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The reason why Singapore is governed in a “Do-as-I-say” style, is primarily because we have a Lawyer personality in Politics.

Should we have had a Teacher or Pastor in politics, our society would be founded on the virtues of grace and mercy.

Lawyers go by the book, and they are experts in doing things legally and politically correct.

About PK Yap’s query into why we need a racial composition in HDB flats allocation, i would say it is a political decision.

At every election, this HDB rule would make a difference in the ways votes are cast.

By having a racial composition, every constituency looks similar for there are about the same racial-ratio.

If kampongs were not dismantled, the scenario would be that each contesting parties would have to send in Malay candidates to that particular zones to secure a victory.

And sad to say, in politics, race does matter.

We look at Malaysia where “the Chinese are marginalised”, said Kuan Yew some time back, and we probably would wonder should one day we have a Malay Cabinet, would Indians and Chinese be marginalised?

Why do we have such a worry? Is it my own propaganda or is there some truth to it?

Have you ever been at a Malay Nasi Padang stall and you witness the stall holder selling things at a discount to their fellow Malay brothers and sisters (during which they communicate in Malay), but charge a higher rate to non-Malays (when they communicate in English)?

Do you see Indians and Chinese stallholders doing it at large?

Forgive me but I am not trying to be biased.

Just that over the years, my observation coupled with my understanding of the perpective of that of the PAP leaders, the Malay Community does help their fellow people in a more generous manner.

Indians and Chinese are less likely to have that “Our small community” mentality, and because of that they are less likely to mix business with personal small community welfare.

Would a Teacher or a Pastor as PM do what Kuan Yew did? Probably They will allow kampongs to continue with the belief that cultures can be preserved.

There might be many policies which are wrong.

But as far as this HDB rule is concerned, I am on the same side as our dear Kuan Yew.