UAE – a Weapons Exporter to China?

The Indian authorities recently detained a United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force transport plane in Calcutta. It seems the manifest did not disclose the plane's cargo included weapons.

The diplomatic handling of the incident exposes the different paths taken by India and Pakistan since independence in 1947.

The Indian government chose to go 'public' with the information pertaining to the plane. A spokesman for the Indian Ministry of Defence issued an official statement and simultaneously cancelled the onward clearance of the plane.

There is nothing unusual in the Indian behaviour. It is civilized, transparent and displays respect for the rule of law.

Sheikh Zayed (1918 - 2004) - the Founder and Father of the United Arab Emirates

On the other hand, the UAE is embarrassed by the incident. Some segments within the UAE see the Indian detention of the air force crew and airplane as disrespectful. A diplomatic 'loss of face.'

The UAE will have liked to handle the matter quietly through backdoor diplomacy. Why would anyone want to publicize weapons sales to China?

Let's say a UAE government plane landed at Karachi airport with a cargo of 'illegal' weapons. One can speculate about the Pakistani government's handling of a similar situation.

It is unlikely the Pakistan government will have quarantined the plane or detained its ten man crew. It may have raised the matter quietly with the UAE government prior to letting the (untouched) plane depart.

Pakistan claims to have a 'special relationship' with both China and the UAE and will not jeopardize it over an infraction of this magnitude or nature.

The scenario reveals more about the differing paths taken by India and Pakistan and their foreign policy perceptions.

Pakistan's active courtship of the Arab world, specifically Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has been successful in building up a relationship of trust with the UAE. The shift towards the Islamic world is a necessary ingredient in the country's desire to differentiate itself from its larger neighbour.

Pakistan is caught squarely in the middle of a cultural tug of war between the Arab world and India. In other words, Pakistan is a battleground between a strict Arab version of Islam and an indigenous (softer) version of the religion.

Pakistan has limited leverage with the UAE, other than the human capital and possibly military expertise so its desire (and ability) to act aggressively is limited.

India is a regional power. Consequently, its foreign policy establishment adopts a somewhat bureaucratic and rigid approach to implementing policy.

India does itself no favours by adopting a 'civil' approach. However, because of the country's size and vibrant economy it can act almost arrogantly with small nations such as the UAE.

One may argue that the actions reflect India's institutionalization of its state infrastructure. An example of the Indian 'system' working independently and systematically the way a bureaucracy should.

Conversely, the Pakistan approach illustrates deficiencies in the institutionalization of the state and its weak economy. The incident also underlines Pakistan's 'top-down' affinity with the Islamic world.

The Indian and Pakistani approach to seemingly trivial diplomatic issues demonstrates the divergent paths taken by the two nations in the post-colonial era.

Post Script: After being detained for five days, both crew and plane left for their original destination of Hanyang, China on September 10, 2009.

(The author spent many of his teenage years in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. More recently he spent over 5 years in Dubai until returning to Singapore earlier this year.)

Bungee Jumping in Singapore or Skiing in Dubai?

Cities are as unique as individuals. Like humans, cities exude a distinct sense of who they are and what they stand for.

Residents of Dubai often compare their city to Singapore. The two cities are 'regional hubs in today's global village' and share certain characteristics. They also have many noticeable differences.

The similarities include physical infrastructure. Transport, global connectivity, and basic government services are of a high quality. The quality of life is high and affords diverse lifestyle opportunities for expatriates.

'Dune bashing' in Dubai's desert is a popular tourist pastime

Both cities have worked hard to establish themselves on the international map. They have adeptly used national symbols (e.g. Emirates and Singapore Airlines) to create and promote a wider brand.

They are vital trading and logistics centres in their regions. Dubai airport is as much a regional transit point as Singapore's Changi airport. The two ports are amongst the 10 busiest ports in the world.

Just as important, the cities boast a cosmopolitan and open environment which welcomes foreigners. Foreign workers are drawn by the scent of money not just from neighbouring nations but also from far off.

Joining the exclusive club of global cities comes at a price – good and bad.

They lose a little bit of their own culture in the quest to 'internationalize.' Sometimes the cities are associated with certain eccentricities which now symbolize their entire being.

Who does not associate Singapore with its tough drug and chewing gum laws? Dubai, on the other hand, has nominated 'Sex on the Beach' as its preferred cocktail. It certainly gives the famed Singapore Sling a run for its money.

Singapore's Esplanade includes a purpose built concert hall and theater

The differences between Dubai and Singapore are as important as the similarities.

Singapore houses approximately three times the population of Dubai, i.e. 5 million versus 1.5 million. It is located in the tropics while Dubai is surrounded by the desert. One has a Chinese flavour while the other Arab (or South Asian perhaps?!).

Approximately 25% of Singapore's residents are foreigners. In Dubai, foreigners are 85% of the total population. Additionally, given the high concentration of unskilled labour in Dubai the male-female ration is extremely skewed. The results of the 2006 census indicated that only 25% of the resident population is female.

There is no concept of Permanent Residency or granting of citizenship in Dubai. Residence permits or work visas are granted for 3 years at a time. One may work in Dubai for 30 years but the visa must be renewed every 3 years.

Perhaps the authorities fear that the Emirati (UAE national) may become extinct in their own country, much like the aborigines in Australia or Native Americans in the US. The fear does seem justified.

An indoor ski slope is located inside Dubai's Mall of the Emirates shopping mall

Singapore's catchment area comprises of other Southeast Asian countries while Dubai's rests on South Asia, Iran and the broader Arab world. Both cities benefit from their reputations as oases of calm in otherwise turbulent regions.

Undoubtedly, Singapore and Dubai are modern day success stories. They are vibrant and dynamic cities. They provide developmental models for academics to study and other nations to adapt and implement.

In October 2008, the US journal Foreign Policy stated, "[the] world's biggest, most interconnected cities help set global agendas, weather transnational dangers, and serve as the hubs of global integration. They are the engines of growth for their countries and the gateways to the resources of their regions."

The same Foreign Policy survey analyzed and measured 24 diverse qualities of many international cities. The survey ranked Dubai at 27 and Singapore at number 7 in their listing of Global Cities by importance.

They deserve the accolades.

Author's Personal Note

I lived in Dubai for over five years until June 2009.

The Dusit Thani hotel in Dubai. The world's tallest building, the Burj, is visible to its right while the tracks to the new Metro system are in the foreground

I enjoyed my life in Dubai. The city was good to me professionally and personally.  But like many foreigners, I could have lived in Dubai for another five years and it still will not have become home to me.

Home is more than just being 'worn down' and getting used to a city and its lifestyle.  The lifestyle felt artificial to me.

Dubai is nothing if not a city under construction, physically and spiritually. GPS systems are out of date within a few months of purchase – no kidding.

Physical change is as much a part of the routine as prayer breaks at an office.

Dubai is a commercial city built for traders, merchants and, dare I say it, conmen. Anything goes in Dubai – as long as it does not ruffle too many feathers and is not explicitly against the law.

It is a city for the nouveau riche. The environment encourages conspicuous consumption. Arguably, ostentation is a necessary condition for success in Dubai. The only measure of success is wealth.

The wider Arab Gulf benefits from Dubai's tolerant environment.

The city is helping to synthesize Islam with modernity. Not in the intellectual way that Muftis from madressas do but in a natural way reflected via the city's collective moral values and behaviour.

Dubai views the world with the recklessness of a teenager and the innocence of a toddler. It is experimenting with anything and everything. It is learning from its trials and tribulations.

Today's Dubai does not believe in walking. It went straight from being a crawling baby to a running teenager. It will run out of breath one day.

One day Dubai will find its character.

Until then, change circumscribes Dubai like a veil covers a beautiful woman. Its true beauty remains hidden from most and it's anyone guess when the veil will finally be lifted.

I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her face.

Hindu Temples, Cow’s Heads and Malay Culture

The Malaysian authorities have arrested twelve of the persons involved in using a cow's head during recent recent protests against the construction of a Hindu temple. Six have been charged with unlawful assembly and six with sedition against the state.

Their defense –the cow was meant to symbolize the government's stupidity. The defense lawyer is quoted as saying, "If you look at the Malay culture, the cow is synonymous to stupidity and [the action was] not meant to insult other religions."

The underlying tensions between the Malay and Tamil communities are real. The friction will surely manifest itself in other ways unless real steps to move away from race based politics are implemented.

I hope I am wrong.

How Chewing Gum Almost Scuttled the Singapore – US Free Trade Agreement

While waiting in line at a 7/11 recently, I overheard a gentleman ask the sales girl where the store keeps its chewing gum.

Misguided souls come in many forms. Some turn to crime, others lead a life of debauchery. Surely no soul is more misguided than he who tries to purchase chewing gum in Singapore?

If Singapore is known for anything internationally, it is for caning American boys called Michael Fay and for banning gum within the confines of this pristine 700 square kilometre island.

It is not important that Singapore is the third most competitive economy in the world nor that its per capita income is higher than most developed nations.

Clean public toilets, outlawing chewing gum and caning vandals define modern Singapore for the rest of the world.

Is it that some authoritarian figure within the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) had an epiphany one day? A vision guiding him to herald Singapore into a New Age defined by the notable absence of that most immoral and wicked substance - gum.  

Let's give Singapore and its meritocratic system a little bit more credit please.

The majority of Singapore's population live in government subsidized housing estates developed by the Housing Development Board (HDB). The routine maintenance and cleaning of these estates is a necessary and costly exercise undertaken by local Town Councils.

Gum first started becoming a visible menace to the public in the 1980s. Chewing gum was stuck on elevator doors, elevator buttons, stuck inside mailboxes and generally contaminating common areas.

Singapore prides itself on being a (almost) litter free and clean environment.

Anyone who has removed gum from any surface can appreciate that it is a lengthy and laborious process. Still, Singapore's humble public cleaners continued to struggle with the gum problem until the 1990s.

The turning point came with the establishment of Singapore's subway system, the MRT in 1987. The subway system employed the latest technology, including sensors to monitor the closing of doors.

Vandals quickly learnt to use gum to cover the subway door sensors. This act caused serious delays and disruptions to an otherwise efficient system.

After much governmental debate and analysis, it was resolved that apprehending the culprits was too costly an exercise. Consequently, in January 1992, the then Prime Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong decided to completely ban all forms of chewing gum for the general public good.

For today's regular users of the MRT the only inconvenience is possible random checking by security staff. The door sensors work just fine.

After a short lived 'civil disobedience movement' the issue died, until 2003.

Singaporeans just learnt to live without gum and found other ways to exercise their jaws.

All credit to the Singapore police who averted the establishment of a black market in the illicit substance. Neither organized crime nor Chinese secret societies stepped into the otherwise (possibly) lucrative gum smuggling business!

Like ice cream, gum is much too important a matter to stay quiet for too long.

Free trade agreements (FTA) are not abandoned over tariffs and duties. Nor do Trade Ministers lose sleep over allegations of unfair dumping.

Only gum has that sort of power and influence.

Negotiations between Singapore and the US over a bilateral FTA soured due to gum. Philip Crane, a Chicago Congressman, spearhead an aggressive 'legalize gum in Singapore or no FTA campaign.' 

A face saving compromise granting gum producers like Wrigley (a Chicago based company) some access to Singapore's lucrative chewing gum market was ultimately agreed. The FTA came into effect in January 2004.

With a doctor's prescription these can be yours - legally!

Singaporeans remain eternally grateful to Mr. Crane for restoring their inalienable and God granted right to chew gum.

Nevertheless, Singapore is no pushover in trade negotiations. The relaxation came with restrictions. Only nicotine substitute gum can be purchased at authorized pharmacies and a doctor's prescription for the purpose is required.

Notwithstanding the procurement process, it is still easier to buy gum in Singapore than it is to remove it from public places.

Passengers landing at Singapore's Changi airport are routinely warned about the imposition of the death penalty for importing prohibited drugs into the country. To the best of my knowledge, Wrigley's Spearmint gum sticks are not classified as drugs so you might just get away with a fine – if the quantity qualifies as being for personal use!

Singapore and the 'Karachite' Within

Many years ago a highly regarded geomancer, Raymond Lo, told me that based on my 'Feng Shui' elements I should live near a large body of water.

Given that I cannot afford a luxury condominium overlooking the Singapore marina, I make do with an HDB apartment that is near enough to the Singapore – Johor Causeway to satisfy his conditions!

As a Karachite, I was born in a city by the Arabian Sea. I take the sea for granted. I only recently realized that in almost every city I have lived water has played a large role in its history.

Karachi is special to me for many reasons.

My father bought our first family home in the city in 1984. The house is now our family 'ancestral home.' Many family histories are young in South Asia.

Our family is not the only family that chose to settle in Karachi. The capital of Sindh is like a mother who continually welcomes orphans – no matter that she has no food or shelter to provide them. It is in her nature to welcome and accept.

At Partition, in 1947 the city had an estimated population of 400,000. Today it is north of 16 million. Over 90% of the city's residents are migrants, including about 1-1.5 million Afghanis who fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

Karachi is a 'mini-Pakistan' with representation from all parts of the country. Over 3 million Pashtuns now call Karachi their home

I don't call the Afghanis refugees anymore as they are not going home. (Their cuisine is delicious but very, very high cholesterol!) There are another approx. 500,000 - 1 million Burmese, Bengalis, Iranis and Africans permanently settled in the city. They are not refugees anymore either.

But no more about Karachi's history.

The city provides me some of my earliest childhood memories. My initial recollections of Pakistan before my family moved to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates when I was ten. (Note that Abu Dhabi is a port city with a large body of water nearby!)

Playland, an amusement park in Karachi, is where I first rode bumper cars. Although it disappeared in 2007 to make way for a large 130 acre public park many Karachites remember the theme park fondly.

It is located adjacent to Abdullah Shah Ghazi's mazar (mausoleum). The mausoleum has housed the tomb of Karachi's protector and patron saint for almost 1400 years. The mazar is also the site where some pious soul relieved me of my wallet. I have no doubt that the pick pocket sought forgiveness for his actions by praying at the holy man's grave soon after!

Camel rides at Karachi's beaches are a popular tourist pastime

In the mid-1970s our neighbourhood was not fully developed. By walking around I could easily find 'swamplands' which soon became my fishing 'lakes.' In hindsight, homemade fishing lines were pretty effective at catching fish (or swamp fish are just starving and will eat anything).

The rocky open areas all around our residence made fantastic playgrounds for seven tiles and marbles. My best playmates were two Pashtun brothers who were the sons of a chowkidar (guard) at a neighbouring house.

We played together almost every afternoon – as soon as my mother decided the sun was not too strong. The fear of heatstroke was used very effectively by my mother to control my outdoor activities.

It's funny but I never played cricket, hockey or any other field games. They just never appealed to me. I can't say why.

I live in Singapore now. It is a city by the sea.

It is orderly, organized and well planned. In 2009, the resident population is approximately 5 million people. The government can tell you the exact number.

The population became 5 million because the government had a target to achieve. The government also knows what the population (and ethnic mix?) will be in 2020.

Young girls after an evening of shopping

Who really knows what the population of Karachi is today. And what the population will be in 2020? And where the new migrants will come from?

In my life I have learnt to respect the limitations of planning and the combined power of hope and faith. Karachi lives on hope and faith.

The above article was written for New Delhi based blogger Mayank Soofi. It first appeared on his blog, Pakistan Paindabad, on September 6, 2009. Pictures are by Karachi based photographer Junaid Zuberi.

‘New’ Singaporeans: Only Chinese, Malay or Indians Allowed?

No Singaporean ever believes I am a Singaporean. My statement is as accurate as stating night follows day.

In the past, I have written about being a Singaporean.  Now I write about being a Pakistani.

My memory bank does not contain any images of developing Singapore - only the modern, developed city-state

A few days ago a close friend of mine suggested that, despite my protestations, I remained a Pakistani first and a Singaporean second. Is it really worthwhile to argue about such a deeply subjective and emotional question?

It is difficult to say. But, it is hard to deny that on occasion I will be more Pakistani than Singaporean. At other times the opposite will be the case.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with such a duality. It's my own personal form of Yin and Yang and not necessarily an early warning sign of schizophrenia.

Despite the heat and humidity, I do enjoy aimlessly wandering the streets of Singapore. When I do walk the streets phenomena occur.

Being a Pakistani in Singapore brings with it some unique experiences.

Pakistani schoolgirls celebrate at the August 14 Independence Day celebrations, an occasion similar to Singapore's National Day Parade (NDP)

Pakistanis are possibly the only people ever to have their belongings checked at the Admiralty MRT station! Does the highly trained 9 am to 5 pm MRT security staff ever check anyone else at these stations, or am I the only one?

It seems the sweet, old Chinese security 'Aunties' are trained by the US Department of Homeland Security. Hence people of Pakistani origin are automatically singled out as potential security threats. (Is paranoia another symptom of schizophrenia?)

No doubt, I am routinely a victim of racial profiling while travelling by air but the experience at a Singapore subway station left me just a little irritated and slightly puzzled.

Pakistan – where's that - isn't it part of India? Well, yes, like Singapore is part of Malaysia.  How come you don't look Pakistani? Please tell me, what exactly are we supposed to look like - a few extra ears or eyes maybe?

Imran – ah so you are a Muslim. But you don't look Malay? In Singapore, being Muslim is tantamount to being Malay.

There are no generic Muslims in Singapore, only Malay-Muslims. It is also understood that all Muslims speak Malay. I frequently receive requests for money from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (or MUIS) in Malay.

Maybe if I understood what MUIS was saying I would send them money one day.

Lahore's Badshahi Masjid was completed by Mogul Emperor Aurangzeb in 1673 and can accommodate over 100,000 worshippers

Because I am a Muslim, Malay customs, including the mysterious ritual of burying a new born baby's placenta and the (un-Islamic) tradition of female circumcision become part of my culture.

Absolutely wrong.

A Pashtun will threaten you just for looking at his daughter but imagine what he will do if you try and circumcise her. And the idea of burying a placenta sounds more like Scientology than Islam to me.

Of course, I am no learned Mufti.

Chinese girls, and there is an abundance of pretty girls here, hesitate to go out with Muslims because of a perception that Muslims are 'off limits.' The Malay-Muslim men seem to have (selfishly) scared off all the non-Muslim girls through their constant talk of conversions!

Singapore law is mixed (or just confused) in its dealing with Malays.

The Administration of Muslim Law Act places some unusual guidelines  (restrictions?) on the civil rights of Singaporean Muslims. These guidelines, which are often based on Malay tradition, apply to all Singaporean Muslims.

Like the Western media's notion of a monolithic Islamic world, Singapore's micro version of monolithic Islam is to see all Muslims as Malay (and vice versa).

Singapore likes organization and structure, especially where the sensitive topic of race and ethnicity is concerned. But Singaporeans do sometimes get confused about whether I am Malay or Indian.

When in doubt prudence dictates that the truth is legislated. Thus, in order to avoid any confusion Singapore law classifies me unambiguously as an Indian.

Singapore defines Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Sinhalese Sri Lankans as Indians. Consequently, all 'Indians,' including me are automatically enrolled into a monthly donation programme operated by state sponsored Singapore Indian Development Institution (Sinda).

Never mind that Pakistan and India are frequently close to war with each other.

In the final analysis, does it really does matter whether I see myself as a Singaporean, a Pakistani, a Pakistani-Singaporean or a Singaporean-Pakistani. Others will always see me through the prism of their own experiences.

However, I must confess that I enjoy painting an exotic and often exaggerated picture of myself for my Singaporean friends.

Singapore and Malaysia: Portends of the Future?

You may call it data mining, or pulling out data to support my existing ideas, but here are some interesting headlines from the Straits Times (September 4, 2009).

PKMS [Singapore Malay National Organisation] fight ends with fractured skull; 21 arrested

I have never heard of this political party before but the headline indicates why the People's Action Party (PAP) keeps winning Singapore's general elections. It seems that two factions of the PKMS were vying for the leadership post and decided to take their dispute into the streets.

Governing a country, even a small and relatively homogenous one, is no easy matter. Without a credible opposition anywhere in sight the PAP is a shoo-in at the next elections.

Third World politics in a First World state?

[Malaysian] Minister rapped for defending protest

At a recent protest against the relocation of a Hindu temple some rabid Malaysians trampled on a cow's head. The symbolism is powerful and designed to evoke an emotional outburst.

The use of a cow's head in such a manner is no different from pigs being used to desecrate mosques or Muslim homes – something that erratically occurred in some Western nations in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

The cow is sacred to Hindus and the killing of a cow can sometimes precipitate riots among Hindu communities 

It seems the local authorities in Malaysia have still not arrested the leaders of last week's protest. They are seeking some sort of a compromise solution with the protesters and the local community.

I am all for effective local politics. However, the price of appeasing the Muslim extremist fringe can be devastating. They will only be emboldened to make further demands if some red lines are not immediately drawn.

Further evidence of a creeping 'Islamization' of Malaysia – at the expense of its non-Muslim communities?

Demolition of village in Penang begins amid residents' protests

An ethnic Indian farming village is being relocated (aka destroyed) to make way for a condominium complex. The condominium development is legal and has been approved by the Malaysian high court.

As expected, the demolition has evoked strong reactions from Malaysia's Tamil minority community. Activists claim that the farming village is the oldest Indian settlement in Penang state and dates back to 1851. It is a small village of 24 families.

Tamil Indians have been part of the Malayan landscape for centuries. Their culture has contributed greatly to the rich heritage of Singapore and Malaysia

Not surprisingly, the villagers do not have a written title deed to the land and are in a weak legal position. Did British colonists hand out title deeds to imported labour (living in shanties) to work the Malayan rubber plantations?

The Chinese and Tamil minorities collectively form 30% of Malaysia's population. Any perception that they are being disenfranchised by the state will create a fertile breeding ground for future civil strife.