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Thinking Allowed?: Politics, Fear and Change in Singapore
Must politics in Singapore be taboo? Need political discussion engender fear? Is the Singapore system averse to change? Can it be remade? These are among the questions confronted in this book by one of Singapore's leading political commentators, a unique ringside perspective of the politics of this country quite different from any that has been told before.
Political observer Warren Fernandez draws from first-hand experience covering politics for The Straits Times for over a decade. He has witnessed the heat of the hustings, sat through countless parliamentary debates, trailed politicians on constituency walkabouts, travelled with and interviewed the country's top leaders... From the cost of living to censorship to Chinese education in schools, he tackles issues in his clear, no-nonsense style - just thinking aloud, but also always insisting that thinking should be allowed on the critical affairs of the day.
Drawn from the "Thinking Aloud" columns on Singapore politics and society that have appeared in The Straits Times since 1991, the book includes new essays that kick off the chapters and delve into the recurrent issues that Singapore has been grappling with for years, and is likely to do so for a long time to come.
Political observer Warren Fernandez draws from first-hand experience covering politics for The Straits Times for over a decade. He has witnessed the heat of the hustings, sat through countless parliamentary debates, trailed politicians on constituency walkabouts, travelled with and interviewed the country's top leaders... From the cost of living to censorship to Chinese education in schools, he tackles issues in his clear, no-nonsense style - just thinking aloud, but also always insisting that thinking should be allowed on the critical affairs of the day.
Drawn from the "Thinking Aloud" columns on Singapore politics and society that have appeared in The Straits Times since 1991, the book includes new essays that kick off the chapters and delve into the recurrent issues that Singapore has been grappling with for years, and is likely to do so for a long time to come.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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April 14, 2011
This book, which is essentially a collection of essays and newspaper column pieces by Mr. Warren Fernandez, is of mixed quality.
While it is commendable that the style and language used in the book is clear and easily accessible, some of the essays appear to be lacking in analytical depth.
Similarly, while Mr. Fernandez manages to maintain a moderate, fair-handed and even tone throughout the book, the book could perhaps be spiced up with a little bit more incisiveness.
Hence, it would appear that while some of the essays, particularly the newly-penned retrospective ones, were indeed insightful and thought-provoking, some of them perhaps missed the mark somewhat.
That said, I must say that Mr. Fernandez, while he was working at the Straits Times, was perhaps one of the better columnists/writers there who regularly commented on local affairs.
Sadly, Mr. Fernandez, along with other columnists such as Cherian George, Asad Latif and Tan Tarn How, has left the Straits Times for either academia or private companies (if I am not wrong, Mr. Fernandez is currently working at Shell).
While it is commendable that the style and language used in the book is clear and easily accessible, some of the essays appear to be lacking in analytical depth.
Similarly, while Mr. Fernandez manages to maintain a moderate, fair-handed and even tone throughout the book, the book could perhaps be spiced up with a little bit more incisiveness.
Hence, it would appear that while some of the essays, particularly the newly-penned retrospective ones, were indeed insightful and thought-provoking, some of them perhaps missed the mark somewhat.
That said, I must say that Mr. Fernandez, while he was working at the Straits Times, was perhaps one of the better columnists/writers there who regularly commented on local affairs.
Sadly, Mr. Fernandez, along with other columnists such as Cherian George, Asad Latif and Tan Tarn How, has left the Straits Times for either academia or private companies (if I am not wrong, Mr. Fernandez is currently working at Shell).
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review