Self Defense Perspective From Singapore

Musketeer · June 30, 2007, 09:56 PM

I am at the end of a 10 day trip to Singapore for work. Everything that can be considerred a weapon down to a sharpenned chopstick is of course illegal here. Singapore has next to no crime though as they are ruthless in chasing it down and prosecuting it, strictly maintain there border, have for the most part a prosperous and conformist society and a history of peacefull cultural blending. Walking the streets one feels perfectly safe although I sense that I am the only one who knows what condition yellow is let alone is in it.

On the main shopping road Orchard Road I have seen ONE cop in 12 hours. Little India is more mayhem than the rest of structure Singapore. That area feels slightly less safe but at the same time I never detected anything seriously amiss. I saw about 8 cops with heavy vests and automatic pistols in an organized patrol. Most I have seen have had old revolvers.

Just north is Malaysia and that is a different story. The city there is very bad and looks very depressed. I have been told car jackings and rapes are very common. Some people have even taken to "keeping a hammer in their car", heaven forbid... One business partner's wife related the story of her brother's house being broken into in the middle of the day. One used a hammer to break in and the other menaced the couple with a machette. Her brother had a stash of cash he was able to give them so they went away... This was relato me in Singapore at a fine restaurant well removed from Malaysia.

In such situations I am torn. One person with me is a coworker from the States who grew up in Singapore and Malaysia. She knows I shoot and finds it fun to tell people I reload my own ammo. She has no idea I carry in the States. She knows how I would normally respond to such a situation as the home invasion described but I stay quiet here. I am a guest and while I find the conformist attitudes repulsive as well as the complete surrender of ones safety to the gov't and chance it seems to work for them in Singapore..

revjen45 · July 1, 2007, 09:25 AM

Singapore has a totally different Weltanschauung of life from what we have in the states. It might be more peaceful here if the police could do anything they wanted (I mean moreso than it is now) and crimes of public annoyance were punished by caning. Americans have a different outlook and vive la difference. Even the Red Chinese look to Singapore as an example of how to create a society of voluntary conformity.

Manedwolf · July 1, 2007, 10:05 AM

And, of course, the danger is that if they became more and more oppressive, the people have been trained to comply.

That's not freedom, unfortunately. However nice it is, it's still a bit of a giant prison.

The only thing they do do right, IMO, is to severely punish crimes. Gangstas here arrested for simple assault, public endangerment, criminal carrying of a handgun or even shoplifting might think twice if, in addition to their sentence, they got fifty lashes with a cane in public every time.

Matt19 · July 2, 2007, 03:20 PM

Wasn't it in Singapore that the authorities there caned that American kid for egging cars..or something like that?

RedneckFur · July 2, 2007, 06:43 PM

I've heard alot of the old New England towns still have a whipping post. Perhaps we should put them back in use? I think the humiliating aspect of being whipped or canned in public would sting alot more in the long run than the lashes themself did.

'Gangstas' may glorify jail time... but no matter how hard they try, I dont think a rap song can make getting beaten in public sound cool.

MisterPX · July 2, 2007, 09:38 PM

It's a safe country, as one who used to live there. HOwever, what price does one pay for safety?
Try to buy a pack of gum while you were there?

Go watch a (US R rated) movie?

Spit on the sidewalk?

mvpel · July 2, 2007, 09:48 PM

We have a pillory here in Merrimack, New Hampshire, at the site of the original town hall on Meetinghouse Road near the corner of Turkey Hill Road, just past the cemetery.

Hallucinator · July 2, 2007, 10:21 PM

Singapore is a police state. They have hanged people for possession of marijuana, and typically cane people for minor offenses.

Musketeer · July 3, 2007, 12:10 AM

In the London airport on the way home now. Just to clarify I do NOT want the police state of Singapore transferred to America. At the same time this is a young nation. It gained independence in the 60s and was occupied brutally by the Japanese in WWII. Aside from the Chinese "conformance" attitude there is the spirit of a new nation and a respect for the freedom they percieve as theirs which many in America take for granted.

As far as crime and punishment I have no problem with their system of administerring punishment. Caning HURTS big time and if you pass out the doctor revives you before they finish the punishment. The American kid was a hoodlum who vandalized a whole street of cars. The average Kia here costs 50,000 USD plus another 20k for an owners certificate. People work their asses off for a car. If they wish to cane criminals and execute druggies I have no problem with it. They do need a bit more respect for civil rights in my opinion but it is their nation. Let's learn what we can and leave the rest.

chris in va · July 3, 2007, 02:38 AM

Quote:

If they wish to cane criminals and execute druggies I have no problem with it.

Wow, especially the last part.

June 30, 2007, 09:56 PM	#1
Musketeer Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2005 Posts: 3,501	Self Defense Perspective From Singapore I am at the end of a 10 day trip to Singapore for work. Everything that can be considerred a weapon down to a sharpenned chopstick is of course illegal here. Singapore has next to no crime though as they are ruthless in chasing it down and prosecuting it, strictly maintain there border, have for the most part a prosperous and conformist society and a history of peacefull cultural blending. Walking the streets one feels perfectly safe although I sense that I am the only one who knows what condition yellow is let alone is in it. On the main shopping road Orchard Road I have seen ONE cop in 12 hours. Little India is more mayhem than the rest of structure Singapore. That area feels slightly less safe but at the same time I never detected anything seriously amiss. I saw about 8 cops with heavy vests and automatic pistols in an organized patrol. Most I have seen have had old revolvers. Just north is Malaysia and that is a different story. The city there is very bad and looks very depressed. I have been told car jackings and rapes are very common. Some people have even taken to "keeping a hammer in their car", heaven forbid... One business partner's wife related the story of her brother's house being broken into in the middle of the day. One used a hammer to break in and the other menaced the couple with a machette. Her brother had a stash of cash he was able to give them so they went away... This was relato me in Singapore at a fine restaurant well removed from Malaysia. In such situations I am torn. One person with me is a coworker from the States who grew up in Singapore and Malaysia. She knows I shoot and finds it fun to tell people I reload my own ammo. She has no idea I carry in the States. She knows how I would normally respond to such a situation as the home invasion described but I stay quiet here. I am a guest and while I find the conformist attitudes repulsive as well as the complete surrender of ones safety to the gov't and chance it seems to work for them in Singapore.. __________________ "Religions are all alike - founded upon fables and mythologies." Thomas Jefferson "The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." Benjamin Franklin

July 2, 2007, 03:20 PM	#4
Matt19 Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 1999 Posts: 305	Wasn't it in Singapore that the authorities there caned that American kid for egging cars..or something like that? __________________ In life, you'll have your back up against the wall many times. You might as well get used to it.-Bear Bryant.

July 2, 2007, 09:48 PM	#7
mvpel Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2000 Location: Merrimack, NH Posts: 1,850	We have a pillory here in Merrimack, New Hampshire, at the site of the original town hall on Meetinghouse Road near the corner of Turkey Hill Road, just past the cemetery. __________________ Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!" 1 Samuel 13:19

July 2, 2007, 10:21 PM	#8
Hallucinator Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2007 Posts: 396	Singapore is a police state. They have hanged people for possession of marijuana, and typically cane people for minor offenses. __________________ Sig 226, 228, 229, 232. XD45 Tactical. Smith Model 60 Chief's Special. Smith 1911. Mossberg 930 SPX. How we behave as gun owners is important. Posturing and threatening does not serve us well in the public eye.

July 3, 2007, 12:10 AM	#9
Musketeer Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2005 Posts: 3,501	In the London airport on the way home now. Just to clarify I do NOT want the police state of Singapore transferred to America. At the same time this is a young nation. It gained independence in the 60s and was occupied brutally by the Japanese in WWII. Aside from the Chinese "conformance" attitude there is the spirit of a new nation and a respect for the freedom they percieve as theirs which many in America take for granted. As far as crime and punishment I have no problem with their system of administerring punishment. Caning HURTS big time and if you pass out the doctor revives you before they finish the punishment. The American kid was a hoodlum who vandalized a whole street of cars. The average Kia here costs 50,000 USD plus another 20k for an owners certificate. People work their asses off for a car. If they wish to cane criminals and execute druggies I have no problem with it. They do need a bit more respect for civil rights in my opinion but it is their nation. Let's learn what we can and leave the rest. __________________ "Religions are all alike - founded upon fables and mythologies." Thomas Jefferson "The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." Benjamin Franklin

July 1, 2007, 09:25 AM	#2
revjen45 Senior Member Join Date: May 7, 2006 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 626	Singapore has a totally different Weltanschauung of life from what we have in the states. It might be more peaceful here if the police could do anything they wanted (I mean moreso than it is now) and crimes of public annoyance were punished by caning. Americans have a different outlook and vive la difference. Even the Red Chinese look to Singapore as an example of how to create a society of voluntary conformity.

July 1, 2007, 10:05 AM	#3
Manedwolf Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2007 Posts: 3,266	And, of course, the danger is that if they became more and more oppressive, the people have been trained to comply. That's not freedom, unfortunately. However nice it is, it's still a bit of a giant prison. The only thing they do do right, IMO, is to severely punish crimes. Gangstas here arrested for simple assault, public endangerment, criminal carrying of a handgun or even shoplifting might think twice if, in addition to their sentence, they got fifty lashes with a cane in public every time.

July 2, 2007, 06:43 PM	#5
RedneckFur Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2007 Location: Sotheastern US Posts: 1,322	I've heard alot of the old New England towns still have a whipping post. Perhaps we should put them back in use? I think the humiliating aspect of being whipped or canned in public would sting alot more in the long run than the lashes themself did. 'Gangstas' may glorify jail time... but no matter how hard they try, I dont think a rap song can make getting beaten in public sound cool.

July 2, 2007, 09:38 PM	#6
MisterPX Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2006 Location: Amerika's Doyleland Posts: 743	It's a safe country, as one who used to live there. HOwever, what price does one pay for safety? Try to buy a pack of gum while you were there? Go watch a (US R rated) movie? Spit on the sidewalk?