Differing needs, interests and priorities across society

Limited resources must be managed in accordance with the Common Good

Decisions and tradeoffs can have social costs and cause social tensions

Citizenship can be defined by (a) legal status, (b) sense of belonging or (c) active participation in public affairs

Examples: LKY, any well-known SGean politician

Short-term cost vs Long-term benefit

May cause social tension, but is necessary in VUCA world

Examples: Edusave Scholarship and Merit Bursary

Informal groups lack credibility, and must present a unified front before being able to influence the government

Example: HOME and TWC2 giving recommendations to improve foreign domestic worker living conditions

Example: Nature Society of Singapore

Example: Giving hand sanitizer to neighbours during pandemic

(UNR) VESTED INTEREST: increase profits/reputation to sustain business

(REL) HIGHLY QUALIFIED who can provide expert insight/ relevent recommendation to do xx

(REL) WORKING FOR SOCIAL GOOD, positive public interest (difficult, shallow analysis)

(UNR) VESTED INTEREST to improve public image (context-dependent)

(REL) WORKING FOR PUBLIC INTEREST in a specific area/ for a specific issue (context-dependent)

Implemented due to declining population and brain drain in 1980s, important in sectors like construction with large manpower requirements

SG is a global business hub with over 7000 MNCs present in the country. This leads to many economic and job opportunities.

SG has a wide range of cultural communities already present, which support new migrants as they arrive in SG (e.g. Thai people along Beach Road)

SG has an extremely low crime rate, creating a safe and comfortable environment which new migrants can feel secure in.

New migrants are confident in securing an education and prospects for their families, leading them to be attracted to settle in Singapore.

allows for a space for people to have common, shared experiences and form inter-cultural bonds and understanding

e.g. Biomedical Research Council under A*STAR invites renown scientists to come to Singapore to research

Crispy Rendang

People may be subject to negative stereotypes or discrimination based on their cultural or ethnic background (e.g. Muslim and Arab people in the US)

Leads to social tension between locals and foreigners

Identity can be based on many factors, such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender

Diversity can cause both cultural/economic benefits and social tensions

There are various ways to manage diversity to work towards a harmonious, stable social fabric

Benefits: Low-SES people have a decent standard of healthcare, while high-SES people can pay more for higher standards of care without burdening government funds

Drawbacks: Low-SES patients may experienced a reduced priority in healthcare institutions, as they will choose to serve high-SES patients who pay more and are more profitable first.

e.g. Sweden, with each citizens paying a fixed sum per year for healthcare irrespective of healthcare requirements or SES.

Benefits: Healthcare services are accessible and affordable for people across SESes

Drawbacks: Extremely large demand for resources necessitates efficiency, resulting in reduced choice of available treatments and procedures. Large strain on govt. resources and funds.

Benefit: Healthcare remains affordable for lower-SES citizens. Citizens are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and lead active and healthy lifestyles, resulting in reduced govt. burden and resource use

Drawback: considerable government funds and resources are required to support citizens' healthcare needs.

E.g.: In France, secularism and national identity are heavily emphasised. Discussion of religion banned in schools outside of Philosophy and History lessons, with mandatory French language and culture classes for immigrants

Benefits: Immigrants form part of the majority group and fit in better with the nation as a whole. Strong national identity forged and maintained, preventing the influence of other cultures and traditions.

Drawbacks: Unique identities of immigrants diluted, and religious freedoms are not respected. Social tensions caused by immigrants wishing to practice their own culture or religion openly (e.g. 2003 Sikh protest against bans on religious attire in schools)

Benefits: Fosters a cosmopolitan, diverse society that is accepting of different cultures and beliefs. Strong social cohesion because of a belief in harmony and understanding

e.g. Singapore, with bilingual policies and common spaces/experiences (PA, NS)

Drawbacks: Social tensions between groups, especially those who believe different cultures dilute the existing national identity rather than building onto it.

Globalisation is the process in which the activities and ideas of people in different parts of the world become interconnected.

Globalisation has both positive and negative impacts, and these impacts must be managed to ensure cohesive, mutually beneficial relaionships between nations

Groups like Jemaah Islamiyah recruit and train extremists in order to perform large-scale, destructive terrorist attacks

Due to the increasing prevalence of the internet, people who are not part of organised terrorist groups can be inspired and readicalised by extremist propaganda spread online, influencing them to commit violent terrorism.

Detention without trial of suspected terrorists: controversial due to reduced checks and balances on prisoners

Use of biometric passports to ensure dangerous persons are refused entry into Singapore

Container Security Initiative (CSI), US-led program to scan containers at major shipping ports, SG is a participating country

Exercise Northstar: annual CT exercise to increase capabilities and readiness levels of agencies like SCDF/SPF

Exercise Heartbeat: SPF+SCDF working with private organisations and the wider communtiy to train personnel on what to do/ how to react in case of terrorist attacks (as first people onsite before police and rescue arrive)

International Collaboration: SG engages with other countries such as the USA, France and Sweden through its DSO National Laboratories to enhance CBRE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive) R&D efforts, to guard against CBRE attacks on SG.

In key locations such as critical infrastructure (e.g. Jurong Island petrochhemical plants) and crowded public places (e.g. MRT stations)

Impacts can include data theft, voyeurism, doxxing, identity theft or scams

in order to undermine the Government and subvert its authority

Combated by increased awareness and vigilance

Educate themselves on cybersecurity best practices and implement them to reduce risk of falling victim to cyberattacks

e.g. annual ASEAN ministerial conference on cybersecurity

revision of POHA (Protection from Harassment Act) for new digital harrassment methods

Introduction of POFMA (Protection from Online Falsehoods and Misinformation Act) to prevent destabilising manipulations of information from spreading

develop new tools and systems to defend SG

prepare SG to counter attacks in the cyberspace

Educate public on threats and appropriate responses

Work with Government and companies to stregthen infrasturcture and security measures

Increase competency of first responders to cyberattacks

MNCs are businesses with economic activities in more than 1 country. MNCs control many aspects of global supply chains and economies.

Developments in transportation include larger or more efficient planes, ships or port/airport facilities.

e.g. Razer (SG company to int'l market)/ McDonalds (int'l company to SG market)

e.g. SIA's A350-900ULRS with enough range to directly reach USA east coast

Developments in technology include enhanced communication technologies

e.g. communication apps like WhatsApp widely used in Singapore

countries vs companies vs individuals (any 2)

in 2013, SG received more than 800b in FDI from foreign businesses

Temasek manages over S$382 billion of Singapore's reserves in both Singapore and overseas

e.g. Old Chang Kee has outlets in Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and the UK

e.g. Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), a Singaporean shipping company which failed to compete and went out of business, with the company being sold to French shipping MNC CMA CGM

especially in the technology sector
e.g. Google

e.g. higher-paying job opportunities for blue-collar workers in Australia

Cultural hybridisation is the process in which aspects of both local and foreign cultures are blended, forming a unique combination of cultural influences that produces new, distinct cultural products.

If aspects of foreign culture become dominant, the influence of local cultures in those areas will be reduced, thus leading to the erosion of local traditions and culture.

e.g. Nasi Lemak Burger is a form of cultural FUSION between American and SGean cuisine

e.g. spread of fast food outlets like McDonalds promote American cuisine over local cuisines

e.g. Influence of Korean cultural products like Kpop and Kdramas result in a reduced interest in local SGean arts

e.g. Crazy Rich Asians is an American-style rom-com/drama set in a SGean context, producing a unique, entertaining hybridised cultural product