I have been reading your series of articles on Singapore with great interest.

Indeed, many Singaporeans need some external challenges in the realm of ideas to bring their collective ego to size and to stimulate their brains for free and critical thinking, independent of the propaganda of Lee Kuan Yew's dynasty and its lackeys, which control the mass media there.

Singapore is certainly not heaven on earth, especially given its geography and lack of natural resources.

However, I also think that, given the historical background which is shared by Singapore and Malaysia, Singapore has performed much better than Malaysia in several vital areas of nation-building.

Despite the turmoil in the region from the 1940s to the1970s, Singaporeans have managed to work hard and intelligently, to maintain a high level of savings for re-investment and also to achieve meritocracy and excellence in academic endeavors, rewarding only those who really study and work hard.

The decision to preserve the use of English, while not neglecting Malay, Chinese, Tamil and other languages, has ensured that Singapore has remained intellectually connected to the wider world, without interruption.

The crime rate in Singapore is one of the lowest in the world, and certainly much lower than in Malaysia, especially Johor Baru. Chinese triads and other ethnic secret societies have almost been wiped out; no ministers, deputy ministers or politicians of any other rank are publicly suspected to have links with triads.

Singaporeans are wiser and more prudent in their private as well as state investments because Singaporeans believe in the productivity and practicality of projects, not feudalistic pomp and pageantry or vainglorious consumptions like Putrajaya.

Unlike in Malaysia, the public payroll (provided by taxpayers' hard-earned money) in Singapore includes only those who perform actual, specific, quantifiable, productive and modern public services for the nation and community.

Singaporeans have eliminated the practice, culture or habit of bribing or receiving bribes.

Singaporeans are able to maintain a clean and green living environment which is rare in Southeast Asia and certainly not yet achieved in Malaysia.

Compared to the pathetic system of traffic and public transport in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru, Penang and other major Malaysian towns and cities, Singapore's systems are certainly better planned and more well-coordinated, efficient and user-friendly.

The Singaporean police force, while disciplined and strict, is certainly not globally known for widespread corruption, inefficiency and brutality.

While there may still be sexual violence, the ancient perversion of incest has not been known to exist for many years.

Politicians of all races in Singapore on both sides of the political divide are more rational, articulate and less wild than those in Malaysia.

Unlike in Malaysia where the bearers of royal titles and decorations have debased the values of these awards in the eyes of ordinary people, awards and decorations for distinguished citizens in Singapore are given only sparingly after a careful screening, evaluation and selection process has been conducted.

Given these achievements, I also think that it is time for Singaporeans to be more self-confident in asserting their human and civil rights against PAP's hegemony and to build a more vibrant multi-party liberal democracy in sync with the global spirit of the time.