Singapore: Undiplomatic Cut

The island republic of Singapore recently proclaimed itself "a bastion of resistance to the social pollution of hippies." Last week, after Singapore police arrested three long-haired youths from neighboring Malaysia, the young men were held in jail for 17 hours until they consented to being given short haircuts. A barber was duly fetched, and each of the young Malaysians was required to pay 330 to have his long locks trimmed. When the shorn youths returned home, their countrymen were outraged—and reacted accordingly. The Malaysian government delivered a stern protest note to Singapore's ranking diplomatic representative in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian students demonstrated outside the Singapore embassy and the Malaysian press deplored the incident.

Because of the uproar, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew hastily postponed his first visit in 19 months to Malaysia. "We tender our apologies for any inconvenience caused," said Lee, who personally had ordered the anti-hippie campaign. "But it is not irreparable; it will grow back in a matter of weeks." He added, however, that if the loss of hair had made the young men less attractive to their girl friends, "we will send up wigs."