Understanding Singapore
When I tell people I live in Singapore, the most common misunderstandings I hear are:
- “How can you live in that sterile squeaky-clean police state?”
- “Isn’t that where they cane people for chewing gum?”
- “Disneyland with a death penalty! Haha!”
- “What part of China is that in?”
I’m not surprised when people misunderstand Singapore, because it requires a little explanation.
First — some important context:
Singapore is an island so small you can drive around the whole country in two hours.
In 1819, it was set up by the British as a tax-free trading port, instantly attracting business from the entire region. So it’s always had a mix of Malay, Indian, and Chinese people, though the majority are Chinese.
It quickly became an anything-goes town, with opium, prostitution and gambling, run by secret societies. Its nickname was “Sin-Galore”.
In 1963, Singapore became a part of Malaysia. But racial tensions between the Malay and Chinese populations led to ongoing race riots. So in 1965, Singapore was kicked out of Malaysia, making it suddenly (and reluctantly) an independent country.
Since Singapore had no natural resources, no local industry, and was geographically vulnerable, few people believed it would survive.
But being a do-or-die survival situation, the government and people of Singapore got extremely focused, pragmatic, and competitive to do whatever it takes to make this tiny island thrive against the odds.
Their main survival strategy was to focus on making Singapore an ideal place for big business — attracting multinational corporations to set up their Asian headquarters here.
All these historical ingredients are important for the rest of this explanation to make sense.
Why so clean?
Because Singapore is so small, keeping it clean is a manageable job. (You can’t easily clean India or China.)
But really the cleanliness is marketing. What better way to prove to multinational corporations that Singapore is a stable, trustable, and efficient place to set up your headquarters? It’s no coincidence that the highway leading from the airport to downtown has the most perfectly manicured landscape. First impressions matter to visiting CEOs.
It’s why the country’s leaders all wear white. It’s a show of incorruptibility — a metaphor for being orderly and transparent with attention to detail. Getting to know Singapore’s government is like looking under the hood of a Ferrari. It’s incredibly well-designed and well-run.
Singapore is always selling itself to the world. The chairman of the government’s Economic Development Board told his colleagues, “We are in the hospitality business.” The government works hard to stay competitive on every international measure. Any time there are international rankings comparing countries, you’ll find Singapore near the top of the list. Except for free speech, but I’ll cover that next.
Lastly: why no chewing gum? Purely pragmatic. It was gumming up the subway system, causing delays, and was too hard to clean off surfaces, so the sale of it was banned. Keeping the country clean and running smoothly was more important.
So that’s why Singapore has an international reputation for being so clean. It’s brilliant marketing — visual proof of the order and cleanliness you can expect if you set up your business or banking here.
Why so strict?
Three reasons: transformation, size, and marketing.
First: transformation. To quickly turn Singapore from “Sin-Galore” to being the Switzerland of Asia would require great strategy and strict, uncompromising execution of that strategy. We’re used to seeing this in corporations, like Jack Welch at GE or Steve Jobs returning to Apple, but it’s surprising to see it carried out successfully in a government. (Many say Singapore is more like a corporation than a country.)
And it worked! In one generation, Singapore went through a dramatic increase in the standard of living. In one generation, this tiny dot went from being broke to being one of the richest countries in the world, without any natural resources, purely by strict execution of a great strategy.
Its lack of corruption was an important ingredient in its success. In a region where political corruption is rampant, Singapore is the only country that severely punishes corruption. It regularly ranks as one of the least corrupt countries in the world.
Next: size. Singapore’s UN representative once said, “America is like an aircraft carrier. If you jump up and down, it’s not going to shake. Singapore is like a canoe. If you jump up and down, it will sink. If you lose stability in Singapore, you lose everything.”
Lastly: marketing. When an American teenager vandalized 18 cars in Singapore, he was sentenced to jail and caning. This turned into an international incident, with Bill Clinton asking Singapore not to prosecute him. But as a government official said, “It was a way of demonstrating that Singapore was prepared to stand up against the mighty America.”
To me, that’s brilliant marketing. A memorable way for a country to prove to the world that they obey the rule of law, without exception, and don’t waive the laws for special requests from powerful people. I think this kind of approach makes corporate leaders more likely to do their business and banking in Singapore.
All that said, you could argue that Singapore is not so strict — less strict than Switzerland or California — because it’s a laissez-faire “do what you want” approach where life and business are not regulated for most of us in the middle. Only the behavior that clearly hurts others or society is punished. Everyone else gets to live in an incredibly safe, crime-and-corruption-free place.
So very pragmatic
The common thread behind everything here is pragmatism. The country’s leadership consistently makes rational choices to improve the strength and profitability of Singapore. It’s pragmatic, not dogmatic. It’s not that the leaders of Singapore hate chewing gum or are neat freaks. These were just rational decisions to do what was best for the country at that time. The prime minister has a degree in Computer Science, as does the deputy prime minister. This is a country run by engineers and economists.
So it’s important to know that these things are changing fast. The government is constantly but conservatively re-assessing its stance on everything, to keep up with the times. The last few years have seen a huge move towards more democracy and free speech, with the theater and arts scene blossoming because of it.
Singapore’s #1 enemy is complacency. Now that Singapore is one of the most successful countries in the world, the top priority is to keep that competitive edge. This “keep on your toes” message is constantly communicated at all levels — a reminder to never assume that things will stay this good. Keep pushing. Stay on top. Don’t let your guard down. Always be competitive.
Singapore was founded on the ideals of the Age of Enlightenment — the age of reason and rationality — and its founder built those lofty ideals into its blueprint. So to understand Singapore, you need to understand that it’s always been designed top-down, from the beginning, to realize these rational ideals.
Never knew any of that, and what a great way to approach things.
Wow! Derek, this is really valuable information and I had no idea all the benefits to doing business in Singapore or how clean the environment is there. Thanks for putting more information on the subject into books for us all! That's crazy only two hours to drive around the entire country, what a victory!
Trey
AfternoonInnovations.com
Thanks for posting. This was very informative.
This is a great intro, and totally aligns with my experience of living there. It's so hard to explain to people why I love that quirky city state, but this is a fantastic start.
Derek,
This is succinct, simple and savvy. I simply now know more about Singapore etc. etc.
You have created a truly valuable thing here. Benefitting any who look into a country of interest. You are personifying Singapore’s approach and success.
Congratulations – excellent work Derek.
Fiona
Your quick posts are so interesting. My Gmail marks them as "Important", and I'll allow them to keep entering my Priority Inbox because the amount of insight per paragraph is enormous.
Sooooooo........how do I find out how steelpan music would go over there, either in sales or performance (less interested in performance). Do they download music much? If so, what download source do they use? How would I find out if you don't know?
Music holds a different place in culture/society here. I'll write about that in the future. Or email me anytime if you can't wait. — Derek
I think it is inspired that you are doing this Derek. Fabulous and thank you.
I was in Singapore a couple of years ago, co-teaching TV production workshops. It was a great experience and of course. The diversity among the population was somewhat of a revelation for me.
"Because Singapore is so small, keeping it clean is a manageable job. (You can’t easily clean India or China.)
But really the cleanliness is marketing. What better way to prove to multinational corporations that Singapore is a stable, trustable, and efficient place to set up your headquarters? It’s no coincidence that the highway leading from the airport to downtown has the most perfectly manicured landscape. First impressions matter to visiting CEOs."
This is an awesome point. It reminds me of Bill Walsh's management philosophy of taking care of the little things, outlined in the Score Takes Care of Itself.
I never really knew much about Singapore. Happy I clicked through on your email, read this post and learned something new today.
Excellent Article!! I am feeling quite left out of this affluent place called Singapore though. Not one mention of art, music and dance. Scary..Without art..really no matter how affluent..this world would not long be a living planet..only through bringing heaven to earth with beauty, song, dance, inventions and literature do souls really feel alive! Now with that said, I would love to visit Singapore and perhaps in person, would find a much different vibe then a country run by economists....corporations...so from a buisness point of view, hey I am packing my suitcase now..from an artist/musician point of view..nothing about Singapore would welcome a bohemian artists such as I!
Gosh, Singapore sounds so perfect, and...and...sterile.
But I'm afraid I've lived in too many parts of the world to buy into it's perfection. Much like Disney, wealthy societies are usually built on the backs of the poor...at the expense of the poor.
How much time have you spent with the locals? Or the other south-east asians? Have lived among them? Or do you go out to dinner at nice restaurants, with other western expats?
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/11/singapore-poverty-spotlight-20131178362669442.html
Governments can be very good at controlling international opinion. Last year Bahrain suppressed news about protests (while also suppressing protestors) by buying off the BBC. The BBC!!! But how many people know about that.
I'm not saying Singapore is bad. I don't know, I haven't been there. I'm just questioning how close you're looking? And maybe no one reading this even cares. Big business? Clean streets? Super! The poor are dirty anyway. Maybe they should be oppressed. But hey, you said you wanted our thoughts. These are mine.
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, Maureen. ☺ No place is perfect, but I'm describing what I love about this place. And yes most of my Singapore friends are “local” Singaporean, and I have family here, too. — Derek
In response to Maureen's comment, my wife and I have been to Singapore many times, and we've spoken to the locals on several occasions (since we always go back to the same food stalls). They gave us the impression of liking their country very much, and being very happy with the way it was run. They certainly didn't seem oppressed and I don't think anyone is really poor there, although with so much wealth the gap between the wealth classes is very large. Still, at least the people we spoke to loved living there and didn't even think of the benefits as coming with any sort of tradeoff. If you told them that maybe they'd give up some of the cleanliness or order in exchange for the freedom to chew gum they'd think you were nuts.
That said, if you fall outside the social norms things might not be so easy. Housing is assigned by the government and very highly prioritised to married couples with children, for example. If you were gay, or didn't want to get married or have kids, things might be difficult. But it's a long way from the sort of political repression you're describing, though.
Thanks for the comment, Colin. One correction: housing is definitely not *assigned*. Government housing just means that the government subsidizes the building of those buildings. Then citizens and permanent residents can use their “CPF” (like Social Security) to help buy an apartment in those buildings. — Derek
you are so a head of the game i think. My company just promoted me new morgul so we will vision for business opportunities. .Just we 've learned from you Sir Sivers
As another American resident of Singapore, Derek, I think this is an extremely useful, accurate and concise picture of our little country. Good job!
Thanks Kris! Good to hear from you. — Derek
From Oregon to singapore! Derek, you've found your niche;)
Hi Derek. I'm interested in what you are promoting. I sent your segment on Singapore to a friend from there. These are her comments. You may or may not find them useful:
I just read the article and it’s pretty accurate from a expatriate’s point of view. What he doesn’t address (probably because he doesn’t know) is lack of free speech. I felt it most when I was a journalist there. It might have opened up more since my time with the advent of the internet, since information can hardly be controlled via the web. He also doesn’t say much about the claustrophobia and lack of space amongst the ordinary Singaporeans, probably because he lives in a fancy house/apartment in a more affluent area.
Very well put, Derek. I am a huge fan of Singapore and think it is a leader and prime example of a well-run, properly managed and respectful country.
I remember Lad Zeppelin getting off their plane there -- and being ordered back on because they had long hair!
Ah, yeah. Times have changed since the 70s. — Derek
Great! Will definitely have a look at this book. I think singapore is undergoing some new changes with a great push towards entrepreneurship and innovations. You ll see great startups coming out of this country in this decade.
So I suppose this wouldn't be a very good place to light up a joint.
Probably the worst. — Derek
Thank you for your insight and sharing the perspectives you have found out there roaming the world with your eyes and mind wide open. Your emails always enlighten and inspire me, you are a gifted observer and very generous to share your thoughts and discoveries.
While Singapore certainly deserves credit for all the wealth it has created in a single generation (some credit to the Singapore Government, but also credit to the lowly-paid migrant workers who built this city, and the many foreigners who have brought their money here to take advantage of low tax rates).
This is a very flattering piece that does leave out much of the rest of the story of Singapore; not to mention the many challenges that Singapore is facing now.
Nice article. I go to Singapore a few times a year and completely agree with your assessment. I could easily live there.
Thank you so much, Derek. This is a unique egg to crack; a golden egg of information. I knew the overall stats and our cultural myth about Singapore. But your unique viewpoint living there aids in a translation of cultures. Drilling down to the rationale behind all the workings of Singapore is an eye-opener. Again, thank you.
A little deeper understanding might be helpful here. My husband was hired by the Singaporean government to find solutions to clean up some very serious toxic problems there. There's an island for example awash in used motel oil that had been strained through pantyhose (so it could be reused), so an entire island covered in oil and oily pantyhose (for starts). There are many dirty secrets there despite it's squeaky clean appearance.
An American 5 years and counting in Singapore... While this model isn't replicable back home, it does make me look back and wonder if there's something that can be fixed applying some of Singapore's philosophies. My pick would be the insatiable need to be #1 in infrastructure and #1 in education. Another great example of pragmatism is Singapore's willingness to pursue stem cell research after the US Gov curbed federal research funding...
I'm a Singaporean. Just some of my thoughts on this. Every day I'm glad I'm living in Singapore. It's where people of different cultures can live in harmony. You don't have to worry when your child is going to end up dead in school by random shootings. You don't have to worry whether justice will be melt out if your daughter's being raped and/or killed [Singapore gives a human being the respect and dignity it should have (whether a women, a child, or a migrant worker)]. You don't have to put up with protests that slow the tourism economy and affect livelihood. I'm glad we have a government that speaks responsibly, don't have ridiculous fighting (whether physically or verbally) among themselves in parliament, at least work together to listen to their citizens and think of ways to better the country. Singapore is the 2nd most competitive country in the region and doing business is tough (though starting one is not :). Yet ironically we survive because of this.
Some say Singapore lacks freedom of speech, or space. However we must remember, be glad majority have the financial means to get out if they want to - mean monthly household income at $7,570 in 2012, versus many parts of the world where they couldn't even do so and resign to the situation and their government. Freedom to do something is not freedom when clear boundaries are not set to protect the society and cultural harmony at large.
Singapore is always moving forward to improve things and you are right to point out that Singapore is run like a corporation than a country. Ever heard of country giving out 'dividend growth' to citizens when she is doing well? Well, maybe we are the first country in the world to do. At times I do feel Singapore is too pragmatic, changing too fast (every corner there is some construction going on) and lacks the empathy. However things are improving to have more heart when setting policies. When a government or political individual is blatantly all about themselves with selfish motives and agendas, the citizens will suffer.
When I was in Japan for a year, some of my foreign classmates envy Singapore in a way. Because we speak two languages and Singapore is progressing healthily as compared to their own countries. However I think sometimes when we live in one place for too long and don't get to live in other countries, you don't see the good your own homeland offers and this is sad to think about it. Key to happiness is to be grateful of what you have and improve on it. The grass may look greener on the other side, however what kind of soil builds up this grass - we have to think through thoroughly.
☺ Thanks for the thoughts, Sharon. I agree, too! — Derek
The United States, more so than Singapore, was founded on ideals of the Enlightenment-- it rejected royalty and inherited power and it was founded on a faith in the people to govern themselves. The Civil War, our second revolution, was fought to ensure that those ideals would not perish. Some think that our ideals are being destroyed and that maybe it is time for a new revolution.
I often think that our current leaders envy and act more like those in Singapore who seem to more easily convince its people that security and prosperity justify curtailing their rights.
Isn't it curious that as Singapore struggles or pretends to struggle to allow the growth of a political opposition, the two parties in the US are increasingly in accord about so many things (often with little relation to the founding ideals) that they are almost indistinguishable.
In his small book, Millennium, the French economist and thinker, Jacques Attali predicted a new age of city states to which wealthy nomads would flock.
Increasingly, such places are becoming indistinguishable. Except for token differences, such as cleanliness or degrees of efficiency, airports and office blocks look all alike-- and similarly hide growing inequality and signs of squalor. (All made possible by non-productive financial speculation.)
I do not mean to offend anyone by my less than rosy picture of the state of things. I believed that caning Michael Fay was inhumane and cruel, as inhumane as caning anyone. (Abu Ghraib, extraordinary rendition, Guantanamo was and is inhumane and cruel. Assassinating someone without trial or waging imperialistic wars in which uncounted innocents are left homeless, maimed and killed is very inhumane and cruel, and unjustified. That is what the US does-- who can blame anyone seeking a haven from such?)
Among Singaporeans, I greatly admire Chee Soon Juan, who shared with many Americans (and much of the world) high aspirations for President Obama when he was elected.
I still admire his ideals for Singapore, which are truly rooted in Enlightenment values.
I find it shameful that Obama, to my knowledge could not have bothered to defend someone such as he.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNhfIexncdc
Sincerely,
Robert B. Livingston
San Francisco
PS: Singapore was enriched by a confluence of historical factors, geography, and trade. Also built on much back-breaking labor-- more importantly than the enlightened (small e) input of digit LKY.
In many ways it is a vulnerable (and remarkable) place.
The people of Singapore deserve good lives-- as do all people everywhere.
!! Also great points. Thanks Robert! — Derek
Thanks Derek,
Best Regards
Jan
Thank you Derek.
This is very informative and well written.
One other interesting bit of information about Singapore is that their early leadership looked at Israel as a role model, in particular in the areas of military, security, and education.
Since the two countries have lots in common in terms of size, being surrounded by larger enemies (Singapore is always concerned about Malaysia, Indonesia, and China), and with almost no natural resources.
It was said that their first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, idolized David Ben-Gurion, the first Israeli prime minister.
Best Regards,
Ziv.
Hi Derek, after returning from our one month tour of Asia, I went to a local Red Cross blood drive here in Hawaii. They would not accept my blood because I had just come back from Singapore. Of all the countries we we in, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, Singapore was the cleanest place we visited. The Red Cross said I could come back and donate blood in one year. ( I guess if I am still alive in a year they will accept my blood.)
They told me there is still a SARS ( respiratory ) epidemic there. I hope you mention this in your book. Thanks for the interesting reviews.
Yep, that's about it. Except the control part, the benevolent dictatorship aspect, which apparently, is changing somewhat too. But, if the PAP is losing its iron grip on power there, or altering its grip in an attempt to maintain political influence, there were times in the recent past where political opponents who were gaining too much attention were promptly squashed or actually banished. And in the arts, if you are under the umbrella of the Arts Council, you could be treated oh, so well, as long as the art you wish to create is acceptable in their eyes. Controversy is not tolerated, creating a false sense of freedom and an unwillingness on the controlling power blocks' part to embrace the "dirtier" aspects of real life. For example, Singapore will never be a Paris, and hence the legitimacy and depth of its arts scene will always be questionable at best. In my opinion, the problem with Singapore is the same as the problem with the rest of the world, a lack of heart and compassion in leadership and a predominance of greed and the accumulation of material things at the expense of morals and spiritual values.
In response to Keith Fitzgerald, when Singapore first began - we were poor, dirt poor.
Lowly paid migrant workers? We, Singaporeans were the workers. (Local women who wore red hats and lifted cement, alongside men ) It was not too long ago that toilets were just a hole in the ground; much less attracting foreigners here to deposit their cash.
So before you credit the external factors for Singapore's success. Take note that, it was the diligent resilient locals who grit through, bear with the less-glamourous facilities - and build everything from scratch with our hands - to the Singapore it is today. Low-crime, clean air, and reliable food source.
Finally, besides all the strict laws and rules - there is also compassionate discretion.
To Derek, thanks for writing about the misconceptions people have our island state! :) If you think Singapore is cool now, in the 1980s - it was better. Less crowded (there were hardly visitors since most people have not heard of Singapore) and amongst the locals - educated, good english and raring to show the world what our tiny island we call home, can do - having weathered through a tumultuous time of lack. You can catch a glimpse of 1980s Singapore here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5IV8qJTvCU
Thanks Esther! — Derek
This is a good description of Singapore, but you gloss over one huge elephant in the room - Singapore is built (quite literally) on cheap migrant labour, on the exploitation of people from countries like India and the Philippines, who are paid a pittance and kept in inhuman conditions, but cannot leave because they're in debt to whoever brought them there. When these people try to protest that they are being horribly mistreated, they are thrown into prison and then deported.
This is a country where you have to get permission from the police to meet in public, where people are publicly shamed for criticising the authorities on the internet. It is a fake democracy, still basically a one-party state, dominated by the Chinese. The PR is that everyone lives together in harmony, but under the surface there is the most appalling racism.
See Stephen's">sive.rs/sg14#comment-47008">Stephen's comment - #47, below. — Derek
I think the gum policy should be implemented in more countries if not the entire world.
I was missing a reference to "double check and reconfirm", the special caution exercised to the border of Kiasuness.
My wife and I have just returned from a fortnight in Singapore. We used to live there, from 1992 to 2006, so we can lay some claim to having smelt the "Singaporean roses"....er..."palm trees".
What we found was a continuing vibrancy (a term that Singapore likes to use). It was rewarding to enumerate the changes in landscape (economic, human, social, architectural) in the space of the seven years. Impressive is the adjective that comes to mind.
In my experience it has always been easy to do business in Singapore. The cliche saying is that Singapore imitates what it sees elsewhere. That, it undeniably does; however, with a pragmatic approach and with thoughtful optimisation. I am in contact with some of the nation's technology builders and this comes through often.
On the other side of the equation, Singapore with all its careful governmental planning and tutelage, is a "no worries" society. Witness the calm and equanimity of expression on the shoppers on Orchard Road and elsewhere. Life is relatively simple and ordered ...visible and predictable, compared to some other parts of the world. The saying that "necessity is the mother of invention" begs one to ponder if such an approach from its governance can foster the spirit of innovation from its society that it ardently seeks. Innovation in process, in adaptation,and in the management of entropy will likely be the real and more tangible fruit from this resplendent tree at this gateway to Asia.
Whatever the means, the results observed were remarkable. A young and brave country with its aspirations , but not without its own growing problems. However,with demonstrable capacity to re-invent itself.
Francesca Valder (43) said that Singapore is built on cheap migrant labour. That is not the whole picture. The first generations of Singaporeans built everything with their hands and laid the foundation for today's success. Later, migrants came because life is so much viable here than in their own country. Some earn much more than what they would have earn back home, if they were to remain a farmer for example. Can anyone deny them the opportunity to build a better life? Many make a small fortune and returned home. Many stayed too. If they do not like it here, they can always go to the Middle East where they are housed in worker enclaves. In Singapore, they take the same train, eat at the same food centre and go to the same park as the locals.
To find the real spirit of Singapore, you need to get to know the locals. Many of them give of their time to volunteer, will not hesistate to help a stranger and is generally very hospitable. You need to dig deeper and not merely scratch the surface to find the Singapore heart.
☺ Agreed. Thanks Stephen. — Derek
Hi Derek, I play with India Arie & it looks like we're coming to play a festival in Singapore (late Feb-Early March). I'm looking forward to it more now because of your info, Thanks, & maybe we'll see you there :-) Blue
Arun Shenoy, Manipal-born (India) the first artist/resident of Sinapore to receive a GRAMMY Nomination ever. He did this with his Rumbadoodle release, in the Best Pop Instrumental category for the 55th Awards.
Mr.Sivers its been quiet some time kind Sir! Thank you kindly for that informative description of Singapore may you be Blessed in all your great paths of life. Prosper be in excellent health and laugh offend.
Very enlightening. Thanks Derek.
Wow. I never knew a lot of this about Singapore. It makes me want to visit there. (I don't know what I'd do once I GOT there, but that's another story.)
This is great info for the business man who knows little about this country.
This is a very enlightening article. For the person that wants to get a good start in getting a business up and running, Singapore seems an ideal place to take your chances in making a business happen in Asia.
Thanks for the well written info . It sounds like a great place to do some gigs.
My son has done business in Asia since the 1980s. He lived in Hong Kong when single and married a beautiful Chinese doctor from Singapore. The family has lived there for years with a break in California for a while when I had surgery. I miss seeing the grandchildren but realize that they live in one of the best places in the world. I agree with your assessment, while I'm more concerned about what's happening in this country!
I was born in Singapore and am Singaporean Chinese / English mix . Im in accord with Derek's insights into the country. Its an ever evolving place -quite a fast pace of life and although not perfect what country is ? They have achieved so much there in a short space of time and this requires rules - for the greater good. I also agree that the Arts have been side -lined in the past - but that is now changing too. Great synopsis Derek .
Thanks Phil! — Derek
never knew! thx !!!!!
Derek, How long have you lived here in Singapore? Living in Singapore is like being an actor on the Trueman Show... You are told what your reality should be. What you are not covering here is that Singapore has one of the highest income gaps between rich and poor in the world. It doesn't look like sub saharan Africa (great marketing ofcourse) but as a result of close to zero social security, over 10% of the population live in poverty.
Let me give you one example for you to study Derek. Just look around you to see who's cleaning your dishes at food courts @$4/hr (no minimum wage in Singapore). It's an 75 year old grand father who needs the money to support his extended family. If you spent 40 years of your working life building this country I don't think you'd want to spend your last few years without running water cleaning tables at Food courts. I can gurentee you this is not an isolated incident.
Look beyond the headlines Derek. It is truely shocking how different the marketing version of Singapore tourists see and the real thing.
About everyone and everything in the world, you can say good things and bad things, and both can be true. I am just here to say good things. And they are all true. — Derek
Derek, One correction to your correction of Colin's comment. Colin is in fact correct. Housing is Assigned in Singapore if you have to live in public (HDB) housing estates. It seems like you have not really spent much time understanding how Singapore really works.
Everything I say here is public policy and published on HDB website. The first assesment is based on your race. The government tightly controls the racial mix in housing estates. (e.g a particular block cannot have more than x% of malays etc.) This is very bad for my Singaporean Indian friends because the resale value of their unit is lower as they are the smaller minority compared to the Chinese and Malays.
Then there are several catogories of assignment of housing based on your marital status. If your status and the quotas for the block you want do not tally up good luck finding your dream house! It is common practice to get married on paper while you are still dating so you get into a catogory of "married couple" so that your housing options are better. The absolute worst thing to be is gay! If you are Singaporean and gay and want to own your own flat ..... pay $1Million+ for a private condominimum ... or rent forever!
Restrictions are different from being *assigned* to live somewhere. To be *assigned* means you are forced to live somewhere, and have no say in it. As a Permanent Resident, I am not allowed to buy a Landed Property. That does not mean I am *assigned* to live somewhere else. — Derek
Wow, seems like a very nice Country!
I think Brazil could use some of this 0-tolerance to corruption. It would benefit a lot from this.
Great! Lots of interesting facts that I did not know about. It´s many years since I lived and worked in Singapore but the place did make an impression on me.
Great article that explains the history & mentality of the country in a nutshell. Having worked there & lived in the suburbs recently, I observed 2 types of Singaporeans: those that speak fluent English & work with foreigners & those who don't. I view the real Singapore as VERY Mandarin Chinese in many ways. Most Chinese Singaporeans do not speak English & loathe foreigners. They are VERY racist towards Malays & Indians. They regard themselves as Westerners even though they are really ultra-conservative religious Chinese with an unhealthy repressive attitude towards sex, especially any type of nudity in general & nudity in art/movies. They equate it with porn, which of course it is not. Many young Chinese Singaporean men lack the confidence or basic social skills to attract or even converse with young women. I blame their sexually dysfunctional society and internet porn stereotypes for this. The food is great though. I still enjoyed my time there & will be returning soon.
HI Derek, I was just in Singapore from Jan 16-20 and agree with everything you just said. Singapore is beautiful, clean and amazing and I have the greatest respect.
As I understand it, they also have zero debt.
I love Singapore. beautiful, clean, energetic, good power.
Maintenance is really a sensible national health point of view, it is also beautiful and creates comfort.
Artists inspiring, architecturally fascinating. hard and soft confluence.
The multi-national and exiciting, but safe..
Interesting. I did not know all of that. But I would be interested in knowing more about everyday life. If you want to stay in the business field then at least things such as cost of living, real Estate, socio-economical view of the population.
There was no mention of the jazz scene or how they sometimes host international jazz musicians to work there.
It seemed general overall to me. I thought it might have a musical twist in there somewhere.
You did give some good information, and made it sound appealing. Sounds small.
Very interesting and informative! We entered into a music licensing Agreement for Singapore last year and I've been very impressed with how the company does business.
Sounds like a very Asian way of doing things--not at all suite for western minds.
Very interesting... I learned a lot in a short amount of time. Well written Guru! :-)
Love the writing, Derek. Easy read for a seemingly serious subject. You've done it again. Bravo!
Thankyou for this very enlightening article. I once heard an interview with a retired Mayor of Singapore who explained how they dealt with problems caused by new immigrants who choose to settle in the same area causing an imbalance in the school population in that area and freezing out the former residents - a problem we were struggling with here in Vancouver. Their solution was to enact By-Laws limiting new emigrants from exceeding a certain percentage in any particular area. I was very impressed!
Yeah. It's a solution to the problem of the race riots of 1963-1965: HDB apartment buildings must have a mix of races to match the racial makeup of the country, to prevent any one neighborhood or even building from becoming purely one group. Seems to be an effective solution. — Derek
Interesting thoughts. I think the size aspect is helpful--you couldn't do this everywhere. There are certainly lessons that can be learned, but America couldn't duplicate this and make it work just due to logistics.
great intro to our country, but subsequent chapters should address objectively the problem areas as a consequence of a rapidly increasing (in numbers) and aging population, and innovative ways to deal with it (transport, health and hospitals, nursing homes). Following on your reasoning that singapore is small enough to get things done, perhaps it may show the rest of the world how to deal with these problems.
Also, embracing technology and how that has changed the lives of singaporeans. You did not cover connectivity and web access, that may be of interest to compare connectivity in the various countries you have written on. Finally racial tolerance - any laws you may want to highlight which are peculiar to a certain country to warn travelers e.g. death penalty, chewing gum, litter (singapore), stoning and limb amputation (Brunei) etc
Great work, I love it and will post on my linked in and twitter pages
Thank you for the feedback, Susan! I really appreciate it. It's an honour to know you.">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Lim">you. — Derek
Hi Derek: Singapore sounds like a beautiful place to live! But I would get clostrophobic like I do on Maui after a week. I enjoy all your articles. There aren't too many. They're very interesting.
I find this very interesting and helpful for person wanting to obtain information of the area.
It's a bit of an old post but I'd like to say it is great if you to give my country exposure to your audience. It's not a perfect one but it's pretty darn good.
Cheers Mate
I lived in Singapore for 2.5 years.
The hardest part of living there long term is the climate (always hot and humid), the fact that to go somewhere else you need a plane, and that Singaporeans tend to not show a lot of fantasy in passions, interests, or things to do - at least to a white guy like me.
Thank you for such a concise analysis of Singapore. I really enjoyed reading your article.
As a Singaporean, I've got to say that your analysis about our culture is spot on. The part about the PAP's governing ideology is astute as well - pragmatism is indeed the name of the game here. Of course, that comes with drawbacks as well, but we learn to accept these tradeoffs.
☺ Thank you! — Derek
Hello - Haven't thought about this in a while, but here's a short, funny story for you: I visited my father, (who worked in Singapore for about 10 yrs.) when I was 19 yrs. old. I was so excited as we drove down Orchard Rd. from the airport, until I threw my cigarette butt out of my back window. I was horrified as the friver and my father informed me that I could have been ticketed with a heavy fine for that!
Needless to say, it didn't happen again :)
Going to look for your books now and pick out one to read.
They look very interesting!