Governance in Singapore

Governance in Singapore

2. Governance in Singapore • Ensures stability in the government • Builds a nation • Meet’s people’s needs • Maintains sovereignty

System of Government • Representative Democracy • Elections held once every 5 years • People vote for their candidate • Candidates with the most votes serves as a Member of Parliament (MP) • Leader of the party with the most MPs is invited to be Prime Minister • Prime Minister forms government

3. How does the Government work? • Legislature • Consists of MPs and President • Makes laws • Executive • Consists of President and Cabinet • Executes laws made by Parliament • Administers government policies

3. How does the Government work? • Judiciary • Consists of various judges and law courts • Ensures that laws are justly carried out • Ensures laws passed do not breach the Constitution

3.1 The Legislature • Process of Law-making: • First Reading: Proposal • Second Reading: Reasons for the Bill • Third Reading: Bill is passed by Parliament • Submission to Presidential Council for Minority Rights • Bill is sent to the President • Presidential Approval

3.2 The Executive • Feedback process to Executive • Community gives feedback • MP raises the issue to respective Ministry • Ministry justifies actions or proposes alternatives

3.3 The Judiciary • Composition of the Judiciary • Chief Justice • Judges in law courts • Duties of the Judiciary • Makes judgements independently • Not influenced by political leaders

4. Guiding Principles of Governance • 4.1 Leadership is Key • 4.2 Anticipate Change and Stay Relevant • 4.3 Reward for Work and Work for Reward • 4.4 A Stake for Everyone, Opportunities for All

4.1 Leadership is Key • Honest and capable leaders needed • Good leaders make the right decisions for the country • Good leaders must have moral courage and integrity • Good leaders do what is right and not what is popular

4.1 Leadership is Key • Good leadership and governance do not occur by chance • Potential leaders are selected and groomed • Leaders also selected based on good character

4.1 Leadership is Key • Honesty is highly valued in a leader • Leaders must be incorruptible • Incorruptible leaders win the confidence and respect of the people • The law deals with leaders guilty of dishonest behaviour

4.1 Leadership is Key • Good leadership needed in every segment of Singapore society • For Example, former chairman of the National Arts Council (NAC) Mr. Liu Thai Ker • Created more opportunities for local talents • More Arts events were organised

4.2 Anticipate Change and Stay Relevant • Need for government to be forward looking • NEWater • Ensure self-sufficiency in water supply • Presently, Singapore depends on Malaysia • Agreements with M’sia end in 2011 and 2061 • Singapore found alternative water supplies • Government communicated that NEWater was safe

4.2 Anticipate Change and Stay Relevant • Integrated Resorts • Tourism has always been important for S’pore’s economy • Recently, Tourism faces more competition • More Asian countries developing tourist attractions • Singapore needs to improve the tourist industry • In April 2005, the government decided to build two Integrated Resorts

4.2 Anticipate Change and Stay Relevant • Taking Risks • Singapore has to be open to new ideas • Singapore needs to be willing to take risks • Students can come up with creative and innovative ideas • Every Singaporean needs to upgrade knowledge and skills to stay employable

4.3 Reward for Work and Work for Reward • Meritocracy is key to this principle • Meritocracy is a system which rewards hard work and talent • Reward encourages people to do well • Example: Exceptional students are rewarded • Meritocracy given an equal opportunity to all to achieve their best • Surplus from Singapore’s growth has also been shared as a reward for hard work

4.4 A Stake for Everyone, Opportunities for All • A greater sense of belonging is created when people have a say in decision-making • More opportunities have been created to involve people in decision-making • Example: Consultation with the people on having a casino

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Area Licensing Scheme • 1970s  Singapore experienced rapid growth • Traffic volume was especially high during peak hours • Government made plans to manage traffic before it became too serious

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Area Licensing Scheme • Area Licensing Scheme (ALS) introduced • Motorists had to pay for use of certain roads • Roads bounded within areas designated as Restricted Zones • Gantries set up to monitor motorists

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Area Licensing Scheme • To support ALS, other measure introduced • Improving bus services • Increasing cost of parking city areas • Providing park-and-ride facilities • When ALS started, motorists were unhappy • However ALS reduced the number of cars • Overall, ALS was successful in ensuring smooth traffic flow

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Electronic Road Pricing • ALS successful but room for improvement • Improved technology = more efficient ways of monitoring and regulating • Technology enabled transport system to stay relevant • Inconvenient & labour-intensive ALS replaced by Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) • ERP more efficient and effective

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Park-and-Ride Scheme • Introduced at same time as ALS • Motorists park vehicles at specific car parks outside the CBD • Motorists would use public transport from the car parks • Fewer vehicles in the CBD

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Park-and-Ride Scheme • Seemed like a good idea but not successful • What went wrong? • Motorists switched to public transport or drove in before 7.30am • Not worthwhile for motorists to leave cars parked outside city all day

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Park-and-Ride Scheme • Serious oversight • Millions of dollars invested • Land allocated for car park not used • Shuttle bus companies set up for this scheme not able to survive • However, scheme still used today • Needs of people change and what did not work in the past may work today

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Vehicle Quota System (VQS) • Sharp increase in car ownership in 1990s • Urgent need to control car population • Land Transport Authority (LTA) determined the number of new vehicles allowed for registration • One of the ways to administer VQS was through the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system

5.1 Measures to control the flow of Traffic • Vehicle Quota System (VQS) • Specific number of new cars are issued based on a quota by LTA • Car buyers must bid for COE before purchase of a car • LTA sets the quota for the month and quota premium based on bids received • Successful bidders will pay for the COE • COE entitles vehicle ownership for 10 years • COE must be renewed after 10 years if owner still wants to use the car

6.2 Why was there a need to promote population growth? • Declining birth rate from the 1980s • By 1980, fertility rate hit 1.82 children per woman (replacement level is 2.1) • Family planning policy to reduce birth rate worked • Other factors affecting birth rate include • Increasing costs of living • People marrying later

6.2 Why was there a need to promote population growth? • Declining birth rate from the 1980s • More jobs created in industries and larger workforce needed • Manpower also needed for national defence • Number of babies born was below replacement value • Need to re-examine the population policy because of potential problems of a small population

6.2 Why was there a need to promote population growth? • Unattractive to Multinational companies • With a small population, Singapore not able to produce enough talent • Talented people needed to sustain development • Multinational corporations (MNCs) would find it difficult and expensive to recruit Singaporeans compared to China • Singapore would also be less attractive because of smaller consumer market

6.2 Why was there a need to promote population growth? • Ageing Population • Fewer babies means fewer young people. • Number of older people becomes proportionately larger • Country will face an ageing population • More resources would have to used to take care of senior citizens

6.3 How did the government promote population growth? • The Graduate Mothers Scheme • PM Lee felt that female graduates should have more children • Graduate Mothers Scheme introduced in 1984 • Scheme sparked debate and unhappiness • Less-educated were unhappy as they felt neglected. • Not all government policies win the support of the people • Scheme was withdrawn on year later

6.3 How did the government promote population growth? • Three or more if you can afford it • Changes made to population policy in 1987 • Aimed to bring replacement level to 2.1 • Parents encouraged to have three or more children if they could afford it • Government adopted a cautious approach because of recession in 1985 • If too many babies were born, serious problems might arise if families could not cope financially

6.3 How did the government promote population growth? • Three or more if you can afford it • To relieve financial burden, government introduced certain measures such as • Allowing use of Medisave to pay for delivery charges • However some people felt the assistance wasn’t enough • Measures had limited success • Despite publicity campaigns, many married couples continued to have only one or two children • Many Singaporeans still married later or remain unmarried

6.3 How did the government promote population growth? • Other pro-family measures • Equalised medical benefits • Grandparent caregiver relief • 5-day work week for Civil Service • Extended maternity leave

6.3 How did the government promote population growth? • Attracting foreign talent • Need to enhance competitiveness • Foreign Talent (FT) helps boost quality of manpower • FT helps create more jobs and boost creativity • Govt relaxed immigration policy in 1989 • Easier entry, subsidised housing and attractive education package offered to FT

6.3 How did the government promote population growth? • Attracting foreign talent • Govt hoped that more FTs would take up permanent residence or citizenship • With more FTs, Singapore has become more cosmopolitan • Different nationalities living in Singapore have enriched Singapore’s culture

7.1 How will an ageing population impact Singapore? Demand for more healthcare and social services Smaller security force Ageing of population Reduction in competitiveness Strain on working population

7.2 Meeting the challenges of an ageing population • Senior citizens as assets to society • By 2030, 19% of Singaporeans will be over 65 years old • Challenge to ensure that seniors citizens remain contributing members of society • Senior citizens have valuable skills, knowledge, talent and work experience • They can add value to public and private organisations and boost family life

7.2 Meeting the challenges of an ageing population • ‘Many Helping Hands’ Approach • Everyone has a part to play in helping prepare for an ageing population • Individual, family and community have roles • Complement govt’s efforts • Sharing of responsibility reduces govt’s burden • Govt can rely less on increasing taxes to care for elderly • With shared responsibility, resources are saved to meet other needs of the nation

7.2 Meeting the challenges of an ageing population • Individual responsibility • Individual ensures that he ages gracefully through lifelong planning • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by watching diet and exercising regularly • Be financially prepared for life in old age • Attending talks and reading relevant materials to plan for retirement

7.2 Meeting the challenges of an ageing population • Family support • Strong, stable families bring social stability • Family is main source of emotional, social and financial support • Govt introduced measures to strengthen family bonds • Senior Citizens’ Week held annually in Nov • Encourages elderly to stay active • Promotes positive attitude towards ageing • Grandparents’ Day also held in Nov • Bring families together to show appreciation for elderly

7.2 Meeting the challenges of an ageing population • Community Help • Community can give social and emotional support and provide healthcare and social services • Govt provides subsidies to voluntary welfare organisations who help senior citizens • Example: Home Nursing Foundation for Elders • These organisations involve members of the community to help look after needs of elderly

7.2 Meeting the challenges of an ageing population • Community Help • Some community organisations also offer free health checks and organise recreational activities • These services and activities help senior citizens remain physically, mentally and socially active

7.2 Meeting the challenges of an ageing population • Government Support • Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents • Tax Relief • Central Provident Fund (CPF) • Public Housing Schemes

Governance in Singapore