Singaporeans are concerned about our cellphones, big-screen TVs, cars, condominiums and whether we got good value for our foot massages.

But no man is an island.

We seem oblivious to the winds of change blowing in the region. There are geopolitical shifts bringing about new realities on many fronts. Rules and norms are changing.

Commerce and trade have always been a lifeline for Singapore, and we have benefited from peace and stability in the region.

But we wield little control over the power politics in the region that could change these favourable conditions for economic growth.

What worked before may not work in the future. Hence, we have to learn the new rules and norms quickly, to avoid being a pawn on someone else's chess board.

We should not be complacent or have an entitlement mentality. We should be sensitive to the changes, and set our sail on these winds of change so as to benefit from them.

Lee Teck Chuan