Judith Ko (19S77)

Hwa Chong Institution

Content Pack on Societal Issues in Singapore

Topic Sub-category Observations

Societal Traditional + When the old ​National Library​ was to be demolished to make way for new developments,
culture culture and the thousands of ​petitions ​to reconsider plans rose up
and Singaporean + Ethnic enclaves​ like Little India and Arab Street still preserved on ​prime land ​around CBD areas;
well-being way of life popularity of the​ Toa Payoh Balestier Heritage Trail, Hougang Heritage Trial ​and the​ Joo Chiat
Heritage Centre
+ Sites of meaning like the ​Toa Payoh Dragon Playground​ have been protected
+ Hawker Culture ​nominated as a ​UNESCO ​World Heritage Site
+ Promotion of SG’s history as seen in how ​museums ​are free for students; documentaries like ​My
Grandfather’s Road​ on Channel 5 are easily accessible
- Loss of traditional flea markets like the ​closure of Sungei Buloh Flea Market
- Limited sense of ​patriotism ​and pride for our own ethnic culture due to ​Western influences ​like
HBO TV, the Hallyu Wave​ etc

The Arts, films, + Singapore’s push to become a ​renaissance city / Renaissance City Plan
documentaries + Growth of Singapore-based Youtube channels like ​Wah Banana, Night Owl Cinematics, The Jianhao
and Tan​; rise of local artistes like ​JJ Lin, Nathan Hartono
entertainment + Homegrown TV shows and movies e.g. ​Code of Law, Mata Mata, Tanglin, CRA, Ilo Ilo
+ The ​LKY Musical​ depicts the life and struggles of SG’s founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew
+ The ​Singlit Body Slam​, where participants recite poetry while professional wrestlers spar each other
+ Increasing the accessibility of the arts to the daily lives of Singaporeans through initiatives like
Poetry on the Sidewalk
+ Access to​ art galleries​ like the ​SAM ​are free for Singaporean students; ​Victoria Concert Hall​ with
non-ticketed events, funded by the government; ​Esplanade ​has numerous outreach programmes to
primary schools
+ Promotion of the ​Singapore Biennale Festival​ and the ​Chingay parade
+ SOTA, SUTD, Lasalle, NAFA​ allows Singaporeans to pursue art at higher levels
+ Award winning architecture available for public enjoyment like The Interlace, ​The Reflections​, and
The Hive at NTU
+ H3 art / AEP / Higher Art ​offered in A and O level courses to schools like CHIJ (Toa Payoh)
Secondary, Methodist Girls’ School, Hwa Chong Institution
+ National Arts Council launched the ​Silver Arts Festival​ to cater to the elderly
- Continued popularity of ​STEM ​subjects in secondary school like FMSS; arts subjects are seen as less
prestigious
- Over half of ​SOTA ​graduates do not go on to pursue a career in the fine arts, with many citing
financial concerns and the lack of demand for art in Singapore
- $8,000 grant ​from the ​NAC ​for artist ​Sonny Liew’s “The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye”​ was
withdrawn due to strict censorship laws; censorship prompted ​Tan Tarn How​ to write books like the
“Fear of Writing”
- Censorship ​of the arts like ​Welcome to Hotel Munber, Brother Cane, Undressing Room and Naked
Ladies​ were banned for their homosexual or sexually suggestive themes / excessive nudity akin to
pornography

Workplace and + On the ​World Happiness Index​, Singapore ranks ​34th globally ​and ​2nd in Asia
economic + According to the​ Global Competitiveness Index​ and the​ Ease of Doing Business Index​, Singapore
culture ranks amongst the top 3 consistently
- Competitive and stressful with workers rushing to meet their KPIs / dog-eat-dog mentality, as seen
in how 1 in 7 develop a mental illness in their lifetime in Singapore / how ​Singa the Lion “quit”
○ Movements to encourage us to be more gracious like stickers in the MRT (​Bag Down
Benny, Stand Up Stacey​)
- Coining of terms like “​kiasu​” by the ​Oxford dictionary
- LKY ​called us “​champion grumblers​” due to our “complain culture”

Pressing Ageing + Active ageing​ through community clubs around Singapore - retirement age raised to age 67,
societal population and initiatives like ​The Social Iron​ to allow seniors to meaningfully use their time
issues societal health + Merdeka ​and ​Pioneer Generation​ packages; ​Medisave / Medishield, CHAS, Silver Support Scheme
- Increased incidence of ​diabetes ​(which was addressed by PM Lee during his Labour Day Speech)
 Judith Ko (19S77)
Hwa Chong Institution

due to increasingly unhealthy lifestyles

● National Steps Challenge​ and the ​Healthy 365 app​, free gym access to Singaporeans,
healthier choice labels​, ​TAF ​club in primary schools, ​Active SG
- 4th lowest​ fertility rate​ in the world

Strict - Ranked ​151st out of 180 countries ​on the ​World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without
censorship by Borders
the government - Establishment of the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (​POFMA​) dubbed by
Western democracies has quashing opposition voices and having a “​chilling effect​” on society

Little regard for + NTUC ​charging ​$0.20 ​for each plastic bag used; ​Cotton On​ has ceased offering plastic bags to
the consumers
environment in + Straw Free Singapore campaign​ founded by 18 year old student Ang Zyn Yee, an ex HCJC student;
the name of metal / ​bamboo straws​ given to ​RGS ​students for Youth Day; ​climate rallies​ in Hong Lim Park after
personal Thunberg’s School Strike for Climate campaigns
convenience + Singapore’s ​Waste-to-Energy initiative​ where municipal waste is incinerated to drive turbine in
place of fossil fuels
+ Singapore's use of new technologies like ​autoionization ​and ​reverse osmosis ​in its ​NEWater
desalination plants to reduce energy consumption
+ Increase in pricing of domestic water in 2016, to discourage hasty water use
+ Plans to develop ​solar farms​ on ​Pulau Semakau​ highlights Singapore’s increased commitment to
cleaner energy
+ Increasing popularity of eco-friendly ​bulk bin​ stores like ​Unpackt.SG​ or fashion trends started by
Swapaholic
+ The building of the​ Cross Island Line​, which would have cut across ​Macritchie Reservoir​, led to a
series of guided tours called ​March for Macritchie​ to drum up awareness of the issue - as a
consensus, LTA released ​EIAs ​to prove that the impact on wildlife was minimized + establishment of
the ​ECOlink ​bridge across ​BKE
- Singapore as the world’s largest importer of ​sand​, mainly ​dredged ​from ​Cambodia​, leading to the
loss of many wildlife species and the suffocation of marine species
- Heavy reliance on ​oil imports​ and other fossil fuels due to our lack of use of ​RE ​(apart from solar)
- Low recycling rates and knowledge about recyclable materials - about ​40% ​of materials in ​recycling
bins​ are non-recyclable, and ​7 in 10 Singaporeans ​cannot differentiate between the different types
of ​plastics ​to be recycled
- Low rates of ​carbon tax​ at a mere ​$5 per tonne of CO​2​ ​- when the ​World Bank​ estimates that this
number should be at ​$50-60
- Each Singaporean household throws the equivalent of ​two bowls of rice away​ each day in terms of
food waste - however, steps have been made to address this, such as the​ Food Unfiltered
Programme​ rolled out by ​NTU ​students advocating the consumption of “​ugly foods​” rather than
throwing them away

Class inequality - Elitism still a faultline of our meritocratic society: in 2006, then-RJC student ​Wee Shu Min ​provoked
and elitism controversy islandwide when she wrote a blogpost defending meritocracy and signed off by asking
those who were calling for more social equity to “​Please, get out of my elite uncaring face.​”
- In 2013, ​Sec 4 RI student Ernest Low​ was widely criticised for his blog post entitled “​The Ugly Truth
about Neighbourhood Schools​”
- In ​IP ​schools, around ​40​% of students live in HDB flats compared to ​80​% in ​neighbourhood schools
- Segregation​ in some IP schools based on the mode of entry of students (DSA or PSLE score), leading
to heated verbal insults being exchanged in ​2016 ​between ​2A’s “DSA students” and 2L’s “GEP
students”​ in RI

Unique Clean (or ● Corrective Work Order​ for those who litter in public (“Yellow Vest of Shame”)
aspects of cleaned) city / ● The sale of ​chewing gum​ is banned in Singapore
Singapore Garden City + Duty rosters​ in primary school and the ​Tray Return Initiative​ rolled out in coffee shops
+ Singapore has been dubbed a “​city in a garden​” due to our impeccable levels of cleanliness and
patches of greenery interspersing the city-scape e.g. vertical gardens like in ​Hort Park​ and ​Hwa
Chong Institution
+ BCA’s Green Mark Scheme ​to certify eco-friendly buildings
- Cleaners as providers of essential services in Singapore - but most are aged; they are overworked
yet underpaid
 Judith Ko (19S77)
Hwa Chong Institution

Multi-racial and + CMIO model ​and the ​EIP ​in HDB flats; ​GRC ​model where at least one member of the GRC must be
religious society from a minority race
+ Presidential Council for Minority Rights​ and the ​Sedition Act​ prevents ill-treatment of individuals
based on their race
+ Following the ​BLM ​movement, ​The Jianhao Tan​ removed a controversial character in his skits,
which portrayed an Indian man with his skinned darkened
+ Celebration of​ Racial Harmony Day​ in schools where students are encouraged to wear ethnic
costumes from other ethnicities
- Amy Cheong’s ​derogatory comment about​ Malay weddings​ at void decks sparked outrage
- Preetipls saga​ and​ brownface controversy​ of the NETS e-payment advertisement
- Racial discrimination against Bangladeshi construction workers in dormitories leading to an
outbreak of the ​COVID pandemic ​- TWC2 and Migrant Workers’ Centre criticised the government
for overlooking this loophole
○ Efforts to ​bridge the gap​ between migrants and Singaporeans, such as the ​Migrant
Worker Poetry Writing Competition​ to counter the stereotype of migrant workers being
uneducated
○ Project Integrate​, where secondary school students encouraged Singaporeans to bond
with migrant workers through sports
○ The ​Sama Sama Campaign ​was rolled out to show how migrants can be our inspiring role
models
○ On ​Giving.sg, MWC ​and ​HOME ​received over $1.5 million in donations, especially after
the ​#giveyour600 campaign
- Brownface controversy by ex-RI students​, who gave their Indian friend “face-whitening cream” and
put on black facemasks; addressed publicly by education minister ​Ong Ye Kung ​(casual racism and
daily ​microaggressions​)
- Reserved elections ​led to a walkover by current​ President Halimah Yacob ​- led to many
Singaporeans expressing discontent and using the #​notmypresident​ hashtag on social media
- Crude caricature​ of the Indian race by the Chinese library book “​Mao Mao​”, about an Indian bully
- During the casting of “​Ah Boys to Men​”, actor​ Shrey Bhargava ​was told to “act like a ​full-blown
Indian​” and “thicken his accent”, which caricatured his own race

High levels of + Singapore ranks 4th out of 180 countries in the ​Corruption Perception Index by Transparency
trust in the International
government + SG ranks​ 6th in the world ​for the ​Edelman Trust Barometer​ due to our trust in the ruling party
+ During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ​Singaporean government​ was praised by the ​WHO ​for its
aggressive contact tracing and quarantining​, and for its distribution of various financial packages
(e.g. the ​Resilience ​and ​Solidarity Budget​ and the ​Job Support Scheme​)

High mobile + Singapore ranks highly on the ​Global Smart Cities Index​ due to its digital ​connectivity
penetration + Cancel culture​ / boycotting product endorsements by immoral individuals e.g. ​Xiaxue
rate, and the + Increasing affluence and popularity of ​online influencers​ like ​Joey Heng, Naomi Neo, Jianhao Tan​;
widespread use even food influencers like ​Hungrygowhere and Foodking​ - promotes ​entrepreneurship
of and reliance - Increased prevalence of online ​doxxing ​and cases of bullying through social media - as seen from
on technology the experiences of individuals like actress ​Kimberly Chia​ or former NTUC director ​Amy Cheong

● In 2019, ​digital defence ​was added as the 6th pillar of total defence
+ SMART Nation Initiative ​and going ​cashless ​like ​PayNow ​and ​GrabPay
+ Use of ​SLS ​by MOE especially during COVID lockdowns and devices loaned to students without
laptops
+ NYGH​ girls each have access to an iPad; ​MGS ​students have personal chromebooks / laptops
+ PolCams ​for enhanced security in ​HDB ​blocks by the SPF; use of drones for patrolling purposes
+ TraceTogether ​app was rolled out by the government for the tracing of the spread of community
cases in Singapore during the COVID outbreak
+ Jurong Innovation District​, with its emphasis on AI and ​robotics​, will be completed by 2022
- The ​HIV positive status​ of over​ 14,000​ was leaked from the ​MOH
- Singhealth ​was hacked and the personal health data of 160,000 people, including PM Lee’s, was
stolen

World class + Singapore ranked ​1st ​in the​ 2015 PISA rankings ​and has been consistently topping global education
education indices
 Judith Ko (19S77)
Hwa Chong Institution

system + SG’s emphasis on​ rote learning​ has called for more ​application-based tests ​in schools (e.g. ​9744 H2
Biology Syllabus​ now allocates 48% of the paper’s weightage to application of knowledge)
+ Encouragement of ​lifelong learning​ by the government, through the ​SkillsFuture ​scheme
+ Singapore’s MOE rolling out the ​Code for Fun​ and ​Code for Life​ programme in all secondary and
primary schools, to remain relevant in the 4IR
+ By ​2021​, the ​high-stakes PSLE will be overhauled​; while MOE’s ​Applied Learning Programme​,
which focuses on ​hands-on learning experiences​, will be rolled out
+ Shift away from academic achievement through the ​Edusave Character Award​ and the ​EAGLES
Award​, which recognise students for their outstanding conduct and leadership capabilities
+ Mandatory for all secondary schools to participate in the ​Outward Bound Singapore​ programme
- Excessive emphasis on ​rote learning​ and ​high-stakes standardized testing​ similar to China’s
infamous “Gaokao”, which is said to stifle creativity
- An alarming number of teenagers in Singapore are seeking help from the ​IMH ​for school-related
stress
- Suicide ​due to unaddressed mental health issues in society remains the ​leading cause of death​ for
those aged 10-29

Generally + Ministers like ​Grace Fu, Halimah Yacob, Indranee Rajah, and Josephine Teo
gender equal + Presence of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (​TAFEP​)
+ Letter by HCI student​ Agatha Tan​ in 2017 circulated by the ​Huffington Post​ about sexism by Focus
on the Family prompted the school to reconsider enlisting the organisation to conduct sexuality
education classes

Our Conservative - Pink Dot Rally and Ready4Repeal campaign ​led by the LGBT community was resisted by the
values Asian society We.Wear.White campaign​ led by ​Pastor Lawrence Khong of Love Singapore
○ Ready4Repeal petition gained 45,000 signatures but the Please Keep 377A garnered
85,000 signatures
○ Section 377A of the Penal Code still criminalises gay sex
- Love, Simon rated R21​ for its homosexual themes
- Removal of ​And Tango Makes Three​ and ​The White Swan​ from the children’s section in libraries
due to the promotion of ​homosexuality
- Censorship of the arts (see above)
- Adam Lambert’s concert banned due to fear of promoting homosexuality
- Premarital sex, having a child out of wedlock, and homosexuality frowned upon by 7 in 10
Singaporeans

Previously + Our Singapore Conversations ​which involves citizens from various age groups, including the youth,
politically as a means of voicing concerns
apathetic, the + Programmes like the ​Grassroots Attachment Programme​ in Hwa Chong Institution allow students
young are now to be attached to a constituency and witness policy-making procedures
taking interest + HCI Law Society,​ a student initiated project for JC students interested in public policy and pursuing a
in politics / degree in law VS controversies surrounding the ​HCI iEMB post​ by Mr Teo Ming Ern - the school was
increasingly accused of ​silencing political discussion​ in the classroom
vocal youth + Singapore’s ​Youth Conversations​ provides youths with opportunities to provide ​policy
recommendations​ and create ​partnership projects​ with the government
+ Well-known and respected political commentators like ​Alfian Sa’at ​and ​Roy Ngern

Other Death and dying

topics ● Continues to remain a ​taboo ​topic and discussion of it seen as bad luck, but with the ageing population, steps have
been rolled out to allow open discourse about death e.g. the​ social campaign Dying to Talk ​encourages families to talk
about death openly
● Celebration / remembrance of the dead e.g. ​Qing Ming ​and ​Hungry Ghost festival
● In the land-scarce country, the lack of burial ground has led to the ​exhumation of bodies in Bukit Brown Cemetery for
MRT lines

Animal welfare
● Cases of ​domestic violence against pets​ like the abandonment of 13 guinea pigs along Toa Payoh MRT
● “The Brown Dog” by local filmmaker ​Eric Khoo​ traces a puppy’s journey through abandonment
● Singapore Zoo, SPCA, ACRES, Jurong Bird Park​ as bodies that aim to protect or rehabilitate animals in need
● Save our Street Dogs initiative ​was rolled out by volunteers to encourage donors to fund a dog each
 Judith Ko (19S77)
Hwa Chong Institution

● Increasingly affluent population, with pet hotels and pet grooming services becoming more prevalent (e.g. ​Cat Hotel
“​Catsmart​” at ​Jalan Leban​ / Thomson)

Crime
● SPF’s use of ​drones ​and ultra-sensitive ​PolCams ​around HDB blocks
● Corporal punishment​ (e.g. Michael Fay incident) and ​death penalty ​VS ​Yellow Ribbon Project​ aiming to give criminals
a new lease of life, like employment by ​18 Chefs
● Posters on MRTs like the “Don’t be a victim of crime” ​molestation ​posters

Fashion and uniforms

● Uniqlo Muslim ​employee being mocked for wearing a ​Hijab ​to work, sparking criticism from ​Madam Halimah Yacob
● Singaporean founder of the fashion chain ​Unik Apparel​ designs clothes that advocate for ​LGBT rights​ and raise issues
on ​mental health ​in society, receiving much praise from the homosexual singer and songwriter ​Sam Smith
● Use of fashion to denote social class / status (​conspicuous consumption​), with brands like ​Gucci, Dior, Versace, and
Chanel​ being high SES brand names VS ​G2000, Bata, and Love Bonito
● Uniforms as a symbol of identity - use of uniforms to denote one’s rank in the Army and Navy; use of uniforms to instill
a sense of pride for one’s school
● Ms Universe Singapore’s pageant gown​ features ​Kim Jong Un​ and ​Donald Trump​ shaking hands to commemorate the
2018 ​summit with the North Korean dictator

Hobbies
● According to ​Statistica​, the most popular hobbies in Singapore and ​shopping​, ​dining out​ at restaurants, video gaming,
and watching movies
● Hobbies being turned into DSA fodder or for financial benefit (​commodification​) - professional equipment required;
competitive mindset and ​cult of productivity​ has seeped into even our leisure
● Stressful work culture can both push people towards hobbies to relieve stress, or force them to give up their hobbies -
death of hobbies like coin collecting and stamp collecting

Spotted Topics for 2020 GP A Level

[refer to above]
● Sustainability and eco-consciousness
● Education
● Entertainment, films, and television

Creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship

● Stifling of innovation by rigid education system and work culture - most parents objecting to their children taking up unconventional
routes in society (e.g. video game designing and the fine arts)
● Success stories of young entrepreneurs like ​16-year-old Remus Er​ (who sells limited edition sports shoes) and ​Ang Jiaxin​ (who sells
homemade slime); rise of various startups like ​Boxgreen ​(which sells healthy snacks) and ​Glint.Inc​; ​RAISE SG​ and ​Enterprise.sg​ to
help budding entrepreneurs
● Social media influencers making hundreds of thousands annually (e.g. ​Joey Heng, Naomi Neo​) - seen as shrewd entrepreneurs
● Poetry on the Sidewalk​ and ​Singlit body slam​; ​Meshminds’ ​collaboration with ​Facebook’s AR platform ​to make statues on ​Raffles
Place ​come to life
● Singapore’s aim to become a “​renaissance city​” on top of being a SMART city - SOTA, SUTD, H3 Art / AEP in JCs and secondary
schools
● Award-winning ​architecture ​in Singapore - ​The Interlace​; Reflections; The HIVE
● SCAPE Singapore​, where street art and graffiti is legal
● Singapore ranks ​21st out of 45 cities​ for innovation and creativity
● SIA creatively rolled out an ​in-flight dining experience​ since all of its planes were grounded during the pandemic - the initiative was
highly popular and supported by many, leading to ​tickets being sold out within 3 hours

Transport
● Public transport often used due to high cost of owning a car (​COE >$70,000 + ERP​)
● New MRT lines like the ​Thomson East-coast Line ​to cater to rising population numbers - which cut through Macritchie Nature
Reserve
● Bike sharing (​mobike​) + car sharing (​Grab​, ​Gojek​, fall of Uber) - eco-consciousness and popularity of alternative transport modes /
 Judith Ko (19S77)
Hwa Chong Institution

Walk Cycle Ride initiative

● Ban of ​PMDs ​in 2019 due to safety concerns and unruly behaviour
● Traffic congestion during peak hour leading to ​ERP ​charges to discourage car usage
● Recent ​MRT breakdowns​ on the Circle Line and ​East West Line​, with commuters being stuck for up to 3 hours
● Flash flooding​ at ​Bukit Timah​ and ​Orchard Road​, which caused thousands of dollars in losses for shop owners
● Air transport by the state-owned ​SIA ​being disrupted by the COVID pandemic, forcing the company to turn to providing diners with
in-flight simulations and dining experiences “restaurant A380 @Changi” to avoid complete bankruptcy

Museums :​ D
● National Museum Singapore, National Gallery Singapore ​(e.g. Yayoi Kusama’s Polka Dot exhibition as instagrammable)​, SAM
having heavy subsidies - MOE’s trips to museums for primary school students ​(cool museums to visit since they’re largely free)
● Natural History Museum​ featuring life-sized ​dinosaur ​fossils ​(sounds fun I hope to go there one day)
● Popularity of the ​ArtScience Museum​ by millennials, in contrast to niche museums like the ​Asian Civilization Museum (and its sister
museum, the Peranakan Museum)​ ​(ACM is quite cool)​ / NUS Museum (which houses Indian classical sculptures and the Straits
Chinese collection)
● The ​Red Dot Design Museum​ houses ​contemporary art designs ​and ​interactive prototypes​ from designers all around the world
(very interesting and photogenic)
● The ​Singapore Philatelic Museum​ features ​postage stamps​ from Singapore, and aims to be a ​museum specifically targeting
children ​(probably my favourite museum)
● Mint Museum of Toys​ features a collection valued at over $5 million ​(one of my favourites too so 9/10 recommendation)
● Malay, Indian, and Chinese Heritage Centres ​promotes the cultures of the three major races ​(these are mediocre I guess)
● Singapore Musical Box Museum and the ​Gem Museum​ - niche museums ​(10/10 recommend Gem Museum; super niche but very
fascinating)
Galleries in Singapore: the Gillman Barracks, Goodman Arts Centre, Kult Gallery (for street art)

Politeness and etiquette

● Advertisements on the MRT (“​Bag Down Benny​” and “​Stand Up Stacey​”)
● Singapore Kindness Movement ​VS Singa Quits
● Use of STOMP.sg for online doxxing or calling out individuals who have acted rudely and shaming them
● Tray Return Initiative in hawker centres
● Singaporeans call those older than them “aunty” / “uncle” as a form of respect and politeness
● Social norm for younger Chinese Singaporeans to let their elders / parents eat before them / call their parents before eating
● Singapore becoming a more gracious society - exhortation for “​compassionate policy-making​” by WP’s ​Jamus Lim​ in his maiden
speech VS Singaporeans ​panic-buying and hoarding toilet paper and groceries​ when ​DORSCON Orange​ was announced;
discrimination ​against frontline workers during the pandemic
● “​Invisible People​” is a collection of picture books about those that we take little notice of (e.g. about bus captains, cleaners) but
contribute greatly to Singapore’s growth
● “​Don’t Make Us Invisible​” is a documentary by ​CNA ​about those whom we often overlook or disregard

The disabled and inclusivity

● Ramps and lifts​ along overhead bridges for those in ​wheelchairs​; bus captains given training on how to assist wheelchair users;
dedicated space and ​priority queues​ for the disabled and/or elderly in the MRT
● TAFEP ​promotes anti-discriminatory practices for individuals with mental or physical disabilities
● Push for inclusivity in schools (e.g. ​Caleb Loh​, a student with​ autism​, studies at ​St Gabriels’ Primary School​, a ​mainstream school​)
● Specialized schools like Pathlight School and Eden School
● Mental disability seen as a ​taboo ​topic that his hardly discussed - 1 in 3 Singaporeans are uncomfortable with working with a
coworker with a mental disability (despite 1 in 7 people struggling with mental illnesses)

The elderly
● Difficulty in bridging the ​generation gap​ in part due to lack of knowledge on how to use the ​dialects
● 3Gen flats​ by HDB in ​Telok Blangah
● Free hearing tests​ for those above 65 by the HPB
● Rise in elderly ​suicide rates​ to an ​all time high in 2020​ according to CNA
● Use of bluetooth and ​smart technology​ in assisting the elderly through daily activities like cleaning and taking medications; use of
SOStracker​, a ​personal GPS​ to track the whereabouts of the elderly, in case they get lost
● Rise of ​TAFEP ​and ​BeyondAge ​to combat ageism in the workforce
● St Luke’s Eldercare centre​ accused of abuse and neglect of the well being of the elderly - residents forced to rewear vomit-stained
masks
● Anita Kapoor​, a CNA reporter, spent 2 weeks in the nursing home, and felt like she had her “​dignity stripped from her​”
● Condescending pejoratives like “​Silver Tsunami​” frequent in the workplace
 Judith Ko (19S77)
Hwa Chong Institution

Healthcare and technology

● Singapore ranks ​3rd globally​ for use of ​AI ​in healthcare (e.g. ​Gleneagles ​Hospital and ​Mt Elizabeth​ Hospital); use of ​IoT technology
in​ KK Women and Children’s Hospital ​- booming medical tourism industry
● Singapore’s development of the breath analyser tests for COVID-19 in contrast to usual PCR tests
● Medical tourism as a sizeable portion of GDP
● Selection of level of healthcare - class A, B, C; insurance by NTUC
● Use of ​thermal scanners​ and ​AI temperature screening​ at piloted shopping malls
● Increasing advancement of ​radiotherapy ​in the ​National Cancer Centre​ by oncologists since it is non-invasive
● SGInnovate invests in ​MedTech startup​ using ​AI and robotics​ to perform non-invasive surgery; potential to tap on ​5G ​to perform
surgery from hundreds of miles away (as was done in China)
● Ageing population leading to increased investment in healthcare - ​Medisave, Medishield, Medilife, CHAS, Silver Support Scheme
● Healthcare workers discriminated against during the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. hawker owners refusing to serve nurses and doctors
in their uniforms) VS ​discounted ​services and good for healthcare workers in support of their contributions (e.g. ​PappaRich Suntec
offered a ​free 3-course meal​ to healthcare workers; free ​lunch sets ​at ​Pek Kio Market​); nurses given priority queues at 33 hawker
centres nationally
● Healthserve ​Initiative for migrant workers in dormitories by volunteer doctors and nurses
● Death of TCM in Singapore / diminishing trust in Eastern medicine compared to Western medicine

Immigration
● Discrimination against ​foreign workers​ housed in dormitories - the ​cramped and squalid conditions​ formed hotbeds for COVID-19
transmissions, leading to infection numbers spiking to over 40,000
● Parti Liyani case, which sparked much national debate and concern
● Not-in-my-backyard syndrome​, where residents in Serangoon Gardens opposed to a foreign worker dormitory being housed in the
vicinity
● Local companies are often encouraged to promote Singaporeans in favour of foreign workers - leading to Singapore slowly losing its
shine as a cosmopolitan business hub for international companies
● 2011 watershed General Elections​, where the PAP lost a sizeable percentage of votes due to Singaporeans’ frustrations at the high
levels of immigration and apparent ​overpopulation
● CNA’s short documentary on “​Life As An International Student At A Singapore Primary School​”
● Foreign scholars​ must pay higher fees and score better grades (10 A1s for O levels) to keep their scholarship

Religion
● Politics and religion​ generally do not mix, as Singapore is a ​secular state​ (IPS: most Singaporeans frown upon religion influencing
politics)
● Multi-religious ​country - education of primary school students during RHD; ​Social Studies​ textbook in secondary schools teach
students about the beliefs of other religions
● MPs (e.g. ​Chee Hong Tat​) often seen in ​traditional Malay clothes​ during festivals like ​Hari Raya
● Traditional Chinese / Taoist beliefs and the ​Hungry Ghost Festival​ declining in popularity
● Rise in numbers of atheists / free-thinkers, especially the younger generation, with a sharp decline in Buddhism and Taoism
compared to the 1970s - youths are increasingly educated and see no need to believe in the supernatural
● City Harvest Church scandal​ involving founder ​Kong Hee​, who used over $20 million in church donations to fund his wife’s secular
music career
● SCMP ​accused ​New Creation Church’s leader Joseph Prince​ of pastoring a megachurch that was “offering salvation at a price” by
pressuring individuals to donate​ to the church’s commercial investments
● Restrictions ​on some religions like the ​Jehovah Witnesses​ and banning of the ​Unification Church

Cities
● Singapore as a “​Garden City​” / the City in a Garden VS “​cleaned city​” (Corrective Work Order)
● Renaissance city, and SMART city initiative​ through embracing ​cashless technology​ and ​digital banking​ (Paynow, Paylah)
● Land-scarce and high cost of living; high ​ecological carbon footprint​ due to ​outsourcing ​of polluting industries away from the city
● High levels of consumption due to rising affluence - leading to large amounts of ​non-biodegradable waste ​produced
● CBD area often ​congested ​during peak hour; prevalent ​noise and light pollution​; “​prime land​” at the ​CBD area downtown /
Sentosa
● International business hub​ (ranked ​1st ​globally on the ​Ease of Doing Business Index​); cosmopolitan metropolis; various
government policies and ​tax incentives​ / lowered tariffs to encourage businesses (e.g. HQ of Dyson in Singapore)
● City-life is highly stressful with its bright lights and skyscrapers - more Singaporeans seeking a respite from city life into a more
laid-back environment, contributing to the rise in ​short-haul trips​ to places like Phuket and Genting Highlands
● Extremely ​high costs of living​ in Singapore, despite extensive government subsidies for HDB flats

Shopping, consumerism, and advertising

 Judith Ko (19S77)
Hwa Chong Institution

● Online shopping at ​Qoo10, Lazada, and Shoppee​, ​10/10​ deals and offers; advertisements by Lazada on Youtube
● Controversial ads by ​H&M​ that featured an African boy wearing a sweatshirt that said “​coolest monkey in the jungle​”; ​Preetipls
saga with regards to the brownface ​NETS e-payment​ ad; Kendall Jenner’s controversial Pepsi ad which mocked black lives
● Ads in the MRT for insurance by ​Prudential / NTUC Income ​or home ownership (e.g. ​Uptown @Farrer​)
● Conscious consumerism​ - ​Swopaholic ​and ​Unpackt.SG​; ​Cotton On Singapore​ taking a stand against fast fashion and pledging to
ensure that its products are sustainably outsourced VS ​conspicuous consumption​ (e.g. ​Louis Vuitton​ suits, ​Supreme ​T-shirts, ​Prada
bags)
● Rise in food deliveries during the pandemic leading to excessive plastic waste being generated - Singapore’s only landfill, ​Pulau
Semakau​, said to run out of space by ​2035
● Use of ​celebrities ​and famous people to ​market products​ to consumers (e.g. ​Joseph Schooling on Milo packets​)
● Tapping on social media influencers to ​promote and advertise products​ (e.g. ​Natasha Huang​ and EZbuy, ​Foodking​,
Hungrygowhere​)
● Product placement​ in local films (e.g. Code of Law, Kin) by companies like ​Subway ​and Mcdonalds to discreetly market their
products
● Shopping as Singaporeans’ most preferred hobby, according to Statistica

Charity and volunteering

● #giveyour600 campaign ​encouraged Singaporeans to donate their $600 ​Solidarity Budget ​payout from the government to other
needy Singaporeans
● giving.sg ​and ​cityofgood.sg​ saw spikes in donation amounts even during the pandemic
● VIA and ​service learning projects​ highly encouraged in schools - incentives include priority entry to JCs
● Highly accessible opportunities like ​Food From the Heart, TOUCH Community Services, Habitat for Humanity, Lions Befrienders

Design and beauty

● SUTD ​as a local educational institute encouraging design (with the use of technology)
● The Interlace​ won the ​World Building of the Year Award ​for its complex yet aesthetically pleasing design
● The ​Red Dot Design Museum​ being a highly Instagrammable and popular location, with its ​sci-fi ​and futuristic design
● KK Women and Children’s Hospital’s​ ​futuristic designs​ that make it stand out from typical hospitals
● K-beauty in Singapore and popularity of plastic surgery, as seen from the numerous ads that market it
● Obsession with physical appearances VS emphasis on ​self-acceptance / self-care / wellness​ by the young (e.g. ​Timeout ​Singapore)

Family life, childhood, parenting

● Community playgrounds​ especially in ​3Gen ​flats
● Inundated with ​tuition classes​ (​Novena​ Shopping Mall,​ Thomson Plaza​) and ​enrichment ​activities like ballet, piano, and violin
classes - tuition industry valued at $1.1 billion
● Helicopter parenting​ - mollycoddling children from a young age
● KCPPS ​discouraging parents from delivering their children’s forgotten items to school, in attempts to teach children ​responsibility
and a sense of discipline - this received much praise from Singaporeans
● TODAY Online seeing parents writing in to encourage ​government incentives​ that lower the cost of living in Singapore, such as
through ​priority COE passes​ and financial rebates
● Career Mums and Dads for Life; Eat with Your Family Day

Focal Point / Point of Sample question Keywords to use if you agree Keywords to use if you disagree
Contention

Imperative It is imperative that students Must, have to, have no choice There are better alternatives /
study a lot to get good grades. options
It is unnecessary / avoidable

Obsolete Technology has rendered rote Irrelevant Remains important / significant /

memorisation obsolete No longer valuable vital
There are superior alternatives We still ...

Promote Should we promote local tourism Encourage Dissuade

given the current pandemic? Incentivise Disincentivise
Push for Steer people away from
 Judith Ko (19S77)
Hwa Chong Institution

Serious (problem) “Mental health is a serious Grave

threat to social wellbeing”. Dire Not a priority
Discuss. Major Trivial
Critical
Urgent Relatively minor
Affects a lot of people
Large-scale

Lost (its appeal) Has democracy lost its appeal? No longer attractive Still prized
Not as desirable as before

Exaggerated The importance of higher overstated [amount of X is] justified

education has been exaggerated.

Inevitable “A climate refugee crisis is Cannot be avoided There are ways to solve / avoid
inevitable.” Discuss. this

Merely Evaluate the view that social Just Not just

media is merely a way to pass Only Is far more than
the time. No more than We should not underestimate X /
it would be an injustice to
underestimate it
Unfairly dismissed

Be allowed to Should asthmatic people be Permitted Banned

allowed to not wear masks in Can legally do X Forbidden
public? Censored (if media-related)

The key (criterion) The key criterion for government Main Just one of
is whether they can deliver Chief Minor consideration
economic growth. Primary

Now more than ever “Now more than ever, we must Compared to previous historical Not really that urgent compared
combat inequality.” Do you periods, ... to in the past
agree?

(Does it) matter Does it matter if inequality Is important Is insignificant

persists if no one is poor?

Increasingly “Parenting is increasingly More and more The same

challenging today.” Discuss. Not much has changed
Less than before