Are "Fines" necessary to make things work?

A Taiwanese asked me a question 5 years ago, "Laws are so strict in Singapore, don't you feel like you are living in fear since young?" His question trigger many thoughts in my mind and I began to wonder whether Singapore acheived the status which she is enjoying today because of all the "Fines".

5 years later, I found the answer in another city, Hong Kong. I wasn't in Singapore when the SARS epidemic hit Singapore but from my friends back home, I can tell that the epidemic hit Singapore's economy, especially the tourism industry very badly. Hong Kong and Guangzhou are 2 other cities that were affected badly by the epidemic and afew years later the same 2 cities are hit by another epidemic, Bird Flu.

When I was in Hong Kong last week, 5 sparrows were found dead at a park near the hotel which I was staying. The very next day, all the Flamingoes in the park were removed and I could see people wearing masks patroling and examining the park. I found out later from the news that the sparrows died of Type 1 Bird Flu, which doesn't infect humans. Thank God. Anyway I avoided all the chicken at the Chinese restaurants.

By now, you may have wonder what Bird Flu & SARS have to do with "Fines".
The answer is very simple. I saw "Fine" signs everywhere in Hong Kong & the amount of money they charge per fine is $HK 5000, which is exactly = to the "Singaporean Fine" amount.

This only goes to show that the fastest way to increase civic consciousness among Asians is to hurt their pockets. I won't be surprised to see "Fine" signs in China (I plan to visit the Great Wall in Oct 2007) Afterall Singapore became a "Fine" city because of all the "Fines" & it is a proven formula for the other Asian countries to follow.