Social Studies Notes.pdf

.  Chapter 1: What Does it Mean to be a Citizen of my Country? Exploring Citizenship and Governance Issue 1: Working for the good of the society – whose responsibility is it? 1. Citizenship shaped by legal status  Singapore allows citizenship by descent, marriage or natur...

.  Chapter 1: What Does it Mean to be a Citizen of my Country? Exploring Citizenship and Governance Issue 1: Working for the good of the society – whose responsibility is it? 1. Citizenship shaped by legal status  Singapore allows citizenship by descent, marriage or naturalization  Individuals need to gain PR status before applying for citizenship through marriage and naturalization → Citizenship by descent: a person requires at least one parent to be a citizen of SG → Citizenship by birth: must be born in that country → Citizenship by marriage: must marry a citizen of that country → Citizenship by naturalisation: many countries grant citizenship to those who immigrated to that country, resided there for a given number of years and registered themselves as citizen. Some countries require aspiring citizens to pass a test/give up their original citizenship  By becoming citizens, they have rights not given to non-Singaporeans.  E.g; in education, constitution states that no citizens will be discriminated against on ground of religion, race or place of birth when financial aid for education of pupils in any public institution. Reflected through financial assistance in the form of waiver of $10 a month, free textbooks and uniform granted for secondary S’poreans under FAS for family gross household income below $2500; helps needy Singaporeans afford education What does a citizen with legal status mean in Singapore? Citizenship in a  Democracy: rule by the people, system where people choose their representatives in government democracy  SG practises representative democracy; citizens elect their leaders to represent them, representatives from govt. are given authority to make decisions on behalf of the citizens  Govts. in a representative democracy do not have unlimited powers to make decisions; required to act according to the laws of the country (constitution)  E.g; laws can only be passed in SG after going through debate in Parliament, voting by members of Parliament, the Presidential Council of Minority Rights and the President.  These checks and balances ensure the govt. runs the country for the best interests of Singaporeans of all ethnic groups; ensures progress in the country Rights of citizens  Constitution is the supreme law of the land; all other laws passed must not contradict the constitution  Rights of a citizen also included in constitution; liberties they enjoy, protected by law, ensures these rights are respected by law and everyone in the country  E.g; Article 16 Rights of Respect of Education; no citizen will be discriminated on grounds of religion, race, descent, place of birth when it comes to administration by a public authority  Reflected through FAS Responsibilities  Responsibilities of citizens is the duties of a person of citizens  We fulfil these responsibilities as we are connected to other members of society  As a citizen, we have the responsibility to obey the laws of the land and not discriminate against people of different ethnic groups  E.g; National service: responsibility of all male able-bodied citizens and PRs to service NS under Enlistment Act  Shared experiences, going to military training during NS helps to strengthen the bond among men. This helps build understanding among S’poreans of different ethnic groups and backgrounds; they will feel more attached and build loyalty towards Singapore  It will also keep Singapore safe from external threats; enemy will think twice before attacking Singapore as they will know that they need to take on a strong military force 2. Citizenship shaped by sense of identity  Citizens should feel sense of belonging to country  A sense of identity comes from shared belief that we belong to the same country  We share a common way of life and feel strongly about similar things as other Singaporeans  As S’pore citizens, this is through common practices; actions that S’poreans carry out together – singing national anthem, taking national pledge  Common practices help foster national identity, inculcate loyalty and national pride towards Singapore to see themselves as one people  Singapore feels proud that our country is known as a food haven to others; S’poreans and tourists are able to find a wide variety of food across the country.  Eg: food from different ethnic groups all together like Nasi Lemak, Hokkien Mee, Roti Prata  This recognition of Singapore as a food haven creates a bond with fellow Singaporeans and strengthens the sense of identity as Singaporeans. When S’poreans feel closer to one another and the country, other positive outcomes like willingness to care for others and to improve society 3. Citizenship shaped by participation in public affairs  We are connected to other members in society as citizens  Citizenship is shaped when we participate in meaningful causes contributing towards the good of the country  E.g; citizens in Canada have a responsibility to protect the environment by reducing waste and pollution. They have laws to give Canadians a democratic voice in environmental decisions that affect their well-being. One example is the Natural Areas Conservation Program to help non-profit, non-governmental organisations secure ecologically sensitive land to ensure protection of wildlife and habitat; done through govt. funding  This encourages Canadians to participate knowing that they have a voice and resource to make a positive difference to the community; shared experience and participations shape citizenship in Canada  E.g; in Singapore, there are many opportunities by the govt. to involve Singaporeans in decision making. For example, in 2004, the govt. consulted people on the issue of having a casino as part of an integrated resort. During feedback sessions, many people voiced their support and concerns about the govt’s proposal  Through their participation, the govt. reviewed their decision by introducing a $100 entry levy for all Singaporeans after opening the casino. This deters Singapore and from patronising the casino and spiralling into debts  Participation in public affairs will help to bring about progress and prosperity, and to build a harmonious society so as to advance the well-being of citizens in the country. Chapter 2: How Do We Decide What is Good for Society? Exploring Citizenship and Governance Issue 1: Working for the good of the society – whose responsibility is it? I: Challenges in Deciding what is Good for Society 1. Differing needs and interests  A society can agree that basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter and personal security are necessary for a person  A diverse population may not be able to agree on common interests and what is most important for a happy and fulfilling life  E.g; an efficient public transport would be a priority for those without their own mode of transport but those with their own transport may be more concerned about an efficient road network  Tensions will also arise as we are a small country – e.g; by 2030, about 58% of our land will be allocated to uses like housing, employment, facilities, amenities and green spaces – more than the 51% allocated in 2010  Given that society had limited resources, it would be impossible for everyone’s needs and interest to be met fully; decisions on how the resources should be used would need to be made 2. Differing priorities  There can be a disagreement on priorities; could be due to what they perceive as important to them to lead happy and fulfilling lives in Singapore  E.g; citizens may agree that it is important for the country to provide affordable healthcare, a good education and a clean environment but may disagree on which area the govt. should prioritise.  Given that society has limited resources, the govt must decide which priorities are more urgent and important for that period of time. In doing so, the govt. may not be able to meet all the demands of society 3. Unequal Sharing of Costs  When a decision is made, some individuals/groups may bear greater costs than others  E.g; when building an efficient transport system for the country, it is necessary to build expressways. While society may benefit, those living near expressways may be affected by the noise generated from traffic  Residents living near such facilities often believe that these developments are needed but also believe that they should be built further away from their homes, so they do not need to bear with the inconveniences associated  E.g; in 2012, HDB had plans to build studio apartments for the elderly in Toh Yi estate in Bukit Timah. This made some residents unhappy as they felt they would lose their recreational spaces or uncomfortable with having apartments for the elderly near them. This is despite HDB’s plan to build recreational spaces in the studio apartments open to all residents  This is an example of the ‘Not in My Backyard’ (NIMBY) syndrome. In Singapore, the situation is even more difficult as Singapore has limited land and such facilities would invariably be built near where some people live II: Decision making in a Representative Democracy 1. The Legislature  The legislature is important to Singapore’s good governance  The legislature is made up of the President and the Parliament  Its main responsibility is to pass out laws  Parliament is made up of elected, non-constituency and nominated members of Parliament (MP)  The legislature meets during Parliament sessions to discuss important issues and make laws  Laws made by the legislature are important as they provide a safe environment for the people → When people have regard for the law, they respect the authority of government → Through this rule of law, there is peace, harmony and order → This way, people can carry on with their lives with peace of mind. PRUDENT USE OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES  MPs contribute towards holding the govt accountable for use of country’s financial resources  Includes taking a critical/inquisitorial role to check on the actions of the governing party and the Ministries, esp. during annual Budget Debate in Feb/Mar  E.g; Committee of Supply: committee sits for 7 days or more in March to discuss expenditure for the coming financial year. Members will then propose nominal cuts of $100 to each ministry’s estimates. They can also debate and raise concerns and questions for the ministry to respond to. After the committee has voted on the estimates, it reports the decision to Parliament, which will then debate and vote on the amount the govt. can spend in the coming financial year. This will become the Supply Bill after the President endorses it  Through this system of checks and balances, this helps to ensure the ruling party administers the country in an efficient, clean, corruption-free manner ENSURING WIDE REPRESENTATION OF VIEWS  There are checks in place to ensure a wide representation of views  E.g; non-constituency MP (NCMPs): the constitution provides for the appointment of up to 9 NCMPs. They are MPs from opposition political parties who meet two criteria – must be candidates who obtained >15% of total votes in their constituency and polled highest % of votes among losers in General Election. This broadens the diversity of views expressed in Parliament  E.g; nominated MPs (NMPs): appointment of up to 9 NMPs to ensure wide representation of community views. NMPs appointed for term of 2.5 years and based on recommendation of a Special Select Committee. NMPs are not elected into Parliament nor belong to any party. Their main role is to contribute independent points of views.  E.g; policy of minority representation helps to safeguard and address the needs of the different groups. The Presidential Council of Minority Rights (PCMR) consists of members from minority races to ensure that no racial of religious group is disadvantages because of a law passed by Parliament. Under the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system, at least one of the candidates in team contesting General Election is from minority racial groups. The GRC system ensures that the minority racial groups are represented in parliament and they have a chance to air their views in parliament. The policy of minority representation ensures that S’poreans, regardless of race… are treated fairly and justly. Govt. policies ensure that the interests of the various communities are kept in balance ad their interest safeguarded to minimise any grievances arising from unequal treatment. In this manner, the principle of minority representation ensures harmony among the various communities in Singapore. 2. The Executive  The Executive; comprises of the President and the Cabinet – also helps ensure good governance  The executive is responsible for making all govt. policies. The Ministers, in consultation with the senior officers in the Civil Service, map out directions, goals and broad strategies to carry out these policies  The Prime Minister and the Cabinet ensures the effective administration of the govt. and the country under various Ministries → Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA): to advance and safeguard the interests of SG and S’poreans through effective diplomacy → Ministry of Defence (MINDEF): and the SAF to enhance Singapore’s peace and security through deterrence and diplomacy; should these fail, to secure swift and decisive victory over aggressor → Ministry of Education (MOE): to provide children with balances and well-rounded education, develop to full potential and nurture into good citizens, conscious of responsibilities to family, society and country → Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS): to build a cohesive and resilient society → Ministry of Law (MINLAW): an integral force in helping create, maintain and enhance SG’s excellent business climate, through implementation of sound, transparent and pro-business legal policies  The Executive is important as it ensures policies that are beneficial and viable to Singapore are implemented  Forward-looking policies made by the Executive, coupled with effective admin, enable SG to stay relevant, and hence thrive and prosper in an increasingly competitive global economy 3. The Judiciary  Consists of Supreme Court, the State Courts and the Family Justice Courts  Head of the judiciary is the Chief Justice – Judicial power in SG is vested in the Supreme Court and laws in Legislature are interpreted and applied by the Judiciary  Judiciary makes its decisions and judgements independently – not influenced by views of political leaders etc  Judiciary acts to ensure that country is run fairly and orderly by applying laws independently – protects the rights of its citizens and businesses and ensures safe and secure home for all. III: Ideas Shaping Governance 1. Having good leadership  Government representatives must be honest and reliable  Given the complex nature of decision making, leaders must have the moral courage and integrity to do what is right, including decisions that may not be popular with the people  Leaders of good moral character who are incorruptible can win confidence and respect of the people  For example; → Former PM LKY; persuaded Goh Chok Tong to leave his high paying shipping career to join govt. As PM of SG after 1990, he implemented COE. Due to fixed no. of COEs every month the govt. was able to control the no. of cars on the road; helps manage traffic flow in Singapore and reduces traffic congestion → Mr Liu Thai Ker (chairman of the National Arts Council); SG made progress under his leadership, local talents had more opportunities to participate in international collabs and co-productions. Events such as the Singapore Writers’ Festival and Singapore Arts Festival help to promote Arts in Singapore. As a result, there was greater recognition and appreciation for arts in Singapore.  This helps to ensure that leaders in power are working with the right intent, in the interests of the society. Honest and talented leaders who are forward-looking, visionary and imaginative will formulate sound policies. 2. Anticipating change and staying relevant  When citizens’ needs and interests are adversely affected in the short term due to decision based on more long- term considerations, tensions may arise  The govt needs to manage these tensions and remain forward looking  For example; → Water policy: despite people’s discomfort with drinking processed sewage water, the govt has expanded and diversified our water supply to include new sources like NEWater and desalinated water; this reduces Singapore’s reliance on foreign imports of water and enables us to move forward towards long-term sufficiency after SG’s agreements with MY ends in 2011 and 2061 → Govt. decided to build 2 integrated resorts at Marina Bay and Sentosa: debates continues due to tensions between economic benefits and social costs. In making the decision, govt decided to anticipate change and stay relevant to increase job opportunities and tourist spending. To combat social issues like higher gambling rates, the National Council of Problem Gambling was set up to conduct public education and outreach on problem gambling prevention and counselling for problem gamblers  Being forward-looking and imaginative helps to ensure that better policies that are viable and beneficial to SG are implemented by the govt. This helps us to stay nimble and flexible, turn constraints into advantages and be better organized than our competitors, help us exploit opportunities that come to us in a dynamic global environment 3. Providing a Stake for Everyone  Having a say in decision making can develop greater sense of belonging in citizens  They will feel they have a stake in SG’s future and be more willing to be involved in working towards good of society  For example; → Home ownership: Public Housing Scheme (PHS) allows S’poreans to own their own homes; through provision housing grants etc. A couple who applies for public housing for the first time is eligible for the special CPF Housing Grant and may qualify for additional CPF Housing Grant → Citizens participate in decision-making: to root S’poreans to SG emotionally, govt creates more opportunities to provide feedback on various policies. Some channels include the Feedback Unit and the media like Forum Page in the Straits Times. The people are encouraged to voice their opinions directly to ministers, through Meet-the-People sessions or through emails. One example is opening IRs. Due to feedback, to avoid high gambling rates, $100 levy to deter locals from visiting casinos  As there is open and consultative feedback from the ground and more active citizenry, gives citizens greater stake in governance of country and greater sense of shared destiny  SG can only survive if every S’porean sees their future and that of others as intertwined  Ultimately, strength of our will to safeguard our fundamental rights as a sovereign nation – our right to self- determination, our right to establish ties with anyone and our right to live and work the way we do – depends on a shared destiny. 4. Practising Meritocracy  Meritocracy; a system that distributes opportunities to enable future successes  People are rewarded according to effort they put in rather than factors like race, religion, socio-economic background; when people are rewarded like this, they are encouraged to work hard  E.g; Edusave Scholarship/Merit Bursary: students who perform exceptionally well in studies and CCAs are rewarded; rewards top 10% and 25% of the students in schools and ITEs  When people are rewarded based on their abilities and hard work in a meritocratic system, they will be encouraged to do well; promotes self-reliance amongst our citizens. It also helps ensure peace and harmony in our multi-racial and multi-religious society as no race or religion is preferred over another  Meritocracy further ensures the best use of talent; everyone is nurtured to the fullest, and that the best person is identified to fill the jobs they are suitable for. By ensuring best use of talent in leadership positions for politics, economy and society, meritocracy helps raise overall productivity and competitiveness of the society and economy as everyone performs to the best of their ability.  Chapter 3: How Can We Work for the Good of Society? Exploring Citizenship and Governance Issue 1: Working for the good of the society – whose responsibility is it? I: Role of Government in Society (working for the good of society) 1. Maintaining Internal Order and External Security INTERNAL ORDER  In maintaining order, agencies like police, prisons and civil defence forces protect citizens, property etc  Social services like schools and hospitals can exist with the peace and safety the govt provides  Internal Security Department (ISD): ISD’s core function is to keep SG safe for all S’poreans; ISD collects accurate intelligence, make impartial assessments and take timely action to counter security threats to SG’s internal stability and sovereignty → E.g; ISD arrested members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in Dec 2001: for bomb plots on the American, Australian, British and Israeli embassies. During the raid, 15 people were arrested over a month and another raid in Aug 2002 where 18 people were arrested. They recovered documents of attack plots and bomb making info, and surveillance photos on the site. This made it harder for external terrorists to launch another attack in SG  Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA): CRA’s core function is to ensure the management and operation of a casino is and remains free from criminal influence or exploitation. CRA ensures that gaming in casino is done honestly and contain and control the potential of a casino to cause harm to minors, vulnerable persons and society. One rule was the $100 levy imposed for all S’poreans and PRs for each 24 hours entry. Fines were imposed for all S’poreans who failed to enforce this. → E.g; In Jan 2015, CRA fined MBS $20 000 for failing to prevent 4 S’poreans and PRs from remaining on its casino premises without valid entry levies after their 24 hours entry levies expired. These social safeguards prevent irresponsible gambling that will create social problems like debtless and higher crime rate to pay off debts EXTERNAL SECURITY  Through collabs between the agencies (army, navy, air force), SG’s defence is strengthened, and potential enemies are deterred from attacking SG.  Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) The Singapore Armed Forces: core function is to deter aggression, and if fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory. The Singapore Army, Navy and Air Force should be ready and capable of conducting spectrum of operations to defend the security interests and sovereignty of Singapore. → E.g; SAF demonstrated ability to carry out integrated strike in Exercise Forging Sabre, where air and ground troops relayed info over networks to an integrated command post, which then directed shooters to neutralise targets. The whole fighting system was linked in real time, allowing the SAF to strike targets with a swifter and deadlier punch. → With a competent and technologically advances SAF, this ensures SG is operationally ready to deter any aggressors. The aggressor will then think twice before attacking SG, as all kinds of challenges mounted by the aggressor will fail against a ready SG army. Thus, the SG govt ensures external security through the SAF  Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA): → MFA contributes to implementation of SG’s foreign policy to advance out national interests. It does this by forging strong partnerships at the bilateral and multilateral levels and positioning SG as a responsible and constructive member of the int’l community. → This includes sharing developmental experience with other countries through the SG cooperation Programmes. It provides consular assistance and advice to S’poreans at home or abroad. MFA assists in maintaining SG’s external security through diplomacy → E.g; SG and the ASEAN founding members strongly against the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia in 1978 that threatened regional security and stability. SG also engages in int’l diplomacy as a member of the UN since its independence in 1965. Since 1989, SG has sent over 400 police, SAF and civil service officers on UN peacekeeping missions to various countries – Iraq (2003-2008) where more that 990 SAF personnel participated in multinational effort to assist in the reconstruction of Iraq → Membership of the UN allows SG to gain recognition as a sovereign state, contributing indirectly to her independence and territorial integrity. Membership of the UN also enables a small country like SG to develop friendship with other nations, monitor world trends, collect valuable info and able to react more advantageously thereby ensuring external security.  2. Ensuring Justice  Judiciary’s responsibility is to independently interpret and apply the laws by the Legislature  With the presence of the Judiciary, S’poreans have the confidence that the courts will judge people fairly  E.g; Judiciary applying laws to protect S’poreans in family violence. The Family Justice Courts provide guidelines on what is defined as family violence, who can apply for Personal Protection Order (PPO), how to apply and the actions that can be taken by the courts. A PPO will be granted if the court is satisfied that family violence has been committed or is likely to be committed against the applicant, and the PPO is necessary for the applicant’s protection. If the applicant receives PPO, the court can act and restrict a person from entering the applicant’s house or part of the house. This protects the victim from abuse and keeps them safe. 3. Providing Goods and Services for the Public  Govts devote significant resources to improving well-being of citizens  Citizens enjoy goods and services provided for or subsidized by govts so that all citizens can have access to them  An example of service is transportation; govt has worked towards developing a people-centred public transport system which has more connections and services  Real time bus arrival info located in many bus stops/apps like MyTransportSG; through this real time info, commuters can better estimate the amount of time they need to wait, board the bus and time they will arrive at destination. Commuters enjoy better convenience of being able to plan ahead  Addition of premium bus services to CBD areas; about 20 residential estates bring commuters from neighbourhood directly to CBD with no stops in between. This allows commuters to enjoy faster and more comfortable journey 4. Safeguarding the Interests of Citizens  Govts implement legislation that safeguards the interests of citizens  This is to ensure that citizens will have a sense of security about living in this country. The interests of citizens can be safeguarded like ensuring there is no abuse by employers as well as security in old age  WorkRight Initiative; help employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities. The area of focus incl ensuring employees receive timely salary payment, contributions to CPF, statutory leave entitlement and no excessive working hours. This has helped >42 000 S’porean beneficiaries, more than half were low wage workers. The WorkRight Initiative is intended to create awareness of employment rights amongst low wage workers and better ensure retirement security for this group of workers  Central Provident Fund (CPF); help S’poreans prepare for retirement, CPF enables S’poreans to finance their housing and healthcare needs, and have a source of lifelong income in retirement. Life expectancy has increased from 60 in 1950s to 82 in 2015; 1/3 of S’poreans aged 65 today are expected to live beyond 90  CPF Life; to provide S’poreans with a lifelong monthly payout in retirement to give them greater peace of mind in retirement. The level of payout is based on the amount of CPF savings they have accumulated and choice of CPF LIFE plans. Besides personal contributions, employers also contribute to their retirement savings. Together with the risk-free interest paid by the govt. the CPF helps S’poreans stretch their retirement savings for as long as they live. I: Role of Citizens in Society (outcomes of citizen participation) 1. Contributing to the needs of society  Citizens have an important role to improve and sustain the general well-being of a society.  Citizens often contribute to areas they are passionate and concerned about  Thus, there is a greater sense of ownership and commitment towards these causes. This leads to long term involvement which would ensure sustainable benefits to society ROLE OF INDIVIUDALS  ‘A Litter at a time’; Ms Elisa Ng started to encourage citizens to go the extra mile and pick up a piece of litter a day as she was concerned with the amount of litter around her. She encouraged people to visit her FB page and pledge to pick up a piece of litter a day. She encouraged her children to do regular clean up exercises and this helped to reduce litter by encouraging S’poreans to keep SG a clean and green country.  Their actions can benefit many people directly and the improvements that result can be immediate. Their actions can also inspire others to make similar improvements. ROLE OF ORGANISED GROUPS  Citizens with common interests come in groups to contribute towards the needs of the society; have a significant effect on the area they are addressing as they can direct collective efforts, ideas, resources towards their causes.   These groups are either formal or informal. Formal groups can devote continuous efforts to contribute to support a specific cause, allowing the benefit of society to be sustainable. Informal groups often have specific short-term objectives; could help improve a specific situation that society may encounter  Formal Groups: have clear objectives and are often registered with govt; address a wide range of interests like special needs people and protecting the environment → Examples; non-governmental organisations (NGOs), voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs); voluntary groups formed by people with common interest → E.g; Mercy Relief; they are established to respond to human tragedies in Asia, serves the less fortunate and needy regardless of country, culture and creed. In 2015, MR managed to raise $750k to help victims of Nepal earthquake. They also undertook reconstruction efforts; complements the 27 relief distributions and 8 medical missions. They helped to provide relief and support for Nepalese who lost their homes after the earthquake. → NGOs and VWOs cater to the needs of specific groups in society; complement the role of the govt in working for the good of society  Informal Groups: organisations with a specific short-term objective related to issues that arise suddenly. These groups are temporarily formed and may not be registered. → When a situation occurs or when there is a gap noticed in an area of need, these informal groups would organise themselves to attend to this specific need. → By doing so, they can complement the support structures provided by the govt at that point of time. Individuals can come together to carry out programmes to benefit S’poreans → E.g; SG Haze Rescue; in Jun 2013, Mr Chua created informal group to help S’poreans manage ill effect of haze. Effort started and asked people to donate excess masks when PSI rose to 321. They received donation of 2000 masks and 120 volunteers to distribute the masks. In doing so, he contributed towards ensuring S’poreans remain healthy during the haze period. 2. Influencing Government Decisions ROLE OF INDIVIDUALS  In 2012, PM Lee Hsien Loong announced national level conversation where citizens can come together to share their views and ideas about what matters to SG, as well as hopes and dreams  This citizen engagement exercise known as “Our Singapore Conversation” (OSC) enabled conversations between citizens and the govt  The OSC took place over one year and involved >47 000 S’poreans  Because of the OSC, the govt learnt about S’poreans aspirations and they learnt about one another’s hopes  E.g; One key aspiration was for SG that is affordable to live in; some voiced that housing, healthcare, transport etc should be affordable for all S’poreans esp the lower income. Thus, the govt tried to make healthcare more affordable by introducing MediShield Life; covers pre-existing medical conditions, protects for life and pay more of the hospital bill than MediShield. Additional premium support was offered to those who cannot afford premiums even after subsidies. This makes healthcare more affordable for S’poreans, esp those lower income. They will pay less for hospitalisation ROLE OF ORGANISED GROUPS  Efforts of NGOs help refine govt politics and point to areas which require more attention  E.g; in 2011, two NGOs – the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economic (HOME) and the Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) – put forth recommendations on improving working conditions of foreign domestic workers in SG. In report, recommended that foreign domestic workers to be given a day off a week in recognition for the work they do.  The Singapore Environment Council conducted an ENVision exercise to understand S’poreans’ values and redefine vision for our environment. It held dialogue sessions from Feb to Apr 2014 involving participants from grassroots, businesses, school children, professionals and NGOs who shared their views on SG’s environmental future. This was recognition that SG’s clean, green environment should not be taken for granted.  Movement for Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS); focuses on catering to needs of persons with intellectual disability. It helps ensure equal opportunities for children with intellectual disabilities to receive education and later to be integrated as contributing and responsible citizens of SG. MINDS run a multi-service residential home for adults and children, a caregiver’s support service, a social integration programme for clients, and home-based care services 3. Strengthening Citizens’ Sense of Belonging  Involvement in discussing views related to future of SG helps citizens to develop a stronger sense of belonging to SG  The media, esp social media, has become a powerful platform for citizens to engage with got and political leaders to clarify or provide feedback on national issues  REACH was a platform set up by govt to engage citizens; accessible via Facebook  E.g; in 2007, the govt wanted to create a space for youths to create, explore and showcase their creative talents, it consulter range of interest groups – resulted in creation of SCAPE. It provides recreational, social, community activities for youths. During planning stage, >2200 pieces of feedback on what SCAPE could be was given by youths.  This feedback helps in providing relevant authorities ideas and perspectives for better understanding of their policies and programmes. This will help inform future planning and decision making. Chapter 4: What Is Diversity? Living in a Diverse Society Issue 2: Living in a Diverse Society – is Harmony Achievable? I: Different types of identity and diversity 1. Nationality  Diversity in SG is the diff nationalities present  Beyond legal status, nationality involves sense of belonging to a nation and sharing common experiences  People of the same nationality share a common history, common set of traditions, common practices, common language, and live together in an area. This helps build sense of belonging and can shape one’s identity – having this creates a sense of shared identity, leading to national identity  People of the same country may be more comfortable with those of the same nationality – can identify with common experiences, attitudes, beliefs shared by citizens of the country e.g; National Day on 9 August  Expressions of national identity can be reflected through lifestyle choices like types of sports played, preferences for certain cuisine, choice of music → E.g; S’poreans, in a multicultural society, share a deep respect for multiracial and multi-religious practices and common love for food across all cultures (Nasi Lemak, Roti Prata) and commitment to bilingualism and use of common language, English  An individual’s nationality would shape one’s political values, identity and experiences. Diff people with diff nationalities would act differently therefore causing political diversity 2. Race and Ethnicity  Race; classification of people according to physical characteristics biological in nature (skin colour etc.)  Ethnicity is one’s ancestry, cultural practices, language, customs, food and dressing associated with an ethnic group. One’s ethnicity can be associated with set of practices and customs unique to a country or region. E.g; within Malays there are different ethnic groups like Bataks, Bugis and Dayaks  Four main categories in SG are CMIO – Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others, reflect racial markers that are used to shape policies in areas of education, housing and welfare. This categorization was necessary in early nation building to bring different communities together  Categorisation revised to reflect increasing diversity in Singapore. → On 1 Jan 2011, SG implemented registration of double-barelled race option for S’porean children born to parents of diff races e.g; Indian-Malay. This is reflected in their NRIC  With increasing variety of race and ethnicity in SG, this means that many more diff religious customs are celebrated and observed by the diff religious groups in SG. This adds to the cultural diversity in Singapore. 3. Religion  A religion is an organized collection of attitudes, beliefs, practices, world views and often, worship of god(s)  Most religions embody a set of shared core beliefs and practices; Believers keep to these beliefs and practise regardless of ethnicity. These beliefs and practices would shape the way we interact with others, the choices we make and our thinking  Religions play important role in shaping our identity as they influence our way of life in many ways  The main religions in SG share common values of respect for one another, love and care towards al beings and integrity in one’s conduct → E.g; Buddhism promotes peace and harmony among diff races and religions and appreciation for all living beings in an interdependent world → Islam places emphasis to uphold the spirit of justice, brotherhood, love and purity of character. They expect Muslims to extend compassion and kindness to all human beings regardless of race, religion  SG citizens are free to practice their religions and to propagate it, protected under Article 15 in SG Constitution  The Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) worked to promote peace and religious harmony in SG. They organize activities and participates in the local and int’l forums to learn more about promoting religious harmony  With increasing variety of religions in SG, this means that many more diff religious customs are celebrated and observed by the diff religious groups in SG. This adds to the religious diversity in Singapore.. 4. Socio-economic Status (SES)  Socio-economic status; economic situation shared by a group of people – occupation, income, education, ownership of wealth  In SG, an individual or household’s family income level is used as indicator for socio-economic status.  Population is diverse as it is made up of different SES → Individuals of higher SES could be born into wealthy families or accumulated wealth through work → Middle SES generally involved in jobs performed in offices, “white collar jobs” known as PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians) → Lower SES do not possess much wealth, may not have financial means to support themselves. They are usually from “blue collar” manual jobs, unemployed, homeless or receive financial assistance from govt.  SES of an indiv may shape one’s life experience as it affects the choice of housing, food, entertainment, activities  e.g; higher SES has access to fine dining, travelling to distant destinations for vacations expensive sports like golf  contrast to activities like swimming, street soccer, basketball that is more accessible to all income groups, due to easily available amenities  This can influence the circle of friends that one interacts with. In this way, identity can be shaped by one’s SES  This is a concern for SG as income gap is widening, measured by Gini coefficients for income. It was 0.48 in 2007, 0.42 in 2014 and 0.41 in 1990. Reflects unequal distribution of income as number is closer to 1.  In order for social mobility to occur in SG, measures a put in place to support needs of the lower SES, in terms of healthcare, education financing. → E.g; GST voucher of $300 given to S’poreans aged >21 whose assessable income does not exceed $26 000 ad annual value of home is up to $13 000  With increasing SES divides in SG, this means that more individuals will have more opportunities to advance in life and more individuals will not get left behind. Differing SES will then result in increasing societal and economic diversity and tension in SG. Chapter 5: Why is there greater diversity in SG now? Living in a Diverse Society Issue 2: Living in a Diverse Society – is Harmony Achievable? I: Different types of identity and diversity 1. Immigration Policy a. Post-Independence from 1965 and 1970s: Support labour intensive industries  SG third-world country after independence in 1965  Setting up Jurong Industrial Estate marked start of industrialisation; began with factories  High demand for workers addressed through issuing work permits to foreign workers seeking employment in SG in 1971  Workers needed in construction sites, factories, shipyards  Foreign workers not allowed to stay permanently or start families in SG  Influx of foreign workers with work permits supported labour-intensive industries; made SG attractive place for foreign investment and helped achieve high economic growth b. 1980s till today: Address declining population and brain drain  By 1980s, govt decided immigration policies needed to be reviewed as SG faced declining population and brain drain  Professionals found it easier to work overseas – e.g Australia as they could speak English  SG govt started to encourage another wave of immigration to SG from 1990s till today  Current policy focuses on higher skilled foreign workforce to support knowledge-based economy  With current birth rates and without immigration, number of working age citizens expected to decline from 2020. SG’s overall citizen population predicted to decline from 2025 onwards low birth rates persist. This is because the no. of elderly citizens will triple from 900 000 by 2030 and be supported by smaller base of working age citizens  This will worsen age dependency ratio in SG; govt revenue from taxing working class citizens will be used to support an increasing no. of elderly citizens  By 2030, there will only be 2.1 working age citizens for each citizen aged >65; puts extra tax and economic burden for working class  continued low birth rate will lead to a shrinking customer base; companies may find SG unattractive to sell products to, may not be able to find adequate manpower 2. Economic Opportunities  Economic opportunities attract migrants and immigrants looking for employment  In SG, employment opportunities readily available due to large no. of businesses operating  Ease of doing business, growth potential, stable political environment and well-est judiciary system attracts global investors like multinational corporations (MNCs)  E.g; EnterpriseOne is a comprehensive network where local businesses can find help and answers need to start, grow and sustain. The EnterpriseOne Portal provides wide range of info on govt assistance etc → According to World Bank in 2014, SG is first among countries with conducive business environment → According to Business Environment Risk Intel (BERI) in 2014, SG ranked 1 st out of 50 major investment destinations as best investment potential. With no restrictions on flow of capital (money for investment) for businesses and most favourable operating conditions and strong diplomatic ties, SG’s stable political and economic climate creates an ideal environment to invest in → According to Dong Business Report 2014, SG is the easiest place to conduct business due to hassle-free way of admin matters being handled and simplified process of setting up business through online form for establishing company and registering for taxes. SG eased property registration by going digital → According to Global Competitiveness Report 2014, SG top country in Asia for least corruption in economy; transparency is valued highly due to strict laws and legislation imposed by govt over business dealings  This resulted in SG’s reputation as a business hub; renowned efficiency has attracted over 7000 MNCs  Important for SG to remain competitive and continue to be a place where businesses can see long term prospects for growth. Staying competitive attracts global businesses to develop new industries here, opening employment  To maintain a strong Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with adequate job opportunities and consistent investments, SG needs to attract both lower and higher skilled manpower to remain competitive to sustain economic growth.  They can be highly skilled, raising income of top tier income earners while lower skilled migrants keep wages at the bottom tiers low → Complement Higher-Skilled Professional Jobs: foreign manpower needed to complement local workforce in sectors like construction and marine, by taking low-skilled jobs that support higher skilled professional jobs. Many foreign workers come from China, India, Bangladesh etc → Support families with elderly and children: foreign domestic workers support families with elderly and children – fetching from school, assisting with care-giving duties – allows S’poreans to remain in the workforce. They come from Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka etc → Support SG’s economic competitiveness and vibrancy in the world: foreign professionals complement local professionals (PMETs) to ensure SG’s economy stays vibrant and competitive. Foreign PMETs come from across the globe and usually occupy senior positions in sectors like banking and finance.  SG’s stability and economic opportunities attracts many foreigners to seek employment and take up residency here, adding to greater socio-economic diversity 3. Socio-Cultural Environment  Some immigrants become naturalized citizens; leads to increase in socio-cultural and socio-economic diversity of SG  Features which appeal to potential immigrants include strong community support, safe environment and quality education system a. Community Support  SG home to diverse ethnic communities and cultures; help foreigners feel more at home in SG  Many ethnic communities gather in certain districts, help strengthen ties  Immigrant communities bring their distinct national identities, including ethnic practices unique to their country  E.g; many Koreans live in SG; chosen as it is an Asian country with an English-speaking work environment, MNCs, good infrastructure and security. Korean community in SG centres around Bukit Timah area where Singapore Korean Int’l School is located. Many eateries operated by Koreans, boutiques and beauty salons can be found in shopping complexes like Bukit Timah Plaza and Square 2 Shopping Mall in Novena  Korean communities provide important support for (im)migrants that come to SG  Korean community has added to diversity in SG, enriching SG with their cuisine like Korean fried chicken, K- dramas and K-pop. Many S’poreans have taken up Korean classes as a result of love for Korean culture - increases interaction, diversity and understanding between Koreans and S’poreans b. Safe Environment  (Im)migrants consider security when deciding which country to work in; measured by crime rate  SG’s law ensures low crime rates  E.g; crime rates have been declining since 2005 and has gone down 6% between 2012 and 2013. Almost 40% of major crimes are solved with assistance from public. SG ranked 2nd safest country based on social order and security and ranked 10th based on criminal justice and absence of corruption  This allows foreigners and supporting communities to thrive in a safe environment – brings diversity, increases Sg’s attractiveness as a major place for investments c. Singapore’s Education System  Many (im)migrants come to SG for quality education by themselves or for their children  Int’l students add to diversity in schools; able to share experiences with other students  SG’s education system is well-recognised for its effectiveness and high standards, public schools are becoming increasingly popular with foreigners due to high standards  Many primary, secondary school and JCs accept int’l students  MOE conducts annual admissions exercise between Sep and Oct for Int’l students who wish to join public schools  Tertiary education like polytechnics and universities have been popular with int’l students – they offer high standards of certification and a wide range of courses (Sciences, Engineering, Humanities, Arts etc)  The options available has made SG a well-known hub for quality education; attracted 80k int’l students in 2014  This has increased diversity that comes from sharing ideas, cultures and experiences from different cultures.. Chapter 6: What are the experiences and effects living in a diverse society? Living in a Diverse Society Issue 2: Living in a Diverse Society – is Harmony Achievable? I: Experiences and effects of living in a diverse society 1. Interactions in a diverse society  Many immigrants are naturalized citizens/PRs. Some foreigners come as foreign manpower and foreign students – added up to 1.6 mil non-residents and 0.53 mil PRs out of 5.47 mil population in SG  For harmonious interactions, there must be a willingness to live together and build harmony as a society  This is done through common space; physical space, shared values and common experiences that build our national identity  Govt and non-govt orgs create and provide common space to bring people together to interact  Common space provides opportunities for people of diff nationalities, races and ethnicities, religions, and socio- economic status to come together to work, play and live together and have common experiences  Provide a conducive environment for interaction to take place → E.g; Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs) are community inter-racial and inter-faith platforms that promote racial and religious harmony; can be found in every constituency. Through inter- faith and inter-ethnic themes activities like heritage trails, talks and dialogues and various celebrations, the IRCCs help deepen people’s understanding of various faiths, beliefs and practices in SG → E.g; OnePeople.sg formed in 1997 to influence programmes and activities to foster interaction and friendships among diff ethnic groups. E.g CampTeen, a youth racial harmony ambassador programme where youths dedicated to the cause of promoting harmony brings youths of all races together to participate in bonding activities. This promotes interaction and understanding, fosters social harmony → E.g; People’s Association (PA) statutory board established on 1 Jul 1960 to promote racial harmony and social cohesion; act as a bridge between the govt and the people. The PA creates common space by offering a wide range of community programmes and volunteering opportunities for S’poreans from all walks of life. This promotes interaction and understanding among groups, fostering social harmony 2. Exchange and appreciation in a diverse society  The attitude towards interaction is important; openness allows people to respect and appreciate diversity, which facilitates meaningful exchanges  Openness can be shown in diff forms like being open to idea of trying out diff varieties of food, seeking to understand meaning behind cultural practices of other cultural groups  When we are open to learning and sharing with others, we would benefit from enriching experiences, and deeper understanding and appreciation a. Exchange and appreciation of culture  Cultural exchanges can create distinct experiences bc of diversity in nationality, race and SES  Diverse society provides people with many opportunities to interact with those of diff countries and cultures  This can result in fusion between diff local cultures and foreign ideas → E.g; Chef Willin Low specialises in fusion food. Created fusion between S’porean and modern European dining like soft shell chilli crab squid ink mantou and char siew burger. His approach to fusion received awards from the NY Times and Financial Times  This highlights how an individual can benefit form an attitude of openness when interacting with (im)migrants. Living in a diverse society provides many opportunities to engage in meaningful exchanges b. Exchange of Skills and Knowledge  Exchange in knowledge and skills; areas of R&D with overseas experts  Foreign scientists and can share their knowledge to help strengthen research competencies and collab w S’poreans → E.g; Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) of the Agency for Science, Tech and Research (A*STAR) funds and supports public research initiatives in SG. Under BMRC, internationally renowned scientists with expertise to jump-start country’s biomedical sciences moved to SG. → This openness to collab led to robust research, led to significant discoveries in SG (H1N1 flu vaccine).  3. Challenges in a Diverse Society  Actions, opinions and feelings expressed irresponsibly could erode trust and weaken cohesion between people a. Prejudice and misconceptions  Interacting bring possibilities for misunderstanding; differences in cultural background can lead to conflicting views on values, beliefs and customs  Negative sentiments can arise when people make incorrect judgements due to insufficient understanding  This could happen hen the other person’s identity could be diff (nationality, race, SES etc)  These generalised thoughts are called stereotypes; beliefs held by one social group about another social group  Negative stereotypes known as prejudices; threats to diversity, lead to discrimination against victims who are hurt of excluded from interactions in a diverse society Hate Crimes  Arabs, and Muslims became victims of hate crime in America after 9/11 terrorist attacks; many stopped for questioning by public officers because of their appearance or Muslim names  This discrimination caused unnecessary hurt, inconvenience and deepened prejudice against people of diff race/religion  It is impt for SG to be vigilant against forms of prejudice that would harm relationships in our diverse society Hurtful Remarks by People  Prejudice arise from misconceptions about a social group; can take the form of hurtful remarks made about people  E.g; in 2010, a pastor from a Christian Church was questioned by the Internal Security Department (ISD) for controversial remarks about Buddhism made in a video of a sermon; created uproar on the internet. Despite public apology, inter- religious harmony was affected by the incident  E.g; in 2012, a uni student from China called S’poreans dogs, led to debate on social media about prejudices of various nationalities. This demonstrated potential for prejudices to grow via cyberspace Denial of Rental Accommodation  Discrimination of rental accommodation to some foreign races and nationalities in SG; discrimination in rental markets causes inconvenience to foreigners seeking to find accommodation in SG and create impression that S’poreans are xenophobic b. Competition for resources Concern over employment  Impact of inflow of foreigners on competition in employment, prices of goods and services, demands of public transport  Some S’poreans fear that foreigners are taking our jobs away  Foreigners who come to SG on valid Employment Pass and SPass and eligible to work in SG based on relevant qualifications and specific salary criterion; most likely hold PMET position  Some S’poreans hold opinion that they have caused loss of jobs for some older white collar S’porean workers  Can be because employers would rather hire foreign workers than to pay more for local workers because of lower pay earned. Inflow of these work permit holders are a reason for wages to remain low for S’poreans in the lower income group. Measures to tackle concern over employment  Govt has tightened the immigration framework and put in place more stringent foreign workforce controls to reduce inflow of foreign manpower into SG  E.g; monthly levy for Work Permit holders increasing since 2010. The quotes for S Pass and Employment Pass have been reduced and eligibility criteria like monthly salaries have been tightened since 2010  This means that manpower needs to earn a certain level of salary before they can be considered for these passes  To strengthen the S’porean core in the workforce under the Fair Consideration framework, companies who intend to submit Employment Pass applications need to advertise the vacancies in the Jobs Bank Concern over Living Space and Infrastructure  concerns over increasingly congested public transport system and competition over healthcare resources/public housing Measures to tackle concerns over living space and infrastructure  The govt identified needs in terms of quality urban spaces, convenient access to amenities, integrated transport system  Rail network will expand by about 100km to total length of 280km by 2021  Park connectors will be built across the island; can enjoy interconnected green spaces all around the country  More public housing, hospitals and healthcare facilities will be built Concerns over social mobility  Social mobility; improvement in income level, movement between diff SES from low to high or vice versa  Income gaps between lower and higher SES have increased over the years; led many to believe social mobility is limited  E.g; lower SES working in manufacturing sector affected by shifting of jobs to regions with lower labour costs; affected their ability to progress up the SES ladder Measures to tackle concerns over social mobility  Govt emphasises retraining/learning new skills to enable lower SES to stay relevant to economic demands, improve mobility  Upholding principle of meritocracy; rewarded based on merit, allows students to achieve their best despite SES  These opportunities are critical to ensure S’poreans are not denied opportunities to progress due to financial situation. Chapter 7: How can we respond in a diverse society? Living in a Diverse Society Issue 2: Living in a Diverse Society – is Harmony Achievable? I: Socio-Cultural Diversity 1. Assimilation in France  Policy of assimilation – immigrants expected to adopt beliefs and practices of majority group in host country  Supposed to make the identity of the immigrants indistinguishable from majority; cultural beliefs and practices  France adopts policy of secularism; clear separation of religion from govt and no religion favoured over another  Principle formalized in 1905 where it is illegal for any census to compile data on a citizen’s race, ethnicity or religion, also in Article 1 of 1958 French Constitution that assures equality before the law for all citizens  This shapes strong French identity that is not linked to race, religion, SES, etc; put aside affiliations to race/religion/SES to display national identity as the only observable aspect of identity in public domain 1.1 FEATURES OF ASSIMILATION a. Education  Education system secular; strengthens French national identity  E.g; no discussion about religions except in History and Philosophy classes  E.g; adaptation classes conducted for children of immigrants to improve their French and join regular French schools  This ensures assimilation of minority groups into secular French society, believed that treating everyone equally will strengthen the national French identity  Harmony achieved as indivs can put aside affiliations to race/religion to embrace French identity b. Employment  Through employment, the immigrant is committed to stay on the country  Immigrants needed to pick up French to communicate with French colleagues  e.g; govt introduced Diversity Charter to address discrimination in hiring practice of companies towards immigrants – this allowed companies to articulate support for a discrimination-free workplace  Harmony achieved as it allows greater diversity in workplace; support the assimilation of immigrants c. Naturalisation Processes  Naturalisation programmes help assimilate immigrants by developing basic knowledge about life in France  E.g; since 1998, it is necessary for all immigrants to undergo French languages courses and attend a day of civic education about life in France before gaining permanent residency  Immigrants need to show knowledge of history and culture of France, French language proficiency and pass French cultural test to be eligible for French nationality  These ensure immigrants will have to interact with other people in French society and thus be fluent in French and adopt French attitudes and beliefs that will strengthen French identity 1.2 TENSIONS ARISING FROM ASSIMILATION POLICY IN FRANCE  Tensions between upholding influence of national identity and freedom of religion  Assimilation adopted to maintain influence of national identity – France adopted policy as influx of immigrants perceived to have weakened the sense of national identity; while there is recognition that France is becoming one of the most diverse country in Europe, continue to emphasize French national identity  Many new immigrants hold on to religious identities; some French believe this threatens French national identity  Wearing of religious items has become source of tension – law introduced in 2004 prohibiting display of religious items served to reinforce the secular French identity  E.g; People cannot wear religious items – hijab (Muslims), kippahs (Jews), crosses (Christians), turbans (Sikhs)  This is seen as visible challenge to French national identity; conflicts with national cohesion  This led to backlash by immigrants (demonstrations etc) against the 2004 ban on wearing religious items in public; policy violates indiv rights and freedom of religion and expression 2. Integration in Singapore  Immigrants retain unique identities while forging common ground with groups living in host country  Differences are recognized and respected.  2.1 POLICIES TO PROMOTE INTEGRATION IN SINGAPORE a. Bilingual Policy  Bilingualism introduces in schools in 1966; students to learn English and one of the official MTLs  English gives diff ethnic groups common language to communicate with one another, ensures no one has advantage over others and foster sense of belonging and integration across diff ethnic groups  Learning MTL allows preservation of cultural identity and heritage; improve rootedness and sense of identity b. Presidential Council of Minority Rights (PCMR)  Created as safeguard to ensure laws passed by Parliament are not discriminatory against any racial/religious comm  This ensures no racial/religious groups is disadvantaged because of a law passed; promote social harmony c. Group Representation Constituency (GRC)  GRC introduced in 1988 to ensure minority racial groups are represented in SG’s Parliament  At least one candidate in team contesting in a GRC must be minority (Malay, Indian etc)  This safeguards the interests of minority as concerns and needs of minority groups are represented in Parliament d. Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP)  EIP introduced in 1989 to achieve balanced ethnic mix in HDB estates; prevent ethnic enclaves  It puts a limit on the proportion of races in each neighbourhood and block – ensures even distribution  HDB residents of diff races to interact as neighbours; increase understanding and foster racial harmony among the various ethnic groups, strengthen social cohesion in SG 2.2 INITIATIVES AND POLICIES TO INTEGRATE NEW IMMIGRANTS a. Naturalisation Initiatives  New citizens to go through mandatory Singapore Citizenship Journey – designed through collab w/ National Integration Council and PA and ICA  E.g; programme requires new citizens to reflect on their journey towards citizenship, share hopes for SG, meet other new citizens, learn how to participate actively in community etc  New citizens have up to 2 months to complete programme before receiving SG IC and citizenship certificates  The Singapore Citizenship Journey helps new citizens learn abt their new home (historical, cultural, relational exp)  Helps new citizens feel sense of strong national identity and fosters social harmony  NIC drives integration efforts in a comprehensive, sustainable manner to foster emotional attachment b. Common experiences Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) Quota  In Mar 2010, new SPR quota introduces for non-Malaysian SPR households buying HDB flats  Quota set at 5% for neighbourhoods and 8% for blocks; applied on top of existing EIP  Objective is to facilitate better integration of SPR households and prevent enclaves from forming in public estates National Service  All male S’pore citizens and PRs to serve NS for 2 years to ensure SG’s security and sovereignty  NS brings people of diverse racial, religious, educational background to train, live and serve together in SAF, SPF of SCDF  During NS, develop sense of collective interest above the self – common life-shaping experiences help foster greater cohesiveness among people and create strong national identity  Fulfilling NS obligation is critical indicator of identity and integration; shows new immigrants embrace this rite of passage that is distinctive for S’porean men and their families c. Community Support  NIC launched the Community Integration Fund (CIF) in Sep 2009 to support organisations interested in implementing ground up integration initiatives  Ground-up initiatives serve to address specific target audience/needs; orgs support integration by focusing on diff and impt aspects to the SG way of life – incl. providing info, enhancing interactions and encouraging attachment to SG  e.g; mobile app “SG Sauce” provides users with info about the SG way of life; through this, immigrants will receive this info and understand more about local history, culture and social norms; help relate to locals better  grassroots support through initiatives organised by the People’s Association – Block parties, festive celebrations at community clubs, homes visits, orientation tours organised to help immigrants adapt to life in SG  many events had organisers who are new SG citizens or PRs.  some new immigrants served as Integration and Naturalisation Champion (INCs and visited homes of newly confirmed PRs and new SCs, to invite them to events and activities)  these common experiences help new immigrants adjust to their new home and provide opportunities to increase the understanding of local history, culture and social norms; can relate and fit better to SG society 2.3 TENSIONS ARISING FROM INTEGRATION POLICY IN SINGAPORE a. Economic tension  SG is home of many MNCs and non-profit organisations run by foreigners; their presence add to numerous jobs for local economy, add to economic vibrancy of the country  Some S’poreans feel their job security has been compromised; now must compete with immigrants  Immigrants blamed for causing increases in prices, traffic congestion and greater breakdowns (eg MRT)  E.g; survey in 2014 showed 73.2% of S’poreans believed job opportunities will be reduces for local born S;poreans if we have more immigrants. 55.8% also believed that the govt attracted immigrants to S’pore at the expense of locals  This caused tension as some felt threatened and are not comfortable with the inflow of foreigners; they are against the influx of immigrants as they felt their needs being side-lined by the govt b. Social Tension  Tensions have built up recently; some S’poreans feel large no. of immigrants have affected social cohesion  Some immigrants’ inability to speak English and diff social norms become obstacles to successful integration  Many felt the govt has not integrated immigrants sufficiently and have begun to feel uncomfortable w/ the inflow of foreigners; caused tensions between locals and immigrants II: Socio-Economic Diversity MARKET-BASED APPROACH IN THE USA 1.1 Keeping Healthcare affordable in the USA  Govt gives citizens the freedom to decide how much they wish to pay for healthcare, allows the market to determine the provision of services to meet healthcare needs  US govt neither intervenes in prices by healthcare providers nor interferes w choice of healthcare service by citizens  Means that prices can vary significantly due to freedom of healthcare provider to set the prices they want  Healthcare is kept affordable → Medical Insurance: majority of Americans from middle and higher SES obtain medical insurance as part of employment package. These Americans are more likely to be employees of large firms and less likely to have problems meeting costs of healthcare. Medical insurance premiums are also higher as the insurance companies charge higher in a market-based system to make profit; makes it harder for SES groups to pay for much needed healthcare. There are still 16% or 41 mil Americans uninsured as of 2014 → Medicare: form of health insurance for Americans aged 65 or older but also covers those under 65 with disabilities and permanent kidney failure → Medicaid: form of health insurance available to families who have limited income and disabilities. Eligibility depends on how old one is and whether one is pregnant, blind or have other disabilities → Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labour Act (EMTALA): emergency departments in hospitals that receive payment by Medicare are required by law to provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment until they are stable. Act was passed to ensure patient access to emergency medical care and to prevent practice of patient dumping; uninsured patients were transferred from private to public hospitals without consideration for their medical condition 1.2 Challenges faced by the Healthcare System in the USA  Cost and coverage of medical insurance is one challenge faced by the healthcare system in the USA  Healthcare premiums usually cost a few thousand dollars a year  For Americans with lower income in lower SES, these premiums are deducted from their pay  This leads to many not choosing to buy insurance as they still have to pay for their daily needs  Small firms find it a financial burden to provide healthcare benefits for their employees  Those who receive medical insurance as part of employment will lose it if they lose their jobs  Insurance companies in market-based system operate for profit; more motivated to insure the healthy and employed  They usually refuse to insure those who have been sick or risk having recurrent episodes of illnesses; incur more costs  This leads to situation oh healthcare being denied to those who need it most. 1.3 Strength of the healthcare system in the USA  One strength of market-based healthcare system is the incentive to innovate  Market-based encourages medical discoveries and innovation due to profitability  How high/low the fees are for medical service is up to the provider; if they don’t want to reduce price, it remains high  Profit-driven companies and insurance companies would seek to widen their profit margin  Led to very high level of medical research and tech available in the USA; accounts for the high quality of healthcare in the USA as the motive for profit margins encourage more research and created more innovations SHARED RESPONSIBILITY APPROACH IN SINGAPORE 2.1 Keeping healthcare affordable in Singapore  Govt intervenes through provision of basic healthcare services and shares the cost of some aspects of healthcare  Approach guided by combination of personal and collective responsibility + govt provision  Healthcare kept affordable through heavy govt subsidies, collective responsibility by society  Govt provision ensures cost-effectiveness and efficiency  A portion of CPF savings set aside in Medisave to help pay for healthcare. This encourages patients to take personal responsibility for their healthcare choices; e.g type of services and where to go for this  SG’s healthcare system is made up of public and private healthcare service providers; primary care services govt provided in polyclinics and private sector by general practitioners  E.g; about 85% of inpatient beds in public hospitals and remaining in private specialist hospitals. Diff ward types from unsubsidized A class to heavily subsidized B2 and C class wards in public hospital  Intermediate and long-term care (ILTC) services; community hospitals, home care, nursing homes etc  Singapore’s affordable shared responsibility carried out through → Universal access to healthcare for S’poreans: healthcare heavily subsidised by govt in public healthcare institutions (polyclinics, public hospitals etc.) Lower to middle SES can receive additional subsidy under public hospital outpatient clinics and selected private GP and dental clinics under Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). This has helped SG achieve good healthcare outcome for population with a national expenditure of about 4% of our GDP – low among developed countries → Multiple tiers of protection: first tier provided by heavy govt subsidies of up to 80% of total bill in acute hospital wards; all S’poreans can access. Second tier by Medisave; a compulsory savings account. Third tier through insurance – Medishield Life; health insurance plan for all S’poreans to help pay for large hospitalisation bills. Last tier is Medifund for patients who are unable to pay despite support of first to third tier; Medifund is an endowment fund that acts as a safety net for needy S’poreans who cannot afford to pay medical bills after heavy subsidies. 2.2 Challenges faced by the healthcare system in Singapore a. Managing the growing demand for healthcare  Key challenge is balancing affordability with rising healthcare costs in a rapidly ageing population; population grew over 25% over past ten years  Population is ageing rapidly – by 2030, 1 in 5 residents will be aged 65 and above  Ageing population will be strong driver for healthcare demand; they need more intensive medical care, requires more infrastructure to support the healthcare needs of the aged  Thus, better coordination and continuity of care is impt to ensure the best health outcomes for SG; done by shifting focus of care away from hospitals and specialists towards primary care through family doctors in the community  E.g; CHAS introduced in 2012 to provide affordable care at participating GPs; benefitted 1.3 mil S’poreans as of 2015  Primary care effective as it is the first point of contact; ensured regular family doctor to provide good medical care and advice – prevention and early treatment will help manage rising healthcare costs b. Rising healthcare costs  Govt made improvements to various financing policies – incl. more subsidies to the low and middle SES, elderly to help manage payments and ensure citizens can afford healthcare when they need it → E.g; Medishield replaced by Medishield Life to cover every S’porean; offers lifetime coverage for all, enhanced benefits and subsidies for lower to middle SES – this will help the individual manage rising costs through co-paying → Shared responsibility approach - places critical healthcare decisions in the hands of patients and doctors; professionals can embrace care that is cost effective, generic drugs which are less costly and usually just as effective. This frees up resources for other treatments.   The indiv plays a role in managing costs; done through healthy lifestyle and diet. They will fall sick less often and reduce healthcare costs GOVERNMENT-FINANCED APPROACH IN SWEDEN 3.1 Keeping healthcare affordable in Sweden  In govt-financed approach, the govt provides substantial subsidies and services for most of the healthcare needs of its citizens; means that some healthcare services should be free  Healthcare system in Sweden implemented on belief that all citizens should have access to healthcare services regardless of background or SES; social and economic equity  In Sweden, strong intervention by the govt to ensure access to healthcare for all SES groups esp lower – the cost of providing this subsidised approach is sustained through heavy personal taxes on the people  Universal access to healthcare: every Swede has equal access to healthcare services regardless  Public healthcare is largely owned and financed by the govt  Choices of having private insurance is available. Employers usually offer VHI as an optional part  Healthcare is kept affordable in Sweden through → Patients above 20 y/o are charged about 9 euros a day for hospitalisation; national ceiling for out of pocket payments for healthcare visits is 122 euros. When the cost ceiling has been reached, the patient pays no further charges for the remainder of the 12-month period. Ceiling for medical services is 220 euros → Patient has to pay full cost of prescribed drugs up to 122 euros after which subsidy becomes 100% → For a household, all children are covered under same protection scheme for prescription drugs; max 244 euros for all children within 12 months → Private insurance is supplementary; main reason is to be able to get quick access to a specialist in outpatient care an avoid waiting lists for treatment 3.2 Challenges faced by the healthcare system in Sweden a. High taxation for low healthcare costs  All benefits in the Swedish healthcare system are sustained by high level of taxation  Personal income tax rate high; for a Swede with annual income of US$2961-US$62 140, income tax is around 31%, extra 20% tax for those earning more than US$88 181  There is also direct taxation in form of Value Added Tax (VAT) similar to GST. VAT is 25% in Sweden  Despite willingness of Swedes to pay high taxes to sustain govt-finances system, ageing population means tax burden will increasingly fall on a smaller group of working citizens  Ageing population means govt revenue from taxation will need to fund larger no. of people  Thus, fewer funds can be spent on other areas like education; higher tax on the rich will reduce incentives to work hard, deter businesses and make Sweden a less competitive trading nation b. Growing number of people needing healthcare  Sweden becoming increasingly diverse with inflow of immigrants and there are demands to change state policies  EU member countries are eligible for some aspects of Sweden’s heavily subsidised healthcare  This puts a strain on the system as they consume healthcare services without paying taxes needed to sustain  Competition for existing healthcare resources will result from growing ageing population in the next 10-15 years  This means that govt revenue and taxation will need to fund a larger no. of people as age dependency ratio reduces  Fewer funds that can be spent on areas like education. Chapter 8: What does it mean to live in a globalised world? Being Part of a Globalised World Issue 3: Being Part of a globalised world: is it necessarily good? I: Introduction  Globalisation is a process where ideas and activities of people in diff parts of the world become interconnected. These interconnections can lead to interdependent relationships between developments in the world and developments in a country II: Driving forces of Globalisation 1. Developments in transportation  The world has “shrunk” in terms of time needed to travel from one place to another  Achieved through improvements in speed and size of diff modes of transport and the development of efficient and integrated transportation infrastructure like airports, seaports, railways etc.  Improvements enable more goods and people to be carried per trip; savings in transport costs  SG has extensive rail and road networks that provide high connectivity with Malaysia, connectivity with the world: → Changi Airport served 320 cities in 80 countries with 6700 flights per week → 140 000 vessels arrive per year and S’pore is connected to more that 600 ports in over 120 countries → > 130 000 vehicles cross causeway between SG and MY daily  Through provision of efficient and quality service, SG is recognised as one of the world’s leading transport hubs  When goods and people can be moved around the world more quickly and at a lower cost, it eases process through which people’s activities and ideas become more interconnected 2. Growth of Multinational Corporations (MNCs)  MNCs are businesses with economic activities in more than one country  The global span of their operations drives globalisation as they increase economic interconnections in the world  Interconnections lead to interdependent relationships between parties involved in operations of MNCs  SG has many MNCs, both local and foreign. E.g local owned; Singapore Airlines, Singtel  Foreign-owned MNCs have brought many benefits in employment, higher wages and bringing new tech and expertise to sustain SG’s competitiveness  In turn, these MNCs have benefitted from SG’s strengths as a global business city with pro-business environment  MNCs also facilitate exchange of ideas between countries – e.g; foreign-owned pharmaceutical and bio-tech MNCs like Roche established collabs with institutions in SG to research and develop solutions to improve healthcare  Collaborations like these illustrate interdependent relationships between MNCs and local institutions as they depend on one another to reach their goals 3. Advances in Technology  Tech advancements in communication led to greater access to the Internet and increasing use of mobile comm  These facilitate communication and exchange of info across the world  E.g; apps like Facebook can be easily installed on a smartphone – a mobile phone with advancing computing abilities  Evolution of mobile phone eased people to communicate anytime and anywhere; messages, video calls  With 2.2 billion users worldwide, smartphones offer users internet at their fingertips and instantaneous access to information  this increases the pace of globalisation by increasing interconnections between ideas and activities of people in diff parts of the world, developing interdependent relationships across the world between local and global developments. Chapter 9: How do we respond to tensions arising from some economic impacts of globalisation? Being Part of a Globalised World Issue 3: Being Part of a globalised world: is it necessarily good? I: Economic Impact on Countries 1. Positive Impact: Economic Growth  Globalisation increased trading and expansion of businesses; a country’s economy is dependent on diff economic activities like agriculture, tourism or trade and investments  When there is economic growth, it can earn more tax revenue and generate more jobs for its people; country can expand its infrastructure  population benefits through greater variety of goods and services for consumption  with benefits, most countries try to leverage on opportunities from participation in the global economy  With limited natural resources, SG looks to global economy for its expertise, products and services  Given its small domestic market, SG encourages foreign investments and invests in other countries to remain competitive and sustain its economic growth → Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): refers to investments in a SG company by a foreign company. In 2012, FDI in SG reached $747.7 bil, mainly US. SG can attract investors due to its ability to enable businesses to strengthen their impt activities here and take advantage of economic opportunities in SG; can expand their businesses in Asia and the world → Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): treaties between countries to establish a free trade area where the exchange of goods and services can be conducted. This leads to savings and increased trading. Due to FTAs, cheaper products by other countries can be imported to a country, causing competition with local products. E.g; USA and SG signed FTA in 2004. Some industries like electronics, petrochemicals and textile. By 2012, total US investments in SG exceeded volume in other Asia-Pac country incl Japan. SG companies created 40k jobs in the US  Through greater trade, more companies look to set up in SG; will generate more tax revenue and create more jobs for S’poreans – beneficial to SG’s economic growth 2. Negative Impact a. Weaknesses of FDIs and FTAs  Participation not always welcome by all; seen from protests against FTAs and FDIs  Due to FTAs, cheaper products foreign-produced can be imported to a country, leading to competition with local businesses  Some eventually have to close down due to inability to compete against cheaper products imported  Some argue FDIs offer little benefit for domestic business in some areas – incl little evidence of substantial transfer of knowledge and skills from foreign companies or investors, and limited employment op which do not benefit locals  Increase in employment and investments may not be permanent as countries are left alone if MNCs leave SG during downturn or seek cheaper places to manufacture; leads to large unemployment by lack of local industries left standing amid failure to compete with MNCs before withdrawing from SG b. Economic downturn  In times of economic downturn, a country may withdraw its investments or reduce its demand for goods and services from other countries  Leads to fall of stock markets, decline in demand for goods and services and decrease in industrial production; increase in unemployment is almost inevitable  Leads to less income and employment for the countries affected  e.g; 2008 Global Financial Crisis, triggered in the USA and affected many countries in the world – brought about by slowdown in the US economic activity which led to rising unemployment, reduced demand for goods and services and led the economy to decline further. When many indivs unable to repay bank loans, banks left with large amounts of unpaid loans and confiscated property. They could not recover unpaid loans; led to the collapse od the Lehman Brothers, 4th largest US investment bank, employing 25 000 people worldwide. More businesses had to close down around the world as they could not borrow money to fund investments.   In an interconnected world, the rise and fall of the economies is closely tied due to trade and investments between countries → The slowdown in economy in Europe and US led to further reduction in demand for goods and services worldwide. People would only buy what was necessary as they had less money to spend; reduction in demand for goods affected manufacturing countries like China and India 3. Responses to economic downturn in Singapore  SG govt responded to Global Financial Crisis by providing help for S’poreans and businesses  This was necessary as SG is a small and open economy who earn its living by trading with and providing services to the world; hit many sectors like tourism and exports → Govt gave workers who lost their jobs help to find new ones; given opportunities to be retrained → Lower income families given assistance through rental rebates → Smaller firms could keep their operations going as they could obtain financing with reduces interest rates and increased subsidies → New businesses/small companies granted tax exemptions  The support was able to help local businesses stay afloat and retain employment; helped families maintain comparable standard of living during this recession. SG was thus able to survive Global Financial Crisis and still achieve growth of 1.5% II: Economic Impact on Companies 1. Positive Impact: Higher Profits/Market Share  Developments in transport/tech have allowed many countries to benefit from globalisation; many companies able to widen market reach by expanding their production and sales of goods worldwide  Expansion benefits through higher profits and larger market share, also increased competition  MNCs can obtain higher profits by setting up operations in diff locations; allows access to new markets abroad and access to lower labour costs ad cheaper resources like land and raw materials → American companies dominate global companies as they take advantage of opportunities arising from global economy. E.g; Walmart in China through understanding of markets and culture of a diff market; convenience helped make Wa