[buggyone]

I am visiting in Singapore right now. Facinating city to say the very least. It is not absolutely crime free but comes mighty close for a city/country of 5.4 million.

No private ownership of guns is allowed. If someone does use a gun in a crime, it is life in prison. If the gun was fired during the crime, it is a death sentence. Drug selling is a death sentence. Caning plus prison time for most crime. Fines are imposed for minor things like spitting, smoking in a no smoking area, littering, and eating the stinky durian fruit in public.

It is an amazingly clean country/city and extremely prosperous.

Some human rights groups think it goes way too far - I don't know.

[l2ridehd]

I have been to Singapore many many times. It has the best airport in the entire world. The airport is huge and yet they guarantee your luggage on the belt in 12 minutes. From walking off the plane, through immigration, through customs, and in a taxi is less then 15 minutes.

Singapore is Asia for beginners. Everyone speaks English, all menus and other signage is in English, shopping is great, and a very clean and safe place. Food is good, you can drink the water and everything is very efficient. Drugs are non existent. If you are caught with drugs you are tried and sentenced in 3 days. Usually the death sentence. Capital punishment works. And when the argument comes up about "capital punishment does not deter crime", have that person visit Singapore. You very quickly become a believer. They have the lowest crime rate in the entire world. And what crime they do have is not violent crime, more petty crimes.

They are a good example of a place where law and order, strictly enforced, makes a prosperous society.

[swimdawg]

I love Singapore. It's so clean you could almost eat off the street! The people are so friendly. There's so many fun things to do and see.

What amazed me was going over the bridge that links Singapore to Malaysia. It was like going from one extreme to the other. Malaysia was dirty and the people were generally not happy. I could hardly wait to get back to Singapore.

Singapore Airlines in THE BEST! It reminds me of "the olden days" of flying here. It was a classy experience.....good food and roomy seats. We need Singapore Airlines here!

[manaboutown]

Be sure to visit the Marina Bay Sands hotel/casino. Ride the elevator up to the roof and check out the infinity pool and the 360 degree view over the bay and much of Singapore. Enjoy experiencing life in a well run and lawful society, no doubt in part thanks to caning and the death penalty. I seriously doubt young thugs would last for long if they tried playing the "knock out" game there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore

Singapore has no minimum wage in order to stay competitive. It has among the highest income disparity among developed countries. It does not have a generous welfare system but provides assistance for the truly needy.

[billethkid]

the gun issue is not what drives the safety in Singapore, but is a part of the discipline employed by which the people are ALLOWED to live by.

One finds no gum or cigarette butts or anything else on the streets because it is simply not allowed and if caught doing it the penalties can be very harsh.

Singapore, however, just like any other big city where one should employ common sense awareness of surroundings.

Even though they are very strict on their application and enforcement of laws/rules there is no contraint felt by law abiding citizens.

Very different from a society where almost all laws and rules are up for negotiation......hence Singapore is more safe.....in my opinion.

btk

[justjim]

We have never visited Singapore. One of our true regrets, I had a first cousin who lived there for several years and invited us more than once---she had nothing but "good" to say about Singapore.

Just yesterday saw all the cigarette butts at I stopped for a traffic light. People think their whole world is an ash tray. We could do a lot of things (pay down deficit) for all the money that is wasted on criminals.

[JacquesME]

Have you had a Singapore Sling yet. If you have not yet tried Black Pepper Crab or Chili Crab you must prior to coming home! Always ask the price of the crab and have them show you it as they may over charge you. It should cost about 30 Sing dollars

Have fun!

Visit Chinatown!

[buggyone]

Thanks for the tips! We did visit the Marina Bay Sands Casino. Just imagine a 1,100 foot long infinity edge pool situated on the 57th floor and stretching across 3 towers!

Excellent food at very reasonable prices.

Amazing modern skyscrapers along with buildings from the late 1800's.

[BarryRX]

As a Viet Nam veteran, I learned that it is a mistake to think that different cultures think alike. We can have that type of order and security here in this country. All we have to do is give up a bunch of the rights granted to us in the Constitution. The following is from Wikipedia:

The government in Singapore has broad powers to limit citizens' rights and to inhibit political opposition.[1] In 2009, Singapore was ranked 133rd out of 175 nations by Reporters Without Borders in the Worldwide Press Freedom Index. Freedom in the World 2006 ranked Singapore 5 out of 7 for political freedom, and 4 out of 7 for civil liberties (where 1 is the most free), with an overall ranking of "partly free".
The government has restricted freedom of speech and freedom of the press and has limited other civil and political rights. Censorship of sexual, political and racially or religiously sensitive content is extensive.
In Singapore, under the Public Order Act 2009, outdoor public processions or assemblies require police permits. Without police permits, such outdoor assemblies are illegal.[6] Indoor assemblies, however, can be held freely without the need to apply for police permits.[7] The only place in Singapore where outdoor public assemblies do not require police permits is at the Speakers' Corner which is modelled on Hyde Park, London. However, one must still register one's personal details with the National Parks Board online before speaking or protesting at the Speakers' corner, and there are also many CCTVs in the park, a situation that had some Singaporeans and Singaporean MPs complaining.[8][9]
Government pressure to conform has resulted in the practice of self-censorship by journalists.[10] According to Amnesty International, in 2010 laws were tightened to limit the freedom of expression and assembly, and used to threaten critics and opposition activists. Lawsuits were taken out by the authorities against dissidents. Government critics and human rights defenders nevertheless held public gatherings.[11]
A British journalist, Alan Shadrake, was convicted in Singapore in 2010 of contempt of court for scandalising the Singapore judicial system, through his published views on the country's criminal justice system, sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and a fine of $20,000.[12]

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by billethkid

the gun issue is not what drives the safety in Singapore, but is a part of the discipline employed by which the people are ALLOWED to live by.

One finds no gum or cigarette butts or anything else on the streets because it is simply not allowed and if caught doing it the penalties can be very harsh.

Singapore, however, just like any other big city where one should employ common sense awareness of surroundings.

Even though they are very strict on their application and enforcement of laws/rules there is no contraint felt by law abiding citizens.

Very different from a society where almost all laws and rules are up for negotiation......hence Singapore is more safe.....in my opinion.

btk

Would a country be better off with unlimited gun ownership and carrying AND rampant drug trafficking, usage, and violent crimes (Somalia) - OR no private gun ownership, strict laws, and severe enforcement for an almost zero crime rate (Singapore)?

[rubicon]

BarryRX : As I was reading this thread two thoughts came to mind. First I would not be inclined to be visiting TOTV as I would be totally immersed in Singapore. Second this orderly society had to come at some costs.

The USA indeed has some serious issues these days. In my view it is because rights have far surpassed rule of law and those demanding rights ignore responsibilities. I could go on but I don't want to make this political

I am extremely impressed with the descriptions of Singapore related by posters on this thread

[manaboutown]

What Singapore has are good criminal control laws. People there do not need guns to protect themselves as they do other places where criminals get away with murder, literally!

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by buggyone

Would a country be better off with unlimited gun ownership and carrying AND rampant drug trafficking, usage, and violent crimes (Somalia) - OR no private gun ownership, strict laws, and severe enforcement for an almost zero crime rate (Singapore)?

the inference that anything like that was in my post is out in left field....an incorrect assumption/interpretation/re-stating of intent/red herring.

Read the post above citing the laws and rules and regulations in Singapore for a clarification of my intent.....NOTHING MORE!

btk

[manaboutown]

Looks like the non-natives are restless. Singapore Warns on Violence After Riot in Indian District - Bloomberg

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by BarryRX

As a Viet Nam veteran, I learned that it is a mistake to think that different cultures think alike. We can have that type of order and security here in this country. All we have to do is give up a bunch of the rights granted to us in the Constitution. The following is from Wikipedia:

The government in Singapore has broad powers to limit citizens' rights and to inhibit political opposition.[1] In 2009, Singapore was ranked 133rd out of 175 nations by Reporters Without Borders in the Worldwide Press Freedom Index. Freedom in the World 2006 ranked Singapore 5 out of 7 for political freedom, and 4 out of 7 for civil liberties (where 1 is the most free), with an overall ranking of "partly free".
The government has restricted freedom of speech and freedom of the press and has limited other civil and political rights. Censorship of sexual, political and racially or religiously sensitive content is extensive.
In Singapore, under the Public Order Act 2009, outdoor public processions or assemblies require police permits. Without police permits, such outdoor assemblies are illegal.[6] Indoor assemblies, however, can be held freely without the need to apply for police permits.[7] The only place in Singapore where outdoor public assemblies do not require police permits is at the Speakers' Corner which is modelled on Hyde Park, London. However, one must still register one's personal details with the National Parks Board online before speaking or protesting at the Speakers' corner, and there are also many CCTVs in the park, a situation that had some Singaporeans and Singaporean MPs complaining.[8][9]
Government pressure to conform has resulted in the practice of self-censorship by journalists.[10] According to Amnesty International, in 2010 laws were tightened to limit the freedom of expression and assembly, and used to threaten critics and opposition activists. Lawsuits were taken out by the authorities against dissidents. Government critics and human rights defenders nevertheless held public gatherings.[11]
A British journalist, Alan Shadrake, was convicted in Singapore in 2010 of contempt of court for scandalising the Singapore judicial system, through his published views on the country's criminal justice system, sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and a fine of $20,000.[12]

Have been to Singapore-loved it BUT

"All that glitters is not gold" the quoted post about sums it up.
Be careful what you wish for- you may get it