Recently in my geography class we learned about the pros and cons of Singapore's laws and way of life. We were given a paper that had not only the good things about the government in Singapore, but the things that are not as great also. We were then assigned to decide what we thought about Singapore's system and then write a persuasive essay to convince others on our point of view. After thinking about it, I decided that even though the clean city and crime free society ideals sound great, the laws in Singapore were not exactly perfect. I am not exactly sure if all the information I got was correct, or if I did not get the whole picture, so feel free to think differently.
Imagine going to the drug store near you to buy a pack of your favorite chewing gum, unfortunately, when you start to chew the delicious gum, you are arrested by police and given a one year prison sentence and a 5500 dollar fine. People who live in Singapore face this problem everyday. Singapore is not a model society for several reasons. Singapore’s government has restricted free speech and placed criminal law restrictions that are too strict. Also, some of the laws are downright silly.
Singapore is not a model society because some laws have restricted free speech. The government has imposed rules that 5 or more people meeting together for political reasons need a permit. Also, the government controls all newspapers, TV stations, magazines, and radio stations. People who host political demonstrations against the government are subject to a prison sentence. These restrictions go against the people’s basic rights to be able to say what they think without punishment.
Singapore is not a model society because some aspects of the criminal law are unjust. For instance any individuals caught trafficking drugs are sentenced to immediate execution. Also, when imprisoned for misdoings, some criminals are subject to caning, being beat with a cane. Many laws like these seem to be too much of a punishment. Even though justice will have its way, mercy and ethics are not practiced enough in Singapore criminal law.
Singapore is not a model society because some of its laws are downright ridiculous. In this city-state, the sale of gum is prohibited. If someone is caught littering, they must clean the streets on Sunday wearing a bib that says “I am a litterer”. People who bring cigarettes into Singapore are considered criminals. And last but not least, it is illegal to bungee jump. These and other odd laws point to the fact that Singapore is a wrongly-based society that needs to change.
The country of Singapore is not a model city for three reasons. Singapore’s government has restricted free speech and placed criminal law restrictions that are too strict. On top of that, some of the laws are ridiculous. Singapore’s system of law may seem like a safe way to handle the people, but at the roots of the system is censorship, oppression, and unjustness.
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