SMALL, PROSPEROUS AND physically vulnerable, Singapore is acutely aware of the possible consequences of turmoil in its larger neighbours. Sandwiched between Indonesia - Southeast Asia's biggest troublespot - and sometimes-volatile Malaysia, there is plenty to keep policy makers awake at night.
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has openly mused about what could happen to his country if either of two were to go into meltdown mode, painting a sobering picture of refugees and economic dislocation.
'These scenarios are not predictions,' Mr Goh once told an audience of teenagers.
'They are a sample of possible futures we could face. Our actual future could very well be a nastier scenario.'
Indonesia, of course, has faced intense uncertainty since Bangkok freed the baht in July 1997, setting the stage for the regional financial crisis. As former president Suharto struggled to keep the economy on track, and himself in office, Singapore looked on nervously.
This important bilateral relationship is of particular note as it has been in the news recently in that most Singaporean of ways: in the courts.
