I thought that I had read more than enough reports extolling the advantages and benefits of Singapore, but then I read the article by Edison Liu which was published on April 11 in the review pages of the Singapore Straits Times .

Who is this Edison Liu? The article said that he is the director of the Genome Institute of Singapore. This, if memory serves me right, is a Singapore government-funded institute that is in the forefront of the country's push into gene research and bio-technology. Liu, an American- Chinese scientist, was head-hunted by the Singapore government to head the institute.

The article was titled (no less!) 'World looks to Singapore for inspiration'. And in it, Liu expressed several gems that will no doubt cause some alarm amongst thinking members of the intelligentsia on this side of the Causeway. Allow me to quote selectively from Liu's article (to be fair, he has put in the caveat that the opinions expressed are his own):

'Something strange is happening to the world on the way to maturity. It is beginning to look like Singapore.

'Libertine secondary education in the West is failing, and the early science and maths focus in Singapore is being watched by Western educators as a successful alternative. Health economists are asking why the US spent 14 percent of its GDP in 2000 on health, but has lower health statistics than Singapore, which spent a paltry 3 percent...

"Not surprisingly, the arrogance of people from countries of plenty is drifting quickly to the anxiety of humanity with an island mentality, limited, bounded and with nowhere to go. This state of affairs has been Singapore's reality since its inception as an outpost of trade. It represents the challenge that has tempered its people since independence in 1965. Wise management controlling limited resources, guided by independent national policies cognisant of reality but beholden to none, has allowed Singapore not only to survive, but also to thrive in a hostile environment.

'So, as the world constricts and appears more and more inhospitable, global governments are beginning to look at little Singapore for answers. And in Singapore, the answers to our problems are frequently found in science and technology (S&T) and its careful management. So, current discussions in government and academia about this country's future investment therein have great meaning, not only locally, but globally...

'Singapore has some formidable advantages in this race. The standard of education in science and maths is superior. That English is the primary language in science makes conducting science in Singapore straightforward. This language advantage and a relatively open immigration system encourage global talents to root themselves in the republic.

'.. the more problematic issue will be how to retain talent with Singaporean roots. More than any country in Asia, talented Singaporeans in S&T are competitive in the worldwide job market. The better Singapore is in S&T, the more attractive Singaporeans will be to companies in far-off places.'

You will have to read Liu's article in its entirety to grasp his logic and the arguments he puts forward. Nevertheless, the points which he has made with regard to Singapore's competitiveness should be a strident wake-up call to Malaysian policy planners, think-tanks, politicians and the government.

Liu may be guilty of a little arrogance in extolling the good points of Singapore, but the basics of a wise management and the standard of education, points which he made, are fundamental.

In which case, you have to forgive the Singaporeans for some of their chutzpah in justifiedly regarding themselves as being ahead of everyone else in the region. And for Singapore seizing first-mover advantage in a number of fields, much to the chagrin of other countries in the region.