Ngiam Tong Dow 'Climbing the global economic ladder', BT, Nov 10).

[Aris]

Originally Posted by Aris

As we are reaching the limits of expansion, we have to move up from a skill to a knowledge-based economy. We need to raise our level of competence.

In my view, the millions of dollars we are now devoting to R&D is only the means to an end. The end is not inventions or patents per se. The real outcome is raising our competence to solve complex problems, putting us ahead of our competitors.

This would be my definition of a knowledge-based economy."

So where are we in bringing Singapore forward in raising our competence from a low-wage low-cost economy to one that is a knowledge-based economy? We are still not able to compete with other 1st world nations in this respect, as we continue our drive to allow more cheap labour into the country. Can Singapore advance to the level of other OECD countries? What are our "leaders" doing to hasten our progress?

One stupid Minister rushed all the way from Malacca to garland one FT for winning a, get this, "S.E.Asian Games" gold. Whoa, it makes me puke reading this when our own Chee Swee Lee never had such a reception. WTF.