I am writing this briefing on my last night in Hong Kong. Tomorrow I will be relocating to Singapore, and I have to say, after more than a decade living in this neon city, I’m feeling quite anguished. This briefing might therefore carry a stronger personal slant than usual, but I’ll try my best to keep it clean.

I am a native Singaporean but have now spent more years living outside of the country than in it. I am moving back home for family reasons so let’s be absolutely clear: it wasn’t any political predicament that forced me out, nor was it that I saw greener pastures or safer shores in Southeast Asia.