Singaporeans are Third World people? Public figures react to Tommy Koh’s comments

A photo taken on Oct 1 shows Professor Tommy Koh speaking at the Singapore Bicentennial Conference. Prof Koh had lamented during the conference that Singapore was a First World country with Third World people.

SINGAPORE – Professor Kishore Mahbubani recounts a recent occasion when his maid asked for time off to go to the airport.

“Why?” he asked. Her friend had broken her arm, the maid explained, and her employer had decided to send her straight home. She wanted to say goodbye to her friend.

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