https://www.scmp.com/rss/315093/feed Dr Ronald Ng is a specialist haematologist practising in Singapore. He was educated in Hong Kong and was at one time a senior lecturer in clinical haematology at University College Hospital Medical School, London University, and at the University of Hong Kong. He is formerly a member of the Singapore National Medical Research Council. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com When the Covid-19 pandemic first reared its ugly head, governments responded with different policies. In Singapore, right at the start, pandemic policy was made very clear. Our economy depends on us being an open society, and at the same time, the lives of citizens are important. We therefore promoted masking, social distancing, contact tracing and quarantining of infected individuals. On top of that, before the advent of the vaccine, there was a brief period when public spaces were closed and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3169294/hong-kong-vs-singapore-look-covid-19-numbers-truly-matter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3169294/hong-kong-vs-singapore-look-covid-19-numbers-truly-matter?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Mar 2022 22:45:18 +0000 The pursuit of freedom of speech and faith in the scientific method of inquiry were born in the Age of Enlightenment in the 17th century. Those ideas allowed Europe to break free of the intellectually suffocating power of the church. The rallying calls of the time were Voltaire’s statement, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”, and the motto of the Royal Society, Nullius in verba, or “take nobody’s word for it”. These calls broke the shackles the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2113056/debate-hong-kong-independence-possible-long-its-rational-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2113056/debate-hong-kong-independence-possible-long-its-rational-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Sep 2017 09:10:41 +0000 For years while Hong Kong was under British rule, the populace never demanded democracy in the form of "one man, one vote". People just got on with their lives, making money and raising their families. But today many Hongkongers are pressing for universal suffrage. Some of my Singaporean friends cannot understand the change in priorities. I would not be surprised if China wonders about the same. Some blame foreign interference. Recent revelations of Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying's... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1564143/beijing-and-hong-kong-should-understand-each-others-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1564143/beijing-and-hong-kong-should-understand-each-others-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2014 06:15:45 +0000