17 AM
Rikku said...
What a response,man! That was a smart and very evidential punch on his face. I think this man is very negative-perhaps he is overtly jealous of our unique development ideology and intact environment and traditions that SINGAPORE can never achieve.
10/21/2011 11:01 AM
i relate to that said...
Wow, smart response!
10/21/2011 12:00 PM
Yeshey Dorji said...
Hi Passu
Since the first time I visited Singapore in 1979 as an official of the Trade Ministry, I have been to that country about 50 times since. Therefore, I know that country and the mind set of the Singaporean people very well.
May I suggest that if His Excellency Khaw Boon Wan did not see the happiness in Bhutan, it is provably because he couldn't relate to what we consider happiness. You must remember that the Singaporeans measure happiness quiet differently from the way we do. On the other hand, you should also remember that he has been to Bhutan less than a week and so he is not qualified to make a statement on the state of affairs in our country.
Therefore, lets not get worked up over his views.
10/21/2011 10:30 PM
ugyen wangchuk said...
i am neither a philosopher nor a well learned extraordinary person to judge which country has this and that systems or so and so.
but i shall never forget that when anyone,minister or a mister dirties my motherland i will raise up to my feet and summon my sense of being a Bhutaneseness.
i don't even can't read the name of that person in a proper grammatical pronunciation and it doesn't bother me much as well,rather i tried to figure out what has his little tiny brain been affected when he made such a comment about my country.
A politician will do anything to keep his job - even become a patriot and well he is just one of it though.
what he knows about happiness is just nothing,not even a tiny dust resting under my feet and its just as a butterfly trying to explain to a caterpillar whats life....?
singapore's GDP can never reach up to 100% of perfection but GNH has immeasurable thoughts that measures beyond the length and breadth of singapore..
if WAN still doesn't understand despite the messages of a bhutanese,,,,this time its just as though a frog explaining to a tadpole....
Bhutan still reamins the most peaceful nation in south-Asian region and yes we bhutanese never ever celebrate independence day as singapore does,we rejoice the jubilee and the pride of being independent through decades and ages.we celebrate national day..!
singapore is just a fake developmet with busy and noisy streets,taller buildings and of course people with narrow thoughts, the health facilities are most advanced but less health for people,every where time and money has no difference but in a due course of time singapore forgets they forgot to make a living while earning.....
dear WAN....
let not your country forget that while they weigh money and time in their hands,they forget their health and to restore their health they waste their money....in the process of their life they live as if they are never going to die and by god's sake let not your people die with remorse as if they never lived.,,,,,!!!!
Bhutan is a wonder land where the last heaven continues and even after your words as such...it doesn't really matter much.....we are all happy though.....
kadrenchhoe.....!!!!
10/25/2011 3:17 PM
land of eternal happiness said...
"If we start mining our mountains and lumbering our forests, we can become Singapore in a year but no matter what you do you can never become Bhutan." this line says it all. Great response!!!
10/25/2011 4:51 PM
oneearthangel said...
Thank you for your post and I hope you can put this response on mr.khaw's Facebook. What he has said about Bhutan DOES NOT represent the view of all Singaporeans. I am Singaporean and I think we have much to learn from Bhutan.
10/25/2011 7:08 PM
PaSsu said...
@oneearthangel, thank you for your comment. I am glad that you are far more farsighted than mr.Khaw. I know his view doesn't represent Singapore, not even the Parliament of Singapore, he seems to have defended his ruthless developmental ideologies, which were questioned many other parliamentarians.
10/25/2011 7:20 PM
PaSsu said...
Yeshi, long time no see. I am glad you are back. You and Kuenga Lhendrup were dragging me to two opposite extremes on shingkhar-Gorgen farm road issue. Wish you luck there.
Coming to this Mr. Khaw, you are right he came here for a week and view our country through his thick materialistic lenses. He doesn't seem to want happiness for his people.
I totally agree with @ugyen wangchuk's anger, I wanted to write that way but then I calmed myself and wrote happily, explaining to him about basics of Happiness he seems to have missed all his life.
10/25/2011 10:49 PM
PaSsu said...
Dear Langa, Rikku, Kuenzang, LoEH and IRtT, thanks so much for reading and commenting. Without being a Bhutanese how could anyone understand about Bhutanese Happiness. so, lets forgive this unhappy man...
10/25/2011 10:52 PM
Pema Wangdi said...
You spoke my heart out....great one and well justified! Never heard of this guy visiting Bhutan, need to go back and read his version of Bhutan!
10/27/2011 11:20 AM
Scott said...
Thank you PaSsu. I share your sentiment. This is what I think of Bhutan and Mr Khaw's view:
http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=7203#comments
11/03/2011 5:36 AM
Gintai_昇泰 said...
Excellent! I was quite perturbed when our MPs mock at Bhutan in our Parliament recently. On WP's website, I posted my comment that what Opposition MP Sylvia Lim trying to tell the ruling party is to look beyond economic growth. She quoted Bhutan to register a point about the govt more concern and focus on the population happiness. Of course, Bhutan is so much different to Sg in terms of culture or geography. But those MPs missed the point completely. Instead, they mock at a small harmless Bhutan! See how arrogant are they? As a Singaporean, pls allow me to apologise to the Bhutanese for such a sly in our Parliament!
11/03/2011 6:46 AM
JeLiBe@nZ said...
thank you Passu for your comments! I'm Singaporean and my mum just came back from Bhutan a few days ago. She has nothing but praise for your country, about how simple your lives are and yet so contented. This is something that we have to humbly learn from you - that happiness is not a measure of how much money we have in the bank, but the wealth of relations and our surroundings that we enjoy.
11/03/2011 7:03 AM
wizard said...
I have been to this lovely country and enjoyed every moments there. This is probably the only Nation that discourage smoking by banning it. Do the people still smoke; Yes, a tiny minority. Any punishment, uummm, not that I have heard about it.
Best wishes to all Bhutanese, my friends!
May I invite you to also visit my blog(pkweksh.blogspot.com)
11/03/2011 8:29 AM
Alan Wan said...
With a million dollar annual salary and a S$8 bill for a heart surgery, Khaw must be one of the happiest man in Singapore if not on this planet. Really ?
Does he now lives with a constant worry that he may not die any moment if his heart fails him one more time ? And he may feeling damn worried that he may not live long enough to enjoy his millions ?
Would one be happy if one has too many worries ? And I wouldn't be the least surprised if he were to announce on one fine day that he has decided to call it quits any minute tomorrow.
11/03/2011 8:41 AM
cynic said...
Hi Passu,
Thank you for your eloquent and gentle response to a typical politician's speech. I'm Singaporean and do not agree with this minister's interpretation of "happiness" at all - like you implied in your post, money is not the be-all and end-all in life.
I hope I will get to visit Bhutan one day and experience Bhutanese happiness for myself.
11/03/2011 8:49 AM
mdingz said...
Thank you so much for your well-written post, Passu - I read it the first thing in the morning and I'm so relieved you wrote it. Politicians in Singapore have the habit of telling us what to do and how happy / successful we are, but the vast majority of the increasingly better-educated population have learnt to see through their hazy viewpoints and discern the truth for ourselves.
I, and many Singaporeans I shared your article with, totally agree with your views, and that we shouldn't try to be presumptuous about other countries and cultures without even understanding it from their perspectives. May our people learn from the Bhutanese and strive to be more appreciative of others, and to live more meaningful and carefree lives.
11/03/2011 9:01 AM
Daniel said...
I'm somewhat amazed by how some of our Members of Parliament - I'm Singaporean - are so flippant in their views about other countries, yet condemn others when they make remarks about Singapore for "interfering with our domestic affairs". Alas these incumbent ministers have been far too arrogant for long, and one day they will rue their attitude.
PaSsu, you have no idea how many Singaporeans admire the Bhutanese life. Our Mr Khaw certainly doesn't, which shows how much in touch he is with his constituents.
11/03/2011 9:21 AM
Qiqi said...
well said!
People measure happiness differently. U can't judge others people happiness based on your (Mr Khaw) judgment.
Does he know we Singaporeans most of them are not happy because of inflation, raising housing price, etc..
Successful doesn't equals to happiness..
How wealthy the country can be also doesn't measure up the wealth of happiness.
11/03/2011 9:24 AM
Marcus Ng said...
my sentiments exactly about having the best figures and what not. It doesn't matter much to the everday-man.
I really don't care about these figures and digits. and I really don't mind the older Singapore back again where people had heart and care for one another.
11/03/2011 9:31 AM
aiming.syu said...
Well done.
Give it to him.
11/03/2011 9:44 AM
apeh said...
THANK You for your judicious post that highlights the glaring impertinence and ignorance of some of us in Singapore. I have never been to Bhutan and i certainly look forward to visiting sometime in the future and learning from you what this rat race in Singapore has taken from us.
11/03/2011 9:51 AM
Nu Rabbit said...
I'm from Singapore, Bhutan sounds amazing. Do the world a favour and keep it that way.
11/03/2011 9:58 AM
none said...
Ah Khaw equates money with happiness, a trait he shares with other members of his PAPaya gang.
After reading this post and it's accompanying comments, Ah Khaw will lie down and die, from shame if not from anything else, for that is the only way he will know true happiness...
11/03/2011 9:59 AM
lt said...
Dear Bhutanese, let me, as a Singaporean, also apologise for these insulting comments made by a myopic member of our nation's ruling party.
These sentiments are shared by the older generation in Singapore, who grew up through much hardship. No doubt the ruling party (People's Action Party, or PAP) has done much to bring Singapore into the state it is now.
But the PAP has also taught Singaporeans over the years that they should keep safe what they have and be thankful for it, without teaching them to take risks. It has taught them hard work, without creativity. It has taught them leadership, without humility. And times have changed. The world is in turmoil, and the PAP's mindset is causing Singapore to lose its competitiveness, while the gap between its rich and poor is one of the widest in the world.
Outsiders always comment that Singaporeans have become a materialistic yet simple-minded people who know everything about their Apple iPhones yet cannot hold an intelligent conversation on world affairs, art or culture.
Maybe Bhutan may not have economic freedom yet, but Singapore's people lack freedom of thought. Which is worse? Bhutan has room to grow in many areas, while Singapore has reached its bursting point. And the sad, desperate Singaporean mindset is seen in comments like Mr. Khaw's.
As the joke goes: "I may be fat, but you're ugly. And I can diet."
11/03/2011 10:17 AM
the-fell-bat said...
PasSu,
Many of us better-educated and more intelligent Singaporeans disagree with what Khaw Boon Wah said about Bhutan. Most of us are capable of recognizing that he jumped at this issue for seemingly nothing, because we know implicitly there is a big difference in approach between Singapore and Bhutan. Bhutan cares so much for its people that you guys have a Happiness Index. Singapore cares so little that it tacks ministerial pay to GDP and focusses only on improving that. He didn't need to comment with such asperity on your beautiful country, unless it was to show feeble-minded Singaporeans that Singapore's way is still better.
That's the thing about Singaporean ministers. Utterly insecure.
Please, never change to be like us. Modernize if you must, as you already have in some ways, but never adopt our mentality. We are a cautionary tale to the world: here but for the grace of God go you.
11/03/2011 10:18 AM
Seelan Palay said...
I'm a Singaporean and I just want to thank for writing this beautiful rebuttal/article. Long live Bhutan!
11/03/2011 10:22 AM
darkiller said...
i'm glad to see this article, i was actually quite disturbed/disgusted to see my minister's comments on Bhutan, and am relieved to see that the Bhuntanese feel the same. May you guys enjoy life always
11/03/2011 10:42 AM
thermie said...
I'm from singapore,and I'm really appreciative that you can see through our obscenely paid multi million dollar ministar's bull shit.
I hope you understand that a lot of Singaporeans do not subscribe to his myopic viewpoints, and we do not grade our success solely based on GDP like this guy in his ivory tower.
Long live Bhutan.
11/03/2011 10:53 AM
Justin Ng said...
To the Singaporeans in this thread - yes, indeed we cannot become Bhutan in a literal sense. Given that reality, perhaps we need to think about and define what happiness means for us, in a way that we can achieve. That's the whole point isn't it?
11/03/2011 10:56 AM
Kesang Dolma said...
Tashi delek - please ignore the idiot Khaw. We are embarrassed to have a minister like that. Bhutan is the most awesome place I've been to, and for the life of me, I am extremely envious, and will give anything to live in a paradise that is Bhutan.
11/03/2011 11:18 AM
Alexia C said...
Hi Sir. Very well written post. As a Singaporean, I have always admired how your country maintained traditional values and culture despite modernisation, something my country is lacking.
I must say that many of us strongly disagree with Minister Khaw's comments which were said only to justify the various poor policies implemented by the government. As you said, please do forgive this unhappy man.
11/03/2011 11:19 AM
Joen said...
Classic case of PAP trying to brainwash Singaporeans, saying that we should be contented with the way our country is right now by putting down other nations with their vague and flippant views...
Can I change my nationality to Bhutanese?
11/03/2011 11:23 AM
Taiwoon said...
I have never been to Bhutan. But I love to and to learn from u! Thanks for sharing ur thoughts!
11/03/2011 11:24 AM
Kilo Heroin said...
Dear Passu,
Thumbs way up for your post.
Minister Khaw, what were YOU thinking?!
11/03/2011 11:26 AM
Cherry con Carne said...
I'm a born & bred Singaporean...& this post was awesome! Kudos to you.
11/03/2011 11:29 AM
Johnny said...
To Passu and all Singaporeans here,
I am a Singaporean as well. Though I am of no status, I would still like to apologise to you and Bhutan on behalf of our minister.
As you can already tell from his comments, this is what education and scholarship is all about, in our country. Everything is measured by numbers, money and results. If there was an unhappiness index we would probably top the chart, and leave 100 empty slots below us for other countries to fit in.
If you would even bother to waste your precious time reading all our minister's articles, you would notice that words change from time to time; statements and opinions seem to contradict each other but don't matter because most Singaporeans have bad memory. Most of us normal people dont really have the luxury to remember politics anyway; we are most of the time piled up with work.
In here, it is also the same with the sunset; it doesnt matter day or night, we work all the same. Many also work on weekends and public holidays. The gap between the rich and poor is indeed so great that some minister mentioned that housing is affordable. Billions of investments can be lost yet CEO still stays at the helm.
Apologies again for relating too much to business/money. However this is all that revolves around the island; thats if you arent too keen on gambling at our 2 posh casinos that has crashed many people's lives.
I am sad to say that probaby most Bhutanese are extremely rich people, because most of us dont even have our own piece of land. All that shitloads of 30year long debts paid for 99year lease apartment that is 20storeys up in the air.
I am currently in a regional position, and prefer to see the world rather than be a frog in a gold well. One day, I hope to settle down in other country too.
11/03/2011 11:36 AM
SG Girl Next Door said...
Hi Passu
I always believe money can only buy material things but not happiness and health.
Thanks for sharing.
SG Girl
11/03/2011 12:02 PM
Stella by Starlight said...
As a Singaporean, i must apologise that a leader of my country had made such an insensitive and myopic comment. As a country, we have made great progress that has helped us attain material happiness. It was no small feat and a great achievement. However, not everyone's measure of happiness is the same. It has come at a great cost, the people are not really happy anymore. We have lost almost all our natural forest cover and at least 60% of our animal species. Our streets are overcrowded and our lives filled with stress over how to earn that additional dollar. we have instant food because we have to work and we cannot tuck our children into bed because we have to work. Singapore and Bhutan are both visions of paradise to different people and both have valuable lesson to teach each other. If we keep trying to prove that one is better than the other, stressing over who is happier and getting bothered by individual remarks, we would all lose focus of what's truely important and then no one will be happy.
11/03/2011 12:04 PM
ChrisW said...
This post has been removed by the author.
11/03/2011 12:07 PM
Fook Sheng said...
hi
i am also a Singaporean. I DO NOT AGREE with what Khaw said!
tks for such article! And Bhutan still remains the place I will go visit one day for sure! Else I will die with regrets!
cheers
to read more about supporting comments, go here:
http://www.passudiary.com/2011/10/to-mr-khaw-boon-wan-what-did-you-expect.html
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(This is in reply to National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan of Singapore on his comments made on our country )
Dear Mr. Khaw,
I was not surprised when you said Bhutan is not the last Shangri-la on Earth, because I had a friend from your country who found Bhutan only "full of mountains and valleys". When you visited Bhutan, what did you expect? Those flying mountains you saw in Avatar? or Every Bhutanese merrily dancing in designer clothes? Well, you must have at least expected fancier cars and taller buildings but we only have taller mountains (not flying ones) and thicker forest (truly natural).
I am not surprised even when you said "Most of the time, I saw unhappy people, toiling in the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products." because I heard a proverb in school that goes, "Two men looked through the prison window, one saw the m&d and other saw the horizon". I am only surprised that you have spend "Most of your time" in Bhutan looking in the fields. I am amazed at your ability to figure out whether the people are happy or unhappy just by looking at them- O' you even knew they were "worried about the next harvest". No wonder you country export human resources.
The Man who didn't find happiness in Bhutan. Source:channelnewsasia
I visited your wonderful country sometime ago, and it felt like a city from the future. The transportation system held me spell bound, Cleanliness of the street is so much that I didn't find a fragment of dust on my shoes after walking for the hours, Every building and car looks new, and there is no question about the civic sense among the people. Four days after I landed in Bhutan I woke up and started sharing the stories of your wonderful country- yes it took me four days of sleeping to shake of the hangover of many sleepless nights in your 24X7 country. I read the amazing history of your country and thought to myself, if Bhutan's to develop, Singapore can be our vision.
But since you questioned the presence of happiness in Bhutan, let me answer by telling you few things that you overlooked when you visited my country. Those people you saw in the fields weren't unhappy, if you have gone closer you would have heard them singing and enjoying the social lives, perhaps you won't understand that. If you have spent a little longer time watching them, you would have seen and a woman with basket on her back and holding arms with several children coming with steaming food- we don't have McDonald or KFC. Then everybody will sit down to eat their lunch, laughing and joking, feeding babies, for over an hour- you wouldn't have had so much time to sit and watch I know, times means money in your country. But we have luxury of time. People don't worry "about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products." In fact, we don't do much commercial farming, we do most of them to keep with the tradition. And when the sun sets, doesn't really matter what time, people leave for their homes where they have a large family waiting. Large family because we don't chase away our children when they become 18 or children cast away their parents when they age.
We don't need Health Insurance to survive, no have to go for Education Loan for educating our children. We don't hang the drug users, we counsel them to hang on to their lives, we don't have to have a job to survive, and when we fall sick even the furthest cousin comes to attend without having to update Facebook status.
If you reread our history you will find that our wise kings have hidden us from the outside world so that we could remain the way we are today. If we start mining our mountains and lumbering our forests, we can become Singapore in a year but no matter what you do you can never become Bhutan. It is far too difficult. We shall be the last breath of oxygen on earth.
Bhutan may not be the Last Shangri-la but we are happy.
By PaSsu at 1:01 AM
Labels: Bhutan, Gross National Happiness, Happiness, Last Shangri-la, Letter, Singapore, Singapore Visit 69 READER COMMENT:
Langa Tenzin said...
Wonderful post sir. Your reply to his comments on Bhutan is awesome. I was waiting for someone to come up with such a reply. Thanks you did it. keep posting!
10/21/2011 8:00 AM
Peldhen Sonam Nima said...
Well said,.....I don't know how he became a member of parliament in such a civilized and developed country.
He was simply bluffing about Bhutan the way I used to Bluff in my B.Com Exams......Go to hell Mr.Khaw......
As Passa rightly said, Bhutan can become Singapore, But no matter what, Singapore can never Become Bhutan......
10/21/2011 10:17 AM
Rikku said...
What a response,man! That was a smart and very evidential punch on his face. I think this man is very negative-perhaps he is overtly jealous of our unique development ideology and intact environment and traditions that SINGAPORE can never achieve.
10/21/2011 11:01 AM
i relate to that said...
Wow, smart response!
10/21/2011 12:00 PM
Yeshey Dorji said...
Hi Passu
Since the first time I visited Singapore in 1979 as an official of the Trade Ministry, I have been to that country about 50 times since. Therefore, I know that country and the mind set of the Singaporean people very well.
May I suggest that if His Excellency Khaw Boon Wan did not see the happiness in Bhutan, it is provably because he couldn't relate to what we consider happiness. You must remember that the Singaporeans measure happiness quiet differently from the way we do. On the other hand, you should also remember that he has been to Bhutan less than a week and so he is not qualified to make a statement on the state of affairs in our country.
Therefore, lets not get worked up over his views.
10/21/2011 10:30 PM
ugyen wangchuk said...
i am neither a philosopher nor a well learned extraordinary person to judge which country has this and that systems or so and so.
but i shall never forget that when anyone,minister or a mister dirties my motherland i will raise up to my feet and summon my sense of being a Bhutaneseness.
i don't even can't read the name of that person in a proper grammatical pronunciation and it doesn't bother me much as well,rather i tried to figure out what has his little tiny brain been affected when he made such a comment about my country.
A politician will do anything to keep his job - even become a patriot and well he is just one of it though.
what he knows about happiness is just nothing,not even a tiny dust resting under my feet and its just as a butterfly trying to explain to a caterpillar whats life....?
singapore's GDP can never reach up to 100% of perfection but GNH has immeasurable thoughts that measures beyond the length and breadth of singapore..
if WAN still doesn't understand despite the messages of a bhutanese,,,,this time its just as though a frog explaining to a tadpole....
Bhutan still reamins the most peaceful nation in south-Asian region and yes we bhutanese never ever celebrate independence day as singapore does,we rejoice the jubilee and the pride of being independent through decades and ages.we celebrate national day..!
singapore is just a fake developmet with busy and noisy streets,taller buildings and of course people with narrow thoughts, the health facilities are most advanced but less health for people,every where time and money has no difference but in a due course of time singapore forgets they forgot to make a living while earning.....
dear WAN....
let not your country forget that while they weigh money and time in their hands,they forget their health and to restore their health they waste their money....in the process of their life they live as if they are never going to die and by god's sake let not your people die with remorse as if they never lived.,,,,,!!!!
Bhutan is a wonder land where the last heaven continues and even after your words as such...it doesn't really matter much.....we are all happy though.....
kadrenchhoe.....!!!!
10/25/2011 3:17 PM
land of eternal happiness said...
"If we start mining our mountains and lumbering our forests, we can become Singapore in a year but no matter what you do you can never become Bhutan." this line says it all. Great response!!!
10/25/2011 4:51 PM
oneearthangel said...
Thank you for your post and I hope you can put this response on mr.khaw's Facebook. What he has said about Bhutan DOES NOT represent the view of all Singaporeans. I am Singaporean and I think we have much to learn from Bhutan.
10/25/2011 7:08 PM
PaSsu said...
@oneearthangel, thank you for your comment. I am glad that you are far more farsighted than mr.Khaw. I know his view doesn't represent Singapore, not even the Parliament of Singapore, he seems to have defended his ruthless developmental ideologies, which were questioned many other parliamentarians.
10/25/2011 7:20 PM
PaSsu said...
Yeshi, long time no see. I am glad you are back. You and Kuenga Lhendrup were dragging me to two opposite extremes on shingkhar-Gorgen farm road issue. Wish you luck there.
Coming to this Mr. Khaw, you are right he came here for a week and view our country through his thick materialistic lenses. He doesn't seem to want happiness for his people.
I totally agree with @ugyen wangchuk's anger, I wanted to write that way but then I calmed myself and wrote happily, explaining to him about basics of Happiness he seems to have missed all his life.
10/25/2011 10:49 PM
PaSsu said...
Dear Langa, Rikku, Kuenzang, LoEH and IRtT, thanks so much for reading and commenting. Without being a Bhutanese how could anyone understand about Bhutanese Happiness. so, lets forgive this unhappy man...
10/25/2011 10:52 PM
Pema Wangdi said...
You spoke my heart out....great one and well justified! Never heard of this guy visiting Bhutan, need to go back and read his version of Bhutan!
10/27/2011 11:20 AM
Scott said...
Thank you PaSsu. I share your sentiment. This is what I think of Bhutan and Mr Khaw's view:
http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=7203#comments
11/03/2011 5:36 AM
Gintai_昇泰 said...
Excellent! I was quite perturbed when our MPs mock at Bhutan in our Parliament recently. On WP's website, I posted my comment that what Opposition MP Sylvia Lim trying to tell the ruling party is to look beyond economic growth. She quoted Bhutan to register a point about the govt more concern and focus on the population happiness. Of course, Bhutan is so much different to Sg in terms of culture or geography. But those MPs missed the point completely. Instead, they mock at a small harmless Bhutan! See how arrogant are they? As a Singaporean, pls allow me to apologise to the Bhutanese for such a sly in our Parliament!
11/03/2011 6:46 AM
JeLiBe@nZ said...
thank you Passu for your comments! I'm Singaporean and my mum just came back from Bhutan a few days ago. She has nothing but praise for your country, about how simple your lives are and yet so contented. This is something that we have to humbly learn from you - that happiness is not a measure of how much money we have in the bank, but the wealth of relations and our surroundings that we enjoy.
11/03/2011 7:03 AM
wizard said...
I have been to this lovely country and enjoyed every moments there. This is probably the only Nation that discourage smoking by banning it. Do the people still smoke; Yes, a tiny minority. Any punishment, uummm, not that I have heard about it.
Best wishes to all Bhutanese, my friends!
May I invite you to also visit my blog(pkweksh.blogspot.com)
11/03/2011 8:29 AM
Alan Wan said...
With a million dollar annual salary and a S$8 bill for a heart surgery, Khaw must be one of the happiest man in Singapore if not on this planet. Really ?
Does he now lives with a constant worry that he may not die any moment if his heart fails him one more time ? And he may feeling damn worried that he may not live long enough to enjoy his millions ?
Would one be happy if one has too many worries ? And I wouldn't be the least surprised if he were to announce on one fine day that he has decided to call it quits any minute tomorrow.
11/03/2011 8:41 AM
cynic said...
Hi Passu,
Thank you for your eloquent and gentle response to a typical politician's speech. I'm Singaporean and do not agree with this minister's interpretation of "happiness" at all - like you implied in your post, money is not the be-all and end-all in life.
I hope I will get to visit Bhutan one day and experience Bhutanese happiness for myself.
11/03/2011 8:49 AM
mdingz said...
Thank you so much for your well-written post, Passu - I read it the first thing in the morning and I'm so relieved you wrote it. Politicians in Singapore have the habit of telling us what to do and how happy / successful we are, but the vast majority of the increasingly better-educated population have learnt to see through their hazy viewpoints and discern the truth for ourselves.
I, and many Singaporeans I shared your article with, totally agree with your views, and that we shouldn't try to be presumptuous about other countries and cultures without even understanding it from their perspectives. May our people learn from the Bhutanese and strive to be more appreciative of others, and to live more meaningful and carefree lives.
11/03/2011 9:01 AM
Daniel said...
I'm somewhat amazed by how some of our Members of Parliament - I'm Singaporean - are so flippant in their views about other countries, yet condemn others when they make remarks about Singapore for "interfering with our domestic affairs". Alas these incumbent ministers have been far too arrogant for long, and one day they will rue their attitude.
PaSsu, you have no idea how many Singaporeans admire the Bhutanese life. Our Mr Khaw certainly doesn't, which shows how much in touch he is with his constituents.
11/03/2011 9:21 AM
Qiqi said...
well said!
People measure happiness differently. U can't judge others people happiness based on your (Mr Khaw) judgment.
Does he know we Singaporeans most of them are not happy because of inflation, raising housing price, etc..
Successful doesn't equals to happiness..
How wealthy the country can be also doesn't measure up the wealth of happiness.
11/03/2011 9:24 AM
Marcus Ng said...
my sentiments exactly about having the best figures and what not. It doesn't matter much to the everday-man.
I really don't care about these figures and digits. and I really don't mind the older Singapore back again where people had heart and care for one another.
11/03/2011 9:31 AM
aiming.syu said...
Well done.
Give it to him.
11/03/2011 9:44 AM
apeh said...
THANK You for your judicious post that highlights the glaring impertinence and ignorance of some of us in Singapore. I have never been to Bhutan and i certainly look forward to visiting sometime in the future and learning from you what this rat race in Singapore has taken from us.
11/03/2011 9:51 AM
Nu Rabbit said...
I'm from Singapore, Bhutan sounds amazing. Do the world a favour and keep it that way.
11/03/2011 9:58 AM
none said...
Ah Khaw equates money with happiness, a trait he shares with other members of his PAPaya gang.
After reading this post and it's accompanying comments, Ah Khaw will lie down and die, from shame if not from anything else, for that is the only way he will know true happiness...
11/03/2011 9:59 AM
lt said...
Dear Bhutanese, let me, as a Singaporean, also apologise for these insulting comments made by a myopic member of our nation's ruling party.
These sentiments are shared by the older generation in Singapore, who grew up through much hardship. No doubt the ruling party (People's Action Party, or PAP) has done much to bring Singapore into the state it is now.
But the PAP has also taught Singaporeans over the years that they should keep safe what they have and be thankful for it, without teaching them to take risks. It has taught them hard work, without creativity. It has taught them leadership, without humility. And times have changed. The world is in turmoil, and the PAP's mindset is causing Singapore to lose its competitiveness, while the gap between its rich and poor is one of the widest in the world.
Outsiders always comment that Singaporeans have become a materialistic yet simple-minded people who know everything about their Apple iPhones yet cannot hold an intelligent conversation on world affairs, art or culture.
Maybe Bhutan may not have economic freedom yet, but Singapore's people lack freedom of thought. Which is worse? Bhutan has room to grow in many areas, while Singapore has reached its bursting point. And the sad, desperate Singaporean mindset is seen in comments like Mr. Khaw's.
As the joke goes: "I may be fat, but you're ugly. And I can diet."
11/03/2011 10:17 AM
the-fell-bat said...
PasSu,
Many of us better-educated and more intelligent Singaporeans disagree with what Khaw Boon Wah said about Bhutan. Most of us are capable of recognizing that he jumped at this issue for seemingly nothing, because we know implicitly there is a big difference in approach between Singapore and Bhutan. Bhutan cares so much for its people that you guys have a Happiness Index. Singapore cares so little that it tacks ministerial pay to GDP and focusses only on improving that. He didn't need to comment with such asperity on your beautiful country, unless it was to show feeble-minded Singaporeans that Singapore's way is still better.
That's the thing about Singaporean ministers. Utterly insecure.
Please, never change to be like us. Modernize if you must, as you already have in some ways, but never adopt our mentality. We are a cautionary tale to the world: here but for the grace of God go you.
11/03/2011 10:18 AM
Seelan Palay said...
I'm a Singaporean and I just want to thank for writing this beautiful rebuttal/article. Long live Bhutan!
11/03/2011 10:22 AM
darkiller said...
i'm glad to see this article, i was actually quite disturbed/disgusted to see my minister's comments on Bhutan, and am relieved to see that the Bhuntanese feel the same. May you guys enjoy life always
11/03/2011 10:42 AM
thermie said...
I'm from singapore,and I'm really appreciative that you can see through our obscenely paid multi million dollar ministar's bull shit.
I hope you understand that a lot of Singaporeans do not subscribe to his myopic viewpoints, and we do not grade our success solely based on GDP like this guy in his ivory tower.
Long live Bhutan.
11/03/2011 10:53 AM
Justin Ng said...
To the Singaporeans in this thread - yes, indeed we cannot become Bhutan in a literal sense. Given that reality, perhaps we need to think about and define what happiness means for us, in a way that we can achieve. That's the whole point isn't it?
11/03/2011 10:56 AM
Kesang Dolma said...
Tashi delek - please ignore the idiot Khaw. We are embarrassed to have a minister like that. Bhutan is the most awesome place I've been to, and for the life of me, I am extremely envious, and will give anything to live in a paradise that is Bhutan.
11/03/2011 11:18 AM
Alexia C said...
Hi Sir. Very well written post. As a Singaporean, I have always admired how your country maintained traditional values and culture despite modernisation, something my country is lacking.
I must say that many of us strongly disagree with Minister Khaw's comments which were said only to justify the various poor policies implemented by the government. As you said, please do forgive this unhappy man.
11/03/2011 11:19 AM
Joen said...
Classic case of PAP trying to brainwash Singaporeans, saying that we should be contented with the way our country is right now by putting down other nations with their vague and flippant views...
Can I change my nationality to Bhutanese?
11/03/2011 11:23 AM
Taiwoon said...
I have never been to Bhutan. But I love to and to learn from u! Thanks for sharing ur thoughts!
11/03/2011 11:24 AM
Kilo Heroin said...
Dear Passu,
Thumbs way up for your post.
Minister Khaw, what were YOU thinking?!
11/03/2011 11:26 AM
Cherry con Carne said...
I'm a born & bred Singaporean...& this post was awesome! Kudos to you.
11/03/2011 11:29 AM
Johnny said...
To Passu and all Singaporeans here,
I am a Singaporean as well. Though I am of no status, I would still like to apologise to you and Bhutan on behalf of our minister.
As you can already tell from his comments, this is what education and scholarship is all about, in our country. Everything is measured by numbers, money and results. If there was an unhappiness index we would probably top the chart, and leave 100 empty slots below us for other countries to fit in.
If you would even bother to waste your precious time reading all our minister's articles, you would notice that words change from time to time; statements and opinions seem to contradict each other but don't matter because most Singaporeans have bad memory. Most of us normal people dont really have the luxury to remember politics anyway; we are most of the time piled up with work.
In here, it is also the same with the sunset; it doesnt matter day or night, we work all the same. Many also work on weekends and public holidays. The gap between the rich and poor is indeed so great that some minister mentioned that housing is affordable. Billions of investments can be lost yet CEO still stays at the helm.
Apologies again for relating too much to business/money. However this is all that revolves around the island; thats if you arent too keen on gambling at our 2 posh casinos that has crashed many people's lives.
I am sad to say that probaby most Bhutanese are extremely rich people, because most of us dont even have our own piece of land. All that shitloads of 30year long debts paid for 99year lease apartment that is 20storeys up in the air.
I am currently in a regional position, and prefer to see the world rather than be a frog in a gold well. One day, I hope to settle down in other country too.
11/03/2011 11:36 AM
SG Girl Next Door said...
Hi Passu
I always believe money can only buy material things but not happiness and health.
Thanks for sharing.
SG Girl
11/03/2011 12:02 PM
Stella by Starlight said...
As a Singaporean, i must apologise that a leader of my country had made such an insensitive and myopic comment. As a country, we have made great progress that has helped us attain material happiness. It was no small feat and a great achievement. However, not everyone's measure of happiness is the same. It has come at a great cost, the people are not really happy anymore. We have lost almost all our natural forest cover and at least 60% of our animal species. Our streets are overcrowded and our lives filled with stress over how to earn that additional dollar. we have instant food because we have to work and we cannot tuck our children into bed because we have to work. Singapore and Bhutan are both visions of paradise to different people and both have valuable lesson to teach each other. If we keep trying to prove that one is better than the other, stressing over who is happier and getting bothered by individual remarks, we would all lose focus of what's truely important and then no one will be happy.
11/03/2011 12:04 PM
ChrisW said...
This post has been removed by the author.
11/03/2011 12:07 PM
Fook Sheng said...
hi
i am also a Singaporean. I DO NOT AGREE with what Khaw said!
tks for such article! And Bhutan still remains the place I will go visit one day for sure! Else I will die with regrets!
cheers
to read more about supporting comments, go here:
http://www.passudiary.com/2011/10/to-mr-khaw-boon-wan-what-did-you-expect.html
