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5/24/2007
A new buzz, a fiasco
There is a new kind of buzz in town, one that is being repeated quite often these days and would tarnish the Singapore brand. We are reputed as a country where all things work. Once we put up something, we can sleep in peace that it will be successful.
The University of NSW closed down after only two months and with 148 students, Singaporeans and foreigners, stranded. It would not happen if it was a Singapore run university. We don't do this kind of things. But even if it is an Australian university, it happens in our land and we will somehow be linked to it. Our Singapore brand cannot keep getting this kind of bashing.
And the students were only told after the decision to close was made and announced. Well, only 148. No big deal. Anyway, they should expect such things can happen to a new set up that does not have a Singapore brand. It is caveat emptor. They went in with their eyes open and knew the risk.
In a way it is also a kind of progress for Singapore. It shows that we are taking more risk and even risky projects that were not well thought through and with insufficient finances. This is good for Singapore as we will become a riskier country that encourages everyone to be more cautious and risk aware.
We left a bad name in Vietnam. We let down a lot of foreign students here last year, and now these present foreign students of UNSW here and their parents will doubtless have a bad taste in their mouth. You can be sure the low enrolment had something to do with our past fiasco.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling the Integrated Resorts might suffer the same fate. But do not worry. Failure has no penalty here and no heads will roll.
we still think we have a bank of goodwill to spend. but no one can guess how fast this bank of goodwill can disappear overnight.
ReplyDeletewe have done a lot of harm when several private schools closed and left the students in the lurch. and we still think it is alright and go happily about it.
we need to do a lot of damage control on this one.
They will still think it is alright. When have they ever say what they think is not right? Or when have they ever admit they made a mistake?
ReplyDeleteWhen poor peasant makes mistake, MSM will magnify it 1000x but when our super talent minister make one, the MSM will choose to look the other way as it nothing extraordinary has happended.
ReplyDeleteThis is how our first world class gahment behaves. No head will roll and life go on as per normal.
It had to fail.
ReplyDeleteWhen the state gets involved in education, this is what happens.
There is no way a privateer would allow such embarrasing losses to occur, simply because people in private enterprise suffer personal losses.
When states get involved, the bureucrats have their visions of grandeur, and can have a shot at those crazy dreams simply because they do not use their own money.
The losers are the students, and the taxpayers.
The buggers at the EDB and the board of UNSW all still have their jobs.
Justice?
No_fucking_way!
lset's treat this case as a unsw booboo and keep it that way. that we are clean and can continue to sell to the world that the singapore brand means quality.
ReplyDeletebut if we fail to do it, that the singapore brand will go down with it. the brand can be built over 100 years. it only takes one bad incident to destroy it. it is not a simple arithmetic that you can draw down one point at a time. the goodwill bank can go bust for the slightest silly mistake we make.
as long as the govt is involved, the S'pore brand will fail.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of kick-ass privateers here, and foreigners come to register companies everyday. Locals too are bitten by the entrepreneurial bug.
There is plenty of private enterprise here to make just about anything happen for the market. All the govt has to do is to stay the fuck out and let the real managers do what they are best at.
Honestly, the civil service cannot do business — PERIOD.
matilah writes rubbish.
ReplyDeleteAll govts are involved in education.
It was "privateers" in Vietnam that tarnished the Singapore brand.
LOL, Leo bro! :)
ReplyDeleteThe REAL Mati matila is the one
• who feels he can say what he want, to anyone about anyone,
• in his loose (as in cheap, promiscous) control-lacking diarrhoea
• of profanity & pseudo-reasoning.
Hiding behind avatars of "come-get-me, I-hate-all-authority"..
Claiming to be a citizen paying taxes and observing the island's affairs from his self-declared utopia in some overseas soft sand..
We're experienced online to see through more than his cowardice..
Dunce, why act tough here? While acting all soft elsewhere posting yr vile thoughts?
Why not quit? Quit paying yr taxes, pointing yr fingers. Quit the country. Quit sulking in other's blogs. Quit acting oh so soft & sissy in yr own. That will befit yr pseudo-garang attitude and put useful your vulgar angst against all things human, hor?
Mati la matilah.
May 25, 2007 9:02 PM
hi guys,
ReplyDeleteyou are giving matilah a lot of reasons to stay his stand. like i said before, it is healthy to have a little jabs at one another once a while. what is important is to do it in style. using vulgarities is never my style.
we should be able to manipulate the language to dig without being offensive. the english language can be very colourful and flexible for this : )