By SIA380 – Sia Han Yung
HCI 4S2 2011



Development Status of Singapore
Analysis of current proposals in GE 2011
Manifesto
Manifesto

Income per capita (Per Capita GNI)

UN High-Income economies




Year
2000
 US$10726 or more
2001
Singapore has > that value2002
2003
since 1990
2004
Amount set to increase 2005
according to trend
2006
2007
DEVELOPED
2008
SUSTAINABLE
2009
2010
S$
40,029
37,546
37,687
39,136
42,380
45,537
50,567
56,369
52,941
52,177
57,603
US$
23,220
20,956
21,047
22,464
25,072
27,356
31,825
37,402
37,419
35,873
42,246




Employment structure
Large majority of workforce employed in
secondary and tertiary industries
DEVELOPED
SUSTAINABLE?


Dependent on other countries for primary
resources
Lack of primary industry would mean no
secondary or tertiary industry

However, though GDP growth (14%) is significant,

Increasing income gap between the rich and the poor
 Bottom 10% employed househoulds have average monthly
household income per household member of $354, up from
$340 3 years ago
 Bottom 20% employed households have average monthly
household income per household member of $675, up from
$630 3 years ago
 Poor are not gaining from GDP growth
Large sum of GDP growth goes to corporate companies
profits and top income wagers
 Lead to Poor being Poorer, Rich being Richer

 Social Unrest due to conflict






Population Pyramid
Narrow base with a significant boradening in
upper portion
Lower Birth Rate
Lower Death Rate
Ageing Population (Unsustainable)
Developed



Life expectancy
Year
Total
Male
Female
1999
77.6
75.6
79.6
2004
79.6
77.1
82.0
2005
80.1
77.6
82.5
2006
80.3
77.8
82.6
2007
80.6
78.1
82.9
2008
80.9
78.4
83.3
2009
81,4
79.0
83.7
All of Singapore’s population has access to healthcare
services
High Life Expectancy, THUS DEVELOPED


Infant mortality rate
Low, due to great sanitation facilities and
healthcare systems, thus DEVELOPED

% of Urban Population
100%
 All Singaporeans live in an urban area, with modern
infrastructure and facilities
 THUS DEVELOPED


Access to water and sanitation


100%
Adult Literacy Rate
94.6%
 Compulsory primary school education




Multi-racial cosmopolitan society
Equal opportunities for all
DEVELOPED

Nature Reserves are preserved for leisure
Bukit Batok Nature Reserve
 Bukit Timah Hill
 Various resovoirs
 Chek Jawa



Efforts made to preserve nature amidst great
economic growth
Switch to usage of lower power appliances
(Road lamps) and smart appliances

Freedom of speech


Restricted and controlled by government in
Singapore
Worries of life (Quality of life)


Stress from hectic lifestyle
Worries to make a living in high cost of living city

DEVELOPMENT RESULT:






DEVELOPED ECONOMICALLY
DEVELOPED DEMOGRAPHICALLY
DEVELOPED SOCIALLY
NOT DEVELOPED IN UNMEASURABLE ASPECTS
UNEQUAL DEVELOPMENT
SUSTAINABILITY
SOCIALLY UNSUSTAINABLE
 DEMOGRAPHICALLY UNSUSTAINABLE
 Partial Economic Unsustainability
 ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE


Freedom of Speech


All rallies must be government approved
Media controlled

Widening Income Gap

Leading to conflict and SOCIAL
UNSUSTAINABLILITY

Ageing Population

Lack of primary industry would mean a down
fall of secondary and tertiary industries as
LEDCs are moving towards these industries,
and less primary industries are available


Growth will benefit all citizens
We will create fulfilling jobs and opportunities for everyone to
progress, including the lower- and middle-income groups. To
achieve this, we will:





Ensure a diverse and innovative economy, that enables Singapore to
overcome the competitive challenges ahead and hold its own
internationally
Help companies expand and compete overseas, while attracting new
investments that add value to Singapore
Deepen R&D and innovation in every industry, so that companies can
come up with new products and services to grow their businesses
Work with unions and firms to raise productivity and upgrade jobs in
every line of work, so that all workers can raise their skills and earn
more
Invest $2.5 billion in Continuous Education and Training, so that
everyone has the chance to develop their skills and expertise or enter
new fields throughout their working lives


Every citizen will share in Singapore’s progress.
We are doing more to help lower-income Singaporeans to uplift
themselves, and to encourage their children to discover their
strengths and do well. To achieve this, we will:





Reward work and the spirit of self-reliance, by enhancing incomes through
Workfare
Help them own their homes through the Additional Housing Grants and
the new Special Housing Grants, and provide them more housing options
including two-room flats
Support their children with larger bursaries and grants from pre-school
through to tertiary education, and ensure specialist support for schools to
intervene early to help them achieve their full potential
Strengthen the safety net for the needy, ill or disabled through Medifund
and Public Assistance, as well as ComCare and the many helping hands of
the community
Foster the spirit of volunteerism and help community groups raise
donations through government co-funding, so that everyone plays a role
in building a compassionate society


Our children are our future.
We will create one of the best education systems in the world,
giving Singaporeans of diverse abilities and interests the paths to
develop themselves to the fullest. To achieve this, we will:






Engage and deploy more quality teachers and allied educators in every school
to develop the character, values and all-round abilities of our children
Upgrade older school buildings through the PRIME programme and provide
outstanding facilities for all schools, including indoor sports halls and
performance arts and dance studios
Open more pathways for children with diverse interests and abilities to do
well in academic or technical fields, or in the arts and sports
Offer more support for children with learning difficulties and special needs
Widen the range of university, polytechnic and ITE programmes to create
many peaks of excellence, and enhance financial support for students from
lower and middle-income families
Build more childcare centres and kindergartens in every neighbourhood and
raise their quality, to give every child a good start in life and to support couples
who want more children


Good primary schools in every neighbourhood
We are transforming primary education across the island:

More teachers in every school.
 We will have one teacher for every 16 pupils by 2015, compared to 19
pupils in 2010 and 26 in 2000.
 There will also be more allied educators, such as specialists in learning
disabilities.

Best facilities for broad-based learning.
 Most primary schools will become single session by 2016.
 They will also have better classrooms, special rooms for art and music,
plus eco-ponds and science gardens for outdoor learning.
 Every child will get a strong, all-round foundation, no matter which
school they attend.
 There will be more teaching of weaker pupils in smaller groups, more
individual help, as well as more programmes to nurture those with
special talents.


We will create the best home, a city for the young and old.
Singaporeans will enjoy a city that offers not just good career
opportunities, but an outstanding living environment. To achieve
this, we will:






Provide new, high-quality and affordable HDB home
Upgrade and preserve the value of older homes and estates
Give entire towns a fresh makeover through the Remaking Our Heartlands
programme, including new sports facilities and better parks
Invest $60 billion to double our MRT network, so as to shorten commuting
times and reduce crowding while keeping fares affordable
Enhance our green spaces and blue waters, and expand opportunities for
recreation around the island, including building the new Sports Hub
Build a distinctive and exciting city. It will have thriving arts and culture
scene, a cosmopolitan city centre, and vibrant regional hubs like Jurong
Lake District and Paya Lebar Central


Improving our neighbourhoods
We will continue to refresh and renew our HDB
homes. For example, The Lift Upgrading Programme
will be completed by 2014. Over the next five years,
350,000 households will also benefit from:



The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) which provides
each flat with upgrading worth about $25,000 – including
ceiling repairs and new toilets, pipes and doors.
The Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) which
provides playgrounds and exercise facilities, covered walkways
and drop-off porches, and residents’ corners and seating areas.
22,000 households in older private residential estates will get
the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP), which includes wider
footpaths, better drainage and furniture and play equipment
for parks.


We honour our seniors.
We will provide them the best possible support so that they can
age with dignity and grace. To achieve this, we will:






Partner employers to help older Singaporeans to stay employed and
independent
Develop Wellness Programmes in every neighbourhood to help senior
citizens stay healthy and engaged with a network of friends
Build new General Hospitals in Jurong and Sengkang, and keep health
services affordable to all Singaporeans through the ‘3 Ms’ of Medisave,
MediShield and Medifund
Transform long-term care and bring it closer to the home with enhanced
support from the new $1 billion Community Silver Trust, as well as
ElderShield and ElderFund
Expand and upgrade polyclinics, community hospitals, nursing homes,
day rehabilitation and home nursing services
Make every town and estate barrier-free, so that the elderly and disabled
can move around easily and participate in the larger community


Singapore belongs to each and every one of us
We will engage with a broad range of citizens, to create a better
future together and a home that our young will continue to be
proud of. To achieve this, we will:







Enhance channels for public participation and feedback to encourage fresh
and diverse ideas, and to build a broad consensus on key national issues
Keep evolving and improving our democracy. The new election rules
encourage greater competition and give alternative voices a larger
representation in the next Parliament
Encourage our youth to pursue causes they believe in and take the
initiative to build a green and sustainable society
Keep in close touch with citizens working and studying overseas, who are
also part of our Singapore family
Help new Singaporeans integrate into our society and contribute actively
Deepen the trust among different races and religions and strengthen our
common identity with each new generation of Singaporeans
Sustain our collective will to safeguard the nation’s security and preserve
what we have built up together

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGHER INCOMES FOR ALL


IMPROVE THE LIVES OF LOWER INCOME SINGAPOREANS


Maintain, if not increase literacy rate  Social and economic
sustainability
EQUAL EDUCATIOANL OPPORTUNITIES


Bringing down income gap disparity  Social and economic
sustainability
BRING OUT THE BEST IN EVERY CHILD


Bringing down income gap disparity  Social and economic
sustainability
Democratic state based on meritocracy  Social and economic
sustainability
DEVELOP A VIBRANT CITY AND AN ENDEARING HOME
KEEPING HDB SUSTAINABLE
 Minimal wastage of materials by building things good and for the long
term


HELP OUR SENIORS STAY ACTIVE, HEALTHY AND




Parliamentary elections and electoral boundary delineation
should be organized by independent bodies reporting to
the Chief Justice and President so as to ensure political
neutrality.
The Public Order Act (POA) should not be used to curtail
active citizenry. In particular, the provisions on Public
Assembly, Move-on order and restrictions on filming of law
enforcement operations should be reviewed. (Freedom of
speech)
The voting age should be brought down from 21 to 18, the
benchmark age.
The office of Parliamentary Ombudsman should be
established for any citizen to lodge a complaint against a
civil servant. This process will enhance government
accountability and give more options for citizen redress.



Mandatory sentences for capital offences should be
removed as they take away the discretion of the judge to
adjust a sentence to suit the individual case circumstances.
Parliament can set limits on the degree of discretion,
depending on the offence.
For capital cases, the trial should be conducted by a
tribunal of two judges whose decision to impose the death
sentence must be unanimous. On appeal, the death
sentence should be upheld only if it is confirmed
unanimously by all three judges in the Court of Appeal.
Adequate resources should be allocated to the Home Team
to fight crime. The government should continue to monitor
and moderate the workload demands in terms of population
growth, new crime concerns and events security, to ensure
that the community is not adversely affected.





A Freedom of Information Act should be enacted containing
provisions to allow citizens to gather information from the State
and to ensure that the government puts out sufficient information
Temporary statistics and information collected by the
government, particularly aggregated social statistics, shall, as far
as possible, be de-classified and made available in the public
domain to promote research and informed debate on matters of
public interest.
Official secrets should be de-classified after a maximum period of
time has passed or as soon as the information is no longer
sensitive. This will enable the public to debate the course of
history and deepen citizens’ understanding of key events.
More transparency in government movements
A Privacy Act should be enacted to ensure that ordinary citizens’
rights to privacy are protected.





Singapore needs to lessen its reliance on GovernmentLinked Companies (GLCs) and multi-national companies
(MNCs). These have a tendency to crowd out local
entrepreneurs. Instead we should focus more on nurturing
home grown enterprises.
We should encourage our best talents to start companies or
work in local enterprises.
The government should strive to give local SMEs a fair
chance at contracts, rather than choosing GLCs or MNCs
because they are perceived to be the “safe” option.
The government should seek to attract more venture capital
firms to Singapore to provide funding for start-ups and
managerial expertise to assist our entrepreneurs.
Effective measures to curb property and land speculation
must be implemented and continually reviewed, as high
rentals add to the cost of doing business in Singapore.




While immigrants who contribute to the economic vibrancy and
diversity of our nation are welcome, the rate of immigration
should not exceed the capacity of the country’s infrastructure
and the comfort level of the local population.
To increase our local fertility rate, we need to lower workplace
and career impediments to childbearing and childrearing. There
should be increased support and stronger incentives for
employers to implement better work-life balance practices and
flexi-work arrangements. The Civil Service should set the
example for the private sector to follow.
Paternity leave of at least 6 days, half of which will be funded by
the government, should be introduced and legislated.
All overseas Singaporeans should be allowed to vote in
elections by postal votes. This will help them to remain more
engaged and feel a greater stake in Singapore.




The prices of new HDB flats should not be pegged to the
resale market price and then discounted. Instead, the prices
of new flats should be pegged to median incomes of
Singaporean households who qualify to buy HDB flats.
The price of new HDB flats should be affordable enough
to enable most lessees to pay off their loans in 20 years
rather than 30 years.
The criteria to qualify for public rental housing should be
more flexible to cater to families who are financially
strapped. The number of flats available under the Public
Rental Scheme should be increased significantly to cope
with increasing demand.
The eligibility criteria for the HDB’s Lease Buyback Scheme
should be reviewed to extend it to more households who
may be in financial need.


A compulsory Basic Hospitalisation Scheme with
co-payment of the premium from the government
should be implemented. The scheme should aim to
achieve universal coverage for all basic hospital
care at a standard premium rate regardless of age.
The premium should be affordable for up to 90th
percentile of the working population.
The government must play its role to monitor and
provide support and intervention to VWOs and
commercial enterprises in the long term care
sector. This is to ensure such services are readily
available, of good quality, and affordable.





The class size for all levels of primary and secondary schools
should be reduced to approximately 20 pupils. This small class
size setting will allow a teacher to focus more attention on weaker
students.
A study should be initiated to explore the feasibility of a primarysecondary integrated programme.
The tuition grant for local undergraduates should be increased to
better reflect the value of our citizenship and make tertiary
education more affordable. Currently, the tuition grant for all
undergraduates is the same regardless of nationality.
Special Education (SPED) schools should come under the direct
funding and total administration of MOE. The ministry should
then work with VWOs to run these fully funded SPED schools.
National Education should include the teaching of our
Constitution, the political system of Parliamentary Democracy,
the rights and obligations of being a citizen and more.



Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWOs)
providing healthcare and support services to the
elderly should receive more government support.
The government should ratify the United Nations
Convention on the rights of Persons with
disabilities and take a whole-of-government
approach to ensure that its key provisions are
implemented in Singapore.
There is a disconnect in local community identity
due to the artificial aggregation of estates under
the Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).
The abolition of GRCs and restoration of single
seats would promote a sense of local identity.



Instead of public transport being provided by profitoriented companies, all public transport including the MRT
& public buses servicing major routes should be brought
under a National Transport Corporation, a public body, to
ensure a smooth integration of the overall national transport
network and to avoid unnecessary duplication of services
and overheads incurred by multiple operators.
The Public Transport Council should be dissolved.
Government accountability for public transport matters
should be via a unit under the Land Transport Authority.
This unit should receive feedback, audit services, review
productivity and examine the need for fare adjustments.
Concession passes on public transport for the elderly
should be extended to all operating hours. Disabled
concessions should be funded by the government.



The goals for Sports Excellence should be revised. There
should be stronger emphasis placed on sports that are
popular among Singaporeans and have a greater ability to
rally the nation together, rather than their medal-winning
potentials.
Singapore soccer needs revival. The Football Association of
Singapore should seriously explore the re-entry of a
Singaporean team into the Malaysia Cup. Our domestic SLeague should also be strengthened in terms of playing
standards and marketing, so as to resurrect it to a state of
health, provide good career opportunities for local players
and to support the national team.
The leaders of National Sports Associations should be
elected from among the sporting fraternity. Politicians
should not hold such positions




Low wage workers’ wage supplements, including for the selfemployed, should have higher cash components, be paid out more
regularly and be pegged to cost of living.
Foreign manpower dependency ratios / quotas should be
carefully calibrated for all skill levels, and by industry rather
than broad sectors such as manufacturing or services. The factors
for calibration by industry include productivity targets, suitability
of Singaporeans for those industries, and sustainability.
Older workers must be protected from shabby treatment and
exploitation. Since the Central Provident Fund (CPF) draw-down
age has been moved from 62 to 65 years, job security from 62 to
65 should be assured either by moving the statutory retirement
age to 65 or strengthening the re-employment obligations for more
seamless continuity of employment from 62 to 65.
A Board of Equal Opportunity should be set up to ensure that
there is no discrimination in employment on the basis of age,
race, religion, gender or disability.



Retirement adequacy via CPF needs to be boosted. CPF
rates should not be tinkered with during economic
cycles. Apart from paying CPF members interest on
their balances, dividends should be paid periodically,
since the government utilizes CPF monies for
investment and reaps gains above the CPF interest
rates.
The government should underwrite the solvency of
CPF Life.
CPF members own their CPF monies. Given the
uncertain employment outlook for older workers,
members should be allowed to start draw-downs after
reaching 60 years old. In addition, members in dire
financial straits should be allowed to make limited
draws on their CPF funds, subject to strict conditions.












Governance and Civil Liberties (Political Stability)
Justice Law and Order (Social Sustainability)
Arts, Media, Information and New Technology (Political
Transparency)
Economic Policy (Economic Sustainability)
Population and Immigration (Demographic
Sustainability)
Public Housing (Economic Sustainability)
Healthcare (Social and Economic Sustainability)
Education (Social Sustainability)
Society (Social Sustainability)
Transport (Economic Sustainability)
Sports and Recreation (Social Sustainability)
Labour Policy (Economic Sustainability)




Singapore is Economically DEVELOPED but
may not be SUSTAINABLE as highly
dependent on other countries
Singapore is Socially DEVELOPED, but with
MANY PROBLEMS
Demographically DEVELOPED, but NOT
SUSTAINABLE
Politically STABLE AND DEVELOPED, but
NOT QUITE FAIR

Provide solutions and suggestions to
Singapore’s current 2 large problematic sectors:


Economic
Demographic
USING A COMBINATION OF VARIOUS PARTIES
MANIFESTOs AND SOME ADDITIONS

Other problems which will not be included:


Social
Political


Growth will benefit all citizens
We will create fulfilling jobs and opportunities for everyone to
progress, including the lower- and middle-income groups. To achieve
this, we will:





Ensure a diverse and innovative economy, that enables Singapore to
overcome the competitive challenges ahead and hold its own
internationally
Help companies expand and compete overseas, while attracting new
investments that add value to Singapore
Deepen R&D and innovation in every industry, so that companies can
come up with new products and services to grow their businesses
Work with unions and firms to raise productivity and upgrade jobs in
every line of work, so that all workers can raise their skills and earn more
Invest $2.5 billion in Continuous Education and Training, so that everyone
has the chance to develop their skills and expertise or enter new fields
throughout their working lives


Every citizen will share in Singapore’s progress.
We are doing more to help lower-income Singaporeans to uplift
themselves, and to encourage their children to discover their
strengths and do well. To achieve this, we will:





Reward work and the spirit of self-reliance, by enhancing incomes through
Workfare
Help them own their homes through the Additional Housing Grants and
the new Special Housing Grants, and provide them more housing options
including two-room flats
Support their children with larger bursaries and grants from pre-school
through to tertiary education, and ensure specialist support for schools to
intervene early to help them achieve their full potential
Strengthen the safety net for the needy, ill or disabled through Medifund
and Public Assistance, as well as ComCare and the many helping hands of
the community
Foster the spirit of volunteerism and help community groups raise
donations through government co-funding, so that everyone plays a role
in building a compassionate society





Singapore needs to lessen its reliance on GovernmentLinked Companies (GLCs) and multi-national companies
(MNCs). These have a tendency to crowd out local
entrepreneurs. Instead we should focus more on nurturing
home grown enterprises.
We should encourage our best talents to start companies or
work in local enterprises.
The government should strive to give local SMEs a fair
chance at contracts, rather than choosing GLCs or MNCs
because they are perceived to be the “safe” option.
The government should seek to attract more venture capital
firms to Singapore to provide funding for start-ups and
managerial expertise to assist our entrepreneurs.
Effective measures to curb property and land speculation
must be implemented and continually reviewed, as high
rentals add to the cost of doing business in Singapore.




The prices of new HDB flats should not be pegged to the
resale market price and then discounted. Instead, the prices
of new flats should be pegged to median incomes of
Singaporean households who qualify to buy HDB flats.
The price of new HDB flats should be affordable enough
to enable most lessees to pay off their loans in 20 years
rather than 30 years.
The criteria to qualify for public rental housing should be
more flexible to cater to families who are financially
strapped. The number of flats available under the Public
Rental Scheme should be increased significantly to cope
with increasing demand.
The eligibility criteria for the HDB’s Lease Buyback Scheme
should be reviewed to extend it to more households who
may be in financial need.


We honour our seniors.
We will provide them the best possible support so that they can
age with dignity and grace. To achieve this, we will:








Partner employers to help older Singaporeans to stay employed and
independent
Develop Wellness Programmes in every neighbourhood to help senior
citizens stay healthy and engaged with a network of friends
Build new General Hospitals in Jurong and Sengkang, and keep health
services affordable to all Singaporeans through the ‘3 Ms’ of Medisave,
MediShield and Medifund
Transform long-term care and bring it closer to the home with enhanced
support from the new $1 billion Community Silver Trust, as well as
ElderShield and ElderFund
Expand and upgrade polyclinics, community hospitals, nursing homes,
day rehabilitation and home nursing services
Make every town and estate barrier-free, so that the elderly and disabled
can move around easily and participate in the larger community
Job security /reemployment from 62 to 65 should be assured
Controlled CPF draw-downs after reaching 60 years old


While immigrants who contribute to the economic
vibrancy and diversity of our nation are welcome,
the rate of immigration should not exceed the
capacity of the country’s infrastructure and the
comfort level of the local population.
Foreign manpower dependency ratios / quotas
should be carefully calibrated for all skill levels,
and by industry rather than broad sectors such as
manufacturing or services. The factors for
calibration by industry include productivity
targets, suitability of Singaporeans for those
industries, and sustainability.

HDI combines three important development
indicators

Economic indicator (GNI per Capita)
 Increased in pay

Social indicator (Adult Literacy Rate)
 Better education system
 Train and retrain skilled/unskilled workers

Demographic indicator (Life expectancy)
 Better management of ageing population
 Better medical facilities
 World class living condition