Originally Posted by
Ronin
Something I rarely see mentioned is the history of Singapore (although there doesn't seem to be many books available). The reason many of the laws, particularly those concerning drugs are so draconian is look back around 20 or 30 years ago the country was an under developed hole with the docklands area being rife with prostitution and opium smoking dens (and most likely the rest of the country). The authorities were concerned that the triads might move and take control, hence the deterrents put in place. However, some would argue that the present Singapore government is hypocritical given it's trade agreements with most notably Burma one of the most prolific producers of drugs.