From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Little red dot
Little red dot
15% in 1998; and that riots had taken place in the coun-
try in May 1998, mostly targeting Chinese Indonesians.
He then said, "Singapore will help Indonesia within the
limits of our ability. We are a small economy. ... After all
we are only three million people. Just a little red dot on
the map. Where is the capacity to help 211 million peo-
ple?"[3]
Reflecting on Habibie’s remarks at a conference on
3 May 2003, Singapore’s former Deputy Prime Minister
(and present Prime Minister), Lee Hsien Loong, said:
"This [Habibie’s remark] was a vivid and valuable remin-
der that we are indeed very small and very vulnerable.
The little red dot has entered the psyche of every Singa-
porean, and become a permanent part of our vocabulary,
On many maps, Singapore appears marked as a little red dot at
the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. for which we are grateful."[2][4]
On 19 September 2006, Habibie explained to reporters
that far from dismissing Singapore in 1998, he had meant
Little dot" Little Dot")
"Little red dot (or "Little Red Dot is an epithet for
to highlight Singapore’s achievements despite its small
the nation of Singapore. It describes the manner in which
size. He said that he had made the remark while speaking
the main and subsidiary islands comprising the Repub-
off-the-cuff with members of an Indonesian youth group
lic, with a total land area of no more than 704 km2 (270
and trying to "give them spirit". He said that he had told
sq mi), are marked on many world maps. Originally, it
them: "If you look at the map of South-east Asia, you [In-
was apparently used to refer to Singapore in a disparag-
donesia] are so big, and Singapore is just a dot. But if you
ing manner by former Indonesian President B.J. Habi-
come to Singapore, you see people with vision." He also
bie (though this was denied by him), but has come to be
claimed that "I have corrected [myself] many times, but
used by both Singaporean politicians and ordinary citi-
they have never put it [sic]. And I could not prove it in
zens with pride and a sense of the nation’s success de-
writing because I was talking freely."[2][5]
spite its physical limitations.
Origin and subsequent devel- Popular usage
The term "little red dot" has come to be used by both Sin-
opments gaporean politicians and ordinary citizens with pride and
The term "little red dot" gained currency after the for- with a sense of the nation’s success despite its physical
mer Indonesian President B.J. (Bacharuddin Jusuf) Habi- limitations. With reference to Singapore, the term has al-
bie (born 1936; held office 1998–1999) was regarded as so been used in the following contexts:
having criticized Singapore in an article published in the • Little Red Dot, a magazine aimed at primary school
Asian Wall Street Journal of 4 August 1998. It was reported students published by The Straits Times that was
that Habibie had remarked that he did not have the feel- launched in 2005.[6]
ing that Singapore was a friend, and had pointed to a • The Little Red Dot, the title of a 2005 book edited by
map, saying: "It’s O.K. with me, but there are 211 million Tommy Koh and Chang Li Lin about the rise of
people [in Indonesia]. All the green [area] is Indonesia. Singapore through the eyes of 50 of its diplomats.[7]
And that red dot is Singapore."[1] The remark caused an • The Little Red Dot series of storybooks for Primary 1
outcry as it was seen as a dismissal of Singapore.[2] and 2 students developed by Nexus (the Central
The then Prime Minister of Singapore, Goh Chok National Education Office of the Government of
Tong, responded in his National Day Rally Speech on 23 Singapore). Four books have been published: Little
August 1998. Goh called the effect of the Asian financial Red Dot, Little Red Dot Bounces Back, Little Red Dot Fights
crisis in 1997 on Indonesia a "major tragedy", noting that Back and Little Red Dot Comes Home. The stories have
the rupiah was worth only a fifth of what it was against themes such as resilience, a sense of rootedness,
the US dollar in June 1997; the banking system had al- teamwork, unity and vigilance.[8]
most collapsed; the economy was expected to contract by
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Little red dot
• Little Red Dot Academy, an aviation training and Singapore. http://www.nexus.gov.sg/littlereddot/.
consultancy company headquartered in Singapore Retrieved 2008-11-06.
which was founded in 2004.[9] [9] "Little Red Dot Academy: Company Overview".
• Little Red Dots, a design collective based in Little Red Dot Academy. 2006.
Singapore that was conceived in 2004.[10] http://www.reddot.sg/overview.html. Retrieved
2007-08-29.
Notes [10] "Little Red Dots: Who are We? What are We? Where
are We? Why are We?". Little Red Dots. 2005-09-10.
[1] "Sound Relations with Malaysia Vital, Says Hsien http://www.little-red-dots.com/us.html. Retrieved
Loong". Utusan Malaysia. 2003-05-04. 2007-08-29.
http://pgoh13.free.fr/spore_vital.html. Retrieved
2007-08-29.
[2] ^ "Habibie : What I Meant by Little ’Red Dot’". The
Further reading
Straits Times. 2006-09-20. • Chua, Mui Hoong (1999-02-27). "Whither Singapore-
[3] Goh, Chok Tong (1998-08-23). "Prime Minister’s Jakarta Ties?". The Straits Times (reproduced on
National Day Rally Speech, 1998". Ministry of Singapore Window). http://www.singapore-
Education (Singapore). http://www.moe.gov.sg/ window.org/sw99/90227st.htm.
speeches/1998/23aug98.htm. Retrieved • "PM Goh Urges ’Dignified’ Reaction to Malaysian
2007-08-29. Criticisms". Agence France Presse (AFP) (reproduced
[4] Lee, Hsien Loong (2003-05-03). "Learning and on Singapore Window). 2002-03-15.
Living the Singapore Story: Keynote Address by http://www.singapore-window.org/sw02/
Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong at the 020315af.htm.
Network Conference 2003". Singapore Government • Mok, Ly Yng (2006-04-12). "Little Red Dot: A Short
Press Release. http://stars.nhb.gov.sg/stars/ Story by Mok Ly Yng". Yesterday.sg.
public/viewHTML.jsp?pdfno=2003050301. http://yesterday.sg/detail/
Retrieved 2007-08-29. little_red_dot_a_short_story_by_mok_ly_yng/.
[5] "Habibie Truly Admired the ’Little Red Dot’". Today. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
2006-09-20. • "layyoong" (2006-04-20). "Little Red Dot Two".
[6] "Big Help from ST’s New Little Paper: The Straits Yesterday.org. http://yesterday.sg/detail/
Times Launches their New Primary School little_red_dot/. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
Magazine, Little Red Dot, with Full Explanations of • Chang, Clarence (2006-09-17). "MM Lee on Ensuring
How It Can be Used in the Classroom". The Straits S’pore’s Future as ’Special Red Dot’ : Firm, yet Subtle,
Times (republished at AsiaMedia). 2005-04-18. in Doing Things Our Way". The New Paper
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/ (reproduced on Singapore Window).
article.asp?parentid=23193. http://www.singapore-window.org/sw06/
[7] Koh, Tommy; Chang Li Lin (eds.) (2005). The Little 060917NP.HTM.
Red Dot: Reflections By Singapore’s Diplomats. • "Why is Singapore a little red dot?". ASK!, Advisory
Singapore: World Scientific. ISBN 9812564144. For and Enquiry Service, National Library Board. 8
a review of the book, see Latif, Asad (2005-08-14). October 2007. http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/ask/children/
"The Little Red Dot: Reflections by Singapore’s 240. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
Diplomats (book review)". The Sunday Times
(Singapore) (reproduced on the Institute of Policy
Studies website). p. 27. http://www.ips.org.sg/
External links
Media/yr2005/ • "Little red dot" at the Double-Tongued Dictionary
Launch%20of%20the%20Little%20Red%20Dot/ • "Little red dot" at the Dictionary of Singlish and
ST_write%20on%20Spore%20diplomats_14%20Aug%2005.pdf. Singapore English
[8] "Little Red Dot presented by Nexus". Nexus
(Central National Education Office), Government of
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Little_red_dot&oldid=410330985"
Categories:
• Names of places in Asia
• Nicknames
• Singaporean culture
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Little red dot
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