Our Tipping Point

Before she left the company for greener pasture, she asked me to read a chapter from The Tipping Point, and she wanted me to relate it to our community - the Malay community.

Why is it that most Asian societies are doing well academically than the first world countries?

This is especially so in mathematics for instance, supported very much by the TIMSS study (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study). The top-achieving countries in maths hailed mostly from East Asia.

The possible reason, if I were to gather the thoughts of this author is that, "no one who wakes up early in the morning before the sun rises to work in padi fields cannot be rich."

Hmmm... he is assuming traditionally or rather by heritage, most people in Asian societies are padi farmers who are hardworkers. And if you worked so hard starting from dawn, you should be able to gain wealth.

Now, but why isnt it so for our Malay communities? Well, for one, most of us Singaporeans are not padi workers!!!

Ok, but if we are not padi workers, so are the other ethnic groups in Singapore but why is it that the other ethnic groups are reaping the wealth, not us?

So what's our tipping point?