Re: Million dollars Cow unhappy in Bhutan.
(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.
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
Perhaps one should ask what is the definition of happiness.
Mr. Khaw's definition is being successful and well-to-do, which is hard to acquire in the laid-back country like Bhutan.
Passu's definition is the simple pleasures in life that is hard to acquire in the progress-driven city of Singapore.
Both are wrong only to the people who view the opposite as true, but none are wrong to those who understand the nature of how we are.
What matters is you are happy, and if you are not, seek for it, and it shall be found.
11/03/2011 1:15 PM
Prostrated Aggrieved Peoples said...
Dear Mr.Khaw Boon Wan,
I noticed you can't find happiness in Penang too, that's how you had sold your birth country and your sould for Happiness with "Super Fat Salary" here !!!
11/03/2011 1:20 PM
Ericanoob said...
Mr Khaw: "expected" too much
Passu blogger: What did you expect?
Singaporean: Expected this la. KBW's mind is as big as a modern HDB flat.
)
11/03/2011 1:22 PM
Wilsurn said...
Fantastic post. Thank you
just another singaporean.
11/03/2011 1:38 PM
Paul & Cheryl said...
Most in Singapore are astounded that a Cabinet Minister can make such flippant remarks without considering the gravity of such words, in Parliament no less.
Perhaps the Bhutanese King and Queen who are currently in Singapore for a State visit should properly point out the error in Mr Khaw's views as the Singapore government loves to do, point by point.
11/03/2011 1:51 PM
Shirls said...
I applaud you for setting the record straight. We have much less than you have. Our government has long forgotten the its people and has forgotten how to listen to its people too.
11/03/2011 2:15 PM
none said...
Ah Kor, see wat u and your gang have done.
U have made Sinkapooreans unhappy and now u are doing the same to the Bhutanese...
11/03/2011 2:17 PM
minotaur235 said...
Dear Passu,
Please don't let KBW's ignorant comments tarnish your image of Singapore. The majority of Singaporean comments here better represent what a true Singaporean is like!
Bhutan is the only country in the world to enshrine 'happiness' in their constitution. My opinion of this: it's genius.
Something make me very puzzle. Does all these above make a Singaporean happy?
11/04/2011 7:43 AM
77ask said...
6 The Bhutan Ministers know a lot about Singapore. They have studied us very closely. They are keen to port over some of our public policy solutions to Bhutan. The Health Minister himself had spent months training in the Singapore General Hospital and remembered his stint in Singapore most fondly and could rattle off our 3Ms financing framework.
. In the Bhutan villages, I saw well-to-do tourists crossing beautiful mountain streams, with expensive Nike shoes in their hands. They were happy. I saw Bhutan children enjoying the river like all children do. They had no sandals in their hands for they could not afford any. But they seemed happy, with angelic innocence, without any worry. I met and heard about foreigners who volunteered in Bhutan: many Singaporean retired teachers bringing IT to the schools, doctors providing immunisation and eye care for the villagers. They were happy as they found meaning in what they were doing, helping others.
15 But most of time, I saw unhappy people, toiling in the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products. The Health Minister asked me to help get ambulances and medicine for their villagers.
11/04/2011 8:19 AM
vibration said...
Dear your excellency minister Mr. Khaw, while you hold the post as a health minister, you used your heart of Buddhism practice to serve the people of Singapore. Now as a new minister of national development, given a chance and opportunity to step on the Buddhism ground but your commendatory may have hurt the nation of Bhutanese and the high excellency of Bhutan King. Bhutan can covert to Singapore city but there is no way to convert Singapore city to Bhutan. You may feel the difference when you take your shoes OFF before your first step on Bhutan ground. Believe the happiness there, Bhutan is the Shangri-la on Earth. Bhutan is the focus of the universal energy on Earth...amitabha
11/04/2011 8:20 AM
Mr. White said...
Dear Mr PaSsu,
Once again, I another Singaporean, would like to apologise for the silly remarks that our NDM minister made. Please do not take his comments seriously; most of us Singaporeans dont. Academically this Khaw is not too bad, but EQ and HQ (happiness Quotient) wise.......it is so obvious where he lies, I do not need to say,
Thank you (Bhutan) for being a beacon of happiness for you. Bless you
11/04/2011 9:40 AM
jh said...
Classic case of "little red dot superiority complex". Dear bureaucrats, stop patting one another on the back.
Apparently, this blatant self- congratulatory stance is felt only in the parliament. Outside, we call it complacency.
11/04/2011 10:19 AM
jh said...
This post has been removed by the author.
11/04/2011 10:20 AM
StephenT said...
It appears to me that some Singaporeans suffer from a form of cultural cringe. They are so unhappy with their miserable lives that they assume other Singaporeans feel the same, and condemn all things Singaporeans.
They profess that a country like Bhutan, while much has been made about its happiness, has much to teach Singapore, and Singaporeans are a soulless bunch of materialistic people.
How many of these people actually put their money where their mouth is by buying a home in Bhutan and migrating there?
These same people benefit from the comforts of this so-called materialistic society and choose to criticize their own society from their armchairs. Is this not hypocritical?
Given a choice between feeling some dissatisfaction of living in modern material society, and living an impoverished but happier life, I am not certain I would choose the latter.
I appreciate the opportunities afforded me, my family and children and their futures, and gladly accept any trade-off. At least I am honest and appreciative of my fellow Singaporeans who have made modern Singapore prosper.
Hypocrisy and self-fleggellation does not strike me as a plausible way to live my life.
11/04/2011 11:02 AM
Jj said...
thanks for great post sir. this is a brilliant example of why money is not everything and why money cant buy happiness. i would definitely want to experience life in bhutan one day. keep it up and stay happy!
from a singaporean who's trying very hard to be happy.
11/04/2011 11:13 AM
Declan Isaac said...
What a wonderful writing you have.
I am glad that i found your blog from one of our (Singapore) newspapers. I've moved out of Singapore because I wasnt too happy there.
Therefore I agree with your comment about "He doesn't seem to want happiness for his people."
11/04/2011 11:15 AM
+ said...
Thank you, really.
Better days ahead for us, hopefully
(:
11/04/2011 12:53 PM
Unknown said...
This is an excellent rebuttal letter. I am really sad this is the kind of quality our million-dollar minister has when many of us not-so-highly-paid ordinary Singaporean do even better than him.
To Mr. Khaw, don't think you are a PAP minister and can start trashing other people's beautiful country and culture, it look doubly bad that you are an elder figure, what kind of stupid mindset you have there or does your narrow mind only contains dollars and cents?
One thing that makes me happy is that I did not vote for you in GE2011, and it will be the same when the next General Elections come!
11/04/2011 1:29 PM
Lendl said...
Hi Passau
Don't worry about your blog going viral. I'm pretty sure it's mostly a good thing that it has gone viral.
As with many other Singaporeans before me, I'm here to show support to the Bhutanese and express my apologies for the words of our minister Mr Khaw. I do hope that the majority of the Bhutanese are not overly offended by his words. Take his words to be something said by a politician trying to safeguard his interests against political opponents, instead of being words from a minister.
Have a good life ahead.
11/04/2011 1:52 PM
thexcuriousxwanderer said...
Hi Passu,
I am a Singaporean and I would like to say that what I like about your article is you expression of happiness and joy. Coming back to family is indeed great happiness, and I like your definition of happiness and how people can observe that when they go to Bhutan (if possible on the guided tours - Bhutan does not allow independent travel).
11/04/2011 2:11 PM
RICHARD SEAH said...
Very well said, Mr Passu Congratulations. You have put Mr Khaw to shame - but then again, he and his PAP colleagues are shameless.
11/04/2011 3:49 PM
Dezyrae said...
I felt embarrassed by the comments made by Khaw. He made a very poor judgement to criticize Bhutan without any understanding of its culture. I hope people of Bhutan will not be offended because these are his comments and do not reflect the views of the common people.
In fact, he is only an administrator turn politician and therefore has limited empathy for culture nor diversity.
11/04/2011 4:59 PM
lorongm said...
This post has been removed by the author.
11/04/2011 5:49 PM
lorongm said...
@thecurioiusxwanderer
I have read, and re-read Khaw's speech, and I do not agree with you that PasSu's blog posting was unwarranted. In fact, PasSu is not the only person in Bhutan who took offence at Khaw's speech and wrote about it. A quick google search will throw up many hits. KBW should have considered the consequences of his actions before speaking out in Parliament. He has caused Singapore to lose hard-earned goodwill through his injudicious and unnecessary speech.
Some random points about KBW's speech:
KBW did not say that he spoke with any of the ordinary Bhutanese. Whilst his short visit was a private visit, he seemed to have spent most of his time in the company of the Chief Monk, the Prime Minister, other ministers, and the rest of the time, he probably would probably have been treated like a rock star or royalty. Since he did not speak with the locals, PasSu's retort to KBW stating as though it was a fact ("But most of the time I saw unhappy people, toiling in the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there will be buyers for their products") was very apt:
"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 exports human resources."
Ouch, and Touche.
KBW spoke of the problems faced by small countries who are hemmed in by large powerful neighbours.
"Second, the hard reality of living next to giant neighbours. I spoke to the Cabinet Secretary to understand their economic structure: what were their revenue sources, how did they make a living? Most of the government income was aid and handouts from a giant neighbour next door. The second largest income item was sale of hydroelectric power to the neighbour. I asked if they were paid international market rate. From his body language, I gathered that altruism or even fairness did not feature much in government-to-government relations."
Two observations on this: Just like KBW's amazing ability to be able to see if farmers are happy or unhappy by peering at them from a distance, he assumes that body language is the same the world over, and he did not even hear the Cabinet Secretary say the things that he had brazenly assumed. Besides, if one were to talk about not paying for things at an international market rate, how about Singapore having been able to and still being able to buy - courtesy of the British Government - from Malaysia water for 100 year (or more) at well below international market rate, and then selling the processed water back to Malaysia at the international market rate?
What about the Governement compulsorily acquiring land and properties from Singaopreans for a song, and then selling it at auction for several hundred times the price that the Government had robbed the original owners of? Not only is the Government not paying international market rate to its people, the Government is frankly committing theft against its people
11/04/2011 5:53 PM
none said...
Based on Emeritus Goh Joke Tong's classification Khaw Boon Wan is a quitter from Malaysia, and one shouldn't take quitters too seriously. So I would suggest that his views and comments about anything should be treated like a load of shit and given the consideration it richly deserves. Just junk it.
11/04/2011 5:57 PM
bonnie said...
I've been living in Singapore for over a month now and from my standpoint on "local" singaporeans, they tend to be very blunt and just say things without mulling it in their heads first. Some find it good because it's very straightfoward while others wonder why they don't decorate their words, it's all subjective I suppose...and they like to think they're right or keep justifying until they can support their orginal statment that indeed they're right...but in general, I believe all SIngaporeans only have good intentions, but they just don't think before they talk at times
11/04/2011 7:02 PM
lex said...
This post has been removed by the author.
11/04/2011 7:08 PM
Singapore Research Analyst said...
From: http://www.singaporepoliticsresearc...1/10/khaw-boon-wan-falsely-presumes-that.html
Khaw Boon Wan is wrong.
This is false reasoning.
It is false on 3 points:
1) Bhutan studies Singapore but that does not make Singapore a Shangri-La
2) Studies are not necessarily positive. If A studies B, it could very well be that A does not want to ever be in the same state as B. Example: USA conducts studies on certain African countries such as Somalia. Does USA want to be like Somalia?
3) Khaw Boon Wan was himself studying Bhutan.
He was walking around Bhutan conducting studies on farmers' moods.
By Khaw Boon Wan's reasoning that studying a country means wanting to be like it, this therefore means that Singapore is wanting to be a Bhutan.
This article's argument is that just because a country studies another country does not mean that it wants to totally be like another country.
Singapore has conducted numerous studies on other countries,
Example: Singapore studies Japan for its transport.
Bhutan is said to be a Shangri-la because of its resplendent landscape, misty mountains and charm, together with a government that adopts a Gross National Happiness as a measure of success [Source: many news articles, including Readers Digest].
Khaw Boon Wan says that because of his view that he saw unhappy farmers on his random encounters in Bhutan, Bhutan is on the whole not a Shangri-La.
Khaw Boon Wan is wrong to think that Bhutan's people think Singapore is a Shangri-la
To Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, What did you expect?
Gaddafi Killed, World Healed
Singaporeans Believe in Bhutan
(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.
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
Perhaps one should ask what is the definition of happiness.
Mr. Khaw's definition is being successful and well-to-do, which is hard to acquire in the laid-back country like Bhutan.
Passu's definition is the simple pleasures in life that is hard to acquire in the progress-driven city of Singapore.
Both are wrong only to the people who view the opposite as true, but none are wrong to those who understand the nature of how we are.
What matters is you are happy, and if you are not, seek for it, and it shall be found.
11/03/2011 1:15 PM
Prostrated Aggrieved Peoples said...
Dear Mr.Khaw Boon Wan,
I noticed you can't find happiness in Penang too, that's how you had sold your birth country and your sould for Happiness with "Super Fat Salary" here !!!
11/03/2011 1:20 PM
Ericanoob said...
Mr Khaw: "expected" too much
Passu blogger: What did you expect?
Singaporean: Expected this la. KBW's mind is as big as a modern HDB flat.
)
11/03/2011 1:22 PM
Wilsurn said...
Fantastic post. Thank you
just another singaporean.
11/03/2011 1:38 PM
Paul & Cheryl said...
Most in Singapore are astounded that a Cabinet Minister can make such flippant remarks without considering the gravity of such words, in Parliament no less.
Perhaps the Bhutanese King and Queen who are currently in Singapore for a State visit should properly point out the error in Mr Khaw's views as the Singapore government loves to do, point by point.
11/03/2011 1:51 PM
Shirls said...
I applaud you for setting the record straight. We have much less than you have. Our government has long forgotten the its people and has forgotten how to listen to its people too.
11/03/2011 2:15 PM
none said...
Ah Kor, see wat u and your gang have done.
U have made Sinkapooreans unhappy and now u are doing the same to the Bhutanese...
11/03/2011 2:17 PM
minotaur235 said...
Dear Passu,
Please don't let KBW's ignorant comments tarnish your image of Singapore. The majority of Singaporean comments here better represent what a true Singaporean is like!
Bhutan is the only country in the world to enshrine 'happiness' in their constitution. My opinion of this: it's genius.
Something make me very puzzle. Does all these above make a Singaporean happy?
11/04/2011 7:43 AM
77ask said...
6 The Bhutan Ministers know a lot about Singapore. They have studied us very closely. They are keen to port over some of our public policy solutions to Bhutan. The Health Minister himself had spent months training in the Singapore General Hospital and remembered his stint in Singapore most fondly and could rattle off our 3Ms financing framework.
. In the Bhutan villages, I saw well-to-do tourists crossing beautiful mountain streams, with expensive Nike shoes in their hands. They were happy. I saw Bhutan children enjoying the river like all children do. They had no sandals in their hands for they could not afford any. But they seemed happy, with angelic innocence, without any worry. I met and heard about foreigners who volunteered in Bhutan: many Singaporean retired teachers bringing IT to the schools, doctors providing immunisation and eye care for the villagers. They were happy as they found meaning in what they were doing, helping others.
15 But most of time, I saw unhappy people, toiling in the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products. The Health Minister asked me to help get ambulances and medicine for their villagers.
11/04/2011 8:19 AM
vibration said...
Dear your excellency minister Mr. Khaw, while you hold the post as a health minister, you used your heart of Buddhism practice to serve the people of Singapore. Now as a new minister of national development, given a chance and opportunity to step on the Buddhism ground but your commendatory may have hurt the nation of Bhutanese and the high excellency of Bhutan King. Bhutan can covert to Singapore city but there is no way to convert Singapore city to Bhutan. You may feel the difference when you take your shoes OFF before your first step on Bhutan ground. Believe the happiness there, Bhutan is the Shangri-la on Earth. Bhutan is the focus of the universal energy on Earth...amitabha
11/04/2011 8:20 AM
Mr. White said...
Dear Mr PaSsu,
Once again, I another Singaporean, would like to apologise for the silly remarks that our NDM minister made. Please do not take his comments seriously; most of us Singaporeans dont. Academically this Khaw is not too bad, but EQ and HQ (happiness Quotient) wise.......it is so obvious where he lies, I do not need to say,
Thank you (Bhutan) for being a beacon of happiness for you. Bless you
11/04/2011 9:40 AM
jh said...
Classic case of "little red dot superiority complex". Dear bureaucrats, stop patting one another on the back.
Apparently, this blatant self- congratulatory stance is felt only in the parliament. Outside, we call it complacency.
11/04/2011 10:19 AM
jh said...
This post has been removed by the author.
11/04/2011 10:20 AM
StephenT said...
It appears to me that some Singaporeans suffer from a form of cultural cringe. They are so unhappy with their miserable lives that they assume other Singaporeans feel the same, and condemn all things Singaporeans.
They profess that a country like Bhutan, while much has been made about its happiness, has much to teach Singapore, and Singaporeans are a soulless bunch of materialistic people.
How many of these people actually put their money where their mouth is by buying a home in Bhutan and migrating there?
These same people benefit from the comforts of this so-called materialistic society and choose to criticize their own society from their armchairs. Is this not hypocritical?
Given a choice between feeling some dissatisfaction of living in modern material society, and living an impoverished but happier life, I am not certain I would choose the latter.
I appreciate the opportunities afforded me, my family and children and their futures, and gladly accept any trade-off. At least I am honest and appreciative of my fellow Singaporeans who have made modern Singapore prosper.
Hypocrisy and self-fleggellation does not strike me as a plausible way to live my life.
11/04/2011 11:02 AM
Jj said...
thanks for great post sir. this is a brilliant example of why money is not everything and why money cant buy happiness. i would definitely want to experience life in bhutan one day. keep it up and stay happy!
from a singaporean who's trying very hard to be happy.
11/04/2011 11:13 AM
Declan Isaac said...
What a wonderful writing you have.
I am glad that i found your blog from one of our (Singapore) newspapers. I've moved out of Singapore because I wasnt too happy there.
Therefore I agree with your comment about "He doesn't seem to want happiness for his people."
11/04/2011 11:15 AM
+ said...
Thank you, really.
Better days ahead for us, hopefully
(:
11/04/2011 12:53 PM
Unknown said...
This is an excellent rebuttal letter. I am really sad this is the kind of quality our million-dollar minister has when many of us not-so-highly-paid ordinary Singaporean do even better than him.
To Mr. Khaw, don't think you are a PAP minister and can start trashing other people's beautiful country and culture, it look doubly bad that you are an elder figure, what kind of stupid mindset you have there or does your narrow mind only contains dollars and cents?
One thing that makes me happy is that I did not vote for you in GE2011, and it will be the same when the next General Elections come!
11/04/2011 1:29 PM
Lendl said...
Hi Passau
Don't worry about your blog going viral. I'm pretty sure it's mostly a good thing that it has gone viral.
As with many other Singaporeans before me, I'm here to show support to the Bhutanese and express my apologies for the words of our minister Mr Khaw. I do hope that the majority of the Bhutanese are not overly offended by his words. Take his words to be something said by a politician trying to safeguard his interests against political opponents, instead of being words from a minister.
Have a good life ahead.
11/04/2011 1:52 PM
thexcuriousxwanderer said...
Hi Passu,
I am a Singaporean and I would like to say that what I like about your article is you expression of happiness and joy. Coming back to family is indeed great happiness, and I like your definition of happiness and how people can observe that when they go to Bhutan (if possible on the guided tours - Bhutan does not allow independent travel).
11/04/2011 2:11 PM
RICHARD SEAH said...
Very well said, Mr Passu
Congratulations. You have put Mr Khaw to shame - but then again, he and his PAP colleagues are shameless.11/04/2011 3:49 PM
Dezyrae said...
I felt embarrassed by the comments made by Khaw. He made a very poor judgement to criticize Bhutan without any understanding of its culture. I hope people of Bhutan will not be offended because these are his comments and do not reflect the views of the common people.
In fact, he is only an administrator turn politician and therefore has limited empathy for culture nor diversity.
11/04/2011 4:59 PM
lorongm said...
This post has been removed by the author.
11/04/2011 5:49 PM
lorongm said...
@thecurioiusxwanderer
I have read, and re-read Khaw's speech, and I do not agree with you that PasSu's blog posting was unwarranted. In fact, PasSu is not the only person in Bhutan who took offence at Khaw's speech and wrote about it. A quick google search will throw up many hits. KBW should have considered the consequences of his actions before speaking out in Parliament. He has caused Singapore to lose hard-earned goodwill through his injudicious and unnecessary speech.
Some random points about KBW's speech:
KBW did not say that he spoke with any of the ordinary Bhutanese. Whilst his short visit was a private visit, he seemed to have spent most of his time in the company of the Chief Monk, the Prime Minister, other ministers, and the rest of the time, he probably would probably have been treated like a rock star or royalty. Since he did not speak with the locals, PasSu's retort to KBW stating as though it was a fact ("But most of the time I saw unhappy people, toiling in the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there will be buyers for their products") was very apt:
"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 exports human resources."
Ouch, and Touche.
KBW spoke of the problems faced by small countries who are hemmed in by large powerful neighbours.
"Second, the hard reality of living next to giant neighbours. I spoke to the Cabinet Secretary to understand their economic structure: what were their revenue sources, how did they make a living? Most of the government income was aid and handouts from a giant neighbour next door. The second largest income item was sale of hydroelectric power to the neighbour. I asked if they were paid international market rate. From his body language, I gathered that altruism or even fairness did not feature much in government-to-government relations."
Two observations on this: Just like KBW's amazing ability to be able to see if farmers are happy or unhappy by peering at them from a distance, he assumes that body language is the same the world over, and he did not even hear the Cabinet Secretary say the things that he had brazenly assumed. Besides, if one were to talk about not paying for things at an international market rate, how about Singapore having been able to and still being able to buy - courtesy of the British Government - from Malaysia water for 100 year (or more) at well below international market rate, and then selling the processed water back to Malaysia at the international market rate?
What about the Governement compulsorily acquiring land and properties from Singaopreans for a song, and then selling it at auction for several hundred times the price that the Government had robbed the original owners of? Not only is the Government not paying international market rate to its people, the Government is frankly committing theft against its people
11/04/2011 5:53 PM
none said...
Based on Emeritus Goh Joke Tong's classification Khaw Boon Wan is a quitter from Malaysia, and one shouldn't take quitters too seriously. So I would suggest that his views and comments about anything should be treated like a load of shit and given the consideration it richly deserves. Just junk it.
11/04/2011 5:57 PM
bonnie said...
I've been living in Singapore for over a month now and from my standpoint on "local" singaporeans, they tend to be very blunt and just say things without mulling it in their heads first. Some find it good because it's very straightfoward while others wonder why they don't decorate their words, it's all subjective I suppose...and they like to think they're right or keep justifying until they can support their orginal statment that indeed they're right...but in general, I believe all SIngaporeans only have good intentions, but they just don't think before they talk at times
11/04/2011 7:02 PM
lex said...
This post has been removed by the author.
11/04/2011 7:08 PM
Singapore Research Analyst said...
From: http://www.singaporepoliticsresearc...1/10/khaw-boon-wan-falsely-presumes-that.html
Khaw Boon Wan is wrong.
This is false reasoning.
It is false on 3 points:
1) Bhutan studies Singapore but that does not make Singapore a Shangri-La
2) Studies are not necessarily positive. If A studies B, it could very well be that A does not want to ever be in the same state as B. Example: USA conducts studies on certain African countries such as Somalia. Does USA want to be like Somalia?
3) Khaw Boon Wan was himself studying Bhutan.
He was walking around Bhutan conducting studies on farmers' moods.
By Khaw Boon Wan's reasoning that studying a country means wanting to be like it, this therefore means that Singapore is wanting to be a Bhutan.
This article's argument is that just because a country studies another country does not mean that it wants to totally be like another country.
Singapore has conducted numerous studies on other countries,
Example: Singapore studies Japan for its transport.
Bhutan is said to be a Shangri-la because of its resplendent landscape, misty mountains and charm, together with a government that adopts a Gross National Happiness as a measure of success [Source: many news articles, including Readers Digest].
Khaw Boon Wan says that because of his view that he saw unhappy farmers on his random encounters in Bhutan, Bhutan is on the whole not a Shangri-La.
Khaw Boon Wan is wrong to think that Bhutan's people think Singapore is a Shangri-la
To Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, What did you expect?
Gaddafi Killed, World Healed
Singaporeans Believe in Bhutan
