What AMERICANS need to know to benefit from an EMERGING ASIA
It's like the Disneyland of Asia. It is clean, efficient and ultramodern. If you have been tramping around the rougher parts of Asia, then Singapore is the place to go to find clean food, medical care and the finer elements of civilization. The city state is the model of an ideal society with no crime, no litter and no civil unrest. It comes at the expense of some personal freedoms, but the people who live there don't seem to mind a bit.
Location of Singapore
LOCATION: At the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula between Malaysia and Indonesia. It's 85 miles north of the Equator.
SIZE: 63 islands covering 270 square miles.
POPULATION: 4.68 million of whom 3.7 million are Singaporean citizens
PEOPLE: A harmonious mix of 75.2% Chinese, 13.6% Malay, 8.8% Indian, 2.4% Eurasian and others.
GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary Democracy that is very protective of its citizens. The government encourages its people to live well and ruthlessly punishes them if they don't. Liberal democratic values are rejected. There are no jury trials and free speech is routinely restricted when deemed harmful to the harmony of society. Caning (whipping with a cane) is a common punishment as well as execution for murder and drug offenses. The result is a society of peaceful, law obeying citizens who enjoy a clean, crimefree city.
CURRENCY: Singapore Dollar
LANGUAGE: English is spoken everywhere and all signs are in English. Malay, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil are also official languages.
Flag of Singapore
ECONOMY: A very efficient market based economy. It has one of the most business friendly economies in the world. Many multi national corporations are set up there. Manufacturing is big, as is export. Singapore is the busiest port in the world in tonnage shipped. It's also a top notch tourist destination.
TRAVEL: You can eat at any street food cart without fear of getting sick. You can walk around by yourself in the middle of the night without fear of being mugged. You can go anywhere in Singapore and find someone who speaks English. It is an American traveler's dream. The city is beautiful and charming. The waterways are tranquil. The food is amazing. The people are friendly. What more could you want?
VISA: No visa required for Americans for stays up to 30 days. Passport must be valid for 6 months longer than planned stay.
GETTING THERE: Direct flights from the United States are provided by Singapore Airlines. Many other airlines including United Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airlines fly to Singapore through other cities like Hong Kong.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: You may have heard stories about people being executed for bringing small amounts of drugs into Singapore. BELIEVE THE STORIES! The Singapore government can and will execute you for having drugs of any kind and any amount. It has happened before and there's nothing the US government can do to help you. So don't mess around! It may sound harsh but Singapore has no drug problem at all. In many ways it is an ideal society. There are very few social ills. People of many different races and religeons live together peacefully and happily. You are expected to follow the rules. Do that and you will enjoy your Singapore experience.
The motto of Malaysia is ‘Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu’, which means ‘Unity is Strength’. The oldest human remains in Southeast Asia, dating from forty thousand years ago, have been found in ‘The Great Cave’ in Borneo. Malaysia boasts of being home to the oldest rainforests in the world. They are full of trees, as much as 100 m in height.
Location of Malaysia
LOCATION: In Southeast Asia, north of Singapore and south of Thailand. Malaysia consists of two areas: Peninsular Malaysia, on the Asian mainland, and the states of Sarawak and Sabah, known together as East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo.
SIZE: Slightly larger than the state of New Mexico.
POPULATION: 27.5 million people.
PEOPLE: 65% Malays, 26% Chinese, 8% Indian. It is a multi religeous society with 60% Muslim, 19% Buddhist, 9% Christian, and 6% Hindu.
GOVERNMENT: Federal Constitutional Elective Monarchy. The King of Malaysia is elected to a five year term among the nine hereditary Sultans of the Malay states.
CURRENCY: The Ringgit
LANGUAGE: Malay is the official language. Tamil is considered a second official language and English is widely spoken.
Flag of Malaysia
TRAVEL: Most visitors will find Malaysia quite cheap, although it is noticeably more expensive than Thailand to the north. You can live in hostel dorms and feast on hawker food for a few bucks a day. There are many beautiful beaches and Kuala Lumpur is a major city boasting the Petronas Twin Towers, the world's tallest twin buildings.
VISA: None required for stays up to 3 months.
GETTING THERE: Malaysia Airlines flies from Los Angeles to Kuala Lumpur via Taipei, and Newark to Kuala Lumpur via Stockholm. Other airlines like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airlines will also fly you to Malaysia through cities like Singapore and Hong Kong.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: A peculiar local favourite is the ‘kopi tongkat ali ginseng’. It is a mixture of coffee, a local aphrodisiacal root, and ginseng served with condensed milk. It is touted as an alternative to viagra and red bull combined, and is usually advertised with a picture of a bed broken in half. As in any predominantly Muslim country, you should dress respectfully. This is especially true in rural areas and if you are a woman. Even if it's very hot, and it usually is, you should wear long pants instead of shorts and cover your shoulders.
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Thanks! Kent Ninomiya, Managing Editor EmergingDragon.com
