Ex-Brit on why Singapore democracy is better than American
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- This is Michael Gray. An ex-British citizen, he became Singaporean 30 years ago. Moreover, Michael was one of the first Caucasians to get involved in the grassroots. He told me why obtaining a Singaporean passport was the best decision of his life, why Singapore's democracy is much better than that of the US and the West, and what it feels like to own a yacht on Sentosa. Enjoy!
Michael Gray on LinkedIn: / mike-gray-a2701435
The book: www.amazon.com/Sir-Charles-Bu...
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 INTRO
00:32 Singapore 45 years ago
01:35 Did you feel that Singapore was on the rise?
02:37 Life in the UK vs Singapore
03:09 Becoming a Singaporean
04:24 Increase in public transport fares
06:04 Being the only White Person in the Singapore Parliament
07:53 How does Singapore manage to live without demonstrations?
11:43 What Western countries may learn from Singapore
14:20 How does it feel being 78 years old?
14:45 Owning a boat in Singapore
16:02 Regrets in life
16:21 The meaning of life for Michael Gray
WATCH NEXT:
► I didn’t like Singapore at first: • I didn’t like Singapor...
► Why this American decided to live in Singapore: • Why this American deci...
► Pros & Cons of Living in Singapore as a Foreigner: • Pros & Cons of Living ...
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CZcams should have a popup to tell you that you watch a lot of video in this channel and not subscribed. I THOUGHT I did but didn't 😢
@@azureliteyahoo now yes? :)
@@MaxChernov yes lol
already
Yes, just subscribed. Thanks for the interviews 👏👏👏👍👍👍
Michael, thank you for staying and believing. Your services is much appreciated.
Mr Gray thank you for your contribution to Singapore. You are a gem. From another Singaporean.
I must admit, Michael’s opinion on Singapore moved me to tears. I realised after watching this clip, how fortunate I am to be a Singaporean and to live in Singapore. It may not be utopia but it is my home.
an island of chinese and indian labourers migrants
@@brabaius162true for many migrant societies too.america and canada came from where? most impt is how far you have come.
@@peterlee6148 just a reminder the generosities of Malays. America and Canada are built on the blood of 20 million red indians.
Singapore is the only country in the world that is run this way. If we lose it (to demagogues, idealists, ideologues, and impractical people), we lose Camelot.
@@brabaius162 And what's wrong with that?
Tremendously grateful for your contribution to public service!
It is a blessing for Singapore to have him settled and contributed to the development of Singapore. Wish him many years of long and happy life living in Singapore.
Michael's speech and the way he carries himself looks to be younger than 78, I was surprised when he mentioned his age. Thank you for the reminder for us to not take Singapore's present standard for granted, and thank you for your service these past few decades.
Wealth can do wonders for your health, I suppose.
I have a good French friend who was here as an exchange student 20 years ago. I have to thank him for opening my horizon on what is democracy. I used to be brainwashed by the Western propaganda that Singapore is an authoritarian until he said this to me, "Are you kidding me? Which authoritarian circulates its draft policy changes to seek public views before changing most policies? If this is not democracy, what is?" It was when I realised we are our own master and do what we think is right for ourselves, not try to fit ourselves into the moulds others created for us.
Well, there are people who like to watch the world burn, other people’s world that is.
@@bobs_1429 or the west legalised the corruptions and thefts when they become problems so that they are no longer corruptions, legally speaking.
Lmao.there is no seeking public views. If u look at the pattern over the years,they have already decided and these "surveys" are just for show. Most prominent cases in recent years is the trace together device and 377a.
@@bobs_1429thank you.
It's funny because that's how China operate. Local governments seek public opinions all the time and they really do change policies based on feedback. Their politicians are only promoted based on their merits and achievements and they have clamp down on corruption for quite a while and succeeding.
Really appreciate his contributions to S'pore as a citizen. He looks at things in a very S'porean way, not the usual white man view points and perspectives. Kudos to him for being so localised.❤
Thank you so much Michael for contributing to the growth and prosperity of Singapore.
He didn't contribute shit he a government parasite
Wow! So glad to have him in SG!! Thank you for serving SG for these years too :)) Blessed to have you!
many born Singaporean complained about the government.. seriously, they probably haven't lived in other countries to appreciate what the government had done for Singapore.
Complaining works in singapore thats why Singaporeans love doing it
Thank you, Michael for your contributions to Singapore. We are not perfect, but we all do what we can to build a better future and a better country.
I love this guy Michael Gray like a brother 😂…he’s a true blue Singaporean, his love for Singapore comes straight from his heart ❤️ 👍
I'm very happy that Mike has chosen to make Singapore his home and country. Thank you for standing up for our brand of democracy and way of life. Two thumbs up, Mike!
Thanks max for sharing. And thanks Michael as he appreciates the good government more than many of the Singaporeans who always complain about PAP.
Fully agreed. 👍
The fact is PAP have morphed into the #EnemyOfFreedom ever since Ops Spectrum. Glad we have 2 GRCs in WP hands today.
@@andrewsitu3472 So what have they done so far ? To me nothing much
@@capricorn839 it's 8 vs 80. How much can they do? Use your brain.
@@andrewsitu3472lol use your brain, our money to your WP has not done much things lol.
Michael Grey makes some very fair points. Political donations are corruption. Long term policies, if well thought out, work better. The challenge for Singapore is making sure honest government lasts.
Exactly. Singapore is walking a tightrope. Its political system can easily transform into a full-blown dictatorship if the values of the PAP begin to slip.
LKY was the last honest politician, so we know where this goes
@@buglepong I would say the current government is pretty honest.
@@aero.l singapore leadership is made of smart and disciplined but entrenched bureaucrats. it is hard to tell what they really think. at the very least they appear consistent. however i was not impressed with how they handled the recent global crisis
As an expat living in this country now for 5 years, I love your videos!
Michael is a true son of Singapore. Thank you for your contributions to this country, Michael!
Thanks to both of you for this for this very interesting clip. I am an American from NYC who moved to Saigon in 1995 where I headed up a small subsidiary unit of a major British conglomerate. I had the good fortune to travel to Singapore many times and find the country perhaps one of the most ideal places on earth. I am retired now but remain in Saigon where I really enjoy life. We still have a lot of the traditional but with more than enough western stuff to keep most people happy. I like the greater stability that you have in Singapore along with the overall sense of proper if not perfect government. We can look at the basic facts for some comparison. For all its complications the US still produces huge wealth but for all its healthcare cost most blown sky high by lobby… the average American lives about one thousand five hundred LESS days than the average Singaporean. And if a day of life has worth what about 1,500!? Here in Vietnam life expectancy is rapidly improving and like Cuba already will likely pass that of the US soon. Here in Saigon and certainly in Singapore I feel totally safe being out in normal places and hours. The weather we have in this part of the world is also so much better than that cycle of long and then short days dreading the shortening days with cold weather so much of the year. And a big bonus for me is that I was able to learn Vietnamese which for any foreigner especially a non asian foreigner has made everyday life so much more fun. The day I met my wife who is from Saigon back in 1976 in NYC was better than winning a mega lottery!
Your wife is a lucky lady to have a husband who after decades of marriage still thinks the way you do. Think about it. You did win in life's lottery at least three times, being born in a safe country like America, finding a second home country you love in Vietnam and meeting your wife. Wish you all the best!
Agree with you on everything except for the weather part lol. Seasonal changes in weather would be perfect.
I traveled a lot and lived in many different countries for decades. Singapore is probably the only country I know where the local people truly care about working together.with one another, regardless of their nationality, to make their country a better place. In most places, you'll face hostile xenophobia, closed-mindedness, and safety concerns. I think foreigners feel safe in Singapore, and that's a testament to the local people who care enough to share their emotional space with other cultures.
tells me you haven’t travelled much 😂
I traveled with your mom.
@@user-fb7rf4kr5k must be projecting your own mom ? 😆😆
@@blueeyes6192 don't interrupt your dad when he's talking
@@kf510 oh oh you must be mom 😆
Great interview - with lots of depth! Thanks for the video!!!
Excellent interview! Thank you for showcasing such a gem in our humble Singapore!
Great interview once again!
Great interview! I first visited Singapore in 1970, fell in love with it, and stayed for six weeks. I have been there many times since, including once for two months in 1975. I agree that I prefer the city as it was then in the 1970s, but it is still a great city and I still love it 54 years after my first visit.
One word to describe this guy -- likeable. He's the kinda guy you'd like to have a beer with and just yak about anything, which is what Max ended up doing. He's so down-to-earth, knowledgeable and just full of life's wisdom. Both Max and Michael in fact, are great people to have over for dinner or just to chat and have broad-ranging conversations.
Many Americans who wants to safeguard their HARD EARNED EARNINGS that they have worked their butts off are leaving America for stable nation-state republics and converting their dollars into gold-supported currencies in well governed currencies.
you know max , i really appreciate you asking this important question "what is the meaning of life" and through this channel confirms my finding in my walk in my life, that the meaning of life in truly in the service of others .
This episode is a great one. I loved it !
Thanks, Michael, for your contributions to Singapore. You're a good man.
Thanks for the great content 👍💪🏻
Michael is such a wholesome personality. Can never get enough of his sound bites.
wow this guy is 78? i’d take him for 60 maybe. he certainly does look healthy. thanks for interesting insights into SG vs foreign policies!
60? I would say 70 but then again I am unfamiliar with how Europeans age over the years. Do Europeans look like that at 60?
Wow! Kudos to Michael for being noble on everyday life and your contribution to our society. We need more people like you. Thank you and another great video Max.
Our pleasure!
Thank you Sir for your contributions🙏
Great interview & very interesting to hear of Michael's experiences. He has done much more social work for Singapore than me, a native S'porean. One of the few Westerners who understands and thinks that S'pore's style of democracy (including a corruption-free and stable government) works much better than Western democracies - and he's absolutely right in pointing out the inadequacies of Western countries, just look at all the domestic social and economic problems Western countries have.
As a Singaporean I’m glad so many years ago people deciding had the wisdom to grant him citizenship. The long term success of this place depends on having great people like him come and throw their hat into the mix.
As English is not my native language, I love the subtitles. And what a great interview with this wonderful man 👍🏻
I love your videos about foreigners living in Singapore n what they think of Singapore. Very interesting. Interesting insights of what foreigners think of Singapore. More videos please! 👍👍👍
Well Done MaxC.....well balance post. Tks
Great interview
I love this show you find some very admirable people, very interesting I might start looking into moving into Singapore after watching your videos 😂
Michael is more S'porean (in some sense) than many of us. Our lives are richer because of people like him.
The measure of civilization of a society is how that society handles the most vulnerable, most down-trodden, most oppressed, most hurt people. Singapore is doing a good job addressing these issues.
Based Capitalist Singapore.
@@HenshinFanatic Yea, a capitalist Singapore that does not allow companies to buy public housing. A capitalistic country where the bus and train fare increase has to be debated in parliament.
Singapore is not as capitalistic as you think it is, and that is the secret to its success.
@@HenshinFanaticAnglotake.
@@HenshinFanatic Seems like your simple mind is only able to comprehend binary outcomes. I would say Singapore balances capitalism/socialism very well in a space-constraint island. After all it's not the political ideology that matters to ordinary people. It's the policy itself that matters.
This was really super interesting. Looking forward to your next video
Thank to another Ang Mo legend who contributed to Singapore. RESPECT for u.😊
What an inspiration, so thankful for his contributions to the country he made his new home.
Good man😊
This is such a good interview.
Thank you for serving our country despite not being born here. It would have been easy to be a Taker and not a Giver in a country that has much to offer. Appreciate your desire to help and make a difference to our society.
Talent spotting and evaluation
Thanks very much for such wonderful content
I hope they continue having debates over MRT fare increases of 5cents etc
It is true that PAP chooses its potential MPs based on meritocracy with the necessary proven technical competence and skills.
However some "bad" characters still slip through....But they are quickly identified and dealt with.
This is what makes our country's success.
As we witness the current economic landscape, it's becoming increasingly clear that we're entering a recession. These times can pose significant financial challenges.
Indeed, Recessions have a way of affecting people's financial stability and investment portfolios in profound ways.
Speaking of financial stability, I've had the privilege of working closely with Monica Mary Strigle, a highly experienced financial advisor. Her expertise has been pivotal in helping me navigate the complexities of economic downturns.
That's intriguing, I've been on the lookout for a financial advisor who can provide sound guidance during these uncertain times. Could you elaborate on how Monica Mary Strigle has assisted you?
Certainly, Monica Mary Strigle provided me with tailored financial strategies that not only protected my investments but also helped optimize them during periods of economic turbulence. Her insights were truly invaluable.
It's heartening to hear about professionals like Monica Mary Strigle who can offer expert guidance when it's needed most. I've been contemplating the importance of finding a trusted advisor myself.
I learn a lot about the early developments of Singapore through his latest book, "Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell".
He gave me an excellent tour of the Freemason Lodge in Singapore too. He really took his time to explain to me on the cultures and rituals. Excellent gentleman, great friend !
Nice video too !!
Such a lovely person and story. May god bless you and your family
Very humble and really nice personality! Would love to sit n hear him talk all day
Sentosa was previously known as Pulau Belakang Mati.
Never knew in those early days, people had to travel to Terror Club in Sembawang for a swim. That's one of my childhood playground for a 20? or 50? cent afternoon swimming and spicy hot curry puff after. 😅
London sounds like Seattle. East Asia is so stimulating for a Westerner. The level of dialogue in the SG Parliament is such an immense step above what I hear from American politicians. They get to the point and speak directly. I really like it.
Singapore is in Southeast Asia, not East Asia...
@@silverchairsgSingapore adapt East Asia way of life, mainly chinese.
Impressive career👍
Great episode again Max!
A good government is one that takes care of her people. We have so much to be thankful for - From public transport to medical subsidies, to the network of public medical care..world class education system, U-save vouchers, CDC vouchers, low crime rate..what more can we ask for?! We should count our blessings.
Thank you Michael for pointing out the significance of the policies which shaped this nation over the last decades. Thank you for your contributions!
we welcome you sir
Wish him good health and a happy life
mr max, this is a great interview, and i might say i enjoyed and i hope you enjoyed too doing the interview.. hope there is a 2nd interview. thank you
Good government is citizen-centred. Elected repreentatives should not lord over the citizens. Government departments are there to serve the needs of the citizens. Period.
How many countries have such a government?
Thank you for this video. Thank you Michael Gray for being an outstanding citizen.
Very few. Being American, I can attest the well-being of the average citizen here is barely an afterthought for our Federal government. Even State governments are mostly concerned with pet projects and pleasing political supporters rather than the general welfare of its own citizens.
I agree that Lobbying is a form of corruption. Yet it's legal in so many countries. I hate it. It makes me appreciate just how well run Singapore is.
Thanks
You can't compare a tiny little city-state with the complex machinery involved in keeping the unity of larger territories. Control is made of these concessions.
In the late 60, a Ford Escort (@$$embled in Singapore Ford factory) cost $5500.
Coffee 10 cents.
The fact that they had a parliament debate for two days over fare increase that most people will feel is inconsequential tells us how robust the Singapore system and its democracy really is. Fares on public transport affect the people the most, it cuts directly into their income. It is the lifeblood of a country and city. Fare prices are very consequential and it must be set to minimize the burden on the people while covering its costs and investments. It is not a for profit system and should not be a for profit system, at least not in a way a private company is run to maximize profits, which is exploitative and rent-seeking by its nature.
This kind of thing is why Singapore works.
A family man. Thanks for contributing to singapore.
Fantastic video and great perspective on Singapore’s unique brand of democracy and governance! Thanks for sharing!
Thankfully he is the COMPLETE opposite of Michael Gray in Peaky Blinders. Heart of gold and a true son for Singapore. He hits the nail on every issue mentioned. And you can tell how kind he is towards the more needy.
Unique guest - very important distinctions with other political systems eg lobbying
I lived in spore for 3 years, the best city to live, very safe, modern, clean, orderly, trustworthy government…except it’s hot 🥵 and humid haha
Max, I hope you can do interview on Dutch individual(s) who knows Meneer Albertus Winsemius inside out. Afterall, he was Mr LKY's trusted advisor 😊.
He is only European by birth otherwise he has become Asian for all purposes when you understand his outlook on life and his philosophy about society and family.
In singapore we have statesmen and stateswomen, the other countries as mentioned by the interviewee have politicians, the calibre are much different, and i am thankful for that.
Hip2 hooray:Michael well done,yeah;)
Nations that think one party being in power for so long automatically equals authoritarianism think that way because they cannot fathom the concept of people being consistently competent enough to stay popular on their own merits.
I agree fully with him. Lobbying is purely a corruption. Looks at what has been happening in local government, state governments etc in Australia.
Thank you for serving SINGAPORE. Thank you
A good man, 100%.
❤❤❤❤❤
Such a humble guy!
Ang mo for Jellow Fever lahhhh
Good job MAX .
Eating durian do be a good indicator whether you qualify as a Singaporean citizen.
What a great Singaporean!
👍👍👍
He looks so young! Never thought he is 78!
12:45 "Why Singapore's Democracy is better than the West?" Because Singapore (or LKY) realised a long time ago, that Democracy is just a popularity contest. Democracy in and of itself DOES NOT GUARANTEE GOOD GOVERNMENT. All Democracy does, is to provide a system for selecting/electing a government. But people will have different reasons for voting for one person or another. And the reason may have NOTHING to do with the person's ability to govern, to choose wisely, or to make good decisions. It's like choosing an MP (or some other political office holder) based on how many friends he has on Facebook. Or whether he likes animals. Or is a Vegan.
The "tea party" (or invitation to "lim kopi") that Michael mentions is the process of the PAP recruiting members for their leadership. This is NOT a prescribed democratic process. You will not find this in Western Democracies. But the PAP Cadre (senior members) will have dossiers on potential MPs, or promising talents. They will invite these people to "lim kopi" or tea parties, where the senior PAP leaders will suss out their potential. Some may decline the invitation (for personal or other reasons). Some may take up the invitation and be found wanting and would never hear anything from the PAP. And some may decline further invitations after the initial one for whatever reasons. But the PAP will have a pool to draw from at any time.
The Western Democracies does not have this deliberative approach to head hunting talent or potential leaders. The West believes in the competition of the marketplace of ideas. They believe that talent will out and the best will rise to the top. Like cream. Not realising also that scum also rises to the top (or maybe studiously ignoring that scum also rises. ) The West has not learned that it is not only that Power currupts, but also that power attracts the corruptible. (That's why there are more scum in US politics than cream.)
Singapore understands both: And understands that the best person for the job, may not be the most flamboyant, flashy, extroverted, politicalised media hound. And that left to the competitive marketplace of ideas, some talent will never rise to the top, or be beaten by scums before they can rise.
So why is Singapore's democracy better than the West? Because we don't play dice with our future, or our government. Our leaders think long term and for the good of the country - Like Heng Swee Keat. He was in line to be the next PM of Singapore. BUT he bowed out. For the good of the country. He could have stayed in contention for his own personal glory. But he didn't. He stepped aside so the next PM will have time to develop and lead Singapore.
That's also a form of leadership.
I think one important thing a lot of politicians forget is about their position. Being a politician isn't a pathway to becoming rich and powerful. A government's purpose is to act as a body that can lead and direct for the benefit of their country and citizens. A lot of politicians are so drunk with the power they forget that being a government entity is to serve the country and citizens, not themselves.
The thing i like about Singapore but MP holding directorships and jobs that might havr conflict of interests are like lobbying.
Sometimes, the lobbyist writes the draft for some legislation. Yet SG is the "undemocratic" one.
He lives in Sentosa cove?
santosa cove?
It is a different culture. Anglo Saxon culture hold individual right over and above everything. Our confucius teaching taught us to subjugate our individual below that of community.
Western corpo-state media likes to portray Singapore as authoritarian because Singapore is really a hidden socialist country even though on the surface the Singapore government and the PAP is supposed to be center-right. That is a misconception. Singapore government maintains near absolute power on the behalf of the people, with the people belief that they will do the right things when push come to shove, and that the government does listen to the people. The public transport discussed here, the HDB, the land controlled by the government, CPF, and numerous other things that make Singapore work and work well are Marxist-Leninist ideas.
This government control often run afoul of corporate power that wants to exploit the people for profit and endanger their well-being. Singapore government takes a very very dim view on anyone trying to exploit Singaporeans and create unnecessary hardships and chaos in society. But western neoliberal capitalists absolutely hate that they are not in control of a country and they have control over western corpo-state media and mostly indoctrinate westerners to believe that corporate control = freedom, even if they don't say it outright. Full spectrum domination. They want to dominate not only Singapore's economy, but also its media, its culture and certainly its education and society. And corruption is its MO. All you have to see US's dysfunctionality.
That must never be allowed to happen. Western neoliberal capitalists are wolves circling the walls. The moment you allow them a minuscule of political control over Singapore, they will corrupt the country and eat us up.
True, there is a reason why people go to Canada from the United States for medical care.
Cause in Canada, hospitals fee are cheaper.
“…Singapore is really a hidden socialist country even though on the surface the Singapore government and the PAP is supposed to be center-right.”
I think, on one level, that’s actually true but I’m not sure that’s _why_ Western media portrays Singapore as authoritarian. After all, if, as you say, the Singapore government “maintains near absolute power on behalf of the people,” then the portrayal of Singapore as authoritarian might not be far off. That doesn’t mean that (1) the Singapore government doesn’t act in the public interest (it clearly does) _or_ that (2) Western neoliberal capitalists would not like to dominate Singapore. None of those things are mutually exclusive and all of them might be true.
@@jeff__w Singapore is a functional electoral democracy with competitive elections, and has always ranked higher than Ukraine in the Democracy Index as compiled by The Economist. If Ukraine is described as being at the front line of democracy vs Russia by Western powers, then by that reasoning Singapore must be a democracy. The only reason why western media continues to portray Singapore as authoritarian is because we are a non-aligned country while Ukraine has aspired to join NATO. The US government used to describe non-aligned countries as 3rd world countries which is how that term originated.
@@aero.l Whatever the reasons that Ukraine is described as a democracy-and I have no doubt that that’s at least partly, if not wholly, based on ideological reasons and geopolitical interests, to say that “the only reason why western media continues to portray Singapore as authoritarian is because we are a non-aligned country” is patently absurd. That could be, arguably, _a_ reason but it is not the _only_ reason.
_The Economist_ has its Democracy Index but then again there is Freedom House, which rates Singapore as “partly free” and says “The electoral and legal framework that the PAP has constructed allows for some political pluralism, but it constrains the growth of opposition parties and limits freedoms of expression, assembly, and association.” Singapore is also touted in the same media at “the world’s freest economy”-an accolade from that media-despite having a state-driven hybrid model or the fact that, as economist Ha-Joon Chang points out, “ninety per cent of land is owned by the government and 85% of housing is supplied by government-owned housing corporations. Or…a staggering 22% of national output is produced by what’s called GLCs-government-linked corporations which the Singapore government have at least 20% ownership in.” The western media might see what it wants to see, positive or negative, in Singapore, and that view might be skewed, supported by one set of facts or another, but, again, I very much doubt that that is exclusively, or even primarily, because Singapore is a non-aligned country.
@@jeff__w I disagree. It is percisely because the Singapore government has such control over the country, again, with overwhelming support from its people, that it can keep western neoliberal vulture capitalists at bay.
Western neoliberals always uses corruption and control to enervate a country and delegitimize its government so it can go in and take over their economy. A weak government that is dominated by its own vulture capitalists in its own country is already a juicy, easy target. Just look at Argentina.