Topic: Tradition, Heritage

Group Members: Wei Chong, Wai Yong, Louis

Class: 19S03O

Instructions:
1. Research and consolidate its KEY policies, laws, measures, statistics etc and BRIEF descriptions
of these. Consider these websites (ministries, Department of Statistics) and local newspapers
2. Give BRIEF reasons ​WHY​ these policies etc have been put in place (may evoke characteristics
of Singapore society) and their ​IMPACT​ (on various stakeholders, in short-term VS long-term etc)
3. Fill in the template. Limit yourself to 2 pages per person, Arial font 10, single-spaced

Example by Ms Galvez:

Key policy 2018 Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods

Brief description of Examines and reports on deliberate online falsehoods and recommends
policy strategies to deal with them

Possible reasons for its Increasing internet users and proliferation of falsehoods bring concerns
implementation, that deliberate attempts at spreading misinformation can threaten national
including security
characteristics of - Recent spate of falsified news and websites (eg The Real Singapore
Singapore society which published an article claiming that a commotion between Thaipusam
and/or select participants and the police was sparked by complaints from a Filipino
institutions (eg family; the States Times Review which mocked former President S. R.
pragmatism, Nathan by claiming near-zero turnout for his funeral; All Singapore Stuff
meritocracy) or the which reported eye-witness account of a collapsed HDB roof at Punggol
phenomenon at hand Waterway Terraces which fooled the police and civil defence to
investigate) and cybersecurity lapses (eg SingHealth and MOH security
hacks). Especially problematic when new media allows such falsehoods to
be created, circulated and commented upon at rapid speed and by
independent sources

Possible impact on - Disagreement on what constitutes falsehoods: Legal experts doubt an

Singapore society, unambiguous definition can be reached; civil rights activists concerned
possibly on various about infringement of human rights (eg freedom of speech), and
stakeholders or groups, censorship
in short-term VS
long-term etc
 Topic: Tradition, Heritage

Wei Chong

Key policy Nomination of hawker culture to UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural

Heritage of Humanity

Brief description of Nomination Bid submitted by National Heritage Board, National

policy Environment Agency and Federation of Merchants Association Singapore

Possible reasons for its As a country with a diverse background, with many different cultures and
implementation, practices, it is sometimes difficult to identify common Singaporean culture
including that binds us together as a nation.
characteristics of The nomination of a common hawker culture affirms the importance of
Singapore society hawkers in our society and celebrates the value of our distinct culture
and/or select despite our short history. If successful, the nomination will prove to
institutions (eg Singaporeans that our distinct and vibrant culture is recognised at an
pragmatism, international level and raise awareness about the importance of preserving
meritocracy) or the such a culture. This strengthens our national identity, which is something
phenomenon at hand that the Singaporean government has been putting core emphasis on in
recent years with the introduction of the SG50 package along with the
2019 Bicentennial Experience. A strong national identity is integral to
Singapore’s growth and prosperity due to our diverse backgrounds and
multicultural society because a common and shared identity will help
increase national unity and pride in the country. This is also important due
to our nation’s small size and hence there is a pressing need for
conscripted soldiers who have a strong sense of patriotism and duty to
serve since they will form the bulk of our defence forces.

The nomination also requires extensive support from both hawkers and
large public support to be successful so a website has been created by the
Singapore Heritage Board for locals to pledge their support. This increases
the awareness about local culture and encourages Singaporeans to find
out more about local culture and heritage places around their
neighbourhood that they may not have been previously aware of.

Possible impact on Can benefit Singaporean Economy by encouraging tourism, more tourists
Singapore society, who are interested and intrigued by Singapore’s unique culture come and
possibly on various visit so there is an increase in tourism revenue.
stakeholders or groups,
in short-term VS Spark greater interest in hawker culture among the younger generation,
long-term etc many hawkers suffer from the problem of having no one to take over the
business due to the younger generation deterred by the tough working
conditions and low remuneration. There has also been a gradual shift of
Singaporean consumers away from hawker centres due to our growing
affluence and preference for more comfortable air-conditioned dining
locations.The increased interest could help revive hawker culture by
encouraging more young cooks to join the industry along with encouraging
more consumers to patronise the hawker centres and learn more about the
distinct dishes that Singapore has to offer.
 Topic: Tradition, Heritage

Wai Yong

Key policy Architectural Heritage Awards

Brief description of - Architectural Design Awards (AHA) recognises projects that

policy demonstrate exceptional restoration and innovative architectural
work on heritage buildings.
- In addition to contributing to Singapore’s collective sense of
identity and distinctive landscape, the projects are also recognised
for serving Singapore’s current and future needs when adapted for
contemporary uses.

Possible reasons for its As a country with a small plot of land and no natural resources for it to rely
implementation, on, the government adopts a strictly pragmatic approach when it deals with
including issues relating to the country’s development and continued prosperity by
characteristics of ensuring that the economic needs of the country are prioritised. As a
Singapore society result, some historical sites (Old National Library) and places with deep
and/or select cultural value (Bukit Brown) are demolished to make way for more
institutions (eg productive facilities that produce tangible value for the country in the form
pragmatism, of housing and industrial activities.
meritocracy) or the
phenomenon at hand However, as we mature as an economy, the government has started to
notice the importance of preserving our heritage sites which are a
manifestation of the country’s culture and may reflect certain episodes of
our history. This is of paramount importance for a nation that is consistently
trying to forge a common national identity as it provides every citizen a
common past for us to look back on and celebrate what we have achieved
together as a nation.

Furthermore, from an economic aspect, the country is heavily reliant on its

tourism sector to generate revenue and is a major source of funding. As
such, preserving the culture and traditions of the country by ensuring that
old buildings are preserved or giving incentives for architects to blend
historical elements into urban buildings has the function of attracting more
tourists who desire to experience the unique environment of Singapore.
This is especially so considering that Singapore has been under
disparagement for only developing tourist sites and facilities to attract
tourists but do not contain any inherent “soul” of the nation and there is
fear that the construction of modern infrastructure will overshadow our
culture and heritage.

Possible impact on From above, there is a stronger sense of national belonging as a common
Singapore society, historical narrative is provided to the citizens through preservation of old
possibly on various buildings or the hybridisation of historical elements into new infrastructure.
stakeholders or groups, This allows Singapore to expedite economic growth in the nation without
in short-term VS sacrificing our heritage and culture which is integral to our multicultural
long-term etc society. The emphasis on heritage and culture in recent years also sends a
signal to citizens its importance in our development as a country and
keeps us rooted as they entail life values that shape our character and
 Topic: Tradition, Heritage

beliefs. Additionally, in times of crisis, heritage and culture can allow

citizens to stay strong together and prevent ourselves from being
fragmented as a society.

Louis

Key policy Our SG Heritage Plan

Brief description of - These strategies and initiatives aim to raise awareness and pride
policy in our heritage, and in what makes us Singaporean.
- They will also help us in strengthening our identity, improving our
quality of life, and fostering our sense of belonging.

Possible reasons for its To preserve the rich and multicultural heritage which anchors our
implementation, Singaporean identity.
including
characteristics of While there is importance in preserving and conserving heritage sites,
Singapore society there is also the need to balance heritage preservation with future
and/or select developments, particularly given Singapore’s small land mass and
institutions (eg constraints it faces with regards to limited land size, and its high population
pragmatism, density making the issue of land scarcity especially important.
meritocracy) or the
phenomenon at hand Furthermore, with the fast-paced lifestyle and the transformation to modern
life in Singapore, intangible cultural heritage may be lost over time without
proper documentation. Hence, the project aims to conduct robust research
and documentation to ensure that such knowledge is retained and can be
passed down the generations and remain relevant.

In addition, with the increasingly globalised and interconnected world,

Singapore’s cultural heritage and traditional arts may be eroded as they
are influenced and/or replaced by foreign arts and literature. Thus the
National Arts Council (NAC) administers various programmes and
initiatives to promote traditional arts in Singapore, including traditional arts
showcases and educational programmes for schools. A major initiative of
the NAC is the reopening of the Stamford Arts Centre in 2018, which will
have a strong focus on the traditional arts.

Possible impact on It the short term, it can bring about an increased interest in local tradition,
Singapore society, heritage and culture which can be extremely vibrant and serve as a tourist
possibly on various attraction, attracting foreing tourists that travel to understand other
stakeholders or groups, cultures. For instance, many traditional trades and interesting stories still
in short-term VS exist in our historic precincts such as Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little
long-term etc India and relevant authorities can work with the Singapore Tourism Board
(STB), and precinct partners such as the Chinatown Business Association,
One Kampong Gelam, and Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage
Association to promote these places as landmarks to attract tourists.

In the longer term, it can establish a stronger national identity towards

being a Singaporean as we have many different kinds of heritage amongst
our different races but we have a shared heritage too, and the two are
what binds us together. Experiencing each other’s heritage is something
 Topic: Tradition, Heritage

that can bring us together even more, by understanding each other’s

heritage, it can promote interaction and better understanding between the
diverse cultures here in Singapore, further promoting racial harmony and
eventually a greater sense of national pride.
SPORTS
Key policy Brief description of policy Possible reasons for its Possible impact on Singapore
implementation, ​including society, ​possibly on various
characteristics of Singapore society stakeholders or groups, in short-term
and/or select institutions (eg VS long-term etc
pragmatism, meritocracy) or the
phenomenon at hand

Vision 2030 Led by the ​Ministry of Culture,
Community and Youth (MCCY)​and
Sport Singapore, Vision 2030 began with
the question in 2012: ​ “How can Sport
best serve Singapore in the coming
decades?”​ The group posed the question
to a total of 60,500 individuals. In all, they
received some 300 unique ideas, which
were then categorised into 20
recommendations to be implemented as
the pillars of Vision 2030.
Vision 2030 is an extremely broad
policy with multiple facets. These
various facets will be broken down as
other policies below.
Please refer below for the ​Possible
Reasons​ and ​Possible Impacts​ of the
specific policies.
Vision 2030 is an extremely broad
policy with multiple facets. These
various facets will be broken down as
other policies below.
Please refer below for the ​Possible
Reasons​ and ​Possible Impacts​ of
the specific policies.

Vision 2030 has four “strategic themes”

as follows:

1. Future Ready Through Sports

- “A life in sport can help people
prepare for a rapidly changing
world… [Sports] can offer a
parallel pathway to success as it
helps people develop the skill
sets and principles valued by
society.”
 2. Sport Without Boundaries
- “... will provide everyone
[regardless of age, capabilities,
gender or social status,] with the
sports programming, physical
space and people-support they
need to pursue an active, healthy
life through sports.”

3. Sport as a National Language

- “Sport can unite us as friends,
colleagues, competitors and
communities while inspiring us as
Singaporeans.”

4. Organising for Success

- “... we need to collaborate and
coordinate the efforts of all
agencies, including private sector
organisations, to develop sport in
Singapore.”

SportCares SportCares “leverages positive sports
experiences to make a difference for the
at-risk and underserved (?) in our
community.”
SportCares has a HEARTS Framework
which guides the way in which it
organises our sport programmes. The
framework aims to combine the Grit of
Sports and the Nurturance of Positive
Relationships.
SportCares currently has two sections -
“For At-Risk Youths” and “Play-ability”.
The former involves core sport
programmes like football, athletics,
One reason for its implementation
could be Singapore’s constant strive to
build an ​inclusive society​, especially
for those with both physical and mental
disabilities. This has been especially so
ever since Singapore came under the
leadership of President Halmiah
Yacob, who has always aimed to use
her time in office to better the lives of
those with disabilities (for example, she
has already announced that the
Presidential Challenge 2020 will focus
on Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)).
Furthermore, Singapore has always
been a very ​innovative​ society, in that
The first, most obvious groups
affected would be the PwDs. They are
also most likely to be the only group of
people to attain benefits in the short
run. This is because the activities that
comprise SportCares are specifically
targeted towards them, and if the
programme manages to expand its
outreach and achieve its goals, then
the PwDs who are part of the
programme will likely benefit.
Furthermore, this programme could
potentially be advantageous to PwDs
outside the programme, as those
benefiting from the programme can
 basketball and swimming. It hopes to
help youths to get to know more about
themselves, pick-up the value of grit and
learn to label and manage their emotions
using the principles of sports.
The latter is a recreational sports
programme PwDs that allows PwDs to
enjoy sports in a fun and engaging social
setting.
Anti-doping SG Surprisingly enough, Singapore does not
(Not part of Vision have its own anti-doping laws. Instead, it
2030) follows the World Anti-Doping Code
(WADA Code - hold up where did the last
A come from?). Details about the WADA
code can be found here:
https://www.wada-ama.org/en/what-we-d
o/the-code
Singapore does, however, have a group
named Anti-Doping Singapore (or ADS,
which is dangerously close to the
disease if you ask me). The ADS ​was
it often finds ways to make use of one
sector of society to bring benefit to
another (for example, it makes use of
the arts to foster community bonding).
As such, it is only natural that it would
utilise the beneficial nature of sports to
solve social issues like the aiding of
PwDs.
Singapore has always adopted a
harsh attitude and stance towards
drugs​ and its various affairs. In fact,
Drug Trafficking is among the few
crimes in Singapore that is punishable
by the death penalty (and other crimes
include murder and treason so that’s
really saying something). Thus, it is
unsurprising that Singapore would
have such an authority to ensure and
maintain anti-doping in Singapore.
Apart from this, ​Singapore’s name
act as an inspiration to them. In fact,
PwDs in the programme often receive
a good amount of recognition and
media coverage thanks to SportCares,
with the programme even holding the
“inaugural SportCares Awards” to
celebrate its participants (In 2019,
Wheelchair rugby coach Daniel Lee
receives his Coaching Inspiration
Award from President Halimah
Yacob). Thanks to such recognition,
news of the empowerment of PwDs
will be more accessible, allowing such
PwDs to inspire others like them.
Finally, this programme could
potentially benefit the whole society, in
that it could increase Singaporean’s
awareness of PwDs, as well as their
understanding of their abilities and
situations. This is mostly thanks to the
aforementioned recognition and media
coverage that this programme
provides.
The impact of such a policy is very
limited because it ultimately only
affects those who participates in the
field of sports. Still, it is undoubtedly
an important policy to establish and
maintain, and if the ADS is able to
successfully attain its mission,
sportsmen will be protected from
negative health and legal effects.
As mentioned previously, this policy
could also help to maintain
Singapore’s image as an honest
 established in 2010 by the then Ministry
of Community Development, Youth and
Sports as the national anti-doping
authority for Singapore.
Its main goals, in summary, are to plan
and implement an effective anti-doping
programme, advocate for a doping-free
sports scene, monitor sportsmen’s
compliance, pursue potential violations
and promote anti-doping research.
Its vision is ​“Every Singaporean Athlete
is a True Winner”​, which sounds less like
a vision and more like some coded
threat.
and image in the global setting​ has
always been very precious and
important, especially given how reliant
the country is on the rest of the world.
Thus, it would make sense for the
country to adopt the same WADA code
for its country’s sportsmen, so as to
ensure that even in the sports scene, it
continues to maintain a healthy
reputation among its stakeholders and
dependees.
nation among other countries. Believe
it or not, sports does play a role in the
building of a country's global
reputation. For example, Russia has
been notorious for doping in its sports,
and it has already been stripped of 43
Olympic medals. This has cost the
country its image. Singapore cannot
afford such a negative image, as it
relies on its trustworthy reputation to
boost various aspects of its society.
Thus, this policy could help Singapore
to maintain its economy, as well as its
healthy relationships with other
countries.

ActiveSG Sport Singapore has launched a One reason for the launch of ActiveSG The impact of such a movement is
nation-wide programme called ActiveSG. is due to the attempts by the rather extensive due to the wide reach
ActiveSG is an all-encompassing and government towards making Singapore of the programmes and the fact that
inclusive national movement for sport. It a sporting nation​ and to draw the target audience is Singaporeans.
recognises the value of sport in attention away from education and On the assumption that the aims of
advancing the national priorities of reduce emphasis on grades. In recent the government are achieved,
developing our people and bonding our years, Singapore has been criticised ActiveSG will definitely benefit the
communities. ActiveSG is a national for its ​over-emphasis on education lower income families, the elderly and
movement to promote sporting activities and high achievements in the youths. Firstly, as previously
and it offers individuals, families and examinations, causing high stress mentioned, the lower income families
communities ample opportunities to levels and pressure to succeed. These will be able to enjoy the free facilities
experience and share the joy of living high stress levels has also resulted in and subsidised courses and have the
better through sport. Sports facilities are
the children’s poor social skills, poor opportunity to take up sports of their
conveniently located all over Singapore health and unhappiness. Thus, the interest without parents having to
and are open to all. implementation of ActiveSG aims to worry about their finances and their
shift the focus from education to a ability to provide extracurricular
ActiveSG also organises diverse, exciting more holistic development of youths lessons for their children.
sports activities and lessons such as beyond curriculum education. It also
yoga, martial arts and football etc. The strives to encourage youths and Besides lower income families, the
sports facilities are also conveniently children to take up sports to relieve elderly will also benefit through the
located all around Singapore to increase stress. cultivation of a healthier lifestyle filled
 accessibility for all. All Singaporeans and
Singapore PRs can sign up for ActiveSG
membership registration for free and
enjoy many facilities provided.
Singapore Sport Singapore Sports Institute’s vision is to
Institute become a 21st century world class
Sports Institute and it was set up to
support Singapore’s rising athletic stars.
Efforts were made in many different
areas such as:
1. Athlete Life to support athletes in their
education, career, and personal
development alongside their sporting
goals.
2. Sports Medicine which focuses on the
diagnosis and treatment of injuries
associated with athletic training and
Secondly, Singapore is also
experiencing an ​ageing population​.
Through providing such facilities and
activities for free, the government aims
to encourage more elderly to
participate and exercise on a more
regular basis. This is because regular
exercise is key to ageing well and
ensuring a higher quality of life, both
physically and mentally.
Lastly, the Singapore government also
strives to build a more ​inclusive
society​. Through the provision of such
free activities and services, this will
ensure that even the lower income
families have the opportunity to enjoy
these benefits. Like everyone else,
they will also be able to acquire new
skills and pursue their passion in any
sport they wish without feeling left out
or at a disadvantage.
The introduction of Sports Medicine,
Sports Science Centre and scientific
research on sports could be attributed
to the highly ​competitive nature​ of
Singapore. Due to the competitive
nature of the Singapore government
and Singaporeans alike, there is a
constant strive to excel and a desire to
be ahead in all aspects. As such,
Singapore aims to conduct extensive
research and development related to
sports gear, athletes performance and
health treatments in the hope of
achieving breakthroughs and
establishing an edge over other
with constant exercise. These
activities will not only improve the
physical, but also mental health of the
elderly. They will constantly activate
and train their motor skills and also
keep their mind active through their
interactions with others during the
activities. Lastly, the youths will also
have much to gain as they will have
the opportunity to try out new sporting
activities and pursue their passions. It
will also provide them with a good
break from studying and decrease
stress levels, improving their quality of
life.
The impact and reach of the
organisation is rather limited as it is
only targeted at rising athlete stars in
Singapore. However, these athletes
will greatly benefit from the
establishment of the Singapore Sports
Institute as the organisation will
ensure greater welfare of the athletes
through the provision of better
education and training programmes.
Most importantly, the athletes will also
gain from any research
breakthroughs, especially if there is
development in injury treatments and
more efficient sports gear and training
 participation.
3. Sports Science Centre to help talented
athletes optimise their performance
through direct application of leading-
edge science, performance testing and
monitoring, applied research and
education.
4. Science and Technology through
conducting research and development to
provide athletes with an edge over other
competitors in international games.
CoachSG CoachSG revolves around enhancing
coaching skills and empowering the
coaches of Singapore’s future sporting
talents.
Under CoachSG, coaching skills can be
improved through programmes involving
the studies of Sports and Behavioural
Sciences.
There are also courses for character and
leadership development to learn how to
instill purpose, vision and the right
sporting values to Singapore’s athletes.
The National Registry of Coaches
(NROC) ensures the standard and
professionalism of sports coaching in
Singapore as it serves to ensure the
minimal technical qualifications of sports
coaches. Coaches in the NROC are duly
countries in the field of sports. The
pragmatic and profit-driven nature​ of
Singapore is also another explanation
for such investments in research as
these research findings are deemed
profitable and an asset especially in
worldwide competitions such as the
World Cup, Olympic Games etc. In
addition, Singapore sportsmen have
not been able to achieve many
breakthroughs and set many world
records, thus the heavy investment in
sports research is pivotal in helping the
sportsman in Singapore and also
attract more to take on sports
competitively.
After recent successes in international In the short run,
sporting events such as the 2016 Rio
Olympics and Paralympics, the
government hopes to encourage
aspiring young athletes to represent
the country in various sporting events.
Behind every successful athlete is a
skillful, motivational and inspiring
coach. Hence, in order to increase
youth engagement in sports, the
government has decided to create a
platform where any citizen can easily
source for a coach for the sport that
they are interested in. The ease and
convenience of finding a qualified
coach, encourages more people to pick
up a sport he or she might have a
passion for.
programmes. Singaporean athletes
will thus be able to optimise their
performance during sports
competitions and have an edge over
other athletes, increasing their chance
in setting new records. Other than the
athletes, the Singapore economy and
image in the sports industry will also
be boosted when their athletes have
improved performance and bring pride
and glory to the nation.
1. By continuously ensuring the
quality of coaches in
Singapore through various
mandatory courses that
coaches under CoachSG must
attend, it prevents those who
are unqualified and
inexperienced from providing
low quality coaching and
training which can undermine
Singapore’s efforts in
becoming a sporting nation.
2. The website is accessible to
the public and is hence
non-exclusive, allowing
citizens from different
backgrounds to find a coach
who is most suitable for them,
giving everyone an opportunity
to pick up a sport that they are
 certified under the ​Singapore Coach
Excellence (SG-Coach) Programme
(formerly known as the National
Coaching Accreditation Programme or
NCAP) in their respective sports and
must hold Standard First Aid certification
(including AED). They are committed to
abide by the ​Coach’s Code of Ethics​and
meet the requirements for ​Continuing
Coach Education​Programme. These
coaches’ profiles are made available on
an online public database called “Find A
Coach”
TeamNila TeamNila encourages sports
volunteerism which promotes the culture
of giving and creates opportunities for
people of ​different backgrounds​ to
come together and give back to society.
For example, TeamNila volunteers can
conduct various physical activities at
sporting spaces and facilities in our
neighbourhoods such as floorball or
running. Volunteers can also help
support the physical and mental
development of children and the
youth​ in their various support roles, such
as assistant coaches with ActiveSG
Academies and Club. By assisting allied
health trained experts, volunteers help
residents ​take ownership of their
With Singapore’s growing workaholic
culture, the government wants to
ensure that our rapid economic growth
is not at the expense of our personal
physical and mental health →
sedentary lifestyles due to the advent
of technology, competitive + workaholic
culture of Singapore where people tend
to isolate and overwork themselves,
thus taking a toll on both our physical
and mental health. Hence, it is the
government wants to encourage
leading an active lifestyle since young
through playing sports. By exposing
Singaporeans to different sports that
they may be interested in, exercising
no longer seems like a chore and can
interested in.
In the long run,
1. With more qualified coaching
available, it seems more viable
to pursue a career in sports
and represent the country on
an international scale. This can
boost Singapore’s reputation
as a growing sporting nation,
instead of being known for its
academic rigor and workaholic
culture.
2. More Singapore representation
in the sporting arena also
fosters a greater sense of
belonging and pride when
rooting for our athletes,
inspiring many other citizens
and bringing the nation
together.
In the short run,
1. This encourages individuals to
take ownership of their own
health as they make an effort
to lead a more active lifestyle.
2. Expands one’s social circle,
prevents isolation (especially
for the elderly where social
isolation is extremely
prevalent), improving one’s
emotional well-being
3. Provides those from lower
income brackets an
opportunity to participate in a
myriad of sporting activities →
not exclusive anyone can sign
up to be a volunteer or
health and wellness​ under the Active
Health initiative.
be incorporated into one’s lifestyle.
Furthermore, as Singapore’s
population ages, it is important that the
elderly stay active in their retiree years.
Volunteers under TeamNila thus
organises suitable sporting activities
and events for all to foster community
bonding amongst volunteers,
participants and event organisers, and
at the same time allow them to be
empowered through sports.
participant
In the long run,
1. For individuals, it can add
years to your life and reduce
the risk of certain diseases
including cancer, diabetes,
cardiovascular disease,
osteoporosis and obesity
2. Stronger bonds can be forged
within communities as people
from different walks of life plan
and attend various sporting
events. → a more tight-knit
community results in less
tensions and disputes
contributing to a more
cohesive society. (especially
important in a world that is
constantly plagued with
conflicts and chaos stemming
from differences in race,
religion, socio-economic status
and gender identities)
3. With more people taking more
responsibility in maintaining a
healthy lifestyle, there will be
less financial burden on the
government to subsidise and
fund the healthcare sectors.
Social Class/SES, Poverty
Policy Reason/Basis
ComCare (by the Ministry of Social and Family Development)
ComCare for Children - The Government will invest
- Childcare even earlier in the educational
Subsidies journey, especially for those
- Kindergarten from disadvantaged families,
Subsidies "to lay a strong foundation for
- Student Care every child, and to strengthen
Subsidies social mobility,'' said the paper.
- “Early childhood development
will increase in importance as a
social enabler, and we will
continue to explore ways to
better support children from
disadvantaged backgrounds,”
MSF said.
- Mr Leonard Lim, an IPS
research associate: "Education
is the engine that powers social
mobility. The moves to
intervene early in education are
most significant to me as they
are an indication that this
Government is intent on
breaking any significant cycle of
inter-generational transmission
of poverty."
ComCare for Families 3 areas the Government is working on:
- Home - Investing in every Singaporean,
Ownership especially the low-income and
Plus vulnerable
Education - Providing assurance to deal
(HOPE) with life's uncertainties
Scheme - Improving social services.
ComCare for Others
(Unemployed, Needy,
Persons with
Disabilities)
- Medical Fee
Exemption
Card: Free
med +
hospitalisation
Impact
- Greater equality in terms of
the quality of education
children from all
backgrounds can receive ->
equal opportunities, equal
chance of success +
realising their potential for
individuals -> greater chance
of success for the
community/nation
- Higher overall education
levels and more
highly-skilled Singaporeans
in the workforce later on ->
good for economic growth
and higher standards of
living within the country
- Strong social safety nets for
all Singaporeans, especially
those in low-income groups
- Ability of households with
low-income to own homes ->
Improved standards of living
of these families, greater
social security
- Additional support given to
those who need it, and
cannot do without the
government’s provision
- Fulfilment of social contract:
Citizens’ basic needs are
met
 at
government
hospitals +
polyclinics
- Long Term
Assistance
(for those
unable to
work)
- Short-to-Medi
um Term
Assistance
- Urgent
Financial
Assistance

Others

Workfare Income Singapore is not a welfare state and - Relieve the financial burden
Supplement Scheme does not believe in providing free faced by low-income
- Supplements amenities. families/individuals
low-income
workers Instead, the country functions in a way - Encourage low-wage
income and that helps families plan their finances. workers to work, by providing
retirement Only if they are still unable to afford Central Provident Fund
savings basic amenities, the government would top-ups and cash
through cash step in and help subsidise their living supplements
payments and expenses
CPF - Help eligible workers to work
contributions. and build up their CPF
savings for their retirement,
housing and healthcare
needs

“Uplift” - Uplifting At the secondary school level, 7.5 in
Pupils in Life and 1,000 students are absent from school
Inspiring Families 60 days or more in a year without valid
Taskforce reasons. Many of these students with
patchy attendance come from
- Strengthens disadvantaged homes.
after-school
care and Singapore is a meritocratic society
support for wherein everyone, regardless of social
disadvantage class has the potential to succeed.
d students in Likewise, students from low-income
school-based households also have this potential and
Student Care the government wants to help them
Centres achieve that potential. To do so, we
must ascertain the gaps and identify
what exactly is preventing them from
doing well.
Uplift addresses the need for better
coordination to tap community efforts
and resources more systematically
- Since the issues faced by
disadvantaged students are
multi-faceted, not all
interventions or assistance
can or should be
school-based.
- As such, Uplift considers the
needs of each youth to
facilitate community-based
outreach to families, and
match them to suitable
community programmes or
assistance.
- This allows for more efficient
and targeted help for
students and their families ->
improved quality of life
Key policy (local) Brief description of policy
Singapore’s 2018 The master plan was developed
Five Year National through multi-agency efforts and is led
Cyber Security Plan by the Infocomm Media Development
Authority (IDA). It involves the
Cybersecurity Awareness and
Outreach programme, an effort to
promote adoption of cybersecurity
measures among individuals and in
workplaces. It does so through
broadcast media. For example,
cybercrime cases are featured every
now and then on Crimewatch, a
regular public education television
programme that re-enacts real life
crime scenes.
Possible reasons for its
implementation, including
characteristics of Singapore
society and/or select institutes
(eg pragmatism, meritocracy) or
the phenomenon at hand
As Singapore ventures into
developing herself into a Smart
Nation, advanced technologies have
been exceptionally prevalent and
utilised in this country. It is not an
uncommon sight over here for one
to utilise social media to aid them in
connecting with others, especially in
this age of globalisation. The fact
that Singaporeans are not aware of
how to protect themselves online
clearly shows in the increase in the
number of cybersecurity-related
crimes in recent years, where 6179
cybercrime cases were reported in
2018, a stark increase from 5351 in
2017. Educating Singaporeans on
methods to protect themselves from
falling prey to these crimes has thus
been deemed essential by law
authorities, hence the
implementation of this masterplan to
better mitigate the potential cyber
threats that arise from one’s
ignorant ways of using the internet.
Possible impact on Singaporean
society, possibly on the various
stakeholders or groups, in
short-term vs in long-term
This is especially necessary since
the cybersecurity landscape in
Singapore has been rapidly
evolving and new ways of cyber
attacks have been emerging. The
constant reviewing of this
masterplan will help ensure that it
is as relevant as possible to the
current cybersecurity situation. By
directly providing information to
Singaporeans on how to protect
themselves against cyber attacks,
especially through mediums that
are free and easily accessible such
as Mediacorp television channels,
their awareness of their
vulnerability to cyber attacks as
well as easy-to-follow steps on how
to use the internet responsibly will
be enhanced. Through enhancing
the security of cyber infrastructure
and equipping the general public
with methods to protect themselves
against cyber attacks, such a
programme aims to raise

Asia Pacific APCERT works to create a safe, clean
Computer and reliable global cyberspace through
Emergency collaboration between countries in the
Response Team Asia Pacific region, which was set up
(APCERT) by Singapore. This coalition was
established in 2002, where member
countries cooperate to maintain a
network of computer security experts
in the region. Member countries share
information and technology such as
malicious codes and information
technology and at the same time,
jointly craft measures to deal with
large-scale cyber threats. Members
may also include their suggestions on
how to solve issues related to
cybersecurity in another country.
Given the rapid advancements in
technology, many Asia Pacific
economies have found themselves
largely dependent on the internet for
online banking, e-business and
such, and Singapore is not an
exception. Further, cyber incidents
are increasingly large-scale yet
specific and definitely more
sophisticated. For instance, a Cyber
Security Agency of Singapore (CSA)
report showed a ten-fold rise in
phishing cases in 2017, and such
attacks could be carried out by other
countries. Since Singapore is highly
dependent on globalisation which
facilitate cross-border transactions,
she is inevitably more vulnerable to
delocalised attacks on her cyber
environment as the low barriers of
entry to Singapore make it
convenient for hacking activities to
seep into the country. Therefore, it is
necessary for Singapore to put in as
much effort she can to mitigate
cyber attacks.
Moreover, Singapore is a pragmatic
Singapore’s level of preparedness
in tackling cyber attacks, further
securing Singapore’s cyber
environment.
APCERT improves the pool of
human capital in Singapore’s
Computer Emergency Response
Team as they are more informed
about the techniques other
countries may adopt to deter cyber
attacks of various forms. Moreover,
such a coalition allows for the
sharing of these information not
just to Singapore, but to the
countries around her. This thus
strengthens not only the cyber
landscape of Singapore, but that of
the Asia Pacific region as a whole.
As member countries put in joint
efforts to improve their
cybersecurity, the ripple effect of
such protection in turn creates
larger scale resistance against
cyber attacks.
APCERT also goes by the altruistic
purpose of building trust between
member countries. In the long
term, they would find that their
country’s security is interdependent
and maintaining such security is a
collaborative effort between

Cybersecurity A collaborative effort between public
Awareness Alliance and private corporations to increase
(comprising awareness of cybersecurity among the
representatives populace, through funding projects like
from CSA, IDA) roadshow exhibitions. An online portal
was also developed, in conjunction
with the National Crime Prevention
Council, to allow users to learn about
cybersecurity through games. This
policy aims to foster responsibility
safekeeping personal information
online.
nation which sees much importance
in establishing diplomatic relations
with as many countries all over the
world (“a friend to all, an enemy to
none” - MP Vivian Balakrishnan).
Such a coalition is hence essential
as it is an outlet for member
countries to mutually help each
other solve one another’s issues.
This inevitably fosters bonds and
trust between member countries,
which allows us to maintain peace in
the midst of this terror-filled world.
Singapore is known as the
technological hub of Southeast Asia.
Thus the flow of cyber information in
and out of Singapore is rapid and
unstoppable. Moreover, the advent
of social media has fuelled an
increased propensity of people to
upload personal information online.
Unfortunately, the sinister catch is
that it is not just classified
government documents, but also the
private data of multitudes of Internet
users, that are at the mercy of
potential hackers. Thus, inhabiting a
APCERT’s members. Resultantly,
diplomatic relations are formed
between member countries. This
helps to protect and allow
individual member countries to
advance their own interests. This in
turn creates a safer cyber
landscape for all member countries
as they do not have to worry much
about the possibility of member
countries turning their back against
us and conducting a cyber attack
on us, because such an action will
only backfire against the country.
Singaporeans can hence rest
assured that their vulnerability to
cyber threats is lowered with the
help of APCERT.
Given time, the desired impacts of
this effort, which include imbuing
necessary cybersecurity
knowledge onto the common
populace, will most likely be
achieved. The accessible and
ground-up nature of this policy
makes it more people-friendly, and
through hosting events in
heartlands of the society,
demographics who are less
responsive to government
initiatives like the older generation
can reap the full benefits of the

SG Secure A government-sanctioned application
Application developed in response to the growing
threat of terrorism in Singapore.
Citizens are encouraged to install it in
their mobile phones to facilitate
smooth and rapid reporting of danger
during prior to potential attacks. This
makes it easier for armed forces to
pinpoint details of attack and clamp
down on it before more damage can
be done. The application is part of a
growing campaign to instill vigilance
and emergency response skills in
Singaporeans, so that they can
respond adequately should any perils
strike.
city pervaded by online media
makes it crucial for laypeople to be
adequately equipped with the
awareness and skills needed to
protect themselves and their
personal data from malicious third
parties.
Singapore is situated in close
proximity to many SEA countries.
With the increasing frequency of
radicalisation in some of these
countries, like Malaysia and
Indonesia, the threat of radicalised
individuals crossing into our borders
is higher than ever. We ourselves
are not immune to radicalised
countrymen, as evidenced most
recently by the two Singaporean
men who were detained by the ISA
for planning to join ISIS. The plague
of extremism is accompanied by
rising terror threats, and as more of
these brutalities are carried out by
lone wolves with no prior indications
of an attack, it is very difficult to rely
on the government alone to identify
and neutralise all potential dangers.
events. This is important since
elderly, being less
technologically-inclined than the
younger population, are especially
vulnerable to unscrupulous online
predators. The policy also has a
segment targeted specifically at
youths and students. This instills
the right mindset in them from an
early age, ensuring that they will
carry good cybersecurity habits
with them into their adulthood.
While there has thankfully been no
occasion yet where the SG Secure
application had to be put into full
use, the impacts of the application
extend far beyond its practical
utilisation. The overarching
message of the SgSecure
campaign of “not if, but when”
serves as a constant reminder that
our current peace and security may
dissolve at a moment’s notice. As
such, Singaporeans are beginning
to take the importance of vigilance
and preparedness more seriously.
Such a mindset is key to
safeguarding our country’s stability,
as every alert individual can serve
as an extra pair of eyes to identify
potential threats. Since
radicalisation is a process that
 Thus, Singaporeans must also be
mobilised to aid in providing crucial
information to officials should
attacks really manifest.
goes mostly unnoticed by the
outside world, it is even more
imperative for friends and families
of victims of radicalisation to keep
a close eye on their loved ones, so
that any exposure to extremist
content can be swiftly cut off.

Exercise Heartbeat Exercise Heartbeat and the SGSecure (Please refer to SG Secure (The italicised part under SG
(emergency (you may choose to combine Exercise application, the rationales behind Secure could be used here as well)
preparedness Heartbeat and SG secure if you wish) both programmes are the same)
exercise) at Workplaces Programme serve to
enhance community preparedness to
handle any emergency situation
effectively.
Exercise Heartbeat is a
counter-terrorism exercise ointly
organised by the Singapore Police
Force (SPF) and Crowne Plaza
Changi Airport, supported by the
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)
and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
The exercise can provide
Singaporeans first-hand scenarios of
what would happen during a terrorist
attack preparing them in case of such
attacks.

Singapore Armed Under the Ministry of Defence, the
Forces; Singapore Armed Forces is a military
National Service component that comprises of 3
different services: the Singapore Army,
the Republic of Singapore Air Force
(RSAF) and the Republic of Singapore
The policy of mandatory National
Service was made compulsory in
1967 after Singapore became an
independent state, and although it
might not have been a popular
policy even till today, it was
National Service is crucial in
Singapore especially because we
are a small country with a
comparably small population, and
many other bigger countries are
able to breach our boundaries and
 Navy (RSN). It has an active strength pragmatic and forward-looking of the
of about 72 thousand individuals and Singapore government as it ensures
counting as they are able to mobilise that our small nation state is able to
reservists during national emergencies utilise and mobilise all our
and wars. manpower to protect the sovereignty
↪ ​Under the Army, National Service is of our country through a highly
a policy mandated by statutory law trained and skilled team of armed
that all male Singaporean citizens and forces that is prepared for combat.
2nd-generation permanent residents
must serve for 2 years in active duty A secondary reason as to why
as a full-time national serviceman National Service was implemented
under any of the 3 aforementioned is to nurture these national
services. Not complying with servicemens’ patriotism and loyalty
conscription will result in a fine of not to the state to ensure that they will
more than $10,000, or imprisonment be willing to fight for the country
not exceeding 3 years, or both. should conflicts occur, through
evoking feelings of strong emotions
and attachment to their loved ones
to motivate them further during tiring
times e.g. well-known moment of
servicemen reading letters from their
parents and being touched.
Camaraderie and bonds are also
tightly knit through gruelling group
activities like long group hikes,
which allows them to find
connections with like-minded youths
who are all experiencing the same
training e.g. well-known army songs
like Purple Lights build morale for
the section.
Anti-fake news law: POFMA seeks to prevent the The primary reason for passing the
sovereignty with ease with their
larger troops, if we do not tighten
our security and ensure that all
armed forces are highly skilled and
trained, others can easily overtake
our nation. Hence, building a
strong team of armed forces can
mitigate attacks through the
concept similar to that of Mutually
Assured Destruction during the
Cold War, where a country is so
well armed that no opposing nation
would dare to strike first as
retaliation would be equally, if not
more, devastating. This method of
preemptive deterrence is critical for
small, vulnerable nations like
Singapore to ensure their
prolonged survival.
Positive impact:
The Protection electronic communication of anti-fake news bill, POFMA, was to While such a law potentially deters
Against Online falsehoods (i.e. false statements of cease the spread of fake news in potential criminals to use online
Falsehoods and fact or misleading information), as well Singapore. Singapore has one of platforms to stir public conflicts, it
Manipulation as to safeguard against the use of the highest digital penetration rate. also promotes the exercise of
(POFMA) online platforms for the communication Our nation ​has an 82% Internet self-censorship amongst the public.
of such falsehoods. penetration rate. This is much higher The law encourages online users
than the global average rate of 50%. to think before they post as their
It also puts in place various measures This provides much ease for online actions online now come with a
to counteract the effects of such users to spread fake news in the cost.
communication and to prevent the country. Online falsehoods, if left
unchecked, have the potential to Negative impacts:
misuse of online accounts and bots
chip away at, destabilise and Online users in the Singapore face
(i.e. computer programmes that run
ultimately the social cohesion restrictions on what they can post
automated tasks). Singapore has painstakinglyonline. The anti-fake news law
nurtured over the past few decades, passed by Singapore's parliament
An example would be:​Under ​section 3 particularly between different races could stunt innovation, a quality
of the POFMA​, statements and religions. ​As early as 2007, a that the city-state wants to nurture
communicated to one or more picture of “halal pork” allegedly under plans to expand its tech
end-users in Singapore, through the being sold in FairPrice outlets industry. The passage of the law
internet and on social media platforms island-wide went viral, forcing the comes at a time when Singapore, a
supermarket chain to lodge a police financial and transport hub, has
such as Facebook and Twitter, as well
report and assure customers that been making efforts to position
as MMS and SMS, would fall under
this was a falsehood​. itself as a regional centre for digital
the POFMA’s purview. innovation. Hence, the law could
Furthermore, Singapore’s proposed hamper this effort.
law is aimed at preventing the loss
of trust in the government and The law has potential to broaden
institutions that has taken root in the government’s power. ​Under the
many Western societies affecting law, all ministers will have the
the very foundations of democracy. power to issue “takedown orders”
When new media is weaponised to or ask for corrections from online
spread fake news this could portals if they are found to have
potentially lead to a serious loss of published deliberate falsehoods

Unmanned Aircraft All drone users have to meet
System Regulation stipulated regulations listed on the
by the Civil Civil Aviation Authority Singapore
Aviation Authority website, including owning permit
Singapore passes when flying near (5km) or over
restricted areas like military bases or
aerodromes and not flying air crafts
weighing more than 7kg in total. The
maximum height that a drone can be
flown is also 200ft. Failure to meet
such laws will result in a fine up to
$20,000, or a jail term of up to 12
months, or both.
trust in governments and important
public institutions such as medical
and legal professions. Ultimately,
this may even create a vicious cycle
of populism which was seen in
many Western countries. This
threatens the government's ability
and power to solve more
mult-facted issues faced by the
country as now the government is
facing increasing number of
obstacles to implement their
policies.
Drones that are flown at high
altitudes may disrupt crucial air
traffic like airplane routes or military
training which can potentially be
dangerous for both the pilots and
passengers if collisions were to
occur. It also ensures public and
national safety as individuals’
privacy can be protected and are not
breached from drones with abilities
to record footage, and on a larger
scale protect each country’s private
data and technology which may be
currently researched or tested to
prevent others from spreading highly
classified information to unwanted
people.
Hence, such laws ensure that there
is sufficient enforcement action
that are deemed against the public
interest. This is in conjunction with
the fact that Singapore's
government has always been
criticised with benevolent
dictatorship. The law may then be
a tool for the government to garner
more control as they restrict voices
online.
As Singapore is a small and
densely populated society with an
equally busy airspace, the advent
of such technology further enables
users of drones to intrude on
others’ privacy and activities albeit
unknowingly or even purposely.
This set of laws acts as a check
and balance on drone users to
ensure that their freedom and
mobility to maneuver such
machinery that can even record
materials is restricted and capped
by such regulations, so that their
autonomy is limited.
against errant users to deter and
mitigate their actions of trespassing
into both personal and country-wide
boundaries.
Key policy Brief description of
policy
PAP Women’s Areas of focus include:
Wing -Work life balance
practices and
family-friendly support
structures
-Women’s thought
leadership group- policy
formulation and
refinement
-Promotion of marriage
and parenthood
-uplifiting underprivileged
women
-active ageing
-raising representation of
women- workforce, top
positions, politics
Possible reasons for its
implementation, including
characteristics of Singapore
society and/ or select
institutions (eg
pragmatism,meritocracy) or the
phenomenon at hand
SG Cabinet remains
male-dominated (with only two
female Cabinet ministers in a
21-strong Cabinet)->
Thus implementation
1. Ensures that women's needs,
voices and perspectives are heard
and reflected on a political level
(Better leverages on women's
unique talents for more inclusive
and superior outcomes for the
community-> otherwise lacks
women’s perspective in politics and
policies may be potentially less
attuned to the needs of women)
2. Establishes the necessary
support systems and maximise
opportunities for women to realize
their fullest potential (Might
otherwise be overlooked or
neglected due to lack of
representation women in politics as
a result of lack of understanding)
Possible impact on
Singapore society,
possibly on various
stakeholders or groups, in
short-term VS long-term
etc
Short term:
May not necessarily lead to
much change in society
because policies take time
to materialise and be
accepted by society. But the
fact that more is being done
gives women hope of a
brighter future.
Long term:
Greater representation of
women in parliament will
catalyse the establishment
of gender parity in
Singapore. The common
struggles/discrimination in
the workplace will be more
effectively translated into
legislative action as women
are now empowered to fight
for their own rights.
Women in parliament also
tend to push for family and
children’s rights, setting off
a chain reaction in achieving
rights for the marginalised in
Singapore.
Women having been
empowered to contribute to
the development of
Singapore, eventually plays
a key role in nation building,
economically, socially &
politically
AWARE Provides a feminist - SG as an air-conditioned
perspective in the nation-> PAP may become
national dialogue. It has overly paternalistic/ High
effectively advocated confidence in PAP leads to
against laws, public assured re-election of
policies and mindsets PAP-> PAP may start to
that discriminate against become complacent ->
women. AWARE has AWARE does not align itself
contributed towards the with any particular political
strengthening of laws party thus acts as an
dealing with domestic effective check and balance
violence. to ensure greater
transparency and
accountability in policy
making
- Climate of fear in civic
engagement, little
constructive state citizen
dialogue to checkmate state
-> AWARE promotes
greater civic participation in
society
- Limited freedom of speech
in SG -> AWARE, as a
leading advocacy group
with recognition by the
public and the government
can help to promote
freedom of speech,
expression and assembly
Convention on the Signed by Singapore in Singapore is an Asian country →
Elimination of All 1995. It is an asian values → pervasive gender
Forms of international treaty norms and roles. Societal attitudes
Discrimination adopted in 1979 by the pressurize women to conform -
Against Women UN​. Defines what women as the homemaker, and
(CEDAW) constitutes men as income earners.
discrimination against
women and sets up an Singapore statistics:
agenda for national Gender pay gap 11.8% (2017)
action to end such Over the last three years, women
discrimination. Countries earned about 12.8 per cent less
who sign on have to than men in Singapore, taking
work towards 1. Gender home about 87 Singapore cents for
equality in legal systems every S$1 earned by men in terms
2. Eliminate of median pay.
LR: can more effectively
allow the struggles of
women to be heard by our
male-dominated
government. Even if there is
an underrepresentation of
women in parliament, the
male ministers can still take
the necessary action once
more females speak out.
Allows for state-citizen
connection, and acts as a
checkmate to the
government.
Increase size of labour force
→ increase yf → etc
→ ultimately economic
growth.
Equal opportunities in the
workforce and in school
allows society to harness
the true potential of the
women here. Betterment of
societal welfare. Idea of
pragmatism and utilising all
available economic units.
SR: take time to materialise.
 discrimination 3. May be met with initial
Establish tribunals to This is according to a Glassdoor resistance because of our
protect women from report - Progress on the Gender traditional asian values. It is
discrimination Pay Gap: 2019, published on hard to overcome
Wednesday. The multi-country stereotypes so deeply
study by the job and recruiting etched in society.
platform analysed 5,096 salaries
reported by Singaporean LR: Greater political
employers on Glassdoor's site from representation means
2016 to 2018, and found the closing the gender pay gap
average annual base pay for men and crushing deep-rooted
to be S$71,631. gender norms.

In comparison, women earned an

average base pay of S$61,653 per
year, working out to an overall
difference of S$9,978.

As Singapore inevitably advances

towards an aging population,
economically active women is
slowly becoming an imperative.
Especially since we have scarce
resources and limited labour size.

Only 16% female representation in

the cabinet → need for women’s
representation in order for political
decisions to materialize to provide
equal opportunities and rights for
girls and women.

Glass ceiling for Women are under-represented at

women at work - senior management levels, with
fewer women than only 8.3% of SGX-listed companies
men are in having women on their boards in
leadership 2013 and 15.2% as of December
positions 2018

Council for Board It has 20 members - nine Stats: Internationally, Singapore Stats: in the past four years,
Diversity men and 11 women. still trails other countries in terms of women's membership on
Measures include female board representation corporate boards for top 100
engaging stakeholders according to figures from the DAC, primary-listed companies on
on the appointment of coming behind countries including SGX has doubled.
women onto boards, France (42.5 per cent female
undertaking activities to representation), Norway (42.1 per SR: Can increase the
raise public awareness cent), Malaysia (19.2 per cent) and employment of female
 of the importance of India (15.7 per cent) - though some
board diversity, working of these countries have quotas for
to develop a pipeline of female representation on boards.
board-ready women and
working with the Aims to promote a "sustainable
Government on policies increase" in the number of women
that impact women on on boards of listed companies,
boards. statutory boards and non-profit
organisations by a number of
measures.
Introduces fresh perspectives and
enhances corporate governance ->
Singapore, being a global financial
and business hub, is natural
ground for having a big pool of
highly capable board-ready women
(also quoted from Mdm Halimah)
Women’s Charter The Women's Charter is The Act was designed to improve
an Act of the and protect the rights of females in
Singaporean Parliament Singapore by guaranteeing greater
passed in 1961. It brings legal equality for women in legally
together the regulation of sanctioned relationships in a
the relationship between country that is strict when it comes
husband and wife and to following the law.
the relationship between
parents and their The regime prior to the Women’s
children, termination of Charter was highly patriarchal and
marriages and division of had been extremely unfair to
matrimonial assets. women. Men could legally take
Furthermore, it provides several wives. Women did not have
protection against family the right to keep their maiden
violence and penalty for names and it was not clear if they
offences against women could even own property.
and girls.
leaders across various
industries, ensure that
deserving candidates are
not deprived of opportunities
simply because of their
gender even though the
females may be just as
capable or even more so
than the males
LR: Enables corporations to
be progressive, successful
and sustainable as the
business landscape rapidly
evolves since increasing
gender diversity on boards
equips boardrooms and
corporates with more
diverse strengths, skill and
talent (Eg. Emotional
intelligence), bringing
diversity in views and ideas
to the table and adding
value to policies and
practices by providing
women’s perspective
Women:
It has provided women with
some fundamental rights
that women today take for
granted but which were not
available before the Charter.
However it can also be
argued that in giving women
special privileges, there is a
risk of discriminating against
the very people it is trying to
protect, by undermining the
ability of women and
discouraging the obliteration
of social perceptions of
female inferiority.
Nonetheless, changes have
been made to reflect how
less women are dependent
on men for financial income
 now by extending the
maintenance law such that
women are not the only
ones who can seek
maintenance but
incapacitated men who are
genuinely in need.

Men:
Women’s Charter has been
criticised for becoming a
tool for discriminating
against the man rather than
safeguard for
disadvantaged women. Men
could not seek maintenance
until in 2016, where
amendments were made to
the law such that men can
apply for maintenance
however unlike women, they
can only do so if they are
incapacitated. Critics argue
that this perpetuates gender
inequality and maintenance
should be based on need
not gender. However,
opponents counter that their
call for gender neutrality
comes in a society where
the man is still expected to
be the main breadwinner in
many households.The
growing group of house
husbands is still a small
minority. The 10,200
Singaporean men who cited
family responsibilities as the
main reason for not working
in 2014 must be compared
to the 190,900 women who
in the same year cited the
same reason for not being
in the labour force

Singapore Council National Coordinating Strength in numbers, more Advocates: empowers

of Women’s body of women’s effective flow of information, advocates by providing
Organisations organisations in multiple perspectives-> Commands them with a platform to
(SCWO) Singapore working greater authority and enables voice their opinions and
towards ideals of ‘Equal higher efficiency in taking action inspire others to take action
Space, Equal Voice and against a society that remains Females: know that they
Equal Worth’ for women male-dominated on various levels have support in the form of
in Singapore that is from politically in the cabinet of an organisation that protect
represented on various ministers to economically in the and advocates for their
government and workforce in the board of directors rights
inter-ministry to more successfully push for Government: may change
committees, as well as changes in society that ensure policies as a result of
regional and greater rights for women. campaigning or lobbying by
international bodies the advocates and the
petitions supported by the
organisations

Sexual Assault In 2015, 162 rapes were The SACC is Singapore's only
Care Centre reported to the police in specialised centre for sexual
(SACC) Singapore. While low assault survivors and it found that
numbers of sexual approximately seven in 10 clients
crimes may seem like who reached out for help in 2016
the situation here is not did not make police reports.
severe, in reality, that
can mask the fact that There was a recent court case
many survivors simply where a man was acquitted of
do not report their sexually assaulting a 15-year-old
assault. girl. The court, in acquitting the
accused, found that the victim was
not "prompt in her complaints" and
"there were no reasons for her not
to confide in members of her
family".
Such assumptions ignore
the reality of what survivors
struggle with and the
psychological impact of
trauma. When we question
the validity of what survivors
can recall or invalidate their
experience because of
when they chose to speak
up, we risk discouraging
and disempowering them
further.
The problem of
under-reporting is not one
that can be solved with a
few changes to court
procedures. At the crux of it,
we need to tackle our social
attitudes and understanding
of sexual assault and how
survivors are affected. Our
words and actions can
create a culture where
survivors receive the
compassion and protection
they deserve.

Women’s rights to ASEAN regional human

the ASEAN rights institution
Commission on established in 2010.
the Promotion and
Protection of the ACWC’s primary
Rights of Women purpose is to promote
and Children and protect the human
rights and fundamental
freedoms of women and
children in ASEAN.
ACWC is tasked with
upholding rights
contained in the
Convention on the
Elimination of Violence
Against Women
(CEDAW) and the
Convention on the
Rights of the Child
(CRC), which all ten
ASEAN Member States
have ratified.

SAF Volunteer Uniformed volunteer More roles for women to take up-> SR: can increase manpower
Corps auxiliary of the capitalise on women’s skillsets-> in the army so that we have
Singapore Armed Forces highlights value of women in more troops that can be
established in October national defence in their own ways mobilised in times of need;
2014 to encourage where there is a perception that more manpower that can be
Singaporean women, women are not required to serve activated during large-scale
first generation NS in Singapore as being events such as the National
Permanent Residents biologically weaker undermines Day Parade
and new their ability to contribute to the LR: strengthen our army
immigrant/naturalised-citi strength of our military and defence force, improve
zens to do their part and (Especially relevant as technology the safety and security in
contribute towards is revolutionising warfare in a way Singapore, people living in
Singapore's defence where it no longer depends on Singapore feel safer and
sheer combat power) that their home is
well-guarded and protected;
other countries may be less
inclined to take aggressive
actions against us because
of our strong defence force
and well-trained army that is
ready for activation anytime

Singapore The Singapore To empower both men and women Short Term: There
Committee for UN Committee for UN in Singapore to support the global campaigns and initiatives
Women Women is a non-profit initiatives such as “HeforShe”, to may not be effective in the
organisation that is end violence against women, both short run and hence its
self-funded. It aims to locally and internationally, and to benefits may not be seen
empower women and raise general awareness of such immediately. Women who
 achieve gender equality. issues. In Singapore only one in
It supports the general ten women report incidences of
mission of UN Women sexual and physical abuse and
by raising ​awareness hence, this organisation aims to
and funding for ​Ending empower women who are currently
Violence Against exposed to such violence to speak
Women​, ​Economic up and protect themselves from
Empowerment​, and abuse.
Governance and
Leadership​ Programmes The organisation also strives
in Singapore and the towards bridging the gender pay
region. gap in Singapore to promote
gender equality. A survey
conducted by the Ministry of
Manpower in Singapore found that
the pay gap here sits at 11.8
percent in 2018. Hence, the
organisation is fighting for gender
equal pay in Singapore through the
equal pay campaigns.
are being subjected to such
violence may not speak up
immediately due to the fear
of being subjected to more
abuse in the future.
Long Term: In the long run,
the benefits of this
committee will be reaped as
more individuals are likely to
come forward to report
cases of abuse as they may
feel more safe and confident
in reporting such acts.
As for the equal pay
campaign, it may be
beneficial in bridging the
gap slightly in the long run
as more individuals become
aware of the gender pay
gap. Moreover, in this
day-and-age, more women
are educated as compared
to the past, and hence they
are more bold in speaking
up and fighting for their
rights to equal pay.
However, the unequal
gender pay may still exist as
the traditional mindset that
men are superior to women
is difficult to change in a
conservative country like
Singapore.

Centre for CFF is an organisation
Fathering (CFF) that aims to equip
Singapore fathers with the
necessary skills to care
for their child and be
more involved in their
child’s growth and
development. It aims to
empower fathers to be
better role model for
their children and to be
more present and active
- In the past, women were
viewed to be the primary
caregivers for their children
and were expected to be
in-charge of raising their
children while the men went
out to work to provide a
source of income for the
family. → more women
were stay-at-home mothers.
- Currently, due to the high
cost of living in Singapore,
- CFF be beneficial in
helping fathers take
over the role of
caregivers for their
children.
- As both parents are
able to care for their
child, they can both
enter the workforce
to increase their
income and can both
share the
in their child’s more women are required
development. to enter the workforce to
provide and additional
source of income for the
families.
- Ageing population in
Singapore → workforce is
shrinking and hence, the
country requires additional
manpower in the workforce
to provide greater output for
the economy. → more
women are required to work
→ it is crucial for fathers to
be aware of how to care for
their children to relieve to
additional stress on
mothers, enabling them to
be more productive at work
to improve the economy.
responsibilities of
caring for their
children→ improving
the economy as the
problems arising
from a shrinking
workforce can be
reduced.
- Benefit the children
as both parents are
heavily involved in
all stages of their
lives to provide them
with the support and
guidance → can
improve their
academic
achievements and
enable them to
succeed and enter
promising career
paths in the future.
Singapore’s education system is reputed for producing children who top the world rankings in standardised
tests. Singapore topped global education rankings in the last Pisa’s tests organised by Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2016.

Cause 1: Need for effective education system

● Small country without natural resources → government need to invest heavily in human resources for
economic growth
● Compulsory 10-year education policy → criminal offence for parents who fail to enrol children in school→
ensures all Singaporeans have basic education to have the fundamental skills and knowledge to gain
employment and navigate through society

Cause 2: Educational policies

● Heavy subsidies for education​: free Pri Sch, Sec Sch is $5/month, non-independent JC is $6/month → cost
is not a barrier, education is considered universal in SG
● Educational policies are sensitive to global climate and demands:
○ English is a compulsory subject → valuable as english is the language of commerce and connection
in the world
○ Mother tongue language to connect people to their roots, embed a sense of identity in today’s
increasingly globalised world characterised by a dilution of cultures and identities → not lose sense of
themselves
● 1990s - 2000s Movement “Teach Less Learn More” encourage greater flexibility and innovation: curriculum
was reduced by 20%, more ‘Suggest’ possible outcomes at O level science paper
● IP for more advanced curriculum
● PW at A level to design solutions to real world issues
● Specialised curriculums of arts,sports and science schools
● Moral education: ​to shape students into people with the right set of values → invaluable to possess virtues
of honesty, responsibility and appreciation in today’s increasingly materialistic world where young people
have been criticized for their growing self-obsession and narcissism and may become blinded by the
glamourous and tangibles, motivated to commit unscrupulous deeds harmful to society
● Math​: Developed the Singapore model method of Mathematics was developed → which is the model
drawing/‘bar drawing’ method so students can learn to visualise problems without resorting to algebra →
besides, math word problems encourage application to real-world problems → today, this method of teaching
maths is considered to be so effective that some British and American schools in their home countries have
adopted this method

Cause 3: Culture
● Asians all over the world place great emphasis on education → stellar results of Asian immigrants in America
and England are common place and performance of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian students at
international Maths competitions → reflect the cultural mindset towards education
● Singaporeans whose ancestors come from China, India and Malaysia generally have the same driven
mindset about education. As the society becomes more affluent and globalised, more and more parents see
education as an important facet of their children’s lives.

Cause 4: Supporting tuition industry

● Billion dollar industry
● While detractors argue that their existence is the result of ‘kiasu-ism’, few would deny that it contribute to
many students’ excellent results.
● 60% of high school and 80% of primary school students receive private tuition
● (PSLE) is considered a high-stakes exam that determines not just what high school a child will enter, but
whether a child is streamed into a school that will fast track him or her to university.
 ● Many middle-class parents believe the “race” starts early. Parents are increasingly expected to have their
preschool aged child reading and writing and with basic math skills before they even enter school—and this is
frequently achieved through private preschools and “enrichment” tuition.

Benefits 1: Economic growth

● Spurred by highly skilled workforce: High levels of education in Singapore (26% of population enrolled in
publicly funded university) has led to a labour force that is able to contribute to highly specialised sectors such
as the pharmaceutical industry
Other students are taught technical skills, in polytechnics and ITE, that translate directly to the workforce,
allowing them to be productive contributors to the economy.

Benefit 2: Increased social mobility

● Despite the increase in income inequality that education can cause, education in SG has led to greater social
mobility than in most other countries.
● nine in 10 students from the bottom 20 per cent of households by income made it to post-secondary
education in 2018, up from five in 10 students in 2003.
● going by the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) test, 5-year-olds here from
disadvantaged backgrounds have performed consistently better, in areas such as maths and science, than
those of similar backgrounds in other developed countries

Flaw 1: Rote learning

● Heavy emphasis on STEM (Sci, tech, engineering, math) subjects → borne out of historical urgency to
produce workers to drive economy → though winning strategy that led to remarkable growth rates (4 Asian
Tigers), produced books-smart students with little creativity and independent thought
● Exam oriented; too much emphasis on academics, rote learning and passive memorization deeply
entrenched in the system → unable to apply their knowledge into situations → not adaptable, flexible and
critical
● However, exam smartness will only go so far → more challenging to predict the future economy and
determine the jobs of tomorrow → education system should be imparting adaptive skills for individuals to
thrive in a fast-changing world and the digital age → important for individuals to be able to apply that
knowledge to real-world challenges with their inference, analytical and problem-solving skills
● Economy also needs fresh ideas that can only be fueled by innovation and creativity → needs entrepreneurs
who can find unique ways to fill gaps with new initiatives.

Flaw 2: Breeds stress

● consensus among locals that the Singapore education system, with its competitive nature and its deep
emphasis on grades and tests, is far too stressful → high anxiety plagues a high proportion of students in
Singapore (anxiety levels in SG, at 86% for those who said they were worried about poor grades in school
were significantly higher than the OECD average, 66%) → when schools take an emotional toll on students,
that is a problem. It is also a problem when students are pressurised so intensely that they define their worth
according to their academic results
● 27 suicides among 10- to 19-year-olds in Singapore in 2015
● In May 2016, an 11-year-old boy jumped to his death, fearful of sharing his exam results with his parent as it
was the first exam he failed

Flaw 3: Worsens inequality

● Education system is underpinned by the concept of meritocracy in which talent and ability pave the way to
success → hinges on fairness but paradoxically, it can breed systemic unfairness.
 ● Even if all students have equal opportunities to enter the race, unequal starting line → Knowing fully well that
success hinges on ability, affluent families invest greatly in their child’s early education through means like
enrolling them in enrichment classes.
○ Surveys show that only 20% of those in the lowest two income brackets have a child in tuition while
60% of high school and 80% of primary school students receive private tuition
○ 40% of GEP from families income spend more than 10k with enrichment classes
● The wide income disparity in Singapore, when left to its own mechanisms, will easily translate to
lower-income children underperforming when compared to their higher-income classmates with greater
resources → hinders intergenerational mobility (i.e. the ability for different generations within the same family
to change their social status).
● The paradox is compounded with streaming, which in theory gives students room to grow at the pace that
matches their learning abilities → but in practice may form a caste system that widens the divide between
students based on their academic standing.
● Education itself may also contribute to inequality → in a skills-based economy where university education is
rewarded with monetary remuneration, the education gap reinforces the income gap between individuals. In
this way, education keeps the wheel of inequality in motion.

Measures taken
● Government has realised this and implemented greater moves to shift away from an over-emphasis on
academic results, and provide students with more flexibility and space to develop their strengths and interests
throughout their education:
○ Changing of PSLE scoring system from T score to Achievement Level banding to eliminate
benchmarking against peers → reflect a student’s level of achievement, rather than how he has
performed relative to his peers
○ Removal of mid-year examinations for Sec 1 students and all weighted assessments for Pri 1 and 2
students
○ Spending on the pre-school sector, bursaries and educational programmes for lower income families
will be doubled by 2022 to narrow the inequality gap at an early stage before it worsens.
○ Applied learning programmes: focus on solving real-world problems beyond the classroom through
ideation, innovation and creativity → move towards developing skills that will be relevant for the
future.
○ Government champions lifelong learning​: ​SkillsFuture provides an array of workforce development
programs for people from various backgrounds → made accessible through direct subsidies with
SkillsFuture Credit.

Pessimism:
● However, such moves may not be effective due to ​long-lasting and potentially stifling cultural effects of
yesterday’s system
● Can still ‘game’ an exam by studying keywords, model answers
● Stressful education system cannot be resolved easily → many students face immense pressure from their
parents because the society, as a whole, have the mindset that excelling in examinations is the best way to
get ahead in life → situation can only change if parents believe that the education system will present their
child with many opportunities to prove themselves in future → only then will exams cease to be a life-defining
hurdle.

Whose education system should SG emulate?

 ● South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong are three other Asian countries that fare well in global rankings →
however are similar to SG in its huge emphasis on educational achievement, the presence of high-stakes
standardised testing, and the normalcy of competition → should turn to the west
● Finland​ has a unique education system that is successful despite going against the traditional ideas of school
○ No private schools → students can get the same quality education
○ Rankings are minimised → minimal standardised tests and little homework.
○ Teaching is a highly respected profession → all teachers are required to have a master’s degree
○ Hence, boasts high performance on global scores and other indicators → world’s most literate nation.
● Nordic region​ school systems, in Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden
○ not many national tests → puts less stress on the system
○ Creativity, collaboration, and communication – important 21st-century skills – have been rooted deep
into the national curriculum since decades ago.
○ The education system, including universities, are free, in line with the Nordic welfare state model.
○ While these countries perform average on PISA rankings, graduates have proven their talent in areas
like music, game design and technology innovation.

Conclusion
● SG education system compared to other countries is world-class.
● Despite its flaws, it is already a system that many nations hope to emulate.
● To address the flaws present in the system, Singapore education reforms are coming to place in small steps.
● As long as the government keeps up its efforts to develop essential skills needed for the future, create
equitable conditions for all students, reduce unhealthy competition, and broaden the pathways to success,
future generations can be postulated to be on a good road.
Migration, Multiculturalism
Names of group members: Amanda, Hafsa, Priya, Shuning
Key policy Brief description of policy
Group Representation - a type of electoral
Constituencies (GRCs) division/constituency in which
teams of candidates competed to
be elected as the Members of
Parliament (MPs)
- within each GRC, at least 1
individual should be of Malay,
Indian, or another minority race
- the size and racial composition
of a GRC is defined by the
president prior to each election
Class: 19S03O
Possible reasons for its implementation​,
including ​characteristics of Singapore society
and/or select institutions​ (eg pragmatism,
meritocracy) or the ​phenomenon at hand
- first pitched in 1982 and implemented in 1988,
the GRC system was implemented to ensure
minority representation in Parliament
- underlying currents of racial tensions in the
years following Singapore’s independence
- the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister,
had noted that young voters were less aware of
the importance of having a racially balanced
Parliament → if this voting trend were to
continue, minority groups would become
underrepresented in parliament, leaving them
vulnerable to disregard by policy-makers
- protects minority groups’ interests by reducing
the odds of political parties implementing
racially-biased policies; ensures Singapore’s
Parliament would always be multiracial in
composition and representation
Possible impact on Singapore society​, possibly on
various stakeholders or groups​, in short-term VS
long-term etc
POSITIVES
- as GRCs grew in size and numbers, from 14 in 1988
to 30 in 2017, the number of minority MPs has also
steadily risen
- PM Lee Hsien Loong had cited the GRC system as
an “important stabiliser” in Singapore’s political
landscape, allowing minority MPs to enter the
parliament regardless of the election outcomes
NEGATIVES
- some, like civil society group Maruah, have argued
that the requirements for GRCs creates a barrier for
smaller political parties (i.e. opposition parties) that
want to contest in elections as it is more difficult for
them to field a quality team
- some also believe that the GRC system perpetuated
the expectation of ethnic voting (definition: variation in
electoral choices across ethnic groups)
- with the advent of 5 or 6 membered GRCs, some
have noted that the proportion of minority members
has fallen
→ ​BUT since 2009, PM Lee has signalled the intent to
reduce the average size of GRCs and increase the
number of single number constituencies
- through groups helmed by senior politicians, GRCs
have become a means for the PAP to introduce
first-time candidates to Parliament → questioning of
the fairness behind elections and whether this puts
opposition parties at a further disadvantage
- some have also argued that the GRC system means
that electors have unequal voting rights, which
deepens the gap between MPs and voters, and further
entrenches racialism in the Singapore political system
Ethnic-based Self-help - 4 Self-Help groups, each
Groups (SHG) addressing the needs of 1
prominent racial group in
Singapore: ​the Chinese
Development Assistance Council
(CDAC), Mendaki, the ​Singapore
Indian Development Association
(SIDA) and the Eurasian
Association
- employees are required to
contribute a portion of their
monthly salary to the self-help
groups for their respective ethnic
groups
- the amount donated is
dependent on each individual’s
pay
COLLABORATIONS:
1)Collaborative Tuition
Programme
- allows students to enrol in the
tuition centre closest to them,
regardless of which ethnic
self-help group runs it
- now has 83 centres islandwide,
and has helped more than 97000
students
2)Big Heart Student Care Centres
- after-school care in primary
schools offered to needy students
3)Self-Help Group Centres
- ​Vibrance @ Yishun​, a Self-Help
Group Centre (SHG centre), is a
collaboration between the 4
Self-Help groups
- provides a common space for
different races to bond and
integrate
- organises programmes to serve
low income households,
irregardless of ethnic differences,
First Self-Help group: Mendaki
- the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew had found that a
larger percentage of Malay students were
consistently weaker in mathematics and
sciences, and hence he collaborated with Malay
community leaders in 1980 in order to “tackle the
problem of Malay underachievement” → Mendaki
was then established in 1982
- Mendaki’s progress in the following years then
spurred the establishment of the Singapore
Indian Development Association in 1991 and the
Chinese Development Council in 1992
- ​WHY:
a. most likely due to Singapore’s desire for
economic progress in the years following
independence, and hence the need for every
Singapore to be economically productive →
development from young through education
b. may also be due to the need to prevent the
formation of racial enclaves arising from varying
social classes → Singapore’s racial harmony had
been fragile, and hence it was necessary to
prevent the racial divide from widening due to
income disparities, poor education etc.
c. the establishment of ethnic self-help groups
allows for programmes to be more
culturally-nuanced and targeted
COLLABORATIONS
- to promote interracial collaborations; the
recognition that in a time of prosperity and
growing multiracialism, there is a need to look
beyond the ethnic communties and address
certain needs as a nation → as Singapore
develops, issues are becoming increasingly
complex and cross-cultural; many issues are now
common to all races e.g. struggles of low
incomes, concerns with educational outcomes
POSITIVES
- promotes a sense of ethnic identity; a sense of duty
one has towards those in the same ethnic community
- each SHG provides customised assistance, and this
helps to better cater to the needs of the community
(e.g. underrepresentation of minority races in tertiary
education institutes → Medanki offers a Tertiary
Tuition Fee Subsidy of up to 100% for Malay students
with a household per-capita income of under $1000)
- ensures socio-cultural advancement of each ethnic
community through sharing of cultures or
collaborations → the key driver of racial harmony at
the grassroots level
NEGATIVES
- the division and differentiation of aid by race may
undermine the principle of equity and meritocracy
- some minority groups may be excluded in the
process and hence not receive such extensive
assistance, which may be disproportionate to their
actual need
- racial differences may wound up being further
entrenched through SHGs due to the innate divisive
nature of racial classification → SHGs have to carry
out their ethnic responsibilities without seeming
exclusive
LONG RUN
- Singapore’s demographics have become
increasingly cosmopolitan and the distinctions
between races have been blurring → the erosion of a
fixed racial identity can be attributed to factors like:
immigration, inter-ethnic marriages etc.
BUT SHGs seem to recognise Singapore’s changing
needs, and have adapted through inter-ethnic
collaborations (shifting focus from needs to ethnic
groups to needs of the nation)
- question of the relevance of ethnic SHGs in times to
come → parallel to the debate on the “CMIO” concept
 through offering a variety of
programmes from tuition to
coding courses for children, and
workshops for parents
- Activity Fee Subsidy (of up to
90%) to eligible students of low
income families to attend
educational programmes
organised at the centre
Singapore Citizenship - Mandatory programme for new - Implemented since 2011 - Measure may not be very effective: According to a
Journey (SCJ) citizens to help them integrate - Disputes between immigrants and Singaporean 2018 Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) survey of about
into Singapore as a result of cultural differences: A family of new 4000 Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, 67%
- Aims: ​enrich new citizens’ Chinese immigrants complained about the smell said that immigrants are not doing enough to integrate
understanding of the key of curry cooked by their Indian neighbour. The into society
milestones in Singapore’s history compromise made after mediation was for the
and development, deepen their Indian family to cook curry when the Chinese POSITIVES
appreciation of Singaporean family were not at home, a solution that was - Expose new citizens to brief Singapore history and
norms and values, provide voluntarily accepted by the Indian family in the culture → starting point for new citizens to reflect on
opportunities for meaningful interest of racial harmony. → Some their soon-to-be identity as a Singaporean and what it
interaction with their local Singaporeans unofficially designated 21 August means to be Singaporean
community 2011 as “Cook and Share a Pot of Curry” to
- Consists of both online modules, celebrate and share the Singaporean way of life NEGATIVES
experiential learning programmes with immigrants through curries. - The completion of the SCJ does not guarantee one’s
and community sharing sessions - Need for greater understanding between readiness to adopt the Singaporean way of life →
(meeting with grassroot leaders immigrants and Singaporeans and acceptance of superficial gauge as the Singaporean way of life
and residents from their own cultural differences for a more cohesive society encompasses many other intangible aspects that SCJ
constituency) → particularly important as Singapore faces may not prepare new citizens for
falling fertility rates (1.14 in 2018), an aging → need for more measures and platforms for closer
population + increasing number of transnational integration
families which points to the growing reliance on
immigrants for the economy to remain LONG RUN
competitive + need to remain open to immigrants - Both Singaporeans and immigrants have to
overcome inertia and pre-existing stereotypes for
closer interaction → more effective and organic way of
integration → personal interactions and
communication can better help new citizens assimilate
into the local culture
Sedition Act - ​Sedition Act: ​Criminalizes - Fragile social fabric of Singapore that had been POSITIVES
Section 298 of the Penal actions which promote feelings of threatened by incidents such as 1964 racial riots, - Prevents racial discourse that will undermine racial
Code ill-will or hostility between Maria Hertogh riots → points to the sensitivity of harmony and stability in Singapore by instilling fear in
racial and religious issues in Singapore
 different races or classes of the
population
- ​Section 298 of the Penal Code:
“​Whoever, with deliberate
intention of wounding the
religious or racial feelings of any
person, utters any word or makes
any sound in the hearing of that
person, or makes any gesture in
the sight of that person, or places
any object in the sight of that
person, or causes any matter
however represented to be seen
or heard by that person, shall be
punished with imprisonment for a
term which may extend to 3
years, or with fine, or with both.”
Ensuring minority - Termed as the “five-term
representation in elected hiatus” model, this model
presidency states that ​if a particular
racial community has not
produced a President for the
most recent five terms, the
next election will be reserved
- In recent years, more are utilising the online
platform to upload material that threaten
Singapore’s multiculturalism (New media
accelerates the reach of such information):
→ (Sedition Act) Real Singapore Website: Yang
Kaiheng and Ai Takagi published seditious
articles which had the tendency to promote
feelings of ill-will and hostility between different
classes of the population of Singapore
→ (Sedition Act) Amos Yee published
inappropriate material and made derogatory
remarks to Christians and Muslims. He
deliberately elected to do harm by using
offensive and insulting words and profane
gestures to hurt the feelings of Christians and
Muslims. These actions have the tendency to
generate social unrest and undermine the
religious harmony in our society
→ (Investigations ongoing) Popular youtuber
Preetipls and her brother created a controversial
rap video in response to the ad on e-payment
featuring Dennis Chew in “brownface”. Law and
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam that the
video "crosses the line" as it involves the use of
vulgarities and aims to make minorities angry
with Chinese Singaporeans.
→ (Penal Code) In January 2019, the police
charged a Chinese man in court under the Penal
Code for deliberate intent to wound the racial
feelings of the Malay population. The man had
scrawled racist messages about Malays on walls
in void decks and sheltered walkways.
WHEN
- The Singaporean presidential election of
2017 was the fifth Singaporean presidential
election after President Tony Tan's term
ended on 31 August. Following amendments
to the Constitution of Singapore, the election
was the first to be reserved for a particular
racial group under a hiatus-triggered model.
Singaporeans and deterring them from engaging in
such actions that are punishable by law.
- Ensures that there is no escalation of tensions that
may result in undesirable consequences such as
violence
NEGATIVES
- No clear definition as to which acts are deemed to be
able to promote ill feelings between races and which
may not necessarily be
- May limit and infringe on citizens’ freedom of speech
and expression
LONG RUN
- Runs the risk of causing race and religion to be too
sensitive a topic for discussion → Singaporeans are
unable to work out differences and this may cause
more divisive fault lines in future
- Runs the risk of these laws backfiring should they be
weaponised by political opportunists. According to
Professor Cherian George,“Groups manufacture
indignation and then demand that the state uphold its
insult laws by punishing the individuals and groups
accused of causing offence,” He cited the vilification
and prosecution of former Jakarta governor “Ahok”
Basuki Purnama for blasphemy.
→ However, given the stable political climate in
Singapore that is free from corruption, it is unlikely that
such political manipulation will occur.
POSITIVES
- The model acts as a step towards multiculturalism.
- It also goes hand-in-hand with Singapore's other
ideal, meritocracy, as the proposed higher
eligibility criteria would apply to all elections.
- The model is consistent with constitutional ideals
cherished in Singapore. For example, it facilitates
representative democracy as the Office remains
for candidates from that WHY
group. - The provision of a minority safeguard in the
office of the Elected President must help,
and not impede, Singapore's progress
towards its long-term goal of greater
multiracialism, Deputy Prime Minister Teo
Chee Hean said in Parliament on November
7. The President's office must continue
having direct elections, and the need for
multiracialism must be balanced with the
country's meritocratic ideals, he said.
- In this regard, the Government found the
five-term hiatus model, which the
Constitutional Commission recommended, to
be an ideal model as it balances the above
factors.
- This model is ideal as it "involves minimal
intervention and will come into play only if
open elections fail to periodically return
presidents from different races".
- A period of five terms also strikes a good
balance. If the hiatus is too long, the system
may not meaningfully ensure that the
president's office is accessible to the various
communities. Yet if it is too short, the system
may come close to designating successive
elections for different races - which would be
inappropriate given the system of direct
elections.
- Quoting then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew,
the rotation is meant to remind Singaporeans
that the country is a multiracial one. The
elected President has to continue to be a
symbol of a multiracial community.
multicultural over time. This is observed on two
levels: firstly, since the President represents the
nation itself in the global arena, the occasional
minority President would show that Singapore
consists not only of Chinese people, but also
Indians, Malays and other racial minorities.
Secondly, it allows wider participation in the
elected presidency since all communities would
have one of their own taking the Office at least
once every five terms​.
NEGATIVES
- The application of the higher eligibility criteria to all
elections would further shrink an already small
pool of Malay candidates, a concern raised by the
Institute of Policy Studies deputy director Gillian
Koh. Her worry was compounded by her
observation that of those Malays who are
qualified, most would prefer not to put themselves
up for election, noting a lack of Malay candidates
who have put themselves up since the elected
presidency scheme was introduced in 1991.
- Moreover, while meritocracy appears to be
upheld, it is also severely compromised – because
the highest office of the land is no longer for the
nation’s most deserving candidate but merely a
good enough candidate from the community it is
being reserved for.
- This model erodes democracy. Reserving
elections for one community substantially reduces
voters’ choice. Additionally, the Community
Committee, which issues community certificates,
is appointed by the Prime Minister on the
nomination of the PCMR. This may result in a
parallel controversy as in the uncontested 2005
Presidential Elections, where only one candidate
was awarded the Certificate of Eligibility and thus
became a ‘walk-in’ President. This consequently
sparked furore as to the Committee’s decision and
casting doubt as to whether the election was
genuinely democratic.
 - A potential area for abuse arises where
candidates of mixed heritage are concerned: the
Committee may choose to identify him as part of a
particular community to bar or allow him to
participate in a reserved election, or, in the case of
an open election, affect the cycle for future
elections.
- Further, the basis on which the Community
Committee is to make their decision is unclear.
The Committee is to be guided by “the merits of
the case”; but what are these merits? For
instance, would the proficiency of the candidate in
his mother tongue be relevant? More information
would be helpful in promoting transparency and
dialling down the disquiet surrounding this
“hiatus-triggered” model.

LONG RUN

- More educational campaigns are needed to

encourage individuals of various races to take the
initiative to run in the presidential elections in
order to prevent the possibility of shrinking
minority pools.
- More information regarding the considerations of
the Committee in the selection process of eligible
candidates is required, in order to ensure
transparency and hence, increased trust.

Ethnic Integration Policy - Established ethnic quotas for WHEN NEGATIVES

(EIP) HDB neighbourhoods and
blocks - Implemented on 1 March 1989 - The EIP leads to BTO units perpetually left
- The permissible proportion of vacant in land-scarce Singapore. According to
flats in each neighbourhood WHAT TRIGGERED THE IMPLEMENTATION a study by the Association of Muslim
for Malays is 22 percent while Professionals (AMP)​, there is a difference in
- Then Minister for National Development S. median income between the three major races of
the permissible proportion of
Dhanabalan first highlighted the emergence Singapore. The effect of this is visible in HDB’s
flats in each block is 25
of ethnic enclaves in HDB estates in his build-to-order (BTO) flat selection processes,
percent. For Chinese, the
speech to community leaders at a New where there are unfilled Chinese quota leftover
permissible proportions are
Year’s gathering held at the People’s flats in cheaper, non-mature estates such as
84 percent and 87 percent
Association auditorium on 6 January 1989. Woodlands and unfilled Malay quota leftover flats
respectively, and for Indians
 and other minority groups,
the figures are 10 percent
and 13 percent respectively.
- The quotas are continuously
revised. Ethnic quotas based
on the ethnic proportions is
updated on the first of every
month.
- The EIP limits are set at
block/ neighbourhood levels
based on the ethnic make-up
of Singapore.
WHY
- To preserve Singapore’s multi-cultural
- HDB flats and as a result, the emergence of
- Due to the diversity of races in Singapore,
To illustrate his point, he drew on the
examples of neighbourhoods in Bedok and
Tampines housing estates where Malay
households made up more than 30 percent
of the estate population, and Hougang where
more than 90 percent of the households are
Chinese. In a bid to address the growing
issue of communal clustering, Dhanabalan
announced that the government would adopt
policies to maintain the ethnic balance as a
means to foster social and racial cohesion.
identity and promote racial integration and
harmony. It ensures that there is a balanced
mix of the various ethnic communities in
HDB towns.
closely knit neighbourhoods is a unique
characteristic of Singapore. Hence, the threat
of the demographics of a neighbourhood
(made up of HDB flats) being skewed to one
racial group presents the risk of racial
clustering and the possibility of racial
discrimination.
racial cohesion is especially important in
order to maintain our fragile social fabric.
in more expensive, mature estates such as
Bedok. In the long-concluded flat selection
exercise for the Dakota Breeze and Pine Vista
BTO flats in the mature estate of Geylang
(launched in May 2017 sales exercise), there is
currently a total of 48 4-room units not taken up.
These leftover units area only available for Malay
applicants, of which there have been no takers.
No Chinese can buy these vacant units under the
EIP. (The reverse happened for 4-room units in
Woodlands in the same exercise.) Given the
above, critics may argue that ​given Singapore’s
land scarcity, it is perhaps a bit foolish to rather
leave these units vacant than to use it to house
citizens with urgent housing needs.
- Price differences in the same property.
According to a ​2012 study​, Chinese-constrained
HDB resale units (i.e. only Chinese buyers
eligible) were 5 to 8% more expensive than
Malay or Indian-constrained units, which were 3
to 4% cheaper than the average resale price.
This could mean that flats owned by Chinese
were more likely to sell at a price over HDB
valuation, whereas flats owned by Malay or
Indians were more likely to sell at below HDB
valuation.Besides the rather unfair situation of
two — almost identical — flats being sold for a
huge difference in price simply because of the
ethnicity of the person to whom the flat could be
sold, this fact also highlights the possibility that
the ethnic quota could be making racial income
inequality ​worse.​
- EIP makes it harder to sell HDB flats. One of
the major gripes with the racial quota is that it
often results in sellers, who are ready and willing
to sell their units, having to turn away willing
buyers, simply because the buyer is of the
ethnicity whereby the quota has been maxed
out.In today’s soft HDB resale market, these
restrictions are doubly punishing. It has resulted
 in many sellers being unable to sell their flats,
even when they’ve had offers, just because of
ethnicity. In the 2003 Parliamentary Debates, it
was argued that this was ‘posing a serious
financial problem to some families’.

- EIP is not keeping up with our increasingly

diverse heritage. In Singapore, children of
mixed-race marriages are entitled to register a
double-barrelled race – a daughter of Malay and
Chinese parents, for example, can therefore
register as a Malay-Chinese or Chinese-Malay.
Under the current EIP policy, only the first race
component of the double-barrell may be used.
Therefore, if our hypothetical daughter above had
registered as a Chinese-Malay, she would be
restricted by the quota restrictions imposed on
Chinese occupants, regardless of the fact that
she technically is also half Malay. With the
numbers of mixed-race marriages on the rise –
about one in five (or 21.5 percent) of all
marriages in 2015 were mixed-race couples – the
EIP policy simply misses the mark in its
consideration of such mixed-race children.

- The EIP works on the assumption that by

living in close quarters, residents of different
ethnicities will be forced to mingle and
interact with each other, thereby
strengthening the racial harmony and unity in
Singapore. ​However, this begs the question:
does living together equal, or necessarily lead to,
integration and understanding? Singaporeans, by
and large, tend not to mix around or even
acknowledge their neighbours, which means the
core function of the EIP doesn’t really work here.
For a real-life example of this, we can look back
as recently as 2012, to the case of ​Amy Cheong,
who took to social media to complain about her
Malay neighbours who were holding ​a wedding at
the void deck, and went on to disparage the
Malay society as a whole. Certainly, in this case
 at least, proximity did not breed understanding.
It’s therefore been argued that what needs to be
championed instead were “common spaces” or
“bridging social capital” between communities.
This means having events, and encouraging
community participation between people of
different races, rather than maintaining a strict
focus on housing quotas. This would arguably be
harder work, but perhaps a better solution.

LONG RUN

- Undeniably, EIP has indeed contributed to the

improvement of racial cohesion in Singapore.
However, since there are disadvantages to this
policy arising over time, there is a need for the
policy to be continuously fine-tuned. This is
especially so as the cons of the policy seem to be
dynamic and hence, foresight is required on the
Singapore government's part to continually
reconsider this policy.

Bilingual Policy - Singapore’s official WHY POSITIVES

languages: Malay as
symbolic national - Like many countries around the world, - English serves as a neutral language,
language; Chinese as the Singapore could have discarded the promoting inter-ethnic communication and
language representing colonial language after Independence racial harmony. English is positioned as not
the island’s majority and instead adopt the other 3 official having any ethnic affiliations in Singapore and
ethnic Chinese, Tamil as languages to reflect diversity. However, as such, avoids certain ethnic groups from
acknowledgement of the there were pragmatic forces behind the feeling alienated. A common knowledge of
Indian community and decision to adopt the Bilingual Policy. It English would also bond the different ethnic
English as the working was a way to ensure Singapore’s groups by enabling them to communicate with
language survival in the long run as well as one another. This neutrality underscores the
- English is the medium of acknowledge the cultural diversity in state’s commitment towards multiculturalism,
all content-area Singapore to build a national identity of a where it maintains equal status of all ethnic
education fledgling nation. groups.
- Students must also study - Mother tongue languages have educational
their mother tongue WHEN and cultural value, nurturing morally upright
Singaporeans with a sense of belonging.
- Announced in November 1965 Knowing one’s mother tongue is necessary
- Came into effect in 1966 because it provides understanding for one’s
history and heritage, thereby strengthening
HOW one’s sense of cultural belonging.They also
aid the preservation of local cultures, which
- 2 main ideologies adopted by the has renewed importance in today’s wave of
government: globalisation.
● Internationalism: ​It entails the
adoption of a non-​indigenous
language as an ​official
NEGATIVES
language​. The Singapore
government adopted a - Singapore faces a loss of linguistic diversity,
non-indigenous language, with the recent decline of mother tongue
English, to exist alongside the languages. English has become the language
indigenous languages of most spoken in households. This coupled with
Singapore. the erosion of dialects has led to a loss of
● Linguistic Pluralism: ​It entails a linguistic variance. Furthermore, the erosion of
recognition and support of the Singlish may reflect a loss in cultural identity
co-existence of multiple as it prevents Singapore from developing its
languages within society. own distinct globalised language which could
Some believe it to be in contribute to shared common identity. This
contrast with the language was evident in local show Phua Chu Kang
ideology of ​linguistic starring Gurmit Singh being a big hit in the
1990s but lost its popularity when the
assimilation​, where every
government intervened to reduce the influence
member of the ​speech
of Singlish in the show. This is because
community​, regardless of his through the show, Singaporeans of all
first language​, must learn the ethnicities felt a connection and bond towards
dominant language of the the unique Singapore identity which
society where he lives in. The constituted Singlish as a conversational
Singapore government language. Building a common identity ad
attempts to shun away from Singaporeans is valuable to Singapore as it is
linguistic assimilation, as it relatively young nation with migrant
believes it must acknowledge forefathers with different backgrounds
the need to embrace the belonging to different nations and gelling them
co-existence of the four official together as one Singapore is a crucial part of
languages in the context of a being a nation.
multi-racial​ Singapore - The Bilingual Policy might have fueled the
- Government discouraged dialects increasing class divide where people who
● While the ​Chinese community speak in Singlish may be considered to belong
to a lower socioeconomic group. What was
of Singapore historically spoke
originally meant to bring people of diverse
several ​varieties of Chinese​,
backgrounds together now emerges as a
most of them ​mutually
 unintelligible​, such as divisive class structure and if not properly
Cantonese​, ​Teochew​, and handled, can reflect class tensions.
Hokkien​, the government has
promoted ​Standard Mandarin​,
both as a means of unifying
Chinese Singaporeans under a
common language, and to
facilitate communication with
Chinese people from outside
Singapore.
● This has led to the erosion of
cultural identity to some extent.
- Government discouraged the use of
Singlish
● While the Singaporean
government promotes
Standard Singapore English as
a lingua franca, it heavily
discourages the usage of
Singlish​, a Chinese- and
Malay-influenced,
English-based creole
language​, widely spoken by
Singaporeans, but virtually
unintelligible to foreign
speakers of English.
Governments including those
of ​Lee Hsien Loong​, ​Lee Kuan
Yew​, and ​Goh Chok Tong have
campaigned against the usage
of Singlish, declaring it an
obstacle to communication with
the rest of the
English-speaking world, and a
substandard, "broken English",
that ought not be part of
Singapore's identity.
- Basically, a strict adherence to the
Bilingual Policy, with no exceptions
made for other subsets of the official
languages.
Migration Statistics

Description Statistics

Migrants as proportion of Singapore’s population
- By 2017, 29% of Singapore’s population were non-residents. According to a
Gallup World Poll over the period of 2013-2016, Singapore remained one of
the top destinations amongst potential migrants, with approximately 10
million potential migrants naming it as their desired future residence.
- In Singapore, foreigners make up a large percentage of the non-PMET
(professionals, managers, executives and technicians) workers working
primarily in the construction, domestic labour, services, manufacturing and
marine industries because Singaporeans are generally reluctant to take up
low-skill jobs that pay low wages.

Pull Factors - Some of the factors attracting migrants to Singapore are the low crime rates,
the good education, healthcare and transport system as well as the relative
ease of obtaining permanent residency status.

Tensions - A protest took place in February 2013 and another one on Labour Day in
Singapore to protest a government White Paper which projected a
population of 6.9 million for Singapore, of which only 3.8 million will be
citizens.
- The majority of the migrants depend on renting in the HDB subletting
market, creating demand pressure in the segment. The lack of sufficient
supply in the market to meet the demand will push rental prices up and also
cause some PRs to turn to HDB resale flats since they are eligible to buy
them. This can also lead to upward pressure on HDB flat prices, creating
more resentment against these immigrants amongst the locals.
- In an effort to placate the rising anti-foreigner sentiments in Singapore, the
government is now cutting back on immigration into Singapore. More
favourable housing and education policies are also introduced for citizens.
This shift from pro-immigration policies may be due to PAP having the
lowest votes (60.1%) since Independence in the 2011 General Elections.
PAP is under pressure to placate voters without disrupting the entry of talent
and labour that helped forge Singapore’ economy.
- In 2014, after news of a plan by The Pilipino Independence Day Council
2014 to stage the Philippine Independence Day celebration at the Ngee Ann
City Civic Plaza on Orchard Road, some local netizens reacted angrily,
opposing the planned use of Orchard Road for the event as well as a
proposed Marina Bay skyline logo. The event was eventually cancelled by
the organisers as they were unable to secure alternative venues.
Youth and Elderly
Key policy Brief description of policy Possible reasons for its implementation, including Possible impact on Singapore society, possibly on
characteristics of Singapore society and/or select various stakeholders or groups, in short-term VS
institutions or the phenomenon at hand long-term etc

Elderly

AGEING ● Singapore has an ageing population - Singapore today has around ​500,000​ people aged 65 and above. This is expected to almost double to around
POPULATION: 900,000​ by ​2030​.
Background ● Based on projections from the United Nations (UN), ​47%​ of Singapore’s total population will be aged 65 years or older in ​2050
discussion

Historically, Singapore’s “​minimalist approach to social welfare​”, particularly ageing policies, reflected its view of an ​Asian culture of filial piety​ and the
emphasis on familial support​ as the primary line of elder care. Since the 1980s, the issue of a rapidly ageing population had been
identified as a part of Singapore’s demographic challenge requiring study in its national agenda. The multi-agency approach saw the formation of several
iterations of inter-ministerial committees to monitor ageing trends, propose policies, and coordinate efforts among various
governmental agencies.

The ​Committee on the Problems of the Aged​ (assembled in 1982 under MOH) valued the ​integration ​of elderly in families and society ​instead of the
“extreme measure” of institutionalization​. It recognized that the rapidly ageing population would require a national policy aimed at keeping every senior
physically and mentally fit​ to continue leading a normal, useful and active life.

These findings were reflected in the Report of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Ageing Population (IMC) in 1999. The essential thrusts featured in the
committee’s vision focused on issues of housing and land-use, accessibility, healthcare, eldercare, financial security, employability, lifestyles, and elderly
well-being. The IMC established a holistic vision of “​Successful Ageing​” and the approach of “​Many Helping Hands​” which called for collective efforts at four
levels – the individual, family, community, and state – to prepare Singapore for the challenges of an ageing population.

The IMC report also introduced the principle of “​ageing-in-place​” to develop strategies such as ​elder-friendly homes​ and environments, ​variety of housing
options​, ​integrated community planning​, and increased provision of ​healthcare and social services​ for elders by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs).

2000s and later – Developing a Masterplan for a “City for all ages”
● 2001, the Ministry of Community Development and Sports (MCDS) published the “Eldercare Masterplan (AY2001-2005) Report”. This Masterplan
highlighted a key strategy to conceive, plan and build community-based facilities for elders as part of a “national infrastructure”
○ The “Many Helping Hands” approach extended beyond the state to include community, families, and senior citizens themselves, to develop
suitable ​physical infrastructure​, ​community service systems​ and programs for elderly and caregivers, funding policies, and public
education.
○ The dissemination of community-based facilities are located at ​purpose-built Community Clubs (CCs)​ run by the People’s Association (PA),
neighbourhood community service centres and Resident’s Committee centres (RC). Other than the CC, secondary service facilities are
located at void decks, serving specific zones of the housing estate.
● The ​Committee on Ageing Issues (CAI)​ was set up in December 2004 as an inter-agency forum, which continued to build upon the proposals of
earlier committees. In its 2006 Report on the Ageing Population, proposed 4 key policy recommendations
○ 1. Housing for Seniors:​ ​Elder-friendly housing
○ 2. Accessibility for seniors: ​Barrier-free society
○ 3. Caring for seniors: Holistic and integrated affordable ​healthcare a​ nd ​eldercare ​system
○ 4. Opportunities for seniors: ​active lifestyles ​and well-being
 ● Following the CAI’s 2006 report, a high-level ​Ministerial Committee on Ageing (MCA)​ was established under the purview of MOH in 2007 to
coordinate various national efforts across multi-agencies and sectors.
● Meanwhile, MOH and MCA launched the ​“City For All Ages” (CFAA)​ project in ​2011​.
○ The ​2015 $3 billion​ national ​“Action Plan for Successful Ageing”​ was announced as an outcome of the CFAA project
○ This plan covered about 60 initiatives over 12 areas (​health and wellness, learning, volunteerism, employment, housing, transport, public
spaces, respect and social inclusion, retirement adequacy, healthcare and aged care, protection for vulnerable seniors and research)
○ Two of its three main thrusts focused on ​co-location of services​, such as ​eldercare and childcare facilities in new HDB developments​ to
maximise opportunities for ​intergenerational interactions​ (“​kampong for all ages​”) and transforming the city via transport and
‘Active-Ageing Hubs’​ into an ‘enabling place’ for seniors to ​live and commute independently​ in their own homes or communities (“​city for
all ages​”)
○ By the start of the new millennium, many aspects of ageing policies had started to incorporate a ​holistic socio-urban dimension​. Thus, the
formulation of ​ageing policy and urban development​ in Singapore were intrinsically linked in the mission of creating a successful ageing
framework for the city

Singapore aimed to create an age-friendly city through the overall concept of​ ageing-in-place​. This framework was highly relevant to its urban environment
due to the prevalence of its ubiquitous public housing landscape (i.e. HDB flats), and the fact that over ​80%​ of Singapore’s resident population live in these
flats.

HOUSING POLICIES Age-friendly housing was one of the primary areas

Types of housing
options:
1. 1-room rental Caters to those in lower-income brackets or
units require short-term lease options.
2. Studio Apartments Customised for independent and elderly
(launched in 1998) living. Equipped with elderly-friendly and
other safety features such as: lever taps,
non-slip tiles, leveled flooring between
rooms, support rails in bathrooms,
emergency pull cords within house linked to
Alert Alarm System (AAS), grab bars fitted
through house, etc.
Additional details:
Elder-friendly features and provision of ​senior-centric
services​ and ​health facilities​ within the SA blocks
benefited the seniors. These flats were also one of
the methods recommended by the HDB for those
above 55 years to ​monetise ​their existing larger flats
and downgrade to a smaller flat on a ​Lease Buyback
Scheme (LBS)​ to receive a ​stream of income in their
retirement years
that the CAI recommended as the key
ingredient for successful ageing. The CAI envisioned
that as the older person aged, they could continue
to live with a community in familiar surroundings
and preferably among loved ones,while having
opportunities to interact with other residents of
different age groups. This would provide emotional
and mental support to seniors and prevent the
problem of isolation and loneliness. To this end, the
HDB provided a variety of public housing options
and financing schemes to meet different living
arrangements and financial needs of the older
population.

3. 2-room Flexi and Scheme helps elderly residents who wish to HOWEVER
Senior Priority age-in-place in a familiar environment or live There have been some negative outcomes resulting
Scheme (SPS) near their older parents or married child, in a from the nature of these
2-room Flexi flat. apartments. A 2008 study found that these
age-segregated SA communities​ in standalone
4. Tri-generational Caters to the needs of multi-generation blocks, saw a “corresponding negative effect of the
flats families who wish to stay under one roof psychological and social environments [in which]
the monotonic social group […] breeds morbidity, a
5. Married Child Caters to encourage married children and sense of rejection and despair”.
Priority Scheme parents to reside together, or within the same At the same time, the goal of ageing-in-place was
(MCPS) challenged due to the lack of availability of
 estate, or within neighbouring estate to foster
care of aged parents.
6. Multi-Generation
Priority Scheme Caters to encourage families to stay close to
(MGPS) each other in specific integrated flat types
(tri-generation flats)
Main Upgrading Programme (MUP), Housing
Housing upgrading Improvement Programme (HIP), Lift
Schemes Upgrading Program (LUP),
Project Lift Improvement and Facilities
Enhancement for Elderly Project (Project
LIFE), and
Essential, Optional and Enhancement for
Active Seniors (EASE)
As a new residential option catering to
Dementia Village in individuals with varying stages of dementia,
Sembawang this pilot complements the home-based care
and dementia day care services available
today
First co-located project by Singapore’s
Retirement village: Housing Development Board (HDB) to
Kampung Admiralty combine ​housing for the elderly ​with
childcare center​, ​senior centers​, a ​hawker
centre ​and a ​medical centre​. It features more
than for the elderly and a 900-seat
hawker​100 studio apartments​ centre and
was designed to “foster greater community
bonding and reignite the kampung (village)
spirit of yesteryear
Accessibility A “Green Man Plus” scheme was also
schemes implemented to allow elders and disabled
pedestrians extended road-crossing time,
while new “Car-Free or Car-Less Zones”
initiatives promoted safety and walkability to
benefit the elderly
SAs within the existing neighbourhood of those who
chose this option. ​Relocation o
​ f seniors to
unfamiliar neighbourhoods led to ​disconnection
from their familiar urban and social environments,
thus ​exacerbating the sense of isolation and
loneliness
Additional Info: These aimed to improve the overall living
Part of HIP: People can get ​subsidies ​of up to 9 ​ 5 per environment of housing estates at the precinct
cent​ to install ​non-slip flooring​ and grab bars in their level, block level, and unit level.
toilets, as well as ramps to make it easier for a
wheelchair user to get around.
Senior Minister of State for Health Edwin Tong​ also
announced that MOH will roll out a ​Caregiver
Support Action Plan​ over the next two years to
enhance financial support, flexible work
arrangements and respite care options for caregivers.
According to recent Singapore Police Force statistics
(2010, 2011, 2012), senior pedestrians
comprised about ​half ​of fatalities in road accidents,
and the majority of deaths resulted from jaywalking.
A variety of reasons for this issue could include
environmental design causes:
difficulty for elders with mobility issues​ to walk to
distant designated crossings, lack of
adequate road crossings connecting popular
destinations, desire to avoid unpleasant walking
experiences(hot weather, unsheltered paths), the
lack of sufficient or appropriate audio-tactile
crossing cues, as well as motorists’ negligence.
Healthcare and In 2017, the MOH announced that it would
eldercare implement a major restructuring of its
healthcare sector from its current six clusters
of regional health systems to three integrated
clusters by 2018. These structural
improvements would include a ​geographical
reorganisation​ of its existing clusters, to offer
a ​fuller range of services​, encompassing acute
hospital care, primary care and community
care, including a medical school within each
cluster
Additional details:
A recent addition to the eldercare landscape of
Singapore was the introduction of new mega,
multi-storey ​nursing home facilities​ within public
housing estates to tackle the rising
numbers of elderly, rise of dual income and decline of
extended families, and increase in age-related
degenerative disorders due to increased longevity.
Some examples included the ​Lion’s Home for the
​ en Ci Nursing Home in Bukit
Elders in Bishan​, R
Batok​, and ​St Andrew’s Nursing Home in Buangkok

These cover topics such as how to manage people

Caregivers’ Training Grant who have dementia or had strokes, or even how to
A $200 subsidy you can use every year for carry out tube feeding or basic nursing
courses that will help you care for your loved
ones. You can also use the grant to sign up a
foreign domestic helper for the courses

Active lifestyle A ​$10 million “GO! (Golden Opportunities!)
Fund” was set up to seed various programmes
and activities for seniors and by seniors. This
included the activation of the ​PA​ in outreach
efforts through a ​2008 “Wellness
Programme” ​in 12 pilot sites within selected
CCs in various housing estates, and
subsequently over 87
constituencies island-wide by 2015. These
included ​mobile health screening​ for chronic
diseases and health talks organised for
seniors (co-organised with the Health
Promotion Board) which capitalised on the
island-wide location of CCs
Additional details
Within public housing estates, two features were
implemented. First, ​more elder-friendly
sports facilities​ (fitness stations, rehabilitation
equipment) were installed alongside public
playgrounds to encourage​ intergenerational
interactions​ in community.
Second, the void decks of housing blocks were
increasingly converted into spaces for ​Senior Citizens’
Corners (SCCs)​ and ​Residents’ Committee centres
(RCs)​ where members could gather for events.
Encouraging strong family ties and seniors to
remain healthy and engaged in their communities
through the provision of programmes and services,
was another recommendation that the CAI
promoted as the first line of support for the elderly.
This would help reduce isolation of the elderly
person within the home and community, as one’s
social network naturally dwindles with age and loss
of family members and friends
These interagency and public sector initiatives
within the urban fabric of Singapore’s public
housing heartlands helped to raise awareness of
the importance of active ageing and elderly
well-being
Social support/ These schemes provide aid to the elderly to This demographic shift will put immense pressure
financial assistance support them through their retirement years, on Singaporean society as a shrinking workforce
schemes for the especially for those who live alone and lack struggles to support an ageing population.
elderly the ability to support themselves.
To provide such schemes, the government will need
revenue - which comes in the form of taxes, and
hence increase the tax burden on Singaporeans.

Seniors’ Mobility and Helps to offset costs for seniors who need
Enabling Fund equipment to help them stay independent,
such as walking sticks, electric wheelchairs, or
even spectacles and hearing aids.
This fund can also be used for people who require
specialised transport to government-funded
eldercare, dialysis or day hospice services.
Those who are frail enough to qualify for a nursing
home, but instead are receiving government-funded
home or community care services, can also get
subsidies to pay for medical supplies such as adult
diapers or wound dressings.

Eldershield A disability insurance scheme managed by

three private insurers - Aviva, Great Eastern,
and NTUC Income - that provides cash
payouts if you become disabled.

You can get a maximum of ​$400​ a month for

up to six years. This scheme is under review
by the Government.

Foreign Domestic A​ $120 ​monthly cash payment for those who

Worker Grant need to hire a helper to care for someone
with disabilities.

Foreign Domestic A cheaper monthly levy if you hire a foreign

Worker Levy domestic worker to care for an elderly
Concession person, someone with disabilities or a child or
grandchild.

The regular monthly levy is $​265​, but the

concessionary rate is $​60
 ComCare Long Term Seniors can receive up to ​$1,180 in cash
Assistance assistance​ for those who are permanently
unable to work due to old age, illnesses or
unfavourable family circumstances.
Silver Support The government gives payouts of ​$300 – $750
Scheme every three months for the ​bottom 20% of
seniors​ who had low incomes through life and
little or no family support.
Total Government cash assistance for a single
elderly person on the ComCare Long Term
Assistance Scheme and the Silver Support
Scheme can be ​up to $600 a month.
Pioneer Generation Singaporeans born on or before 31 December
Package (PGP) 1949 can receive benefits including special
subsidies for MediShield Life premiums,
annual Medisave top-ups ($800 a year for
life), additional 50% off subsidised services
and medication at polyclinics and Specialist
Outpatient Clinics (SOC) in public hospitals.
PG Disability A​ $100​ monthly cash payment for seniors
Assistance Scheme who are disabled and part of the Pioneer
Generation.
Medisave for seniors Seniors born on or before 31 December 1959
who ​do not enjoy Pioneer Generation
benefits​ can receive annual Medisave top-ups
of ​$100 – $200​ till 2018!
Medishield Life Premium ​subsidy: up to 50%
for lower and middle-income families
1
Means-testing: ​A method to calculate the subsidies one will receive
Many of the elderly in Singapore have to resort to
working despite their old age to support themselves,
especially for those from lower-income backgrounds
who do not have much in their savings for
retirement.
● In Singapore today, ​one in four​ seniors are
still working. The employment rate for those
aged 65 and older jumped from ​13.8%​ in
2006 ​to ​26.8%​ in ​2018
● The number of women aged ​60​ and above
who work as cleaners rose by ​70%​ to ​34,100
in ​2014​, from ​19,800​ in ​2009
Cost of living in Singapore is relatively high. A study
by the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan
Yew School of Public Policy found that a Singaporean
senior citizen aged 65 and above and living alone
needs about ​S$1,379 a month​ to meet basic
standards of living. This may be difficult for many
elderly who are unemployed, live alone, or have
limited savings to achieve.
Singapore also has a relatively high level of income
inequality, and the lack of effective social support
schemes to help the lower-income may worsen it.
Hence, these support schemes are necessary to help
reduce inequality and preventing these elderly from
being left behind.
These policies also have their own limitations:
1. These schemes may offer limited coverage
as people who want to access public
assistance schemes have to go through
means-testing1. As such, ComCare
assistance reach less than 1% of the elderly
population.
2. To be eligible for these schemes, there are
criteria to be met - for those who narrowly
miss the criteria, they may not get the
same assistance.
3. For example, monthly payouts ($730 -
$760) from one’s Central Provident Fund
(CPF) are given if an individual has enough
to meet the Basic Retirement Sum when
he or she turns 55 years old. However, only
55% of CPF members who turned 55 in
2013 hit the Basic Retirement Sum. This
means that half of retirees will receive less
than S$730 a month.
Employment These schemes help elderly in Singapore to Singapore may see its old-age dependency ratio By providing for the basic needs of elderly in our
schemes remain gainfully employed in the labour increase from their current levels from ​20%​ to over society, we can in turn empower elderly to continue
force. 60%​ by the middle of the century. Researchers from contributing to the Singaporean society. If human
(Elderly getting the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) estimated there capital investments in education continue, about
retrenched once will be ​91 ​elderly citizens for every ​100 ​working-age 85%​ of seniors will have tertiary education
hitting 62 in SG, Singaporeans by ​2080 ​— up 10-fold from 1980. qualifications, representing a “substantial increase”
Elderly getting an in human capital potential, which can help to uplift
end-life career productivity and well-being, they noted.
switch)
BUT ​the effects of this educational dividend could
be limited by obsolescence or ageist attitudes in the
workplace

Special Employment Employers who voluntarily re-employ workers
Credit (SEC) aged 65 and above will receive an additional
offset of up to 3% of an employee’s monthly
wages.
To encourage the retention of elderly workers, whom
employers generally believe to be less cost-efficient
given that their old age translates to greater health
problems, resulting in more paid sick-days.
By defraying part of their salary, the government
hopes to ensure the retention of these skilled,
possibly valuable workers who might be a merit to
the labour force.
Also, the other benefits include:
- More tax revenue
- Lower national health care costs, since
working longer has been linked to better
health (​A 2016 study of about 3,000 people,
published in the ​Journal of Epidemiology and
Community Health,​ suggested that working
even one more year beyond retirement age
was associated with a 9% to 11% lower risk
of dying during the 18-year study period,
regardless of health.)
- Less Suicide
● These schemes have high cost involved,
translating to opportunity costs not only to
other sectors of society, but also an
increased tax burden on citizens.
● Employers are prohibited from using
age-related reasons to let off elderly
workers; however, other reasons such as
trimming costs for the company are still
permissible.
● Working longer may not be good for
health. (​A number of studies have found
health benefits to retiring. For example, a
2010 study of 14,000 people, published in
The​ ​BMJ​, found that retiring was linked to
a substantial reduction in mental and
physical fatigue and depressive
symptoms.)

WorkPro Scheme Funding support to encourage the
development of pro-elderly working
environments in businesses, and also to fund
the creation of easier yet smarter jobs for the
elderly in the company.
Age Management: Up to $20,000 per
company
Job Redesign: Up to $300,000 per company,
and multiple applications are allowed
To create a friendly, yet safe business environment
for the elderly to work in, encouraging the elderly to
delay their retirement age as long as possible so as to
boost the workforce in the face of the low birth rate.
Simultaneously, collect more taxes, and also defray
healthcare costs.
Policies to tackle There is a growing community network
Elderly loneliness striving to ensure they find some measure of
well-being and companionship in their final
years.
It’s an extensive web made up of welfare
groups, charities, hospitals, and operators
(like NTUC Health) of Senior Cluster Networks
initiated by the Ministry of Social and Family
Development.
Read more at
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/c
nainsider/lonely-and-waiting-to-die-singapor
e-s-elderly-poor-find-hope-in-8844768
Elderly volunteerism:
RSVP Singapore, an organisation that
promotes volunteering among the elderly,
said that it has seen a 15 per cent increase in
the number of new senior volunteers since
2015.
According to the ​Singapore Longitudinal Ageing More senior citizens could be volunteering because
Study in 2012​ by the National University of they realise it is a fruitful way of spending their
Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, ​one in retirement.
five elderly​ persons in Singapore aged 75 and above
show signs of depression.
In Singapore, elderly suicides have been creeping up,
from 95 cases in 2010 to 126 cases in 2014. Said Ms
Ahmala of her elderly clients:
Depression in the elderly are often related to other
health issues, such as senile dementia and limited
mobility. Living in isolation, loneliness and anxiety
about finances and no longer having the ability to
work also trigger depressive mood swings.
Good read:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/cnainsider
/lonely-and-waiting-to-die-singapore-s-elderly-poor-fi
nd-hope-in-8844768

Elderly Volunteerism: In a National Volunteer

and Philanthropy Centre survey for 2016,
published in May this year, the number of
people aged 55 to 64 who volunteer has
increased from 18 per cent in 2014 to 20 per
cent in 2016.

For those 65 and older, volunteerism has

gone up from 9 per cent to 19 per cent over
the same period.

CONCLUSION In conclusion, the challenge of an ageing demographic for Singapore, and the world at large, is more than a social and population policy issue. As cities grow
denser, more crowded, and increasingly inter-connected, the urban environment becomes a critical element in thinking about how to house, heal, and
engage the ageing populace. The needs and demands of a healthier, better educated, richer, and older population point towards the importance of more
collaboration between multi-agencies and the private sector to innovate on programmes, services, and typologies of housing and healthcare.
Youth
Youth Empowerment These policies aim to empower youth and
schemes provide them with the skills and knowledge
for their futures(careers etc). As the youth will
become the main driving force of the
economy and society.
Main policies in place:
1.Compulsory Education Act​- All Singapore
citizens must complete at least primary level
education by age 15.
Parents that do not enroll their children for
school will be punished by law
2. National Youth Fund- ​A fund set up by the
Singapore National Youth Council(affiliated
with government)that helps to fund Youth
initiatives.
Seeks to give financial support to initiatives
that help to better society. Fund comes from
a $100 Million pool set aside for this purpose.
3. Scholarships and awards-​ Countless
Scholarship awards and prizes awarded to
students that excel in their respective fields,
not just in education but also in holistic
development.
Notable examples:
Edusave Scholarships for Independent
Schools- ​Awarded to top one third of all
students enrolling in Independent Schools
based on their PSLE score. (cognitive
recognition)
This scholarship grants up to $2,400 a year
Scholarship is tenure, this scholarship will
apply as long as the student stays in the
programme they are in(IP/GCE O level) and
demonstrates good conduct.
UPLIFT Scholarship- ​The UPLIFT Scholarship
recognises the achievements of students in
Independent Schools who have performed
To provide the funding, support and recognition for
youths that excel in their field, and to provide equal
opportunities for youth, to allow everyone a chance
to realise their potential, even if they do not have the
financial capabilities to do so.
Meritocratic system that does not focus only on
academics→ As long as exemplary in any field, can be
rewarded for it. Important because it nurtures
holistic education, teaching youths not only skills and
knowledge but also developing character and
producing good citizens.
The Singapore government recognises how important
education is in changing lives and the impact of
education has on the economy, society and even the
political spheres. Singapore being such a small
country lacking in natural resources, we have to stay
competitive in our labour and human capital.
- Singapore government has spent an
increasingly high amount on the education
system, with $12.8 Billion spent last year.
Education also has a big role to play in raising the
standard of living, such as reducing poverty, reducing
crime and the development of leadership, character
and spirituality.
- GDP has increased from 80B in 1960 to 364B
in 2018.(In USD), a record high. Per capita
GDP has thus risen, and people’s standard of
living has increased.
To provide funding for youth empowerment such as
increasing expenditure on education, possibly have
to increase tax revenue, which increases the burden
on the working population in Singapore. If not, a
trade off has to be made that sacrifices money
spent on other sectors like healthcare or defense
onto education.
Policy limitations:
1) Investment in youth and human capital is
always risky because there is no guarantee
that it will pay off in the long run. Talent
may leak out to other countries, which
could signify losses on resources that could
have been put into other sectors that yield
better results.
2) Policies like the Compulsory Education Act
are having little impact in the modern
context because a primary education is
insufficient for an individual to survive in
an increasingly competitive society. The
compulsory education act was passed in
2000 and the world has changed a lot since
then, with many skills becoming obsolete
quickly. A higher level of education may be
needed to guarantee everyone can do well
in their respective careers.
3) However, to be eligible for many such
schemes, there are strict criteria. For
example, for the Financial Assistant
scheme, the student is only eligible is there
is a gross monthly household income of
$2700 and below, or a per capita monthly
income of $690 or below. This does not
benefit some people who are just above
that mark, and are not eligible. It is
estimated that the average Singapore
spends $1300 per month on necessities
alone. If a family is just slightly above that
cut off point, they still face a lot of financial
pressure to make ends meet while
supporting the child’s education.
well academically or in specific talent areas
and are from lower-income families. Cash
grant of $800 per annum.
EAGLES Award- ​Recognises 10% of students
that demonstrated exemplary behavior in
leadership, service or other fields. (Character
recognition)
NAC Arts Scholarship- ​Awarded to
outstanding youths that contribute to the arts
scene in Singapore. An award from the
National Arts Council. (Arts and aesthetics
recognition)
4) Scholarships, especially if it’s issued by the
government, is highly binding and to some
extent limiting the youth’s freedom to
pursue their passions and what they want
to accomplish with their lives because the
scholarships are granted only on the
condition that the youth meets certain
standards set by the scholarship. To some
extent, it defeats its own purpose because
was meant to help empower youth but
instead limits them.

4. Financial Assistance Scheme- ​granted to

students in government schools with a gross
monthly household income of $2700 and
below. Under this scheme, students will
receive:

● A full waiver for school fees.

● A waiver of $6.50 per month for
standard miscellaneous fees.
● Free textbooks and school attire.
● One of the following transport
subsidies:
○ 50% off school bus fares per
year if the student takes the
school bus.
○ $120 transport credit per
year if the student takes
public transport.
● A $2 per meal subsidy of school
meals, applicable to 7 meals per
school week.
Policies to help National Committee on Youth Guidance and Additional Information
Youth-At-Risk Rehabilitation (NYGR): Chaired by MOS Has representation from agencies with a stake in
(​“Those who have Masagos Zulkifli reducing youth delinquency:
been subjected to a – Education, community and social services, health,
combination of Central Youth Guidance Office (CYGO): police, prisons, Central Narcotics Branch, National
interrelated Executive arm of NYGR Youth Council, Attorney-General, the Courts.
biological, – Representatives also from the academia, ethnic
psychological, and self-help groups
social factors that EARLY STAGES
result in a greater Learning Support Programme (LSP):
likelihood for the The LSP is an early intervention programme
development of for children with weak reading skills in
delinquency, English.
substance abuse, or
other related Intensive Case Management (ICM) ​for youths
anti-social and with mental health illness
self-destructive
behaviours”) School Family Education (SFE):
SFE is a ​holistic family learning programme
which aims to equip parents with effective
parenting skills, enhance the family life of
school staff, and inculcate students with
positive values and attitudes towards the
family. Since it started in ​2002​, SFE has
reached out to more than ​2 million people​.
Almost all parents who have experienced the
SFE programme affirm its effectiveness and
would recommend it to other parents.

Youth Guidance Programme: ​Support

through phone calls, visits to
homes/workplaces, face-to-face meetings,
FaceBook etc
BeaconWorks Programme
3-month long programme that works on
improving strained parent-child relationships
Honorary Volunteer Special Constabulary
(school scheme)
As part of the Inter-Ministry Committee on
Youth Crime (IMYC) programmes to address
juvenile delinquency, the Honorary Volunteer
Special Constabulary (Hon VSC) School
Scheme was launched in partnership between
Children Beyond Parental Control (BPC):
Children beyond parental control are those below 16
years of age and who display behavioural problems in
school or at home. They are not offenders, but their
behaviour may be serious enough that parents might
apply to the Court for assistance in managing them.
When a parent / caregiver lays a complaint at the
Juvenile Court that their child is beyond their control
under Section 50 of the Children and Young Persons
Act (CYPA), the Court will direct MSF to prepare a
social report.
 Ministry of Education (MOE) and Singapore The Court can make an order for the child to be
Police Force in phases beginning in 1997. It placed in safe custody in either a Boys’ or Girls’ Home
was started to train school teachers (usually for up to five weeks.
the discipline masters or operation managers)
as police officers. By 2007, 267 volunteer cops
from 144 secondary schools in Singapore have
been appointed Hon VSCs under this scheme.
These teachers don the rank of Inspector or
above. VSCs look into cases within the school
context, such as bullying.

Youth crime prevention roadshows

Prison Visit Education Programme for

Schools

Project Green Leaf (PGL)

A youth engagement program, was initiated
by Ang Mo Kio Police Division in 2010. It
involves engaging youths to broaden their
awareness so as to get them to stay away
from crime. The selected youths went
through a series of educational programs
which included visits to Changi Prison, talks by
various government agencies such as the
Central Narcotic Bureau and Singapore
Customs as well as confidence and
team-building initiatives.

MOE-Youth Apprenticeship Programme

CDC career centres

Youth Employment