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Monday with the Editor:
A casino for Singapore? Why not?
Social Safeguards for Integrated Resort with Casino Gaming
Singapore
to have two IRs with a casino each
Chronological Order (Earliest on top)
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Excerpt
from Prime Minister's National Day Speech
2004 |
|
...We've
said, "No'' to the casino for a very
long time.
I've said "No" to the
casino for a very long time.
In 1985, we had a recession.
I remember the late Mr Teh Cheang Wan
wanted the casino, argued for it.
We said, "No".
We didn't proceed.
This time round, we had the ERC
(Economic Review Committee).
The Subcommittee has put up the
proposal for a casino.
On the ERC, I said, "No", a
majority of the members said,
"No".
We didn't recommend it.
But
the subject didn't die and we have to
reconsider because the argument comes up,
the situation changes.
Why
is the situation different?
Because there are "cruises to
nowhere", more and more cruises to
nowhere.
Some don't even cruise, some anchor
nowhere.
You can go to Batam.
I'm told there are 13 down there.
I haven't been there, but Wong Kan
Seng has been.
He told me it was by accident, and
Singaporeans go there.
So, Singaporeans are already doing
this, right?
Then
you want tourists. There are millions of
tourists because the Indians have money to
spend, the Chinese have money to spend.
Every tour group to
Singapore
goes to Genting.
Macau
is opening up.
Now, they have broken the monopoly,
new operators, more shows, more games.
If
we want to grow our tourism traffic and
double the number of tourists to Singapore,
we don't just want them to come here because
of gambling, but if gambling is one of the
things they want to do, then maybe we should
allow them to do that in Singapore, find
some way to do that and if, as a result of
that, I get, over 10 years, double the
traffic volume, I think we should think
about it.
So,
MTI has come with a new proposal, not just a
casino, but an integrated resort,
entertainment centre.
So, you have shows, you have family
entertainment, you have food, restaurants,
art, all sorts of things and in the middle,
of course, you also have this place.
Should
we say, "No"?
Well, I think we should take a deep
breath and think about it carefully. I know
many Singaporeans have expressed concerns
and very strong concerns and the religious
groups particularly have very strong views
and their objections are not irrelevant.
They are valid objections.
It's because of these objections that
for so long, we haven't done this.
But I think we shouldn't just say,
"No".
I think we should consider - can we
have the casino and still contain the social
problems?
Let's study it.
Let's see if there's some way to do
it.
So,
I think what we are going to do is to
request for proposals.
Let's put out to say we are going to
impose the following restrictions:
Singaporeans below a certain income, you
don't go.
I mean, if they want to travel all
the way to Batam, that's them, but we will
not make it easy for people to go broke and
ruin their families in
Singapore
. But
if a millionaire wants to bring another
millionaire friend from
China
or
India, I don't think I should say
"no" to him.
It may help lessen my other taxes.
So, I think we will find a reasonable
restriction, draw a line, call for the
proposals, test the market.
Let's see what proposals come in.
If it makes sense and people think
that this is worth doing commercially, we
make a judgment, we proceed.
If it's not worth it, not worth the
downside risks, then we will call it off.
We
will consider all views before deciding.
Finally, if we decide against it,
then I think we will have had a valuable
debate in our society, a valuable discussion
and sent a strong signal that we are
prepared to discuss all sorts of things and
reopen long-settled issues.
But if we decide to proceed, then the
final solution which we implement will have
to address the valid concerns which
Singaporeans have raised.
So, it's not black and white.
I mean, it's looking for an
appropriate middle way where we can have our
cake and also eat most of it.
Increasingly,
the world is going to be like that.
China
opened up.
Deng Xiaoping said, "When you
open the windows, the flies will fly
in".
So, you can't close the windows,
you'll just have to have a fly-swatter, a
fly-trap, have one of these UV lights to zap
them, but keep the windows open and keep
your interior as clean and as hygienic for
your own people as possible.
And I think that's the attitude we
should have. |
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More |
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Excerpt
of letter by Yap Sze Hon to Straits
Times Forum page on 10 Sep 2004 |
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"...I
note the need to attract the tourist
dollar and the change in the competitive
climate... |
| "The
unflinching stand that our leaders have
taken on various issues, including
corruption, emanates, I believe, from a
moral regime that is part of the
foundation of our nation-building. This
regime fosters a sense of community and is
the linchpin of our economic progress, no
matter how the environment changes. |
|
"For
if we sow good seeds in our people, such
as the virtues of thrift, diligence and
social responsibility, we will reap
generations of good yield. If ever
Singapore has to settle for less affluence
in order to uphold these fundamental
values, let us do so; we may earn less
now, but we will get much more later. |
|
"The
argument against having a casino is all
the more compelling as Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong acknowledged that a casino has
the potential for 'people to go broke and
ruin their families'. |
|
"There
are also the attendant vices that come
with casino gambling. So while we solve
one problem of attracting some tourists by
capitalising on their gambles, we create a
host of problems in our small cosmopolitan
city with immeasurable social cost. Is it
worth it?... |
|
"Once
we compromise on our basic beliefs, we may
end up in a place where no lines are drawn
and our only guiding principle is
materialistic well-being. |
|
"Already
some people are lamenting that Singapore
is a banal and artificial place without a
soul - the very reason that is turning
away some tourists. |
|
"Above
all, knowing full well that a casino is a
kind of bottomless pit that has proven
irresistible to many, what messages are we
sending to our young? By building a
glamorous gambling den-cum-resort in our
backyard, are we not endorsing gambling as
an attractive recreation?... |
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Excerpt
of article "Do CEOs favour having a
casino? You bet they do" in The Straits
Times 14 Sep 2004 (H8) |
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"Some
of Singapore's top CEOs have come out
strongly in favour of opening a casino
here, for a variety of reasons. |
| "Some
say it is time to get creative and take
some risks to maximise opportunities,
while others pointed out that Singaporeans
already go elsewhere to gamble, and it
makes sense to keep them here and reap the
benefits rather than lose them to overseas
operators... |
|
"The
businessmen said the key is striking a
balance between the economic impact of a
casino and the social responsibility. |
|
"Some
of the ideas they proposed included a
dress code, a minimum-age requirement,
members-only entry and selecting an
operator with a history of strong
compliance with regulatory
guidelines..." |
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Excerpt
of letter by Aletheia Chan Woon Cheng (Ms)
to Straits
Times Forum page on 15 Sep 2004 |
|
"...The
presence of a casino will erode
Singaporeans' will and drive to work hard,
and will, instead, divert their attention
towards gambling skills and other sleight
of hand. |
| "Hence,
it is superficial to think that a casino
causes only 'social' problems; it will set
in motion a degeneration of the national
psyche, with serious economic
repercussions... |
|
"It
was reported that restrictions would be
put in place to prevent lower-income
Singaporeans from patronising the casino.
Does this mean that middle- and
high-income earners can afford to gamble
away their hard-earned money? |
|
"It
may be argued that the 'mature and
discerning' will only be casual gamblers,
not addicted ones. But let us not forget,
as with drugs and cigarettes, it all
begins with the first curious, 'innocuous'
puff. |
|
"Weren't
all the high-profile swindlers, who sank
under the ignominious weight of casino
debts, mature, intelligent and highly
educated?... |
|
"Soon,
other than eating and shopping,
Singaporeans can add gambling to their
list of national pastimes. How else do you
unbend in such a compressed environment on
a tiny island?..." |
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Excerpt
of letter by Joseph Wong Kok Sen to Straits
Times Forum page on 15 Sep 2004 |
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"...In
the great casino debate, it has been
assumed, almost without question, that a
casino will benefit Singapore's economy by
attracting tourists. Casinos hold out the
promise of doing for Singapore what they
did for Las Vegas. However, Las Vegas is
in a unique category in terms of the
sequence of its economic development. Its
casinos were its first significant
economic sector; its other economic
elements came later, and sprang up to
support and to feed off the casinos. |
| "When
other US cities with established economies
tried to import the Las Vegas casino
growth model, they discovered that,
instead of adding to the economy, the
casinos diverted spending from
entertainment sectors like restaurants and
cinemas. |
|
"Singapore,
too, already has an indigenous
entertainment and tourist industry, and
should be wary lest a casino exerts a
similar hollowing-out effect on the rest
of the economy. |
|
"At
the very least, there should be further
research on the impact of having a casino,
and it needs to be stripped of the rosy
assumptions that pervade pro-casino
arguments'..." |
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Excerpt
of letter by Yap Heng Yeow to Straits
Times Forum page on 15 Sep 2004 |
|
"...with
or without a casino, gambling is deeply
entrenched. Almost everybody I know bets
on something or other, every now and then. |
|
"Walk
around the neighbourhood and you will find
people queuing at Singapore Pools outlets
to place bets. There is also a network of
underground bookies.
|
|
"If
you are adventurous you can board cruises
to nowhere or go to a neighbouring country
to try your luck. |
|
"The
bottom line is that Singaporeans can
already gamble on anything. Also, seen
from a global perspective, gambling is a
huge industry. |
|
"Therefore,
building a casino should not be seen as
the authorities encouraging citizens to
gamble. It is just a pragmatic solution to
capture the millions of tourist dollars
bypassing us each year. It could also stem
the millions of dollars flowing out of
Singapore to foreign casinos. |
|
"Let
us not kid ourselves by saying that if we
do not build a casino, there will be no
gambling-associated problems. There may be
some new problems. But let us have faith
in ourselves that we can manage these
problems sensibly as a society." |
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Excerpt
of letter by Tan Li Lian (Mdm) to Straits
Times Forum page on 18 Sep 2004 |
|
"The
thought of a casino being set up in
Singapore makes me very sad. Why a casino? |
|
"My
mother used to gamble incessantly, leaving
my three siblings and me in the care of an
elderly maid. She wiped out all our
savings to feed her addiction. |
|
"At
one stage, when she was on a winning
streak, she went to Genting in a
helicopter every day. There was a time
when my father accompanied her and both of
them got hooked on gambling. The four of
us did not see them for months. Luckily
for us, my father woke up when he started
losing big time. Of course, those moments
were horrible too as there were quarrels
about money all the time. Actually, I do
not know which was worse, when they were
winning and we did not see them or when
they were losing and there were quarrels
all the time... |
|
"It
was tumultuous and I would not wish it on
any child..." |
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Excerpt
of letter by Cepheus Yap Henwei, Victoria,
Australia, to Straits
Times Forum page on 18 Sep 2004 |
|
"...I
am a student in Melbourne, Australia, and
I have seen fellow Singaporeans go berserk
when they go to a casino simply because we
do not have one. |
|
"Thus,
by building a casino and not imposing any
restrictions on entry, the Singapore
Government would be sending out a clear
signal that Singaporeans are free to make
their own decisions, as long as they know
the consequences. For too long, the
Government has decided the fate of its
people, by dictating their lifestyles, to
a certain extent." |
|
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Excerpt
of letter by Hansen Yeong Meng Fei to Straits
Times Forum page on 18 Sep 2004 |
|
"...If
a casino causes such harmful effects, we
would have seen Las Vegas and Macau
infested with local gambling addicts, and
sinking under social degeneration. |
|
"Even
if we do not have a casino in Singapore,
Genting Highlands is only a few hours
away. Las Vegas and Macau are not beyond
the reach of many. Not only is it
impossible to stop the generally affluent
Singaporean from patronising a casino, but
we will lose out on the value of their
patronage, along with that of other
visitors. |
|
"I
believe Singaporeans have, over the years,
acquired the maturity to be able to live
with a casino. I also have confidence in
the Government regulating the operations
of a casino. |
|
"If
a single casino can be 'the beginning of
our undoing' it would reflect on the
strength of our national character,
maturity and intelligence, and not on the
decision to build one." |
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Excerpt of letter by Ngiam Tong Dow to Straits
Times Forum page on 21 Oct 2004 |
|
"...A casino will be a disaster for Singapore. |
|
"The idea was first mooted in 1964 to
jump-start tourism in Singapore. At that time,
the number of visitors was just 400,000.
Today, without a casino, tourist arrivals are
reaching eight million. |
|
"Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and his then
lieutenants, Dr Goh Keng Swee and Dr Toh Chin
Chye, decided against having a casino.
Instead, we took the straight and narrow road
and prospered. |
|
"Our younger successors touting a casino as a
quick fix to lagging tourist numbers should
ask themselves this question: Are we a lesser
society than Macau without a casino? |
|
"Secondly, the Ministry of Finance and
Ministry for Trade and Industry should reveal
the economic numbers. I am quite certain that
the increase in gambling taxes from having a
casino will be far less than, say, a 10 per
cent increase in the budgets of the Prisons,
Department, Singapore Police Force, Commercial
Affairs Department, Corrupt Practices
Investigation Bureau, Central Narcotics Bureau
and Ministry of Community Development, Youth
and Sports, which will be left to pick up the
pieces of broken families. |
|
"It will be the height of irresponsibility on
the part of the pro-casino gentry to throw
away our hard-earned virtues of thrift,
diligence and honesty just for a quick fix..." |
| |
|
|
Excerpt of letter by Cheong Wing Lee to
Straits Times Forum page on 26 Oct 2004 |
|
"Mr
Ngiam Tong Dow's views on the casino issue
('Why Singapore should never have a casino';
ST, Oct 21) are too idealistic. He implied
that by removing evil, immorality would be
vanquished. |
|
"All the social problems mentioned by Mr Ngiam
would not disappear just because the casino is
not in town. They already exist. For example,
despite the strict drug laws, Singapore still
has its fair share of drug addicts. |
| "We should
take a practical approach to the issue. Even
without a casino, there are ample avenues for
gambling. We have the turf club, 4-D lottery,
stock market and football bets. Then, there
are the casinos on Batam island, only half an
hour away, and at Genting Highlands, six hours
away. For the high rollers, there are the
Australian casinos, the Macau casinos, and the
cruise casinos. |
|
The biggest advantage of having a casino in
Singapore is that we collect the revenue that
would otherwise go to other governments or
underworld thugs. |
| The next
advantage is that it keeps Singapore
attractive as a tourist destination and brings
in tourist revenue and creates jobs..." |
| |
|
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Excerpt of letter by Phillip Ang Keng Hong to
Straits Times Forum page on 8 Nov 2004 |
|
"...A casino masks addiction perfectly by
grouping like-minded people together. It
becomes the mother of all denials. |
|
"An addicted gambler only sees through his
addiction when the problems he has created
overwhelm his ability to solve them. When an
addict becomes a statistic in problem
gambling, his actions would have already
caused untold misery not only to himself but
also his loved ones. Current statistics on
problem gambling are but the tip of the
iceberg. |
|
"A
vice does not change with the passage of time.
Other countries have succumbed to the easy way
to increase their government coffers. Cases of
problems with loan sharks or housewives
turning to prostitution as a result of
gambling are frequently highlighted in
overseas press. They are now accepted as part
and parcel of society. |
|
"Wise leaders like Minister Lee Kuan Yew
clearly understood Pandora's Box must not be
opened at any cost. Singaporeans are proud of
the legacy he left us - a government which
stood its ground when many others succumbed. |
| "A casino does
not result in a win-win situation for everyone
and the idea should therefore be put to rest." |
| |
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Excerpt of letter by Scott Button to Straits
Times Forum page on 8 Nov 2004 |
|
"...I disagree when people say a casino will
bring social problems. They are already here,
hidden under the surface. The gamblers are on
the other side of the border, losing their
money as we speak. |
|
"If Singapore goes ahead with a casino, i
hope some of the revenue raised is set aside
to increase social welfare to families
affected by gambling." |
| |
|
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Excerpt
of article "Panel backs idea of
resort with casino" in The Straits
Times 11 Nov 2004 (H8) |
|
""A panel of experts advising the Singapore
Tourism Board (STB) has unanimously backed the
plan for an integrated resort here with a
casino and urged bold steps to ensure that
Singapore remains a prime tourist destination
in the region. |
|
"The 17-member International Advisory Council
for Tourism met last week to discuss tourism
trends and strategies to keep Singapore's
tourism offerings competitive with those in
the region. |
|
"The idea of an integrated resort in Singapore
was first thrown up in Parliament in March.
The resort would come complete with hotels,
retail outlets and convention facilities... |
|
"The council, established by STB in 1999,
comprises leaders of international
tourism-related organisations. Its members
include Mr Rupert Keeley, Asia-Pacific
president and chief executive of Visa
International; Mr Tony Wheeler, founder of
Lonely Planet; and Mr Adrian Zecha, chairman
of luxury resort chain Amanresorts..." |
| |
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|
Excerpt of article
"Casino Decision: A bigger question looms" in
The Straits Times 12 Nov 2004 (29) |
|
"As the casino question drags on, it is
raising questions about the Singapore model... |
|
"For decades, the Government was dead set
against a casino. Despite hordes at the Turf
Club and Toto booths, we were supposed to be a
puritan society that believed in discipline
and hard work. |
| "Then, out of
the blue, the possibility of a casino was
raised. Why? Tourism was in crisis. It was
finally admitted, after years of boasting
about increasing numbers coming to Singapore,
that our dollar share of Asia-Pacific travel
had been falling dramatically. |
| "Between 1993
and 2002, tourism receipts fell by 21 per cent
to $8.8 billion. Singapore's share of East
Asia Pacific tourism receipts fell from 8.2
per cent to 5.8 per cent between 1998 and
2002... |
|
"If left to popular opinion, we're not likely
to see a casino approved. Yet, there may be a
lobby within the Government convinced that we
need one. |
|
"But that lobby appears unable to obtain the
necessary concensus to move ahead. It
wrong-footed itself at the outset by using the
justification of attracting the tourist
dollar... |
| "If we are
fazed by all these risks and unknowns and say
"no" to the idea, what about those budget
airlines that make it cheaper to fly to a
neighbouring country endowed with gambling
options? |
| "What about
Internet gambling? Won't we then still have
the social costs of gambling without the
economic benefits of such an industry? |
| "That last
question hits the nail on the head. It matters
not what the cost-benefit ratio is. The cost
is coming to us anyway. You don't need a
technocrat to see the answer... |
| |
|
|
Monday with the Editor:
A
casino for Singapore? Why not? |
|
"...Just imagine - all these things happened though we
do not have a casino in our midst. So why blame a casino for the excesses of
Singaporeans? Even without a casino, Singaporeans are already ugly for all
sorts of reasons. Remember the
Everitt Road saga, and the takeaways at corporate shareholders' meetings? |
|
"We should not pile blame on the casino proposal
for Singapore. Rather, we should look at the proposal objectively. |
|
"Much has been said about the casino proposal in
the newspaper
forums, as well as on the Government
feedback Web site. It has been reported that opinion is almost evenly
divided on this matter. |
|
"There is no need for me to revisit those comments
already voiced out in the forums. Let me offer another perspective. |
|
"I am already in my late forties. I have seen
Singapore in its best times. I have been fortunate to have been born in the
post-riots era so I missed out on Singapore's worst times. |
|
"I would say Singapore experienced its best years
in the early 1980's. I would also say the good years peaked in 1984.
Singaporeans will agree with me on this. We had many expatriates here then - a
sign of the good times. I think we went downhill after that. I also think we
won't have such good times again. But, that doesn't mean that we can't have
good times again. |
|
"I would say good times will come around again if
we have a casino in Singapore. But, it's not because we can party at the
casino till we go broke. Rather, it's because a casino will help bring in much
needed revenue both for the Government and us people. |
|
"The Government gains through taxes. We gain
through the money that comes in at the sidelines - through increased spending
in our shops and restaurants which translates into more job openings, and
consequently, more money for the family. |
|
"We need not worry about the crimes that go hand in
hand with casinos. Our police have been doing a good job maintaining security
in our streets. In fact, we have an international reputation for clean and
safe streets. Surely, we can't be thinking that our police will be any less
effective in combating crime if a casino opens here! |
|
"I am offering serious thought on the casino
proposal because I am afraid that if we do not have a casino, we may not be
able to draw in sufficient income into Singapore to bring in the good times
again. |
|
"If the good times do not return, I am afraid that
more Singaporeans may think of emigrating with their families to start a new
life elsewhere. Though this may not occur in the near future, there is a
distinct possibility that it may occur within the next ten or twenty years.
These able Singaporeans have no second thoughts about setting up home
elsewhere - their personal well-being comes first on their minds.
|
|
"In case you haven't been noticing, our younger
workers are generally less enthusiastic about their jobs. They have no qualms
about switching to less demanding jobs. It is sad to note this, but in
bringing about such high standards of living, the Government has inadvertently
created what I would call the soft-Singaporean mentality which has already
infected our younger generation, particularly those in their early 30's or
younger. |
|
"My fear is that these younger Singaporeans will
not think twice about emigrating to another country, thus creating a
Singaporean diaspora. |
|
"Do we need to wait till such a situation occurs in
our midst before taking action? I say no! Our Government is known for its
pragmatism. It has been its pragmatism that has brought us thus far. We may
not like the way the Government puts things in our face, but we can't deny we
have prospered as a result...." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Excerpt of what Dr
Vivina Balakrishnan, Senior Minister of State
for Trade & Industry told reporters, The
Straits Times of 17 Nov 2004 (H2) |
|
"...If our conclusion is that Singapore is not
mature, then we cannot proceed with this
proposal. |
|
"If we decide that the proposals are not of
sufficient economic benefit, we will not
proceed. If we decide that the social
safeguards or consequences are
disproportionate and are basically beyond the
capacity of our society to tolerate, then we
will not proceed. |
|
"So what I am asking for is a sensible,
pragmatic approach, rather than an ideological
approach. Don't be trapped by ideology, don't
be trapped by old ways of doing things just
because we have already done it that
way...don't be stuck in that groove. |
|
"We now live in a time where we need to be
prepared to explore all options, but to do so
sensibly, to do it with our eyes open and to
cross each bridge as we come to it..." |
| "To me, this
direction in which our society is progressing
is irreversible." |
| |
|
|
Excerpt of letter by Loh Ching Tiam to Straits
Times Forum page on 19 Nov 2004 |
|
"...I believe most Singaporeans are mature
enough to decide for themselves. Besides, the
casino will be just a small part of the
integrated resort plan. Let's not make a
mountain out of a molehill about those minor
social ills..." |
|
|
Excerpt of letter by Janice Maria Chia Zhao
Shan (Ms) to Straits
Times Forum page on 19 Nov 2004 |
|
"If gambling is only a very, very small
component of a large-scale iconic, integrated
entertainment resort, can we have the
assurance that when the casino makes lots of
money, this very, very small component will
not slowly become a very small component, and
then a small component? And if it is really
such a very, very small component of a larger
picture, is it necessary to have it at all? |
| "Can we have
the assurance that when it is shown that the
casino has an adverse effect on the lives of
ordinary folks, the Government will take
prompt action to close it? Or will it be too
profitable by then to consider such a
move?..." |
| |
|
|
Excerpt of letter by Angela Loke (Ms),
Corporate Communications Adviser, Focus on the
Family Singapore Ltd, to Straits
Times Forum page on 26 Nov 2004 |
|
"...Singapore is a tiny dot of a nation and we
need to be extremely watchful of what our
national brand represents. If family is
important, we cannot also exploit gambling and
the sex trade. |
| "As a
financial-services hub, we cannot relax on
corruption or the rule of law. Yes, we do not
have the luxury of keeping the cake and eating
it at the same time. |
| "A casino,
like pornography and society drugs, is totally
incongruent with the Singapore brand. Without
a casino, Singapore is already No. 3 in the
world in terms of gambling per capita. |
|
"By extrapolating government statistics from
the United States, which has 7.5 million
pathological and problem gamblers, and
Australia, which has 740,000 pathological and
problem gamblers, there would conservatively
be 60,000 - 80,000 such problem gamblers in
Singapore. |
| "We should
begin to address this massive
gambling-addiction problem already in our
midst, instead of seeking to expand our
gambling turnover of $6 billion and taxes of
$1.3 billion. |
|
"A
casino will add to this serious problem by
aggressive marketing, glamorising gambling and
deploying the latest highly addictive
electronic gaming machines..." |
| |
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Excerpt of letter by Mickey Chiang to Straits
Times Forum page on 26 Nov 2004 |
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"The Senior Minister of State for Trade and
Industry, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, is renowned
as an excellent communicator. His words are
not carelessly spoken, and they deserve
careful consideration. |
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"He reportedly said that the real issue
regarding the opening of a casino in Singapore
is whether Singaporeans are 'ready as a
society to make choices of their own and to
take responsibility for their actions and face
the consequences'. |
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"The use of the word 'ready' has unfortunate
implications. it implies that something is
coming and the question is whether we are
ready for it. Has the Government made up its
mind to allow a casino to be set up? |
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"This conveyed impression is reinforced by
what Dr Balakrishnan also said: 'We have to
move on, we have to be prepared to be
open-minded, to be flexible and to take some
risk if we are to survive, going forward. |
|
"What he is saying is that people who oppose
the casino proposal are not open-minded, are
inflexible and are afraid of risk. Thus, those
who oppose the idea have been tarred with a
big brush. |
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"It is sad that Dr Balakrishnan also resorted
to a scare tactic. He clearly implied that
Singapore cannot survive without a casino. I
humbly beg to differ..." |
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Excerpt of letter by Shaun Lee Wei Han to Straits
Times Forum page on 6 Dec 2004 |
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"...It is incredible to suggest that Singapore
is not already a gambling society or one
without its fair share of gambling problems.
Gambling is already legal and sanctioned. We
have 4D, soccer and horse race betting, and
Toto. |
| "People go
abroad to gamble, whether on cruises, to
overseas resorts, during the festive season or
even in illegal dens. Gambling addicts and
problems associated with gambling have been
around since the dawn of Singapore. |
| "Hence, any
'devaluation' of our 'image' or values
(family, Asian, religious or otherwise) must
come directly from the casino itself. If, so,
the logical solution (but one they have chosen
to ignore) is that the casino should have
reasonable safeguards. |
| "Better still,
perhaps, this will spur the Government and
civic society to embark on a mission of harm
reduction and tackle the real problem, which
is not gambling but associated and attendant
harms already in existence. |
| "In my
opinion, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has already
dealt with changing societal mores and the
need for society and individuals to debate and
accept change. Furthermore, this serves as a
litmus test on how 'ready' our society is to
take responsibility for our future. |
| "Hence, while
it is admirable to see the effort put in by
the naysayers, unless they plan to ban all
forms of gambling, their enthusiasm is
misplaced. better to set up a Gamblers
Anonymous instead." |
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Excerpt of letter by Yong Yoke Teck to Straits
Times Forum page on 15 Dec 2004 |
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"...the opening of a casino in Singapore will
likely create only 4,000 jobs. Is this not an
obvious enough answer to a hotly debated
casino issue? Why build a casino to create
only 4,000 jobs and breed all the attendant
social ills when we should be working towards
having, say, a Universal studios theme park in
Sentosa?..." |
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Excerpt of letter by Thomas Sim Wai Tat (Dr) to Straits
Times Forum page on 15 Dec 2004 |
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"...Would it be a surprise if I tell you that
research shows that the shorter the time to
gratification, the higher the chance of
addiction? Hence, there are more people
addicted to 4-D and Toto than there are those
addicted to Singapore Sweep... |
|
"You can place more than one million bets in a
casino in the time taken to settle one
Singapore Sweep lottery-ticket bet. |
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"With that short a time-frame to
gratification, a casino will cause a massive
increase in gambling addiction. |
|
"Thus, gambling in a casino is significantly
different from current legalised gambling in
Singapore. |
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"If we ignore the moral and economic aspects
of the casino issue, it boils down to this:
"Is Singapore prepared for the massive
increase in gambling addiction that will come
with the setting up of a casino?" |
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Excerpt of article "Casino lures big players"
in The Straits Times of 7 Jan 2005 (H2) |
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"About 100 people attended a closed-door
meeting on the integrated casino resort held
by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB)
yesterday. |
|
"The meeting was open to 'interested proposers'
in Singapore's integrated resort who had
bought the Government's Request For Concepts
package for S$1,000... |
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"Not surpirsingly,, US gaming giants
MGM-Mirage, Harrah's Entertainment and Las
vegas Sands, as well as the Bahamas' Kerzner
International and Malaysia's Genting Berhad,
all sent representatives to the meeting. |
|
"Sources said local property developers
CapitaLand, City Developments (CDL), Keppel
land and Hotel Properties were also present... |
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"Some gaming operators who have been quiet
about their interest but turned up at the
meeting included Las Vegas casino entrepreneur
Steve Wynn's Wynn Resorts and Australia's
Tabcorp, which owns star City casino in
Sydney, sources said..." |
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Excerpt of article 'Stopping The casino spin
Cycle' by Andy Ho in The Straits
Times of 16 Jan 2005 (23) |
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"...Casinos are ideal vehicles for laundering
as they generate large amounts of
unaccounted-for cash which can be deposited as
an evening's take without attracting
attention. Some laundering probably occurs in
every casino... |
|
"Because of the vulnerability of casinos to
money laundering, the industry must be
carefully regulated. As a member of the UN
Financial Action Task Force on Money
Laundering, Singapore's regulators will also
have to co-operate with their counterparts in
the region, including Australia and Japan,
which has 10 new casinos in the pipeline. The
fight against money laundering never gets
easy." |
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Excerpt of article "Will Truth Rise Out of
Casino debate?" by Koh Buck Song in The Straits
Times of 1 Feb 2005 (23) |
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"...For too long, the Singapore public had
been criticised for lacking passion for civic
activism, not caring enough about issues
beyond themselves and their immediate
families' material well-being. |
|
"So the energy emerging from this exercise
would seem to satisfy the government's stated
and implied desire to see more participation
in policy making and, with it, a deeper sense
of contribution and commitment to this
country... |
|
"There are some parallels with the 1990s
censorship debate, but with an important
difference. |
|
"On censorship, opinion was also split, but
surveys showed nearly two-thirds of
interviewees being comfortable with opening
access to explicit media materials. |
|
"On the casino, the danger of polarisation is
arguably greater. Public sentiment appears
split 50-50, and gambling is seen as a more
treacherous action opposed to objectionable
thought in, say, accessing pornography. |
|
"Will this casino debate bring a landmark
shift in Singapore's political culture, from
the former system of controlled debate to a
more daring, adversarial dynamics?... |
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Excerpt of article "Cabinet is split over
casino proposal" in The Straits
Times of 1 Feb 2005 (P3)
|
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"...The Cabinet is divided on the casino
issue, revealed Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
yesterday. |
|
"
'There are moralists who strongly oppose it,'
he said. And 'there are pragmatists who say,
look, the world is changing, can we (afford
to) stay as we were?' |
|
"Mr
Lee said of his own resistance to casinos" 'I
did not believe you get rich on it trying to
build this ball spinning around the roulette. |
|
" 'I believe you
get rich, or at least you make progress... by
acquiring skills, the capital to start new
businesses, improving these skills, doing
better each time, widening your skills. And
that's how we got there.' |
|
"But he added, 'the world has moved on, and we
are part of this world.' ..." |
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Excerpt of letter by Yong Teck Meng to Today
newspaper Voices page on 22 Feb 2005 |
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"Proponents of a casino seem to imply that any
opposition needs to be justified. It is the
other way around. |
|
"The proponents are attempting to change
the status quo and must demonstrate
convincingly that we need a casino by at least
two-thirds of the populace to agree. |
|
"As opponents, our key point is that we want
Singapore to stay the way it is now. For many
reasons, we do not want our children to grow
up in a place where there is a casino. |
|
"The proponents keep bringing up existing
social vices such as gambling and prostitution
to imply that opponents are living in a
fantasy world. |
|
"We are not stupid people. We are saying that
we do not want our society to move beyond the
current control mechanisms... |
|
"One other thing that bugs me greatly is that
we are saying that we cannot do better. I
cannot accept this. |
|
"With all the highly paid consultants,
scholars, professionals and other bright
people we have, we are saying that other than
building a casino, we cannot think of another
way to attract the tourist dollar, boost
employment and provide entertainment. |
|
"This is not the Singapore I grew up knowing.
Proponents keep harping on how the world has
changed. When has the world as we know it not
been changing?" |
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Excerpt of letter by Nigel Adeyinka Onamade to
Getforme - Singapore on the Web on 22 Feb 2005 |
Thanks for
giving me the opportunity to write in to
express my view about the Singapore
Government's debate over having a casino in
Singapore.
In a yes or no casino question my answer is
a straight No. Morally gambling is wrong and
we would only be opening the nation to a
greater level and magnitude of vices. I'll
state my argument from a slightly different
view.
When I think of
this issue I think of the size of this dear
country that I have called home for the past
12 years. I look at a few events that have
happened in the recent months and my mind is
prone to ponder on the thought of such
things happening in
Singapore.
We are all witnesses, though physically
distant, to the effects and extent of the
damage done by the recent Tsunami that hit
most of South Asia and
South East Asia.
What if the Tsunami had hit our little
Island
nation, what would have been the effect if
the waters came in 1 kilometer inland from
the shores around the East Coast, Tanjong
Pagar, Sentosa and West Coast areas? Would
we still be debating about the casino today?
Wouldn't the very land that we intended to
build the intended casino have been wiped
out as we saw on some of the smaller Islands
in neighboring
Indonesia?
I am reminded of
a fishing village in Sri Lanka that had
about 5000 inhabitants before the Tsunami
hit and how they can only account for about
1000 or so of those folks now. Can you
imagine
Singapore
losing about 3000 or more of its citizens in
one day? You are probably wondering, What's
the connection? Well, the connection is that
I have heard or read in most of the debates
where Singapore is compared with other
countries that already have casinos, and how
the negative effects of the presence of a
casino is not so great. How big are these
countries, what is the size of their
population? How many provinces and states or
regions actually make up the countries? If
a casino sweeps through this nation can we
withstand the effect?
Singapore
is way too small for this, and please
Macau does
not apply here.
Singapore
is not a settlement, it is a country.
Like our dear
minister mentor, Lee Kwan Yew, rightly
stated recently,
Singapore's
size is its vulnerability. I agree with
him. Do we have enough social
workers/experts to handle the devastation of
families as a result of bankruptcy? Do we
have well trained law enforcement agents
that can take up any kind of organized crime
units? What about the other add-ons to
casinos, the guns, the girls? Is this what
we what to expose our young children to?
This issue must
be considered very carefully, because the
Jones were able to pull it off is no
indication that
Singapore
can handle this one.
Thanks
Nigel Adeyinka
Onamade
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Excerpt of article "MPs: Put casino issue
to the vote"
by Azhar Ghani in The Straits Times of 2 Mar 2005 (H6) |
|
"...two Members of the House want the
controversial issue to be put to the vote. |
|
"Mr
Tan Soo Khoon (East Coast GRC) feels the issue
is important enough to be debated further in
Parliament, while Nominated MP Loo Choon Yong
wants a referendum to be held for Singaporeans
to vote on it. |
|
"Mr
Tan, who stoutly opposed the casino proposal
in the House on Jan 17, yesterday suggested
MPs be allowed to vote according to their
conscience and not be compelled to vote on
party lines..." |
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Excerpt of article "Don't give up battle,
even if casino gets the nod" by Chua Mui
Hoong
in The Straits Times of 9 Mar 2005 (H6) |
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"As at 7.30pm last night, 27,473 people had
signed an online petition against having a
casino here. |
|
"The petition was started by an anti-casino
group calling itself Families Against Casino
Threat in Singapore (Facts)... |
|
"Despite the Government's statement that no
decision has been made, many Singaporeans
think it's a done deal... |
|
"The worst possible thing to happen, from a
civil society point of view, is for activists
like Facts to throw their hands up in despair
at a 'yes' decision, and forswear any further
involvement in the casino issue, or any other
public issue. |
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"On its part, the Government must be willing
to work with activist groups and address their
concerns..." |
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Excerpt of letter by Tan Jiak Ngee to Straits
Times Forum page on 10 Mar 2005 |
|
"...I believe there is a third dimension that
goes beyond the current debate. What will
happen to Singapore's clean and wholesome
image? Will there be a political cost to the
Singapore brand?... |
|
"I
am concerned about the possible political
effect on those who strongly oppose having a
casino in Singapore. If the decision is to go
ahead with a casino, will these people begin
to doubt the execution of the forward-looking
and well-articulated policies and agenda of
the Government? Will the opposition political
parties turn it to their advantage and,
perhaps, score by default?... |
|
"Ultimately, it is the Government we have
elected that must make the decision for the
long-term good and well-being of Singapore and
Singaporeans..." |
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Excerpt of article "What's baa-d about
conforming" by Ong Soh Chin
in The Straits Times of 17 Mar 2005 (H6) |
|
"...The recent tragic deaths of Mr Simon Lee
and his family were seen by some as a
cautionary tale on the dangers of gambling
addiction. Inadvertently, the poor man had
become a poster boy for the anti-casino
camp... |
|
"But while the anti-casino contingent - which
relies strongly on the moral argument - sees
the incident as bolstering its case, I
actually think it proves the opposite, if one
looks at it logically. |
|
"Mr
Lee was a good man who had a loving family and
the support and compassion of his church. He
had a job. He would seem like a man who had it
all. He certainly had all the trademarks of a
moral, clean-living lifestyle. |
|
"He also lived in a country which had no
casino. But all these blessings still could
not save him and his family from their tragic
fate. |
|
"An addict is an addict, and whether or not
the source of his addiction is at his doorstep
or in Siberia, he will find a way to get to
it. Only counselling and a strong will to
change can help him. |
|
"If not having a casino in Singapore can be
proven empirically to cure all gamblers and
prevent new ones from developing the habit,
then I'll be the first in line to say, ban all
casinos on Singapore soil. But there is no
such evidence..." |
|
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|
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