Comments | jonvic80: MM Lee gets honorary Doctorate from ANU

jonvic80

MM Lee gets honorary Doctorate from ANU - amid protests

Mar 28, 2007 10:24

This in today's The Straits Times. The last few paragraphs might be of interest to those more vocal in their championing of human rights.

March 28, 2007
Varsity head defends award for MM Lee
ANU move to bestow honorary doctorate opposed by some faculty members

By Lydia Lim

CANBERRA - THE chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) has ( Read more... )

Comments 4

rome_o March 28 2007, 03:42:39 UTC

HRm... I think this is exactly where I come from. On the one hand, economic stability... on the other hand, oppression and ignorance of human rights.
Is it worth it?

jonvic80 March 28 2007, 07:17:18 UTC

India and The Philippines are two of the most prolific practitioners of free speech and Western-style democracy in Asia. They are also among the poorest in the region in terms of per capita wealth. I think its a question of what get prioritised first. In Singapore's case, we chose at that time to put economic stability and wealth first, and in doing so surrendered some of our freedoms. In doing so we've turned ourselves into a regional economic powerhouse, and as our people grow richer and better educated it becomes a natural development for us to demand more rights and freedoms. If you read Singapore's papers you'd see this development.

IF it comes to making the lives of four million people comfortable, and bringing them above the poverty line, I'd put economic stability first any day.

rome_o March 28 2007, 07:30:06 UTC

Personally, i think they shouldnt be mutually exclusive. Why cant we work towards economic stability, and yet still treat people properly?

jonvic80 March 28 2007, 07:58:17 UTC

Yeah they can... but there has to be a priority. Say, if in trying to expand a third world economy you have to choose between finding work for the desperate masses and bowing to the pressures exerted by machiavellian unions who protect the interests of only their respective stakeholders - which would you choose?

I'm not saying they have to be mutually exclusive - far from it, there has to be some level of recognition for human rights in order for a government to be able to convince the people of their policies.

Read up on our history (from foreign authors if you don't trust the local ones) before making up your mind. There's no point making arguments with people who base their arguments on one side of prejudiced sources.