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SINGAPORE and Hong Kong have acted out the tale of two cities for quite some time. But the more the tale goes on, the more unpalatable it is to Hongkongers, who since their city's handover to China have been relentlessly outstripped by Singaporeans. What is most frustrating, however, is that there seems to be no way for Hong Kong to free itself from the political mire it is stuck in and to once again forge ahead.Therefore, the new ideas and mindset outlined for his government by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien-loong at the National Day rally give Hongkongers much food for thought.Lee's new governmental policy ranges from hardware construction (including the expansion of Changi Airport and the relocation of the port) to strategic adjustments in matters related to people's livelihood (including medical care, housing, and education). This latest development in the tale of the two cities shows Singapore travelling full steam ahead, while Hong Kong keeps going backwards.And what particularly pulls at Hongkongers'heartstrings is probably Singapore's housing scheme.While more than 80 percent of Singaporeans are already housed in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, Lee has pledged to see to it that even low-income families can buy HDB homes, declaring that a family earning S $1,000 (about HK $6,000) a month will be able to afford a two-room flat; a family earning S $2,000 (about HK $12,000), a three-room flat; and a family earning S$4,000 (about HK$24,000),a four-room flat. In solving the housing problem,Singapore has for long been far ahead of Hong Kong. Now the Singaporean government is taking yet another step ahead to make sure that every working family can afford an HDB flat. The living conditions of Singaporeans are now more than ever the envy of Hongkongers.In the parliamentary general election Singapore held two years ago, while the People's Action Party still won a dominant 81 percent of the seats, it lost about 6 percent of the voter support it had previously enjoyed. In reviewing the election results, Lee described the election as a "watershed" for Singapore. The new policy changes he announced at the public rally on Singapore's 48th National Day are generally regarded as a response to the "setback" his party suffered in the election.After Hong Kong's handover to China, Hong Kong has been going backwards all the time whereas Singapore has continued to press forward. This can only be attributed to the two cities' different political systems. The People's Action Party is the only major political party in Singapore, which in effect means a one-party dictatorship. However, as the ruling party it enjoys the governmental legitimacy conferred by elections, so its policies can be effectively introduced and implemented. Hong Kong's Chief Executive, on the other hand, does not have the legitimacy required, and the government does not command a steady majority in the Legislative Council. This,essentially, is why the Hong Kong SAR government is severely handicapped in its administration. It istrue that the election of the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council by universal and equal suffrage cannot solve every problem, but their election by a small circle of privileged people means no problem can be solved, as the past 16 years have fully testified.We are convinced that, if Hong Kong is given the chance politically and if the "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" principle is faithfully implemented, Hong Kong will not lose to Singapore.Otherwise, this tale of two cities will probably soon come to an end. For Hong Kong will no longer count.英語社評聲檔english.mingpao.com/critic.htm明報社評2013.08.20新加坡這面鏡子港人照得很不自在星港這齣「雙城記」並非新鮮事物，迷你倉出租只是愈演下去，港人愈感覺不是味兒。回歸以來，港人不但因為星洲超前領先而惆悵，最主要是看不到香港如何走出政治泥淖，重新奮起。因此，新加坡總理李顯龍在國慶群�大會上宣示的治國新理念、新思路，使人感慨不已。李顯龍展示的治國新方略，從硬體建設（擴建樟宜機場、搬遷港口等），到關乎民生的醫療、住屋、教育的戰略調整兼備。「雙城記」最新景�，使人看到新加坡向前奔跑，香港則在往後踏步。其中最能觸動港人情緒的，相信是星洲的房屋政策。李顯龍在逾80%新加坡人已經居住在組屋的基礎上，提出確保低收入家庭都可以買到組屋，包括月入1000 元（坡元，下同，伸約6000 港元）的家庭，負擔得起2 房式組屋；月入2000 元（約1.2 萬港元）家庭，買得起3 房式組屋；月入4000 元（約2.4 萬港元）家庭，供得起4 房式組屋。新加坡於解決國民居住問題，本已大幅領先本港，現在還要確保每個有工作的新加坡家庭都負擔得起一間組屋，相信港人要在更高層次羡慕新加坡人的居住環境了。兩年前新加坡的選舉，人民行動黨雖然在國會仍佔壓倒性的81%議席，但是流失了約6 個百分點選票，當時，李顯龍就選舉結果，形容是新加坡的「分水嶺」，他趁48 年國慶群�大會宣示的新治國方略，被認為是對這次選舉「失利」的回應。回歸之後，香港和新加坡的此消彼長，政治體制是關鍵。新加坡人民行動黨一黨獨大，變相一黨專政，不過，這是透過選舉機制而得出的權力結構，確保了執政黨的政策得以推行和落實。香港的特首欠缺足夠認受性、政府在立法會得不到穩定支持，這是特區政府施政寸步難行的根本原因。以普及而平等辦法選出的特首和立法會，並不能解決全部問題，但是靠特權和小圈子選舉產生的特首和立法會，則根本什麼問題都解決不了。這是過去16 年已經充分驗證的情�。我們堅信：在政治上給香港機會，確切落實港人治港，不相信香港會輸給新加坡。若非如此，則這齣「雙城記」大概演不下去了，因為香港將出局。Glossaryunpalatable /?n'pal ?t ?bl/unpleasant and not easy to acceptoutstrip /a �t'str �p/be faster, better or more successful than somebody you are competing againstwatershed /'w �:t ?�ed/an event or a period of time that marks an important change