Success of Singapore's `Asian values' : LETTERS

From Mr Nasir Ali Sir: Derek Davies' article on Singapore ("How Confucius reads the Trib",18 January) is written from a Western perspective. As an Asian who has many friends and relatives in Singapore, I am very impressed with the achievements of Singaporean government.

Singapore is a city-state with the potential for full employment; it has a good education system, basic health-care provision and housing for every family. Above all, it is a country with virtually zero crime-rate.

Maybe, from a Western point of view, there is room for criticism of its system of justice and its government is seen to be intolerant. But democracy is a long process and, in the short term, it is better perhaps to have more prosperity than democracy. The man in the street cares less that he is not free to criticise the government if he has a job, a house and physical security provided by the same government.

Yours sincerely, NASIR ALI London, E7