my ambivalent attitude

Sunday, February 25, 2007

I was skimming through the painstakingly conflated essays I had penned down for the short foray into US university application last year when I paused at the one submitted for Umich Honors Program. In that essay, I attempted to take on the vantage point of a political scientist in exploring the complexity of the political situation in Thailand, which at that time was compounded by large scale street demonstrations gunning for the ouster of Thaksin over a controversial business deal. My largely facile viewpoints notwithstanding, one of my worst fears actually materialised. Who would have anticipated the unexpected turn of events, save the military iron men who wielded absolute power over the army of Thailand? But disregarding the limbo that followed the coup, it took only a modicum of prophetic abilities to come up with a prognosis that portended a weakening of bilateral ties between Singapore and its northern neighbour.

Indeed, a series of finger-pointing and accusations transpired that proved to eventually undercut the once cordial relationship built on the basis of trust and mutual cooperation. Even as some politically astute top officials from both sides scrambled to conceal the tear by adopting conciliatory tones in responding to reporters, no one was under any illusion that ties could normalise in the short run. The burning of effigies of the Merlion outside the Singapore embassy during the demonstrations already caused some discontentment among some Singaporeans; the setting of fire to replicas of a Singaporean Minister after visits by Thaksin to Singapore was downright provocative! Intuitively, Singapore wasn't ready to play into the hands of the antagonists and I reckon it was wise for the government to have taken up a moderately defensive stance since then.

Foreign affairs doesn't seem to stay on course for Singapore since the beginning of the year. Elsewhere, Malaysia and Indonesia appear to have a bone to pick with Singapore over reclamation of land and boundary issues. It might be predominantly the nationalist sentiment of some governors that is stoking the fire but the envy factor brought up by some MP in Singapore is not totally unrealistic. Even then, shouldn't they pick someone their own size?

scribbled at 3:41 PM