Singapore

Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia lie all in a row, practically touching, in the Java Sea and Indian Ocean, but they stand in sharp contrast with one another.  My last post was about Bali, Indonesia, so now I will move northwest to neighboring Singapore.

Anyone who saw the movie, “Crazy Rich Asians” already has an idea of what Singapore must be like whether they have been there or not.  Here are my take-aways:

Not everyone in Singapore is crazy rich, but I saw no sign of anyone who is crazy poor.  Most live in high rises of public housing that are attractive, well maintained, and very well landscaped.  There are also high rises of private apartments, but they don’t look that much grander than the rest.  Our guides also said that there is “landed housing,” which I interpreted as single family homes, but I didn’t see any in city center.

We were struck by how light traffic was, especially since we had just left nearby Indonesia, where cars and motor scooters positively jam the roads.  Our guide explained that strict government regulations put vehicle ownership beyond the reach of most Singaporeans.  It’s complicated, but it basically works like this:

First, you have to get a Certificate of Entitlement which allows you to own and drive a car, but only for ten years, after which, you start over.  The cost of a COE runs around $75,000.  A no-frills sedan by Toyota or Honda costs around $100,000.  A series of fees get added to that.  Then there’s insurance and maintenance.  All this is the government’s way to encourage its citizens to use public transportation, which is both comprehensive and efficient.  We took the subway and found it very safe, convenient, and inexpensive.  Even our taxi back to the ship, a half-hour’s ride, was only $13.00.  Those bent on owning a car are the ones who subsidize public transportation.

People and businesses are taxed on their income, property, and the things they buy, but another major source of government income is the fines it imposes.  Driving just 12mph over the speed limit carries a $100 fine, and at 24mph over it’s $750 and possibly imprisonment.  $750 if you’re caught using your cell phone while driving.  Unauthorized use of a reserved parking spot: $300.

Theft carries even stiffer penalties, usually accompanied by years of jail time.  Punishment by caning is still enforced.

Even littering carries a stiff penalty, with a fine of up to $1500 for the first offense.  Repeated offenses can be thousands more.  Surveillance cameras are everywhere.

Quiet hours extend from 10:30pm to 7:00am, and violators face stiff fines as well.

Anti-discrimination laws are enforced in the workplace with heavy fines charged to violators.

This all may sound like too much government interference, but what the people get in return is a safe, peaceful, and clean place to live, work, and raise their families.  The people with whom we interacted were unfailingly smiling and helpful.  They seemed happy.  We really enjoyed the time we spent among them.