Singapore said yesterday it will allow construction of two casinos, gambling that the decision can boost its economy and juice up its staid image. Critics fear residents of one of Asia's safest cities will succumb to vice with casinos on their shores for the first time.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍) revealed the government's decision in parliament after months of mulling the economic pros and social cons. Singapore has received nearly 20 proposals from international gaming giants angling to build a casino in Southeast Asia's most prosperous country.
Lee cited efforts by some of the world's great cities to reinvent themselves with transportation, cultural and other development projects, and warned that Singapore could become an Asian "backwater" unless it competes with its neighbors.
"In Asia, Shanghai is full of drive and energy. Hong Kong is opening its Disneyland, Hong Kong is also talking about opening a casino to compete with Macau," Lee said.
"Will Singapore be part of this new world, or will we will bypassed and left behind?" said Lee, whose father, former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (李光耀), was instrumental in shaping Singapore's development since independence in 1965. "We want Singapore to have the X-factor, that buzz that you get in London, Paris or New York."
Singapore's Cabinet had encouraged citizens to speak up on the casino plan, triggering lively exchanges in the media, on Internet chat sites, in offices and homes. For a while Singaporeans appeared to be split evenly in the debate -- unusual in that Singaporeans so rarely challenge their government's plans.
"The ministers themselves were evenly split," Lee said. "They also shared the qualms of the public about the social impact."
Lee said one casino will be built as part of a resort with other attractions on the island of Sentosa, and the other will be at Marina Bay on Singapore's main island. Both projects, worth a total of S$5 billion (US$3 billion), will be five minutes by car from the central business district.
Many Singaporeans lay down bets on race horses and fork out cash at parlors with slot machines and sports wagers. But the prospect of a large, Las Vegas-style casino alarmed many who think Singapore's strict social controls are its main asset.
One group, Families Against the Casino Threat, organized an online petition that more than 30,000 Singaporeans opposed to more gambling signed.
Singapore hopes that billions spent on casinos with theme parks and hotels will boost its S$184 billion (US$112 billion) domestic economy, attract high-spending tourists and create thousands of jobs.
"Tourism in Asia is growing phenomenally, especially with the traffic from India and China. Our market share is declining, they are spending a shorter time in Singapore," said Lee, who predicted that the project will create 35,000 jobs.
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