The Future of Singapore

Last Updated on 7 May 2023 by Nicholas Lim


SingaporeBeing a common man that moved to Singapore I often wonder where it all is leading to, live in the city/state that is? I found some things here that I really like and some I didn’t but that is to be expected since every place has its good and bad point. Coming from America I really miss the freedom of choice that everyone has there, the ability to choose for my self what I want to see or read with out the government looking over my shoulder tell me that this is bad for me and making it illegal. For being a so called modern country I find this a bit “old-age-thinking” for me seeing how it is the 21st century now.

And what would be the future of online casinos in Singapore?

Known as a fine city the rules are there for good reason and from what I have seen enforced too, what is a good thing. The population relies on the government a lot, maybe too much because then they tend to become complacent and sit back while waiting for the government to act on an issue. Those that are in power have been there for long time now so maybe they see the local Singaporeans as their children and they are afraid to let them leave home and make decisions for them selves, like are parents do with their siblings.

Multi-Cultural Nation

A multi-cultural nation Singapore has cover come many of the problems that plague other counties but the country had to problems in its pass so it doesn’t go unscaved and deeply rooted prejudices still run deep among many of the people but must goes unseen or even know about. With a large portion of the population being of Chinese decent there are still many strong links with that country not only among the people but the business and government as well. On the government side this is for the welfare and growth of Singapore’s economical well being.

But where is Singapore really going in the year to come? Being so small and with limited land space it only makes senses that in time the space and yes the jobs well run out in Singapore. The space problem is easily over come because you can always build taller building to house your people. But jobs that is a different area all together, isn’t it? Right now must of the labor intense jobs such as construction and manufacturing is done by immigrants to the country as well as the maids that work here, the illegal worker in the coffee shops, Harker Centers, and Legal Red Light area you have a lot of jobs that the locals could be doing.

I mentions the LRD’s because prostitution is legal here thus making it a viable job if some one should want to work in that job field. So why don’t the local Singaporeans work in these fields? I’m not really sure; maybe they feel it is beneath them due to the low pay that these job pay and what is needed to survive here in the way of pay?

Salaries in Singapore

Here in Singapore there is no minimum wage scale which I find to be a major draw back for the work force of the locals. A construction company can pay a guy from Malaysia 1000 sing a month to work 6 days a week 12 hours a day and he is happy has hell with the pay while your local will not even consider doing this kind of work.

I would say because of the pay and what it cost to live here it is not really worth his time or effort so they keep away from the labor intense jobs. Over 50,000 Malaysians come in to Singapore every day to work, add the 150,000 plus foreign maids and the 75,000 other foreign workers and you have a lot of job that could be done by Singaporeans if the pay was higher. Maids here make on average S$400 a month to care for a family and their kids, the cook, clean, baby sit the kids, do laundry and just about anything else the owner wants done, they get 1 maybe 2 days off a month and if very luck every Sunday.

Accommodation

They live in small cubbies holes in the flats (house/apartments) with very little to call their own. But compared to the construction they are living high on the hog, these poor guys live on the job site and live in over crowed metal storage units, like those use by the shipping companies, converted into a place to sleep spaces. Unlike the maids many of these guys have no social life to speak of thus the use of the Legal Red Light area to meet their needs and keep them away from the native Singaporean girls.

Many of the youths getting out of secondary school are attending some form of following on education be it collages or university. So where are they suppose to use all of these degrees when they get out and start to look for employment if they plan to stay in Singapore. If the pay here was better I’m sure a large portion of the job being done by foreign works would and could be done by the nations people and give them a sense of helping to build their country and not taking everything for granted like most do.

Military

I spoke with a guy who had completed his Nation Service of 2 years, all males after completing their schooling have to server for 2 ½ or 3 years in the Singapore armed forces, and I found what he told me interesting. Most being between the ages of 16 or 17, 98% don’t sign on for continued service which is understandable when you have a conscripted military force. Most don’t want to be there and do as little as the can. They are just waiting out their time before they go into the reserves until age 35.

Military training on artillery and bombing is done in other countries since Singapore does not have the room for such training, is it a draw back? It could be if the host countries deny further training for environmental or political reasons. Besides doing National service in the Military they can also work in other government social services but I am unsure of how or who has the choice in with they serve their time.

And what of the structure with in Singapore, the lay of the land, like in any large city when it starts building the future is rarely thought about. As of now one good thing for Singapore is that the population is for the most part not growing at a large rate each year, about 1.6% per year. So the highways, road and other forms of transportation are and should work well for years to come. But what if that changes, then what?

Housing in Singapore

Housing in Singapore is made affordable from the government for first or second time buyers. This is done so everyone will have a place to live that they can afford. Some of the first Flats were 7 stories that were build back in the Mid-60’s, now the average is in the 16 to 20 story range and the newer flats are reaching 40 stories. This shows the building trend in a country that has limited land. If you can’t spread out you have to go up.

Singapore is a country of constant redevelopment to meet its ever growing needs. When you buy a flat it is not yours to pass on forever as there is only a 99 year ownership. If the government wants to build in your location you have to sell at the set price which the government sets but it is made up to the owners since they will be given first choice on the new places being built.

Transportation

As more people gain wealth and can afford to buy a car or 2 and take to the road what will so what would happen then that hasn’t happen in every other city in the world or if the population started to grow by 7 or 8% as more couples started to have kids? Starting in 2004 the Singapore government has been encouraging it newly weds or those married couples with out kids to start to have them.

I’m not sure what they see in the population growth or decline that should bring this on but I would guess that since some are choosing not have kids now it may be making a void in the years to come which would effect the work force of the country and force it to rely on foreign workers to fill. So this could bring other problems when that void is filled and Singaporeans are unable to find work due to them being filled non-Singaporeans. But this is just my own opinion!

Casinos in Singapore

Now as we enter the year 2006 things have began to open up a bit with Singapore. Last year the government allowed Bar Top Dancing in the clubs, depending on the area where the clubs where located they could stay open for 24 hours and still sell drinks, the planning of 2 casinos, one at Sentose and the other in the Marina area. So the country is doing all it can to keep pace with the rest of the region which it needs to do since tourism is a major industry here. In January 2006 Singapore got it first all nude review club the Crazy House Cabaret from Paris and Ministry of Sound Disco which will be the largest night club in the country until a newer place is complete called St. Peters Powerstation which will be in the Horbour Front area.

During FY 2005 Singapore had over 9 million visitors, that is double the population. When the Casinos are complete that figure is expected to jump my 25%.

Education

On the business side things are shifting in the education system to better educate the student on the technologies of the future that Singapore will need to know to keep competitive in the region and the world. Looking ahead the country does not want to be caught off guard and fall behind.

Let’s face the facts, even with a small population growth rate it is a matter of time before something has to give in and harder times will fall on Singapore. Singapore is doomed by its small size and ability to expand into new areas where jobs can be created. As the world move forward and companies find better ways to do business which most of the time means cutting people to save cost and streamlining production thought automation, computers and other forms of modernization people always get cut.
Singapore future